CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX
(BPOV)
Martha and Shawn were eager to see Clarissa and once she was in their arms, they were happy not to let her go. Clarissa beamed up at them with her sweet dimpled smile that was captivating.
She was all too happy to stay with them and babble right along while I put on some warm tea. I had almost finished pouring the last cup when Charlie showed up at the door with Billy in tow. They both looked over joyed to see the surprise waiting in our living room.
"Martha! Shawn! Oh my gosh! What are you two doing here!?" Billy exclaimed first. "I can't believe my eyes! Look at you two!"
They hugged and I saw the brimming tears in their gazes when they reached for Charlie next.
"Oh, Billy- It's so good too see you again! You both look well."
"Likewise, Chief Swan. It is so good to see you again, too! That uniform looks mighty nice on you if I do say so myself. Pretty sharp!" Shawn commented.
Charlie sincerely thanked him for the kind compliment and before I could get too far, he took hold of me with a tight embrace and looked toward Jacob.
"Hey, there son. How's your sister doing?"
Jacob grinned and gestured to Rachel with his earnest reply.
"Why don't you ask her for yourself?"
Rachel came around the corner with a big smile for my father and his eyes grew misty in return.
"Hey, Charlie. Long time no see. I've missed you!"
"Get over here you. Wow- so good to have you back around these parts. How are you feeling?"
"More and more like myself all the time." Rachel replied.
"Good, Rach. You know if you ever need anything, I'm here for you, too." My father assured her.
As the night wore on, and the conversations continued, more and more of the pack started to show up at the house. Before we knew it, almost all of them were in our kitchen, helping themselves to the snacks I'd put out for everyone to enjoy.
Gentry seemed to hang back at first, cautiously keeping his slight distance, his head hung low as he silently observed the small gathering going on from afar. He looked uncomfortable and like he wanted to make a run for it. I discretely left the kitchen, ducking out around some of the other members of the pack and meeting him there by the door moments before he could bolt.
"You can come further inside, you know? I promise, I don't bite. Kinda thought you knew that by now?!" I lightly teased with a gentle nudge into his arm.
He rolled his eyes and leaned back against the wall with a huff.
"I know you don't, but I don't wanna impose either. Lilly had nothing but respect for them and I get the feeling this is more of a family affair if you know what I mean? I can come back later."
He started to go and I followed swiftly out after him.
"Hey- wait a minute- not so fast- you are family." I asserted, as I caught hold of hold of his forearm and shot a weary glance back toward the house. "I'm sure you weren't expecting this tonight and neither was I truthfully. I get the sneaky suspicion that Jacob's keeping something from me. I just don't know what."
Gentry smirked, as he purposefully avoided my prying gaze at this.
"I know nothing. Absolutely nothing." He feigned.
"...-or at least nothing you'd be willing to spill, right? There is a difference." I mused.
"Us brothers gotta have some secrets for ourselves. Part of the fun." He hedged and I shook my head at his humor.
"What do you know? What are you not saying?"
"You're not getting anything out of me, Swan. Sorry, but not a word. You're out of luck so it seems."
I narrowed my gaze further and tugged him forward toward the house.
"Well, at least come back inside? It's not really a party if you're not there."
"I think I'm much better off staying in the woods till later." He argued.
"Leah will wonder where you took off to." I pointedly reminded him.
"...-and she can come find me. I won't be too far."
"Gentry, please stay? For me? For Jake?" I tried, peering up at him with my best forlorn expression.
"Oh, come on. Don't look at me like that. You know I hate that look. Especially on you. That's low."
"What can I say? I want you to stay." I convincingly stated.
Gentry half growled and crossed his arms over his chest in clear frustration.
"Listen, I'll come back later on. I promise, but I think right now, I should make myself fairly scarce. Besides, Jacob won't really need me till tomorrow anyways and-"
Gentry paused then, his eyes widening some in alarm when I moved forward in confusion.
"Need you? What do you mean by that? Need you for what exactly?"
"N-Nothing...-I better get going."
"Oh, no way!" I half yelled. "Now I know for sure you're keeping something from me. What are you two up to?"
Gentry silently gave the signal of zipping his mouth closed, and throwing away the key, before nodding towards the woods.
"I am not telling you anything. I mean it- not a word."
"Gentry-..." I tried again.
Our conversation was interrupted then when Jacob stepped out onto the porch and motioned for us to come back inside.
"There you are, Bells. I've been wondering where you disappeared to."
Gentry nudged me forward with a chuckle, but Jacob wasn't letting him off the hook that easily.
"I was just out here trying to convince your brother to stay instead of bailing." I admitted.
"Of course he's staying, right Gentry? Martha and Shawn are waiting to meet you. Come on. Leah said Sue's on her way over with some Lasagna. You know it's your favorite."
"That's not fair, bro. Using food to goat me into staying. I love Sue's Lasagna."
"She knows. That's why she made extra." Jacob hedged. "Just for you. Better stay or all her hard work would be for nothing and that's no way to treat your future mother in law."
After a few more minutes of strong convincing, we managed to talk Gentry into rejoining the rest of the group.
Martha wasted no time before introducing herself.
"Gentry, is it? Jacob's told us all about you. It's so very nice to put a face to the name finally." She softly admitted, as she extended her hand to him. Gentry shook it nervously and Jacob soon threw his arm around his shoulders to make him feel welcome and a little less uneasy.
"Yes, Martha. This is my brother. Gentry Jones."
Martha only smiled as she looked between the two of them.
"I can certainly see the family resemblance. It's lovely to meet you."
"Likewise." Gentry managed, with a wink my way. "Glad I stuck around to say hello."
"Yes, me too. Shawn and I won't be here for more than a few short days, and we want to know all there is to know about the Reservation and Jacobs family. We've certainly missed sweet Clarissa. She's grown so much."
"She sure has." I agreed.
Jacob reached for my hand and leaned down to place a kiss on my cheek, and I couldn't help but take notice of his infectious grin.
"You look happy." I softly whispered to him.
"I am happy, honey." He breathed, catching my lips just as Sue came in with Seth trailing behind her. "You make me happy."
A/N: Way more to come in the next two chapters so stay tuned. Thanks for reading and please review.
