The Whispering Woods
Chapter Thirty-Three
Helplessly, Bella watched her father stomp toward his truck and jump inside after she tried to explain, leaving them in the dust. He had ignored all their protests.
Garrett, though seething, asked what had happened with Mike. Edward felt the need to give him the unedited version, considering Bella had left out what Mike had implicated with his threat.
"I'll kill him." Esme started toward her car, wondering if she could beat Charlie to the disgusting boy and his equally horrible father.
"Why?" Bella hissed, crossing her arms when her aunt startled at the anger in her voice.
"You are my niece. Why wouldn't I?"
"Considering you left my mother and me, I don't see why you'd bother." Bella closed her eyes, remembering the pain. "I may not remember how it all went down, but I do remember making Mom cry every time I asked for you."
Garrett held up a hand. "You two are going to have to have this conversation later. Right now, we have to stop Charlie before he murders someone, especially someone like Mike's father. We'll check on him."
Bella snorted. "He's practically a pushover. With the right threat, he caves."
Garrett and Esme shared another look, irritating Edward. "If there's something you need to say, say it now."
"Mike's father is ..." Garrett ran a hand through his hair as he looked at Esme for guidance.
"Tell them."
"What is it?" Bella wandered toward her uncle, and Edward watched, fascinated at how her glow intensified the closer she got to him.
"Michael Senior is one of the original five and his suit of armor was nothing like ours. He also doesn't glow like us."
"He glows?" Edward tried to remember, but he last saw the principal and Mike before he realized if he focused, he could see a glow around certain people.
"No, it's nothing like us." Bella hugged herself, rubbing her arms. "I thought I was imagining things. He's more like smoke and ash, as if black shadows move around him. Mike hadn't shown any signs of it until recently."
"When his friend died?" Edward questioned, though a part of him knew it as a fact. He hadn't even touched Mike—but had he heard his thoughts when he had opened himself up earlier?
"Yes, he was nothing like this before then." Bella shook her head. "Not that it's an excuse for his behavior."
"Damn right it isn't." Esme approached her niece. "I'll be glad to answer what I can, but please understand this. I didn't want to leave you and your mother behind. I had to. I even asked for you and your parents to come. They refused."
"Why? Why did you feel they all had to leave?" Edward asked, while Bella's brow tightened in confusion.
"Your parents asked me to."
Bella gasped, shaking her head and pulling away. "No, no, that wasn't a dream? But that doesn't make sense!"
Edward looked at her, guiding her around to face him. "What doesn't make sense?"
"I don't know." She closed her eyes and tried to focus on old dreams. "I was a strange little girl."
Garrett snorted. "You have no idea. Sometimes I think you enjoyed scaring us with your predictions."
Esme slapped his arm. "You know she had no control of it at that age."
"Will someone actually answer my question?" Edward threw his hands in the air. "What the hell is Bella talking about?"
Bella looked to her uncle and aunt then at Edward. "I was almost five when I predicted my mom's best friend Elizabeth was having a baby boy."
That made no sense to Edward. "You're the same age as me."
Bella shook her head, watching him with wary purple eyes. "I don't think I am."
AN: BOOM! Thanks to MC for your help with this crazy fic. Thanks to all of your birthday wishes and sending positive vibes for my mother this week. See you Thursday.