True Love, With a Few Complications

Chapter Two

Cammie POV

He had let me in, but he clearly didn't believe me.

"Are...are you sure you're not mistaken?"

I shook my head at the question, setting down my glass of water on the table. "Well, actually, you may not be my father. But I think I am related to you, or you can lead me to my family. You're connected to me somehow."

He looked skeptical but concerned as well. "How do you know this?"

"My mother she, um...She left me a few things." I set down the paper with the coordinates and the chief's badge and pulled out the necklace.

Chief Swan studied them.

"The numbers are the coordinates for Forks. It took me a while to figure it out. And the chief's badge...Well, you're chief of police here. And the necklace...I actually don't know what that means."

His hands moved to the necklace. As he gazed at it, he seemed to be stuck in the past.

"What is it?" I questioned.

He cleared his throat. "I, uh, I used to know a girl who wore a necklace like this. Her name was Racheal Morgan."

I perked up. "That's my mom!" Suddenly, I deflated. "Well, I think it is. If that is her, we have the same last name, but my orphanage didn't tell me much about her. All I know is that her name is Racheal and that these are her things. They're all I have from her."

"Well, I'm sorry about that. I'm not sure I'm your dad, but it is possible."

"How did you know her?" I asked. "My mom, I mean."

Chief Swan cleared his throat again. "It was a summer fling, a while after my wife and I divorced. Based on the things we did...I could very well be your dad. I don't know if she was pregnant when she left. If she was, she didn't tell me."

"Oh, okay." An awkward silence settled over us.

He looked up at me after a few tense minutes. "How did you end up here? What's happened? You seem upset, don't look like you've eaten or slept well."

I tucked my hair behind my ears nervously, though the lies rolled off my tongue easily. "Oh, um, well...I grew up in an orphanage with my twin brother. We were never adopted, so we spent most of our time there. We're usually inseparable...Um, a couple of months ago my boyfriend was killed and only days after my brother, Grant, disappeared. I've been looking for him ever since and I figured that if I could find my family, I could find help. But so far, no luck. Well, besides you now. Um, yeah. I don't sleep well- it's mostly nightmares and flashbacks. And I've been living off babysitting money and motels for weeks. So, yeah. That's me." Blinking back the tears in my eyes, I shrugged.

"I'm sorry for your loss."

"Yeah, thanks," I said quietly.

"Until I can find your brother and possibly confirm that I'm your dad, you'll have to stay here." Chief Swan stood from his chair.

"Wait, you'll help?" I looked up, surprised.

"Of course. Even if I'm not your dad, I am a cop. The least I can do is find your brother."

I stood as well and pulled him into a hug. "You have no idea how thankful I am for this."

He hugged back awkwardly before releasing me. "I guess I should show you to your room." He started walking up the stairs, me trailing behind. "I don't have a guest room, but you can sleep in my daughter's room. Her name is Bella she, uh...She travels with her in-laws and her husband and daughter so she rarely visits. She's only a year or two older than you. How old are you again?" He asked as we appeared in a small hallway at the top of the stairs.

"Seventeen," I stated simply.

"She's around twenty, so yeah. A few years older than you." Cheif Swan nodded. "Anyway, here it is. I don't know how you feel about purple but there's a good work lamp, and some books if you like to read. I could get you enrolled in a school within the next couple of days if you'd like, and you may want to go shopping? I see you didn't bring much with you, but Bella left some of her clothes if you need them."

I cringed. "I hate shopping."

He chuckled. "Funny, Bella does too."

I looked up. "But yes, everything is good, thanks. And um, yeah school would be nice."

"Alright, well, get comfortable I guess. I'll be headed to the diner soon if you want to eat out. If not, there's food in the fridge."

Nodding, I smiled. "Thank you, I'll keep it in mind."

With that, he nodded and stepped out of the room and I heard his footsteps descend down the stairs.

I set my bag on the desk and started to look around. The bedspread was a nice deep shade of purple and the windows allowed the forest and front yard to be seen. After getting acquainted with the room and the one bathroom, I walked down the stairs, my footsteps soft and careful.

"Chief Swan?" I said. Stepping into the living room, my eyes landed on his figure sprawled across the couch while he watched an old baseball game. He jumped slightly when he heard my voice.

"Ah, sorry. I didn't hear you come down. What's up?"

"As for dinner," I stood a bit awkwardly. "May I join you another time? I'm not very hungry and I would like to get to know the town a bit more. Besides, when I went to the diner earlier to ask about you, all eyes were on me and I'm not really one for attention."

He nodded. "It's fine, I understand. Another time."

I smiled slightly. "Thanks."

"Oh, and Cameron?"

My eyes landed on him again. "Yes?"

"Call me Charlie."

I smiled. "Then call me Cammie."

Charlie nodded and I turned away. Walking up to the room again, I shut the door softly behind me and let my eyes land on the dresser in the corner.

Narrowing my eyes slightly and reaching deep within me, I whispered, "Patentibus."

The drawers of the dresser swung open, revealing shirts and jeans. Smirking, I walked over and pulled out a nice pair of jeans with a simple long-sleeved loose black cable sweater along with some under clothes. Moving to the bathroom, I slipped into the shower.

As the rose-scented soap washed over my skin, memories flashed through my head. The huge scar stretching from my shoulder to my back didn't help either. It still bled in places, and the bruising was gross. Moving always hurt, but I did my best to ignore it. My waist-length blonde hair was dirty and knotted after not being washed or brushed in a while, so it was painful to deal with it.

After my shower, I slipped into the clothes and covered the scar with the sweater quickly.

I found a brush in the medicine cabinet and cleaned it before sliding it through my wet blonde hair. Now that it was washed and brushed, it didn't look bad. There was makeup underneath the sink too, and even though I'm not usually the type, I applied some concealer, dark eyeshadow and mascara. It made me look less like a zombie honestly.

Walking back into the room as I dried my hair with a towel, I sat on the bed and set the towel aside. Picking up the hoodie I had been wearing, I bunched it in my hands and let the warmth wash over me. Pressing my face to it, I inhaled. It still smelled like him. I had become lost in memories once again when I heard a voice behind me in the direction of the window that faced the woods.

"You're not Bella."