Chapter 72: A Conversation with Charlie

Charlie said gruffly over the phone, "hello, Alexandria..I..don't want to take up too much of your time, but Bella is planning to call me tonight. I, uh want to ask you some questions regarding her.."

I said gently, "not a problem Charlie. Paul put the babies to sleep, so I have as much time to speak to you. They will wake in about 2 to 3 hours. Would that be enough time , Charlie?"

Charlie responded, "that would be great."

I walked toward the living room, and I sat down to the on the reclining chair to be comfortable. I just knew that it would be a long conversation.

I asked kindly, "so, what brought you to call me, Charlie?"

He gave a nervous laugh, "haha..I want to understand Bella before I talk to her and let my temper get the best of me."

I hummed, "I see. How come you think your temper is going to get the best of you? Is something that you are angry or upset about?"

He sighed deeply, "I don't understand why she would choose to be vampire? Is..the Cullens that pleasing? I understand that she wants to be with..Edward…Was it something that I did?"

I said sadly, "you are a forward, man, so I won't sugarcoat things for you, Charlie. It was partially your fault in the beginning, but once she continued to live here, then her decision to become a vampire was all on her. It is not all your fault. When..she first came to Forks, she was alone. You left her alone too often. She was lonely, and the Cullens gave her what she wanted: love and attention. I understand that you have been living alone for a long time, so you needed some adjustment with having someone living with you again. I know you tried to be respectful and give her space, but..you made her lonely. The long shifts and constant fishing trips with the guys, it made her lonely. It was also her fault for not opening up her loneliness, but she didn't. Due to her insecurity and low self-esteem, she didn't want to be a bother to you. She was already grateful that you were letting her live with you and buying her a truck. She tried to get into your hobbies to connect with you, but she simply wasn't interested. I knew you tried to bond with her by inviting her to those fishing trips and she kept on telling you that she was fine, so it was on her for not really speaking up her loneliness during her time in Forks. By the time she became involved with the Cullens, she just stopped trying to connect with you.. She was naïve, but even after the attack with James and a warning from Billy during the spring dance through Jacob, she still decided to get involved with the Cullens, so don't feel too bad, Charlie. Everything else after her accident is on her. It was no longer your fault. She experienced the consequences of staying with Edward, but she was so fascinated, consumed with Edward that she didn't realize her actions is impacting those around her..."

Charlie gave a long, tired sigh, " I-I see…I knew that I was leaving her alone too often for my liking, but since she never complained, I thought it was all fine. However, I see now that I let my uneasiness having her back in my life to get in a way connecting my only daughter..Then when she ran away well running away from James, the stuff that she said to me before she ran off, it opened my eyes. I was letting repeat itself first her mother now again with my daughter."

I said quickly, "Charlie, what Bella said to you that night was truly uncalled for. She was not brutal. How she handled being chased by James, there were so many ways that she could've handled it. Yet, she chose the worst way of dealing with it. All she said, she just exploded that day. It wouldn't have gotten that bad if she had voiced those feelings in the beginning, but she let it accumulate over time then explode when she found an opportunity to get you back off from her. Even though she apologized, she never tried to do things better after that, so her apology was hollow and only to make herself better than helping you, Charlie."

Charlie said, "yeah..It was terrifying to hear what her mother said years ago, but instead of trying to fix it, I just busy myself more with work…I didn't want her to hate me for forcing her to stay with me, so I gave her the option to come back to Forks when she was in the hospital, but she wanted to come back, so how can I deny her? It made me happy that she wanted to try again. Then, when I saw that she was fine especially being around the Cullens, I thought everything went back to how it should be…Alexandria, honestly why does she want to be a vampire?"

I paused before saying, "The Cullens gave her what she always wished. Parents who are in love with each other and united through Carlisle and Esme. Because you and Renee divorced when she was very young, she never got to see what love really was about and what marriage is truly about. Even though she always dreamed about being in love, she detested marriage from how badly went both for you and Renee. Carlisle and Esme are like a dream parents. They know how to communicate, how to show affection, how to manage children, and Carlisle is open. You are hard to read, and you don't open up often. Not comparing you to Carlisle or anything..

She would get siblings through Jasper and Emmett. As an only child, she always wanted siblings. The Cullens are filthy rich as well, so she would never have to worry about money regardless the fact that she likes to be minimalistic. She..grew up faster in some ways compare to some children because Renee is a bit flighty and absent-minded. Bella had to do things that adult should be doing for her, and with the Cullens, she is finally able to be just herself. She doesn't need to be mature or have to do things for others. Cullens provide security and safety for her. She also didn't get much attention from Renee nor you while growing up. I think the one who really provided that safeness was when Renee and she lived with her maternal grandmother before she died."

I continued, "She is also very insecure and had low self-esteem. She always felt like she never fit in, but honestly most teenagers feel that way until they finally find their group of people as they grow older. Unfortunately, she only found confidence in herself when she became a vampire. Even though she was destined to be a vampire, it doesn't mean her human life was inferior. She felt inferior to the Cullens due to their vampiric beauty, and she wanted that beauty as well. She wanted to be an 'equal' to Edward by being a vampire herself despite of the numerous times that Edward persuaded her that it is better to be a human than a vampire. So with everything that the Cullens provide then a promise of future as a mate of a vampire, that is what convinced her to abandon her human life including her parents. It is enough for her that even if when you and Renee die of old age, she would be fine with living a long eternal life because she got everything that she wanted..However, Charlie..you were more of a parent to Bella than Renee, so at least, she was willing to keep in contacts with you so she cares for you to a degree."

Charlie was quiet for a long time before he said, "I see…but..was she ever going to tell me the truth if I hadn't stepped in to your place?"

I said sadly, "no. she thinks by keeping you out of the vampire world, it would protect you from being a target by the Volturi."

He sighed, "..what about the granddaughter that I never got to meet? Is she ashamed of me?"

I responded, "I don't know. You have to ask her about that because..the Cullens are planning to take down the Volturi, so maybe when the secrets gets exposed or until Renesmee stopped aging and pass her off as some relative? However, she shouldn't be ashamed of you Charlie..You are a decent man and even though you were gone most of her childhood, you did your best with her despite of some mistakes you made. "

He groaned, "I see…why she thinks putting me in the dark, it would be protecting me? It just made me feel even more terrible of a parent that I have been. I am a chief of the police, and I never noticed any of this? Shame on me."

Ehh, he got a point. He should've been more aware, but I don't know if he rather feigns in ignorance. I asked curiously, "did you notice something and choose to feign in ignorance than investigate it?"

He said, "I..uh I did notice how..controlling Edward was in the beginning, but..I trusted Bella, maybe a little too much. She always had a good head don her shoulder, and she wasn't like the other girls in her age..Then when he broke her heart and left her like dirt, I so wanted to kick his ass."

He added brokenly, "it..it was terrible of how she became a zombie after he left her…I never seen her like that before for anyone. I gave her space in the beginning because..I know from first hand experience how it feels, but she fell hard. I was scared out of my mind, then Jacob helped her,,"

I cut him off, "the fact you stayed by Bella's side while she would wake up in terror every single night for months..Not a lot of people can do that Charlie. Even though it was wearing you down and you would barely getting any sleep, you stayed by Bella's side. Not many fathers would do that. Hell, not even my own dad would do something like that for me…You tried to give her space to grieve, but even you had your own limit. It wasn't weak of you to threaten Bella that she is going to Jacksonville if she doesn't pull herself together. You gave her way more than enough time to grieve, but she was not coping well at all…It still amazes me that she doesn't treat you better for all the stress she put you in…"

I added gently, "I think there was one mistake you made, Charlie. You shouldn't have put the responsibility of an unstable emotional teenager in the hands of a teenager boy no matter how close you and the Blacks are. You knew she needed help, but you chose not to take her. I know you called her mother one day to come down and get her, but instead she through a fit. You should've preserved and get her to leave Forks. Her throwing an emotional outburst is what a depressed and mentally unstable someone would do. It wasn't a sign that she was doing better..Honestly, she was more unstable than you thought, and she did a lot more things that it would've led her straight to a psych ward, but she was able to pass off 'doing better'..That's her story to tell, I don't know if I should be telling you about that…Even though she got 'better' by hanging out with Jacob, she didn't really get better, Charlie. She was basically living off from someone to stand on her own. Her sense of self was still very low. Jacob did his best, but he was young. He didn't know any better. He thought he was helping her by being very careful and babying her , but..that just crippled her from getting actually better. Because the moment Jacob wasn't around due to phasing for few weeks, she went back to her deep depression, and that was the sign that she never actually got better, Charlie. Jacob was merely a buffer to her depression, and that wasn't healthy. ..."

Charlie said gruffly, "..I don't like hearing this, but..you're right."

I said softly, "yeah.."

Charlie said, "it's the past now. Nothing I can do about it. She already made her choices, all I can do is accept it and try to make use of the relationship that we have now."

I said frowning, "Charlie, you can do something about it. You can call her out all of the things that she did wrong to you. You may not get the apology that you want, but she needs to be accountable of her actions. Many times, it was self-centered, and it put you through a lot of heartache. You didn't deserve that treatment, Charlie. For example, the wedding. I bet it made you feel very uncomfortable of how the Cullens provided everything, right?"

Charlie agreed quietly, "…yeah. I felt like a pauper but…I wanted my daughter to receive the best and the Cullens provided that, so I didn't say a word. Not only that, I wasn't completely for the marriage with Edward. I still had my doubts with Edward from how he had treated her in the past."

We got silent on the phone, and he said, "I..have to go now, Alexandria. Thank you for..speaking with me. I let you know how it goes, good day."

I responded kindly, "good day to you, Charlie."

I hanged up on the phone, and I leaned myself back to the chair. Sigh. I know Bella or one of the Cullens will definitely contact me soon. I hope we will be able to resolve our argument because I don't want to escalate it to the point that Paul or Jake got to step in.

Author's Note:

Surprise! I didn't think I would finish this chapter today, but I did. So here is a treat! I am still posting another chapter tomorrow.

Enjoy~

Update (7/20/2021 10:02pm):

To Twin68: I think Ale may have been a little harsh on Charlie. She did say that when Bella first came to Forks, how he left her alone contributed to Bella wanting to be a vampire. However, Ale did say that after Bella faced the consequences from James, it was all on Bella at that point. It was no longer's Charlie. Ale did tell Charlie that he was a better parent than Charlie and all the mistreatment that he received from Bella, it wasn't uncalled for. He didn't deserve that treatment, that is why Ale told Charlie to call out on Bella's behaviors. He shouldn't be passive about his mistreatment. Ty for your input!

I like Charlie. He is a good man even though he made some mistakes. I think that wasn't clear enough in this chapter and it just came off as Ale being harsh on charlie so I decided to fix this chapter and make it more clear.

Does this chapter sound better now?