Chapter 10
A Week Later...
I'm walking down the Bread Aisle with Paul who's pushing the shopping cart. We been shopping for the last twenty minutes picking up items here and there in the General Store. His home barely has food cause of him spending his time at Sam's house so I don't mind spending time on the household. I grab two Buttery Golden Bread off the shelf and toss them in the cart.
"Money?" Paul ask me. "Money? I knew you would say that so I was able to sneak a bill out of Shawn's bedroom. Money that I helped him make." I say digging into my back pants pocket. I take out the folded hundred dollar bill. "We can eat three meals with this. Possible four but I know you like to eat more." I say rubbing on his stomach. His hard stomach. Paul and his six pack.
I place the money back in my pants pocket and show him a thing or two about shopping for less. If you aim for less then you'll have more to eat. We're shopping for fifteen more minutes when Sam walks into the store and head for us. "Pepper is always good." I say grabbing the cheapest bottle and tossing it in the cart. "Came for chicken seasoning. Someone used it all when they were cooking." He say reaching past me and grabbing a small bottle.
"Sam, we're making lasagna for tonight." I happily say. It'll be my first time actually cooking a real meal. "Good for you. Are you going to help?" He ask Paul. "No." "Well, Rachel comes back in two more days. She dropped out early due to a personal problem and to help Billy out with his health issue." He say. "Sam is being light on the words." I say staring in his face.
I'm sure Paul know what the heck that personal problem is. "She's pregnant, Paul. She's five weeks in. You'll be a father." "Congratulations but me?" I ask touching my chest. I have nowhere else to go. "You can go to a homeless shelter or back home. The choice is yours." He say walking away with an attitude. I frown. A homeless shelter.
"Well, congrats. I guess you and Leah better stop, huh?" I ask trying to pat his arm but he grabs my hand. He looks in my face showing no emotion. I look back into his grin. Sam makes a U-turn. "What does that mean?" "Him and Leah last Thursday. You forgot to wash your left elbow. When you're sexing and trying to hide, don't place your elbow on the tree. It masks the scent. Completely smells like Leah and...cum." I whisper.
He let my hand go looking at Sam. "Let's talk." He say placing the chicken seasoning back on the shelf. "I'll pay for it. I'll pay for it. Can I have your car keys?" I ask Paul. He walk past Sam heading for the Entrance Door. Who do I know that has a car? "I'll call Dave. The man cleaned his house up well since his 62 year old client had that heart attack." I say grabbing the cart. Sam follows behind his cousin out of the store.
Darn it! I ain't got no cellphone. Plus, I won't be welcomed back to Paul's house. I sigh pushing the cart around the end to finish shopping before heading to the cashier to checkout. So glad that I got more money than I had before. "Can I use your phone?" I ask the employee. "Sure." He say reaching under the counter and handing me the cordless phone when Shawn and his friends walk in.
We greet each other as I dial Jade's cellphone number. "Where's your ride?" Ben ask me. "Paul and Sam just left with an emergency. Do you have a car?" I ask cheerful. "Naw, we walked. Sorry." He say putting his hands in his pants pocket. Aw. I just go ahead and dial Jade while putting the groceries on the counter. I hang up the phone and hand it back to the cashier thanking him.
Dave should be on his way. I'll give him some gas money. "Sandra got in contact with you?" Shawn ask me. "How? I ain't got no phone. I'm living house to house. Sophie is old news. Why?" I ask arching an eyebrow. I don't want Sandra no more. "She been spreading words about you." Scott say as Shawn looks him in the face. "Naw. I'm completely focused on work. You smell the air?" I ask them.
"Oak Trees. Makah's forest is blooming this year." He say. "A little bit too much. My mom want me to find out it has something to do with her increase in tax activities. I'll let you know if I find out so we can laugh at adult problems." I say. Hopefully, him and his friends get my money. "I'll let Arnold know. Let's go." Shawn say walking past his friends.
"Hey! Hey!" He turns to face me. "That Sandy to don't bring me in that. I think I found my boyfriend." I say smiling. "Who?" He ask grinning. "I feel like he's on the horizon. I think. I hope so." I say crossing my fingers. He frown staring in my face like I'm stupid. "Let's just go." Scott say pushing him out of the Entrance Door. I squeal turning back to the cashier. I grab the bags and place them back in the shopping cart.
Thirty minutes later, I'm riding in Dave's car in complete silence. "Sorry you had to see that about Jade." He say making a left turn down Cork Street. "You the pimp. Your life is your life. Just unexpected. Horrible." I say crossing my arms. He glance at me. I look at him. His blue eyes are misty. "Jade got herself a job in Forks. She works at this clothing store." He say.
"Good for her. The police is still hiring. Always in the news and on posters. If I was old enough then I would." I softly say. "Not for me." He softly say. I don't know. It seems like he don't want no job at all. I know he'll be watching Alex if those Jade starts to walk "Do you paint?" I ask out of the blue. "I paint a little bit. I'm a professional."
"In three more weeks, the tribe is having some type of yard sale on the beach. Visitors everywhere. I'mma try to crave out wood of something. Sam will be doing it on the weekend so I'll hop on his thing. Make some money. You get tired of being broke." "Well, property taxes are increasing." He say. I know. The only thing that has been through the grape vine. "Horrible. The tribe gotta get money somehow but if you ca-" "Go as a police officer. I heard you the first time." He say turning on Paul's street.
A red car sits in his driveway. It smells like Paul. Maybe, it's Rachel's car. Dave parks in front of the house. I open the car door up and get out. "At least wait till I stop." He say. "Sorry." I say closing the door. He pops the trunk and I start taking the grocery bags up and placing them on the front porch. Darn it! I ain't got no key to his house. Darn it!
"You gonna be okay?" Dave ask bringing the bags to the front porch. "Yeah. I forgot that I ain't got no key. I'm sure he'll be on his way." I say watching the blonde haired woman talk on her phone in the driver's seat. She's white. That's not Rachel. "Here." I say going into my back pocket slowly. Is he gonna turn me down? "I need gas money. Jade needs to get to work." He say. I frown taking out my folded money and handing it to him.
"Helping out, Alex." He say walking away going back to his car. I'm helping out, Alex. I sigh running fingers through my hair in frustration. What am I gonna do? I look at the doorknob and turn it. "Oh. It's unlocked." I open the front door and take the groceries in. Rachel is on her way back so I won't be staying here for long.
Later that evening...
"How long?" Jacob asks me. Six hours, Jacob. Even though the forest is the size of the Earth, I almost got it. "How you got it, Mia? You been patrolling for two extra hours deep in the forest." "It could be just simple Oak Trees but I don't blame you for looking." Seth say. Thanks, Seth. The sound of rushing water can be heard in the distance.
I run through the layer of trees and jump off the small cliff and land in the Ravine River. I sniff the water and phase back. The streaming water is warm to my skin.I cup the water and taste it. Fresh water. Six hours. I been searching around the forest trying to locate the origin of the Oak Tree for the last two hours after my patrol.
I dump the water back in smelling around. You can really smell the trees and animals in the air. Like the fresh water is bringing out nature's aura. Smart. The person is very smart. An Oak Tree might be on the water. One tree or multiple trees. I smile looking down both ends. Which way do I go? The water is following to the right so I need to go right. I phase back and jump back into the forest run side by side heading East.
"How are you and Bella?" Embry asks. Thella? "Her name is Bella. Her and the leech are still going strong. She'll be graduating in a few months." Jacob say. I'mma ask Sam if he can teach me how to craft wood. Word is that he speaks to termites. They laugh. Let me stop. Sam might be phased on the sneak. Him and the older pop in without us knowing.
I'm running till I come upon a giant dark brown flanked by a light brown wolf on his left. "Mia, you're in the Makah territory. Sam gonna kill you." Jacob say. That ain't Jared? I'mma talk to them. I need to get down the river. I jump into the water where they follow jumping in the water themselves. I phase and cover my breasts. "Are they're Oak Trees in the river? If so then it might be a human transitioning into a vampire. Either a blonde hair teen, slim, and petite or a brown haired girl. Two imprints traitors." I say touching on my chest.
Both wolves just stare at me. Hm. What else can I say? "Their is a male vampire who can hide scents. Her heartbeat might be hidden. This might be her inside attack. She'll be a wooden newly built dam. I just need some type of proof. I can stay right here." I say holding my left arm up. I don't mean no harm. This is the first time that I have ran into the Makah Pack. Hell, I didn't even know that we were not welcomed. Sam never mentioned it.
Neither wolf respond. I'm guessing they're checking. Minutes later, Sam and his friends run up behind me. He's the only one who phase back. "A dam was built. A teenage girl is in there." A tall tribal man say walking from a bunch of trees with another man. "Blonde haired?" Sam ask jumping off the small cliff. "Blonde haired. No heartbeat." He say.
"I think that's the Hidden Vamp. He hides scents. This is Gina's inside attack that she wished for, Sam." I say crossing my arms. "Is she alive or is she dead?" He ask walking next to me. "She had an odd scent. The choice is yours." He say. "The choice is on Arnold." He say. "Female to female, Sam. I can be the one to set her on fire if you need me too. His choice." I say fake pouring lighter fluid. I toss the match. I'm sure Marcus and Lincoln would be glad too. I know they will.
I knock on Jade's front door holding a stack of hundreds on my other hand. I look around the dark neighborhood. Everybody should be sleeping now unless you're working a nightshift. The living room light turns on. The front door opens up to Dave. He's wearing a white shirt and blue pajama pants. He opens the screen door.
"I thought about what you said. I wouldn't want my sister's family out." I say holding up the stack. "I can't take that, Mia." He say. "Okay." I casually say turning around and walking down the steps of the porch. "Just a few." He say. I chuckle turning back around and going up the steps. "I'm not gonna be taking dirty money from you." He say.
"So you're on the clean path?" I ask taking the rubberband and giving him half. "I am. I'm doing for my family." He say taking the money. "It's for the household." Jade say walking up. "What's it all about? Don't speak on yourself. You feel unsure? Take it to the bank. Allow them to check to see if the money is real. Take to whatever to pay off bills or spend. All you have to do. Still no? Put in a cookie jar or a safety deposit box. Call it a 'Last Chance Box'." I seriously say.
I am dead serious. I want my sister's family to be taken care of. "I'll have it checked. You should get home." He say closing the screen door. "No problem." I say walking down the steps and heading down the sidewalk. I take wrap the money back up and place it in my jacket pocket watching Paul walk out of the forest. "Family first." I whisper jogging up to him. "Sorry." I apologize for the tenth time. I wrap my arm around his right arm and lead him into the forest.