Prom
Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.
A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!
Part Three-Quil Ateara III? Or is it IV? Or maybe V?
"And that one there is Quil cutting his first tooth. The noise out of him." Old Quil chuckled as he pointed at a picture of his grandson bawling on his mother's lap.
The elder had dominated Bella's attention ever since she had entered the house. She was wedged on the sofa next to him as he insisted on showing her every single photograph that had ever been taken of Quil junior.
"He was a very windy baby." Old Quil confided to Bella in a loud stage whisper. "He still is, actually. Nothing has changed there." He guffawed, slapping his knee in delight at his own joke.
Bella smiled weakly, not knowing what to say to that bit of over sharing. She glanced across at the boys; Quil looked mortified, Embry had a hand over his mouth as he tried to stifle his laughter, and Jacob was glaring at the old man as he tried to think of a way to rescue Bella from the elder's clutches.
"Now this is Quil on his first ever fishing trip." Old Quil told Bella as he flipped the page, revealing yet another picture of young Quil crying. In this one he wasn't wearing a diaper but was dressed in a thick jacket with green gum boots on his feet. He was clutching a fishing rod in his hand. "That was such a great day. We caught a big whopper, didn't we, my boy."
"Yes." Quil muttered sullenly.
"What?" Old Quil demanded. "Stop whispering. We caught a whopper that day, remember."
"YES!" Quil yelled.
The old man glowered at him in response. "There's no need to shout. I am not deaf."
"No, just senile." Quil mumbled.
"What was that?" Old Quil's bushy brows drew together as he squinted at his grandson.
"I SAID PERHAPS WE SHOULD PUT THE PHOTO'S AWAY NOW." Quil bellowed.
"I'm just getting started." The old man said indignantly. "Your young lady is enjoying herself. Aren't you, my dear?" He turned and beamed at a bemused Bella. "She needs to know what she's marrying into."
Bella's face burned with shock. Had she heard the old man right? She shot a desperate glance toward Jacob. He gazed back at her in horror. Embry was nearly falling off his seat with laughter, while Quil appeared stupefied. "Um...Quil and I...we're not...I mean...we never..." She stuttered.
"Of course not." Old Quil patted her hand comfortingly. "You're a good girl. I can tell these things. It's always best to wait. Though not too long, eh?" He nudged Bella with his elbow and gave her a sly wink. Her blush deepened as she caught his full meaning.
"Do something." Jacob snapped at Quil. If this farce carried on much longer there was a good chance Bella would never speak to him again.
"What do you want me to do?" Quil cried. "I can't control him. No one can."
"You are so gonna pay for this." Jacob vowed darkly.
Old Quil was oblivious to everything. He was so excited that his grandson had finally brought a girl home to meet the family, he was getting carried away. "At least when it does happen you'll know what to call your first son."
"I...I...I..." Bella was stuttering so bad she couldn't get her words out. She was frightened that any minute now the old man was going to get up and perform the ceremony himself and she would be hitched to Quil before she had a chance to draw another breath.
"The Quil name has been handed down to the first born son of each generation of Ateara's." The old man said proudly. "I'm Quil the...um...um..." He scratched his chin as he tried to remember what number he was. He pursed his lips before shooting an irritated glance in his grandson's direction. "What number Quil am I?" He barked at him.
"You're number three." Quil replied grumpily.
"Stop whispering and speak up, my boy."
"I SAID YOU ARE NUMBER THREE."
"Jeez, there's no need to shout. I'm not deaf." Old Quil shook his head in disbelief at Quil juniors bad manners. If he carried on like this then he'd scare the poor girl off. The elder could see that Jacob Black was already trying to worm his way into the girl's affections. Well, he wasn't going to let him steal Bella away from Quil. No sirree.
Old Quil faced Bella again and gave her another ingratiating smile. "As I said, I'm Quil Ateara the...um...um..."
"Third." Bella finished for him.
"Aren't you a clever girl? We Ateara's love a girl with brains." Old Quil hooted as he patted her hand again. "Yes, I'm number three and my grandson is Quil number...um...number..." He fell silent as he wracked his brains for the answer which was just on the tip of his tongue. Frustrated, he barked at Quil again. "What number are you?"
"FIVE." Quil yelled.
"That's it, number five." Old Quil clicked his fingers in glee. He hadn't had this much fun in ages. He pulled another album from the pile next to him and spread it across his lap. "Oh, you'll love these. This is Quil on his first day at school-"
Bella rested her forehead on the cool tiles of the Ateara's bathroom. Her head was aching abominably. For one excruciating hour she had been subjected to a running commentary from Old Quil as he counted down each day of his grandson's life, with photographic evidence included. She now knew Quil's shoe size, that he was lactose intolerant, and that he seemed to have a wind problem. Bella didn't know what was worse, being fawned over by Alice as she used her like a life size doll, or being forced to listen to the history of Quil junior's bowel problems. She had only managed to escape when the old man had gone off the unearth his grandson's birth certificate.
There was a light tap on the bathroom door. Bella's face paled as she looked toward the small window, seriously considering whether to climb through it and try to make a run for it. But knowing her luck she'd probably get wedged in the frame.
"Bells, it's Jake. Are you in there?"
Bella sighed in relief. She opened the door and slipped out to join him. "Thank god it's you."
"Bella, I am so sorry about everything." Jacob apologised. "If I had known that this was going to happen I would never have brought you here."
He looked so forlorn that Bella forgave him instantly. It wasn't his fault that Quil's grandfather was so eccentric. If she hadn't been on the receiving end of the old man's attentions, she would probably have found the whole scenario funny like Embry had.
"It's not your fault, Jake." She said generously.
"So, you're not mad?" Jacob gazed up at her from under his thick lashes as he gave her the full force of his puppy dog eyes.
Bella had to laugh. "I'm not mad but Quil's grandfather might send me that way if I have to look at another photograph of him again."
Jacob grinned, both happy and relieved to see that Bella was prepared to look beyond all the craziness. "We could just slip out the back door right now. They wouldn't know we've gone until it's too late." He suggested.
Bella bit down on her bottom lip as she considered his bold plan. She was tempted, she really was, but she knew the guilt would eat away at her if she just took off without a word. Old Quil was just a harmless old man, and his obvious affection for his grandson was quite endearing in its own way, even if it could be quite full on at times.
"It would be rude if we just left without telling anyone. I'm sure if we put our heads together we can come up with a reasonable excuse to leave."
"Together! Bella had said together! " Which meant him and her, her and him. Both of them united in their mission to escape the Ateara's. She was just too cute and adorable for her own good. She saw the best in everyone. "I love you. I love. I love you." Jacob sang in his head.
"I've found some more albums." Old Quil puffed as he staggered under the weight of his find. He dumped them on the floor next to the sofa and patted the cushion next to him, hinting for Bella to resume her former position by his side.
Bella smiled at him awkwardly as she hovered by Jacob. "I'm afraid that pleasure will have to wait for another day. I have to be on my way now you see. I need to get home and start prepping dinner for my dad. I'll be going to my prom tonight so I need to make sure everything is-"
"PROM? DID YOU SAY PROM?" Old Quil fiddled with his hearing aid. It screeched alarmingly, making everyone jump. His dark brown eyes slid to his grandson who was already edging his way to the front door in an effort to escape. "WHY DIDN'T YOU MENTION THAT YOU WERE TAKING BELLA TO PROM?" He barked. "HERE'S ME TAKING UP ALL HER TIME WITH OLD PHOTO'S WHEN YOU SHOULD BE GETTING READY, BOY."
Quil groaned as he noticed Jacob shoot him a murderous look. Bella was speechless while Embry was convulsing on the floor with laughter.
Old Quil struggled to his feet. "Don't worry, my dearest girl." He said to Bella. "I'll spruce him up. When I'm finished you'll be proud to have him escort you to your prom." His gaze turned wistful. "A girl's prom is a rite of passage. I remember escorting Mrs. Quil to ours. Us Ateara's are well known for being incurable romantics. I know young Quil likes to hide his sentimental side under a brash veneer, but underneath he's as sappy as they come."
"I'm not a sap." Quil protested hotly. He had never been so humiliated in all his life. His grandfather was getting carried away with the prospect of it all. Quil noticed the Mills and Boon book abandoned by the side of the old man's chair. It was like his grandfather's addled brain was confusing reality with fantasy.
"I can see it all now." Old Quil drifted toward Bella and took her hands in his. He began to sway from side to side as he towed her around the room. "You will have so much fun, my dear. You both will. I must find my camera so we can document it all."
While the old man was lost in the past, Jacob took the opportunity to grab hold of Quil by his collar and haul him into the kitchen. Embry was still on the floor, holding his aching stomach, and with tears rolling down his face, as he tried to contain his laughter. Bella looked like a rabbit caught in the headlights of an oncoming car as the old man whisked her around the room.
"Do something." Jacob hissed at Quil. "Go in there and tell your grandfather the truth. Tell him that you are not dating Bella, that you are not taking her to prom and that this whole thing is something he dreamt up in his crazy head."
"If I told him that it would break his heart." Quil pleaded. "I've never seen him this happy in ages. Come on, dude. Just stick with it. Let him have his moment, please. Then we can all get out of here."
Jacob still had hold of Quil's collar. He glared at his friend, trying to think of a suitable rebuke, but he was so mad he couldn't think of one. "You...you...Quil." He shook Quil before releasing him. "You owe me big time, Ateara. Big time."
Quil sagged against the wall in relief. "Thanks, Jake."
"Don't thank me yet. If this blows up in my face and Bella never wants to speak to me again you are a dead Quil walking." Jacob threatened.
"Is your father chaperoning you to your prom?" Old Quil chuckled as he took another turn across the imaginary dance floor with Bella. "My old mom kept a beady eye on me and Mrs. Quil the whole night of ours. Though I still managed to get in a cheeky peck on her cheek before the night was over."
Bella was feeling dizzy. Considering his age the old man was very light on his feet. He had her going around and around in circles. "My dad isn't chaperoning tonight. He's working late." She said breathlessly.
"Ah, is it your mother then." Old Quil smiled kindly.
"My mom is in Florida." Bella gasped.
"So, who is chaperoning you tonight then? Another relative?" The old man asked sharply.
"We don't have chaperones anymore." Bella was getting befuddled and confused under the elder's questioning, not to mention a little sick as they sailed around the room like a couple of spinning tops.
"NO CHAPERONES!" Old Quil was aghast. He stopped moving abruptly, causing Bella's head to spin. "I'VE NEVER HEARD OF SUCH A THING. FEAR NOT, MY DEAR. I WILL BE YOUR CHAPERONE."
A/N-thanks for reading!