Chapter 8. Conversations

Charlie did his very best trying to make calls as fast as possible. Confident that Carlisle was waiting for him, he stepped away, beginning the conversation. He chose Bella's husband first, probably, hoping that it would take less time.

The husband. I felt a strong anger, pulsing inside of me.

Calm down, Dad warned me again. You need to be nice to Charlie. He shouldn't notice that you're upset. It'll look strange for him.

Right. I was a stranger for Bella now. How could I forget that?

'I can't!' I hissed. 'She's married! What If it's too late?'

It was childish, I know. But I was angry. I was upset. And I was jealous.

I know it's hard for you. You have just found her again. And here's another loss…

Father bitterly thought that I didn't deserve to suffer so much. Pity. That's what I saw in Carlisle's mind. I hated this. It made me feel even worse.

But that's what you wanted for her, right? Ordinary life, Dad continued. You should wish her to be happy.

Of course, I wished Bella to become happy without me. I recalled the moment from the past, when I was sitting in Bella's room, watching her sleeping, thinking about her possible life. I imagined Bella marring a stranger, ordinary one. And it turned out to be real. My worst nightmare came true. I wished Bella happiness, but I couldn't accept it.

I sighed, realizing that the truth was bitter. Last sever years I has been thinking that Bella didn't need me anymore. The persuasion was easy. Life was much harder.

When Charlie finished making calls, father leaded him to Bella's room. I had to stay in the hall. I was just an old forgotten friend.

I felt better only when Carlisle and Charlie entered the room. Now I could watch Bella, even I wasn't there.

A new wave of shock made Charlie froze when he saw his daughter.

'Bella…' he murmured and stepped closer. Chief wanted to touch Bella's arm, but numerous tubes and bandages made him change his decision. Charlie removed his hand, feeling uncomfortable.

'You can stay here, if you want', said Carlisle, showing Charlie a chair.

Chief Swan hesitated a little. He needed to take care of Bella somehow, even If she wasn't noticing. He reminisced about her childhood days when his little daughter was spending vacations in Forks. Charlie recalled moments when he tucked Bella in, making her sleep more comfortable. He made another accurate step and repeated that half-forgotten gesture.

Only now I realized how tired Charlie was. I wasn't sure he could stay in the hospital for a long time.

Carlisle noticed that too.

You know what to do, he thought before leaving the room. Carlisle was needed in ER, and couldn't stay with Charlie any longer.

Dad helped me a lot already. There came my time to act. I needed to take care of Charlie. Not only because of Bella, but because I worried about Chief Swan too. He needed support, definitely, and I was ready to help him.

I was in cafeteria, buying coffee for Charlie, when I finally noticed Bella's husband. I recognized him by Charlie's memory. His voice was unfamiliar to me, so it was impossible to find Dave's mind among the range of different thoughts. I missed the moment when David entered the hall and asked the receptionist for help. He was on the upper floor now, in front of Bella's room.

Dave opened the door and met Charlie's eyes. Chief… wasn't very happy to see him. Charlie made David a gesture to wait in the corridor, and joined him a minute later.

I was so distracted that almost forgot to take coffee when it was ready.

'Hi, Charlie', Dave said. He was thinking about shaking hands, but gave up the idea.

'You're fast', said Charlie, frowning. He was in a bad mood.

'I lost half an hour on the road', Dave answered bitterly. I listened hard. His anxiety seemed to be real. 'How is she?'

I examined the guy through Charlie's eyes. It was an ordinary man, even for a human. Thick fair hair, weak features. Dave looked like a typical countryman, plain and simple. His thoughts supplemented his look. David was easy to read, his mind was open, almost boring. Nothing special. I was a bit surprised. What did Bella find in him? Of course, he was just a human, but…

'See for yourself', answered Charlie, pointing at the glass wall where I had stood some time ago. 'Bella's is badly injured.'

Charlie's speech was short and curt. Chief Swan had no desire to speak with the guy. In Dave's opinion, it was a bad sign; he had no chance to stay with Bella. Dave was afraid to meet Charlie's anger. Hmm. What has Dave done if Charlie was so angry with him?

'Did you call Renee?" David asked. He needed to ask something.

'Yeah,' Charlie answered unpleasantly. I saw a new picture in his mind. Charlie's former wife was panicking. Renee planned to arrive at Seattle by the first flight, but Chief wasn't sure about that. Renee was too absent-minded when she was upset. She could confuse her flight easily, and fly to Canada instead of Seattle. Charlie hoped Phil would help her.

'Do you need any help?' David suggested. He was watching Bella, thinking about staying with her in the hospital. His pure, simple care annoyed me. 'I can stay with her tonight…'

Charlie didn't like the idea too. He managed to keep a serious face, but I knew he was irritated. I chuckled. I was halfway to them; the distance was short, but I had to keep a slow human speed.

'Actually, I was going to stay with Bella. I'm her immediate relative. She'll be happy to see me, when she awakes', he said.

Dave imagined some documents, but the picture was too blurred to observe it in detail.

'It can take some time. You could go to my house and get some rest,' Dave was losing the battle, but kept fighting. 'You look tired'.

His concern irritated Charlie even more.

'Well', Chief folded his arms on his chest, 'I'm older that you, David, but I'm not that old'.

He stopped talking, noticing someone's steps. It was me, smiling and carrying coffee for Charlie. David was confused. Charlie looked suddenly relieved. I certainly chose the right moment to come.

'I'm sorry for interrupting', I said, pretending to look diffident, 'but Carlisle asked me to bring you coffee, Charlie…'

Chief breathed freely.

'That's exactly what I needed! Thank you, Edward!'

Dave stood still, frowning. What's going on? he thought. His alarmed face made me smile.

I passed a mug to Charlie, trying not to touch him. He accepted it with gratitude.

'I think I'm fine now', Charlie added, returning to the guy. 'It's not obligatory for you to stay here. Everything is under control.'

David sighed. Everything worked against him. Dave wished he could stay with Bella; he really worried about her, but he also had no desire to argue with Charlie.

I guessed why he behaved like this. David's mind repeated the pictures with Charlie and Bella, so close to each other. Bella was a daddy's girl. She would always take Chief's side. Dave couldn't argue with Charlie, or he'd hurt Bella too.

'All right. I'll go home, then. Will you call me when…?'

Dave didn't stare at me. Interesting. The situation repeated again. Some people noticed us, admired us, wanted to be like us. And others… I looked too young for some people, perhaps, and they started to behave like inattentive adults. They ignored me just like I have never existed.

Charlie rolled his eyes.

'I'm a cop, David. I know the rules.'

'Well, then… I'll be waiting for your call,' he added, and looked at Bella for the last time.

I wish I could save her from suffering, he thought before leaving. That thought amazed me. It sounded exactly like all what I was thinking about. That's strange. Possibly, David and I had much in common.

I gave him another examining look. Dave was physically developed. Hiss clothes and manners showed him as a good farmer. But he wasn't a farmer. He didn't smell like that. Instead if this I caught the scent of wood, but I didn't guess why. Dave was so open, but he still was a secret for me.

'Thanks God, it's over', said Charlie. He didn't hide his joy that David had left. 'I wish Renee's arrival would be so simple too.'

'Is he Bella's husband?' I asked. I wasn't supposed to know the details yet.

Charlie was quite open to speak about it.

'Sort of. They're in the process of divorce, so… I hope it's gonna be over soon,' he blurted out.

They're divorcing? I breathed easy. I wanted to smile, and to laugh, and to be happy again. I wasn't sure about God's existence, but someone certainly heard all my prays.

'You don't like him', I was trying to hide how happy I was. Unsuccessfully.

'Yeah. Neither Renee nor I liked the idea of Bella's marriage', Charlie said, frowning, recalling the scene when he had heard that news from Bella. 'Everything was so fast. And they were so young… we knew how it was going to end.'

I nodded. Charlie and Renee were too young when they met. Their marriage was unsuccessful. There was no surprise that they passed their failed experience on Bella.

That part was difficult for Charlie to remember. He decided to change the topic.

'So, how are you, then?' he asked, sipping his coffee. 'To be honest, you haven't changed at all. Physically, I mean. You look so… young'.

'I've got good genes', I said evasively.

'That's right. Carlisle looks amazing', he was impressed. 'I was so shocked when I saw you both. I was numb!' he laughed.

'Many people look young for their age. Is that strange for you?' I needed to know how much he was suspecting.

Charlie felt awkward. His suspicions were fighting with sympathy for Carlisle. He was trying to explain our strange look somehow. He liked the Doctor, liked him too much, and was justifying him. Moreover, Charlie didn't want to believe in anything strange.

'Well, strange things happen, right? There should be some explanation', Chief continued to persuade himself. 'My Bella doesn't look her age too', Chief added. He sounded proud now. 'But, probably, I'm exaggerating. She's my child.'

I nodded again.

'So, what's about you?' He continued. 'Have you married?'

'No. I'm not'. That idea sounded funny. 'I was a bit… busy.'

Yeah, I was too busy with thinking about your daughter all the time, Charlie.

'You went to college?' Chief guessed.

I thought that a little lie wouldn't ruin anything.

'Yeah. I have been studying for a few years. I was planning to become a doctor'.

Actually, I wasn't lying too much. I knew much more that the biggest part of the staff here. I've got few degrees in medicine.

Charlie approved my choice. Of course.

'That's great. Glad to hear that you had found yourself', he sighed. 'Unfortunately, I can't say the same about my Bella.'

Chief turned around and looked at his daughter.

'Why?'

'Well…' Charlie paused. 'Bella has changed a lot since… since she was a teenager.'

Chief Swan turned red. He remembered something, something strange, something bad, something he didn't want to recall. It made me curious. What's that?

I saw the picture of the forest. And I saw Bella, weak and empty. I saw darkness, and cold, and new moon shining in the sky.

I knew that place too. I stopped breathing. The most horrible memory repeated again inside of my head.

How much longer could we stay in Forks, after all?

'She didn't go to college. Renee and I hoped she'd recover. But old Bella was lost. And that marriage... it didn't change anything,' Charlie sighed. 'That's why I'm angry with Dave so much.'

My world is not for you.

'Why?'

Charlie sighed again.

'When I saw Dave for the fisrt time, I knew Bella was just pretending. She's never known how to lie. But she was trying to convince herself of that, and I thought it was a good sign. I hoped David would change her. But he… appeared to be not strong enough for that. That's why I don't like him. David had a chance to make Bella happy – and he couldn't cope with it.'

You're not good for me, Bella.

Everything turned out to be much worse that I had expected.

Charlie stopped talking. Different images replaced each other inside of his mind. My face, Dave's face, Bella's empty face. He was angry with me too, but it was years ago, and Charlie replaced all of his anger, making David the main cause for Bella's troubles.

Charlie didn't take me seriously anymore. He had someone else to dislike.

'I think I should go back to Bella', Charlie broke silence first. 'Thank you for coffee', he added in a more official tone.

But I couldn't let Charlie leave like that.

'Do you need anything else?' I asked. 'I could bring you some food or…'

It looked like a polite question, that's all.

'No, thank you.'

I needed to be nice, but also I needed to solve another problem. I still had no right to see Bella without Charlie's permission.

'I wanted to ask you a favor…' I continued in a low pleasant voice, trying to sound naive. 'Can I see Bella when she wakes up? If she wants it, of course,' I added quickly.

Chief frowned, hesitating. He wasn't in a good mood again. But Chief was confused, and it was me who made him feel like that. It's a psychological rule that always works. People don't like to refuse. They usually feel too uncomfortable denying somebody's assistance. They feel guilty, even If they're right. Humans won't be able to refuse for the second time. I knew Charlie wouldn't accept my help, so…

'All right', he answered shortly. 'See you later.'

Nothing is going to be worse, he thought, entering Bella's room.

To be frank, I wasn't so optimistic about that.