I ran up to dad and hugged him, he dropped the sign and twirled me around and I laughed.
"missed you dad" I said when he finally let me down"
"You too Nessie bum" he laughed, I could see tears starting to well up in his eyes so I couldn't tell him off for calling me that dreaded nickname given to me due to my clumsiness and my impeccable ability to end up on my ass no matter how flat the floor. I guess me and my sister have something in common after all.
C'mon dad, I said as I dragged him towards the exit trying to hide my embarrassment at the full grown man behind me with a few tears now streaming down his face. I sighed in relief as we made it into the car.
"Wow, I missed this car" it had been ages since I'd been in the cruiser (as I called it) "hey dad wouldn't mind turning on the siren would you?"
"Ness" dad sighed, he hated doing it when it wasn't an emergency but sometimes did if I really begged, and c'mon I'd been gone a year"
"Oh dad, please" I whined "just till we get closer to forks than you can turn it off so no locals see, please?"
"Fine, but only for a little bit, and put on your belt"
I whooped as I did up my belt and dad giggled at me. We set off and dad put on the siren and speeded round the small roads, it was such a rush and I giggles the whole time, when we got closer to forks he turned the siren off and slowed down. He had a huge smile on his face and I guessed he was reminiscing about the other times we had done this like I was.
"So dad, you look skinny, what happened?" I shifted in my chair towards him.
"As tactful as ever Ness" dad laughed. "Well Bella's a pretty good cook so we don't really eat takeout."
"Ooh" I couldn't help but sound a little disappointed. I loved takeout. And there was something else, I'd hoped that dad had met someone, and this weight loss was an effort to look good for her. I didn't like the thought of him being single forever, I wanted him to be happy like mom and I was secretly worried that he was still in love with her.
"We can get takeout tonight if you want" dad said noticing my tone, "it's just, Bella's cooking now I think...we can always just freeze-"
"No dad that's fine" I cut him off, "I wanna see what Bella's got that pizza hut doesn't "
I opened my window to breathe in the damp air, it was heavenly, it had finished raining now but I could still smell it mixed with the lush earth and wet trees that surrounded the roads. It was so easy with dad, he was a quiet man but we always talked effortlessly, on the way home we talked about old times, what had changed and what was new, he told me he liked Edward he had good grades and seemed like a nice lad. I didn't really pay any attention to that; anybody can lie to their girlfriend's dad. "Will he be at dinner?" I asked.
"I'm not sure" Charlie said. "Sometimes he sits with me and bells while we eat but he has a special diet or something so never eats with us"
"Oh, that's weird" Charlie just humpft like he didn't really care. The next minute we were turning into the drive, I was happy the house looked exactly the same as ever. It wasn't large it had 3 bedrooms mine, dad's and Bella's, all ensuite which I loved. We had a small front yard and quite a big back yard with mown grass. It was just on the outskirts of forks which I loved as we got privacy and the inside was homely, with photos of the three of us and other family like Jake and Billy and his sisters, well they're not technically family but I grew up with Jake and I really missed him.
As I got out the car the door opened and Bella came out beaming at me, I ran to her and hugged her hard, she laughed but hugged me just as tight back. "I've missed you" we both said at the same time causing us to laugh some more.
The door behind Bella opened some more and out stepped the hottest guy I had ever seen, my jaw slightly dropped and I definitely understood what had gotten Bella to settle down, this must be Edward.