Disclaimer: Do you really need me to say I do not own them. Like I could ever hold a candle to the characters she wrote.
Chapter 13- Going Home
Oh My!! I woke up with a start. That was very intriguing. I have never had a reverie like that before. My body is reacting very physically to that dream. I feel a layer of sweat and s bit of dampness down south. I now can say I know what they have been talking about all these years. My heart is still racing a bit. My breath is shallow.
I gather my clothes and head to the shower to calm myself down. The affect of that man is pushing me in a direction I am not familiar with. My past relationships have never had me so worked up. I try to refocus my mind because now my mind is racked in confusion. I know apprehension will no indubitably set in. I do not need to ruin anything before it really gets going.
Work will just be a fog of reflections that I will rack my brain to figure out. I just hope I don't jumble up at work too much.
No time for thinking when you have a rush like it was a holiday. Seems like everyone had a need to stop for groceries. I worked non-stop. I didn't even get my lunch until five and I was out at six-thirty. The weather was so nice that the warm air melted the ice in the bins a lot quicker than usual. I was working the floor so I helped by keeping them filled so we don't get fined by the state for the products temperature going below the standards. Watermelon was flying. I jumped back to help cut some quarters so the stands would have some slices. The full melons were selling too. Another thing they did today that made us get backed up was a new event called dinner theater. They had Kelly out on the floor making kabobs from scratch and just putting them together, There was no samples so customers were totally confused by it. It is an interesting idea, but to have a prep girl just doing her work on the floor with out any explanation was a query to most people. Of course my day would not be complete without the inescapable Mike flirting away while he built a display in produce.
I tried to steer clear of him, but alas no luck. I needed to load product in that area.
"Hey Bella, I heard about the Lotus night. You should have called me. I would have loved to sing a few songs for you." The smile he sent me did not achieve its desired affect. I was more turned off than turned on.
"Oh I'm sorry. We forgot to give you a buzz. By the time that came around we had all had a few too many drinks and our minds were not thinking clearly." He is a nice guy but I am not attracted to him the way he would desire me too.
"Well next time you better." He laughed as he turned back to his display. He then told me about his night. They were down the street at the sports bar. It looked like there night was about the same as ours. Drinking, eating, and more drinking. They did their turn of embarrassing acts. Mike and Chris tried to play a hand at being pool shark and lost. You can even tell that he drank last night. Where is the hangover?
I was so happy by the end of my shift. I worked my butt off. It fell of somewhere around the time I did trash. I had my list of things I needed to get for the dinner tonight. I was not going to assume that there was anything really edible at Charlie's. That man does not eat right when I am not there. I had him all healthy when I left and it all went downhill since. Maybe I should start hiding vitamins in his tv dinners and beer.
At home I cleaned up quickly and grabbed my bag since I was planning on sleeping over. I called to let Charlie know I was on my way.
Charlie was outside finishing mowing the lawn when I showed up.
"Bells, it's great to see you. Jake is on his way. He is really excited about seeing you. You have been away too long this time."
"I miss you both too. I am sorry it has been so long. I only hope the meal I make tonight will soften the blow and my punishment won't be so sever. I even brought some different beers for you to try." I laughed as I head into the house. Dad grabs the grocery bags from the car
"Really?" He placed the bags down and started to look for them.
"Yah, I asked for some suggestions and there was a beer from Japan that was similar to the taste of a Bud. I figured I let you experiment to see what you thought. I also got a few bottles from Germany that has interesting descriptions on the flavors."
"I am game. Let's see...Here they are." He grabbed the first bottle from Japan and dislodged the cap with the bottle opener. He took a pull and leaned back against the counter. "Hmm, not bad. Muchas Gracias Bells."
I head the wolf call before I saw him. Jacob came right into the house, he is basically family. The smile he sent my way warmed me. He was my sun. I swear you could be in a bad mood and then he would show up and everything would be hunky dory. I like to think of him as the kindly giant. His massive height turns me into a munchkin. Jake engulfed me in a hug that had me lifting of the ground
"Where have you been? You are some best friend you know! I felt like you deserted me. It about gave me a complex."
"Sorry Jake. I will try never to do that again. You do know you could have called me right?"
"I know a way you can make it up to me. You will have to have to be on Quil, Embry, and my bowling team. You can be our fourth player."
Shock, that is what I am right now. Is he crazy? I look at his face. The puppy dog look he is giving me is already working.
"Jake, do I have too? You know with me on you team you will not win. Plus think about all the people I could injure."
"It is not about winning. It is about a bunch of people getting together and having a good time. We could loose and be at the bottom of the league and I will feel like I won because I got to spend all that time with you and the guys." He can be sweet. "As for you habit of causing some bruises, I am ready to give up a few of my friends to the chance they might perish in your wake." His sense of humor is killing me...I mean killing his friends. I guess it can be fun. Imagine all the people playing putting their lives in my hands as I swing my arms preparing to throw a ball down the lane. Now numerous visions cross my mind of all the diverse accidents I could cause. I start to cringe.
"It won't be that bad."
"I'm sorry. I just let my mind wonder to what could happen to the unlucky people standing around me. I'll do it though. I don't doubt that with you guys there it will be a fun experience." I say so loosely knowing I am both looking forward to the time I would be spending with my best friend and dreading the actual activity.
I sat listening to Jake go on about his latest piece of work at the garage. He was so happy. I missed this.
Jake and Charlie continues to catch up seated in the kitchen as I started making dinner. They offered half-heartedly, but I shooed them back to their seats. Jake then asked the question. Am I dating anyone? I tried to skirt the topic, but failing miserable Jake kept egging for an answer. Was I dating Edward? I am not sure. You can look at it in two ways. In one way, I am dating Edward. We have met up places. On the other hand we have not been on a date. We have not kissed or done anything that confirms dating. The doubt causes me to go with version two. I told Jake no. He can tell I am withholding information. He looks at Charlie and then back at me. I know he will ask for details later.
Diner was great. We continued to have a good time. Charlie told us unofficially that he had some trouble making kids at the high school up to loads of mischief. He relays the idiocy that these boys are under. There plans have always failed to reach their goals. He calls them bubbling idiots with no real imagination. The schemes the boys undertake leans to the outcome of them looking like fools. You can tell he is trying not too laugh as he complains they are taking up too much of the departments time. I am tired by the end of the long dinner. The boys help with clean up. I can't pass that up. I head off up to my old room to pass out. No time and energy for thinking or dreaming. I fall asleep with a completely blank mind.