Chapter 10 - Unwanted Guests
Edward and I got back to the house before the rest of the family. It would be another two hours before any of them got home. We pulled the car into the garage and headed inside. Something seemed different.
"Do you smell that?" I asked Edward.
"Yeah, it, smells like, human…sort of." He replied, sticking his nose into the air and inhaling deeply. "I smell vampire too."
"A human hasn't been here in almost a year." I pointed out, thinking about my father. It was harder for him to get around now that he was older. We went to him and Sue now when we wanted to visit. Every time he'd fuss and say, "Now I could of come up to you guys, I know you're all pretty busy." But we'd all reassure him it wasn't a bother. Charlie didn't like to admit his body was giving out on him, he'd remain the same old tough as nails stubborn as an ox Charlie 'til the day he died. So whenever Alice would see him make up his mind to give us a visit, we'd all hop in our cars and head on down to Forks.
It was hard to see Charlie get older. I'd always known that choosing this life meant I'd have to watch so many I loved and cared about age and pass on. I figured just like everything else that came with being a vampire, I'd be a natural at it. That maybe my awesome preparation could save me the pain of having to watch it and remember it with perfect clarity.
With my perfect memory and eyesight, I watched with complete clarity the finite wrinkles forming on my fathers face. Each time I saw him I could see the minute differences in depth and length. I could nearly count how many grey hairs more he had than the last time. And nothing prepared me for it.
"They went inside." Edward said, bringing me back to reality.
Without even responding I followed the faint trail, into the house through the garage door. Up the stairs, around the living room, the kitchen, I could tell they paused at the refrigerator because the odor lingered a bit heavy there. Then up the stairs, through each door, every office, every bedroom, and again up the last flight of steps. It was as if they were taking a tour of the house. Nothing appeared to be touched, nothing was out of place or missing.
The trail led back downstairs and out the back door, over the river, and up the hill to the cottage. But about a mile away from my house the trail concentrated and didn't move forward. They stood there for, a minute, maybe more, then took off directly East.
Edward ran that trail until he nearly hit the state line and headed back.
"Looks like they didn't head back this way." He said, assuring me.
"What were they doing here?" I asked, "Who were they?"
"And why didn't Alice see it?" Edward added with a hint of a growl in his voice.
"Don't blame her. Nothing happened. She's had a lot on her mind lately."
"This is a little bit more important than a wedding!" He said, matter-of-factly.
"Really? You should ask you daughter about that?"
I left him standing there in the spot where our unwanted guests had stood. Edward's overreactions could sometimes be overwhelming. I headed up to the cottage, it was such a peaceful place, and thankfully didn't smell like intruders. Why would someone, or people, just walk around the house and not touch anything, or stop anywhere, except the fridge. And what was that smell?
I paced back in forth in front of the fireplace, staring at the flames licking the air, making dancing shadows on the brick. Think Bella, think! It was so familiar, that smell, like something I'd smelt every day of my life, but different. Like smelling the cologne Edward wore, on someone else. I felt a pull to check the rest of the house, I believe Edward when he'd said they didn't come this way, but I needed to make sure for myself. Nothing smelled in my kitchen - except the usual stink of the human food. I could smell the different spots where the werewolves curled up in the corners of the rooms. I checked the down the hallway - nothing. There wasn't even a hint anywhere in mine and Edward's room. I checked every nook and cranny before heading to Renesmee's room.
As I turned the knob to her bedroom everything clicked into place, the light in my head went off. I tried to relax and push my shield away from me so Edward could hear my train of thought, but instinctively it pulled tighter instead of releasing.