Chapter 4: Hello Stranger
One Month Later
Bella woke up; muscles in her back and neck straining from the force of her almost silent scream. Her thick hair stuck to her neck and face, sweat covered her. She kicked against the sheets that had her ensnared.
Panic overwhelmed her, she could still smell the gasoline in her hair, taste the oily aftertaste of burnt skin in her mouth. In her nightmare her sheets became the gauze and bandages that covered the extremely sensitive skin graphs she suffered through.
Eventually the soft ticking of the grandfather clock and the heavy weight of her cast, filtered through her panicked thoughts. Disoriented and dizzy, she finally stopped screaming. Taking in heaving deep hitching breaths she tried to calm her racing heart.
Flopping back upon her pillows, she listened to the sounds of the house. The snores coming from Charlie's room upstairs, the smell of tobacco and gun oil that permeated the room she is temporarily occupying.
She was staying in the tiny room that was half guest room half office. Charlie had set up a temporary bed in his office so she wouldn't have to go up and down stairs. When he first told her where she was staying, he seemed embarrassed. She was grateful just to have someone looking out for her. She remembered when she whispered her thank you; he just nodded and said "I'll just let you get settled in." He courteously set her suitcase on the low dresser drawer and quietly left the room.
Sitting up she pushed the covers off of her, she had things to do today. She listened to the soft drizzle of the rain as it whispered against the roof of the house. It was different than Phoenix; she was taking the offer of being a different person here in this tiny grey town.
In Phoenix the sun, heat and dry air refused to let her heal. Every whisper of the dry desert air against her skin reminded her of long summer evenings when they would sit in the backyard waiting for twilight to descend taking over the scorching days.
Laughter would fill the cooling day as Renee, Phil and Bella would regale each other with stories about their days. They would often cook outside allowing the smell of the barbeque to fill their senses
A couple of traitorous tears slipped past her lashes, she swiped at them angrily. Comparing Forks to Phoenix was like comparing a toy car to a Mercedes. So she moved to the rainy little town, where cool moist breezes replaced the hot dry air of her former home. Where the hot cloudless days were replaced by cool overcast skies, she was at peace with her decisions.
Her only real regret was not being strong enough to take care of her mother. At least Charlie made sure she was taken cared of before leaving Phoenix, he and Renee had a long talk, in the end they had decided that it would be best if she was in a mental health facility for a little while at least until she could function properly again.
Shaking her head lightly she waited for the brief dizzy spell to pass. Sliding out of bed she let her good foot touch the cool hardwood floor. Pushing herself off her makeshift bed she stood balancing on one foot. Her leg was healing quicker while she was in Forks she could put some pressure on it. So hobbling to her dresser she pulled out a clean set of clothes.
Life with Charlie was easier; his longtime friend Billy Black had introduced them to Sue Clearwater. She was hired as a part time house keeper for both of them. Sometimes Bella sensed there maybe something more to their relationship. She didn't like to pry so she accepted whatever they were as whatever they were.
Smiling to herself she was happy for him. Hell she was happy not to match her own clothes again. Sue was a godsend, doing the cooking, cleaning and laundry, Mrs. Clearwater made sure that her clothing were matched and tied in neat bundles that held everything she needed for that day's outfit.
Quickly making her way towards the bathroom she gripped the side rails that Charlie had installed for her. He had made everything too easy for her. Soon she would have to rejoin the normal world again in a walking cast.
Bella ran through her mental calendar, two weeks until Christmas then school the first week of January right after New Years Day. She only had three weeks to prepare for a whole new world. Sue had already helped order Christmas presents over the internet for Charlie and Renee.
Stepping out of the bathroom she heard Charlie stirring upstairs. 'It must be five thirty', Bella thought. Only a few more hours until she could get her cast off. Today will be the first day she can begin to rebuild her life.
Bella heard a thump and then a soft curse. She smiled to herself, her clumsiness definitely was inherited. She settled down on her small bed, she reaching under, her hand searched for the Braille letter cards she had memorized.
Bella heard Charlie coming down the stairs. "Dad?!" she called out; worried that he didn't hear her she tapped the metal frame of her bed. "Charlie?"
"Yes Bells" he answered, automatically her head turned to face his voice. "Don't forget the appointment today." She tried to increase the volume of her voice so he could hear her across the room.
"I won't forget, I'm sure by now your about to gnaw your own leg off with that cast." He answered with a smile in his voice.
"Yea that's about right." She answered, "Alright I'll pick you up at ten and drop you off at the hospital. You can just give me a call when you're ready to leave." Charlie stated.
"Ok" she answered softly, "I'll see you at ten then."
"Yup" was Charlie's answer as he turned to leave for work.
~*~
Several Hours Later:
Bella's leg bounced as she waited for Charlie. She listened as the clock had chimed nine o'clock. Bella had already listened to the class lectures that Forks High School had recorded for her. She was caught up with all her classes and only had to have her homework corrected by her tutor before turning it in to the instructor.
She had worked hard to memorize the letters, even when they told her it may be a possibility to have her sight restored through a corneal transplant. Hope flared painfully bright in her heart; then upon hearing the words of caution that doctors willfully through out the hope was cruelly crushed. Telling her the possible outcome of the surgery she could loose complete vision.
Her world first having been darkened by fire now consisted in the flicker of dark and light. Since the accident her vision had improved as her body continued to heal itself. Instead of the crushing darkness, she had the lightening of black to grays and now smears of colors. The blurry almost impressionistic view of her world was better than what could happen if she made that leap of faith.
Having refused Hope she existed, living day to day in her blurry world. She refused to let Hope crush what was left of her family. She refused to hurt Charlie again.
Bella having made her decision, delved in to her darkened world, she took to her disabilities like a duck to water. She learned Braille as quickly as she could so she could continue her high school education. She learned to tap out her surroundings with her now ever present white tipped cane.
Her cane was her constant companion with the exception of Charlie's house, she memorized her new home; the only differences from when she was younger were the adjustments made for her convenience; the handrails in the hallway, the removal of the floor rugs and her temporary bed.
Having embraced her new world her other senses became more sensitive. She heard Charlie's cruiser coming down the road, before he could turn off the car she was up and hobbling to the door. Picking up her crutches and her messenger bag, Bella slid on a pair of oversized sunglasses as she opened the door. She stepped out in to the cold Forks weather.
"Hey Bells, wait a minute, the steps are icy." Charlie warned as he opened the door to his cruiser, "Dad I can handle this." Bella stubbornly said as she eased herself on to the front steps.
Standing triumphant on the top of the steps, she beamed a quick smile toward Charlie. As Bella began her descent, her foot slipped on the icy steps and she slid down the three small steps, landing on her wrist.
"Bella!" Charlie cried out in panic as he reached her side. "Are you ok?" he asked as he quickly accessed her condition, "Ow" she moaned, she tried to sit up, pain flared up in her wrist as she tried to push herself up right. "I think I may have sprained my wrist."
"Well Bells, it's lucky that we're already on our way to the hospital."
Charlie helped Bella stand on her feet; he carried her crutches in on hand as he allowed her to hobble to the patrol car. After getting settled in the car, Charlie backed out of the driveway.
The drive was quiet until just before they arrived at the emergency room to have her wrist looked at. "You know Bells, there will be periods in your life when you have to relinquish control and ask for help from those who love you." He said quietly before opening the driver side door.
Bella fought back stinging tears, "Come on lets get you inside." As he slipped out of the cruiser, she reached for the handle, as her finger tip graced the cool metal the swirl of icy wind blew through the car. Instead she held out her hand waiting for Charlie's warm grip go grasp her cool fingers as she silently accepted his offered of help.
~*~