Secrets and Sacrifices
The rain seems to follow me, a sporadic pitter-patter on the windshield. The dark clouds keep crawling in, threatening. The clouds are endless as I watch the fantastic storm with my new, sharper eyes.
Glancing in the rearview mirror, Renesmee and Jacob sit silently in the cramped backseat, thinking as well. Charlie's place usually left us all in a good mood.
When we had stepped in, we expected the usual smell of Sue's cooking; she's been over at Charlie's house a lot recently. Thinking about it, it pleases me to see them together. They seem happier now; I noticed a twinkle in their eyes and a spark in their step.
We anticipated seeing Charlie draped clumsily over the worn couch beside Sue, remote in one hand, plate in the other. We expected the game on with the volume a little too high, the normal. Instead, Charlie met us at the door, a troubled expression fixed on his face. I saw Sue sitting in the kitchen, her eyes red and puffy. She rushed to Charlie's side as we stepped in, wiping away her tears. Renesmee came from Jacob's side and took hold of my hand.
"Bells, I need to talk to you," Charlie said.
He explained that he had just got off the phone with Phil. Phil was at Spring Training and had gotten a call from the hospital. Renée had gotten in a car wreck; hit by a drunk driver. I stiffened, my mind was racing. The stinging sensation in my eyes reminded me that I could not cry anymore. I had to tell myself to breathe, blink, and keep up my human façade. I sat down in the old, gray chair.
In, out. In, out. Breathe. Blink.
Sue was very reassuring as Charlie explained the situation, sitting with Renesmee in her lap rubbing her arm. Jacob sat quietly beside her, loyally and protectively; he would not leave if she asked him to stay, especially now. His big brown eyes glanced at me, meaningfully. It was hard not to soothe Renesmee, with her lovable smile and perfect bronze ringlets. Jacob moved closer to Renesmee, taking her from Sue and setting her in his warm lap.
Sue placed her hand on mine, a comforting gesture, but immediately pulled back at my icy fingers. Sue knew, of course, what I was, being the mother of a werewolf, but was still taken aback, as her heart accelerated. Charlie was still on the essential need-to-know basis, but knew enough to know I had taken on a drastic change.
Charlie finished telling us that Renée had hit her head hard and her eyesight is slowly becoming hazy. Renesmee pressed her hand to my face. An image of Renée's photograph that I kept in our little secluded cottage appeared, plainly in my mind. Renesmee told me, with her silent gift, that she understood.
"Grandma," she whispered. I nodded reassuringly. Suddenly, I heard a faint, distant howl. It was unable to be detected by Charlie or Sue's human ears. Jacob stood up, giving Renesmee to me.
"I have to go," he said as his expression became even more concerned. "I'll meet you later, Nessie. I promise," he added when he saw Renesmee look sadly at him, as the tears that she had been holding back began to overflow. I couldn't stand seeing her cry, so I told Charlie and Sue that we would talk later.
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