Chapter 6: Fessin' up
Disclaimer: S. Meyer owns the Twilight Characters.
Jacob snuck back to his little red house hoping to avoid any chance meeting with any of the La Push community. It would certainly be hard to explain why he was still dressed in his best shirt and suit pants—especially the same clothes he wore to Sam's wedding on Friday. He should have brought them back yesterday, but it was too hard for him to tear himself away from Bella then. Jeez, it was hard enough for him to leave her today, but he had to change these clothes before they walked home under their own power.
He leapt silently through his bedroom window and grabbed some cutoffs, a tee and boxers from his dresser. He dressed quickly and crept back out the window. Then he sauntered nonchalantly around to his front yard and walked into the house.
Billy caught him as he came through the door. "Glad you're back, son. Did you already eat breakfast?"
He hated to lie, but these were extraordinary circumstances. "Yeah, I had some over at the Uley's. Bella and Leah are house sitting while they're gone. I came back here to get some shoes. Bella hates it when I show up barefoot. I'm gonna head back over there in a minute. Is there anything you need while I'm here?"
"Actually, Sue brought over leftovers from the wedding, and Paul and your sister helped me get in my chair this morning."
Jacob scratched his head. "Well, if everything's okay, then, I'll get my shoes and hop on over to Sam's and see my girl."
Billy gave him a strange look as he passed by him on the way to his bedroom. Did he have guilty tattooed on his forehead? He found his shoes, one in his jumbled mess of a closet and the other behind the bed. He put them on and was out the door in a flash.
When he got to Sam's place, Bella and Leah were having what looked like a grave discussion. They were sitting at the kitchen table, and Jacob overheard Leah say, "There's nothing to worry about, girl."
Bella replied, "Is there something you're not telling me?"
Leah yelled across the kitchen, "Come in here, Jake! This concerns you too."
Standing by the table, Jacob turned his attention to his pack sister. His curiosity held him there.
Locking eyes with Jacob, she commented, "Your new bride here is worried about her future. She's afraid you're gonna leave her for another woman. Sit next to her for a minute, wouldya'. Hold her hand, or kiss her—do something to keep her busy. I've gotta go get somethin'." They both gazed at Leah, puzzled.
Leah left the room and came back holding a book. "I was gonna give this to you as a wedding present, but since you two idiots already got hitched, here it is. She handed the book to Jacob. It was re-covered in scrapbook paper, and the title read: Imprinting for Dummies."
"This isn't funny, Leah," Jacob protested. "This is a very sensitive subject to Bella. Don't be joking about it in front of her like that."
"Oh, gawd," Leah snorted. "You two are beyond clueless. Everyone in La Push knows that you imprinted on Bella that day in the meadow—everyone except for you two, apparently."
Bella peered up at Jacob, as he jumped up from the chair glaring at Leah. She didn't know what to say; she was stunned into silence. How could that be true?
Leah's face scrunched up into her famous scowl. "Give me a break. Haven't you noticed how you can't stand being apart from each other? C'mon, Bella, admit it. Even when you were with your vamp, you still couldn't stay away from irresistible here.
"His heart was screaming to yours 'til you finally gave in and really listened for a change."
Jacob was furious. "Don't you think I would know if I imprinted on her, Miss Know It All?"
It was Leah's turn to stand up. She slammed her fist down on the table top. "Sit down, Jake—just give it up already. You can ask any of the pack members. I'm telling you the truth. They'll all tell you the same thing. We were all waiting patiently for you to figure it out. It's perfectly clear to me now that you needed my little push to get the fact through to that thick skull of yours."
This time, Bella had a word to say. She was hanging onto Jacob's arm, in obvious distress. "Why didn't he know it then?"
"Now listen carefully, children . . . Because, Tink—he was so head over heels in love with you, that the imprint never made any impression on him. It just intensified his feelings. And when you came to his house that day to tell Jake that you chose him, the imprint permanently crystallized. The full force of the bond wasn't in effect, 'til then.
"Do you two morons get it now? So like I said, you have nothing to worry about, Bella—You either, Jake."
Bella and Jacob stood at the same time, their mouths open in utter amazement. In their haste to reach each other, the chairs they were sitting in got knocked to the floor. They rushed into a heated embrace, their lips doing battle for dominance, their hunger for each other on display. Jacob raised his bride up into his arms. The tears were falling.
"Geesh, if you guys are heading back to the bedroom, I'm leaving. By the way, don't all thank me at once.
"Some gratitude," She grumbled to herself. "They get to thunder under the covers, and I get to go hide somewhere—alone."
Jacob began walking toward the room with Bella still clinging to him, and waved goodbye to Leah over his shoulder.
"Whatever," she groaned.
Jacob was rubbing his forehead with his right hand. "There's only two days left 'til Sam and Emily come home. I hate to say it, but jeez, Bells, we've gotta get this over with. You know Charlie—he won't have a problem with it. And my dad? He'll probably be relieved. He'll be adding a gourmet cook to the family. Look, just think about it is all I'm sayin'. I gotta get to work and I don't want to be late. That's all I need is to get fired right before telling your dad that I'm gonna take care of you. Kiss me quick honey, I'm leaving for the garage right now."
Bella was leaning over on the edge of the bed lacing up her Converse. She finished quickly and stood up, stretching up on her tip toes to reach his waiting lips. He helped her by lifting her slightly. Fisting his hair, she clung to him moving her mouth with his. He moaned and pulled away. "Damn, girl, save it for later. I've gotta go. You're gonna make me late!"
Jacob put her down again, and turned to go. He looked back at her when he got to the doorway. Bella stood there pouting; that cute bottom lip calling to him again. Rushing to her side, he gave her one last goodbye kiss. He winked and ran out the door yelling, "God, I love you, Bells."
"Jacob's right, I guess the honeymoon is over," she groused to herself. Grabbing the keys to her truck, Bella set off for the shop where she was working. It was a place that made edible fruit arrangements. It didn't pay much, and she was only working part time around her school schedule just like Jake, but the leftover chocolate covered apples, bananas, strawberries and pineapple made up for it. At least they wouldn't starve to death.
Bella got back to the house at 12:45 and Jacob arrived 15 minutes later. They ate some leftover potato salad and fried chicken from the night before. They were careful not to frequent the fast food places. They needed every cent they could save. School would be starting up again next week. Their money had to stretch for text books, a place to live, furnishings, groceries . . . and wedding rings. Luckily, the tuition was paid—Jacob's by the Tribal Council and Bella's by an academic scholarship.
"Did you think about what I said this morning?" Jacob said between bites.
Her eyes rolled in her head. "Ugh! Yes . . . I guess we'll go see your dad first. Can we go this afternoon?"
He shook his head. "No can do. Ken wants me to come back to the garage and put a few more hours in and I said yes. Is that a problem? I mean, you know we need the money."
"Okay, well, how about tonight then?" There went her plans for a relaxed romantic dinner!
"Yeah, that'll work. Maybe you could soften the blow by bringin' him some food."
Bella's appetite was non-existent at dinnertime. Confronting Billy didn't seem to upset Jacob, however. He was on his third helping of ham casserole.
Jacob spoke casually as he attacked his plate with gusto. "What are you so worried about, Bells? It's only my dad."
"Only your dad. Well, what are we gonna say to him?"
After chewing and swallowing another bite, he replied, "Just tell him the truth. We got tired of waiting. Our hormones were ready to explode and we couldn't stand it anymore, so we eloped. What's so hard about that? Besides, it was freakin' miserable being apart from each other. I'll tell him about the imprint. He'll understand."
Bella was nervously biting on her bottom lip. "I hope you're right. By the way, we've got to go over there soon. Are you EVER gonna stop eating?"
"I've gotta keep up my strength, Bells. After all," he winked, "We're still on our honeymoon.
"Okay—last serving, I swear. I can't help it, your cooking is da bomb!"
They drove to the little red house and Jacob walked through the front door, yelling, "Hey, Dad, I'm home. Bella's with me."
Billy wheeled in from the kitchen. "Finally came to fess up, eh? How was the honeymoon?"
The big secret was out, and Bella's bright red flush confirmed it. They looked at one another, and Jacob scratched his head, bewildered.
"But . . . how . . ."
Tapping an index finger aside his temple, Billy said, "I may be in this wheelchair, but my brain hasn't retired yet. I was always good at math, son. No one has seen you or Bella for nearly two weeks. You don't eat here anymore, or shower, or sleep. So you must be doing it somewhere else with someone else. One plus one equals two, eh?"
"Busted . . ." Bella muttered after she quit gnawing on her lip.
Jacob plopped down on the old sofa and clasped his hands behind his head. He rolled his tongue around in his mouth and smirked. "See? Told ya'"
Bella, still standing there, cocked her head to one side and blurted out, "So, does this mean, um . . . you're not upset that we eloped?"
Wearing his most fatherly smile, Billy commented, "It's your life. Who am I to stand between two imprints? It would be stupid on my part, and I'm not really that stupid.
"Good news travels fast. Everyone in La Push knows you two imprinted—everyone that's in on our little secret, that is. Want to let your old man know what your future plans are?"
Billy gazed up at Bella. "Why don't you sit down so we can talk about this? You're making me nervous."
Jacob stood up and grabbing Bella by the waist, hauled her onto his lap. He started in on his speech.
"There's not much to tell. We're both working part time; school starts on Monday. We just need a place to live."
"That reminds me, son. I've been thinking that maybe Embry could move into your old bedroom since you won't be needing it anymore. He could be my helper with you gone. It would help him too—no more arguments with his mother."
Bella suddenly jumped off of Jacob's lap. I almost forgot. There's sugar free cookies I made for you. They're in my tote, still warm too."
Billy's face crinkled up in amusement. "Thought you'd soften up your father-in-law, eh?"
"Busted again," she murmured.