Chapter 33
The Truth

Charlie put his arm around me and walked me to the house.

"How ya doing kiddo?" he asked.

"Can't complain, how about you gramps?"

"Oh, you know same old, same old. How are your folks?"

"Same old, same old. But yea, they're doing great. Happy."

He nodded and his eyebrows scrunched together. It was almost like he didn't want them to be together. I've never gotten this, no matter how happy he sees my parents, it just isn't enough. Maybe it's because he isn't in the inner loop, he needs to find out soon.
Even if I'm the one to tell him.
We walked into the house and I sat down at the kitchen table.

"Thirsty?" he asked.

"Oh no, I'm fine. Thanks though."

He shrugged and sat across from me.
I was having a strong sense of déjà voo.

"So, I haven't seen you in…well it's been a while Nessie. How have you been?"

"Good, nothing special," I shrugged. "You know."

He nodded and pursed his lips. He ran his fingers through his hair nervously and then made eye contact.

"How's that…err…boy you were uh…seeing a while back?"

I inhaled deeply and then exhaled.

"He's…okay I guess. He's away right now…personal reasons." I wanted so desperately to tell him that he was away because Jacob supposedly threatened to kill him and me, and leave our lifeless corpses for the wolves.

"You don't sound so sure?"

"I don't know…" I giggled to myself. "Do you really want to discuss this gramps?"

"Uh…well…I'm here for you, Nessie, you know that. You can talk about anything with me."

I laughed at his awkward caring.

"It's okay; I don't really want to talk about him right now either."

I could see the relief in his eyes.

"Well, let's talk about….school! How's school going?"

"Uhh…grandpa…summer break, and even if it wasn't, I've been homeschooled."

"Oh…right…right…well…do you want to go to regular school?"

"I don't know, I've been so used to homeschooling, but I would really like to go to a school prom." I giggled.

"What? Jacob can't take you to his?"

"I don't know…Jacob is…a touchy situation as well."

"Oh right. Well, why don't you name a subject?"

I pondered to myself…wondering what I could ask him. He said I could talk to him about anything, and then it dawned on me.

"I want to talk to you about my parents."

He sat back in his chair, stunned by my topic.

"What about them?"

"Well, I notice your tension when I discuss my father, and I was wondering what that was all about."

He scooted forward in his chair and stiffened his posture. Then, he cleared his throat.

"Well, I uh…" he paused, attempting to gather his words. "It's pretty complicated…"

"I think I can keep up."

"Well, after your mom had gone to school for a few days, she started to ask about the Cullens and who they were." He squinted at the thought. "I told her that the Cullens were very respectful, kind, and that we are lucky to have a Dr. like Carlisle here, he could be paid a whole heck of a lot more in a big city. Luckily though, Esme wanted to live in a small town, so they moved here." He stopped talking, not wanting to go on I assumed.

"Okay, but what does that have to do with you not liking my dad?"

"It's not that I don't like him, Nessie, it's just that, well…"

"Well what?"

"Did you ever hear about the time that your father left your mother?"

"Yeah, well I heard about it from Jacob's point of view, but I assume that you spent more time with her."

"I did, I spent months with her. She didn't even see Jacob for around three or four months."

"What was it like?"

"Well, why don't I start with when they started dating? Huh?"

"Yeah, that'd be good."

He leaned back in his chair and twiddled his fingers.

"You see, Bella had a few guys interested, but she wasn't interested back. Then, one day, she brought Edward home. He was a nice young man, very polite, and everything seemed so innocent at first. Then their once a night evening became two nights, then three, and so on. Soon they were inseparable. I could barely pry her off of him to spend time with friends." He stopped and looked away for a moment.

"When he came around, every night, it seemed so…weird…like, the way he looked at her. He looked at her like he was ready throw himself in front of a bullet to save her. The intensity of his love was so strong by the way he looked at her." He stopped talking.

"They really loved each other didn't they?"

"Yep, I didn't think it would last long, that's why I didn't push them to just separate after high school. I was waiting for the day when they would apply to colleges and stuff, but then one day she just went missing. I called some of my buddies from the station and I called Jacob and his dad, and the rest of the tribe came as well. Sam Uley went out to find her and, thankfully, he did. She was curled up in a ball on the ground, asleep." He closed his eyes, envisioning the sight of her, I assumed.

"We put her to bed and when she woke up the next morning, she told me what happened. He came home and told her they had to leave forks and well…you know." He said and I nodded.

"Anyway, she just got lifeless. She still got up every morning and went to school. Basically, she'd get up, get dressed, go to school, come home, make dinner, and then go to bed. She did that every day and night for months. I didn't know what to do, I didn't know whether she needed mental help, or…physical." He stopped talking again. He inhaled and exhaled deeply and then I saw a smile beginning to form at the corners of his mouth.

"And then," he laughed to himself. "She started going to Jacob's place. She'd come home from there and it was like she was a totally different person. She was happy and…I don't know…just happy. Don't get me wrong, she didn't get better over night. It took time, lots of time."

I smiled with him. Then he sighed with an angry puff.

"And then she disappeared for three days. She came back with Edward and then things went back to the way they were before. They applied for colleges with each other and were both accepted to Dartmouth."

He grimaced at his next thought.

"Then one night, I came home and they were on the couch together and Edward was the first to urge the announcement."

"What was the announcement?"

"They were…that they were getting married. At first I thought she was pregnant when they said they have some news. But nope, instead, they told me they were getting married. I was a lot calmer than I thought I would be, mostly because I guess I was expecting it." He stopped talking; I could tell he was annoyed by this memory.

"So…why don't you like my dad though?"

"You know, Renesmee, it's just that…I don't even know. I feel like he's keeping a secret from us, you know?"

Boy did I ever know.

"Well, grandpa, there is a secret."

"What is it?"

"We're—"my phone vibrated in my pocket, cutting me off. I flipped it open and answered it.

"Hello? Mom? Yeah, I'm at grandpa's. No…no….no I didn't say anything. I was going to….why didn't i? Because you called. Why can't I... But he's family! ….No, I know it's against the rules, but seriously….. Mom he's your dad... Come on! No I won't say anything… just let me stay?... I don't care if it's against the rules... He's blood and I'm telling him...Fine….No! Fine I won't tell him...What? Why...come on...fine…OKAY FINE!" I hung up the phone.

"What was that all about?" Charlie questioned.

"My mom, she's being ridiculous, again. I have to go."

"What? Why?"

"Because, I almost told you our secret."

I started for the door, but he caught a hold of my wrist.

"What is this secret, Renesmee?"

"I can't tell you, I almost did and I'm sorry, now I have to go."

"No, I am your grandfather, and your mother's father, you are going to tell me!"

"I can't!"

"Well, then I'm coming with you."

He let go of my wrist and followed me out the door.
I walked over to the Porsche, opened the door, and got in. Charlie got in his side soon after me.
I started the car up and backed out of the driveway. I sped down the road, obviously driving too fast for the speed limit.

"Slow down, Renesmee!"

I didn't answer him; I slowed my speed about 5 miles, but gradually got back up to my normal, 95 miles per hour speed.
I kept silent, and he did so too. I could tell that he was horrified by the way his granddaughter drove, considering her grandfather was a cop.
We pulled into the Cullen's drive quickly. I came to an abrupt halt.

"You need to slow down when you're driving, Renesmee, it's not safe!" he demanded.

I sighed and got out of the car. When I slammed the door, I knew that he knew that I meant business.
We walked to the door and entered the house. My parents weren't at the door as I had expected.
We continued into the living room, where everyone sat. I gave my mother a dirty look as I went to sit on the opposite side of the room. Alice was next to me. When Charlie walked in, everyone looked shocked, everyone except Alice and my father at least. They'd obviously known that Charlie was going to show up and failed to tell everyone else.

"Okay, I'm sick of this." I stated.

"Of what, dear?" Esme mused.

"Of my grandfather, my own flesh and blood, not knowing who or what I am."

"Renesmee!" my mother shouted.

"What? Mom, tell me that you don't think that this is sick and twisted. We're monsters for god's sake!"

"What the hell are you guys talking about?" Charlie bellowed.

He was standing now, his face fuming.

"Nothing is going on, Charlie." My father said.

"Nothing's going on? Nothing's going on? My granddaughter just said that you are all monsters and I want to know what the hell she's talking about!"

"This can't go on anymore, mom!" I screamed.

"This isn't going to happen, Renesmee! We aren't discussing this!"

"Oh yes we are! Grandpa, want to know what we are?"

"Renesmee! Enough!" my father yelled.

"No, I'm tired of living a lie with my grandpa, I'm tired of making excuses why I can't come over for dinner, I'm tired of saying no to having a coke with my grandpa and feeling rude!"

"NO!" my father yelled again.

"Grandpa, we're vampires!" there, I said it. I told the truth and now he knows.

Charlie stepped back and fell onto the couch.

"What?" he asked in a breathless tone.

"Yes, we're vampires. Full blown vampires." I replied.

"No, not all of you can be…I mean…they don't exist!"

"Yes they do, you know Jacob, he's a werewolf, didn't he tell you that?"

"Well, that I believe, I saw that with my own eyes…but…Bella?"

My mother looked down and pinched the bridge of her nose. Then, she looked up and sighed.

"Yes, dad, it's true."

"But, how? I know you weren't a vampire when you were living with me."

"No, I wasn't, but I was changed into one."

"How, when, who, what?"

She sighed and looked at the others. They all gave her a nod.
She stepped toward Charlie and had him sit down.

Then, we would begin our explanation on our complicated, improbable life.