Chapter Twenty Six
Jake
I'd been keeping an eye out for Edward Cullen but he was keeping his head down, I guess he'd been warned. I was looking forward to Charlies return, much a I hated the thought of Bella as a vampire I still missed her, she'd been a good friend to me and now I had Angela the crush on her had gone away so it would be easier to be friends. Angela had to go back to College but she would be back in a couple of weeks then it wouldn't be long until the Christmas Recess. I'd been invited, slightly reluctantly, by her parents to spend Christmas with them and we'd compromised. We'd spend Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with the Webbers then come back to the Res for the rest of the holidays. Billy was hoping Charlie would stay over the Festive period when he wasn't working and I knew he and Charlie were invited to Sam and Emily's for Christmas Lunch so I didn't have to feel guilty leaving him on his own.
We waited for Charlie to ring and tell us when he wanted picking up from Sea-Tac but it seemed he was going to spend the whole month in Italy. I didn't blame him, he'd been so upset about Bella disappearing but he'd be ringing soon. Renee had rung Billy to see if he'd heard anything, I think she was puzzled by Charlies sudden desire to travel especially with Bella missing but the story was he'd heard something about a girl resembling her in Southern Italy and had flown out to see for himself. She bought it because there could be no other reason why he would go...could there?
Billy
Renee's phone calls were getting more frequent as she heard nothing from Charlie but there wasn't anything new I could tell her, we hadn't heard from him either. It was difficult to keep her from flying up to Forks and I certainly didn't want her on the Res too close to Jacob, he was having a hard enough time with the news without Renee playing inquisitor. In the end she threatened to be up for Christmas with Phil if she didn't hear from him in the next couple of weeks. Deciding I needed help here I rang Carlisle.
"Billy what can I do for you? I haven't heard anything since I spoke to you to let you know he'd arrived safely. I think they've lost track of time."
"Its Renee, she's threatening to fly up if she doesn't hear from Charlie and I'm not sure what to do. Could you get a message to him. Ask him to ring her."
"Certainly. Hows Jake?"
"Angry, guilty, but he'll get over it eventually, what about Edward?"
"The same. He's decided to stay with our cousins in Denali for a while. At least until things cool down a little. He's very upset about Bella too, in his defense he never wanted her to be like us."
"Too late to worry about that now. Let me know when you hear from him will you?"
"I will and thank you Billy"
"For what?"
"Treating me like a person not a monster"
"We're all monsters inside somewhere Carlisle. It's just that some show it more than others. I'll speak to you soon."
Carlisle
I rang the Villa but there was no reply so I tried Jasper's cell but that was switched off. Somehow whenever I needed to get hold of any of my children they would become magically unreachable so I sighed and rang Peters number.
"Dr Cullen, how wonderful to hear from you. More bad news I guess, you never ring to just say hi."
"Peter, I've been trying to get Bella or Jasper but their phones are switched off"
"Must have known you'd be calling. I must try it myself next time. What do you need?"
"Bella's Mother is getting rather insistent and we were wondering if you could ask Charlie to ring her. She's driving Billy mad"
"A mad wolf, not so good. You can ask him yourself soon, we dropped him at the Airport a few hours ago"
"Really? He hasn't rung to ask anyone to pick him up at Sea Tac."
"Well Carlisle he's a big boy now so I'm sure he'll make his own arrangements. He doesn't need a Nurse Maid."
"Sorry to have bothered you Peter. By the way how is Bella?"
"Still an afterthought Carlisle? She's OK. Must go now I'm getting bored with this conversation. Bye"
I shook my head, he didn't like me and made no attempt to hide the fact but I'd got what I needed so I shouldn't be too upset. I rang Billy back with the news.
"So we don't know when his flight gets in?"
"No. Peter didn't say"
"I'll check it out and get Jake or Sam to the airport to wait. He probably just forgot to ring before he left."
"Let me know when he gets back please"
"Will do Carlisle."
Billy
I called the airport and Charlie's flight was due to land in the early hours, maybe that's why he hadn't rung us. He planned to stay over night and ring the next morning. Next I traced Jake who was at Sam's place, hanging around feeling sorry for himself because Angela was back at College. When I told him about Charlie's flight he agreed readily, anything to keep himself occupied. I think he was keen to find out about Bella too. I'd heard him discussing getting married with Angela although I thought her parents might have something to say about that, they hadn't even met me yet and the thought of their daughter marrying into the Quileute Tribe might be a step too far but I could have told them that whatever they thought it was going to happen. Imprints never failed and I thought both Jake and Angie were both hoping Bella would be able to come to the wedding. Vampires and Wolves at a Res wedding! While I'd heard of some strange things before, that would take some beating.
Jake
I decided to leave early for the Airport, I couldn't settle to anything when Angie was away and we'd already decided I would go back with her to College after Christmas. I'd find a job as a mechanic and work while I waited for her to finish college then we'd have some money behind us. Telling Mr and Mrs Webber was going to be the biggest obstacle. They were very friendly but I wasn't their first choice as husband for their daughter. They had high hopes for her getting a well paid job after College and I backed her on that if it's what she wanted but at the moment we just wanted to be together, a feeling I knew only too well, when I'd thought I was in love with Bella but this went far deeper than that. Angela was the other part of me.