Chapter Thirty
Charlie
I knew there was bad feeling between Billy, Sam and Bella and I wondered why, Billy had been very cut up when Bella lost the baby and left the Res to come home but it had been her decision to make. When she turned up the next day I was feeling a lot better and the nurse had propped me up on some pillows so I could at least see out the window. I saw her walking towards the hospital with three other people and a kiddie. They must be the friends she'd been staying with I guessed although from that distance I couldn't see any faces. They were lost to view a few paces more and I waited, wondering if her friends would call in too but when she appeared she was alone.
"Hi dad you look better. On your own today?"
"Billy will be in later, he said there's a meeting of the Elders first. Do you and Billy have a problem? Only he seemed disturbed when you all left? I know he's still hurting about you leaving the Res but I thought you and he had made your peace."
"He doesn't like my choice of friends,"
"Oh, why? Are they the ones I saw you with coming across the car park?"
She looked out of the window before answering,
"Yes, they aren't the kind of people Billy approves of"
"How does he know them? They live local?"
"No, only one of them is kind of local. Dad there are a few things I need to talk to you about but I don't think you're well enough yet. Could we agree not to talk about anything important for a few days? I promise as soon as you get out of here I'll explain everything if I can. In the meantime would you let my friend sit with you a while. He's a really nice guy and I'm worried about you"
"Bella I was shot by a burglar not a hit man but if it makes you happier sure, someone else to talk to would be nice, I'm sick of the nurses."
"Thanks dad"
She went to the door and opened it beckoning someone forward. He walked in and as I looked at him something seemed familiar.
"Have we met?"
"No I don't think so although you may have caught a glimpse when the wolves attacked. My name is Peter Whitlock. I'm pleased to meet you Chief Swan"
"Charlie will do, sit down Peter and tell me about yourself"
"Well I guess you could say I do protection detail work sometimes Charlie and as Bella is worried about you I got the job of Charlie minding"
I laughed at this, the guy seemed nice enough but my cop antenna was telling me he could be dangerous.
Bella sat on the bed beside me and watched as Peter and I talked.
"So how'd you meet my daughter?"
"A friend introduced us"
"Have you known her long?"
"Long enough to know she's a bit of a disaster Charlie, she's the only woman I've ever met who can fall over her own shadow"
"You can say that again, she's always been the same. So you married?"
"Yes quite a while. The wife is Charlotte, you'll meet her I'm sure"
"You aren't local"
"No we live in the mountains, I like to hunt"
Bella
The talk switched to hunting and tracking and they seemed to be getting along well so I excused myself to speak to Charlie's doctor.
"Miss Swan, your father was very fortunate. A few inches further over and he wouldn't be here now. We re-inflated his lung and he's doing well"
"How long before he can go home?"
"A couple more days just to be sure, then he can go home as long as he wont be on his own"
"He wont, and there's no permanent damage?"
"No, not as far as we can tell."
When I got back to the room Peter had the TV on and they were watching a basketball game. Peter turned to wink at me.
"We have a bet on the outcome of this game Bells so no interrupting."
I stayed until dinner time and then left the two of them dissecting the game they'd just watched. I caught up with Jasper and Charlotte in the hospital restaurant, Grace sitting with a plate of chicken noodles watching carefully as Jasper showed her how to use chopsticks. There was quite a lot of noodles on the front of her tee-shirt but she was stubborn, like me I guess and put any that fell off the chop sticks back on the plate.
"How's Charlie?"
"Betting on the game with Peter when I left"
Char smiled,
"They're getting on well then."
"Will I be able to see Grandpa soon?"
"Yes Grace, he'll be going home in a couple of days then you can meet him"
As soon as Grace finished we went home to the tiny apartment which somehow felt more homely now.
When I looked around I noticed a few changes, there was a vase of flowers on the table and a bowl of fruit on the side, the gas fire was supplemented with a space heater and there was a rag rug before the fire.
"Thanks Charlotte"
She shook her head,
"Not me Bella, thank Jasper and Grace. They were the ones who changed the things"
Grace was busy colouring in a picture of a horse bright pink while Jasper sat by the fire his eyes closed and his legs crossed, it was all wrong how he could look so sexy doing nothing. He opened his eyes and smiled over at me, he'd read my emotion and I blushed,
"I'm going to get a shower"
I stammered shutting the bathroom door behind me, that man was driving me crazy without even trying.
The shower helped me calm down and I went into the bedroom to find a wrap waiting, fluffy and white with a sea shell embroidered on the pocket, I smile as I picked it up and wrapped it round me. It felt warm and relaxing and I pushed my feet into matching slippers before going back into the little sitting room. Grace looked up and smiled,
"Mummy, you like the present daddy and I bought you"
"It's lovely thank you"
She came over and hugged me, yawning as she did so.
"Come on, time for a shower and bed young lady"
She pouted and looked at Jasper but he was still sitting with his feet crossed and eyes shut so she sighed and followed me into the bathroom. After her shower I dried her hair with the dryer, the ringlets forming as her blond hair dried.
"Can I say goodnight to Char and Daddy? Then will you tell me a story?"
I nodded and she ran out in her matching wrap and slippers to hug Char and Jasper then came back and I tucked her up in my bed, there wasn't room for two beds in here, and told her Cinderella, she loved that story, especially the glass slippers and the pumpkin carriage. She was asleep before Prince Charming found her, Shadow clutched in one hand and a smile on her face.
I turned to go out and saw Jasper standing just inside the door,
"You enjoy my story?"
"I like a fairytale with a happy ending. Come here Cinders"
I smiled and walked into his outstretched arms feeling warm and happy as he folded them around me and pulling me close. He kissed my forehead,
"You smell good"
I laughed,
"With or without fries?"
"Oh I can think of other ways of enjoying the taste of you"
I blushed furiously and he chuckled,
"Just wait till we get a room of our own Cinders."
We walked back out to rejoin Char who was studying the bright pink horse.
"You know I think they could catch on"
I slept as the night before on the couch with my head on Jaspers lap and his hand holding mine, almost like a normal couple, almost but we were anything but normal. The next day ran about the same until I got to the hospital. As I approached Charlie's room I heard raised voices, Billy and Sam. So I went in quickly to see Peter standing by the bed, Charlie looking open-mouthed as Sam shook violently held back by Billy's arm. As I opened my mouth the doctor came along the corridor and the voices hushed immediately.
"Now Chief, how are you feeling?"
"Like I want to go home doc"
"Well your vitals are OK so how about tomorrow?"
"How about today? my daughter is here she'll take me"
"I think you should stay another day"
"I need to get out of here doc, my visitors are driving me crazy."
"I can ask them to leave"
"No, ask me to leave instead. Bella get my clothes"
I knew Charlie wouldn't stop till he got a discharge so I went over to his closet, pushing past Sam as I did so.
"You ask a leech to look after Charlie? Don't you trust us Bella? We were family"
"Yes were Sam, and it looks like you were the one about to cause a scene."
He pulled free of Billy and turned to Charlie,
"You have no idea what Bella's involved in Charlie. Its dangerous, he's dangerous"
He pointed at Peter who just smiled back. Then Billy and Sam were gone and I looked at Peter,
"Did you start that?"
"Me? No"
"He didn't Bells, as soon as Sam and Billy got here they started, wanted to know what Peter was doing here, told me I was associating with the wrong sort, like I'm a kid or something. Bells get out while I get my clothes on then you can drive me home."
I looked at Peter,
"I don't have a car here but Peter does, he'll take you home and I'll be along in a little while. I have something to tell you and someone for you to meet"
"Ah the mystery man I suppose"
I looked at Peter who shrugged,
"Stop looking at him like that, he hasn't said anything but quite obviously he knows what's going on here. I feel like a spare do-da at a wedding"
I laughed at Charlie's prim words and kissed his cheek.
"You'll soon be wishing you didn't know everything dad."
He looked at me and groaned but didn't say anything more.