Chapter Ten

Charlie

As soon as Bella and the others had left I started to panic, Sunday, lunch! I must be mad. The last time I attempted a Sunday lunch I nearly burned the house down. I needed some help but Debs was working which only left Sue Clearwater. Well I had to let them know sooner or later but I would try to keep the connection with the Cullens quiet for now. I rang the reservation only to find Sue was at Billy's which meant ringing her there unless...

"Leah, can you cook?"

"Cook? Sure Chief Swan, why?"

"I have guests coming tomorrow for lunch and I rather rashly offered to supply lunch. I was going to ask your mom but if you could help me out I'd be willing to pay you and provide all the ingredients."

She agreed to come over in the morning and get everything ready so all I had to do was dish it all up.

That night I dreamed of my family, the last day I saw them when I told my father I was joining the army. Raised voices had brought my mom running and I could hear Kat crying in the next room, she hated any type of argument, she was a sensitive child. I had grabbed my bags from my room and said goodbye to my mom, Kat holding onto my leg begging me not to go. And now she was dead and I couldn't apologize for hurting her. I could however, make sure that I never did the same to her daughter or grandson. If only my own father or I had been less stubborn…. but we were too much alike to ever get along happily.

Leah arrived bright and early telling me her mom had spent the night with Billy as he was so unwell and Jake was off with some of his friends on a camping trip. The boys seemed to spend a lot of time off in the forest but it was none of my business, the res had its own police force and school. It was up to them to track down the kids who missed too much schooling not me. While Leah got everything prepared I put money on the table for food and her time and started cleaning. While the lounge was always pretty neat and tidy the dining room left a bit to be desired and I wanted to make a good impression. When I opened the door I was relieved Bella had decided not to stay for a meal yesterday.

"Right Chief Swan, everything is ready. The pot roast is on and the pie is in the fridge along with some cream. I wrote down exactly what to do and when so you'll be OK."

"You're a lifesaver Leah. Thanks."

I saw her out marveling as she drove away, I remembered her birth seventeen years ago and now she was almost a woman. There had been something different about her today though. She had looked pale as if she were sickening for something and I made a mental note to ring Sue tomorrow and check up on her. Billy's cold was probable racing through all of them, especially with her mom nursing him.

Leah

I hadn't minded helping Charlie, I liked him because he never came down heavy handed on the kids from the res. He treated us just the same as the kids from town though he was one of the few who did. Most people still tended to look down on us as savages! I was glad to be going home though, I'd woken up feeling sick, like I was running a temperature and my limbs were aching, I guess I'd picked up Billy's cold and decided to dose myself up with flu medicine and go back to bed. My sense of smell was off too, there had been a strange scent in the Chief's house, sweet and sickly, it made me feel nauseous. I had looked around wondering if he had spilled some honey or syrup that had started to break down but there was nothing. I would go back tomorrow and pick up mom's dishes and check that his dinner went off OK. I had wanted to ask him who he was entertaining but it seemed rude, maybe I could slip a query in when I came back, after all mom was sure to ask me.

Charlie

Charity was a delightful child, sunny and full of laughter and I could see she idolized her cousin. It reminded me of my own childhood again, Kat trailing along behind me but the difference in ages had been much wider so I guess it was easier for Caden to include her in his games. He allowed her to use his pens and sketchbook but she wasn't allowed to play with his car. Luckily I had anticipated this and picked her up a little tea set which she set out along with her rag doll Daisy dressed the same as Charity which I thought was a nice touch. With the children settled at play Bella and I found time to talk again and she helped me in the kitchen asking if I had done all this by myself. It would have been easy to lie but I laughed telling her the truth.

"Without my friends on the reservation I'd be a very lonely man. They took pity on me when I first moved here. The women have taken me under their wing and I get home cooked food for the fridge and freezer at regular intervals. So, I rang and asked for help, I wanted you to have something you could actually eat so you'd come again and my friends daughter came over and set me up. I'd like to introduce you to them one day."

Dinner was relaxed enough with Bella helping Charity who had brought her own cutlery and tucked in like she hadn't eaten for a week while Caden ate more sparingly and had impeccable table manners. He didn't use his fingers like a lot of kids these days or eat with his mouth open and he only spoke when spoken to or to ask a question, my niece had done a good job with him. After pie and cream, or in the children's case ice cream, we retired to the lounge although Bella offered to help tidy up.

"I have plenty of time to do that later. I'd rather spend the time with you and the children."

I had rummaged in the attic and found a few family photos including one of me with my sister, Bella's mom. My mom had sent them to me secretly once, the only time she ever contacted me after I left home to join the army. Getting them out I showed them to Bella and she pounced on them greedily.

"That's my mom?"

"Yes, that's Kat, and of course the good looking one is me."

She looked at me smiling then took the others and looked through them,

"Are they your mom and dad?"

I glanced at the black and white photo of the four of us, the only one I had.

"Yep, that's the Swan family."

She looked at Caden and then back at the photograph, before speaking,

"Caden looks like you Charlie."

I shook my head,

"I think he looks like you Bella, far better for him than being saddled with a face like mine but you...well see...you look like my mother."

She studied the photograph longer then nodded,

"I guess I do a bit."

The time for them to leave came far too soon and reluctantly I went upstairs to get their coats, it was cold and wet, usual Forks weather in fact! Jasper was picking them up, I had been surprised Bella hadn't driven over herself but then she told me she couldn't drive.

"I never had much chance before I met Jasper and since then I guess I just never got around to it, maybe I will one day."

"I'd offer to take you out for a few lessons but maybe having the Chief of Police as your instructor isn't the best of ideas."

She laughed,

"Giving your niece a ticket for speeding would be embarrassing."

We heard the car draw up and Caden ran to the window shouting,

"Daddy's here mom. Charity, come on."

The little girl was struggling to put Daisy's coat on so I offered to help and she handed the doll to me with a shy smile, I was finding I got on OK with kids which was a surprise seeing I had no prior experience. As they drove away a few minutes later I felt suddenly lonely even though I knew they would be back soon. Caden was already making plans for a fishing trip next weekend although I would have to juggle the rota to get time off. Maybe we could go in the week as he wasn't at school yet, I'd ring and arrange something tomorrow maybe.