Chapter Three

Bella

I only went back to Forks for two more visits and each time I begged Jake to take me back to the clearing where I'd seen the angel but he refused. Billy told us that it wasn't safe in the woods with all the bears and wolves so we had to stay in the village when I visited the Res. I'd told my mum what had happened and she was really angry that dad had let us wander in the forest, she wanted to throw the "disgusting fang" away but I cried and begged and eventually after dad explained that I'd only found it and made the rest up I was allowed to keep it. I put it in a little pink box that mum gave me wrapped up in tissue paper and kept it under my pillow. For some reason it made me feel safe, as if my angel were still watching over me and I learned not to mention him to anyone. My friends thought I was making it up, others said I was just lying to sound interesting and mum flatly refused to even hear of it. In short, it became my secret and as we moved away from Phoenix to Florida it became mine alone, I never told the new friends I made.

My mum met and married a minor league baseball player called Phil Dwyer and my life changed again. I hated him, I guess as a child I was jealous that I'd finally been usurped in my mothers affection at least in my eyes. He tried very hard to befriend me but I made it almost impossible, I was so horrible that in the end my mum suggested I go live with my father. I was making her so unhappy that some nights I heard her crying, especially when Phil and I had argued which was often. Who did he think he was to tell me what to do? I only took orders from my mother not him and he would never take my dads place! Although I hated the idea of living in cold rainy Forks it sounded better than living with HIM, so it was all agreed. My dad was over the moon and rang every day just to check on things, he'd enrolled me at Forks High and redecorated my bedroom specially. As the date for my leaving got closer Forks began to look less enticing, I liked the sun and the beach although I never seemed to tan much. Also life with Charlie was much more mundane than life with my scatty mum who was always up to something new. Charlie liked fishing, hunting, and hiking, which were all a challenge to me. I'd fished twice, the first time I fell off the boat and had to be rescued and the second time got a hook caught in my hand and ended up in the emergency room. I fared no better with the hiking, the first time I fell into some poison ivy and the second I sprained my ankle so I think he decided hunting would be just too dangerous.

I was all packed and ready, as I ever would be, to go live in Forks when mum got a phone call that changed everything. Dad had been attacked by a wild animal, a wolf they thought, and was in hospital. I was desperate to see him, scared he might die, so Renee travelled up with me much to Phil's annoyance. I took my case hoping that maybe he wouldn't be too hurt, that I could look after him, it was better than the thought of staying with Phil! On the flight Renee tried to explain how things would soon settle down now she and Phil were married and he had a permanent position with a club but I wasn't convinced, perhaps we had just been alone too long. I hated the thought of a man in our lives other than dad, especially one who thought he had the right to boss me about. He'd never had children of his own and had no idea how to treat a teenager. Sometimes he spoke to me as if I were a toddler while other times, when it suited him, I was supposed to be a mature adult, well Phil I thought guess what? If you think I'm hard work my mum is a perpetual teenager so that will keep you on your toes!

"Bella if Charlie is going to be in hospital or unable to look after you at home then you will have to come back with me. I know things are difficult but you'll get used to each other."

I didn't argue with her, there was no point, but I kept my fingers crossed that my dad wasn't too badly hurt.

Harry Clearwater picked us up in Seattle and sitting beside him was Jake, I hadn't seen him for years and I hardly recognised the tall muscular boy with the long black hair and beaming smile.

"Bella, you're looking good. Come sit in the back with me and tell me what you've been doing and I'll tell you about your dad."

I sat beside him but I was listening to Harry as he explained what had happened to my mum. You could tell by the tone of his voice that he didn't like her much, I guess being dads friend he wouldn't, after all she broke my dads heart.

"Its not a bad as we first thought, he has several bad lacerations and he lost a lot of blood before we found him".

"You found him Harry? Was he hunting alone?"

"No, he was out looking for tracks, we've had a couple of stock killings. It wasn't a wolf though but a bear."

"A bear killing stock? Is that normal bear behaviour?"

Harry didn't answer her so I thought I'd ask my own question,

"I told you there were big bears in the forest and Jake laughed at me".

Harry turned but there was no smile on his face,

"It's best to keep out of the forest unless you know what you're doing Bella, especially these days".

"Why now?"

He shot Jake a look and turned back to the road,

"It's just that when bears have started to attack animals and people they become really dangerous."

I wasn't sure I believed Harry or Jake, it felt to me as if there was something they weren't telling us but no matter how I approached the subject Jake deflected me and we ended up discussing music in the end.

We drove straight to the hospital and Harry agreed to wait for us and then take us on to Forks, we were going to stay at Charlie's house for a couple of days which was something else Phil had objected to but it seemed stupid to pay for a motel or stay on the Res when the house was far more convenient. Renee hate the Res anyway, they were all Charlie's friends and resented her even after all these years. Dad was dozing when we got to his room but the sound of our approach woke him up and he smiled tiredly as he saw me,

"Bells, good to see you"

I ran over then cuddled him being careful of the tubes and wires protruding from his arm and chest.

"Hello Renee, thanks for bringing Bella up. I'm just sorry this had to happen now."

"Dad can I stay? Please, I can help look after you until you're better. I really don't want to go back to Florida"

He shot Renee a look but she just stood back and shrugged,

"Well I don't know Bella. I'm gonna be in here a few more days at least. How long can you stay Renee?"

I heard my mothers sigh, she hated being away from Phil for even a day.

"Well I can stay a couple of days I guess but then I have to go home. Couldn't Bella stay with Billy or Harry just until you're on your feet again? If not then she will have to come home with me. She can always wait until the start of the new school year to move up here."

I looked at dad longingly and he smiled ruffling my hair,

"I'll see if Sue and Harry will look after you when mum goes home unless I'm out of here by then. You reckon on looking after me do you Bells?"

I nodded relieved that I wouldn't be going back to Florida while inwardly groaning at the idea of the rain and cold plus starting a new school where I knew no one. Still at least I would be away from Phil and that counted for something, besides I liked the idea of looking after my dad.