Chapter Twenty Eight

Bella

Jasper and I were a couple, it was official, everyone at school and in town knew and my dad seemed more comfortable now he saw how well Jazz treated me and the fact he never kept me out too late on a school night, nor did he try to angle for long trips at weekends, often we made a foursome to go to the pictures with Jess and Mike or Angie and Eric or joined them for a barbecue. As my dad put it he was a real gentleman. I was just so happy to be loved and appreciated by those around me. I was doing well at school and I knew my last year would be good. I was going to graduate and go to college but then I remembered that Jasper was graduating this year and started to panic. Was I just a school romance? Would he leave me to go to college thousands of miles away where letters would be sent back and forth for a while before they petered out? I think he understood my melancholy because a week before graduation he took me for a drive and parked up in one of the deserted picnic sites with the rain falling softly all around and explained his plans for the next year.

"I'm not going straight to college Bella. I thought I'd stay around and get a job for a year, do some painting and writing maybe. Just until you graduate then maybe we could go to college together."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing, he was going to wait for me!

"Wont Carlisle have something to say about that? You wasting a year waiting for me?"

"Carlisle understands how I feel about you Bella. Its what I want, as long as its what you want too."

I almost threw my arms around his neck and covered him in kisses, of course its what I wanted but to hear it was a dream come true.

The first few weeks of the holiday were wonderful, I spent every moment I could with Jazz even though I had extra days at Newtons Store. My dad was happy enough as long as he was fed occasionally and saw me home for bed. He and Jazz had been working on mending the old shed in the yard and Jazz helped him with some jobs in the house that had been too long neglected. Rose and Emmett went away, checking out colleges and skiing and Edward and Alice were still in Alaska so I spent a lot of time at the Cullen house and found some strange things, the kitchen cupboards were sparsely filled and the counter tops and oven looked as if they were only used when I was there. I didn't like to ask about the special diets but to me it looked like they more or less starved which was stupid. When Esme made coffee for me or a sandwich or cookies she always sent the left overs for Charlie. The other strange thing was that if the weather was good which admittedly wasn't often the family just disappeared and even if Jazz and I had plans he would ring with many apologies and change them. I couldn't complain, he always made it up to me it just seemed odd especially as Jess and Angie had told me they disappeared from school if the weather was good. Were they allergic to the sun? It sounded bizarre but I couldn't think of any other reason for their actions. I thought about confronting Jazz but it seemed wrong as he did all he could to apologise. The first time I had a bouquet of flowers delivered and the next time a take away and chocolates.

When he told me Edward and Alice were returning I was a little sad, it meant the family would take more of his time and Edward still made me nervous although Jazz said the treatment Edward had received was successful.

"Esme and Carlisle have gone to visit Carmen and Eleazer and the others are coming back with them so I thought we could go to Seattle for the day and then call and see them in the evening when they are all back and sorted out, Esme always shops when she gets together with Carmen so there will be a mountain of parcels to be opened and stuff to put away and I'm trying to avoid getting roped in. So what do you say? Tomorrow? I'll pick you up about ten if that's OK?"

"As long as I'm with you I don't care where we go. We could help Esme with her parcel mountain if you like"

He grinned,

"I don't, please give me an excuse to get out of it"

"OK, ten tomorrow morning I'll be waiting"

"Good and Bella, can you see if your dad would mind if you were out late or maybe sleep over with Alice. You can tell the Chief there will be plenty of chaperones for you only I'd like to have time to explain a few things and I know you'll have questions."

"About what?"

"It'll keep until tomorrow"

He kissed me and then left after a last hug and I watched as he rode away on his motorbike waving until he was out of sight before going in to get some dinner for Charlie who was working until nine this evening. If I could I liked to prepare something decent for him if he worked late or I knew he would grab a burger from the diner and I was trying to get his diet a little more healthy although it was hard with his hours.

When he came in he looked more sombre than usual and I wondered what was wrong but I waited, if it concerned me he would tell me soon enough. He washed up and changed then came down to eat, baked salmon for a change. He asked me to join him and I felt myself tense but I brought my coffee over to join him at the table.

"This is good"

"Thanks Dad."

"Look I have to tell you this, your mother is back from Japan. It didn't work out for her, Phil apparently found himself a Geisha or something, anyway there's talk of them getting divorced and she's in Seattle at the moment."

I suddenly felt sick,

"Why Seattle?"

"She says she wants to be close to you, that she's missed you. She asked me if I thought you would go back and live with her."

"What did you say?"

My hands were shaking and he put his fork down and took one of them in his,

"Hey don't worry Bella. I told her I didn't think so, you were settled here. I told her you'd got friends and even a boyfriend. She can't make you, its too late now but she did ask me if she could visit you here."

"I don't want to Dad."

I could feel my eyes filling with tears,

"Yeah I know but I can't really stop her visiting. She's coming tomorrow"

"Tomorrow? No I can't tomorrow, Jazz and I are going to Seattle."

"Oh right, well why don't you ring her and arrange to visit her instead? You'll have back up then."

I sighed, I didn't want my mother and Jazz anywhere near each other but if I didn't then I'd have to ring him and tell him I couldn't make it tomorrow.

"I guess you don't want him meeting Renee? You think she might say something?"

I nodded,

"I'll ring Jazz and tell him I'm seeing my mum tomorrow but I plan going out with him in the evening. Esme has invited me to stay the night, Edward and Alice are coming home so its a bit of a party. Would that be OK?"

He looked down thoughtfully then nodded,

"Sure, Dr and Mrs Cullen are going to be there so why not"

I got up and walked round the table to him kissing him on the cheek,

"Thanks Dad."

"Sure."

He winked as I went to the phone,

"I think I'll be going out tomorrow evening too. I might need a stiff drink after seeing your mother again"