Jacob Black Pov
"Name your biggest regret." Caleb says sitting down beside me.
5:00am in the morning and the cafe was as quiet and empty as ever.
With dark brown short cut hair, high cheekbones and dark brown eyes that always seem to be brooding; I always find myself in this place. He reminds me of my Dad.
"Don't have one." I stated.
"Not one?" He questioned.
"Not any." I said getting up from the stool where we sat. "Now get back to work. I'm not paying you to slack off."
"Dad?"
"Get to work. We were supposed to be open an hour ago." I said walking around the counter towards my office.
Since he was young no question ever went unasked, as like most kids. Caleb constantly needed to be a part of whatever was going on at the time.
Present day, nothing much has changed. Caleb who was the youngest before Sarah came along, five years old at the time - he was always a handful. Not much now. He has always been the sensitive one in the group. So it's no surprise how in touch he is with his emotions, way more than I've ever been.
I feel he daydreams too much. Pretty sure he takes after Leah with the brooding- I've always been a happy kid…. Until the vamps came along.
Guess the question isn't 'What's my biggest regret?' but 'What's my biggest achievement?' And the answer to that question is easy… my family. I would be nothing without them.
Sitting down at my desk, I leaned my head back exhausted.
With a house full of almost all adults and one teenage girl, I feel as though I'm doing it alone.
In reality I'm not alone, though with a wife who travels almost constantly and kids who rarely come home, the loneliness takes its toll. It keeps me up at night. Which isn't good when you own a cafe and auto garage, which requires early morning services.
It seems as if there's just too much to be done to be sleeping.
"Dad?" Caleb says, opening my office door.
I looked up at him without saying a word. "Are you alright?" His brows are folding in.
"I'm fine. What's the problem?"
"Are you sure? You look a little sad. Maybe you should call mom."
"Caleb." I said glaring at him annoyed. I didn't have time for him to fixate on my mood. "What is it?"
He cleared his throat. "The cash register broke again."
I sighed. Standing from my chair. "It's always something. Drive to the garage, grab the extra one from the rust pile."
"And we are out of croissants and bagels." He added.
"Alright. Then stop by the store on your way back, we probably won't hear back from the shipment for two more days. If the register from the rust pile happens to be too damaged, tell everyone to use calculators when they get in and keep all paper notes for records later." I said moving past him out the door back towards the front of the cafe.
Through the huge windows I could see four customers parking in the lot.
"Dad, we are in debt as it is. Maybe we should just cross your 'Big J Bagels' off the menu for the week." He said and I turned around to look at him.
"Caleb. I won't say it again. We're not making any changes or crossing anything off the menu. If you want to be a manager, do what I tell you or quit." I said then suddenly felt my phone vibrate in my back pocket.
I sighed as I pulled my cell out. "Where the heck is Haylie? I told her to be here early. Call, find out where she's at before you go anywhere."
"No problem." He mumbled.
Looking at the screen Leah's picture was clear as day and I knew it was a video call.
If it was a regular phone call, the picture I took when we vacationed at Disneyland with the kids, one spring time after Sarah was born would appear.
"Is that mom?" Caleb asked.
"Yes. Now do what I said." I say heading back to my office room.
Once I was in, I shut the door fast. Pressing the answer button on the phone as I took a seat.
I felt relieved that she was calling. We hadn't had a video chat in days, we only spoke briefly last night as she had interviews and conferences all day.
"Hey." She smiled her brown eyes happily through the phone.
Her long black hair, slicked down and that perfect copper skin was almost bare in what looked like a yellowed flowered sundress. "You look beautiful." I said before I could even say hello.
Her beauty always amazes me. I wish she was here. Here with me, in my arms.
"Thanks. How are things going? You look tired." She said back.
"Everything's great. How are you?"
"Liar. What's wrong?" She knew me too well.
"Nothing. How's Japan?" I asked as in her background the sun had already set. It's obviously around five-ish there.
"It's great, but draining." She smiled but I knew it was fake. Something in her eyes said something was off.
"Where's Daniel? How is he?" Our second born, the most conscientious of the four. He has helped me run my garage ever since he came back from the Marines with a leg injury that took a while to heal.. but it wasn't long until he decided to work side by side with Leah.
Daniel is the only one of our pups that actually looked forward to shifting when he found out he had the wolf-gene.
For a twenty-three year old he sure spends more time with Leah and I, than Sarah does. Even his imprint Hazel has to track him down at times.
"He's resting up. I decided to let him sleep in, he's busting his butt and I'm so glad he's here with me." Leah glanced over her shoulder, sounding grateful that Daniel left Hazel behind to accompany her on her book tour. "How are Sarah, Caleb and Joshua? Since you would rather not talk about you." She says.
I rolled my eyes.
"Great. Great and great. We're all great. So what time is it there?"
"6:00pm and give me more than great." She answered back.
"Ah let me see…" I pretended to think. "Sarah is probably getting dressed for school like most sixteen year olds, Caleb is getting ready for a store run, and Josh as we both know is still in Port Angeles at medical school. Better?"
"Much. Thank you, Was that so hard?"
"Very." I nodded sarcastically. "Every time we talk it's non-stop talk about everything and anything else but us. So forgive me for wanting to rock the boat."
"Fine, Jacob. Is there anything else you would like to discuss other than our children's well-being? Because obviously you're not up for talking about yourself and what's really wrong. So what else would you like to chat about?"
"How about when are you coming home?" I say.
Leah sighed. "You know the answer to that. The release date is tomorrow. When the book tour is over everything will be better. Now that Danny is my new publicist my travels are easier but longer. Just be patient."
"It would be nice if you could cut it short. I need you here. I can't run the cafe and the auto shop at the same time. When you first started with this book thing I thought you'd be here with me. Not off traveling and whatever."
"So your problem is that I'm not there to help you? Wow. Jee. Let me just pack my things, get on a plane and come rescue you Jacob from your horrible responsibilities. I'm on a promotional tour, I'm under contract with four different countries. Me pimping out my work is what helps us. So excuse me for having an actual career."
"Leah, you can still be a writer and work. I'm glad and happy about that, even if this was at the expense of our ancestors' secret and the treaty getting broken. I just didn't think you'd keep at it for this long. I built you this cafe so not only you can have something that's yours, but that we'll be together. With this ..you are here, working with me. Not me and Caleb, I mean if Daniel was here maybe it'll help but he's there with you."
"You've got to be kidding me. Jacob. I supported you when you wanted us to move back to La Push, even though I wanted no parts of it after Josh was born. I agreed to move into that house you built and even stayed there when there were millions of other towns and homes we could have moved to. I didn't complain, not one bit. I stayed. I stayed because I love you, I love our family and I knew it would kill you to make you choose. For once do something for me, that's really for me and not something that you can benefit from."
"Leah-"
"No. I cannot believe how selfish you are right now." She is clearly upset now.
I didn't want to argue about this, or make her unhappy about anything.
I growled. "I'm sorry."
"Mom?" I heard Daniel's voice through the phone from the background. "We're late for the give-a-way."
Leah exhaled. "I have to go." She says to me,
"The last thing I want is to fight with you and make you upset. I love you." I said in the most sincerest apologetic tone I could manage.
"Sure." She said then the video ended.
"Jacob?" I heard, a bit startled, that I wasn't alone.
I looked over just as Embry was standing in my office doorway.
I never even heard the bell at the cafe entrance chime.
With a dark green shirt and black pants, it was clear he wasn't working at the sheriff station today.
"Embry." Surprised, he's usually working this early. "What are you doing here?"
"Caleb texted me that you needed a hand, so I thought with Leah gone I could take a day off to help you out."
I instantly shook my head. "No. I'm fine. Just a bit backed up. Plus you got an actual job to focus on, bad guys won't toss themselves in jail."
"I didn't have to go in until later tonight anyway. Jacob, I know with Quil's on vacation- it's twice the work for you and Caleb. Just tell me what it is that you need."
I flopped back down in my office chair, exhausted.
Now with being on the council, Quil, Paul, Sam, Emily, Embry, Leah and myself do our best to keep the reservation intact and safe from the tourists and bloodsucking leeches that may come to our land. These days the number grows in wolf-transformations, we keep it secret. However, that's never easy with running two businesses. With my pups being descendants from Ephraim Black and all, Joshua, Daniel and Caleb could be further from the council themselves.
Josh is in medical school, Danny is traveling all around with Leah, Cabe is here helping me the best he can, and Sarah -well she's a teenage girl- I have no clue what she's doing other than focusing on softball.
"What I need is my wife. Leah, here! Home with me would be good. Can you give me that?" I say.
I'm lost without her, he wouldn't understand.
"She's right, you know, you should be more supportive of her." Obviously having overheard our video conversation.
"Great. Not you too." I said low. "Why does everyone think I'm the selfish one just for the fact that I want my family together?"
It isn't right for her to be oceans away alone. This world is crazy.
It's extremely unsafe for Leah at the moment. She told the entire world that vampires exist. For years I feared retaliation would fall on us all. The wolves that is, but no big-bad ever came. No chaos ever erupted within our lands against any kind of bloodsucker since The Volturi incident. That doesn't mean nothing is being planned against us or our land.
Leah's my everything. I will never stop having nightmares of losing her. I don't want to ever lose her. I'm a neurotic insecure mess when it comes to her, and I can't do this without her. I need her. I don't want her to know how much I depend on her. I'm stronger than this though strength has nothing to do with wanting to show her how much I love her, or love our family with trying to remain sane. Sometimes I see that she needs me, but I don't think much of it because I know she's independent. I'd like to believe I once was all she ever needed. Leah would argue, but If something were to happen to me Josh, Daniel, and Caleb will be just fine because she's the most headstrong person I know, she can teach them to be men as much as I can. If the roles were reversed and I was the one traveling and she was the one stuck here, she'll be managing just fine. I already know. It's pathetic to even think about.
"I know I've been missing in action since my promotion at the station, but whatever you need I'm here." Embry says.
"Thanks but no thanks." I say again. "If I need rescuing I'll call someone that could actually help. Bad enough I see less of Sarah as it is, you come around more and she'd become a ghost." I said back.
"I didn't come to be a punching bag, I get enough of that at work. You know how many partners I've had in the last couple months? With the world knowing I'm a wolf it's kinda hard walking down the street and trust me being a distraction will be the last thing I'd be."
I snorted. "Clearly you've gone soft."
"Yeah well it's Leah's fault that the cats out of the bag on the Legends. I remember Sue set me up on that blind-date with Nikcole not already knowing she was dating Damon. Yet. Nikki always said that Leah would be the one to be famous- and not for thinking she was the only female wolf. She had to out us all, it was time. Can't blame her for your business running to the ground." He shrugged.
Leah had many titles for her first book before naming it... 'Lenten Moon: A Tribe Against The Cold Ones' It damn sure opened the world's eyes on vampires and werewolves. Embry all joked at first that 'Forks will never be the same.' He had no idea how right he was.
Which happens to be no one's fault in actuality, it's just something that needed to happen. The Cullen's were on their way far away from here anyhow.
"I guess it goes for the Reservation too, and my business isn't running to the ground. I just have a lot on my mind to focus." I say.
Ever since he imprinted on Sarah it's been different between us, yet even before that we drifted apart a bit. I would have thought Embry and I would be closer than ever, since he imprinted on my daughter. Now I know how Bella felt when I imprinted on her kid. The only exception was that my imprinting-broke five years after it happened. It's been sixteen years and somehow Sarah and Embry managed as easily as Quil and Claire.
When Quil first imprinted on Claire, he was seventeen and she was three years old. All I knew was that Quil was going to be the best, kindest big brother any kid ever had. Years after looking at Embry, he's the same. I hate thinking about it. Just like how I hated when Paul imprinted on my sister Rachel long ago. I don't care about that now. I barely see them.
"Not sure if you noticed, but Sarah and I haven't been spending much time together lately. For a month or so now." He stated.
How the heck could I not realize that? Drifting apart isn't normal for them. If Sarah's not in school or at softball practice she's with Hazel somewhere. Usually Embry would pick her up whenever he wasn't working, and spend time with her.
"This is all...still weird." He stated.
"Look, I'm trying to run two businesses and be a father here. I don't have time to notice any high school drama." I said then instantly regretted it. Picturing him someday marrying my daughter and having kids with her. It disgusted me in every which way. Why would I care if they drifted apart?
"Jake." Embry said seriously and I glared at him without blanking.
"What?"
"Times like these Billy would always hand out some words of wisdom, so even though Leah isn't here to help like Mary J... remember with great power, comes great responsibility." He grinned.
I rolled my eyes laughing. "That quote sucks."
Embry laughed. "I know, it made you crack a smile though." Sounds like a cheesy saying my dad would spit out to me for advice. I haven't spoken to him in a while. "If it isn't obvious ... no matter where I am, you call and I'll be here. It's obvious you have too much on your hands."
I nodded. "Yeah, and I have no idea what I'm going to do any more months without Leah, but I'll figure something out- like always." I admitted it honestly. "Thanks though."
"You do too much already dude, that's what you have friends and family for."
"Yeah well, depending on that alone is a waste of time I don't have." I say.
"Jake, I know you miss Leah. We all do, but we gotta be supportive. She's an amazing author and she isn't alone over there. She has Daniel who's become a very good assistant...well now a publicist. Give it time."
"Tell me something I don't know."
"Alright… " Embry paused, clearing his throat. "Timing sucks to say this but... I'll just tell you..." He says, and I stare confused.
"Tell me what?"
"I may be moving to Seattle." He said fast. "Within the next month. With Charlie Swan retiring, new recruits will be hired. Now that I've been promoted, someone put in a good word for me and I have a job offer."
"What?" I was shocked. "You're leaving?"
"Soon, possibly. Maybe. Haven't decided yet but if I don't, it could mean I jeopardize my promotion." He says.
"What is with everyone wanting to leave? La Push is supposed to be our home." I say to the ceiling merely to myself.
Now I'll have to wipe away Sarah's tears and pray she doesn't go off the deep end when Embry leaves her.
"As I recall, you left plenty of time." He says.
"And I came back."
"Leah will too, and so will I." He replied.
I laughed without humor. "Do you seriously think you'll be able to stay away from my daughter for that long?"
Leah used to always remind me that Embry was the best guy, the greatest friend no matter what. So there was no surprise on how much he cared for my little girl, he cared for her as if she was his. At times it was hard to pull her away from him, but deep down all knew that Leah and I felt weird about the entire thing. Sarah's older now… and needs a friend, Embry should be there for her… he's trustworthy, and more reliable than anyone else we know.
Him wanting to leave is completely idiotic.
"The last thing I need is to be thinking about Sarah." He says.
"Trust me, I want to never think of you and her… but she loves you and against every bone in my body it will hurt Leah too, to have you gone."
He laughs to himself. "Is that why you haven't killed me yet?" He joked.
"Yeah, as I think about it." I say now angered.
Embry moving away will hurt the two most important people in my life. My daughter and my wife. It would crush them.
Years ago I would dream of the day that he would be gone, even though he's been my best friend since we were kids. A little tiny part of me envies him. Not so to speak of envy in his life but of the love my family has for him. He's a great guy and a damn good friend, but at times I sometimes felt like I had to compete against him. When Josh was younger he constantly looked to Embry as an uncle.
"I can't believe this." I muttered to myself.
Who will Sarah look to if he's gone? Joshua is the oldest and even though he's good with protecting and advising his younger brothers and sister, the only girl. Away at school, he's not here to witness a thing and he rarely visits.
Growing up even though Sarah had Embry to look after her, it didn't stop Leah and I's mission to teach Joshua how to care for his siblings. To show them from right and wrong and to help assist with caring after them in case one of us isn't here for them.
If something was to happen to either Leah or myself, Embry is the first person to come to mind to feel any void that Joshua, Daniel, Caleb or Sarah may have. Now what is it for them to do if he never returns? I would have thought that with him who has no siblings would want to be a part of a family such as mine. He's the closest I have to a brother.
"The day I imprinted on Sarah, I wished on everything that it wasn't to be her."
"Embry, I'll tell you the same as the last time you tried to have this conversation, I don't want to hear it."
"That doesn't mean that I shouldn't say it."
"Feel free to say it whenever, just not to me." I said standing up to leave the room.
"I love her, and with every day that passes by I try to control myself."
"Embry, shut up.'' I said pushing past him.
"I need your help. I need to break it." He said fast and I paused. "If there's going to be any hope for a life of my own, you have to help me."
"Are you insane?" I spat. I was completely stunned.
"I need to break it. The imprinting bond. I see what it does to you and everyone else." He said as I turned around to face him. "I'm dying inside with guilt. When I say I love her, I'm saying I'm in love with her. I'm in love with this thought of her, man, but I want her to make her own decision on who to love." He said and I closed my eyes trying to keep down my rage.
The fire inside me burned and I wanted to punch something.
I wanted to punch him. Punch him right in his stupid face.
I knew this day would come. I am not ready for it. No. Not today. Of all days. Even though I fully understood what it was like to uncontrollably be drawn to a child, a baby, a toddler… The thoughts crossed my mind of Why? Why my daughter? Why my best friend? Did it have to be my only daughter? Did it have to be my closest friend? Yes, you can say I preferred a stranger.
I remember what it was like. It's nothing like love at first sight, you become whatever the imprint needs you to be, whether that's a protector, or a lover, or a friend. When we shape-shifters imprint on a specific girl or woman, we become unconditionally bound to her for the rest of our lives. When it happens, the experience is described as being gravitationally pulled toward that person while a glowing heat fills inside, and everyone and everything else in life becomes secondary, and only the imprintee is left to matter.
Embry is holding that deep need to do anything to please and protect his soulmate.. who is my sixteen year old daughter.
Imprinting occurs only after a wolf's first phasing. It can happen with anyone, regardless of previous personal feelings. It happens the first time a wolf sees the human object of his imprinting. Like with Embry, as soon as Leah had Sarah he went into the room and then boom, imprinted on my new born baby girl. I wanted to punch him in the face and bang his head against the wall. Like right now. I could kill him.
Him wanting to break their bond... "You don't know what that'll do to her. You have no freaking idea." I almost yelled, knowing the cafe had customers in front.
"I know. I'm sorry." He breathed. He tells me that he may be moving away then tells me that he's in love with my sixteen year old daughter, and needs it to end.
Yeah, he's sorry alright.
"You should go." I said through gritted teeth. "Now." I know full well what it's like to be rejected by my imprintee. It was assumed to be virtually impossible because the imprinter is to be a "perfect match" to the imprintee—unlike me and Renesmee Cullen.
I don't see Sarah wanting or needing anything or anyone else other than Embry. That's the killer part. I know the unspeakable pain that Embry would face if Sarah ever rejected him, he maybe even want to commit suicide but for him to want to break his bond with her… I never heard such an idiotic thing in my life.
Embry threw up his hands in defeat. "Fine. We'll talk about it later."
More like never.
Embry walked past me towards the cafe's front entrance, and I didn't turn around until I heard the bell on the top of the door ring to let me know he was exiting.
"Idiot." I muttered to myself.
*Flashback*
16 Years Ago
Sitting down on First Beach I stared out across the water, completely zoned out.
Have to get back home to pack clothes for tomorrow, and gas up the truck for the long drive to the lake.
Some days to gain a peace of mind I like to bring Josh, Daniel and Caleb to the beach.
Here's the only place I can be free to think and let them run wild.
Josh most of all needs his freedom. He's the oldest. The more Leah and I force him to only concentrate on his brothers, the more he'll strive against it. He's old enough to acknowledge what it is that he wants, I can't just ignore that.
I would have no problem with the kids starting school, but I'm not the one to convince here. It'll be Leah. She'll be the one to go against it. Fighting with Leah on this would be like trying not to feed a starving shark. It's pointless.
"Hey, Jake!" I heard somebody call from behind me. I sighed glaring back.
"I figured you guys would be here." Embry said coming towards me as I was seated on top of a towel I brought from home. "What happened? The boys tired you out already?" He said sitting down.
Not saying a word, I turned my head out towards where the kids were playing soccer with one another.
"How are things going?" He asked.
"Not bad. Everything's good." I said, not really in the mood to talk.
"Everything's cool with Leah and Josh?"
With Josh there's never a problem, Leah… well that's always an issue. "Yeah. Everything's fine. Josh is cool just obsessing with school and Leah she's stressing over crap with the council."
"So to you another trip to Lake Crescent lodge is a bit inessential huh?" He said knowing the answer to that question.
"Yep, just as ridiculous as any other trip they plan."
"As a person who is just getting used to seeing vampires on his front lawn, I love the idea of getting away but right now it doesn't seem right." He stated.
"Yeah right, you love the leeches now." I stated.
He laughed. "Negative. Though Billy and Sue suggested, leading everyone to discuss and then agree." He noted. "But if you intervene, people will listen to you."
I laughed very amused. "To say what? How pointless is it?"
"It would open their eyes."
"Thanks but no thanks. I'm not on the council, Leah is. I made it clear to her and everyone to inform me as they would other people on the Reservation." I stated. I rather focus on the boys and the auto shop right now.
With Sam, Leah, Embry on the council there haven't been any new transformations for a long time.
"So did you hear that Sam got a job at The Reservation high school? Emily pulled some strings, you know she teaches math there."
"I've heard." I mumbled, rolling my eyes. "Good for him." I glanced far across the beach where Josh, Daniel, and Caleb were all now playing in the water.
With Josh, the need to go to school has been thrown at me a couple times. He's tired of being in the house all day long.
"Has Leah lightened up about sending Josh to school?" He asked.
"Not at all." I sighed heavily. "For the millionth time her answer is no."
"She'll change her mind. It's all about being in control, with her." He says. More like with most women.
"I know Josh is kind of young, but does he show any signs of having the shifting-gene? Do you think he will?" He asked.
"No, and it may not even happen for him." I say fast.
"Why do you say that?" He said very curiously.
"Just a feeling."
"I don't see how he could not. Leah was known for being the only female wolf in history, who was also the fastest. You are an Alpha and the strongest at that, I'm sure Josh is destined to have some super fast-strength ability."
"The last thing I want to think about is my son turning into me. So back to Leah, she loves homeschooling the kids, and no offense but sitting here chatting to you about it isn't what I feel like doing."
"I get it. Just thought you could vent if needed." He said obviously having nothing else to do.
"You're not adequately a good choice. I rather whine to someone who can actually give me advice. You never even had a long lasting relationship to compare to for one."
"Jee, thanks." He said and I rolled my eyes at how cold that sounded.
"Sorry man."
"No. you're right." He said then stood to his feet. "I gotta get to work, but see you later. Tell Leah I said 'hey."
When Embry got further and further across the beach parking lot, the boys ran to me, clearly tired.
"Hey, where's Embry going?" Josh asked.
"Home. He said hi."
"Oh." Josh said, instantly sad.
"Are you guys ready to go?" I asked.
"Yes." They all said together.
"I'm cold." Daniel said, soaking wet.
"Yeah, I bet." I said just as Caleb jumped in my lap and I groaned in pain.
"Why do you always do that?" I mumbled annoyed.
He laughed. "I jump on you all the time." Caleb reminded me of my Dad. I wonder if he'll go to the lake tomorrow with most of The Reservation.
"Can we get something to eat?" Daniel said sitting beside me.
"Sure." I answered.
"Alright, well can we leave right now. Shane is coming over to play the game with me." Josh said eagerly. His only friend Shane started school on the Reservation and begged Josh to join him. They actually remind me of how close Embry and I used to hang when we were kids.
"Can I play too?" Caleb said loudly.
"No!" Josh spat.
"Don't we have to pack for the lake tomorrow? Because mom said Shane couldn't come today." Daniel stated.
"Oh Danny-boy, you're so clueless. It's called negotiating." Josh mocked, I snorted amused.
"Don't. Call. Me. That." Daniel said through his teeth.
"Punch him!" Caleb yelled.
"Caleb. Stop yelling." I stated.
"Yeah-right. You can't even punch a snail." Josh said, shoving Caleb.
"Come on, we have to pack for tomorrow." I say.
"So, What did Embry want? Is he coming to the lake with us?" Josh asked.
I rolled my eyes holding on to Caleb as I got to my feet. "Have no idea. Why?"
"Would've thought he'd help out with school. Did you hear about Sam?"
"Since when do you care so much about school or Sam?" I said.
"He wants to meet girls." Daniel stated.
"Shut Up. That doesn't make any sense." Josh snapped back at Danny, and I put Caleb down on his own two feet.
"Cool-it and let's go." I said turning around to head for the parking lot. Daniel grabs the towel from the sand.
"So you're going to talk to mom about school, right?" Josh said running to keep up with me.
"No."
"Slow down, I can't run so fast." Caleb yelled and I picked him up.
"Well can't you just think about asking her for me?" Josh pushed.
"Maybe." I stated.
"You only want to go because Shane is going." Daniel said, running past us towards the parking lot.
"Shut Up, Danny. Gosh." Josh yelled.
"Look, If you want to start school then you ask her. I'm already in the dog house." I said when we reached my truck.
"What does that mean?" Caleb asked as I opened the car door and put him inside. "What does in the doghouse mean?"
"I'll tell you later. Now sit back and put your seat-belt on." I say, irritated.
"I can help him." Daniel said, instantly getting into the truck.
"Make sure it's on tight." I said to Caleb.
"Dad, I can help." Daniel repeated as if I didn't hear him the first time.
"I know."
"I can get in the front right?" Josh asked, walking towards the passenger's door, but I grabbed his shirt.
"No. Backseat."
"What? Why?" He asked.
"Because you don't shut up. Go." I said pulling him back.
"That's not fair." He muttered moving to the back.
"Well welcome to life, get back there." I said as he jumped in and I shut the door fast.
As soon as I got in the truck, I pulled my key out of my pocket and started it up.
"Dad! It's not fair that Shane can go to school and I can't. Please talk to mom?" Josh whinnied. "I have to do this. Don't I get the chance to see for myself if it sucks or not?" He added. I exhaled. He had a point. "I bet grandma would let me go. Even Emily said she'll save me a seat right in front of her classroom with all the other smart kids. Shane is going."
"Shane's your best friend. Right, Josh?" Caleb said.
"Cabe, stop asking questions that you know the answer to. It's annoying." Daniel said, rolling his eyes.
"Home-school is boring. I'm stuck with these two all day." Josh stated.
"Are we still getting something to eat? I'm still hungry." Daniel added.
"Yeah." I answered.
I continued driving straight down the road towards Forks, to grab take-out.
*Couple Hours Later*
Sitting down glaring deep at some car records, I could hear Quil and Embry arguing about some stupid football game. I tried to ignore them as always, but it was impossible with them shouting.
This morning after I dropped the kids at home with Leah, I came to the shop to get some work done. Time flies quickly when I'm here.
Fixing up cars is also the only thing that can give me peace of mind.
I slammed my hands down on my desk, getting up, and made my way towards my office door.
Swinging it open aggressively, I was surprised to see Josh standing there.
"Hey Dad!" He said smiling, and I narrowed my eyes confused. It couldn't be 7:00pm already. "Are you ready?" He asked and I knew the party at Sue's had already started.
"You're early." I said, turning to walk back to my desk.
"Yeah I know, but Mom went to grandmas so I asked uncle Seth to give me a ride here." He said shutting my office door.
"Can I help with the Impala? That is if Embry didn't beat me to it." He said taking a rubber-band off my desk and putting his hair into a ponytail.
"Where are your brothers?" I asked.
"With mom, who else?" He says leaning up against my desk. "I was starting to bring Chaste and Keusch with me, then I figured I'd just leave them in the backyard after I'd walked them earlier." He said sitting down in the chair that was across from my desk.
Chaste and Keusch our two Siberian Husky's that I adopted as a move-in present for Leah, after I finished building our house when she was eight months pregnant with Josh. I knew she wasn't ready to leave my apartment, though we needed bigger space and I wanted to move back to La Push.
Everything back then happened so fast for Leah. It wasn't long that she was pregnant and I wanted her to stay with me and to have the family I do desperately craved.
"Did you clean them up before you left?"
"Duh." He says, rolling his eyes.
"Try that again." I said sitting back down in my chair.
"Yes, Dad. I cleaned them up. Alright? So what are you working on?" He asked curiously.
"Nothing, just looking over some old receipts."
"Did the inspector guy come, yet?" He asked.
"Yes."
"What did he say?"
I shook my head. "Nothing you need to worry about."
"So, everything is cool?" He asked, trying to make conversation.
"More or less." I muttered continuing to look over the shop budget.
Ever since Daniel Camlens officially handed the shop over to me, the garage hasn't been making much money. I know his intentions from the beginning was to hand it down to me, because it made no sense that he would build anything on the reservation then move to Port Angeles.
Once in a while he sends some inspector to make sure everything is holding up. Business isn't going so well, and rebuilding would take tons of money.
"So, Where's Haylie? Everybody's out there but her." Josh asked, spinning around in the chair.
I snorted. He has a little sick crush on Embry on again-off-again girlfriend.
"You do know that she's thirty right? And practically your aunt?" I hinted.
"Aunt figure, and age is just a number."
"Mm-hmm."
"Plus, I had a girlfriend before." He is enlightened.
"That's still not the point." I retorted then thought back to what Daniel said this morning on Josh wanting to go to school for girls. "Besides you're like five, way too young for relationships."
"Well while we're on the subject. What are we doing for my birthday?" He smiled hopefully.
I rolled my eyes. "Ah I thought age was just a number, and your birthday isn't until spring! It's winter."
"I know. It's a beautiful fact that school is ending, which means in three months it will be starting again."
I rolled my eyes. "Don't start."
"What?" He said, his shoulders raised a little. "Dad, come on. School is a great birthday present. Besides, I'm young. When I get old enough my birthday won't even matter because no one else will care other than you and mom, that's if you two remember." He clarified.
I laughed. "You already go to school."
"Yeah, in our living room, not in a huge building full of other kids. Dad, if I go to summer school I will be good enough for fall."
"Right."
"I don't see what's wrong. You went to public school, mom went to public school."
"Yeah, I get it." I said fast.
"Can't I ask Emily if it's okay to help me, did you forget Sam kids started going there too?"
"No. What do they have to do with anything?" I say, then we heard a knock at the door.
"Come in." I said loudly not being able to see through the closed-blinds.
Opening the door Haylie walked in.
"Hey, Jacob. Did you want me to work on the black Chevy? You know the car of the guy from the bookstore, or were you going to check it out yourself?" She asked.
"Um I was going to check the ignition, but you do it then let me know what you find." I said back.
"Alright. Have you seen Claire anywhere? I asked Embry, but his expression was that he doesn't really care and Quil left before I could ask. She was on schedule to clean up last night but didn't show." She stated.
"Claire's probably at grandmas with Emily and Sam." Josh answered before I could.
She nodded at him then looked back at me. "You don't mind if I ride with you guys, right?" She asked.
"Sure." Josh said fast.
"Sure. It's no problem." I stated.
"When are you leaving?" She asked and I glanced up at the clock. It read 7:03pm.
"Now actually. So, get your stuff and just work on the car in the morning." I said getting up.
"Alright." Haylie nodded, then made her way out towards the garage.
I grabbed my jacket from the side of my chair and walked towards the door. I never ever use it because I don't get cold.
My entire household on cold days complain about the weather. Even the dogs hate going outside on most days, but it must be an alpha thing to never feel the temperature or maybe it's just me.
"Do you want me to lock it?" Josh asked as we walked out into the garage, and I glanced back for a second.
"Yeah, go ahead." I nodded. After he locked up, he then ran to my side so we could leave.
Looking around in a bittersweet sorrow. The only person who rarely works here was Leah, she never really had the passion to work here. She only helped out to spend time with me and the boys.
"I'm ready when you are." Haylie started getting ready to turn for the garage door.
"You guys heading over Sue's?" Jared asked.
"Yeah." I said looking over at him as he was cleaning up. "Well when we're finished, I'll lockup and be on over. Tell Sue don't start without us." He added.
"Actually I'm not leaving till later, so I'll lockup." Embry said irritably.
Jared rolled his eyes. "Fine by me."
I wondered what Embry's problem was. I glanced at Haylie and she shrugged her shoulders to answer 'I don't know.'
I practically snapped at him earlier so I get the mood swings.
It was odd because Haylie and Embry are always so off and on, all the time they get to where they don't utter a single word to one another.
"Come on, Dad." Josh said, running towards the door.
I guess tonight will be the only night I can talk to Leah about Josh's plea for public school on The Reservation.
*End of Flashback*