The week went by incredibly fast. I was all caught up with school work and I was doing surprisingly well, even in math which was my worst subject. It helped that Claire was tutoring me a bit in between customers. She was even helping me with the anatomy class I decided to take. It wasn't offered at Forks High so I was eager to take it, not that I needed it.
I hadn't seen Tanya since Sunday. I could feel her near the house before I went to bed. She stuck around for a few minutes so I could fall asleep and then left again. It didn't feel like she was ignoring me, more like she was giving me space. While space was nice, I couldn't deny I missed her.
I pulled into my usual parking space and turned off the truck. No one was out this early on a Saturday. But in less than an hour, the town would be busy once again.
Irina's Lexus was parked a few cars down. It seemed vampires enjoying nice cars was a universal thing. Another reason for me not to turn. I would never appreciate fancy cars like they did.
I walked into the shop and found Irina behind the register. "Good morning Bella," she said without looking up from the register. She finished what she was doing and turned to grab a cup. She held it out to me. "I came in a little earlier and got the machines ready. I made you coffee."
I took the cup from her and sipped the coffee. I wasn't a huge fan of regular coffee, even with my favorite vanilla creamer in it, but the caffeine is nice this early in the morning.
"Tanya will be here in an hour," Irina told me. I sat my coffee down so I could go in the back and get my apron.
I came back out and wrote a message. Is she mad at me? I haven't heard from her all week.
"You never gave her your phone number to contact you," Irina pointed out. I blushed when I realized she was right.
You have my number though. She could have got it from you.
Irina shook her head. "She considered it but she wants to do this right and that means waiting until you give it to her," Irina said. "She's hunting this morning, which is while it'll be a while before she gets here."
I glanced at Irina's eyes and saw they were bright gold, meaning she had just hunted as well. I almost forgot they needed to hunt.
Irina had everything ready, leaving me nothing to do before the shop opened. I decided to wipe down the counters, despite knowing they were already clean.
What's going to happen when Tanya gets here? Am I going with her or is she taking my truck?
I tapped the counter to get Irina's attention. "If you wish to go you can," Irina answered. "Or she can take your truck in. Kate has to do a diagnostic check first, before she does anything else. I believe Tanya was going to suggest letting her take your truck in and then after work taking you to meet Kate and allowing her to go over what needs to be done."
Is that what you would do if you were me? Irina hesitated, not wanting to answer. Please, you're the only one that doesn't have an ulterior motive. I trust you.
"Yes, that is what I would do," Irina answered. "But you're wrong about the ulterior motive. All of us want you and Tanya to end up together. Even Tanya, though she refuses to do anything about it because she doesn't want to upset you. We've agreed to stay out of it, per Tanya's request and your personal feelings."
I still trust you, I wrote. I… maybe I'm starting to trust Tanya too. The door opened and I knew we were out of time. I'll give Tanya my number, but if I forget, you can give it to her yourself.
"I'll hold you to that," Irina said as I started erasing the message.
That customer started the early morning rush that I thought would never end. Just when things seemed to calm down, three more customers would show up. It went on for well over an hour.
Every free moment I could, I was glancing at the clock, counting down until Tanya arrived. I tried to be subtle about it, not want to admit that I was looking forward to seeing Tanya but Irina caught me more than once. She didn't say anything, simply grinned and went back to work.
Eight am came and gone without any sign of Tanya. The annoying/calming sensation from the bond was nowhere to be found. I thought maybe Tanya had given up, until around nine, when the rush was over. As soon as the rush was over, the tugging sensation started, before settling on the content feeling. She must have ran here.
Tanya walked through the door, not a hair out of place. "Hello Bella," she greeted. "I'm sorry I'm late. I would have come sooner but I knew you were busy and didn't want to interrupt." Her eyes locked on the jacket I was wearing, her jacket. I blushed. "You're still wearing it."
I shrugged, trying and failing to act like it wasn't a big deal. "It's okay Bella," she said softly. "My scent is comforting. It doesn't have to mean anything if you don't want it to. But it appears my scent is fading from that jacket, so if wish me to switch them, simply put it in Irina's office and I'll have a new one for you the next day."
I felt guilty. It felt like I was using Tanya. I wasn't sure if that was how she saw it but I did see it that way. I grabbed my whiteboard and scribbled a thanks along with something else. 360-552-3546. I showed it to her before quickly erasing it so not one else would see it.
My phone number, I explained, although it was unnecessary. If you ever want to talk to me.
"Will you answer if I do text you?" Tanya asked.
I should have expected that response. I made it clear I didn't want to talk to them, but especially Tanya. This was my chance to readjust my boundaries without making it a big deal, if that was what I want. I owed Tanya more for everything she was doing for me.
Maybe not right away but yes, I'll respond to you.
Tanya beamed and I couldn't bring myself to regret my decision. Maybe it was the happiness carrying over from the bond but I liked that she was happy, especially over something I did.
"Do you feel comfortable with me taking your truck to Kate?" she asked.
I removed my keys from my pocket and detached the truck key from the ring. It wasn't that I didn't trust Tanya with my house key. It was the fact that I wasn't sure how long Kate would have my truck. I handed the key over.
"I'll be back at three to take you to the shop," Tanya told me. I nodded and Tanya left.
I watched her drive away with my truck and didn't turn away until I could no longer feel her. "Does the bond affect you?" Irina asked curious. I turned toward her, confused. "You just spent five minutes staring in the direction she drove."
I can feel it. It's comfortable even though I hate it. It's worse when she leaves but after a while I feel normal again.
"For what it's worth, she's sorry you have to suffer because of her," Irina said.
It's not her fault. She didn't choose this any more than I did. I've realized I need to stop punishing her for something that is out of her control.
"It's okay to move on you know," Irina said gently. "I understand if you're not ready. But moving on from them, from him… it's okay. You don't owe them anything, just like you don't owe us."
What happens if a human mate rejects a vampire? It's been bothering me since the I first met Tanya.
Irina didn't answer right away. Instead, she came over to me and started making a drink, chai latte, I realized after a while. "I've never heard of a human mate rejecting the bond," Irina admitted. She handed one drink to me and sipped the other. "Generally, if a vampire meets their mate and they're human, they get turned right away, like with Rosalie and Emmett. She knew he was her mate so she took him to Carlisle and had him turned." She paused. "Why are you asking?"
When they left, it broke me. Part of me wonders if I'm even capable of loving someone else and the other part doesn't want to. Tanya, she's been far more kind, and patient, then I deserve. I don't want to hurt her, but I don't know if I'll have a choice.
"This is a conversation you should be having with Tanya," Irina said after a minute. She sighed. "What Edward," flinch, "did to you is something that will never truly be forgiven, or forgotten. I wish we could bring them all here so it can be sorted out but I know that's not what you want." She turned to face me. "Bella, Edward Cullen was your first love. Tanya understands that and I'm sure it was great while it lasted. Tanya is meant to be your last love and sometimes a love like that, supernaturally destined or not, takes time."
Irina was slowly becoming my favorite person to talk to. I don't know what it was about her but she seemed to just know what I needed to hear.
Thank you.
She nodded as the door opened once again and we were back to work.
At 2:45pm, Claire walked through the door. Though there was no rule, nor did Irina suggest it, we both showed up around fifteen minutes early for our shift. Irina was in the office working on some paperwork during the lull in customers.
"Hey Bella," Claire greeted. "Where's Irina?"
I waved. Office working on some things since we're not busy. How are you?
"I'm good," she responded. "Tired as hell though. Do you mind making me an espresso?"
Sure, just the espresso by itself?
"Do one shot by itself and then a macchiato, if you don't mind," she said.
I got to work on the shot of espresso. When it was done I poured it into a paper cup and handed it to her. She quickly downed the shot before heading to the back to get her apron.
The tugging started five minutes before the end of my shift. She was driving. I could tell by how slowly it was approaching. A few minutes later, she pulled into a parking spot right in front of the shop.
"Tanya's back," Claire exclaimed in surprise. "Strange, she never comes here this often."
She's here for me. She took my truck to her sister early.
"Oh, right. I forgot you two know each other," Claire said. "Hey Tanya."
"Claire," she greeted with a nod. She turned to me and smiled. "Bella, are you ready?"
Give me a minute to put my apron away, I told her.
I headed to the back to hang up my apron. I patted my pocket to make sure I still had my house key. Once I was sure I had everything I went back to the front where Tanya was waiting.
"Bye Bella," Claire called as we left.
I waved at her and followed Tanya to her car, a Toyota Prius. It wasn't as fancy as Irina's car but still nice and no doubt expensive.
I tapped my marker to the whiteboard as Tanya drove through town. We were going in a direction I hadn't been yet and it was interesting to see a new part of the town. I really hadn't explored much in the few weeks I lived here.
I'm sorry.
I held the whiteboard up so Tanya could see it. She glanced at it before turning her attention back to the road. "Why are you sorry?" she asked confused.
For how I've been treating you. You were right, the day we met, I've been punishing you because of them. Part of me wanted to punish you, to make you suffer like I have been. But it's not fair to you. You don't deserve it. You've been kind and patient and I'm sorry.
"It's okay Bella," Tanya said gently. Once again, she was proving how kind she was to me. "I understand and like I told you last week, I'll wait for you as long as you need me to."
I don't know to hurt you. But I'm afraid I will, intentionally or not.
Tanya pulled into the parking lot of Kate's auto shop. "I'm a big girl Bella. I can handle a little hurt, as long as you're not the one to suffer."
The parking lot was fairly empty. There were several cars, including my truck, in the back where the mechanics did the work but only two in the customer area.
"The shop is closed," Tanya explained. "Kate closed early today so we could talk without her employees overhearing." We walked inside the shop. A second later, another vampire was standing right in front of me.
"Tanya," Kate greeted. "And you must be Bella. I have to say I'm jealous I haven't met you yet. Tanya and Irina can't stop talking about you. I'm Kate."
I shook her hand. Before I could start writing my own greeting, Tanya yanked me away from Kate. I could feel Tanya's anger through the bond, something that only happened in extreme cases. Whatever Kate did was enough to make Tanya furious. "Katrina," she snarled.
"Irina was right," Kate said with a shrug. Whatever set Tanya off wasn't enough to bother Kate.
"You could have killed her," Tanya said furious.
I frowned. Kate was trying to kill me? No, that didn't seem right. I didn't think Kate would try to kill me, nor did I believe Tanya wouldn't attack if she had.
"Calm down Tanya," Kate said, rolling her eyes. "Look at Bella, you're causing her pain with your anger." Tanya glanced at me and I felt the anger slowly fade, though it did not disappear entirely. "I tested it on the lowest setting first. We already suspected she would be immune."
Then it clicked. Kate's gift. She must have tested it on me. I didn't feel anything. How strong was it?
"See, she didn't feel anything," Kate said triumphantly. "I put it at full power when you didn't react."
"Which could have killed her if you were wrong," Tanya yelled.
I touched Tanya's arm and her attention went straight to me. I shook my head at her, hoping she got the message.
I looked at Kate and she put her hand to her chin before pulling it away. I looked at her confused.
"Wait, you don't sign?" Kate asked. She seemed to be equally confused. She looked to her sister. "I thought she signed. Why are you learning sign language if she doesn't sign?"
If Tanya could blush, I swear she would be. You were learning sign language, for me?
I couldn't believe she could do something like that for me. I thought about the Cullen's. Would they have learned sign language if I had been mute when we met? I mentally shook away those thoughts. Of course they would have, but I'm sure they would have been trying to get me to talk as well.
"When I learned you were mute, I thought perhaps you knew sign language so I started to learn," Tanya admitted. "Then after spending the afternoon with you and seeing you interact with your father, I realized you didn't know. I wanted to bring it up but I wasn't sure how. Why didn't you learn?"
I shrugged. Honestly, I never thought about it. Charlie mentioned it briefly but… I don't know. I always expected this to be temporary and didn't see a reason to learn. I paused so they could read it. I erased the whiteboard and wrote, can you teach me some? It would make things easier.
"I would love to teach you," Tanya said with a smile.
"Yeah, yeah," Kate said pulling my attention away from Tanya. "I closed my shop for you Tanya."
Sorry.
Kate shook her head. "It's okay Bella. I'm just messing with Tanya." She disappeared and reappeared a minute later with a piece of paper. "Tanya was right to be concerned about your truck. It looks as if someone did some work to it but whoever it was… I'm not sure. They knew what they were doing but didn't have the tools, or money, to do it right."
It was my friend Jacob. His dad owned the truck and Jacob fixed it up before I moved to Forks.
"Well if this Jacob fellow ever wants to move to Alaska, I have a job for him," Kate said after a minute. "His skills are rather impressive." She handed me the paper. "The ones marked in red need to be dealt with ASAP. The green is more cosmetic, like the paint job your truck desperately needs. And yellow is something that's going to cause problems in the future but for now is fine."
I read through the list but didn't understand half of it. "Now, according to Tanya you've agreed to allow me to do anything that I deemed necessary for safety purposes. I want to confirm that before I do any work.
I continued to through the list until I got to the part marked in green. That list included the paint and redoing the upholstery and replacing the giant hole where the radio I tore out was. Do everything that is red and yellow, I wrote. When I can pay for it, I'll let you do the rest.
Kate nodded. She must have known Tanya was paying. "If you want I can get you an estimate for the rest of the work, just so you know," she offered. I nodded. "Great, now I have to do all the work human speed. I actually had one of my mechanics do the diagnostic of your truck. Tanya mentioned you had a fear of someone destroying your truck. Anyway, because I have to do it the human way, it's going to take a least a week if not more to get it done. Now, I can give you a car as a sort of rental until I'm done, or Tanya can drive you around."
I looked at Tanya. She looked hopeful and it would give us time to talk more. I'm okay with Tanya driving me, for now.
"If you change your mind, fill free to come back and I'll get you a car," Kate told me. "I'll get started on this first thing tomorrow. I need to hunt. Tanya, lock up when you guys leave."
Kate left and Tanya and I were alone. "Are you okay Bella?" Tanya asked.
I'm fine. Kate seems…nice.
I followed Tanya to the door to the shop. She locked it and shut it behind her. "She's more carefree than the rest of us, similar to Emmett in that respect. I'm sorry about earlier. I shouldn't have reacted so…"
It's okay. I understand it. You were worried about me. Worried she could have hurt me. I don't blame you for being worried.
"Thank you Bella," Tanya said. We got into her car. "Is there anywhere you want to go before I take you home?" I shook my head. She started the car and slowly drove toward my house.
I was thinking and I think I should tell Charlie. Not about the Cullen's or any of that but about you guys. He deserves to know the truth. That way, if Victoria does show up, he's prepared.
"If that is what you want, then I will help you in any way I can," Tanya promised. "Do you want me there?"
Yes, you and Irina. I think it'll make it easier on him.
"I'll let Irina know," Tanya replied. "Do you have an idea of when?"
I thought about it. I wanted to delay it as much as possible but the fact was, he deserved to know. The sooner, the better. Today, I finally decided.
