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Chapter 89
Everything Has an End. Vacations Too!
Jake
On Saturday David came alone for the last time.
Since Dad had agreed to pick him up at the airport, my Armani suit was ready, and Becky also needed something pretty to wear to the wedding, we all drove to Portland together.
I was pretty offended when Dad sent me away with Mom. But then when Becky stood in front of me later, I forgot to be mad at him anymore.
To be honest, I forgot everything around me!
She looked like a shining star, in a dress of bright yellow silk that seemed to flow around her body, highlighting her darker skin. In addition to her necklace, she now wore a silver bangle on which a slightly larger star was applied, sparkling from some stones in a blue like her eyes. In her ears she also had somewhat longer earrings, stars on which silver threads hung down, which glittered incessantly in the light. I was completely blown away.
What would this woman look like in a wedding dress?
"I'm sure you'll find out!" muttered Dad behind me, pushing me toward Becky.
Seeing her I had forgotten to move towards her.
"You're mine?" I asked doubtfully after arriving at Becky, taking her in my arms and kissing her tenderly.
"I am," she smiled at me despondently. "But I can't accept this!" she looked down at herself.
"I'm afraid I'm not giving you a choice," Dad stated.
After a brief discussion, Becky finally gave up and took Dad into her arms in thanks.
"Then there's just one more question," David then interjected, carefully taking Becky's hand and spinning her around herself.
Becky smiled again in the meantime.
"Do you guys actually know how to dance? And I don't mean that fidgeting at the clubs," David asked, and Becky's laughter disappeared, as did mine and Leah's.
"Um ... nope. But I'm sure Mom doesn't either!" I defended myself. How was she supposed to manage that with her insufficient sense of balance? I had my excuse right away, however: hereditary disposition!
"Your mother can at least manage a slow waltz!" David clarified, however. "And you?"
"What? How did you manage that?" Dad asked with interest.
"It was tedious ... And it cost me quite a few bruises!" David complained and received a slap on the shoulder from Mom.
"Do you know how to dance?" Leah asked Dad accusingly.
"Of course," he smiled smugly.
Damn. I should have thought of that. Was there anything he couldn't do?
So, we spent the evening getting dancing lessons. After all, it was only one week until Peter and Stan's wedding. It was even fun.
In contrast, Sunday was quite calm.
We sat in Dad's living room, five of us spread out across the sofa, reading.
Every now and then I would get a thump from him against my legs when my eyes would slide over the side and get stuck on Becky.
It would not have been bad in principle, if my thoughts would not slip in the same way.
Intermediately, Dad sat at the piano with Becky, and we eavesdropped on their beautiful interplay.
Then Dad had a little surprise for my star.
A violin.
Becky played many instruments, but never a violin until now.
I never tired of watching her enthusiasm while Dad taught her to play it. In my unmusical judgment, she made rapid progress.
David was still there on Sunday, but one hardly saw him. Dad had given him the BMW so he could drive to his son Daniel.
He got the BMW just like that, I thought, still offended. The BMW! Well, I had a comfortable day with Becky.
Basically, David was here to do the final inspections on his new house. It was almost finished. Furthermore, he said farewell to the Abagnales with a visit to the most expensive and best restaurant in town - to which we were also invited for our help - and Dad would take the three of them to the airport afterwards. Everything from the Abagnales had already arrived in California or was in the suitcase they had with them. The final renovation work would be finished in the next few days, according to Esmé, and David's first moving vans would be rolling in next week as well.
We brought Becky home as agreed before we went to the restaurant.
Saying goodbye was damn hard for me, although it was actually only a few hours, most of which I would also still sleep.
I leaned against the porch railing and held her tightly in my arms.
I'd love to never let go of her again, and the way Becky looked, I don't think she felt any different.
"I'll be back in the morning!" I promised. I would never let Becky go to school alone again!
She didn't say anything, she just nodded at my shoulder.
I gently pushed my hands to her cheeks and lifted her face. A tear just sought its way out of her eye, which I immediately stopped with my lips.
"You have to go," she tried to reprimand me, but her own sadness only made it sound disappointed.
I nodded and kissed her sultrily.
"Becky's back!" I then heard her brother from behind one of the windows.
It didn't take half a minute and the front door opened. One had told him the truth about Tuesday morning, indeed, but he hadn't seen Becky since that day, and he was very attached to his big sister.
Becky had told me the reason why and so I no longer wondered about this attachment from him. A few years ago, the two of them stayed overnight with their maternal grandmother. She was supposed to look after the two of them, but she had a stroke in the evening while they were playing together and died. Her brother was just eight years old, Becky twelve, and both believed for a long time that it was her fault.
He rumbled through the door and ran toward her.
Becky smiled, which almost transferred by itself to me. Her parents joined in, of course.
I politely shook hands, and we exchanged a few trivial words. Until David came around the corner and unfortunately reminded me that we were expected in the restaurant.
Becky immediately turned back to me and clawed at my heart in my shirt. We looked at each other for a moment and the world around us seemed to blur briefly. I pushed a strand behind her ear and kissed her a goodbye on the temple.
And now I was lying in bed.
My own bed.
I couldn't sleep.
My gaze fell on my alarm clock for what felt like the thousandth time.
12:48 a. m. ... Damn. I finally had to sleep! Tomorrow was school! ... I felt alone. It was the first time in days that Becky was not lying next to me. How beautiful this time was. I almost always touched her soft silky skin, even if I only held her hand. Her warmth against my skin. Her smell. The love in her eyes. Her beautiful laugh. It felt like it had all been so long ago.
However, when I finally dozed off, my cell phone rang.
I tussled my hair.
Whoever called me in the middle of the night could prepare oneself for the worst!
"Yes," I grumbled through the phone.
"Jake. It's Elizabeth Young. Sorry to wake you ... but can you come here?" asked Becky's mother cautiously.
Immediately I became nervous.
"What's wrong?" I asked, startled, already standing next to the bed. Countless possibilities ran through my head. The worst of it? Mike had just been waiting for Becky to be home again!
"Becky is pretty restless. She's tossing and turning in bed and asking where you are in her sleep. She already woke up once before, but meant everything was fine. I don't quite believe her, though," she explained, and I exhaled in relief.
"On my way," I said immediately and hung up.
While I was gathering my clothes, Dad came into my room.
"You were listening!" I stated. That saved me time-consuming explanations.
He nodded.
"Calls at this hour are not exactly common," he explained, apparently waiting for me to finish.
"I'll drive you."
"You don't have to," was all I said and hastened. Mom was always anxious when he wasn't around. I had found out, unfortunately, when he picked up Leah one night unscheduled because she and Lisa had broken down with their car.
As I walked, I pocketed my cell phone and house keys and grabbed yet another sweatshirt. I quickly ran down the stairs.
As if it were a matter of course, I took the key to the Audi from the dresser and grinned inwardly.
Meanwhile, I was no longer arguing with Leah about the Golf, but about the far fancier, more comfortable and faster Audi.
But this time I only took it because I knew the gas tank from the Golf was empty and I would have had to fill it up on the way to Becky's house. I didn't want to waste time on that when I had other options.
On the steps down the porch, I hurriedly put on my sweatshirt, to the extent that I stumbled.
Sometimes I really wondered if I hadn't gotten some of Mom's sense of balance.
I squinted my eyes together, already cursing and bracing myself for the slam, but I didn't reach the ground. Cold surrounded me, which straightened me up again and immediately snatched the car key out of my hand.
"Bella will survive if I'm temporarily away, but you possibly won't if you drive into a tree from inattention!" Edward adamantly clarified.
I guess I didn't have a chance to disagree.
I saw light in the kitchen and knocked softly.
Dad came along.
He wanted to take a quick gaze at Becky, just to be on the safe side.
The door was quickly opened, and Becky's mother stood in the hallway in her nightgown and bathrobe.
"She's just fidgety and it seems to be getting worse," she said quickly, and I was already on my way up.
Becky turned back and forth, had thrown off the covers, was almost hugging herself, the wolf was lying with feet trampled at the end of the bed. Quietly she murmured my name.
I knelt in front of the bed and carefully touched her arm.
"Becky," I whispered.
She turned slightly in my direction; her closed eyes narrowed skeptically.
"I'm here, my star," I continued to whisper, and a reassured smile settled over her mouth.
She quieted and pulled my arm around her more.
Meanwhile, the other two had arrived in the room.
"I guess that means you're staying here!" her mother stated with a smirk.
"If I may," I replied, however, slightly doubtfully. I had never done that before. I would like nothing better, but what would her father say? Where was he anyway?
"What does Henry have to say about that?" Dad pronounced my thoughts.
"He has a business appointment in Boston tomorrow morning and already left in the evening," her mother explained with an almost gloating grin.
So, he would probably never know I was here.
Dad still squatted down by me and lightly grabbed Becky by one wrist as if checking for her pulse.
Eliza had realized by now that Edward, despite his young age, had some medical understanding. In this respect, she said nothing about it.
"I'll put the Golf by the front door in a minute. With your school bag for tomorrow and a bag with clothes and whatever else you need," he whispered to me quietly.
"The Golf, mmm ...?" I complained playfully.
He smiled.
"Thanks, Dad!" I still said, though. Could one ever thank a father enough for acting like a father?
The two wished "good night" and the door was closed.
I quickly undressed, lay down next to Becky in the far narrower bed than what I had at home or what we had been used to over the past few days, saved the wolf from any more kicks, and tucked us in. Immediately Becky snuggled into my arms, and I quickly fell asleep.
In my quiet and very pleasant dream it rattled loudly. Immediately I startled awake and sat upright in bed ...
Becky's alarm clock! Oh man. That thing was like a death sentence. Nothing like my waking up at home! Okay. Waking up next to Becky made up for a lot.
"Hi ..." she said in surprise after exposing this torture instrument of alarm clock. "How did you get here?" she asked further.
I lay back down and pulled Becky to me.
"You called for me last night," I explained.
"And that's enough for you to come?"
"Sometimes," I chuckled, and she laughed with me.
Then her laughter died away.
"Do my parents know you're here, or did you sneak in?" she asked, somewhat stunned.
Her face was droll. Shocked. But I could see what she was afraid of. Having to confess it to her parents.
"Your ma called me because you were pretty restless. She knows I'm here," I reassured her, and she immediately relaxed again.
It was six o'clock in the morning. But since Becky didn't usually do a running workout in the morning, she also got up later than I actually did. Although the alarm clock also rang with her at this time. So, we stayed a little longer lying and cuddling, until finally her brother rumbled in through the bathroom door to let know that he was ready. He was very astonished when he saw me in his sister's bed.
While Becky stood in the shower, I shaved.
I had actually cut myself squinting at Becky's reflection. But, well, Becky needed help with her still bandaged hand. I didn't have to ask twice, however!
After a nice joint breakfast, we then sat together in the car.
In the Audi! What would I have to listen to Leah for that?
Becky was getting nervous.
Many of her scratches were almost healed, but some were not yet. The bruise on her temple was definitely still visible. It was now a yellowish green, which one could clearly see despite her somewhat darker Native American skin. Also, the scratches on her neck were still visible.
When we drove past the factory, she was shaking.
Idiot! I berated myself.
I accelerated the car and took her hand.
Tomorrow I would drive a different way.
At the school itself, the usual picture presented itself. Our circle of friends was already almost completely there, as well as all the vampires were already present.
Becky looked pretty pale as she got out of the car and threw her bag over her shoulder. She looked down at the ground and appeared very restless.
I leaned her against the car a bit and stood in front of her, with my hands on her cheeks and averted from the building.
"Don't be afraid. Nothing can happen to you. No one but us knows what happened. And all our friends will take care of you. You won't be alone for a minute," I assured her and kissed my star lovingly.
She smiled slightly and nodded.
I held her tightly in my arm as we walked toward our bench.
The longer we stood there, the more relaxed Becky became.
My gaze happened to roam over Edward, and he looked like he was concentrating. I looked around me.
Just who was he eavesdropping on so intently?
The answer was simple. Mike's followers stood apart from us. I was also paying attention to the three boys who were about to beat me up one Friday afternoon in the gym.
"Have you seen what she looks like? Full on shiner!" asked one.
"That fucker really did it!" remarked another.
"Mike has already done some things wrong, however, this is just perverted!" said the last one.
I bristled.
The bell rang and I took Becky to her class. After the second bell, however, I did not go to class.
I had something else in mind.
"Hey, Mrs. T," I greeted Brandon's mother.
"Hello, Jake ... How's Becky?" she asked immediately, and I answered patiently.
So far, she was doing pretty well, but how she reacted to the school routine was still unclear.
"Why aren't you in your class, anyway?" she then asked.
"I would like to change my schedule," I explained.
"Aha ..." she only said and was already rummaging around in a drawer.
We smirked together. She had already pulled out Becky's schedule in addition to mine.
"Everything?"
"No. I can't really do anything with music, except listen to it. I'd be lost there, but Dad is with her ..." I objected.
"Dad?" she asked, astonished.
Damn. Of course, Edward was my dad, but I didn't usually say it. So that exactly this did not happen to me here. But I had pronounced it in the last days so often really that I had not thought about it. Fortunately, she knew about the two, even if she was anything but enthusiastic about it.
"Edward, I mean."
"You call him Dad? ... He's the same age as you!"
It sounded quite repulsive.
"I can't really explain it, but it feels like he's my father. He is there for us and takes care of us. It feels like he's always been there at our house. And Mom is over the moon with him," I explained honestly.
She was silent for a moment and eyed me.
"You can see it that way?"
"No. I don't see it that way. That IS it!" I clarified. "It's pretty easy for me to see it that way because he just doesn't act like anyone else my age. He's much older and more mature than perhaps he should be. Do you really think my mom would have fallen in love with him otherwise?" I still indicated to her.
She nodded noncommittally.
"So, another subject that should stay?" she then changed the subject again.
I still specified biology. I couldn't do without it. I would have done it without hesitation, but it was the only thing my parents had forbidden me to do. Becky had that class together with Brandon and Lisa, so it was just acceptable to me.
Brandon's mother then checked the computer to see if a switch was possible.
"So, how's your Spanish?" she asked in-between.
"Miserable!" I knew only one sentence and it wouldn't help me in class. The same was true for French, by the way.
"And Miss Young?" suddenly asked Mr. Taylor from his office.
"She just wanted to escape French class with it," I replied, which Becky had once told me.
The principal was looking at the screen with Bran's ma, showing her something. It took some time and I sat down on a chair at the side, bored. At some point I heard the printer spitting out a new schedule. The principal presented it to me, and I examined it.
First hour politics. As before.
But then I noticed that I had two sheets in my hand. I looked at the bottom sheet.
A lesson plan for Becky. First lesson: Politics. We had everything together except for music and biology.
I politely thanked them both and arrived at Becky's in time for the ringing bell.
I did not say anything yet, but would surprise her with it after music class ...
She was thrilled.
Most of the teachers also didn't mind us sitting next to each other, even though someone was actually already sitting there.
I was a little surprised. Becky right next to me was nowhere near as distracting as Becky diagonally in front of me. Nevertheless, my problem in history remained as before.
During lunch break, we sat outside by ourselves, although by now it was actually getting too cold to sit there.
Becky found the commotion in the cafeteria too much. Too many gazes that staring at her, wondering where she got the blackeye and if Mike's arrest had anything to do with it.
Becky wasn't able to return to volleyball practice yet, so she sat in the stands and cheered me on.
So slowly I was getting back to my old form, even though Becky was watching me. Luckily. At the end of the month the season started for us.
Brandon and Leah, meanwhile, were complaining why only I was being cheered on and not the two of them.
Then we were already driving home.
To her house.
Her mother greeted us and asked a little cautiously how the day was.
Becky narrated as she handed me a glass of juice and then sat on my lap. She smiled at me excitedly as she reported that I had changed my schedule when just then her father showed up and told me to follow him.
Again, we went to the small office with the huge desk.
"I heard you were here last night," he began indecisively.
Granted, he didn't appear nearly as hostile as the last time we sat here.
"Yes. Becky was quite restless, and I think your wife was hoping I could do something about it."
"And you changed your schedule?"
"Yes. We have all but two classes together now."
"You're going to have to study pretty hard to catch up on all the material you've missed in the past few weeks."
"I realize that, but it's worth it to me if it means I don't have to leave Becky alone."
"What does your mom say about you just changing your subjects?"
"She agreed."
He looked at me for some time without saying anything.
And then he asked me a question that I had wanted to ask Becky so many times already. But somehow, I was afraid of her answer.
"So, what are your future plans. Do you want to go to college?"
Thanks for reading!
