Chapter Four

Edward

The forest floor flew underneath my feet as I raced toward the house, leaping over the stream effortlessly and then pounding into the ground once more. The sounds of the wildlife filled my ears—a calming break from the voices that usually littered my mind. It was peaceful, running like this. It almost saddened me as I neared the house and slowed my pace.

Carlisle was first to enter my mind.

Ah, son, you're home.

And Esme soon after.

Oh! It's about time! Edward, hurry in!

I leapt up the steps of the back porch, finding the two of them in the living room waiting for me. Esme's mind was filled with such odd things — bedding, girl's clothing, shampoo, makeup. Carlisle's, on the other hand, was on a patient—which wasn't unusual, except no face filled his mind.

"How was your long weekend, son?" Carlisle asked with his arm around his wife.

"Three mountain lions and a few deer," I said with a shrug, easing into the chair beside them. "What's going on, Mom?"

She grinned, lighting up the room with her smile as Carlisle chuckled. "She's a little too excited still about being able to shop for a teenage girl."

"A girl?" I creased my brow, searching her mind for specifics he was holding back.

"I just . . . it's all so quick, you know?" Charlie said, standing outside of the hospital with Esme.

"I'm sure," she said. "Was Carlisle any help?"

He nodded. "Yeah, he said her wrist isn't too badly broken from the x-ray. I just wanted someone I could trust's opinion. That doctor in Phoenix," he shook his head, "Literally saw him for all of two damn minutes."

"Well, is there anything I can help with? When are you bringing her back?"

"A couple days. She has nothing, Esme. Cops said everything in that apartment was disgusting—roaches everywhere. The three of them in a one-bedroom place. Damn child services should've gotten there sooner. How the hell did the school not notice? She's a rail and . . . covered in bruises."

"So she needs clothing?"

"Why did you go shopping for Charlie? Who's the girl?"

"I can't believe I have a daughter. . ."

Esme laid her hand on his arm. "I can't imagine how shocking this is."

He sighed with a nod. "Yeah, and she just seems so . . . sweet—awfully quiet, but I guess that's expected. Really, Esme, you don't have to do all of this for me."

"It would be my pleasure, Charlie. Edward doesn't really let me buy him clothes. And well, I can't say I don't enjoy shopping for any reason, but to help you would be wonderful. I want to do it. I'll have some stuff ready for when you bring her back."

Esme smiled as her mind replayed the conversation before thinking about the shopping she'd done.

"So, we're getting involved in his life?" I asked, creasing my brow as I looked at Carlisle. "We don't do that."

He shrugged. "No, not normally, but Charlie is a good man. After he visited me at the hospital with Bella's medical records, Esme wanted to do something to help. Edward, you know being part of the community helps us blend in."

Sighing, I leaned back in the chair. Of all the towns we'd lived in and humans we'd encountered, we'd never gotten this close to the townspeople. It was unnerving how little Carlisle seemed to worry how this would affect us.

"You're friends with him," I said.

He nodded. "In a town this small, it's a good idea to get close to those that could raise suspicion, don't you agree? Besides, we plan to stay here for a few years and not joining the community could cause us more problems."

His mind was logical and running through different scenarios. It was true that Charlie was the chief of police, and if he were suspicious of us, it could cause problems. A friendship could do us well, but there was a line.

And Esme's thoughts were crossing it.

"I'm not going to be friends with her," I said.

Though her smile faltered some, she nodded. "I wouldn't ask you to, but . . . would you keep an eye on her once she begins school? For me?"

"We're just asking you make sure she's safe," Carlisle added and then thought, You don't have to even speak to her, but you know how the kids reacted to you as a new student. It could be overwhelming for her. Just watch out for her.

"Fine," I sighed, knowing putting up any kind of fight would just be futile. "What happened to her, by the way? Charlie never spoke or even thought of having a daughter."

Recounting what they knew, my stone heart ached for the poor child as I heard the stories. Years of physical and mental abuse from her stepfather, leading up to him killing her mother and then taking his own life—miraculously sparing hers. It was an awful life, though one lived by many people, unfortunately. The girl was lucky, though—or, at the very least, somewhat fortunate.

Charlie was listed as her father on her birth certificate—which he was unaware of—and after a DNA test, it was proven true. She would have a new life with a new father—a good one, this time. I could only hope she'd make the best of it, but I could very easily imagine the difficulty. The stories made agreeing to watch after her much less of an annoying task.

I still wouldn't speak to her, though.

I don't own Twilight.