I woke with a gasp, my hand reaching to the place where I had felt that small warm hand. I looked down at my waist, noticing the emptiness with disappointment. I could've sworn someone small and beautiful was holding me just now—but that must've been a dream.
I shifted uncomfortably in bed. I was now aware of the pounding arousal between my legs.
To my surprise, the tray of untouched food had already been cleared from the bedside table. The dirty clothes I had left strewn on the bathroom floor, were now folded, clean, at the foot of my bed. It made me uneasy to know that someone discovered the uneaten tray of food and had handled my grimy clothes.
A soft knock broke through my daze.
"C-come in." I stuttered.
"It's just me." Alice sang as she danced into the room.
Just Alice? Just the most attractive girl I'd ever seen?
"Did you have a good rest?" She asked, leaning over the edge of the bed.
"Y-yes." My voice was shaking. It was too early for me to properly handle this girl.
She tilted her head to the side, contemplating my answer. Her blue eyes searched mine, urging me to say something. When I said nothing more, Alice looked elsewhere.
"Think you can come back next weekend? To visit me?" She displayed the full power of her pout.
"I'll try."
"Try hard." She insisted.
I couldn't help but chuckle at her determination.
After thanking Emse Cullen profusely, I left the Cullen's magnificent home. I rode on the back of Firerains wagon. He knew where to go. Old Foyir trotted lazily behind us. Although well rested, he was still wheezing. Carrying such a heavy load yesterday took a lot out of him. It will take many nights of rest for him to regather his strength.
I thought of Alice as we passed the morning sky. Her smile, her tinkling laugh, the way she looked so sexy in that black nightgown… I shook that thought away before it could consume me. Instead I focused on the oddity of the situation. Why would Alice, the daughter of a rich doctor, want to be friends with me? I was utterly uninteresting. I could not understand why she seemed so eager to see me again.
And I was eager to see her again as well.
Light shimmered from behind my eyelids. When I opened my eyes, I looked down directly into Heaven's Tear Lake. I scooted to the other side of the wagon. I knew it was just silly superstition, the stories and mysteries that revolved around this lake, but I couldn't help but feel intimidated by it. Its surface rippled as if acknowledging my gaze. The turquoise water seemed too translucent to be natural. As I stared, the strange sensation of falling engulfed me for a moment. I quickly looked away. There was definitely something creepy about this lake.
When the Black's house came into view, I jumped out of the wagon and darted to the front door. I knocked feverishly.
"Jacob! Are you home?" I called.
I knocked again.
"You don't need to wake up the whole neighborhood, Bella." Jacob said grumpily as the door inched open.
"Jacob!" I gasped in relief.
He had made it home.
"Shhh." He said sleepily. "The neighbors."
I narrowed my eyes at him now. He didn't have neighbors. The closest people here were probably the Cullens. Perhaps he was sleep walking, and this was a dream.
"Uhh." I looked around dubiously, "Jake, I don't know if you noticed but—you're very far from anyone else."
He gave me a sleepy smile. "I know, only joking. Come in."
I strode passed him, into the shabby living room.
"So glad you made it safely." I told him. "Encounter anything scary?"
He laid across the couch, release a huge yawn. He was too big for the couch though, and his feet dangled over the edge.
"No." He said. "Scared a rabbit or two."
I laughed, "Yeah, you're absolutely terrifying." I joked.
"So how was it?" He changed the subject, his eyes flaming with curiosity. "That mansion?"
I thought back. "Big. A lot of artwork." I sat on a chair. "Beds are huge. And comfortable."
"Maaaan. I'm so jealous." A dreamy expression crept into his face. "Did you see her, the wife? And her daughter… I don't think I've ever seen anyone that beautiful."
I rolled my eyes. It was true though, they were abnormally beautiful.
"You should've stayed too."
"I couldn't." He frowned. "I couldn't do that to my mom."
"But you would've been safer there. She would have wanted that."
"Maybe." He said. "But she would've been sick with worry, maybe even look for me in the woods, and we can't have that.
I sighed. He was right. After losing Billy, Jacob's mom has been paranoid about Jacob's safety. She would have cried all night if he didn't come home. She would be angry that he left at night, and even angrier if she discovered he'd had an option to stay somewhere safe last night, but Jacob wouldn't want to torture her for eight hours, while she wondered if he was alive.
After returning Old Foyir, I prepared to return to Charlie's farm.
Jacob caught me before I left, crushing me into a tight hug.
"Be safe." He whispered into my ear.
Seconds passed, and then a minute. His arms stayed wrapped around me and his lips pressed against my ear. Normally, I liked his affection. He was warm and reminded me of childhood. But something was different. He has never hugged me this long before. His hot breath trickled down my neck. It made me… uncomfortable. This struck me as odd. Jacob was always such a comfort. So why was my stomach churning in an uneasy knot?
I pushed him away.
"I'll see you soon Jacob." I said, forcing a smile onto my lips.
His face fell. "How soon?"
I thought for a moment. If I was going to try and come back this way next weekend for Alice, I would definitely see him too.
"Maybe next weekend, depending on how Charlie feels."
His face lit up at the prospect. "Sounds great Bells. Send Charlie my regards."
He waved goodbye, and Firerain and I trotted into the green forest path. I observed the broken shower of light rays scattered by the ceiling of trees with lazy interest. The outskirts of Centre Court were so beautiful. I closed my eyes etching the scene into my memory, but a different image invaded my thoughts. The image of a woman dancing gracefully into a room, bringing in sunshine in the wake of her every step. The innocent curiosity in her eyes when she questioned every aspect of my life. She was sincerely interested in my life at that moment—something not even Jacob was. The look in her eyes had made my life seem like an action-packed adventure. How could I not be drawn to her? She was so sweet and contagiously happy.
Yes, I was drawn to her. In more ways than one. The way she had looked in the black night gown. It took everything I had to hold back, to not touch the exposed ivory skin with my fingertips.
Charlie welcomed me home with relief. He looked a lot better. He was walking around on his own, tidying the mess in the living room. However, he was still hunched in a strange posture, and he walked with a limp.
"How's is your back?" I asked him.
"Better." He said. "Pretty soon, you won't have to look after the farm, maybe start school again."
I didn't acknowledge this. He told me the same thing every week, but he wasn't progressing as fast as he thought he was. He wouldn't be fit enough to take over the farm chores for a long while. And I definitely couldn't make Mike do it for longer than a few days at a time.
I tossed the money bag to him and walked over to the pantry to get started on dinner.
He was reluctant to open it. "The vendor is getting cheaper by the year."
But when he spotted the large bill on top, his jaw dropped.
"The twenty came from a very grateful customer."
He closed his mouth. "I figured, that old haggard wouldn't pay a penny over his usual price. So who would pay this much?"
"A very generous girl. She's the daughter of a rich doctor."
He nodded. "Must have been the Cullens then. They just moved here from Alaska."
This piece of information startled me.
"How'd you know?"
"It been the topic of gossip since they started building the mansion on top of that hill. They are now the richest residents in Oakland. The Newton's been keeping me updated. I hear they have five teenage kids."
"Alaska? That's very far from here."
"Yes. I heard the doctor's wife missed the sunshine." He laughed. "But the doctor doesn't seem to, he only works the night shift at the hospital."
"I wonder why…" It seemed so strange. Why would they move here from a place like Alaska? And what kind of person only wanted to work nights?
"I can't imagine anyone who would want to take that shift, but someone has to do it, and we are very lucky to have a doctor of his caliber in a near town."
I tossed flour onto the counter, preparing to knead dough for chicken pie. My mind was on the Cullens, and the strangeness of their sudden appearance in Oakland. Yes, the idea of sunshine is enough to draw anyone out of the overcast and snowy weather of Alaska, but it still struck me as odd. A doctor that only worked the night shift? That would mean he would have to sleep through the day, not leaving much time to spend with his wife and kids.
After tossing some logs in the stove and placing the pies carefully in the over, I went outside to check the integrity of the farm. Mike Newton was a hard worker—I couldn't deny that, but he was not used to farm work, and the chores could get very specific.
The chicken coop was a little dirtier than usual, but they seemed well fed. The pigs and goats also seemed to have survived my absence. Next, I check on the supply of feed. We were running low on hay. I made a mental note to get some the next time I went to Centre Court.
Russle, our old blood hound, greeted me excitedly, shoving his wet nose into my knees.
"Missed me?" I asked him, scratching his ear.
Charlie dug into dinner with unusual enthusiasm. He scarfed it down, although it was still blowing streams of smoke.
I raised an eyebrow at him. "Have you been eating while I was gone?"
He looked up, a guilty expression on his face. "Of course, Bells. But choices are limited when you're not here."
I rolled my eyes. He was a grown man, and unable to cook for himself. He didn't even have the excuse of being spoiled by a wife, my mother had never been much of a cook.
After dinner and dishes, I reluctantly got up to do my evening chores. Feed and water the animals. Lock the barn. Start water on the boiler for a bath.
Charlie stood as well. "I'll help—"
"Don't you dare. Sit down." I ordered.
By the time I reached my house again, it was well past sundown. I wasn't sure how I had made it from the pig pen in the darkness. I settled into a hot bath watching the grime leave my body and cloud the water. I sighed. My muscles were tired, protesting with this evening's work.
I settled into bed, missing the bed I spent in the previous night. My old quilt from grandma Swan felt like sandpaper compared to the fluffy bed covers of the Cullens.
The truth sunk in slowly. Alice Cullen. We had talked for hours. She had graced me with her presence, and against all odds, she wanted to see me again. That was difficult to wrap my mind around. How could she, the beautiful and talented Alice Cullen want to see me again? It seemed too good to be true. Maybe I would wake up tomorrow, and this prelude to a friendship would all just be a dream.
The word friendship echoed through my mind. Who was I kidding? Friendship was what I had with Jacob. I wanted her company, to be in the presence of her infectious smile and energy. But I also wanted to touch her, to run my fingers against the rise of her breasts, to feel her body pressed against mine. To feel her soft pink lips.
I shook my head. It was a miracle enough that she wanted to see me a second time, I couldn't afford to ruin it with my desires. Determined to give this new friendship the best chance, I took my desires and pushed them as far down as they would go.
But when sleep came, I dreamt. The murky green water of Heaven's Tear stared back at me. I missed the clear turquoise, at least which was not as creepy. When I blinked, the water rippled. Why was I here again? I craved a different dream, a dream where I was being held by small, warm hands.
As if answering my wish, I felt small arms snake around me. But these hands were not warm, but stony and cold.
If I had a heartbeat in this dream, it would be hammering. I tried to turn around, but I was paralyzed. Somehow, I felt like this was the lake's fault. Who was this cold stranger?
"Alice?" My voice sounded far away. "Is that you?"
She did not answer.