For a Father's Love
Mama4dukes, you're the best! You make a poor writer like me, look good! Love you...
Chapter 4
Song for this Chapter: More Than My Hometown by Morgan Wallen
As I made my way through town, a flood of memories, both good and bad, came back to me.
I remember coming here as a kid and spending a few weeks with a man I barely knew. I thought about those evening meals at the hole-in-the-wall dinner, he loves so much.
I thought about returning here as a high schooler and just wanting to make it till I could graduate and leave again.
I thought about one perfect summer with Cullen's. Feeling like part of one big family. Then I thought how I'd lost all of that.
I'd thought I'd found my big family again, with the Pack, that next summer, but it, too, went up in flames.
I genuinely feel like the only real thing I have left is my dad.
"So kiddo, you gonna tell your Old Man how all this came to be?" Charlie asked, waving his hands toward the dash.
I laughed to myself. I'd been so worried about separating him from the crowd, and now it's time to possibly end his world as he knows it.
"I don't even know where to begin," I state truthfully.
"The beginning is usually a good place, Bells."
Okay. I can focus on the road and not have to look my dad in the eyes as I tell him my side of the story.
Well, the parts of my story that he can know. People have always said that my thoughts are written all over my face, and my last thought must have shown.
"And before you go and give yourself an aneurysm. I know about the Pack and the Cullens," he sneered at their name. "I know all about you being an imprint. What I don't know is why you never gave Jacob a chance. He's a good kid, Bells. I know he looked for you after you ran away the way you did. I know he still misses you terribly…"
I cut him off mid-sentence, swerving a little as I scream. "RAN AWAY? Is that what you think I've done? You think I ran from the imprint? You think I didn't want to be with you? Is that what they told you?" How could they?
The Pack has really got their tentacles into my dad. What must the man think of me?
Like I'd run away like some 4-year-old who didn't get a happy meal for dinner just because my best friend imprinted on me. My God, this is worse than I ever thought it'd be.
Maybe I should leave it alone?
Maybe I shouldn't shatter what little happiness this man has.
I mean, looking at it from his point of view, I look like a child who didn't want to be held down by something out of my control.
Again, my facial expression must have shown my shock at this development.
"Bells?"
"I don't know what to do now. I came here with this plan to explain everything to you, but it seems like all of my plans just went out the window. My time's up!" Exasperated.
"Plans? Bells, I thought you were here for my wedding to Sue? I mean, you were there when your mom married Phil. I thought you'd want to be here for me?" I chanced a quick look at my dad's face, and it showed nothing but confusion.
At just the mention of my mom, my heart dropped through the floorboards. Not now. I'm not ready for that part yet. I tried to shake it off, but I found it very hard to do between the hurt on Charlie's face and my shock.
"What is it, Bella? Why can't you be here for me like you are your mom?"
I tried to find the words. I write damn songs for a living. Words are my thing, but my mind kept coming up short. Then I remembered my plan.
"Dad, this whole situation is a lot different than I thought it would be." I blew out the breath that I was holding. "You have 8 days until your wedding, right?" I took a sideways glance, and after his nod, I continued. "You yourself said earlier that Sue, Seth, and Leah have it all under control. Right?"
I watch as he nods his head in confirmation. I turn my eyes back to the road.
"Can you do me a favor? I'll never ask another thing from you again, if you can just do me this good. Please? Keep an open mind for a minute, and let me explain."
With confused, hurt eyes looking at me, he nods an affirmative yes again.
"I need 48 hours of your time. I know that you're getting married in a week. I know there are last-minute things that must be done, but will you please go home, pack a small bag, and just come away with me. I need time to explain my side of things to you. And I'd rather not do it with the Pack, Sue, or anyone else looking over our shoulders."
As I finished, I sent up a small prayer. Please, Lord, I just need some time!
Yes, I'd said that prayer many times before, just like the last I'd prayed. I needed a minor miracle.
Charlie sat quietly, not 8 inches from my side, but I'd never felt more alone than I had in this moment. I needed this. Hell, he didn't know yet, but he needed it to.
"And if I don't go?" he asked in a small voice.
I blew out my breath again and said, "Then I'll be leaving Forks, and you'll never see or hear from me again."
I was using guilt again, but I was out of words, out of time. I was too overwhelmed to continue this conversation without knowing which way he'd go.
In a firm voice, he says, "Take me home, Bells." We spoke not another word, and I turned the stupid car around and did as he asked.
As we pulled onto his street, I said, "I love you, Dad." Because I didn't know if I'd ever get the chance to say those words to him again.
He never told me what he decided as I put the R8 in park. He sat in his heated seat for a second longer than normal, pulled the door handle, and left my car without another word. I watched as he walked up the driveway towards the backyard.
I saw the Pack gathered in front of the short fence that surrounded my old home. Many of their heads were turned towards the backyard, but 3 sets of eyes never left my face.
That's when a thump on my passenger side window made me just about pee my pants. Mitch, Dean, and the band. Thank God.
I breathlessly opened my driver's side door and got out to see what they were doing. "Packing it up?" I asked, standing next to my still-running car.
Hoping that they still had some things that weren't yet loaded into their cargo van. Human eyes are what I'd brought them here for. My insurance policy couldn't run out until I wanted it to. They owed me that much.
The Pack, Jacob, and even the tribal elders couldn't and wouldn't involve humans in this show.
"Almost," Dean said, staring at the group of unhappy people before us.
"Hey, are you in some kind of trouble?" Dean was always one to notice things.
There seemed to be a small commotion happening in the backyard, and all of our eyes were trying to see what it was. I heard loud voices and watched several pack members take off towards the back gate.
"Aren't I always in some kind of trouble, Dean?" Sarcastic? I know, but that's all I had left inside of me.
"Well, shit," slipped smoothly from his mouth as we all watched a very pissed-off Leah Clearwater storm my way.
"YOU FUCKING BITCH! It's not bad enough that you had to come back. Now you're taking Charlie away from us right before the wedding? You've always been the girl who needs ALL of the attention! You're a selfish bitch, always have been, and you always will be!"
Oh, the metaphors I could write on that little statement, but I digress. She wasn't 2 inches from my face and spitting, literally, mad!
"Whoo, there, Darlin'," Dean tried to soothe and break us apart at the same time.
"Leah, that's enough." Came the voice I'd been dreading since coming up with this half-cocked scheme. My heart literally fell onto the pavement. I knew this conversation had to happen, but with the band here, I knew I couldn't get out what all needed to be said.
"That's enough from all of you. Go home, everyone; the party's over, and my daughter and I need to be somewhere." Charlie yelled as he came bounding down the front steps with his small bag.
"Hey, Izzy, can we go now?" Mitch asked. I'd pre-warned him that I needed them to stay as long as I was there. With a nod, he and the fellas left. I helped Dad get his bag in the trunk, and we pulled out. Leaving a pissed-off Leah, a somber Jacob, and a crying Sue in my dad's front yard.
Still knowing we were being followed, I hit the interstate and headed to Port Angeles.
"Where are we heading to Bells?"
"I can't tell you, not yet. Trust me, you'll enjoy what I've set up, Dad. We'll talk as soon as we're alone."
Charlie gave me a questioning look but stayed quiet for the rest of the drive. He knew as well as I did that the Pack had super hearing. There was no place within 100 yards from them where they couldn't listen to what someone was saying.
He shot me a stern look when I texted as I drove, but he seemed to let it go as I pulled into our destination 45 minutes later.
"You like flying, Dad?" I asked as I parked my car in the hangar next to an eight-passenger private jet.
Crickets… That's all I heard. I helped load my dad's small bag in the cargo hold. Charlie's mouth was on the ground, and I couldn't keep the smile off my face, even knowing that our talk would start in a few minutes.
"This way, Dad," I said as I climbed onto a small staircase leading into a very private and expensive cabin. After nodding to the stewards and pilots and making sure my seat was in its upright position. We took off into the nighttime sky.