Chapter 8
I am so blessed that Mama4dukes is my Beta! She's an amazing writer and one of my best friends. Thanks, girlie for always having my back! Hugs
Song for this Chapter: Greyhound Bound by Miranda Lambert
Both my dad and I were quiet as we got off the plane. There were too many people around, even here in Nome Alaska. Population 3594. Big enough for it to have its own airport but remote enough that I knew the pack would never find me here.
The place I'd bought was towards the northeast and about an hour and half car ride from here. But I didn't want to waste the time I'd hoped to spend with my dad driving. So I got a puddle jumper to drop us off near my cabin.
I hoped Charlie didn't mind small planes, landing on water, or getting his feet wet. But I'd thought with all of the fishing the man has done over his lifetime and our situation, some wet socks were the least of our worries.
The crew had gotten all of the gear unloaded and were taking it towards the airport main office. I knew that there were other supplies and our new pilot waiting on us inside. So without a word to dad I started to follow them.
Once inside the warm but dingy building, Dad and I talked to Sam, our bush pilot for a minute. I'd paid to have the ground crew load our bags and supplies in the small Cessna we'd be using to get out of here.
I'd bought Dad and I some watters and thick coats for the trip. I just hoped that they'd fit him, so after gearing up. The three of us walked out on the tarmac while Sam did her checks.
I got into the back with the supplies. While Dad got in the front of the plane. Sam closed Dad's door before coming around to the other side of the plane. Dad was wearing a huge pair of headphones on top of his head and we were soon off again into the night's sky.
Landing on a river in the dark, during the thaw, wasn't the smartest thing. It had taken me a while to find a pilot willing to do it. But seeing my dad's face was totally worth all the hassle.
Once we'd landed, got our supplies situated, and onto the shore. Sam said she'd be back to get us in 42 hours. Dad and I made short work of getting everything to the cabin.
I'd had the bush cleared off in early April, but when in Alaska, things almost never work out the way you think they would.
Once inside and checking that everything was where I'd left it, I worked on starting a fire in the wood burning stove. Dad was quiet the whole time I worked around him.
The cabin was small. We had a table, a small but organized kitchen, an old beat up couch off to the side, and then the ladder that led up to the loft. There wasn't much to it.
I'd spent many long days and nights up here thinking about the way I wanted to live my life and trying to keep myself together. After getting our stuff put away and the temp in the cabin rose, my dad seemed to finally find his voice.
"You look like you've been doing this for years, Bells." I laughed.
"Do 2 years count?" raising my eyebrows in his direction. "I bought this place a couple of years back, sight unseen. I'd been staying with a couple of friends down south, and I needed to find somewhere secluded to go and just think. With Alaska's almost 24-hour nights in the winter, I thought this would be perfect for me." I smiled.
"The girl who loves the sunshine. Living in almost ever present darkness doesn't sound like the girl I know. I never thought you'd enjoy living in gloomy Forks, muchless here." He didn't look at me as he sat down near the fire.
"Things changed for me, Dad. The Bella, you know? I buried her the day I buried Mom," I said, looking at my hands as I did.
"I stayed in Florida long enough to bury Mom, and then some shit went down with Phil, and I just took off. The old truck only lasted a couple weeks after that, but I couldn't stay in one place too long. I worked where I could, and once I made enough money, I'd move on again. Just to start right back over. I didn't stop running until about two years ago." Smiling to myself, thinking about the reasons I was able to get somewhat of a life back.
I came around the table and took a seat next to Charlie. "Aren't you tired? Do you want to go up to the loft and sleep?" I pointed toward the loft ladder in case he had not seen it when entering.
"I couldn't sleep right now, even if I wanted to," he said, looking at me like I'd lost my mind. His hand rubbed his face afterward.
"Coffee?" With a nod of approval, I was off towards the kitchen using the bottled water we'd dragged up the bank earlier and started the stove. I was so intent on getting the little stove going I hadn't noticed that Charlie had followed me. So when he spoke, I jumped a little.
"Where'd you go, Bells?" I could hear the hurt and confusion in his voice, and once I got my heart back under control, I started off again.
"In the beginning I didn't know where I was going to go. I went North, then East. Then I changed my mind and went West. The truck broke down just outside of New Orleans. So that's where I started working trying to get it fixed." The water was boiling so I added the grounds and now we just needed to wait on it.
"It's also where I found my balance," I chuckled, thinking about that time. "I didn't want to use my real name or ID anywhere, and a waitressing job was about the only thing I could do without it. Cash tips and all. I split a couple of trays when the other waitress, a stripper, by the way, took pity on me and showed me the ropes. Dea still laughs at the clumsy girl who walked into that dinner. It is kind of funny looking back at it now." The coffee was done, so after putting it through a strainer, Dad and I took our mugs back to the fire.
"Found out a few days later that the truck was worth more in scrap metal than it was to fix it. Dea let me stay at her place. Though I didn't want to bring my troubles to her door, she insisted. I told her that I had trouble following me, and I didn't want her to get hurt by it. But she said she lived for trouble. I stayed there for a few months. Got a new POS and soon had enough cash to leave again. I'm welcome at Dea's anytime I'm in NOLA, but I try to keep her at arm's length. Just like I do with just about everyone else I meet."
"My life went on like that for about a year and a half. Never getting close to anyone. Working, eating, and then moving on. I'd get those cheap prepaid phones when tips were good and call you." I looked up at my dad, and he was just watching the fire and listening to me.
"I would've helped you, you know."
"I know you would've, Dad. But then the pack would know where I was, and I couldn't have two sets of people looking for me. Vicky knew I'd have to get some help so I could get away from her. But I knew I had to do it all on my own. What I also knew was that the moment I called you and asked for your help, you'd have been a dead man." I kept my voice as straight as I could, but it waivered a little towards the end.
"Can't you see I was between a rock and a hard place? What if I'd done the easy thing? The thing that brought me back to your front door… I'd have lost you, too? Losing the Cullens, the pack, then mom… I CAN'T AND WON'T LOSE YOU TOO, DAMNIT! I'LL DIE MYSELF BEFORE I EVER LET THAT HAPPEN TO YOU!"
I don't know how we'd ended up standing and holding onto each other like we were, but when I'd calmed down enough that's how we were.
My Dad has never been a cuddly kind of guy, but man, he can definitely give you a bear hug when you need it. After a few minutes, I'd calmed down with Charlie holding me and whispering in my ear, saying it'll be alright, and I've got you. I was a shaky mess when I went to go and warm up both of the coffees.
I'd slushed mine all over in my fit a few minutes before. Charlie was adding some wood to the fire, and I don't know if I've ever been as tired as I was at this moment. But that lumpy couch sure was looking good to my swollen, tired eyes.
"You look as exhausted as I feel, Bells. Let's get some shuteye for a few hours and start off again in the morning." Charlie's dress shirt and khaki pants from the party earlier that night were wrinkled and messy.
"Yeah, I guess this coffee didn't seem to do either of us any good, did it?"
I watched Charlie climb the ladder to the loft as he chuckled, and after shutting down the kitchen, stoking the fire one last time. I crashed on the lumpy sofa that suddenly felt like a cloud.
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