Hi Lovely Readers!
This story is an outtake of my recently completed fiction, Emerald Eyes. Charlie is not in E.E. but he is mentioned in a few chapters. Charlie's story and struggles are not really talked about in E.E. since Edward can only say what he knows and is unaware of Charlie's personal life. Yes, Edward's a mind reader, but Charlie's mind is closed off to him and Bella kept a lot of her growing-up years to herself. Therefore, little has been known about Charlie until now.
Things to keep in mind: Just as the Twilight characters in Emerald Eyes were not totally canon, this Charlie is not totally canon either. After his wife Renee died when Bella was 11 he started to drink heavily. This is where a lot of his problems come from.
TRIGGER WARNING: Charlie is dealing with alcoholism.
My apologies in advance for spelling mistakes. I have dyslexia and spelling errors happen.
Disclaimer: I DO NOT own the Twilight characters. I'm just playing around with them.
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On a rainy night, I stood next to the kitchen sink, the silence of the house pressing down on me like a heavyweight. A nearly empty glass of Jack and Coke was in my hand. I took the last slip as the clock on the wall ticked loudly, each second a reminder of the emptiness that had filled my life since Renee died seven years ago. The house was too quiet, too still. I longed for the noise and bustle of the police station, where I could lose myself in work and forget about my troubles… and my losses, if only for a brief moment.
With the empty glass in my hand, I placed it on the counter and opened the cupboard under the sink. It was my main liquor cabinet, it's where I kept the good stuff. I grabbed the bottle of Fireball Whiskey and opened it. I poured myself a generous glass. More than anything, I was hoping the l liquor would make me forget about how alone I was. I no longer had a wife or child to keep me company. No friends either. I had turned my back on my buddies from the tribe 2 months after Bella's disappearance. I made that choice after something little Jacob had overheard and repeated to me when I had been visiting his folks. The phrase he uttered was about Bella, it was rude and uncalled for.
Wanting to forget everything I reached for the glass on the counter bringing it to my lips. The scent of cinnamon filled my nostrils and took a drink. The burn of the alcohol was a temporary escape from the guilt and regret that gnawed at me. Thinking only of the escape, I down the rest of the whisky and poured another glass before heading to the table and sitting down. My eyes raked over the meal that was set before me: Salisbury steak patties, green beans, mashed potatoes, and a brownie. It was a Hungry Jack T.V. dinner still in the plastic tray. None of it looked appetizing.
'I should really learn how to cook.' I thought to myself as I picked up my fork to dig in.
My thoughts drifted, as they often did, to my daughter. It had been 6 and a half months since Bella had run away. 6 and a half months of not knowing if she was dead or alive. I had tried to protect her, to save her from what I saw was a terrible mistake, but in doing so, I had driven her away. I regretted my harsh words, the ultimatums I gave her, the anger I directed at her. I regretted telling her she had no choice but to get an abortion, cursing her for becoming pregnant with a monster's child. I had been scared, desperate to keep her safe, but I had only succeeded in pushing her away.
As I took the first bite of food and thoroughly chewed it my mind continued to wander. I was thinking about my baby girl. I wondered if she had given birth yet. Is she okay? Was the baby okay? My grandchild… I hadn't even allowed myself to think of it that way before, but now, sitting alone in this quiet house I couldn't help it. My thoughts changed thinking about… the baby. What did it look like? Was it healthy? Did it have Bella's eyes?
My heart was heavy as I stabbed my fork at a piece of meat. Why did I let fear take over me those last days before Bella left? Fear and my temper. I wasn't able to think of an answer to that question since there was a knock on the front door. My heart skipped a beat. I was not expecting anyone.
"Just a minute," I called out as there was another knock on the door, louder this time. Downing my drink I got up and went to the living room. I opened the door to find a man in a suit holding a stack of papers.
"Are you Charlie Swan?" The man asked me before I could say a word.
"Yes, I am," I responded.
He handed me the papers he was holding and I automatically took it. "You've been served." He said. Then he turned and walked away.
In a daze, I closed the door and walked into the living room, my hands trembling as I stared at the papers. My heart dropped as I read the words. Bella was filing for emancipation. She was alive, but she wanted to be free of me. She was in Oregon. I didn't know where she was, even though I had been looking for her, but now I did. I would have to go there in 13 days for the hearing. That's what this paperwork said.
Suddenly, I felt the liquor drained from me. I was sobering up quickly. I'm not sure if this was a superficial feeling or not, but whatever it was left me with regret and a headrush. It was a feeling I couldn't take. Not right now.
My body shook like a leaf as I went back into the kitchen. I ignored my dinner which was probably cold anyway, as I went over to the pantry and grabbed a bottle of Vodka of the Gods. Not even bothering to grab a glass I walked back into the living room.
I sat down heavily in my recliner as I opened the bottle. Pressing the bottle to my lips I grabbed the papers in my free hand, clutching them as I began to read. I felt a mix of motions – relief that she was alive, sadness that she wanted to be free of me, and a deep, aching regret for the way I had handled things. I had lost my wife and now I was losing my daughter. I was alone in the world. But at last, she was safe. At least she was alive. And maybe, just maybe, I could find a way to make things right. I would see her at the hearing, and that gave me a glimmer of hope. Maybe there was still a chance to mend what I had broke.
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Hope you enjoyed the first chapter of this mini-series, there are 5 more chapters. Since Charlie is a man of few words the chapters are short.
