The Sister
Chapter 12
As soon as Beth left work, she called Sam but there was no answer. He left not long after his phone call with Leah. He didn't eat anything, just walked out. Jared and Paul were confused. Beth had no way of explaining it to them, she was sure they would hear it from Sam soon enough. Beth drove to Sam's house, hoping to find him hiding out there but the place was empty. She got back in her truck, ready to leave when her phone started vibrating in her pocket. Beth fought with her jacket pocket to get her phone free. Her heart sank as she saw her father's number and not Sam's.
"Hey dad, how was the trip?" Beth asked, trying to keep the worry she felt out of her tone.
"Yeah, got home okay, Bella's all settled in. Hey, is there something you forgot to tell me?" Charlie asked. Beth's mind raced with all the possibilities. There was a lot of things Charlie didn't know about but what was he referring too.
"Why?" Beth said slowly, dreading his next words. She had no idea how she could explain the claw marks under the rug or the new door. Sam had gotten an almost identical door to replace it with, even Beth couldn't notice the difference in the picture he had shown her.
"Well, it looks like you moved out?" Charlie sighed into the other end of the line. Beth felt relieved and saddened at the same time. She was glad that's all Charlie noticed but saddened by his upset tone.
"Yeah, I went through and cleaned out. There was a lot of stuff there we no longer needed," Beth tried to move around the subject.
"You got rid of the crib?" Charlie asked, not believing her.
"No, I umm I actually took it and some of our things to Sam's," Beth said leaning back in her seat. She stared up at the roof of the truck. She wanted to tell her father the truth or at least as much of it as she could. She loved Charlie and hated having to keep anything from him.
"Oh, you don't think that's moving things a bit fast?" Charlie asked. Considering she had shown no interest in men in the time she had been back in Forks. Then moved in with Sam only a few days after their first date she understood his surprise and concern. It sounded crazy even in her own mind.
"I really like him dad, and he's great with Juliet. I want to give this a real go." She really did. The more time she spent with Sam, the less time she wanted to spend away from him.
"Dam, I went from no daughter with boyfriends to two in one week," Charlie said.
"Well, I guess you have your work cut out for you then. Dad I've got to get going. Talk soon," she said.
"Okay Bethie, behave," he replied.
"Always," she said before ending the call. She let out a shaky breath dropping her phone back in her pocket. She reached for the keys about to start the truck when her eyes landed on the trucks side mirror. Sam stood a few meters behind the truck. Beth let out a relieved sigh swinging her door open and jumping out into the soft dirt. She moved towards Sam slowly, unsure what mental state he was in. He looked a mess.
"I was worried about you," Beth whispered, stopping a few steps in front of him.
"I thought you may have been here to take your stuff back," Sam said. His voice sounded distant, lost.
"No," Beth said slowly. "Not unless you want me too."
"No, I don't. I just… I don't know what to do Lizzy. This is so messed up," Sam shook his head looking down at his bare feet. Beth stepped forward wrapping her arms around his bulky frame. His skin was warm and comforting to the touch. He folded his arms around her, savouring the comfort.
"It will all work out in the end Sam." Beth whispered. She held him for a few minutes. She would have loved to stay there with him all day, all week even but she was running out of time. Reluctantly she let go of him. His hands slipped down to her waist as she put a slither of room between them. "I've got to get back to work. I'll call you tonight and we can talk things over. Work out a plan."
"Thank you, Elizabeth," he whispered. She lifted up on the tips of her toes to press a kiss to his cheek. He released her when she stepped back.
"We will talk soon," Beth promised. Sam nodded his head.
"Okay," he said, watching as she returned to her truck and drove off. Dread sunk in as he watched her leave. He returned to the forest. He needed to run, he needed to get his head straight. As soon as he phased, he was met with his pack mate's thoughts and questions. He had no choice but to tell them what was going on. At least that shut them up a little as they went into their own shocked state of minds.
While the pack discussed Sam's situation Beth dragged herself back to work. She hoped it would be a quick night and she could get back to Sam's quickly. She decided when she went to Billy's to get changed, she didn't want to sleep their tonight. So, she planned to pick Julie up after work and return to Sam's. She left her truck at Billy's; Jake would use it to go get Juliet from daycare. Even though he was still not talking to her she knew he would still help her out. She walked to work taking the way Sam had shown her the week before. When she arrived at work she jumped straight into prepping for the night ahead.
"How's your sister?" Leah asked, as she hung up the first order for the night.
"Yeah, she's home. I wouldn't say she's good. Broken leg and lots of stitches. Leave it to her to fall through a second story window. Dad says she's doing okay though," Beth said reading over the order at the same time.
"Ouch. How did she manage that?" Leah asked. Hovering in the window. Beth couldn't bring herself to look at her.
"Don't even ask," Beth shook her head turning back to the grill.
"We haven't hung out in ages. Did you want to do something this weekend?" Leah asked, a hopeful sound in her voice. Beth focused on the grill.
"I honestly just want to sleep all weekend. Sorry," Beth felt bad turning down the offer. She didn't want to be rude, but she also didn't feel comfortable being around Leah at the moment. Not while she was playing house with Leah's soon to be baby daddy. She wasn't sure how something so right could feel so wrong at the same time.
"I can't blame you. I feel exhausted and I don't even have to go home to a crying baby," Leah chuckle dryly.
"Juliets good, I think she's more patient than me some days." Beth mused. Leah laughed.
"Well, that wouldn't be hard," Leah smiled.
"I guess not." Beth smiled moving away as she began to prepare the order. She busied herself for the rest of the night. It was extra slow, so Leah decided to sign out early, leaving Kim to tend to their last few customers. Elizabeth cleaned the kitchen and let the other kitchen hands go home once everything in there was done. Kim was still shutting down the front of the diner, so Beth helped her finish up. Once the doors were locked and tills away, the pair grabbed their coats and headed out the back door. Kim stepped out first and Beth followed right behind her.
"Jared!" Kim said loudly, Beth jumped at the sudden shout in the quite of the night. Jared and Paul waited by the tree line. "Sorry," Kim said to Beth, noticing Beth's jump.
"Bit touchy there Beth," Paul pointed out.
"Apparently. What are you guys up too?" Beth asked, eyes flicking between the pair.
"I was going to walk Kim home," Jared said. He looked a little nervous, but Beth didn't question him on it.
"You didn't have to do that," Kim said, still smiling at the sight of Jared.
"It's nothing. There is actually something I wanted to talk to you about." Jared said offering Kim a hand. Her smile dropped a little, but she still took his hand and started walking away with him.
"Bye guys," Kim said over her shoulder before they were out of sight. Beth waved. She was pretty sure what Jared was about to tell her. She hoped Kim would take it well.
"So, he's telling her about the wolf thing?" Beth asked Paul, not sure what to call it.
"Yeah. I bet she faints when he tells her," Paul laughed. Beth grabbed her keys out of her pocket and locked the back door.
"I bet you a twenty she doesn't," Beth said holding her hand out to Paul.
"It's a bet," Paul said, shaking her hand.
"So why are you here?" Beth asked putting her hands in her pockets.
"Sam wants me to walk you back to Billy's," Paul says, a serious look taking over his face.
"Why?" Beth asked, worry making her chest feel tight.
"Cullen's are back in town. He just wants to be extra careful." Paul replied, all humour gone from his face.
"Why isn't Sam here?" Beth asked.
"He's running patrol, we just finished," Paul answered.
"I was actually going to go to Sam's tonight. Do you think he would be okay with that?" Beth asked. Not sure now if she should.
"That may actually chill him out a bit." Paul nodded his head.
"Okay. I've got to go back to Billy's still to get Julie and my truck," Beth explained.
"Okay," Paul said, and the pair began the walk to Billy's house.
"How is he doing?" Beth asked after a few moments of silence.
"Not great. Was definitely a shock. How are you dealing with the news?" Paul asked.
"I can't really have feelings about it," Beth said.
"Sure, you can," Paul replied, watching her out of the corner of his eye.
"What can I do Paul? Be angry that Sam got his long-term girlfriend pregnant while they were still together? Before we were anything more then just people that saw each other on occasion? If this whole wolf thing didn't happen, they would have probably been happily planning for this baby's arrival. It's no one's fault, life just has bad timing," Beth shrugged not sure if what she said even made sense.
"You're taking this better than Sam thought you would," Paul told her.
"Freaking out won't help anyone," Beth said.
"I guess not," Paul nodded, understanding what she was saying. Beth paused as she heard his stomach growl.
"You haven't had dinner yet," Beth stated her eyes flicking to Paul.
"As I said we just finished shift," Paul said.
"Why don't you come with me to Sam's, and I'll make you dinner. I was already going to make something for Sam so it's no problem," Beth offered.
"Yeah, that would be great." Paul said, glad he wouldn't have to have another frozen pizza for dinner. "Should I text Jared?" Paul asked.
"Sure, Kim's welcome to come too if she hasn't run away screaming yet," Beth said, and they continued walking.
"Hey, you bet she would take the news well," Paul said.
"No, I said she wouldn't faint; I did not say she would take it well." Beth corrected him. Paul rolled his eyes. He pulled his phone out and sent a quick text to Jared. Beth stepped out of the tree line, but Paul stopped in the shadows.
"You're not coming any closer?" Beth asked.
"I don't want Jacob to see me." Paul said.
"Okay, well I'll only be a second. Did you want to meet down around the bend, and I'll pick you up there?" Beth asked.
"Sure," Paul replied before fading into the shadows. Beth went to the house, quietly opening the front door not wanting to wake anyone. Most of the lights were off in the house. Only the hallway light was on, and a faint glow came from under Jacob's door. But other then that the house was dark. Beth went to the kitchen, leaving a quick note for Billy so he would know in the morning where they were. She collected a sleeping Juliet from her crib and left the house as quietly as she could.
She knew Jacob would hear the truck starting but there wasn't much she could do to stop that. Beth strapped Juliet in her car seat and then climbed into the truck. She started it up and rolled out of the driveway. She drove slowly and stopped just out of sight of the house, where she saw Paul waiting for her. He climbed into the truck, and they drove to Sam's in silence. Beth parked the truck in front of Sam's house. She jumped out and got Juliet out while Paul opened the front door and turned on some lights in the house. Beth took Juliet up to her crib. The toddler stirred as she placed her in the crib. Juliet's eyes opened and Beth stayed with her for a few minutes until she went back to sleep. Beth turned on the baby monitor and went back downstairs.
"Jared will be here in a little bit with Kim," Paul said as Beth went to the kitchen and started grabbing out everything she would need.
"That's a good sign. Did he say how it went?" Beth asked. Paul huffed out a breath.
"I'll get money to you tomorrow," he replied, and Beth laughed. She was glad to win the bet but happier that Kim had handled the news well.
"You have twenty-four hours before I break your kneecaps for it." Beth said putting on a tough voice even though she was struggling to hold back a laugh.
"I would like to see you try," Paul laughed. Beth joined him and the two made small talk as Beth cooked and Paul rested at the island bench. He watched her with hungry eyes as she cooked steak and a few packets of pork chops. She covered the stove with frying pans, and every one of them was full of meat. As they finished cooking, she stacked them onto trays and slid them into the oven to stay warm.
"How you do that without cutting your fingers off, I have no idea," Paul said, watching Beth cut up potatoes into chip size slices. She had done almost a dozen and slid them straight into the still hot frypans. They were the last thing she had to cook.
"Practice, lots of it," she smiled. He watched the frypan with starving eyes, licking his lips. Beth sighed opening the oven and grabbing a pork chop out with a pair of tongs and dropping it onto a plate. She slid the plate over to Paul. He didn't hesitate to pick it up with his hands and rip into it.
"It's like feeding time at the zoo," Beth commented. Paul swallowed the chunk of meat in his mouth before talking.
"Sorry. Starving." He said before taking another bite from the chop.
"I should have offered you one when they were done, sorry. I was waiting on the others," Beth said. She pulled the tray of meat out of the oven.
"Stuff them. I was here first." Paul grumbled, reaching across the bench to grab another chop from the tray as he finished the first.
"Well lucky they are here then," Beth said as head lights flashed in front of the house. She prepared a tray for the chips and sprinkled salt over them as she got them out of the pans.
"That smells so good," Jared said as he entered the house, dragging a grinning Kim behind him.
"Help yourself before Paul eats it all." Beth stacked plates next to the trays of food and left some tongs by the meat and chips. Even though Paul was quite happy using his hands.
"Hell yeah," Jared smiled grabbing some tongs and filling a plate. Beth caught Kim's eyes.
"How was your walk?" Beth smiled.
"Eventful. Isn't this unreal Beth!" Kim was practically glowing; Beth had never seen her so happy.
"Yeah, it's pretty crazy. You seem to be wrapping your mind around it okay though," Beth said smiling at her friend's happiness. Everyone sat around the table with their plates, eating happily. It took Beth a few minutes to realise what was missing.
"Ummm guys?" Beth said looking up at the two men at the table.
"Yeah?" Paul asked around a mouthful of food.
"Would you mind going and letting Sam know there is food ready if he's hungry." She was sure he would be even hungrier than the others, as he had skipped lunch. "And that we are in his house?" Beth asked. Paul reluctantly got up from the table and jogged outside to let Sam know. Beth stacked up a plate of food for Sam to save it from the others.
Author Notes*** This chapter did stump me for a few days but thought of the second half of it today so the chapter went from 1000 words up to 3600 after an hour of inspiration. I did cut the tail of the chapter off and it will be at the start of the next chapter as I want to keep chapters under 3000 words and hopefully the head start will help me get the next chapter out in reasonable time.
This story has been getting lots of new followers lately so that's great. Would love a few more reviews if possible just so I know I'm on the right track and everything is making sense.