We Three Witches (Twilight)

Chapter 13 - Training the Dogs

Bella's POV

February, 15th, 2003

"How can you not remember the Blacks, girls?" Charlie asked cheerfully, turning back to us. "We used to have dinners together all the time!"

And we were all smiles again, not a challenging glare in sight.

"Sorry, Dad." Alice shrugged innocently. "Our memories aren't that good."

He leaned down and stage whispered to Billy, "Tell that to someone who crossed her."

Billy and Jacob laughed as we glared at them playfully.

"Are you the ones who make that amazing fish fry?" Rose asked easily. She was staring Jacob down, willing him into submission with just her stare.

Billy laughed just as easily. "No, that'd be the Clearwaters. Though I do make some mean steak."

"C'mon Bella," Charlie grinned. "You gotta at least remember Jake. Remember, he threw a mud pie at Alice and made her cry, so you kneed him in the groin, saying 'you make my sister cry, i'll make you cry'," Charlie quoted, grinning wildly,

Jacob blushed furiously, glaring at the two adults who somehow seem to turn into highschoolers whenever they're around each other. Rose smirked, clearly having won their stare down.

"Oh yeah!" I snapped my fingers as she 'remembered'. "Sue Clearwater came running because she thought one of us girls were wailing, but it was just Jacob." Everyone bar Jacob laughed at that.

"Dad, will you stop telling that story everywhere we go?" Jacob practically whined.

"No."

I had to remind myself it was not appropriate to cackle at another's misfortune, at least within Charlie's hearing.

Charlie snickered at the long suffering look on Jacob's face. "Right, well, I smell pizza. Did you girls order in?"

We smiled again. "Nope, we have a surprise for you, Dad!"

Billy smiled. "Well we bought a surprise of our own," he said, gesturing to the plastic bag I hadn't noticed Jacob was carrying. "Harry Clearwater's homemade fish fry! Brought enough over so you could have it for dinner tonight, Charlie," he said proudly.

I felt like glaring at him.

"But we already made dinner!" Alice nearly wailed, then slapped her hand over her mouth as if she hadn't meant to say that, but I knew better.

She was prepared to guilt Charlie into going along with our original plans if she had to. We all were. Because as much as we'd added the theatrics to this whole thing, we really did want to spend more time with him.

"It was supposed to be a surprise." I sighed, walking towards the living room. "Follow me." Alice and Rose immediately did so, closely followed by the boys.

As soon as the boys walked into the living room with their eyes widened at the spread. "We spent the last two hours making all this for you, Dad. We know how much you miss your dinner and game nights. We bought a new coffee table too so we can all enjoy it as a family. Even though we really don't like sports—we'll just have fun spending time with you," Rose said quietly.

I smiled softly. She was laying it on a bit thick, but I knew, underneath all that she really did want to spend time with him. She barely had any memories of our mother and certainly none of our father, and since then Charlie was the only decent parent she'd really had. So I didn't fault her for laying it on thick.