Heartbreaker

F O R T Y F I V E

Several knocks sounded on my door a couple of days later.

They sounded almost panicked, as if they were desperate to get in here. But the door wasn't locked, and it opens several seconds after. My dad wheels into the room, a look on his face like he'd seen a ghost.

I pull a headphone out my ear, tilting my head in response to his paling face. I've only ever seen him look like that once.

"What's wrong?" I ask.

He opens his mouth, his eyebrows scrunched, but nothing comes out. Panic sets through me, ripping the other earbud out of my ear. Something was clearly wrong.

"Dad?" I question slowly, "What happened?"

"Harry Clearwater died," He said flatly, almost robot like. "Heart attack."

No.

He was one of my dad's best friends. They've been so ever since they were kids.

"Dad..." I whisper, my voice unable to get any louder. "I'm so sorry."

"He's always had a weak heart," He says, finding a reason to further explain what happened. "Just didn't think it would've been this soon."

"Let's go over there," I suggest, "I'm sure Sue needs our support right now. Leah and Seth too."

I haven't seen either of them in years. I felt awful that this was the circumstance that brought us together again.

"I'll drive you over there," I tell him, standing up from my bed. "Does Jake know?"

"Yeah, Sam filled him in."

I nod, walking out of my room and manage to grab the keys off the kitchen table in a rush. We're out of the house in seconds, my dad lifts himself into the car and we're on the road.

The light hum of the radio fills the silence between us. I glance over at him, to see he has a stone cold look on his face. He's never been one to openly express emotions, always trying to burry them to be there for others.

"What's going through your head?" I ask, keeping my eyes on the road in front of me. "Anything I can help you with? Talk it out maybe?"

"No honey that's alright," He tells me, "I'm honestly just in shock right now."

"Do you know if something caused it?" I ask, "Or if it just randomly happened?"

"A vampire," He explains shortly.

What?

My head snaps over to him in shock. How could that happen?

"A vampire?" I repeat his words. My eyes dance over the dashboard in front of me. "The redhead?"

"You know about her?" He asks.

I nod, "Paul's been filling me in." I press my lips together as I think. "Why the hell is she stuck on this town?"

"Who knows," My father answers solemnly. "But like I said, he's had a weak heart since we were in our twenties. I hate to say it, but something with his heart was bound to happen eventually. Just too bad it had to do with one of them."

"Still doesn't hurt any less when it does happen," I tell him just as we pull into their driveway. "I know how important he was to you."

He only nods, motioning for us to get out of the car. As I walk to the other side, I'm beat to the car door. Embry was already there with the wheelchair, and helps my dad out of his seat. He begins to roll him toward the door, sending me a small closed mouth smile.