Inseparable

Chapter 7

Charlie

“So, we were thinking we'd leave pretty early, and be back around dinner time,” Bella said as she speared another bite of chicken. The kids were planning on going to Seattle the Saturday after next, skipping their first school dance in Forks. Bella assured me that neither of them attended those kinds of things back in Phoenix, and Beau reminded me that dancing wasn't in their wheelhouse since they'd both inherited my grace. I couldn't deny that.

I didn't like them going into the city by themselves. I’d offered to postpone the fishing trip I had planned so I could go with them- Beau could hang out with me while Bella tried on clothes and we could all grab lunch somewhere together. We hadn't spent much time as a family until recently, and soon enough they'd be heading off to college, so I wanted to make the best of these next few years.

“You don't really want to spend all day at the mall, do you?” Bella chided, urging me to go fishing. I suppose I should've put up a better fight, but they seemed to have the whole day planned- the mall, the bookstore… I would stay home on Sunday, maybe we'd go out for dinner.

“Just watch the fuel gauge, and stay together…” I started to tell Bella to keep an eye on her brother, but it didn't seem appropriate anymore- the boy was taller than I was now, and pretty responsible. They were smart kids, grown up for their age, they could look after each other.

Maybe this would be good for them. They seemed pretty bummed lately, and I worried that they were going to want to leave. I talked to Renee on the phone last week, she had said they were always like that- quiet and introverted- but to me they seemed unhappy.

“You sure you two don't want to go to that dance? Nothin’ wrong with going stag, you know…” They hadn't been here that long, maybe they just hadn't found anyone to go with. I wanted them to fit in, to make some friends and really like it here.

“Dad…” Bella groaned.

“Alright, alright” I put my hands up in resignation.

Beau had started clearing the dinner dishes and Bella joined him. I made a mental note to leave some cash for them to spend on Saturday- after all, they did a lot around the house. I watched TV for a bit, then decided to turn in early. As I drifted off I heard Bella and Beau come upstairs. They both talked in their sleep; I'd hear them mumbling as I passed by their rooms on my way down to the kitchen early in the morning. It reminded me of Renee- she used to talk at night too. I rolled over and punched the pillow, drifting off to sleep.

Edythe

When we returned from school Edward had gone hunting. It was near midnight and he still had yet to return. Alice, Jasper and I had gone on a hunt of our own, and after draining a small elk, I finally focused on my brother’s thoughts. I could see that he was running, but he didn't seem to be thinking about his destination. He did that sometimes, we both did, just ran and ran to clear out heads.

Alice suddenly sucked in a sharp breath, dropping her prey to the ground. I watched her vision unfold: a dark lawn, an old pickup truck, a little white two-story house, a window opening slowly- Edward was going after Bella.

I jumped up, ready to give chase, but Alice called for me to stop. In her mind I saw my brother, in what appeared to be Bella’s room. He sat silently in an old wooden rocking chair, just staring at the sleeping girl. Alice trusted her vision and believed that Edward didn't intend to harm the girl, but the future was ever changing and I wasn't sure that he would be able to control himself.

‘What the hell are you doing?’ I thought to Edward.

‘I'm not sure… not entirely. I have to see her, Edythe.’