The Little Things

14. A Question

After Christmas I had no school until after the New Year. I spent as much time as possible down on the Rez with Jacob and my friends. Every few days Jacob would look at me funny or start saying something, but either got interrupted or stopped himself. One day we were in the garage and he began to say something.

"Hey, did you want to..."

"Jacob!" Embry burst into the garage with Quil directly behind him. He stopped short when Jacob glared at him. "Oops. Did we interrupt something?"

Jacob sighed and shook his head. "No, go ahead."

"Okay. So you know how..."

And off he went on a long spiel about this and that and Jacob's earlier words were forgotten.

Another such time was over a meal.

"This is delicious!" Jacob moaned, inhaling the turkey casserole I made and brought over for him and Billy.

"Thank you. It is pretty good," I commented as I took a bite of my own.

He pushed back his already empty plate and patted his stomach. "I could eat that all day."

"I can tell," I said smiling. I took another bite.

Billy nodded his agreement. "Not much beats this, except for the secret Black family recipe of spaghetti sauce."

I laughed, Billy's secret recipe was well bragged by him, but in all fairness, he did make really good spaghetti sauce.

"Would you be interested in... Are you okay?" Jacob nervously began, but then that quickly turned into worry.

I gasped for breath. Unfortunately, while laughing, my food a bit got stuck in my throat and I could barely breathe. I waved my hand at my throat and spluttered. "Can't, can't breath."

Jacob leaped up and rushed over to me. I bent over with the effort of trying to cough. He held my shoulders and thumped me between the shoulder blades three times. I coughed harder and dislodged the object restricting my breathing. I inhaled deeply and nodded that I was ok.

Billy rolled his chair back to the table from over by the phone. "I wouldn't want to have to call your dad and say that you had been rushed off to the hospital for choking on your supper."

Jacob breathed deeply. "Don't scare me like that!" He exclaimed.

"Scare you? I was more worried about breathing!" I coughed. The uncomfortable feeling was only beginning to fade.

On New Year's Eve, Dad and I stayed home because of Bella. We didn't leave her alone if we could help it. Dad was quite worried about her and I wondered when he would do something to make her snap out of it.

New Year's Day was spent with the Clearwaters and the Blacks. Dad and the adults sat in the living room of the Clearwaters house while Jacob, Seth, and I played UNO. Bella chose to stay home even though both dad and I asked her to come. Leah sat and watched us for two rounds and then joined in. She actually smiled and laughed a little, much to the pleasure of everyone. Ever since Sam broke up with her for Emily she had become bitter and angry, far from the happy and exuberant girl I had known before. I couldn't blame her. If Jacob left me for my cousin I would be really angry too. 'Where did that thought come from? We aren't dating,' I frowned. As much as I loved Emily's friendship, I couldn't help but feel hurt for her. I also felt bad for Emily, so I was kind of caught in the middle.

"Liana! It's your turn! Put down something good or Jake will win again!" Seth nudged me, which thankfully startled me out of my controversial thoughts.