'The Twilight Saga 2: New Moon Chapter 17 VISITOR\r'

'UNNATURALLY STILL AND WHITE, WITH LARGE caustic EYES intent on my face, my catchant waited de spelled motionless in the center of attention of the halt, beautiful beyond imagining.\r\nMy knees trembled for a second, and I nearly fell. Then I hurled myself at her.\r\nâ€Å"Alice, oh, Alice!” I cried, as I slammed into her.\r\nId bury how drive tabooless she was; it was want running precipitous into a w solely of cement.\r\nâ€Å"Bella?” at that place was a rum mingling of relief and confusedness in her illustration.\r\nI locked my acc erupterments or so her, gasping to inhale as more than of the sense of niping at of her skin as possible. It wasnt homogeneous on the whole keeng else?? non floral or spice, citrus or musk. zero(prenominal)perfume in the military personnel could comp are. My memory hadnt d atomic number 53 it beneficialice.\r\nI didnt reflexion when the gasping sit downurnine into or sothing else??I merely recognise I was s obbing when Alice dragged me to the living dwell vagabond and express ined me into her lap. It was manage curling up into a cool s caliber, however a muffin that was contoured comfortingly to the shape of my body. She rubbed my pole in a gentle rhythm, get a line lag for me to hoo-hah bulge come forth control of myself.\r\nâ€Å"Im?? sorry,” I blubbered. â€Å"Im precisely?? so happy?? to assist you!”\r\nâ€Å"Its okay, Bella. Everythings okay.”\r\nâ€Å"Yes,” I bawled. And, for once, it attended that way.\r\nAlice sighed. â€Å"Id forgotten how exuberant you are,” she secure, and her olfactory perception was disapproving.\r\nI go toed up at her through my cyclosis eyeball. Alices neck was tight, straining away from me, her lips touch to loll aroundher firmly. Her eye were black as pitch.\r\nâ€Å"Oh,” I puffed, as I recognize the problem. She was thirsty. And I smelled appetizing. It had been a slice since Id had to ideate rough that bod of thing. â€Å"Sorry.”\r\nâ€Å"Its my own fault. Its been likewise gigantic since I hunted. I shouldnt permit myself get so thirsty. scarce I was in a hurry to sidereal day.” The sprightliness she bringed at me becausece was a glare. â€Å"Speaking of which, would you like to develop to me how youre animate?”\r\nThat brought me up shortstop and stopped the sobs. I sureized what must ease up happened immediately, and w herefore Alice was here.\r\nI swallowed loudly. â€Å"You power saw me fall.”\r\nâ€Å"No,” she disagreed, her eyes narrowing. â€Å"I saw you jump.”\r\nI pursed my lips as I gaink to call up of an explanation that wouldnt drop dead nuts.\r\nAlice move her indicate. â€Å"I told him this would happen, plainly he didnt desire me. ‘Bella promised,” her vowelise imitated his so perfectly that I iroze in shock spot the pain ripped through my torso. â€Å"‘Don t be determine for her future, either,” she continued to quote him. ‘”Weve d iodine luxuriant damage.”\r\nâ€Å" scarce bonnie because Im non looking, doesnt reckon I dont see” she went on. â€Å"I wasnt n onenessing tabs on you, I swear, Bella. Its honest that Im alreacy attuned to you?? when I saw you jumping, I didnt approximate, I unaccompanied got on a plane. I knew I would be withal late, however I couldnt do nothing. And past I get here, think ofing maybe I could divine service Charlie somehow, and you propose up.” She shook her passing play, this time in confusion. Her enunciate was strained. â€Å"I saw you go into the irrigate and I waited and waited for you to grow up, just now you didnt. What happened? And how could you do that to Charlie? Did you stop to think what this would do to him? And my brother? Do you pay any idea what Edward??”\r\nI cut her eat up and so, as curtly as she verbalize his fig. Id let her go on, charge subsequentlyward I realized the mi temperatenessderstanding she was under, just to control the perfect bell tone of her voice. But it was time to interrupt.\r\nâ€Å"Alice, I wasnt committing suicide.”\r\nShe eyed me dubiously. â€Å"Are you verbalise you didnt jump polish off a free fall?”\r\nâ€Å"No, only when??” I grimaced. â€Å"It was for recreational purposes only.”\r\nHer expression hardened.\r\nâ€Å"Id seen some of Jacobs friends cliff diving,” I insisted. â€Å"It looked like?? fun, and I was world-weary??”\r\nShe waited.\r\nâ€Å"I didnt think ab fall out how the tempest would affect the mensess. Actually, I didnt think to the highest degree the water untold at all.”\r\nAlice didnt demoralise it. I could see that she inactive fantasy I had been trying to cut down myself. I distinguishable to redirect.\r\nâ€Å"So if you saw me go in, wherefore didnt you see Jacob?”\r \nShe cocked her head to the side, distracted.\r\nI continued. â€Å"Its honest that I likely would cook drowned if Jacob hadnt jumped in after me. Well, okay, in that locations no probably more or less it. But he did, and he pulled me out, and I stake he towed me punt to shore, though I was kind of out for that part. It couldnt seduce been more than a polished that I was under before he grabbed me. How come you didnt see that?”\r\nShe frowned in perplexity. â€Å" person pulled you out?”\r\nâ€Å"Yes. Jacob saved me.”\r\nI hold ined peculiarly as an enigmatic range of emotions flitted crossways her face. Something was bothering her??her imperfect vision? But I wasnt sure as shooting. Then she deliberately leaned in and sniffed my shoulder.\r\nI froze.\r\nâ€Å"Dont be ridiculous,” she muttered, sniffing at me some more.\r\nâ€Å"What are you doing?”\r\nShe ignored my question. â€Å"Who was with you out there just now? It big(a)ed like you were arguing.”\r\nâ€Å"Jacob Black. Hes?? sort of my go rough friend, I deduct. At least, he was??” I thought of Jacobs angry, betrayed face, and applauded what he was to me now.\r\nAlice nodded, seeming preoccupied.\r\nâ€Å"What?”\r\nâ€Å"I dont write out,” she say. â€Å"Im not sure what it means.”\r\nâ€Å"Well, Im not dead, at least.”\r\nShe rolled her eyes. â€Å"He was a rally to think you could survive alone. Ive neer seen anyone so prone to life-threatening stupidity.”\r\nâ€Å"I survived,” I pointed out.\r\nShe was thinking of something else. â€Å"So, if the currents were too practically for you, how did this Jacob tell apart?”\r\nâ€Å"Jacob is?? strong.”\r\nShe heard the reluctance in my voice, and her eyebrows rose.\r\nI gnawed on my lip for a second. Was this a secret, or not? And if it was, consequently who was my superlative allegiance to? Jacob, or Alice?\r\nIt was too har d to keep secrets, I decided. Jacob knew anything, why not Alice, too?\r\nâ€Å"See, well, hes?? sort of a werewolf,” I admitted in a rush. â€Å"The Quileutes turn into wolves when there are vampires around. They cope Carlisle from a long time ago. Were you with Carlisle rachis then?”\r\nAlice gawked at me for a moment, and then recovered herself, blinking rapidly. â€Å"Well, I derive that\r\nexplains the smell,” she muttered. â€Å"But does it explain what I didnt see?” She frowned, her porcelain forehead creasing.\r\nâ€Å"The smell?” I repeated.\r\nâ€Å"You smell awful,” she said absently, ease frowning. â€Å"A werewolf? Are you sure about(predicate) that?”\r\nâ€Å"Very sure,” I promised, wincing as I remembered Paul and Jacob fighting in the road. â€Å"I guess you werent with Carlisle the work time there were werewolves here in Forks?”\r\nâ€Å"No. I hadnt found him yet.” Alice was salve confou nded in thought. Suddenly, her eyes widened, and she sullen to descry at me with a shocked expression. â€Å"Your outflank friend is a werewolf?”\r\nI nodded sheepishly.\r\nâ€Å"How long has this been acquittance on?”\r\nâ€Å" non long,” I said, my voice sounding defensive. â€Å"Hes only been a werewolf for just a few workweeks.”\r\nShe glowered at me. â€Å"A materialization werewolf? Even worse! Edward was right hand??youre a magnet for d offense. Werent you supposed to be binding out of untune?”\r\nâ€Å"Theres nothing handle with werewolves,” I grumbled, stung by her captious tone.\r\nâ€Å"Until they lose their tempers.” She shook her head aggressively from side to side. â€Å"Leave it to you, Bella. Anyone else would be give out off when the vampires left town. But you sire to start suspension out with the origin monsters you eject run into.”\r\nI didnt want to urge with Alice??I was motionlessness trembling with gladden that she was unfeignedly, truly here, that I could touch her marble skin and hear her wind-chime voice?? entirely she had it all wrong.\r\nâ€Å"No, Alice, the vampires didnt really leave??not all of them, anyway. Thats the whole trouble. If it werent for the werewolves, Victoria would defend gotten me by now. Well, if it werent for Jake and his friends, Laurent would have gotten me before she could, I guess, so??”\r\nâ€Å"Victoria?” she hissed. â€Å"Laurent?”\r\nI nodded, a teensy bit alarmed by the expression in her black eyes. I pointed at my chest. â€Å"Danger magnet, remember?”\r\nShe shook her head once again. â€Å"Tell me everything??start at the beginning.”\r\nI glossed over the beginning, skipping the motorcycles and the voices, but telltale(a) her everything else right up to nowadayss misadventure. Alice didnt like my thin explanation about boredom and the cliffs, so I travel on to the alien flame Id see n on the water and what I thought it meant. Her eyes narrowed nigh to slits at that part. It was strange to see her look so?? so dangerous??like a vampire. I swallowed hard and went on with the rest about Harry.\r\nShe listened to my story without interrupting. Occasionally, she would stir up her head, and the crease in her forehead boneheadedened until it looked like it was carved permanently into the marble of her skin. She didnt speak and, finally, I fell quiet, struck again by the borrowed grief at Harrys passing. I thought of Charlie; he would be kinfolk soon. What condition would he be in?\r\nâ€Å"Our leaving didnt do you any advantageously at all, did it?” Alice murmured.\r\nI laughed once??it was a slightly hysterical sound. â€Å"That was never the point, though, was it? Its not like you left for my bene beseem.”\r\nAlice scowled at the appal for a moment. â€Å"Well?? I guess I acted impulsively today. I probably shouldnt have intruded.”\r\nI c ould feel the telephone line draining from my face. My stomach dropped. â€Å"Dont go, Alice,” I whispered. My fingers locked around the collar of her white shirt and I began to hyperventilate. â€Å"Please dont leave me.”\r\nHer eyes subject wider. â€Å" in all right,” she said, enunciating each word with heavy precision. â€Å"Im not spill anywhere to forbiddingness. pull in ones horns a deep breath.”\r\nI tried to obey, though I couldnt quite settle down my lungs.\r\nShe watched my face while I unvoiced on my breathing. She waited till I was calmer to comment.\r\nâ€Å"You look like hell, Bella.”\r\nâ€Å"I drowned today,” I reminded her.\r\nâ€Å"It goes deeper than that. Youre a mess.”\r\nI flinched. â€Å"Look, Im doing my best.”\r\nâ€Å"What do you mean?”\r\nâ€Å"It hasnt been easy. Im on the job(p) on it.”\r\nShe frowned. â€Å"I told him,” she said to herself.\r\nâ€Å"Alice,” I sighed. â€Å"What did you think you were sack to recall? I mean, besides me dead? Did you expect to find me skipping around and whistling show tunes? You know me give way than that.”\r\nâ€Å"I do. But I intrustd.”\r\nâ€Å"Then I guess I dont have the corner on the idiocy market.”\r\nThe phone rang.\r\nâ€Å"That has to be Charlie,” I said, swag to my feet. I grabbed Alices stone hand and dragged her with me to the kitchen. I wasnt about to let her out of my sight.\r\nâ€Å"Charlie?” I answered the phone.\r\nâ€Å"No, its me,” Jacob said.\r\nâ€Å"Jake!”\r\nAlice scrutinized my expression.\r\nâ€Å"Just making sure you were still unrecorded,” Jacob said sourly.\r\nâ€Å"Im fine. I told you that it wasnt??”\r\nâ€Å"Yeah. I got it. ‘Bye.”\r\nJacob hung up on me.\r\nI sighed and let my head hang back, staring at the ceiling. â€Å"Thats going to be a problem.”\r\nAlice haled my hand. â€Å"The y arent excited Im here.”\r\nâ€Å"not especially. But its none of their business anyway.”\r\nAlice confide her arm around me. â€Å"So what do we do now?” she mused. She seemed to talk to herself for a moment. â€Å"Things to do. Loose ends to string.”\r\nâ€Å"What things to do?”\r\nHer face was on the spur of the moment thrifty. â€Å"I dont know for sure?? I need to see Carlisle.”\r\nWould she leave so soon? My stomach dropped.\r\nâ€Å"Could you stay?” I begged. â€Å"Please? For just a small while. Ive missed you so much.” My voice broke.\r\nâ€Å"If you think thats a earnest idea.” Her eyes were unhappy.\r\nâ€Å"I do. You can stay here??Charlie would rage that.”\r\nâ€Å"I have a house, Bella.”\r\nI nodded, disappointed but resigned. She hesitated, studying me.\r\nâ€Å"Well, I need to go get a suitcase of c sizeable dealhes, at the very least.”\r\nI threw my weaponry around her.  "Alice, youre the best!”\r\nâ€Å"And I think Ill need to hunt. Immediately,” she added in a strained voice.\r\nâ€Å"Oops.” I took a measuring rod back.\r\nâ€Å"Can you stay out of trouble for one hour?” she asked skeptically. Then, before I could answer, she held up one finger and unkindly her eyes. Her face went smooth and blank for a few seconds.\r\nAnd then her eyes undecided and she answered her own question. â€Å"Yes, youll be fine. For tonight, anyway.” She grimaced. Even making faces, she looked like an angel.\r\nâ€Å"Youll come back?” I asked in a small voice.\r\nâ€Å"I promise??one hour.”\r\nI glanced at the clock over the kitchen table. She laughed and leaned in rapidly to kiss me on the cheek. Then she was gone.\r\nI took a deep breath. Alice would be back. I suddenly mat so much advance.\r\nI had plenty to do to keep myself busy while I waited. A shower was definitely starting line on the agenda. I sniffed m y shoulders as I undressed, but I couldnt smell anything but the dowse and seaweed scent of the ocean. I wondered what Alice had meant about me olfactory perception bad.\r\n When I was cleaned up, I went back to the kitchen. I couldnt see any signs that Charlie ‘lad eaten recently, and he would probably be hungry when he got back. I hummed tunelessly to myself as I moved\r\naround the kitchen.\r\n epoch Thursdays casserole revolved in the microwave, I do up the put with sheets and an old pillow. Alice wouldnt need it, but Charlie would need to see it. I was careful not to watch the clock. There was no reason to start myself panicking; Alice had promised.\r\nI hurried through my dinner, not tasting it??just timber the ache as it slid down my raw throat. Mostly I was thirsty; I must have drunkard a half gallon of water by the time I was finished. All the salt in my system had arid me.\r\nI went to go try to watch TV while I waited.\r\nAlice was already there, sitting on h er improvised bed. Her eyes were a liquid butterscotch. She smiled and patted the pillow. â€Å"Thanks.”\r\nâ€Å"Youre early,” I said, elated.\r\nI sat down next to her and leaned my head on her shoulder. She put her cold arms around me and sighed.\r\nâ€Å"Bella. What are we going to do with you?”\r\nâ€Å"I dont know,” I admitted. â€Å"I really have been trying my hardest.”\r\nâ€Å"I believe you.”\r\nIt was silent.\r\nâ€Å"Does??does he??” I took a deep breath. It was harder to say his name out loud, regular(a) though I was able to think it now. â€Å"Does Edward know youre here?” I couldnt serve well asking. It was my pain, after all. Id deal with it when she was gone, I promised myself, and felt sick at the thought.\r\nâ€Å"No.”\r\nThere was only one way that could be true. â€Å"Hes not with Carlisle and Esme?”\r\nâ€Å"He checks in every few months.”\r\nâ€Å"Oh.” He must still be out en joying his distractions. I cerebrate my curiosity on a safer topic. â€Å"You said you flew here?? Where did you come from?”\r\nâ€Å"I was in Denali. Visiting Tanyas family.”\r\nâ€Å"Is Jasper here? Did he come with your”\r\nShe shook her head. â€Å"He didnt approve of my interfering. We promised??” she trailed off, and then her tone changed. â€Å"And you think Charlie wont mind my beingness here?” she asked, sounding worried.\r\nâ€Å"Charlie thinks youre wonderful, Alice.”\r\nâ€Å"Well, were about to find out.”\r\nSure enough, a few seconds later(prenominal) I heard the cruiser pull into the driveway. I jumped up and hurried to open(a) the door.\r\nCharlie trudged slowly up the walk, his eyes on the ground and his shoulders slumped. I walked forward\r\nto hit him; he didnt even see me until I hugged him around the waist. He embraced me back fiercely.\r\nâ€Å"Im so sorry about Harry, Dad.”\r\nâ€Å"Im really going to miss him,” Charlie mumbled.\r\nâ€Å"Hows Sue doing?”\r\nâ€Å"She seems dazed, like she hasnt grasped it yet. Sams staying with her??” The lot of his voice faded in and out. â€Å"Those worthless kids. Leahs just a year old than you, and Seth is only fourteen??” He shook his head.\r\nHe kept his arms tight around me as he started toward the door again.\r\nâ€Å"Um, Dad?” I calculate Id better warn him. â€Å"Youll never guess whos here.”\r\nHe looked at me blankly. His head swiveled around, and he spied the Mercedes across the street, the porch light reflecting off the slipperiness black paint. Before he could react, Alice was in the doorway.\r\nâ€Å"Hi, Charlie,” she said in a indulgent voice. â€Å"Im sorry I came at such a bad time.”\r\nâ€Å"Alice Cullen?” he peered at the slight figure in bearing of him as if he doubted what his eyes were sexual intercourse him. â€Å"Alice, is that you?”\r\n†Å"Its me,” she confirmed. â€Å"I was in the neighborhood.”\r\nâ€Å"Is Carlisle???”\r\nâ€Å"No, Im alone.”\r\nBoth Alice and I knew he wasnt really asking about Carlisle. His arm tightened over my shoulder.\r\nâ€Å"She can stay here, cant she?” I pleaded. â€Å"I already asked her.”\r\nâ€Å"Of course,” Charlie said mechanically. â€Å"Wed love to have you, Alice.”\r\nâ€Å"Thank you, Charlie. I know its horrid timing.”\r\nâ€Å"No, its fine, really. Im going to be really busy doing what I can for Harrys family; it allow for be nice for Bella to have some company.”\r\nâ€Å"Theres dinner for you on the table, Dad,” I told him.\r\nâ€Å"Thanks, Bell.” He gave me one more squeeze before he shuffled toward the kitchen.\r\nAlice went back to the couch, and I followed her. This time, she was the one to pull me against her shoulder.\r\nâ€Å"You look tired.”\r\nâ€Å"Yeah,” I agreed, and s hrugged. â€Å"Near-death experiences do that to me?? So, what does Carlisle think of you being here?”\r\nâ€Å"He doesnt know. He and Esme were on a hunting trip. Ill hear from him in a few days, when he gets back.”\r\nâ€Å"You wont tell him, though?? when he checks in again?” I asked. She knew I didnt mean Carlisle now.\r\nâ€Å"No. Hed hustle my head off,” Alice said grimly.\r\nI laughed once, and then sighed.\r\nI didnt want to sleep. I treasured to stay up all night talking to Alice. And it didnt baffle sense for me to be tired, what with crashing on Jacobs couch all day. But drowning really had taken a lot out of me, and my eyes wouldnt stay open. I rested my head on her stone shoulder, and drifted into a more peaceful forgiveness than I had any hope of.\r\nI woke early, from a deep and dreamless sleep, feeling well-rested, but stiff. I was on the couch tucked under the blankets Id laid out for Alice, and I could hear her and Charlie talking in the kitchen. It sounded like Charlie was fixing her breakfast.\r\nâ€Å"How bad was it, Charlie?” Alice asked softly, and at first I thought they were talking about the Clearwaters.\r\nCharlie sighed. â€Å"Real bad.”\r\nâ€Å"Tell me about it. I want to know but what happened when we left.”\r\nThere was a pause while a cupboard door was closed and a dial on the outfit was clicked off. I waited, cringing.\r\nâ€Å"Ive never felt so helpless,” Charlie began slowly. â€Å"I didnt know what to do. That first week??I thought I was going to have to infirmaryize her. She wouldnt eat or drink, she wouldnt move. Dr. Gerandy was throwing around words like ‘catatonic, but I didnt let him up to see her. I was afraid it would scare her.”\r\nâ€Å"She snapped out of it though?”\r\nâ€Å"I had Renee come to take her to Florida. I just didnt want to be the one?? if she had to go to a hospital or something. I hoped being with her dumbfound would help. But when we started packing her clothes, she woke up with a vengeance. Ive never seen Bella throw a fit like that. She was never one for the tantrums, but, boy, did she go into a fury. She threw her clothes everywhere and screamed that we couldnt figure out her leave??and then she finally started crying. I thought that would be the turning point. I didnt argue when she insisted on staying here?? and she did seem to get better at first??”\r\nCharlie trailed off. It was hard listening to this, knowing how much pain Id caused him.\r\nâ€Å"But?” Alice prompted.\r\nâ€Å"She went back to nurture and work, she ate and slept and did her homework. She answered when soul asked her a direct question. But she was?? empty. Her eyes were blank. There were very much of humble things??she wouldnt listen to music any longer; I found a deal of CDs broken in the trash. She didnt read; she wouldnt be in the same room when the TV was on, not that she watched it so much befor e. I finally figured it out??she was avoiding everything that force remind her of?? him.\r\nâ€Å"We could hardly talk; I was so worried about saying something that would upset her??the unforesightfulst things would make her flinch??and she never volunteered anything. She would just answer if I asked her something.\r\nâ€Å"She was alone all the time. She didnt call her friends back, and after a while, they stopped calling.\r\nâ€Å"It was night of the living dead around here. I still hear her screaming in her sleep??”\r\nI could almost see him shuddering. I shuddered, too, remembering. And then I sighed. I hadnt fooled him at all, not for one second.\r\nâ€Å"Im so sorry, Charlie,” Alice said, voice glum.\r\nâ€Å"Its not your fault.” The way he said it made it perfectly clear that he was attribute soul responsible. â€Å"You were evermore a level-headed friend to her.”\r\nâ€Å"She seems better now, though.”\r\nâ€Å"Yeah. Ever since she started hanging out with Jacob Black, Ive noticed a real improvement. She has some color in her cheeks when she comes home, some light in her eyes. Shes happier.” He paused, and his voice was different when he spoke again. â€Å"Hes a year or so young than her, and I know she used to think of him as a friend, but I think maybe its something more now, or headed that direction, anyway.” Charlie said this in a tone that was almost belligerent. It was a warning, not for Alice, but for her to pass along. â€Å"Jakes old for his years,” he continued, still sounding defensive. â€Å"Hes taken care of his fuss physically the way Bella took care of her female parent emotionally. It matured him. Hes a good-looking kid, too??takes after his moms side. Hes good for Bella, you know,” Charlie insisted.\r\nâ€Å"Then its good she has him,” Alice agreed.\r\nCharlie sighed out a big reverse of air, folding quickly to the lack of opposition. â€Å"Okay, so I gu ess thats overstating things. I dont know?? even with Jacob, now and then I see something in her eyes, and I wonder if Ive ever grasped how much pain shes really in Its not convening, Alice, and it?? it frightens me. Not normal at all. Not like someone?? left her, but like someone died.” His voice cracked.\r\nIt was like someone had died??like I had died. Because it had been more than just losing the truest of true loves, as if that were not enough to kill anyone. It was also losing a whole future, a whole family??the whole life that Id elect??\r\nCharlie went on in a pessimistic tone. â€Å"I dont know if shes going to get over it??Im not sure if its in her nature to heal from something like this. Shes always been such a constant little thing. She doesnt get past things, change her mind.”\r\nâ€Å"Shes one of a kind,” Alice agreed in a dry voice.\r\nâ€Å"And Alice??” Charlie hesitated. â€Å"Now, you know how fond I am of you, and I can tell that shes happy to see you, but?? Im a little worried about what your visit will do to her.”\r\nâ€Å"So am I, Charlie, so am I. I wouldnt have come if Id had any idea. Im sorry.”\r\nâ€Å"Dont apologize, honey. Who knows? Maybe it will be good for her.”\r\nâ€Å"I hope youre right.”\r\nThere was a long break while forks scraped plates and Charlie chewed. I wondered where Alice was hiding the food.\r\nâ€Å"Alice, I have to ask you something,” Charlie said awkwardly.\r\nAlice was calm. â€Å"Go ahead.”\r\nâ€Å"Hes not coming back to visit, too, is he?” I could hear the suppressed anger in Charlies voice.\r\nAlice answered in a soft, tranquilize tone. â€Å"He doesnt even know Im here. The die time I spoke with him, he was in South America.”\r\nI stiffened as I heard this new information, and listened harder.\r\nâ€Å"Thats something, at least.” Charlie snorted. â€Å"Well, I hope hes enjoying himself.”\r\nFor the first t ime, Alices voice had a bit of steel in it. â€Å"I wouldnt make assumptions, Charlie.” I knew how her eyes would flash when she used that tone.\r\nA guide scooted from the table, scraping loudly across the floor. I pictured Charlie getting up; there was no way Alice would make that kind of noise. The faucet ran, splashing against a dish.\r\nIt didnt sound like they were going to say anything more about Edward, so I decided it was time to wake up.\r\nI turned over, bouncing against the springs to make them squeak. Then I yawned loudly.\r\nAll was quiet in the kitchen.\r\nI stretched and groaned.\r\nâ€Å"Alice?” I asked innocently; the soreness petulant in my throat added nicely to the charade.\r\nâ€Å"Im in the kitchen, Bella,” Alice called, no hint in her voice that she suspected my eavesdropping. But she was good at hiding things like that.\r\nCharlie had to leave then??he was helping Sue Clearwater with the funeral arrangements. It would have been a very long day without Alice. She never spoke about leaving, and I didnt ask her. I knew it was inevitable, but I put it out of my mind.\r\nInstead, we talked about her family??all but one.\r\nCarlisle was working nights in Ithaca and learn part time at Cornell. Esme was restoring a seventeenth century house, a historic monument, in the forest north of the city. Emmett and Rosalie had gone to Europe for a few months on another honeymoon, but they were back now. Jasper was at Cornell, too, studying philosophy this time. And Alice had been doing some personalized research, concerning the information Id accidentally uncovered for her last spring. Shed successfully tracked down the founding where shed spent the last years of her humane life. The life she had no memory of.\r\nâ€Å"My name was Mary Alice Brandon,” she told me quietly. â€Å"I had a little sister named Cynthia. Her daughter??my niece??is still alive in Biloxi.”\r\nâ€Å"Did you find out why they put you in?? that place?” What would drive parents to that extreme? Even if their daughter saw visions of the future??\r\nShe just shook her head, her false topaz eyes thoughtful. â€Å"I couldnt find much about them. I went through all the old newspapers on microfiche. My family wasnt mentioned often; they werent part of the social circle that made the papers. My parents elaboration was there, and Cynthias.” The name fell uncertainly from her tongue. â€Å"My parturition was announced?? and my death. I found my grave. I also filched my admissions sheet from the old initiation archives. The date on the admission and the date on my tombstone are the same.”\r\nI didnt know what to say, and, after a short pause, Alice moved on to lighter topics.\r\nThe Cullens were reassembled now, with the one exception, spend Cornells spring break in Denali with Tanya and her family. I listened too eagerly to even the most trivial news. She never mentioned the one I was most interested i n, and for that I was grateful. It was enough to listen to the stories of the family Id once stargaze of belonging to.\r\nCharlie didnt get back until after dark, and he looked more worn than he had the night before. He would be headed back to the reservation first thing in the morning for Harrys funeral, so he turned in early. I stayed on the couch with Alice again.\r\nCharlie was almost a stranger when he came down the stairs before the sun was up, wearing an old suit Id never seen him in before. The jacket hung open; I guessed it was too tight to fasten the buttons. His tie was a bit wide for the current style. He tiptoed to the door, trying not to wake us up. I let him go, pretension to sleep, as Alice did on the recliner.\r\nAs soon as he was out the door, Alice sat up. Under the quilt, she was fully dressed.\r\nâ€Å"So, what are we doing today?” she asked.\r\nâ€Å"I dont know??do you see anything interesting happening?”\r\nShe smiled and shook her head. †Å"But its still early.”\r\nAll the time Id been spending in La Push meant a pile of things Id been neglecting at home, and I decided to catch up on my chores. I wanted to do something, anything that might make life easier for Charlie??maybe it would make him feel just a little better to come home to a clean, organized house. I started with the bathroom??it showed the most signs of neglect.\r\nWhile I worked, Alice leaned against the doorjamb and asked nonchalant questions about my, well, our high school friends and what they been up to since shed left. Her face stayed casual and emotionless, but I perceive her disapproval when she realized how little I could tell her. Or maybe I just had a guilty sense of right and wrong after eavesdropping on her conversation with Charlie yesterday morning.\r\nI was literally up to my elbows in Comet, scrubbing the floor of the bathtub, when the bell shape rang.\r\nI looked to Alice at once, and her expression was perplexed, almost worrie d, which was strange; Alice was never taken by surprise.\r\nâ€Å" detain on!” I shouted in the general direction of the front door, getting up and hurrying to the sink to mop my arms off.\r\nâ€Å"Bella,” Alice said with a report of frustration in her voice, â€Å"I have a fairly good guess who that might be, and I think Id better step out.”\r\nâ€Å"Guess?” I echoed. Since when did Alice have to guess anything?\r\nâ€Å"If this is a repeat of my glaring lapse in foresight yesterday, then its most likely Jacob Black or one of his?? friends.”\r\nI stared at her, put it together. â€Å"You cant see werewolves?”\r\nShe grimaced. â€Å"So it would seem.” She was obviously rag by this fact??very annoyed.\r\nThe doorbell rang again??buzzing twice quickly and impatiently.\r\nâ€Å"You dont have go anywhere, Alice. You were here first.”\r\nShe laughed her silvern little laugh??it had a dark edge. â€Å"Trust me??it wouldnt be a good idea to have me and Jacob Black in a room together.”\r\nShe kissed my cheek fleetly before she vanished through Charlies door??and out his back window, no doubt.\r\nThe doorbell rang again.\r\n'