The Dead of Night

Chapter Eleven

Chapter 11: Dinner Conversation

"You want me to do what?" Ary laughed hysterically when I delivered Charlie's dinner invitation. My face had been bright red and I even stuttered as I invited her over. "You're serious?" she remarked after judging my sheepish face. "Bella, I'd love to but…well, I can't eat human food—not successfully anyway." She smiled ruefully and crossed her arms.

"Just do what we do," Eric interjected with a mischievous grin. "Bring it up later."

Ary stared at him with a silent and blank expression before shaking her head. "Do me a favor," she replied with a monotone voice. "Don't speak and try not to think." She immediately turned back to me. "I'm really sorry Bella. Just tell him I'm busy."

I exhaled heavily as I saw the hole in her logic. Charlie was never one to hob nob with strangers; there was a hidden purpose behind his motive.

"Ary, it's not just a dinner invite," I said and rested my head on my fist. "He's using it as an excuse to meet the 'new family.'" I lifted my hands to mime quotation signs in the air. "I hate to say it," I continued, "but it'd be a lot easier for me, if I didn't have to sneak around." I smiled sheepishly as she pondered what I had said.

Twiddling my fingers anxiously, I hoped she'd find a way to help me appease Charlie. She exhaled heavily and shrugged. "I guess you can expect me at seven," she said despondently and slouched in surrender.

The day sped by—probably because I was secretly dreading the evening—and before I knew it, I was driving home. I stomped on the brakes as I realized that I had no idea what to cook. My mind raced over different possibilities as I made a U-turn and headed to the grocery store. The tiny shop was decorated with black and orange streamers, signifying the approach of Halloween—and Eric's 122nd birthday. I groaned as I remembered that I was invited to the vampire soiree. What should I wear? A costume or a ball gown, what?

Forcing the incessant barrage of questions to the back of my head, I focused on the task at hand. My eyes poured over the frozen dinners and I grimaced. I want to make this as painless as possible for Ary. The last thing I wanted was for Ary to go through the pain of regurgitating and entire meal.

I meandered around and found myself in the meat department, staring at a pack of venison steaks. I reached forward and grabbed two packages. Lots of people order their steaks rare. I nodded and headed towards the front of the store.

Ten minutes later, I was packing my purchases in the truck, and six minutes later I was unpacking them at home. After a quick call to Charlie—telling him Ary would be at the house by seven—I began prepping the marinade for the meat.

Charlie arrived home at 5:30, commented positively on my choice of meat, and settled down in front of the television. The atmosphere was tense, as I regularly check the clock, anxious for our guest to arrive. Charlie must have been equally nervous. Aside from the fact that he never really entertained guests, other than Billy and some others, he wasn't the most out spoken man. Just like me, Charlie kept to himself. However, after my flight to Phoenix last spring and my unusual behavior after the Cullens left, his habits had slowly begun to shift. His interest in me and my life had heightened, which annoyed me to no end.