Familiar Strangers (A Twilight Fanfic)

Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

Gabriel…

When I left Bella’s house, I drove down to the corner stop sign and parked. I didn’t want to be very far if she needed me quickly. Being so close to the house, knowing that I would be able to hear their conversation, intrusiveness wasn’t my forte’. So listening to the crowd inside the corner store gave Bella privacy from my desirable sensitivity to hear their discussion.

“Pat, you hard-headed old fool; for the last time, I’m not going out on a date with you. I have a hard enough time just trying to get to the bathroom on time. I can’t go worrying myself if I’ll have an accident if you make me laugh too hard.” An old lady inside the corner store said.

“Ah come on Mable, I know you buy Depends. They’re in your cart. I just ask for one date. You’re not gonna go and hurt my feelings now, are ya?”

“Hi there, Pat and Mable. I really don’t want to get on you two again, but you’re disrupting the other customers. Can you both try and be quiet? Pat do you have your hearing aids in?”

“Oh I don’t need those annoying things. I can hear just fine without them.” Pat grunted.

“He just can’t hear the word ‘NO.” Mable responded under her breath.

The store clerk now rose her voice this time to ensure that Pat could hear her correctly. “Please Pat, I’ll have to ask you to leave again if you don’t quiet down a bit. I’m sure Mable would like to finish her shopping too.”

“She has her Depends right in the cart. No reason why that old tart can’t go out on a date with me.”

“Patrick Hennessey, Why I…well…don’t you speak to me again like that or I’ll…”

“Do what Mable? Just one date. I’ve had my eye on you. Come on now you’re overdue. How long since your husband died? That stubborn man never took you anywhere when he was here…”

“Okay you two. Pat, I’m sorry, but I’m going to have to ask you to leave the store…again.”

The old people captured an audience inside and they were giggling like school children. I wish I were inside to witness Pat’s attempt at getting a date. One of the younger viewers yelled across the store,

“If you two don’t stop soon, I might need to borrow your Depends.” The whole store began laughing uncontrollably and I was close to doing the same.

I was enjoying this bizarre confrontation with the old people, but it was short lived when I heard Edward driving up from behind. I jumped out of the car realizing his impatience had the better of him. Edward stood in front of me by the time I shut the driver side door behind me. He is fast, I’ll give him that. In all my years on this earth, I never endured an ex-boyfriend of any kind. Edward stood hard, his eyes shifting from one decision and then another. The last thing I wanted was to make Bella more upset, so I tried to play nice.

“Hello Edward, can I help you with anything?”

“I will find out what you want with Bella. It would be in your best interest to walk away from her…now.”

“Well I am terribly sorry to inform you that I plan on staying in her life.”

Edward walked a step closer. Clearly Edward underestimated me, but my focus was not on a fight with Edward; it was to keep the peace for Bella. “You hurt her in any way and…”Edward began.

“Now, I have to stop you right there.” My patience was thinning fast. “If you are worried about her being hurt in any way than might I suggest that you take a look in the mirror. Her pain has been caused by you, not me and I do not plan on joining your one man club, so you have no worries.”