Parallax

Chapter 6

"You've got everything under control then"

Bella was glad with her response. Of course, the outcome may still change but knowing that Alice could already see a vision of Charlie agreeing or maybe a vision of her already in Alaska, that was a good thing.

When Alice left a few minutes later, Bella continued what she was doing in the kitchen and after almost an hour of relearning her cooking skills, she thought the outcome was not that bad.

Leaving the kitchen, she spent the rest of the day cleaning the house then. It was already late in the afternoon when she finished but she was very pleased with the outcome. The house looked different than when she first arrived. It was much more alive this time. Bella cleaned herself up and still had enough time before Charlie returns. She was in her room when she remembered the floorboard.

She went to it and let her hands feel the opening until she found a part where she could easily pry it open without the need for any tools.

She was surprised at what she saw. There were items that were still wrapped in birthday wrappers. The pictures that Bella thought was lacking in her room where all here. Everything that was related to Edward, we're hidden here.

Was it Bella that hid these items?

She held a picture of Edward and her together. She traced her face in the picture who wasn't looking at the Camera but at Edward. They were looking into each other's eyes and she saw happiness. She told herself that she couldn't see herself with Edward as more than her brother but here, seeing proof of a Bella Swan who looked at Edward with love and Edward looking at her like she's the only thing that mattered in the world made her strengthen her resolve that she was going to make sure that she wasn't leaving this past and reality without making sure that this Edward and this Bella gets back together.

Bella's musing was interrupted by the sound of her father's car pulling up into the driveway. Placing the things on top of the drawer, instead of back on the floorboard, she headed down towards the kitchen where she started to prepare her dinner with Charlie.

Bella had the food ready in the table when Charlie came in the kitchen after changing.

She reached out to him and gave him a hug which Charlie reciprocated.

She wanted to ask if he was going to be okay but she didn't think that was going to do any good.

Charlie heaved a sigh. "I'm going to miss him... "Bella held her father's hand. She was suddenly feeling guilty about leaving Charlie in this moment of grief. She was supposed to hold it off until everything gets back to normal but she realized that things will never be normal again and as much as she treasured this moment that she was here with her father, who was still alive, this Bella should be the one comforting Charlie and not her.

"I know... we all will" Bella agreed wistfully. She led her father to the table where Charlie finally noticed the food. He looked up at Bella who was already sitting down and handing him the food. He was at a loss for words. That was when he really looked at his surroundings.

"You cooked." Charlie said disbelievingly. Bella nodded.

"I didn't have anything else to do" she said nonchalantly.

Charlie looked at her like he wasn't sure what to make of it.

"Let's eat? " Bella gestured to the food. There was awkward silence while the two of them were having dinner. Bella focused on the taste of her food, savoring the feeling of each ingredient that she can taste in her mouth again after all those time that it had tasted like ash when she had those unfortunate moments that require her to eat human food to blend in.