Soul not Included

Chapter 27

Charlie had a hard time accepting it when i told him Edward was going to pick me up for school. In that morning Charlie and I spent the rest of the early hours unburying all of my clothes and books. I held them close to me. My other life lines. Everything that is mine. This is mine.

Charlie made breakfast as i got ready. And we ate together until the purr of the Volvo hit our ears. There was a knock at the door but i didn't go get it. I looked up at Charlie and nudged my head in that direction.

"Do you want to lay some ground rules?" I asked him.

Charlie scowled, "you bet i do." He got up.

"Go get em dad." I joked which worked in lightening up his mood.

Charlie opened the door and let Edward in greeting him curtly. Edward responded in a more pleasant and apologetic tone. They both came to the kitchen where i took my time with my tea. Charlie took his seat and he gestured for Edward to sit. I couldn't tell if Edward was able to pick up the story from Charlie's head but i figured he'd be able to work with it since i didn't actually lie about it. Albeit omitted of some truth.

"First of all, i don't like you." Charlie started. I snorted into my tea and had to work hard to stop coughing. I gestured for dad to continue when he turned a worried glance my way, "be that as it may, Bella tells me you're having a rough time of it."

Edward looked at me and back to Charlie, "yes sir."

"Do your parents know?" Charlie asked.

"Yes, they are most grateful to everything Isabella has done for me." Edward said. "I apologize that it got as far as it did."

Charlie nodded his head neither denying or accepting the apology. 

"My daughter is grounded now and i don't want you anywhere near her... but i know how hard it is when you're unwell," Charlie looked at me. I gave him a short nod, "Bella is better now that she got to talk to you again. You won't date." He immediately said.

Edward gave his approval of it. "Yes sir."

"Besides school and work she won't be allowed to spend time with you. You won't be allowed in the house,"

"Be nice dad." I muttered.

He shot me a critical gaze. I shrugged and offered no more commentary.

Charlie sighed, "Visiting hours on school days until four. And on weekends until six on the dot."

Edward smiled, "it's more than i deserve. Thank you sir."

Charlie grumbled probably expecting both of us to have been more difficult that we were actually being. I finished my tea and got up to get my bag leaving Charlie some more time to talk to Edward for a while. 

Charlie left at the same time we did. The drive quickly relaxing me long enough to think about what to do next. In which case i needed more information.

"Can you tell me what the others are thinking?" I asked.

Edward took a while to think, "Alice and Jasper have told everyone about you already. They want to talk to you. I told them to give you some time. Rosalie is conflicted a bit. She apologized sincerely and she feels it went to waste... but to be honest, she didn't really like Bella much."

I sighed, "not your family. In school." I clarified and he frowned.

"Oh." He turned into the parking lot and tried to think of everything that he remembered and was picking up at this moment. "I can't tell anything right now. I'll let you know when i hear something."