Soul not Included

Chapter 98

Simon was asleep the next morning. After feeding I kicked him out of the room and fell asleep myself feeling slightly faint from the loss of blood. He must have snuck in at night since he was on my bed when I woke up. Charlie and I just stood by the doorway. Both of us probably just in awe of his audacity to be there. 

It was insulting to me. How forgiving he must think i am... to just let it all get swept up under the rug just because it's him. And to just sneak onto my bed while Charlie is here, while i purposely kicked him out... there's seriously no concern there.

"He's really here huh," Charlie muttered.

I nodded.

"Did you tell Sue?" I asked.

"... she's kind of kind of peeved," he said. "After years and... and they just... I'm kind of peeved myself. There's so much I don't know and you, so much you had to go through."

"Don't worry about it. Let's go."

"You sure about that? If you feel like... like you got to stay."

"No. We were going to the studio today," i said. "You and me time. Like we planned. Simon changes nothing."

"Mari..." he whispered.

"Dad. My life isn't going to stop just because he's back... come on, we gonna have breakfast at the Lodge, or what?" I playfully smacked his shoulder. He smiled at me but only nodded in response as he pushed me ahead and closed the door to my room.

Charlie was turning fifty five this year. With the stress lines on him I'd swear he was older. Poor thing. Bella and I both put him through hell. I regret that every damn second. The last thing i want to do to him is place him on the back burner just because Simon returned. While everyone else had stayed gone and or didn't bother to fill me in on the updates of anything that was happening... Charlie and Sue were a constant... today was going to be— is going to be a celebration. Celebrate Charlie. A day just for him with everything he loves. Breakfast at the lodge with a few friends that have time to be there. A few hours alone at the studio watching films with some reservation friends and playing games. Sue will come a bit later. We will make a feast and I'll play happy birthday for him on the piano while the pack sing it completely out of synch. Tone deaf, those boys. Don't know how many birthdays went by listening to all of their disorganized singing. Then the boys will get drunk. We will eat cake and the boys will all run out at some point and I'll go hide away at some corner of the studio while they go back home to enjoy the rest of his birthday alone.

They didnt have another kid. Much to my dismay. I think I would have liked to have a younger brother or sister. Someone I can pay attention to. Take care of... 

Bella and Charlotte did come by for a Christmas or two... that's how much time I had with my daughter. A Christmas or two... Bella kept her lips sealed when I asked her about her trip to Italy. Charlotte told me what she could. She didn't know much. They kept her in the dark. Vampires are good at that it seems. To keep people in the dark. Jacob didn't even tell her anything which made her really upset. He didn't spend time with me, probably to avoid telling me anything too. He did go talk to Leah though. 

Through her I learned... nothing. Just that everything was okay.

Just like Edward told me over a phone call. Everything was okay. 

Just like I tell myself every night. Everything was okay.

Everything was okay.

After the Lodge we took a slow drive over to the studio. he drives me there so often that he no longer got lost looking for the dark and barely visible driveway. We still tied a pink ribbon around a tree trunk to help regardless. Especially for when we drive in the dark.