The Powerful Swan

Fifteen

"So Ravyn" Charlie asks me as I finish some final details to the new club my family in New York is planning on opening in Seattle—looking up I see Charlie look at me "want me to make you a sandwich?" I shake my head, I close the file and put it away to see Charlie look my way every now and then "So" he asks "your heading back to New York next week?"

"No" shaking my head "there's something in Seattle that needs my attention"

"Oh?" He asks "what's that?"

"Business" mom and dad have decided to take their clubs national or whatever, so they are having me find a place in Seattle that would be perfect to open up a club.

We see Bella walk in, she glared at me having me roll my eyes—Charlie wondering why Bella is so angry with me. "Want me to make you a sandwich?"

"No thanks" shaking her head

"The sister" Charlie refers to Alice, she was here about ten minutes ago to give him Bella's alibi for the battle "I like"

"Alice" nodding her head "yeah, she's great" why is her heart racing? "Hey dad, I was wondering—why didn't you get remarried?" I look up from where I'm doing my research. That is a good question.

"Yeah" Charlie and Bella look at me "why haven't you gotten remarried?"

"Uh" he looks at the both of us "I don't know, guess I still haven't met the right gal" he lets out a forced laugh looking at us "why?"

"Bella and I will be leaving soon" I say, he looks at me "lonely? I don't know, have you thought of a dating site?"

He stares at me then looks at Bella who says "I just thought you maybe gave up on the whole institution of it, you know? Marriage, do you think there's any value in it?"

Charlie sets down the knife he had to look at her "yeah, I think there's value in marriage. When you are older" looking at me "the both of you, much older...like your mother. It seemed to work out fine the second time around, later in life"

"Yeah" Bella agrees, oh is this about her being turned? I swear Edward you have the worst ways of asking a woman to marry you "I guess"

"I mean, you definitely don't want to have to get married" oh this is just getting good "because you weren't careful"

"What?" I cough on a laugh, man I maybe younger than Bella but I'm not that clueless as to what Charlie is saying.

"Look, you know what I'm talking about" he says "there's things that you need to consider if your going to be physically intimate"

"Oh...okay" she backs away from Charlie who holds his hands up "don't have the talk"

"Look, it's just as embarrassing as it is for me as it is for you" looking at me "the both of you"

"Renee" crossing my arms "gave us this talk when we were like seven"

"Yeah" Bella agrees with me "mom beat you to it like ten years ago"

"Well" Charlie says "you didn't have a boyfriend ten years ago" looking at me "and"

"I'm on birth control" I tell him "take the pill" he nods his head liking that answer, though I can tell he wished he wasn't that.

"I'm sure things work the same way" Bella says, I go to my purse and grab some condoms.

"Here" they look my way as I het up to hand Bella some condoms "condoms, should be the right size. If not, I have more" Bella turns a bright red.

"Alright" Charlie looks at us as I step back also embarrassed "so you both are safe, good"

"No" Bella shakes her head

"Wait?!" Charlie asks "your not being safe? Your not using protection?"

She blushes "no, I mean yes—I mean" she stutters as I snicker "dad just don't worry about it, Edward is old school"

Charlie is confused, so I roll my eyes as he asks "is that code for something?"

"Oh my god!" Bella exclaims "dad! I'm a virgin!" She better be with how embarrassing she is.

"Okay" Charlie waves her off "good we got that covered"

"Me too!" She runs out

"Virgin" he mutters eating his sandwich looking at me "I'm starting to like Edward a bit more"

"He's been asking Bella to marry him" he coughs on his sandwich as I leave the room.