(Thomas POV)
The drive to Charlie's was so familiar that I barely thought about it as my hands turned the wheel at the proper times. I couldn't pretend that my lunch earlier with Lauren and Jessica didn't sit wrong with me. I did what I thought best and gave her the information I had about Johnny as I fought off Jessica's questions about my wedding and some rumor that it was so quick and quiet because Edythe was about to start showing a belly just months behind Lauren.
I pitied the first person to let that rumor get back to Edythe and said as much to Jessica. I did my best to keep the mood light and be very careful with what I said before I took my leave from the two girls to get some shopping done. Once that was done, I ran it back to the house and dropped it off before making this trip now. I hoped Bella was cooking fish.
Knowing that pulling into Charlie's driveway with my stereo blasting Sammy Hagar's, 'I Can't Drive 55' was a bad idea I turned it down several houses early. Pulling up, I turned the truck off and made my way to the door.
Taking the steps two at a time, I paused when I grabbed the door handle. I gave the door two normal knocks before opening it to what I used to think of as home.
"Hello, hope I am not too early." I called out.
Charlie was sitting in his normal chair with a beer in his hand, "What did you knock for? Just come on in."
I shrugged my shoulders not answering him.
Bella's voice called out from the kitchen, "You're early, I am still cooking."
I took a deep breath through my nose and smiled at the smell. Looking back at Charlie, "I take it the fish were biting today."
He flashed me a smile, "Even had enough to drop some off at the Clearwater home. Young Seth asked about going with me some time."
I settled back on the couch, "That's great, he is a good kid. Probably going to have some regrets about always turning his dad down to go fishing in the past."
Charlie looked sad for a moment. "There is no medicine for regret, Thomas. Remember that when you are with Edythe. Sometimes forever isn't as long as we think it should be."
We settled into watching TV as we waited for Bella to call us for dinner. I rubbed at my nose a couple of times like catching a bad smell, but the fish cooking had me doubting myself.
After about thirty minutes, Bella called out, "Come eat."
Charlie turned the TV off and I followed him in to sit at the table.
He sat first, same seat as always. I took the other side, close enough to smell the fish and whatever else Bella had put in the oven that made my stomach tighten with hunger.
Soon she walked over with a pan in oven mitts, set it down, and gave us both a look. "If either of you says one single thing about the kitchen smelling like fish, you're on dish duty."
Charlie's mouth twitched. "Fair."
I held up a hand. "I respect your labor."
"Good," she said, and started serving.
For a few minutes, the only sound was forks scraping plates and Charlie's beer can tapping the table when he set it down. It was comfortable. Familiar. A pocket of time where the world didn't feel like it was waiting to ambush us.
Charlie was the one who broke it first, because of course he was.
"So," he said, not looking up from his plate. "How's the… newlywed situation."
Bella's eyes lifted to me, amused. Like she wanted to hear how I'd phrase it without saying anything that would make her choke.
I cleared my throat. "It's… good."
Charlie snorted quietly. "That's the most vague answer I've ever heard."
"That's because I am sure you don't want specifics," I said, deadpan.
Bella made a sound that might've been a laugh if she hadn't been chewing.
Charlie shook his head once, but his mouth tugged upward. "Fair."
I took a bite, then let the silence stretch just long enough that it didn't feel like I was forcing it. But the thing from earlier…Lauren, Jessica, the weight of it, was still sitting in my chest like a stone.
Bella noticed before I said anything. She always did.
"What happened in town?" she asked lightly, like she was asking about groceries, but her eyes were watchful.
Charlie's gaze flicked up. "Town?"
I exhaled. "I ran into Jessica and Lauren today, at The Lodge."
Bella went still. Charlie's expression hardened in that quiet, practical way it always did when someone's name came attached to trouble.
"Lauren," Charlie repeated. "The one that used to run her mouth... The one from school?"
"Yeah," I said. "That Lauren. Though she isn't in school right now."
Bella's voice stayed careful. "Is she okay?"
I nodded once. "She's… very noticeably pregnant."
Bella blinked. "Oh."
Charlie's fork paused as he shook his head. "Still can't believe they wouldn't let her go back to school. Not like she is contagious."
Bella set her fork down. "Did Lauren say anything about… the father?"
I didn't look at Charlie when I answered, but I felt the shift in the room anyway. The way Charlie went a little more still.
"She asked about Johnny," I said. "Again."
Bella's eyes narrowed. "She asked you?"
"She asked me once before," I reminded her. "Back when she was… falling apart about it."
Charlie's jaw worked once, like he wanted to have an opinion and didn't want to say it out loud at the table.
I kept going, because if I didn't, I'd stall, and then the whole thing would sit there between us like a loaded gun.
"I gave her Johnny's workplace number," I said. "And I gave her a few names…friends of my mom's, people who might've heard from him."
Bella watched me closely. "Did she ask you to?"
"Yes," I said simply. "She asked."
Charlie's voice came out low and blunt. "You're playing messenger."
I looked at him. "I gave her some phone numbers, that's all, Charlie."
"That's how it starts," he said, not unkind, just firm. "Then it turns into you being involved. Then it turns into you getting blamed when Johnny does what Johnny does."
Bella's gaze flicked between us. She didn't interrupt.
I nodded once, because he wasn't wrong. "I get it."
Charlie leaned back a fraction, eyes steady on mine. "You can be decent without being responsible."
"I wasn't trying to be responsible," I said, keeping my voice even. "I just didn't want to stand there and pretend she was invisible like most of our other classmates are doing."
Charlie's expression softened by a hair. "Yeah. I know."
Bella picked her fork up again, like she was anchoring herself with something ordinary. "You said Jessica was there, so I am sure you got some questions about the wedding. Was it bad?"
I groaned. "Oh, you're going to love this."
Charlie's brows lifted. "Uh oh."
"She's spreading a rumor," I said, and looked at Bella as if this was her jurisdiction as the only human teenage girl in the room, "that the wedding was small and quiet because Edythe's going to start showing a belly any day now."
Bella froze. Then her face did something complicated that tried to become laughter and failed.
Charlie choked on his beer. "What."
"Yeah," I said. "That was my response too."
Bella covered her mouth, eyes wide. "That doesn't even make…"
"I know," I cut in. "I told Jessica, politely, that I pity the first person who repeats that rumor within earshot of my wife."
Charlie let out a low whistle. "Smart."
Bella's eyes narrowed, amused now. "You said 'pity'?"
"I said 'pity,'" I confirmed. "It felt like the most civilized threat I could offer."
Charlie's gaze stayed on me a beat longer, then he nodded once, like he'd filed the whole conversation away under future trouble: likely.
Dinner finished in that quieter way after heavier topics, small talk, a few comments about fishing, Bella complaining about the store being out of something she needed, Charlie pretending he didn't care and then asking questions anyway.
When the plates were mostly cleared and Charlie stood with his beer to "check the game," Bella nudged my arm.
"You ever going to get the last of your stuff from your old room? Think you still have some clothes and paintings up there. Come on, I'll show you."
Bella pulled another beer from the fridge and set it next to Charlie as we went upstairs.
"Thanks, Bell's" he said not turning his gaze from the TV.
I was first up the stairs with Bella right behind me when I stopped at the top landing. The smell of cooked fish was not as strong up here and I couldn't now identify what smell was bugging me earlier.
"Stay here." I whispered to Bella.
Burnt sugar. Not fresh, but not too old either. I moved to my old door and opened it, someone had been in there looking around.
"Has Edward brought anyone here or have you seen anyone new around?" I asked Bella.
"No, what's going on?"
"Call Edward, now." I said as I approached the door to her room. I wasn't trying to scare the girl, but the smell was heaviest behind her door.
I opened it and walked in, looking around slowly. When I heard Bella talking to Edward, I held my hand out for the phone. When she handed it to me, I said, "Look around for anything missing Bella." She nodded and began to move around her room.
Lifting the phone to my ear I heard Edwards questions.
"What's going on Thomas, Bella sounded scared."
"There has been a carnivore in the house, Edward." I stated flatly."
"Victoria?" Came his questioning reply.
"No, I would recognize her scent. This is someone I don't know. If I had to guess, it's only a day or two old also."
I could hear the wind rushing past the microphone on his phone. "I am on my way as fast as I can."
"Okay, I will call The Pack. Charlie is here so come quietly, I wont leave until I see you."
"Just stay with her." Edward snapped, then he hung up and I handed Bella her phone back.
I pulled out mine and dialed Sam's phone hoping to get lucky. It picked up on the second ring.
"Thomas?" Came Sams voice.
"Has the Pack run the border yet today?"
"No, we meet up in about an hour, why?"
"Anything weird the last couple of nights?"
"Nothing on our side. What's going on Thomas?"
"I have the smell of a carnivore Vampire in my sister's room Sam. He was here within two days."
"I will get everyone together and check our side. Let me know what you find, and I will do the same." He hung up as soon as he finished speaking.
I put my phone in my pocket and looked at Bella.
"I don't see anything missing, Thomas. But some stuff has definitely been moved around."
I nodded and settled in to wait for Edward.
It was barely ten minutes later that he came in through the open window. His eyes were alert and his lips pulled back, unconsciously showing his teeth. He went first to Bella and pulled her in for a quick hug before he started investigating the area.
"It is not a scent I know either, so not one of our friends. Someone new."
I just nodded my head, "Bella said nothing major looks like it is missing, and Sam is checking the Quileute border. But I am betting nothing came from there. They would have noticed last time they ran it."
I tensed as a knock came from downstairs and then relaxed as I heard the voices.
"Hey Charlie, is Bella home?" Alice's chirping voice.
"I am looking for my wayward husband as well." Came Edythe's voice.
Charlie laughed, "Hey girls. Yeah, they are both upstairs, something about some stuff Thomas hasn't picked up yet from his room. Head on up."