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But I could see the sacrifice in her eyes behind the promise。
〃Don't worry about me；〃 I urged。 〃It'll be great。 I love you； Mom。〃
She hugged me tightly for a minute； and then I got on the plane； and she
was gone。
It's a fourhour flight from Phoenix to Seattle； another hour in a small
plane up to Port Angeles； and then an hour drive back down to Forks。
Flying doesn't bother me； the hour in the car with Charlie； though； I was
a little worried about。
Charlie had really been fairly nice about the whole thing。 He seemed
genuinely pleased that I was ing to live with him for the first time
with any degree of permanence。 He'd already gotten me registered for high
school and was going to help me get a car。
But it was sure to be awkward with Charlie。 Neither of us was what anyone
would call verbose； and I didn't know what there was to say regardless。 I
knew he was more than a little confused by my decision — like my mother
before me； I hadn't made a secret of my distaste for Forks。
When I landed in Port Angeles； it was raining。 I didn't see it as an omen
— just unavoidable。 I'd already said my goodbyes to the sun。
Charlie was waiting for me with the cruiser。 This I was expecting； too。
Charlie is Police Chief Swan to the good people of Forks。 My primary
motivation behind buying a car； despite the scarcity of my funds； was
that I refused to be driven around town in a car with red and blue lights
on top。 Nothing slows down traffic like a cop。
Charlie gave me an awkward； onearmed hug when I stumbled my way off the
plane。
〃It's good to see you； Bells；〃 he said； smiling as he automatically
caught and steadied me。 〃You haven't changed much。 How's Renée？〃
〃Mom's fine。 It's good to see you； too； Dad。〃 I wasn't allowed to call
him Charlie to his face。
I had only a few bags。 Most of my Arizona clothes were too permeable for
Washington。 My mom and I had pooled our resources to supplement my winter
wardrobe； but it was still scanty。 It all fit easily into the trunk of
the cruiser。
〃I found a good car for you； really cheap；〃 he announced when we were
strapped in。
〃What kind of car？〃 I was suspicious of the way he said 〃good car for
you〃 as opposed to just 〃good car。〃
〃Well； it's a truck actually； a Chevy。〃
〃Where did you find it？〃
〃Do you remember Billy Black down at La Push？〃 La Push is the tiny Indian
reservation on the coast。
〃No。〃
〃He used to go fishing with us during the summer；〃 Charlie prompted。
That would explain why I didn't remember him。 I do a good job of blocking
painful； unnecessary things from my memory。
〃He's in a wheelchair now；〃 Charlie continued when I didn't respond； 〃so
he can't drive anymore； and he offered to sell me his truck cheap。〃
〃What year is it？〃 I could see from his change of expression that this
was the question he was hoping I wouldn't ask。
〃Well； Billy's done a lot of work on the engine — it's only a few years
old； really。〃
I hoped he didn't think so little of me as to believe I would give up
that easily。 〃When did he buy it？〃
〃He bought it in 1984； I think。〃
〃Did he buy it new？〃
〃Well； no。 I think it was new in the early sixties — or late fifties at
the earliest；〃 he admitted sheepishly。
〃Ch — Dad； I don't really know anything about cars。 I wouldn't be able to
fix it if anything went wrong； and I couldn't afford a mechanic…〃
〃Really； Bella； the thing runs great。 They don't build them like that
anymore。〃
The thing； I thought to myself… it had possibilities — as a nickname； at
the very least。
〃How cheap is cheap？〃 After all； that was the part I couldn't promise
on。
〃Well； honey； I kind of already bought it for you。 As a homeing gift。〃
Charlie peeked sideways at me with a hopeful expression。
Wow。 Free。
〃You didn't need to do that； Dad。 I was going to buy myself a car。〃
〃I don't mind。 I want you to be happy here。〃 He was looking ahead at the
road when he said this。 Charlie wasn't fortable with expressing his
emotions out loud。 I inherited that from him。 So I was looking straight
ahead as I responded。
〃That's really nice； Dad。 Thanks。 I really appreciate it。〃 No need to add
that my being happy in Forks is an impossibility。 He didn't need to
suffer along with me。 And I never looked a free truck in the mouth — or
engine。
〃Well； now； you're wele；〃 he mumbled； embarrassed by my thanks。
We exchanged a few more ments on the weather； which was wet； and that
was pretty much it for Conversation。 We stared out the windows in silence。
It was beautiful； of course； I couldn't deny that。 Everything was green：
the trees； their trunks covered with moss； their branches hanging with a
canopy of it； the ground covered with ferns。 Even the air filtered down
greenly through the leaves。
It was too green — an alien pla。
Eventually we made it to Charlie's。 He still lived in the small；
twobedroom house that he'd bought with my mother in the early days of
their marriage。 Those were the only kind of days their marriage had — the
early ones。 There； parked on the street in front of the house that never
changed； was my new — well； new to me — truck。 It was a faded red color；
with big； rounded fenders and a bulbous cab。 To my intense surprise； I
loved it。 I didn't know if it would run； but I could see myself in it。
Plus； it was one of those solid iron affairs that never gets damaged —
the kind you see at the scene of an accident； paint unscratched；
surrounded by the pieces of the foreign car it had destroyed。
〃Wow； Dad； I love it！ Thanks！〃 Now my horrific day tomorrow would be just
that much less dreadful。 I wouldn't be faced with the choice of either
walking two miles in the rain to school or accepting a ride in the
Chief's cruiser。
〃I'm glad you like it；〃 Charlie said gruffly； embarrassed again。
It took only one trip to get all my stuff upstairs。 I got the west
bedroom that faced out over the front yard。 The room was familiar； it had
been belonged to me since I was born。 The wooden floor； the light blue
walls； the peaked ceiling； the yellowed la