Misguided Ghost

Embry felt a little worn out as he cleaned the kitchen and living room after having the house filled with five year old kids the whole day for his twins fifth birthday. He watched them now, as they were fuzzing over their presents, with loving eyes wondering where the time had flown.

He had been raising them alone for three years now. His family, the Cullens, had offered them a house in Alaska, but Embry wanted to stay on the rez and raise them there, like Bridget had wanted.

But he saw reminders of what could have been everywhere. The twins’ blue eyes, Lily’s smile and Will’s straight hair. Even their behavior was so much like Bridget had been.

He knew her eyes weren’t blue anymore. Though he hoped they were golden he could never be sure. Renesmee had shown him the sight of the new-born Bridget, but he hadn’t recognized her with red eyes shooting daggers.

Embry was brought back to the small kitchen by the phone ringing. He reached for the receiver but was stopped by Will.
“Daddy can’t I answer? Grandma Roe hasn’t called yet,” the little boy said with the pleading eyes Embry couldn’t resist.
Embry smiled and handed the the phone before he went and took the garbage out.

“Hello, it’s Willow Call speaking,” he said exactly like his father had taught him.
The line was silent.
“Hello?” he asked. “Grandma?”
“Hi,” he heard an unfamiliar voice.
“Who are you?”
“I don’t know if I should tell you, Willow.” The woman spoke softly.

He hesitated. “Daddy told me never to speak with strangers. I’ll have to hang up.”
“My name is Bridget,” she said quickly.
“My momma has the same name. Do you know her?” Will asked.
“Yes, I do,” she whispered with stinging eyes.
“I don’t. She left when I was a baby, but daddy say she loves me.”
“I’m sure she does, Willow.”

“Say hello to grandma from me, Will,” Embry said when he got back in.
“It’s not Grandma, dad,” he said like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “It’s Bridget, she knows momma,” Willow said and smiled at his frozen father.
Embry grabbed the phone from his son. “Go play with Lily, and close the door behind you.”

“Bridget?” he asked hesitantly into the phone.
“Embry,” her voice was barley a whisper, but didn’t shake like Embry’s.
He breathed a sigh of relief. “You have no idea how good it is to hear your voice again, Bri.”
“Does it sound like me?” she wondered.
“It does,” Embry wiped his eyes as his heart raced away.

“Come home Bridget.”
“What have you told them?” she ignored his plead. “About me I mean. Willow said him mom had left.”
“It’s what I told them; you were sick and had to leave. And we call him Will.”
She fell silent for a second. “Have you given them my letter?”
“No, they wouldn’t have understood it now. I’ll wait till they get older.”

“Do you hate me Embry?”
“I wanted to. And I still want to hate you so bad, but I can’t. It’s impossible for me to hate you one bit. I love you now, and I’ll love you tomorrow and the day after.”
“I’m sorry. I wish you could hate me. It would have made everything easier,” she whispered.
“I know.”

“How are you doing?” he asked her.
“You mean; how many have I killed?” she paused. “None, Embry,” she whispered. “I’m practically clean. But that doesn’t mean I haven’t wished to kill and drain.”

Embry sighed and walked over till the window. He gazed out in the dark forest surrounding the back of the house, wishing she would materialize in the backyard. “I meant; are you happy? Are you safe, what do you do with all your days and nights?”

“I’m not happy, but I’m not sulking anymore. And yes, I’m safe. I’m staying with another vegetarian vampire from time to time. He helped me a lot. And all the nights helped me finish high school in three months, and I’m just about to start my intern time at a local hospital. I’m a physiotherapist.”

Tears ran from his eyes and his voice was lost. He hated when this happened, when the loss and sorrow became too much to bear.
“Tell me when you are coming home, Bridget,” he said in a strained voice that gave away everything he felt.
“I don’t know, One year, two years, maybe ten years. I don’t know when I ready.”

A sob escaped his lips. “I have to go.”
“Embry please, I’m sorry.”
“Yeah, I know,” the sarcasm was well hidden.
“Don’t wait for me if you don’t want to.”
“I’ll always wait for you, Bridget,” he said and hung up before he pressed speed dial to the Ateara’s house.

“Can you come take the kids Claire? I’ll have to leave for a few hours,” he said into the phone but hung up again before he she had the chance to answer and was out the back door in blink.

He wasn’t far into the forest before his emotions took completely control of him and he exploded into his other self. He let out a howl of agony; a howl that made a ripple effect in the woods as the other wolves felt his pain.