The Strength of Fragility

The sounds of a football game was filtering out from the large television set in Charlie’s Swans front room, and he cheered to himself as a touchdown was scored. He rummaged in the fridge, weekly stocked by Bella though she no longer lived with him, for the six pack of beer he knew was around there somewhere. He smiled in victory as he pulled them out from a disgusting leafy green vegetable, and cracked one open whilst walking back to his seat in front of the screen.

He tossed a can to Billy Black, who was comfortably secure in the armchair, his wheelchair folded neatly by the wall. He nodded to Charlie, and took a bite out of one of the many pizzas the two men had ordered. They liked to be prepared for their weekly football game.

“Reneesme’s growing up fast,” Billy began to make conversation as the game went to half time, and the commercials came on.

Charlie nodded, as always, a smile lighting up his aging face at the mention of his granddaughter, “yeah she is.” He sometimes found it hard to believe when he saw Reneesme, no longer little, now looking the age of fifteen years old. He had also noticed with a look of grim parental displeasure how her look towards Billy’s son Jacob would change. She was becoming far too grown up, and he knew Edward felt the same way. For as much as Charlie and Edward could deny it, their little girl was all grown up.

Charlie glared at Billy, “And you can tell your boy to keep his hands to himself, until she’s twenty-one…in age, not looks!”

Billy chuckled, his back shaking with laughter, and held up his hands in surrender, “hey, hey, Chief Swan. Count on me, I’m too old for having the Chief of Police coming around to my door with his gun pointing at my son. Jacob’s a good boy, he knows the rules.”

Charlie huffed but he knew what Billy said was true, Jacob was a good guy. He had looked after Bella plenty of times, and now he looked after Reneesme twice as well. It appeared he had a thing for Swan girls. Charlie chuckled at the thought, though technically, his granddaughter was a Cullen.

“They make me feel old.”

Billy laughed again, “Tell me about! Doorbell!”

Charlie pushed Billy’s shoulder as he heaved himself up to answer the door, leaving the old man to the game. He opened the door and let a deep breath out, staring at the girl who stood on his doorstep.

She smiled at him, showing a set of perfectly white teeth, “Hello Mr. Swan, my name’s Isabel Steel. I was wondering if Bella was around?”

Charlie opened and closed his mouth for a moment, wondering how on earth Bella knew a girl like this. She certainly wasn’t from Forks, with a long waterfall of golden waves, skin that looked constantly sun kissed, and a confidence that would charm any man. She was certainly one of the most beautiful women Charlie had ever seen, and that was saying a lot for he knew the Cullens. In fact, if it wasn’t for Isabel’s sparkling blue eyes, he would have said she must be related.

He suddenly realised he hadn’t spoken in more than five minutes and Isabel was starting to look at him oddly. He coughed, and held out his hand, “Isabel, hello! Call me Charlie. Come in.”

The girl smiled and walked inside, looking curiously at the hall walls that held several pictures of Bella. Charlie managed to have a look outside, whistling silently at the yellow convertible that was parked outside the house.

He ushered Isabel into the front room, “Billy, this is Isabel, I assume a friend of Bella’s since you were asking for her?”

Isabel nodded, smiling as she sat beside Charlie on the couch, “Yes, will she be home soon?”
Charlie shook his head, “No, actually, she’s living a couple of miles outside of Forks with her husband and his family.”

Isabel gasped, “Oh, I didn’t realise she was married! I should have done some research before I came to find her.”

Charlie smiled, “It’s alright dear, now, where did you say you were from.”

Isabel laughed, “I didn’t actually. I’m from Phoenix. That’s how I know Bella, we lost contact a few months after she moved back here. She must have been busy, and I was swamped in work but I thought I needed to come back to see her. Get in touch with my old friend.”

Charlie nodded, “Listen I can give you directions to the Cullens house in the morning, but it’s getting late and you don’t want to drive those roads in the dark, especially when you’re not familiar. You can stay here tonight.”

Isabel grinned, “Really Mr Swan? I was going to book into a hotel but that would be lovely, thank you so much. I really appreciate it.”

Charlie shook his head, “No problems Isabel, I’d like to know someone would do the same for Bella.”

Isabel smiled, and Charlie got up, showing her to Bella’s old room. Before long, she had settled in with a suitcase of pyjamas, a book and a hot drink. Charlie smiled to himself, he had missed the hustle and bustle of Bella not being around. For the moment he could pretend he had his daughter livinf with him again.

“It’s nice someone being in the house again,” he said to Billy as he led him out to the Rabbit where Jacob was waiting to pick him up. Billy grinned Cheshire Cat like at Charlie, “Sure it’s not because she looks like a Supermodel?”

Charlie shook Billy’s wheelchair, “I’m old enough to be her father.”

Billy laughed, and as Jacob drove away, shouted out the window, “you just remember that now!”

Charlie shook his head, walking back to the house, that was no longer quiet and empty.

~

Edward was in the house when Alice had a vision of the visitor. She smiled, and looked at Edward who began to read her thoughts. He frowned, “Isabel Steel? I’ve never heard of her.”

Alice shrugged, skipping over to sit by Edward. Bella was in their cottage with Reneesme and the others were all out hunting, Carlisle on a night shift in the hospital.

Alice closed her eyes again, trying to see but she couldn’t. “I don’t know Edward. She’s says she knows Bella. Don’t tell her yet though, leave it to be a surprise.”

Edward made a face but Alice slapped him, hard. “Isabel obviously wants to surprise Bella with a visit and we’re not going to ruin that. And besides, I have a feeling she could be an important part of our lives from now on.”

Edward perked up at that, “Really?”

Alice screwed her eyes up hard, and looked like she was having a bad migraine, “Yeah…but it’s still uncertain, almost foggy. Strange…maybe I can get more tomorrow when she arrives, and remember, no telling!”

Edward smiled, “Alright, alright.” And though he did not know who she was or where exactly she was coming from or why, Edward began to grow excited for a friend of Bella’s past to walk back into her life and theirs once again.