Waiting for the Sun - 4 - She Remembered
[MASTER POST]
Heart still perplexingly in a flutter, I returned home to the house I had only looked upon five times total. Half a dozen cars crowded around my driveway; I curiously tiptoed inside to hear unfamiliar, intelligent voices echoing from the dining room. The subject of conversation sounded very influential. “I think we should adjust the budget for the walk-in clinic to accommodate the rehabilitation unit... Quadriplegic, yes, a generous donation...”
To escape notice I quietly started up the stairs, but my mother immediately appeared. Not a hair was out of place even with the task of hosting all these guests.
“Aurelia, you’re home! How was school?”
It wouldn't have made sense to tell her about the mysterious Mr. Hale, so I gave a practiced smile. “It wasn’t bad.”
“Good.” Perhaps saving her questions for a less busy time, she implored, “Before you head up, come here and help me with the refreshments, okay? Be polite and say hello to your father’s colleagues.”
All sorts of forms and complicated diagrams about the new hospital were crammed in between plates of food. Why they were having this discussion in our house I wasn’t sure, but I did my best to pour everyone more water like a silent waitress. One doctor brandished a hand and almost knocked my elbow into a drink; I managed to stop it from spilling at the last second. They all glanced up, finally noticing me.
“Aurelia is a senior. She’s thinking of applying to UCLA.” my father intervened. He gave me a quiet look through his square-rimmed glasses that said ‘Please leave a good impression with these people.’ Everyone at the table murmured their best wishes and returned to their order of business.
Amidst the noise I heard the doorbell ring. My mother poked her head out from the kitchen.
“Dear, can you go answer that? My hands are full.”
I scuffled over, swung the door open, and felt my heart leap in surprise. Before me was a suited man with pale, perfect marble features like a statue and icy blonde hair in a slicked back fashion. He looked down at me with golden eyes exactly the color of Mr. Hale’s. His white smile was unexpectedly warm like a glimmer of sunshine in the Washington clouds.
“Hello, I hope I’m at the right place - Dr. Fairfax’s?”
I pulled my wits about me yet once again that day. “Y-yes, please come in. Everyone’s eating in the dining room.”
He didn’t seem to pay heed to the confusion written on my face and kindly inquired, “You must be Richard’s daughter. How are you adjusting to Port Dixon?”
“It’s nice and peaceful.” I answered as I led the way through the hall. “Today was my first day of school.”
“Ah - the Academy, isn’t it? My son works there.”
My eyes widened. This man hardly looked 30 years old; he couldn’t possibly mean Mr. Hale was his son! But who else would have shared such startling features? We entered the dining room where he was hailed by all the other committee members as he joined them at the table.
“Carlisle, you’re late!”
“Yes sorry, there was an emergency hemorrhage…”
My mother recruited me again to distribute some cut fruit. As I tried to find a space for the platters among the clutter my stomach rumbled; I realized I hadn’t had a chance to eat lunch. To the side, I noticed my mother offering the man named Carlisle a plate of chicken she had prepared earlier.
“No, I’m quite alright. I’m not hungry.” he gently declined. Then, he looked right in my direction. “You should let your daughter have it.”
I blinked, coming back to the present. Was he talking about me?
“You look a little hungry. Why don’t you have my portion?” His voice was very agreeable in an unexplainable way.
Had my stomach growled that loudly? I gratefully accepted the food offering and retreated upstairs to my room.
Cardboard boxes full of old possessions shipped from California were still stacked up against the walls, and the only piece of furniture standing was my bare bed. I sat down cross-legged on the floor to eat my lunch and sighed. Buried at the bottom of these boxes were photographs of our family when we were once four. We were here a thousand miles away to perhaps try to forget. If my sister’s name never came up again, it might prevent me from ending up like her. The pain in my chest repeatedly told me that it couldn’t have been her fault.
Jasper lounged in the grass beside his younger brother, tossing the ball up and down angrily. Each time, it whizzed high above the evergreens. Once it accidentally hit a bird in the air, sending it flopping to the ground with a squawk. He muttered and sat up. Edward stared at the lump of feathers with a little pity.
“Are you sure it was the same girl?” Edward asked cautiously. Jasper couldn’t hide his thoughts as well as Alice could, so it became a one-sided conversation.
Yes. How could I mistake that smell? And it was even stronger than before, like the sweetest, most complex aged wine. For some reason I can distinctly tell the difference with her blood.
“Are you going to leave the school? It would be perfectly easy to relocate.”
The blonde shook his head. I’ve finally gained Carlisle’s confidence that I can handle myself like any of you guys. I don’t want anyone else finding out.
“But you will be putting your relationship at jeopardy.”
Edward painfully thought of Alice. He had not yet decided to tell Jasper of Alice’s visions, or that they had been recurring for years. He figured that if Jasper didn’t know his future, he wouldn’t be looking for signs of it, and thus it would alter it somehow. Jasper and Alice had been on thin ice for several years, but the family still hoped for some sort of reconciliation. The baseball crumpled like paper in Jasper’s fist.
Soft footsteps in the grass rustled from behind. Suddenly, a beautiful vampire girl with flowing chestnut brown hair lightly landed on Edward’s chest and pecked him on the cheek.
“Edward!” she grinned. Her large eyes were freshly golden. “What are you two doing out here?”
The auburn-haired boy’s face lit up, eyes dancing. This was the once-human girl who had entirely changed Edward’s life. He held her waist tenderly. “Nothing of much consequence, Bella. Did your trip go well?”
“Yeah, but you’ll never guess what Esme did...”
While the newest addition to the Cullen coven relayed the details of her hunt, Jasper’s thoughts drifted off once again. He tried to let go of the image in his mind of the graceful girl, her long flaxen hair blowing softly in the seaside breeze, the flicker of recognition in her turquoise eyes… Somehow he hoped that somewhere deep down, she remembered.
Edward perceived everything and said nothing. He knew that Jasper was growing even more distant from them, as naturally as melting water flowing down from a mountaintop. But how could eternal ice truly melt?