Chapter 53 - Forks Interlude VI

RANDOM DAYS AT FORKSThe sun rose over the sleepy town of Forks.There was the usual thick mist lingering in the air, and briefly, so briefly it was almost undetectable, the clouds cleared up entirely to shower the entirety of Forks with daylight.Angela awakened to the usual sense of De Ja Vu.For some reason, today felt different from the countless days that came before it.With a comfortable sigh, Angela stretched beneath the cozy embrace of her floral-printed duvet, relishing in the warmth of the morning filtering through her lace curtains.Everything was newly bought with the assistance of Sue.With the accounts in order, Angela found quite a bit of money remaining to decorate the house."Feels good," Angela unconsciously murmured.Today felt like a day for absolute indulgence… a day to revel in the simple joys that she had been avoiding due to Xavier's absence.With a skip in her step – another change because she had never skipped before – Angela pad the bedroom and dashed into the bathroom to begin her self-care routine.It was something every girl had…Angela had fewer rituals than most but for this morning, she wanted to be more expressive… more, noticeable.Angela stood before the mirror for over an hour, selecting her favorite makeup palette, fingertips tracing the vibrant hues that brought sparkles to her eyes.With each delicate stroke of mascara and swipe of lipstick, she could feel herself transforming into a more confident version of herself.Someone different momentarily looked back at her from inside the mirror.It was a version of herself… someone Angela did not recognize.Angela felt she was losing control and therefore, gaining it…Dressed in her favorite sundress, the soft fabric fluttering around her legs like a gentle breeze, Angela twirled in front of the mirror.Her earrings…The gleam of her polished nails…Each accessory was chosen with care… each detail a reflection of her inner self for the day.Making her way down the stairs, a familiar emptiness enveloped her heart.A memory flashed into her mind…A shade…An old oak tree in the park…A town square, definitely not Forks…By the time Angela regained her clarity, she realized that she was some blocks from the mansion, fingers dancing in the air as she traced the countless clouds.It was beautiful all around…The laughter of children playing echoed throughout the park, complimented by the scent of blooming flowers.Angela knew the kids playing in the park were Bella's neighbors and their lives were rougher than most… abusive parents and all.The flowers were also scattered seeds blown by the wind that nobody bothered to clean up… they were more akin to convenient weeds.Yet, even as these thoughts bounced around inside her head, Angela could not deny the present beauty… a beauty that was open to everyone who looked upon the world with a hint of optimism.The day continued along the same trajectory…Sunlight melts into twinkling stars in a velvet sky…Gratitude settles…Angela re-entered the mansion and just as she was about to make her way up the stairs, the world around her blurred and she realized that she was still in bed.But this time, she knew the beautiful things she could look forward to throughout the day… things that had always been there, just beyond her notice."Well, there is no denying it now," Angela murmured. "I am going crazy!"∞It brought a refreshing sense…Emily stood amidst the towering trees of The Quileute Reservation…She never understood the appeal of being bathed in the bushes and sunlight of the forest… at least; Emily did not understand a couple of days ago…But these days.Emily found herself wondering…Paul and Jared were perhaps the first to notice, becoming subconsciously more contained when in her presence.When asked what was wrong, they struggled to find the right words and ended up reporting the matter to The Tribe Elders.A meeting was called…This would be the first time Emily was included in the super secretive meetings… usually, women were not allowed into the meetings.Not that women were less valued in the clans – their importance was significant but still, there had always been a barrier of some sort.A barrier Emily could rapidly feel fading away…A gust of wind brushed past and a sense of reverence washed through Emily's body… a sort of mingling anticipation filling the rich air."The meeting is starting," Jared yelled from downstairs.Emily walked down the stairs, all the while adjusting the colorful array of stones that hung from her earrings."You're wearing it wrong," Paul advised, carefully arranging the black stones before the white ones. "The white stones usually mean you are unwed. It would be disrespectful to demonstrate as such since Sam has imprinted on you.""Ugh," Emily groaned. "All these news rules I have to learn. Remind me how things got this way again?"Jared and Paul shrugged.They were also confused."One day we woke up and you started to feel like half-of-Sam," Jared attempted to explain. "As if you had gained some authority or something…""Can you read my mind?" Emily joked.Paul shook his head. "We can tell when you are displeased with us though," He admitted.That was about all they could tell, which was concerning."I don't have to give a speech, right?" Emily mused."Depends," Jared joked. "What do you have for us?""As The Fiancé of Sam Uley, I feel honored to partake in the ancient ritual, steeped in the myths and legends of our people—"Paul stopped Emily. "Just let The Elders do all the talking," He advised rather strongly.As they neared the ritual grounds in the forest, Emily, Paul, and Jared could hear the rhythmic beating of the drums.It echoed far and wide in the forest…It was signaling the beginning of the ceremony…The Elders, and other concerned parties, turned their faces toward the group of three as they made their way to the fire pit at the center of the clearing.It was a ritual meant to awaken the spirits from their slumber.Emily thought it was a loss of bluster… and she was still under that impression after knowing Sam was a Shapeshifter.But this time, she actually felt something stirring in the air, watching fondly and intently.Emily could not see it but she had never felt something more vividly… with such certainty.She was advancing to the center when she saw the first familiar face amongst the many – Billy Black.The beating drums ceased…Billy Black stepped forward. "Our history goes back to a time before The Spirit of the Animal… a time when we were spirit warriors. The first to shift from humans into wolves. Quileute population was always small, but we never disappeared since it was believed that we had magic in our bloodlines—"The recounting of each myth and legend followed.The Elders, knowledgeable men, stepped forward to share stories passed down through generations, tales of ancestors, and the supernatural beings that once occupied The Quileute Lands.Emily listened intently to some of the stories.There were countless stories of Spirit wolves, Guardians of The Tribe, Shapeshifting Men, and Women… but there was only one story about a woman who could call upon the Authority of The Alpha to command animals.From the way everyone glanced in her direction, Emily knew that she was brought into the secrecy of the meeting specifically to hear this story.It was an educational experience… following bouts of spiritual exploration.Whatever was lingering in the air guided Emily into her own mind, enriching her spirit and awareness of the world around her.A palpable tenseness in the air was washed away as the members of the tribe resonated with each other.As the evening wore on, the clan meeting ended…Everyone rose in unison, bowing to the flames lingering at the center of the fire pit.Emily departed with Paul and Jared a few steps behind her…But something changed mid-step…Emily paused as a sense of relief flooded her body… her pause was long enough that Paul, unaware of his surroundings, bumped into her shoulder.Her hand shot out…GGGGRRRRRRR!Silence fell as the departing Elders stopped in place…Heads snapped in Emily's direction with renewed intensity…Emily belatedly realized that she had growled at Paul, and to add to the surprise, her casual shove had forced him two meters back."Wha- what?"Emily was stunned… and she was far from the only one.∞Charlie was perhaps the most peaceful person in Forks.Unlike most other residents, the small-town life was something he had chosen for himself… and something he enjoyed down to his bones.A modest home in a small town had always been his dream…That morning, after holstering his pistol, Charlie passed by Bella's room and double-tapped on her door as an indication he was departing.Bella often avoided conversations so he gave her some much-needed space in the mornings.Charlie was out of the house and in his police car when Bella's wave came from her bedroom window.'A good girl,' Charlie admired.Bella wasn't much of a talker but through the small things, Charlie could see just how much she cared for her old man.It brought him a sense of contentment.As Charlie pulled out of the driveway, his perception shifted from his daughter's safety to the safety of the entire town… Forks may be a small town but Charlie had seen some of the weirdest things.Bodies with no blood…Cars flipping out of control at 20mph…Howls echoing through the night…Though he never said it, Charlie always feared leaving home and never being able to return… still, someone had to do the job....…Arriving at the police station, Charlie greeted Obrien and settled at his desk, skimming through the few cases of missing cats and neighborhood bullying that always made their way onto his desk.It was a testament to the people's trust in him…After sorting through the first pack of files, Charlie directed his attention to the conspicuous pile of parking tickets that had a note atop – Xavier.Admittedly, Charlie felt like a bit of a dirty cop, trading favors with Xavier…It was not too often but every time he did, Charlie would learn something outlandish… Timothy's second son tried coke for the first time, Kate's daughter was making glue in the lab, and Mr. Mane was giving free grades to some of the girls in class.No case was too small for Charlie's notice…In a small town, everything could evolve into a big thing…Charlie was reminded of the pass he once gave to a well-behaved star athlete, only for the boy to end up wrapped around a tree two weeks later.Now, The Veteran was cracking down on everything.Almost guiltily, Charlie got to work canceling some of Xavier's parking tickets while processing and paying for the others out of his own pocket.It was not too expensive, around $50 a ticket.Charlie suspected Obrien was already lowering the ticket payment for Xavier and some of The Cullens, but sometimes, it was better to keep one eye closed.Charlie methodically sorted through the stack of citations on his desk, his mind already anticipating something more pressing to pop up later in the day.Peaceful days like these often ended with a bang.Sadly, he hardly had to wait that long…Just as Charlie finished the last of his paperwork, a call crackled over the radio, breaking the usual silence of the station."Domestic Situation reported at Loveland Lane 2…""Reporting," Charlie responded. "Be there in 5-10.""Confirmed."Charlie made his way to the door, pausing slightly when he saw the car parked outside with Obrien in the driving seat.Obrien was always a bit too eager to confront crime so Charlie would leave him at the station most days… sadly; he could use Obrien's help this time around.Thus, the duo drove off to investigate the domestic situation.Such was a day in the life of Charlie Swann.