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named Cynthia。 Her
daughter—my niece—is still alive in Biloxi。〃
〃Did you find out why they put you in that place？〃 What would drive parents
to that extreme？ Even if
their daughter saw visions of the future
She just shook her head； her topaz eyes thoughtful。 〃I couldn't find much
about them。 I went through all
the old newspapers on microfiche。 My family wasn't mentioned often； they
weren't part of the social
circle that made the papers。 My parents' engagement was there； and Cynthia's。〃
The name fell uncertainly
from her tongue。 〃My birth was announced and my death。 I found my grave。 I
also filched my
admissions sheet from the old asylum archives。 The date on the admission and
the date on my tombstone
are the same。〃
I didn't know what to say； and； after a short pause； Alice moved on to lighter
topics。
The Cullens were reassembled now； with the one exception； spending Cornell's
spring break in Denali
with Tanya and her family。 I listened too eagerly to even the most trivial
news。 She never mentioned the
one I was most interested in； and for that I was grateful。 It was enough to
listen to the stories of the family
I'd once dreamed of belonging to。
Charlie didn't get back until after dark； and he looked more worn than he had
the night before。 He would
be headed back to the reservation first thing in the morning for Harry's
funeral； so he turned in early。 I
stayed on the couch with Alice again。
Charlie was almost a stranger when he came down the stairs before the sun was
up； wearing an old suit
I'd never seen him in before。 The jacket hung open； I guessed it was too tight
to fasten the buttons。 His
tie was a bit wide for the current style。 He tiptoed to the door； trying not
to wake us up。 I let him go；
pretending to sleep； as Alice did on the recliner。
As soon as he was out the door； Alice sat up。 Under the quilt； she was fully
dressed。
〃So； what are we doing today？〃 she asked。
〃I don't know—do you see anything interesting happening？〃
She smiled and shook her head。 〃But it's still early。〃
All the time I'd been spending in La Push meant a pile of things I'd been
neglecting at home； and I
decided to catch up on my chores。 I wanted to do something； anything that
might make life easier for
Charlie—maybe it would make him feel just a little better to e home to a
clean； organized house。 I
started with the bathroom—it showed the most signs of neglect。
While I worked； Alice leaned against the doorjamb and asked nonchalant
questions about my； well； our
high school friends and what they been up to since she'd left。 Her face stayed
casual and emotionless； but
I sensed her disapproval when she realized how little I could tell her。 Or
maybe I just had a guilty
conscience after eavesdropping on her conversation with Charlie yesterday
morning。
I was literally up to my elbows in et； scrubbing the floor of the bathtub；
when the doorbell rang。
I looked to Alice at once； and her expression was perplexed； almost worried；
which was strange； Alice
was never taken by surprise。
〃Hold on！〃 I shouted in the general direction of the front door； getting up
and hurrying to the sink to rinse
my arms off。
〃Bella；〃 Alice said with a trace of frustration in her voice； 〃I have a fairly
good guess who that might be；
and I think I'd better step out。〃
〃Guess？〃 I echoed。 Since when did Alice have to guess anything？
〃If this is a repeat of my egregious lapse in foresight yesterday； then it's
most likely Jacob Black or one of
his friends。〃
I stared at her； putting it together。 〃You can't see werewolves？〃
She grimaced。 〃So it would seem。〃 She was obviously annoyed by this fact—very
annoyed。
The doorbell rang again—buzzing twice quickly and impatiently。
〃You don't have go anywhere； Alice。 You were here first。〃
She laughed her silvery little laugh—it had a dark edge。 〃Trust me—it
wouldn't be a good idea to have
me and Jacob Black in a room together。〃
She kissed my cheek swiftly before she vanished through Charlie's door—and
out his back window； no
doubt。
The doorbell rang again。
18。 THE FUNERAL
I SPRINTED DOWN THE STAIRS AND THREW THE DOOR open。
It was Jacob； of course。 Even blind； Alice wasn't slow。
He was standing about six feet back from the door； his nose wrinkled in
distaste； but his face otherwise
smooth—masklike。 He didn't fool me； I could see the faint trembling of his
hands。
Hostility rolled off of him in waves。 It brought back that awful afternoon
when he'd chosen Sam over me；
and I felt my chin jerk up defensively in response。
Jacob's Rabbit idled by the curb with Jared behind the wheel and Embry in the
passenger seat。 I
understood what this meant： they were afraid to let him e here alone。 It
made me sad； and a little
annoyed。 The Cullens weren't like that。
〃Hey；〃 I finally said when he didn't speak。
Jake pursed his lips； still hanging back from the door。 His eyes flickered
across the front of the house。
I ground my teeth。 〃She's not here。 Do you need something？〃
He hesitated。 〃You're alone？〃
〃Yes。〃 I sighed。
〃Can I talk to you a minute？〃
〃Of course you can； Jacob。 e on in。〃
Jacob glanced over his shoulder at his friends in the car。 I saw Embry shake
his head just a tiny bit。 For
some reason； this bugged me to no end。
My teeth clenched together again。 〃Chicken〃 I mumbled under my breath。
Jake's eyes flashed back to me； his thick； black brows pushing into a furious
angle over his deep…set
eyes。 His jaw set； and he marched—there was no other way to describe the way
he moved—up the
sidewalk and shrugged past me into the house。
I locked gazes with first Jared and then Embry—I didn't like the hard way
they eyed me； did they really
think I would let anything hurt Jacob？—before I shut the door on them。
Jacob was in the hall behind me； staring at the mess of blankets in the living
room。
〃Slumber party？〃 he asked； his tone sarcastic。
〃Yeah；〃 I answered with the same level of acid。 I didn't like Jacob when he
acted this way。 〃What's it to
you？〃
He wrinkled his nose again like he smelled something unpleasant。 〃Where