Don't blame me

Chapter 02

Molly's POV
Everything is wet and green and drenched in shade.

I sit in the back of Charlie's police cruiser as he drives along a two lane highway. Bella sits up front and looks out, taking in her gloomy new surroundings. I allowed her the front seat so she could sit next to her uniformed father and hopefully reconnect with him.

But no attempt is even made on her end.

Police chief Charlie Swan is in his mid 40's. Taciturn, introverted, and kinda dorky. Makes me wish he was my dad because of his shy and sweet demeanor. I awkwardly sit back as their strained uncomfortable silence contrasts Bella's relationship with her mother.

Charlie then makes the first attempt to reconnect with his estranged daughter "Your hair looks longer" Bella simply said " I cut it since last time I saw you" "Oh... I guess it grew out again..." She just nods. Silence again. Charlie makes a second attempt "How's your mom?" Bella's answer is short and curt "Good" More silence. Yikes.

We pass a sign: The City Of Forks Welcomes You - Pop. 3246. 'Now 3248' I mentally added. Bella sighs depressingly and Charlie becomes visibly disheartened making me frown.

I then start a conversation with Charlie "So does Forks have anything to do for fun?" Charlie glances back at me through the rear view mirror "Not really...most of the teens got to Port Angeles or First Beach" I then ask "First Beach?" He nods and says "Yeah, it's on the Indian Reservation" my eyes bulged "There's a reservation here?!" He seems surprised but then we get into a conversation about the Rez, Forks, and about small towns vs. big cities.

Bella annoyedly jams her earbuds in and attempts to drown us out by playing the one song that she listens to on full blasts repeatedly.

As the cruiser drives through, I take in this logging town every storefront has a wood carving. The Timber Museum's sign is two loggers sawing a stump. The police department is a small wooden building across from City Hall. It's humble and cute. It all fascinates me as I only ever lived in big bustling cities, and never experienced the charm of small towns.

The cruiser suddenly pulls up to the old two-story house painted white with a black shingled roof. A matching woodshed full of firewood. I spot a small boat in the garage, fishing gear, an
old buoy. Bella climbs out and stared out at her childhood home before walking straight in.

Charlie comes around to let me out "Such a gentleman" I tease flustering him and I laugh "You're gonna have to get used to my teasing Mr. Swan" he chuckles and says "Just Charlie, Molly" I nodded and said "Then you can call me Moxie" he looks at me questioningly as we both unload the trunk together "Moxie" I shrug and say "My middle name is Roxanne after my mom's favorite song. Plus I can be a little 'sass pot' at times according to my mother" he nodded not quite believing me.

Boy is he in for a surprise 😈

Charlie and I carry in all bags. As Bella looks around and cringes at the house. I set the bags down and look around as well. I cringe as evidence of Renee once living here is obvious, but Charlie's slowly trying to make the home his again.....in a pretty bad way.

The house isn't stylish (the only new thing here is a Flat Screen T.V.), but it's comfortable, lived-in. Lots of fishing memorabilia and fading beach and sunshine knick knacks are dotted here and there from Renee's time. There are photos of Charlie fishing with two Quileute Indians around his age and another white male. There are still a few pictures of Renee, their wedding picture and pictures with Bella as a baby for example.

But most were definitely thrown away in his heart broken rage at finding out that his wife was leaving him for his affair lover and taking their daughter with them.

He had one corner that was pretty much decorated with Bella memorabilia. Pictures of ages 0-14, handmade cards to Daddy, and a few art projects were arranged in a shrine that was slowly being taken down. Bella winces at a picture of herself in a tutu, sitting stubbornly on the ground.

'He hasn't seen her in three years and thought that he'd never see her again. Yet Renee expected him to pay child support....my mom wasn't the only one who got the short end of the stick in this mess' I thought sympathetically as he was forced to grieve his child because of a spiteful woman.

"I put Grandpa's old desk in your room. And I cleared some shelves in the bathroom" Charlie told Bella who grimaced and muttered "That's right. One bathroom" then had the nerve to glare at me like I was the problem. This bitch took 3-5 hours in the bathroom, used up all the hot water, left it a mess of dirty clothes/hair/hygiene products, and constantly stole my hygiene products to the point I had to lock everything up in my room.

I picked up the bags and Charlie guided us upstairs. We first went to Bella's room.

Pastel green walls, a purple queen sized bed, and matching brown wood furniture with an antique rolltop desk that sats in a corner near an old rocking chair greeted us. The room is filled with
childhood remnants that have seen better days.

Bella enters and slams the door behind us without a word. Charlie turns to me and says "I figured you'd like your own room since Bella and you don't get along. I called your mom to ask what you would like and she sent me money to completely redecorate the attic for you" I followed him up the stairs to the attic.

I smiled and said "I like it. Thanks Charlie" he smiled and nodded before leaving me to my devices. I unpacked my clothes and realized that he had installed a bathroom for me. I was touched that he went out of his way to make me comfortable in his home.

I suddenly hear a honk from outside. I went downstairs to see Bella run across the hall and look out the window before she bolts down stairs while attempting to adjust her boobs in a provocative way "Move! There's men here to see me!"

I shake my head and peer out the window to see a black truck pull up a faded red truck into the driveway with a delivery truck that had a familiar looking motorcycle next to it. My face lit up in realization before I bolted downstairs after Bella.