Midday Clouds - The Charlie Swan Story

Chapter 4 (Twilight 4/11)

Bella seemed fine enough the next morning at breakfast -- I always made sure to ask if I could cook some bacon and eggs for her, but she would just insist that she was fine eating that sugary cereal crap -- and when I left for work I noticed that the hazardous snow and ice had, thankfully, melted. 

I couldn't tell in the days that followed whether or not Bells was giving me the cold shoulder for worrying Renee with that phone call, or if she was just back to her usual, quiet self. I made sure to give her a bit more space than usual, if it was the former, knowing that the last thing a kid needs is her dad hovering over an icy shoulder.

That's why I was pleasantly surprised to come home a few days later to the smell of something... different. It was as if Renee was back in the kitchen cooking up one of her infamous experiments. It turns out that Bella had taken the time to cook some chicken enchiladas, which were actually better than expected.

"Dad?" Bella asked halfway through the meal, breaking our usual silence.

"Yeah, Bella?"

"Um, I just wanted to let you know that I'm going to Seattle for the day a week from Saturday... if that's okay?"

Given the accident earlier in the week, I was a little hesitant for Bella to be behind the wheel on such a long trip -- even if she wasn't technically driving during the last car crash. I was happy that she was asking permission, though, and realized that this was an incredibly important parenting moment.

"Why?" I asked.

"Well, I wanted to get a few books - the library here is pretty limited -- and maybe look at some clothes," she said. My daughter, the reader. Well, I could get on board with that -- maybe I could even come with, and it'd be like the old days when we used to drive out to Port Angeles for ice cream and a movie when Bella was younger. Hell, I'd even pay for the gas. I'd have to play this cool, though. 

"That truck probably doesn't get very good gas mileage," I said, laying some groundwork.

"I know, I'll stop in Montesano and Olympia -- and Tacoma if I have to," she said.

"Are you going all by yourself?"

"Yes."

"Seattle is a big city -- you could get lost," I noted, leading up to the real ask.

"Dad, Phoenix is five times the size of Seattle -- and I can read a map, don't worry about it."

"Do you want me to come with you?" She seemed to simmer on the question for a moment, and I held my breath.

"That's all right, Dad, I'll probably just be in dressing rooms all day - very boring," Bells said, dismissively. I kind of figured that'd be the answer I'd get, and I knew better than to push it.

"Oh, okay," was all I said in response.

"Thanks," she said, smiling. It was only then that I remembered that next Saturday was supposed to be the high school dance -- I'd seen the flyers up all over town over the past few weeks.

"Will you be back in time for the dance?"

"No - I don't dance, Dad."

"Oh, that's right," I conceded, and left it at that. I figured if Bella didn't want to go to some dance, I shouldn't try to make her. I did worry about this upcoming trip to Seattle, though -- it's a tough, winding four hour drive. Well, I'd bring it up again sometime before that Saturday, just to make sure her plans were all in order... and as safe as possible.

Bella brought up another trip a few days later during dinner, and I was much happier to hear about this one. She had been invited by her new friends to head over to First Beach in La Push -- a place the two of us had been to countless times while visiting Billy and his family back when the kids were little.