1 twilight暮色- 第2部分

When　I　landed　in　Port　Angeles；　it　was　raining。　I　didn't　see　it　as　an　omen　
—　just　unavoidable。　I'd　already　said　my　goodbyes　to　the　sun。　

Charlie　was　waiting　for　me　with　the　cruiser。　This　I　was　expecting；　too。　
Charlie　is　Police　Chief　Swan　to　the　good　people　of　Forks。　My　primary　
motivation　behind　buying　a　car；　despite　the　scarcity　of　my　funds；　was　
that　I　refused　to　be　driven　around　town　in　a　car　with　red　and　blue　lights　
on　top。　Nothing　slows　down　traffic　like　a　cop。　

Charlie　gave　me　an　awkward；　onearmed　hug　when　I　stumbled　my　way　off　the　
plane。　

〃It's　good　to　see　you；　Bells；〃　he　said；　smiling　as　he　automatically　
caught　and　steadied　me。　〃You　haven't　changed　much。　How's　Renée？〃　

〃Mom's　fine。　It's　good　to　see　you；　too；　Dad。〃　I　wasn't　allowed　to　call　
him　Charlie　to　his　face。　

I　had　only　a　few　bags。　Most　of　my　Arizona　clothes　were　too　permeable　for　
Washington。　My　mom　and　I　had　pooled　our　resources　to　supplement　my　winter　
wardrobe；　but　it　was　still　scanty。　It　all　fit　easily　into　the　trunk　of　
the　cruiser。　

〃I　found　a　good　car　for　you；　really　cheap；〃　he　announced　when　we　were　
strapped　in。　

〃What　kind　of　car？〃　I　was　suspicious　of　the　way　he　said　〃good　car　for　
you〃　as　opposed　to　just　〃good　car。〃　

〃Well；　it's　a　truck　actually；　a　Chevy。〃　

〃Where　did　you　find　it？〃　

〃Do　you　remember　Billy　Black　down　at　La　Push？〃　La　Push　is　the　tiny　Indian　
reservation　on　the　coast。　

〃No。〃　

〃He　used　to　go　fishing　with　us　during　the　summer；〃　Charlie　prompted。　

That　would　explain　why　I　didn't　remember　him。　I　do　a　good　job　of　blocking　
painful；　unnecessary　things　from　my　memory。　

〃He's　in　a　wheelchair　now；〃　Charlie　continued　when　I　didn't　respond；　〃so　
he　can't　drive　anymore；　and　he　offered　to　sell　me　his　truck　cheap。〃　

〃What　year　is　it？〃　I　could　see　from　his　change　of　expression　that　this　
was　the　question　he　was　hoping　I　wouldn't　ask。　

〃Well；　Billy's　done　a　lot　of　work　on　the　engine　—　it's　only　a　few　years　
old；　really。〃　

I　hoped　he　didn't　think　so　little　of　me　as　to　believe　I　would　give　up　
that　easily。　〃When　did　he　buy　it？〃　

〃He　bought　it　in　1984；　I　think。〃　

〃Did　he　buy　it　new？〃　

〃Well；　no。　I　think　it　was　new　in　the　early　sixties　—　or　late　fifties　at　
the　earliest；〃　he　admitted　sheepishly。　

〃Ch　—　Dad；　I　don't　really　know　anything　about　cars。　I　wouldn't　be　able　to　
fix　it　if　anything　went　wrong；　and　I　couldn't　afford　a　mechanic…〃　

〃Really；　Bella；　the　thing　runs　great。　They　don't　build　them　like　that　
anymore。〃　

The　thing；　I　thought　to　myself…　it　had　possibilities　—　as　a　nickname；　at　
the　very　least。　

〃How　cheap　is　cheap？〃　After　all；　that　was　the　part　I　couldn't　promise　
on。　

〃Well；　honey；　I　kind　of　already　bought　it　for　you。　As　a　homeing　gift。〃　
Charlie　peeked　sideways　at　me　with　a　hopeful　expression。　

Wow。　Free。　

〃You　didn't　need　to　do　that；　Dad。　I　was　going　to　buy　myself　a　car。〃　

〃I　don't　mind。　I　want　you　to　be　happy　here。〃　He　was　looking　ahead　at　the　
road　when　he　said　this。　Charlie　wasn't　fortable　with　expressing　his　
emotions　out　loud。　I　inherited　that　from　him。　So　I　was　looking　straight　
ahead　as　I　responded。　

〃That's　really　nice；　Dad。　Thanks。　I　really　appreciate　it。〃　No　need　to　add　
that　my　being　happy　in　Forks　is　an　impossibility。　He　didn't　need　to　
suffer　along　with　me。　And　I　never　looked　a　free　truck　in　the　mouth　—　or　
engine。　

〃Well；　now；　you're　wele；〃　he　mumbled；　embarrassed　by　my　thanks。　

We　exchanged　a　few　more　ments　on　the　weather；　which　was　wet；　and　that　
was　pretty　much　it　for　Conversation。　We　stared　out　the　windows　in　silence。　

It　was　beautiful；　of　course；　I　couldn't　deny　that。　Everything　was　green：　
the　trees；　their　trunks　covered　with　moss；　their　branches　hanging　with　a　
canopy　of　it；　the　ground　covered　with　ferns。　Even　the　air　filtered　down　
greenly　through　the　leaves。　

It　was　too　green　—　an　alien　pla。　

Eventually　we　made　it　to　Charlie's。　He　still　lived　in　the　small；　
twobedroom　house　that　he'd　bought　with　my　mother　in　the　early　days　of　
their　marriage。　Those　were　the　only　kind　of　days　their　marriage　had　—　the　
early　ones。　There；　parked　on　the　street　in　front　of　the　house　that　never　
changed；　was　my　new　—　well；　new　to　me　—　truck。　It　was　a　faded　red　color；　
with　big；　rounded　fenders　and　a　bulbous　cab。　To　my　intense　surprise；　I　
loved　it。　I　didn't　know　if　it　would　run；　but　I　could　see　myself　in　it。　
Plus；　it　was　one　of　those　solid　iron　affairs　that　never　gets　damaged　—　
the　kind　you　see　at　the　scene　of　an　accident；　paint　unscratched；　
surrounded　by　the　pieces　of　the　foreign　car　it　had　destroyed。　

〃Wow；　Dad；　I　love　it！　Thanks！〃　Now　my　horrific　day　tomorrow　would　be　just　
that　much　less　dreadful。　I　wouldn't　be　faced　with　the　choice　of　either　
walking　two　miles　in　the　rain　to　school　or　accepting　a　ride　in　the　
Chief's　cruiser。　

〃I'm　glad　you　like　it；〃　Charlie　said　gruffly；　embarrassed　again。　

It　took　only　one　trip　to　get　all　my　stuff　upstairs。　I　got　the　west　
bedroom　that　faced　out　over　the　front　yard。　The　room　was　familiar；　it　had　
been　belonged　to　me　since　I　was　born。　The　wooden　floor；　the　light　blue　
walls；　the　peaked　ceiling；　the　yellowed　lace　curtains　around　the　window　—　
these　were　all　a　part　of　my　childhood。　The　only　changes　Charlie　had　ever　
made　were　switching　the　crib　for　a　bed　and　adding　a　desk　as　I　grew。　The　
desk　now　held　a　secondhand　puter；　with　the　phone　line　for　the　modem　
stapled　along　the　floor　to　the　nearest　phone　jack。　This　was　a　stipulation　
from　my　mother；　so　that　we　could　stay　in　touch　easily。　The　rocking　chair　
from　my　baby　days　was　still　in　the　corner。　

There　was　only　one　small　bathroom　at　the　top　of　the　stairs；　which　I　would　
have　to　share　with　Charlie。　I　was　trying　not　to　dwell　too　much　on　that　
fact。　

One　of　the　best　things　about　Charlie　is　he　doesn't　hover。　He　left　me　
alone　to　unpack　and　get　settled；　a　feat　that　would　have　been　altogether　
impossible　for　my　mother。　It　was　nice　to　be　alone；　not　to　have　to　smile　
and　look　pleased；　a　relief　to　stare　dejectedly　out　the　window　at　the　
sheeting　rain　and　let　just　a　few　tears　escape。　I　wasn't　in　the　mood　to　go　
on　a　real　crying　jag。　I　would　save　that　for　bedtime；　when　I　would　have　to　
think　about　the　ing　morning。　

Forks　High　School　had　a　frightening　total　of　only　three　hundred　and　
fiftyseven　—　now　fiftyeight　—　students；　there　were　more　than　seven　
hundred　people　in　my　junior　class　alone　back　home。　All　of　the　kids　here　
had　grown　up　together　—　their　grandparents　had　been　toddlers　together。　

I　would　be　the　new　girl　from　the　big　city；　a　curiosity；　a　freak。　

Maybe；　if　I　looked　like　a　girl　from　Phoenix　should；　I　could　work　this　to　

my　advantage。　But　physically；　I'd　never　fit　in　anywhere。　I　should　be　tan；　
sporty；　blond　—　a　volleyball　player；　or　a　cheerleader；　perhaps　—　all　the　
things　that　go　with　living　in　the　valley　of　the　sun。　

Instead；　I　was　ivoryskinned；　without　even　the　excuse　of　blue　eyes　or　red　
hair；　despite　the　constant　sunshine。　I　had　always　been　slender；　but　soft　
somehow；　obviously　not　an　athlete；　I　didn't　have　the　necessary　handeye　
coordination　to　play　sports　without　humiliating　myself　—　and　harming　both　
myself　and　anyone　else