“Who’s the third wife？” he asked me suddenly。
“Huh？” I said； stalling。 I didn’t remember having had that dream again。
“You were mumbling something about ‘the third wife’ last night。 The rest made a little sense； but you lost
me there。”
“Oh。 Um； yeah。 That was just one of the stories that I heard at the bonfire the other night。” I shrugged。 “I
guess it stuck with me。”
Edward leaned away from me and cocked his head to the side； probably confused by the unfortable
edge to my voice。
Before he could ask； Alice appeared in the kitchen doorway with a sour expression。
“You’re going to miss all the fun；” she grumbled。
“Hello； Alice；” he greeted her。 He put one finger under my chin and tilted my face up to kiss me goodbye。
“I’ll be back later tonight；” he promised me。 “I’ll go work this out with the others； rearrange things。”
“Okay。”
“There’s not much to arrange；” Alice said。 “I already told them。 Emmett is pleased。”
Edward sighed。 “Of course he is。”
He walked out the door； leaving me to face Alice。
She glared at me。
“I’m sorry；” I apologized again。 “Do you think this will make it more dangerous for you？”
She snorted。 “You worry too much； Bella。 You’re going to go prematurely gray。”
“Why are you upset； then？”
“Edward is such a grouch when he doesn’t get his way。 I’m just anticipating living with him for the next
few months。” She made a face。 “I suppose； if it keeps you sane； it’s worth it。 But I wish you could control the
pessimism； Bella。 It’s so unnecessary。”
“Would you let Jasper go without you？” I demanded。
Alice grimaced。 “That’s different。”
“Sure it is。”
“Go clean yourself up；” she ordered me。 “Charlie will be home in fifteen minutes； and if you look this
ragged he’s not going to want to let you out again。”
Wow； I’d really lost the whole day。 It felt like such a waste。 I was glad I wouldn’t always have to
squander my time with sleeping。
I was entirely presentable when Charlie got home — fully dressed； hair decent； and in the kitchen putting
his dinner on the table。 Alice sat in Edward’s usual place； and this seemed to make Charlie’s day。
“Howdy； Alice！ How are you； hon？”
“I’m fine； Charlie； thanks。”
“I see you finally made it out of bed； sleepyhead；” he said to me as I sat beside him； before turning back to
Alice。 “Everyone’s talking about that party your parents threw last night。 I’ll bet you’ve got one heck of a
cleanup job ahead of you。”
Alice shrugged。 Knowing her； it was already done。
“It was worth it；” she said。 “It was a great party。”
“Where’s Edward？” Charlie asked； a little grudgingly。 “Is he helping clean up？”
Alice sighed and her face turned tragic。 It was probably an act； but it was too perfect for me to be
positive。 “No。 He’s off planning the weekend with Emmett and Carlisle。”
“Hikingagain？”
Alice nodded； her face suddenly forlorn。 “Yes。 They’re all going； except me。 We always go backpacking
at the end of the school year； sort of a celebration； but this year I decided I’d rather shop than hike； and not
one of them will stay behind with me。 I’m abandoned。”
Her face puckered； the expression so devastated that Charlie leaned toward her automatically； one hand
reaching out； looking for some way to help。 I glared at her suspiciously。 What was she doing？
“Alice； honey； why don’t you e stay with us；” Charlie offered。 “I hate to think of you all alone in that
big house。”
She sighed。 Something squashed my foot under the table。
“Ow！” I protested。
Charlie turned to me。 “What？”
Alice shot me a frustrated look。 I could tell she thought that I was very slow tonight。
“Stubbed my toe；” I muttered。
“Oh。” He looked back at Alice。 “So； how ’bout it？”
She stepped on my foot again； not quite so hard this time。
“Er； Dad； you know； we don’t really have the best acmodations here。 I bet Alice doesn’t want to
sleep on my floor。 。 。 。”
Charlie pursed his lips。 Alice pulled out the devastated expression again。
“Maybe Bella should stay up there with you；” he suggested。 “Just until your folks get back。”
“Oh； would you； Bella？” Alice smiled at me radiantly。 “You don’t mind shopping with me； right？”
“Sure；” I agreed。 “Shopping。 Okay。”
“When are they leaving？” Charlie asked。
Alice made another face。 “Tomorrow。”
“When do you want me？” I asked。
“After dinner； I guess；” she said； and then put one finger to her chin； thoughtful。 “You don’t have anything
going on Saturday； do you？ I want to get out of town to shop； and it will be an allday thing。”
“Not Seattle；” Charlie interjected； his eyebrows pulling together。
“Of course not；” Alice agreed at once； though we both knew Seattle would be plenty safe on Saturday。 “I
was thinking Olympia； maybe。 。 。 。”
“You’ll like that； Bella。” Charlie was cheerful with relief。 “Go get your fill of the city。”
“Yeah； Dad。 It’ll be great。”
With one easy conversation； Alice had cleared my schedule for the battle。
Edward returned not much later。 He accepted Charlie’s wishes for a nice trip without surprise。 He claimed
they were leaving early in the morning； and said goodnight before the usual time。 Alice left with him。
I excused myself soon after they left。
“You can’t be tired；” Charlie protested。
“A little；” I lied。
“No wonder you like to skip the parties；” he muttered。 “It takes you so long to recover。”
Upstairs； Edward was lying across my bed。
“What time are we meeting with the wolves？” I murmured as I went to join him。
“In an hour。”
“That’s good。 Jake and his friends need to get some sleep。”
“They don’t need as much as you do；” he pointed out。
I moved to another topic； assuming he was about to try to talk me into staying home。 “Did Alice tell you
that she’s kidnapping me again？”
He grinned。 “Actually； she’s not。”
I stared at him； confused； and he laughed quietly at my expression。
“I’m the only one who has permission to hold you hostage； remember？” he said。 “Alice is going hunting
with the rest of them。” He sighed。 “I guess I don’t need to do that now。”
“You’re kidnapping me？”
He nodded。
I thought about that briefly。 No Charlie listening downstairs； checking on me every so often。 And no
houseful of wideawake vampires with their intrusively sensitive hearing。 。 。 。 Just him and me — really alone。
“Is that all right？” he asked； concerned by my silence。
“Well 。 。 。 sure； except for one thing。”
“What thing？” His eyes were anxious。 It was mindboggling； but； somehow； he still seemed unsure of his
hold on me。 Maybe I needed to make myself more clear。
“Why didn’t Alice tell Charlie you were leaving tonight？” I asked。
He laughed； relieved。
I enjoyed the trip to the clearing more than I had last night。 I still felt guilty； still afraid； but I wasn’t terrified
anymore。 I could function。 I could see past what was ing； and almost believe that maybe it would be
okay。 Edward was apparently fine with the idea of missing the fight 。 。 。 and that made it very hard not to
believe him when he said this would be easy。 He wouldn’t leave