Midnight Sun (The Twilight Saga #5) - Stephenie Meyer Page 0,291

ended up putting one hand on Bella’s forehead.

“Bella, honey, you hate Forks.” Renée sounded concerned that Bella had forgotten.

Bella’s voice took on a defensive edge. “It’s not so bad.”

Renée decided to cut to the heart of it.

“Is it this boy?” she whispered. It was more an accusation than a question.

Bella hesitated, then admitted, “He’s part of it.… So, have you had a chance to talk with Edward?”

“Yes, and I want to talk to you about that.”

“What about?” Bella responded innocently.

“I think that boy is in love with you,” Renée whispered.

“I think so, too.”

Is Bella in love? How much have I missed? How could she not tell me? What am I supposed to do?

“And… how do you feel about him?”

Bella sighed, and then her tone was nonchalant. “I’m pretty crazy about him.”

“Well, he seems very nice, and my goodness, he’s incredibly good-looking, but you’re so young, Bella.…”

And you’re too much like Charlie. It’s too soon.

“I know that, Mom,” Bella agreed easily. “Don’t worry about it. It’s just a crush.”

“That’s right,” Renée said.

Good. So she’s not getting all intense and Charlie-ish about this. Oh, is that the time? I’m late.

Bella picked up on Renée’s sudden distraction. “Do you need to go?”

“Phil’s supposed to call in a little while.… I didn’t know you were going to wake up.…”

The phone is probably ringing at the house right now. I should have found the number here.

“No problem, Mom.” Bella couldn’t entirely hide her relief. “I won’t be alone.”

“I’ll be back soon. I’ve been sleeping here, you know,” Renée added, flaunting her Good Mother behavior.

“Oh, Mom, you don’t have to do that!” Bella was upset by the idea of her mother sacrificing for her. That wasn’t the direction their relationship went. “You can sleep at home—I’ll never notice.”

“I was too nervous,” Renée admitted, self-aware enough to sound sheepish after her brag. “There’s been some crime in the neighborhood, and I don’t like being there alone.”

“Crime?” Bella was instantly on high alert.

“Someone broke into that dance studio around the corner from the house and burned it to the ground—there’s nothing left at all! And they left a stolen car right out front. Do you remember when you used to dance there, honey?”

We weren’t the only ones who had stolen cars. The tracker’s had actually been parked around the south side of the dance studio. We hadn’t known to clean up his crimes as well as our own. And it was helpful to our alibis, as that car had been boosted a day before we’d arrived in Phoenix.

“I remember,” Bella said with a quaver in her voice.

I had a difficult time holding my position. Renée, too, was moved.

“I can stay, baby, if you need me.”

“No, Mom, I’ll be fine. Edward will be with me.”

Of course he will. Oh well, I really have to do some laundry and I should probably clean out the fridge. That milk is months old.

“I’ll be back tonight.”

“I love you, Mom.”

“I love you, too, Bella. Try to be more careful when you walk, honey, I don’t want to lose you.”

I worked to control the grin that burst through my façade.

Bea came in to make her rounds, weaving around Renée in a practiced way to get to Bella’s monitors.

Renée kissed Bella on the forehead, patted her hand, and then made her getaway, eager to tell Phil the news that Bella was better.

“Are you feeling anxious, honey?” Bea inquired. “Your heart rate got a little high there.”

“I’m fine,” Bella assured her.

“I’ll tell your RN that you’re awake. She’ll be in to see you in a minute.”

Before the door was closed behind Bea, I was at Bella’s side.

Her eyebrows were raised high, either worried or impressed. “You stole a car?”

I knew she meant the car in the parking lot, but she wasn’t wrong. Except that it was two cars. “It was a good car, very fast,” I told her.

“How was your nap?” she asked.

All the playfulness of our interaction faded. “Interesting.”

The change in mood confused her. “What?”

I stared at the tall mound that was her mangled leg, not sure what she would see in my eyes. “I’m surprised,” I said slowly. “I thought Florida… and your mother… well, I thought that’s what you would want.”

“But you’d be stuck inside all day in Florida,” she pointed out, not following. “You’d only be able to come out at night, just like a real vampire.”

The way she phrased it made me want to smile, but I also wanted very much not to smile.

“I would stay in Forks, Bella. Or somewhere