Charlie's POV
"Do you really think she's ready to let him go?"
She sighs and shrugs her shoulders. "I know she wants to, but whether she can or will is something only she knows. It's time for all of you to let him go," she says, mincing no words.
I huff and tighten my grip on her. Laying my chin on her head, I close my eyes, fighting back the guilt I still feel whenever I think about Evan. It's a constant battle because every time I see Bella or Peyton, I'm reminded of what I've done.
"Renée," I whisper roughly. I don't want to argue with her about this again. It's truly the only thing we've never seen eye to eye on.
"No, Charlie," she answers back, spinning around to look at me. She reaches up and grabs my face. Her eyes are pained, but determined. "You, Emmett, and Bella all have to deal with this once and for all. What happened to Evan was a tragedy, but it was an accident. None of you forced him to be on that boat."
I'm shaking my head before she's even finished, gritting my teeth and clenching my jaw.
"Née," I say, brokenly, all the remorse and anguish I carry with me rushing to the surface.
"It. Wasn't. Your. Fault!" she raises her voice and says again, fighting her own internal battles.
Neither of us say anything for a few moments as we let the tension lessen between us. "Charlie, we all have to deal with this; it's way past time. Bella really cares about Edward. Hell, she's half in love with him already, even if she's too scared to admit it. Peyton adores him and they both need him every bit as much as he needs the two of them. It's going to be hard enough when she finds out where he's been the last seven years. She doesn't need to add Evan's ghost following her around on top of it."
"I loved that kid, as much as if he was our own," I murmur.
"We all did and we always will. Without him, we wouldn't have Peyton," she says, her voice instantly soft. "It's even worse because we lost Peter and Kate because of what happened. Peyton only knows one set of grandparents, not the people who used to be our close friends. She doesn't know what an amazing man her father was. It's way past time to let it all go, Charlie; for Bella's sake, for Peyton's, and for yours and Emmett's. If Bella wants any chance to make something with Edward, you all have to do it."
1 comments:
like wow this is gonna be such a cool chapter!! good for renee and hard for the rest of them. but whoa she sure is right!! i am chomping at the bit in anticipation and grand impatience for sunday to come!!! geez it's still 5 days away!!!! dammit!!
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