The next few days were full of preparations and planning. Before I knew it, it had been four nights since the wedding. Tonight was the scheduled time for me to begin my “decent into eternal damnation” as Edward has so uncooperatively titled it. My rusty pick-up truck grumbled along the road with Edward’s shiny Volvo sliding along gracefully in my rearview mirror. We had decided it best to leave my truck with Charlie, seeing as it would likely not make it to Denali in one piece.

I ran over the story one more time in my head as we drew closer and closer to Charlie’s house. He must have been expecting this, since he was under the impression that I would be attending college in Alaska. My truck screeched to a halt in front of the ordinary Swan residence that I no longer called home. Edward was beside my door, letting me out before my key was even out of the ignition.

“I’ll be right out here waiting.” He assured me. He was very understanding of the fact that I needed to do this alone, for the most part, that is.

I nodded and shakily stepped out of the truck. This is the last time I would see my father. As ready as I was to make the change, giving up Charlie, Renee, and even Jacob were the hardest parts of the decision. I stepped on to the porch and suddenly realized that I didn’t know whether to knock or just enter. I hesitated for a moment and then just let myself in. I knew Charlie wouldn’t mind, but I still felt like an unannounced visitor.

“Charlie?” I called out.

“Bella!” His voice came from the kitchen. He was eating a TV dinner when I walked in. I suddenly felt very guilty for not teaching him how to cook.

“Hey dad, I just came by to-”

“Say goodbye?” He finished for me.

“Yeah, but….how did you-”

“Jacob warned me that you would be leaving soon.” I froze. “ He told me that he had something for me to give you, but he never made it over here to actually give it to me. Billy says he has been shut up in his room all week.”