2 new+moon新月- 第7部分

〃Of　course。〃　

Edward　was　waiting　for　me　by　the　front　door。　As　I　got　to　the　bottom　of　the　staircase；　he　held　it　open　
without　a　word。　

〃Take　your　things！〃　Alice　cried　as　I　walked　warily　toward　Edward。　She　scooped　up　the　two　packages；　
one　halfopened；　and　my　camera　from　under　the　piano；　and　pressed　them　into　my　good　arm。　〃You　can　
thank　me　later；　when　you've　opened　them。〃　

Esme　and　Carlisle　both　said　a　quiet　goodnight。　I　could　see　them　stealing　quick　glances　at　their　impassive　
son；　much　like　I　was。　

It　was　a　relief　to　be　outside；　I　hurried　past　the　lanterns　and　the　roses；　now　unwele　reminders。　
Edward　kept　pace　with　me　silently。　He　opened　the　passenget　side　for　me；　and　I　climbed　in　without　

plaint。　

On　the　dashboard　was　a　big　red　ribbon；　stuck　to　the　new　stereo。　I　pulled　it　off；　throwing　it　to　the　floor。　
As　Edward　slid　into　the　other　side；　I　kicked　the　ribbon　under　my　seat。　

He　didn't　look　at　me　or　the　stereo。　Neither　of　us　switched　it　on；　and　the　silence　was　somehow　intensified　
by　the　sudden　thunder　of　the　engine。　He　drove　too　fast　down　the　dark；　serpentine　lane。　

The　silence　was　making　me　insane。　

〃Say　something；〃　I　finally　begged　as　he　turned　onto　the　freeway。　

〃What　do　you　want　me　to　say？〃　he　asked　in　a　detached　voice。　

I　cringed　at　his　remoteness。　'Tell　me　you　forgive　me。〃　

That　brought　a　flicker　of　life　to　his　face—a　flicker　of　anger。　〃Forgive　you？　For　what？〃　

〃If　I'd　been　more　careful；　nothing　would　have　happened。〃　

〃Bella；　you　gave　yourself　a　paper　cut—that　hardly　deserves　the　death　penalty。〃　

〃It's　still　my　fault。〃　

My　words　opened　up　the　floodgate。　

〃Your　fault？　If　you'd　cut　yourself　at　Mike　Newton's　house；　with　Jessica　there　and　Angela　and　your　other　
normal　friends；　the　worst　that　could　possibly　have　happened　would　be　what？　Maybe　they　couldn't　find　
you　a　bandage？　If　you'd　tripped　and　knocked　over　a　pile　of　glass　plates　on　your　own—without　someone　
throwing　you　into　them—even　then；　what's　the　worst？　You'd　get　blood　on　the　seats　when　they　drove　
you　to　the　emergency　room？　Mike　Newton　could　have　held　your　hand　while　they　stitched　you　up—and　
he　wouldn't　be　righting　the　urge　to　kill　you　the　whole　time　he　was　there。　Don't　try　to　take　any　of　this　on　
yourself；　Bella。　It　will　only　make　me　more　disgusted　with　myself。〃　

〃How　the　hell　did　Mike　Newton　end　up　in　this　conversation？〃　I　demanded。　

〃Mike　Newton　ended　up　in　this　conversation　because　Mike　Newton　would　be　a　hell　of　a　lot　healthier　for　
you　to　be　with；〃　he　growled。　

〃I'd　rather　die　than　be　with　Mike　Newton；〃　I　protested。　〃I'd　rather　die　than　be　with　anyone　but　you。〃　

〃Don't　be　melodramatic；　please。〃　

〃Well　then；　don't　you　be　ridiculous。〃　

He　didn't　answer。　He　glared　through　the　windshield；　his　expression　black。　

I　racked　my　brain　for　some　way　to　salvage　the　evening。　When　we　pulled　up　in　front　of　my　house；　I　still　
hadn't　e　up　with　anything。　

He　killed　the　engine；　but　his　hands　stayed　clenched　around　the　steering　wheel。　

〃Will　you　stay　tonight？〃　I　asked。　

〃I　should　go　home。〃　

The　last　thing　I　wanted　was　for　him　to　go　wallow　in　remorse。　

〃For　my　birthday；〃　I　pressed。　

〃You　can't　have　it　both　ways—either　you　want　people　to　ignore　your　birthday　or　you　don't。　One　or　the　
other。〃　

His　voice　was　stern；　but　not　。is　serious　as　before。　I　breathed　a　silent　sigh　of　relief。　

〃Okay。　I've　decided　that　I　don't　want　you　to　ignore　my　birthday。　I'll　see　you　upstairs。〃　

I　hopped　out；　reaching　back　in　for　my　packages。　He　frowned。　

〃You　don't　have　to　take　those。〃　

〃I　want　them；〃　I　responded　automatically；　and　then　wondered　if　he　was　using　reverse　psychology。　

〃No；　you　don't。　Carlisle　and　Esme　spent　money　on　you。〃　

〃I'll　live。〃　I　tucked　the　presents　awkwardly　under　my　good　arm　and　slammed　the　door　behind　me。　He　
was　out　of　the　truck　and　by　my　side　in　less　than　a　second。　

〃Let　me　carry　them；　at　least。〃　he　said　as　he　took　them　away。　〃I'll　be　in　your　room。〃　

I　smiled。　〃Thanks。〃　

〃Happy　birthday；〃　he　sighed；　and　leaned　down　to　touch　his　lips　to　mine。　

I　reached　up　on　my　toes　to　make　the　kiss　last　longer　when　he　pulled　away。　He　smiled　my　favorite　
crooked　smile；　and　then　he　disappeared　into　the　darkness。　

The　game　was　still　on；　as　soon　as　I　walked　through　the　front　door　I　could　hear　the　announcer　rambling　
over　the　babble　of　the　crowd。　

〃Bell？〃　Charlie　called。　

〃Hey；　Dad；〃　I　said　as　I　came　around　the　corner。　I　held　my　arm　close　to　my　side。　The　slight　pressure　
burned；　and　I　wrinkled　my　nose。　The　anesthetic　was　apparently　losing　its　effectiveness。　

〃How　was　it？〃　Charlie　lounged　across　the　sofa　with　his　bare　feet　propped　up　on　the　arm。　What　was　left　
of　his　curly　brown　hair　was　crushed　flat　on　one　side。　

〃Alice　went　overboard。　Flowers；　cake；　candles；　presents—the　whole　bit。〃　

〃What　did　they　get　you？〃　

〃A　stereo　for　my　truck。〃　And　various　unknowns。　

〃Wow。〃　

〃Yeah；〃　I　agreed。　〃Well；　I'm　calling　it　a　night。〃　

〃I'll　see　you　in　the　morning。〃　

I　waved。　〃See　ya。〃　

〃What　happened　to　your　arm？〃　

I　flushed　and　cursed　silently。　〃I　tripped。　It's　nothing。〃　

〃Bella；〃　he　sighed；　shaking　his　head。　

〃Goodnight；　Dad。〃　

I　hurried　up　to　the　bathroom；　where　I　kept　my　pajamas　for　just　such　nights　as　these。　I　shrugged　into　the　
matching　tank　top　and　cotton　pants　that　I'd　gotten　to　replace　the　holey　sweats　I　used　to　wear　to　bed；　
wincing　as　the　movement　pulled　at　the　stitches。　I　washed　my　face　onehanded；　brushed　my　teeth；　and　
then　skipped　to　my　room。　

He　was　sitting　in　the　center　of　my　bed；　toying　idly　with　one　of　the　silver　boxes。　

〃Hi；〃　he　said。　His　voice　was　sad。　He　was　wallowing。　

I　went　to　the　bed；　pushed　the　presents　out　of　his　hands；　and　climbed　into　his　lap。　

〃Hi。〃　I　snuggled　into　his　stone　chest。　〃Can　I　open　my　presents　now？〃　

〃Where　did　the　enthusiasm　e　from？〃　he　wondered。　

〃You　made　me　curious。〃　

I　picked　up　the　long　flat　rectangle　that　must　have　been　from　Carlisle　and　Esme。　

〃Allow　me；〃　he　suggested。　He　took　the　gift　from　my　hand　and　tore　the　silver　paper　off　with　one　fluid　
movement。　He　handed　the　rectangular　white　box　back　to　me。　

〃Are　you　sure　I　can　handle　lifting　the　lid？〃　I　muttered；　but　he　ignored　me。　

Inside　the　box　was　a　long　thick　piece　of　paper　with　an　overwhelming　amount　of　fine　print。　It　took　me　a　
minute　to　get　the　gist　of　the　information。　

〃We're　going　to　Jacksonville？〃　And　I　was　excited；　in　spite　of　myself。　It　was　a　voucher　for　plane　tickets；　
for　both　me　and　Edward。　

〃That's　the　idea。〃　

〃I　can't　believe　it。　Renee　is　going　to　flip！　You　don't　mind；　though；　do　you？　It's　sunny；　you'll　have　to　stay　
inside　all　day。〃　

〃I　think　I　can　handle　it；〃　he　said；　and　then　frowned。　〃If　I'd　had　any　idea　that　you　could　respond　to　a　gift　
this　appropriately；　I　would　have　made　you　open　it　in　front　of　Carlisle　and　Esme。　I　thought　you'd　
plain。〃　

〃Well；　of　course　it's　too　much。　But　I　get　to　take　you　with　me！〃　

He　chuckled。　〃Now　I　wish　I'd　spent　money　on　your　present。　I　didn't　realize　that　you　were　capable　of　
being　reasonable。〃　

I　set　the　tickets　aside　and　reached　for　his　present；　my　curiosity　rekindled。　He　took　it　from　me　and　
unwrapped　it　like　the　first　one。　

He　handed　back　a　clear　CD　jewel　case；　with　a　blank　silver　CD　inside。　

〃What　is　it？〃　I　asked；　perplexed。　

He　didn't　say　anything；　he　took　the　CD　and　reached　around　me　to　put　it　in　the　CD　player　on　the　bedside　
table。　He　hit　play；　and　we　waited　in　silence。　Then　the　music　began。　

I　listened；　speechless　and　wideeyed。　I　knew　he　was　waiting　for　my　reaction；　but　I　couldn't　talk。　Tears　
welled　up；　and　I　reached　up　to　wipe　them　away　before　they　could　spill　over。　

〃Does　your　arm　hurt？〃　he　asked　anxiously。　

〃No；　it's　not　my　arm。　It's　beautiful；　Edward。　You　couldn't　have　given　me　anything　I　would　love　more。　I　
can't　believe　it。〃　I　shut　up；　so　I　could　listen。　

It　was　his　music；　his　positions。　The　first　piece　on　the　CD　was　my　lullaby。　

〃I　didn't　think　you　would　let　me　get　a　piano　so　I　could　play　for　you　here；〃　he　explained。　

〃You're　right。〃　

〃How　does　your　arm　feel？〃　

〃Just　fine。〃　Actually；　it　was　starting　to　blaze　under　the　bandage。　I　wanted　ice。　I　would　have　settled　for　his　
hand；　but　that　would　have　given　me　away。　

〃I'll　get　you　some　Tylenol。〃　

〃I　don't　need　anything；〃　I　protested；　but　he　slid　me　off　his　lap　and　headed　for　the　door。　

〃Charlie；〃　I　hissed。　Charlie　wasn't　exactly　aware　that　Edward　frequently　stayed　over。　In　fact；　he　would　
have　a　stroke　if　that　fact　were　brought　to　his　attention。　But　I　didn't　feel　too　guilty　for　deceiving　him　It　
wasn't　as　if　we　were　up　to　anything　he　wouldn't　want　me　to　be　up　to。　Edward　and　his　rules…　

〃He　won't　catch　me；〃　Edward　promised　as　he　disappeared　silently　out　the　door　。　。　and　returned；　catching　
the　door　before　it　had　swung　back　to　touch　the　frame。　He　had　the　glass　from　the　bathroom　and　the　bottle　
of　pills　in　one　hand。　

I　took　the　pills　he　handed　me　without　arguing—I　knew　I　would　lose　the　argument　And　my　arm　really　was　
starting　to　bother　me。　

My　lullaby　continued；　soft　and　lovely；　in　the　background。　

〃It's　late；〃　Edward　noted。　He　scooped　me　up　off　the　bed　with　one　arm；　and　pulled　the　cover　back　with　
the　other。　He　put　me　down　with　my　head　on　my　pillow　and　tucked　the　quilt　around　me。　He　lay　down　next　
to　me—on　top　of　the　blanket　so　I　wouldn't　get　chilled—and　put　his　arm　over　me。　

I　leaned　my　head　against　his　shoulder　and　sighed　happily。　

〃Thanks　again；〃　I　whispered。　

〃You're　wele。〃　

It　was　quiet　for　a　long　moment　as　I　listened　to　my　lullaby　drift　to　a　close。　Another　song　began。　I　
recognized　Esme's　favorite。　

〃What　are　you　thinking　about？'〃　I　wondered　in　a　whisper。　

He　hesitated　for　a　second　before　he　told　me。　〃I　was　thinking　about　right　and　wrong；　actually。〃　

I　felt　a　chill　tingle　along　my　spine。　

〃Remember　how　I　decided　that　I　wanted　you　to　not　ignore　my　birthday？〃　I　asked　quickly；　hoping　it　
wasn't　too　clear　that　I　was　trying　to　distract　him。　

〃Yes；〃　he　agreed；　wary。　

〃Well；　I　was　thinking；　since　it's　still　my　birthday；　that　I'd　like　you　to　kiss　me　again。〃　

〃You're　greedy　tonight。〃　

〃Yes；　I　am—but　please；　don't　do　anything　you　don't　want　to　do；〃　I　added；　piqued。　

He