I.

The phone call comes late one Saturday night.

            ESPN is showing reruns of his favorite games from the last March Madness, and it takes Charlie a while to notice the phone is ringing. At first he isn’t sure he wants to answer it, but then he thinks it might be Bella checking in from her honeymoon (doesn’t he feel old when he thinks that) and decides he will get up after all.

            Three minutes later, the world has ended.

            And all he can think after that is one thing, a sentence he has said before but never dreamed someone would say to him.

            “Sir, I’m sorry to tell you this, but your daughter is dead.”

II.

            Jacob takes care of the funeral arrangements.

            Charlie doesn’t argue, not even when he sees the tombstone. He can’t bring himself to care about anything right now, especially not something that seems sort of true.

ISABELLA MARIE SWAN

1988 – 2006

She chose wrong.

            Under any other circumstances, Charlie would have laughed. As it is, it is taking all his strength not to cry.

III.

            Billy seems worried about him.

            Jacob drives him up to Forks every day to spend time with him. Charlie doesn’t mind much. It’s nice to have company during the few hours he isn’t at work. Besides, Billy doesn’t complain about Charlie’s dismal cooking, which makes it easier.

            The week that Billy has the flu, it is Sue Clearwater who sits beside Jacob’s large shoulder in the Rabbit. On her lap is a foil-covered casserole dish.

            Charlie locks himself in the house and refuses to come out.