5 midnigh+sun-第18章
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The sound of my father's approval created a mixed reaction in me。 I would have
been pleased； except that I knew that he would not approve of what I was going to do
now。 At least； he would not approve if he knew my real motivations？
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〃I think I'm going to go talk to her—before she sees you；〃 I murmured under my
breath。 〃Act natural； like nothing happened。 Smooth it over。〃 All acceptable reasons。
Carlisle nodded absently； still looking over the x…rays。 〃Good idea。 Hmm。〃
I looked to see what had his interest。
Look at all the healed contusions！ How many times did her mother drop her？
Carlisle laughed to himself at his joke。
〃I'm beginning to think the girl just has really bad luck。 Always in the wrong
place at the wrong time。〃
Forks is certainly the wrong place for her； with you here。
I flinched。
Go ahead。 Smooth things over。 I'll join you momentarily。
I walked away quickly； feeling guilty。 Perhaps I was too good a liar； if I could
fool Carlisle。
When I got to the ER； Tyler was mumbling under his breath； still apologizing。
The girl was trying to escape his remorse by pretending to sleep。 Her eyes were closed；
but her breathing was not even； and now and then her fingers would twitch impatiently。
I stared at her face for a long moment。 This was the last time I would see her。
That fact triggered an acute aching in my chest。 Was it because I hated to leave any
puzzle unsolved？ That did not seem like enough of an explanation。
Finally； I took a deep breath and moved into view。
When Tyler saw me； he started to speak； but I put one finger to my lips。
〃Is she sleeping？〃 I murmured。
Bella's eyes snapped open and focused on my face。 They widened momentarily；
and then narrowed in anger or suspicion。 I remembered that I had a role to play； so I
smiled at her as if nothing unusual had happened this morning—besides a blow to her
head and a bit of imagination run wild。
〃Hey； Edward；〃 Tyler said。 〃I'm really sorry—〃
I raised one hand to halt his apology。 〃No blood； no foul；〃 I said wryly。 Without
thinking； I smiled too widely at my private joke。
It was amazingly easy to ignore Tyler； lying no more than four feet from me；
covered in fresh blood。 I'd never understood how Carlisle was able to do that—ignore
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the blood of his patients in order to treat them。 Wouldn't the constant temptation be so
distracting； so dangerous？？ But； now？ I could see how； if you were focusing on
something else hard enough； the temptation was be nothing at all。
Even fresh and exposed； Tyler's blood had nothing on Bella's。
I kept my distance from her； seating myself on the foot of Tyler's mattress。
〃So； what's the verdict？〃 I asked her。
Her lower lip pushed out a little。 〃There's nothing wrong with me at all； but they
won't let me go。 How come you aren't strapped to a gurney like the rest of us？〃
Her impatience made me smile again。
I could hear Carlisle in the hall now。
〃It's all about who you know；〃 I said lightly。 〃But don't worry； I came to spring
you。〃
I watched her reaction carefully as my father entered the room。 Her eyes widened
and her mouth actually fell open in surprise。 I groaned internally。 Yes； she'd certainly
noticed the resemblance。
〃So； Miss Swan； how are you feeling？〃 Carlisle asked。 He had a wonderfully
soothing beside manner that put most patients at ease within moments。 I couldn't tell
how it affected Bella。
〃I'm fine；〃 she said quietly。
Carlisle clipped her X…rays to the lightboard by the bed。 〃Your X…rays look good。
Does your head hurt？ Edward said you hit it pretty hard。〃
She sighed； and said； 〃I'm fine；〃 again； but this time impatience leaked into her
voice。 Then she glowered once in my direction。
Carlisle stepped closer to her and ran his fingers gently over her scalp until he
found the bump under her hair。
I was caught off guard by the wave of emotion that crashed over me。
I had seen Carlisle work with humans a thousand times。 Years ago； I had even
assisted him informally—though only in situations where blood was not involved。 So it
wasn't a new thing to me； to watch him interact with the girl as if he were as human as
she was。 I'd envied his control many times； but that was not the same as this emotion。 I
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envied him more than his control。 I ached for the difference between Carlisle and me—
that he could touch her so gently； without fear； knowing he would never harm her？
She winced； and I twitched in my seat。 I had to concentrate for a moment to keep
my relaxed posture。
〃Tender？〃 Carlisle asked。
Her chin jerked up a fraction。 〃Not really；〃 she said。
Another small piece of her character fell into place： she was brave。 She didn't
like to show weakness。
Possibly the most vulnerable creature I'd ever seen； and she didn't want to seem
weak。 A chuckle slid through my lips。
She shot another glare at me。
〃Well；〃 Carlisle said。 〃Your father is in the waiting room—you can go home
with him now。 But come back if you feel dizzy or have trouble with your eyesight at all。〃
Her father was here？ I swept through the thoughts in the crowded waiting room；
but I couldn't pick his subtle mental voice out of the group before she was speaking
again； her face anxious。
〃Can't I go back to school？〃
〃Maybe you should take it easy today；〃 Carlisle suggested。
Her eyes flickered back to me。 〃Does he get to go to school？〃
Act normal； smooth things over？ignore the way it feels when she looks me in the
eye？
〃Someone has to spread the good news that we survived；〃 I said。
〃Actually；〃 Carlisle corrected； 〃most of the school seems to be in the waiting
room。〃
I anticipated her reaction this time—her aversion to attention。 She didn't
disappoint。
〃Oh no；〃 she moaned； and she put her hands over her face。
I liked that I'd finally guessed right。 I was beginning to understand her？
〃Do you want to stay？〃 Carlisle asked。
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〃No； no！〃 she said quickly； swinging her legs over the side of the mattress and
sliding down till her feet were on the floor。 She stumbled forward； off…balance； into
Carlisle's arms。 He caught and steadied her。
Again； the envy flooded through me。
〃I'm fine；〃 she said before he could comment； faint pink in her cheeks。
Of course； that wouldn't bother Carlisle。 He made sure she was balanced； and
then dropped his hands。
〃Take some Tylenol for the pain；〃 he instructed。
〃It doesn't hurt that bad。〃
Carlisle smiled as he signed her chart。 〃It sounds like you were extremely lucky。〃
She turned her face slightly； to stare at me with hard eyes。 〃Lucky Edward
happened to be standing next to me。〃
〃Oh； well； yes；〃 Carlisle agreed quickly； hearing the same thing in her voice that I
heard。 She hadn't written her suspicions off as imagination。 Not yet。
All yours； Carlisle thought。 Handle it as you think best。
〃Thanks so much；〃 I whispered； quick and quiet。 Neither human heard me。
Carlisle's lips turned up a tiny bit at my sarcasm as he turned to Tyler。 〃I'm afraid that
you'll have to stay with us just a little bit longer；〃 he said as he began examining the
slashes left by the shattered windshield。
Well； I'd made the mess； so it was only fair that I had to deal with it。
Bella walked deliberately toward me； not stopping until she was uncomfortably
close。 I remembered how I had hoped； before all the mayhem； that she would approach
me？ This was like a mockery of that wish。
〃Can I talk to you for a minute？〃 she hissed at me。
Her warm breath brushed my face and I had to stagger back a step。 Her appeal
had not abated one bit。 Every time she was near me； it triggered all my worst； most
urgent instincts。 Venom flowed in my mouth and my body yearned to strike—to wrench
her into my arms and crush her throat to my teeth。
My mind was stronger than my body； but only just。
〃Your father is waiting for you；〃 I reminded her； my jaw clenched tight。
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She glanced toward Carlisle and Tyler。 Tyler was paying us no attention at all；
but Carli
