

I took a deep breath and tried to make my tone more reasonable.Edward appeared silently and grabbed a dishtowel. I dumped them into the sink and started the water. I got up and piled the dishes together without looking at Charlie.I tried to keep my expression the same.It wasn't one of my favorites, but it would please Charlie. I made stroganoff from Grandma Swan's recipe, because I was sucking up.Charlie would be furious – not that I was going to see Renée, but that Edward was going with me. I thought it over for a short minute before deciding that it wasn't worth the fight.My mechanic was busy these days – busy running around as a giant wolf. I opened my mouth to suggest my mechanic, and then snapped it shut again.I listened, confused, while Mike answered Edward's unusually friendly queries.It didn't take long to determine where my restlessness stemmed from.If I'd allow it, she'd love to dress me every day - perhaps several times a day - like some oversized three-dimensional paper doll.And it's one of Charlie's conditions, anyway –" I frowned at my dad, but he didn't see."I just got my acceptance to the University of Alaska!" I pointed to the thick envelope on the counter.The first was my prerequisite, the second was Edward's. But it was far away, and Juneau had an average of three hundred twenty-one overcast days per year. It was most likely junk mail I'd just gotten a package from my mom yesterday and I wasn't expecting anything else. I didn't move, my thoughts twisting into snarls around Jacob's name.I winced, but kept my eyes on the blob.Are we talking about Jacob, or Edward, or me being grounded?" I saw a dim glimmer of possibility in that smile, but I proceeded slowly.
