Chapter 8: Homecoming

Chapter 8: Homecoming

I charged down the long corridor, moving faster than lightning, getting around the corner in half a second.

Giana squeaked, startled by my sudden reappearance. I snatched my bag and cardigan from where I had left them behind the desk.

“Grazi Giana!” I yelled as I set off at a sprint, heading for the lifts. I could hear the growling and snarling already; they couldn’t be far behind.

Thankfully, the lift already stood open. I darted in and hit the button for the ground floor... just as the first of the guard rounded the bend, led by a livid Jane. I smiled at her. “Arrivederci!” I called brightly, waving as the doors closed. I heard the enraged shrieks, and laughed, relief doing strange things to my body.

By the time the lift doors pinged open, I was human again, and I had replaced my black slip-ons with trainers. I ran, though speed wasn’t as critical now. It was still very light; only 5:15, not yet sunset. I had about half an hour before it was dark enough for them to follow me without being spotted. That was plenty of time. I was halfway to Florence by the time the sun finally disappeared below the horizon, and made it just in time for my flight at 6:30.

When I switched my phone on, I found a text message from Alice.

Becky

If you don’t call before noon Bella is going to have a panic attack. Don’t make Edward suffer that.

Call.

Alice

I sighed. Of course Bella would have found out. I could only hope Alice was exaggerating about the panic attack thing.

After quickly checking the Seattle time on my phone’s world clock - it was 9:45 in the morning - I set about composing a new message.

Hey Edward,

Just got out of Volterra. Not too bad but Jane will probably hate me forever (tee hee). Tell Alice that I’m ok, will call Bella now. C u on Monday.

Becky

p.s. I beat up Felix. It wasn’t even really a fight, just me throwing him around like a rag doll ;-)

I sent that, then dialled Bella’s number. I listened to the dial tone, praying that Charlie was out fishing already. Luck was with me; Bella picked up on the third ring, sounding a little breathless. Knowing her she probably ran to the phone.

“Hello?”

“Hi Bells, it’s Becky.”

“Becky!” Her voice sounded relieved. “Where are you? I’ve been worried sick! When Edward told me where you were going...” She took a deep breath. “Just tell me you’re ok.”

I sighed. “I’m fine Bella. I’m on a plane, I’ll be home tonight, and I’ll be in school Monday. Ok?”

There was a moment of silence before Bella answered. “Are you really alright Becky? You sound kind of... crabby.”

I realized then that I wasn’t exactly being polite. I sounded exasperated and irritated, when really I was just exhausted. “I’m so sorry Bella; I didn’t mean to snap at you like that. I’m just really tired. There’s a nine hour time difference between Italy and the West Coast, and I haven’t really gotten over the jet lag yet.”

“Don’t worry about it Becks,” Bella sounded much happier now, satisfied that I wasn’t angry at her. “I slept fourteen hours after I got back.”

I rolled my eyes. “I know. I’ve read New Moon about ten times.”

Bella laughed, and I could picture her blush. “Right, I forgot about that.”

“Bells?” a faint voice echoed down the receiver.

“Oh! Sorry Becky, I gotta go, Charlie’s up.”

“No problem Bells. See you Monday.”

“Bye.” Bella hung up, and I put my phone away.

***

I was absolutely exhausted by the time I staggered through the door. I knew I wasn’t going to make it to my bedroom, so I opted for the sofa in the living room instead. I remembered crossing the hall, and flopping down, but I was out before my head hit the cushions.

The next thing I knew, the phone was ringing in the hall. I moaned and tried to block out the noise, but it just seemed to get louder. Grumbling incoherently, I heaved myself up off the sofa and went to the phone.

“Whoever this is better have a good reason for calling.” I croaked.

“Becky? Is that you?” a shrill voice asked.

I moaned again. “Alice, what do you want?”

“We wanted to invite you over,” she said, sounding hurt. Great. “We thought you might want to talk about your trip. Don’t tell me you were still asleep. It’s 10:30 for crying out loud!”

“It is?” I rubbed my eyes and squinted at the clock. “Wow.”

She sighed. “Becky, you’re hopeless.”

“No, I’m tired,” I grumbled, “I don’t even know what time it was when I got home last night, but I am pretty sure I haven’t had enough sleep. I mean, I’ve jumped nine hours forward, and back again, all in the space of about two days, if that. I haven’t had a full nights sleep since Friday. I’m begging you Alice; give me just a little more time in bed please.”

She was quiet for a minute. I crossed my fingers and squeezed my eyes shut. Finally, Alice sighed.

“Fine. But you have to promise you’ll come over tonight.”

“I promise. Thank you Alice.” I yawned widely.

“Bye Becky.” Her voice had a smile in it, so I was sure I was forgiven.

***

When I woke up again, rain was streaming down the big glass windows of my living room. The sun shone, though it was obscured by thick clouds, and a quick glance at the clock told me it was almost midday. I stretched, stiff from sleeping on the sofa, and went to make myself some lunch.

As I crossed the hallway, something seemed different. I stood and considered for a moment, before I realised that the piano books I had left on the hall table on Thursday night were gone. Or rather, one was. The bright blue cover of the Disney book had caught my eye, because my Twilight book had been on top before.

“Now where can that have got to?” I said to myself, injecting a heavy dose of sarcasm. I knew exactly where my book was.

I made myself a sandwich for lunch and ate at the speed of light, chasing it down with a glass of orange juice, then set off in vampire mode, going full speed.

I stopped just before I reached the Cullen’s, listening.

Just as I’d expected, the sound of a piano floated out through an open window. The melody was so familiar, I actually started tapping it out on the tree trunk I was clinging to, as if I were the one playing.

Carter Burwell’s ‘Bella’s Lullaby’.

I slipped quietly through the back door, making no sound at all. Rounding the corner into the living room, I saw Edward straight away. He had his back to me, totally absorbed in the music. He stopped very suddenly, apparently sensing my presence, and turned around to give me a sheepish grin.

“Hi,” he said, his voice apologetic.

“Good afternoon,” I smiled and skipped over to sit beside him. “What do you think?” I asked, gesturing to the book open on the music stand.

He contemplated for a second. “It’s good, I guess. Not perfect, and not very well arranged for piano, but still, good.”

I laughed. “My teacher said exactly the same thing when she saw it the first time. I haven’t even attempted this one yet.”

He chuckled. “Want to hear the original?”

My eyes went wide. “Please!”

Edward turned back to the keys and began to play again.

There are no words to describe what the real Bella’s Lullaby was like. It was absolutely beautiful, and Edward’s playing was perfect. It was as different from the film version as possible; nothing was the same. When he had finished, I sat there for a minute in stunned silence, trying to remember how to speak.

In the end, all I managed was a breathless, “Wow.”

His smile was huge as he took the book off the piano and handed it to me. “Here. Sorry I borrowed it without permission. When Alice told me what it was, I just couldn’t resist.”

“Don’t worry about it Edward. Curiosity is only natural.” I smiled at him.

Quite suddenly, he was staring at me intently, like he was trying to see something in particular. Then his eyes grew very wide, and his jaw dropped. He touched his fingertips to my cheek, just below my right eye. I leaned away.

“What the hell are you doing?”

“Becky... why are your eyes gold?”

I relaxed a little. “I told Alice to tell you about this. Don’t tell me she’s still keeping secrets.”

He looked even more shocked than before. “She wasn’t kidding. It is perfect.”

I giggled, and the tinkling sound of my laugh made him look even more startled. I jumped up and darted across the room, heading out the back door. He followed me, barrelling into my back when I stopped abruptly in the middle of the lawn and falling on his backside.

I laughed again, then lifted my hands in the air and turned a cartwheel over his head, planting both feet and going straight into a series of backward flips across the grass. When I reached the trees, I stopped turning, grabbing hold of the lowest branch of a big fir and pulling myself up into the leaves. In half a second I was at the top of the tree, looking down on an astounded Edward, still sprawled on his back. I jumped to the next tree along, a sturdy looking oak, and climbed back down, snapping off a branch thicker than my arm on the way. When I hit the ground, I threw the branch like a javelin, launching it across the river, where it splintered against another tree.

“Ta da!” I trilled, dropping a little curtsy. Edward laughed and clapped while I bowed and pretended to blow kisses to my ‘audience’.

“Is that what you meant about beating up Felix?” Edward asked when he had control of himself again.

I nodded. “You should have seen his face. It was priceless.” I laughed again, the sound bouncing off the trees.

He grinned at me. “Race you to Bella’s?” he challenged.

I smiled back. “Ready, set...”

“GO!” we both yelled, setting off at top speed towards Bella’s house, laughing all the way.