IC Time: May 4th, late afternoon
Location: Cullen Backyard
Synopsis: A bit of merriment around the pool that ends in loss
Submitted by: Bella
(some people had to leave during the scene)
t is evening time at the zo…Cullen House. The sun's orange glow filters through the clouds as it heads for its nightly sleep. Bella is sitting on the back patio, her legs hanging over the edge as she looks into the pit of destruction otherwise known as the future site of the Pool. Surely not her only reason for sitting here, no doubt waiting for the return of Edward from another hunting trip. With her increased presence and their increased intimacy something he must do more regularly.
Esme walks out of the house, into the yard, and comes to stand beside Bella. "Good evening, my dear," she greets, standing directly in the last rays of the sun. The woman closes her eyes, a smile settled upon her face as she directs her face upwards.
Bella looks up as she hears Esme's voice, her gaze struck by the sparkling radiance of her skin as the sun strikes its surface. One of those aspects that is meant to draw their prey, meant to, in Edward's eyes, show how much of a monster they really are. Too Bella, it is just beautiful and dazzling. "Good evening Esme…" She finally replies as focus her eyes past the diamonds and to the face.
Esme opens her eyes and turns her face towards Bella. "Sorry, sometimes it's nice to feel the sun," she gives with a light chuckle as she steps into the shadows. "How was your day, Bella?" she questions of the teen.
"Don't apologize…it is beautiful." Bella says ernestly as she looks up at Esme, her skin glittering with the light of the setting sun. "Times we go up to our meadow and just lay there together and I just watch him sparkle…" She sighs softly and looks out over the muddy hole in the backyard, "So…can the contractors work with this?" She asks with a touch of amusement in her tone as she looks over the Emmett dug pit.
At that moment, there's a blur near the pit, and there's an Alice standing next to it, looking slightly rumpled but deeply pleased. There's a smear of mud on her cheek. She beams at Bella and Esme, lifting her hand to twiddle her fingers in a wave. "Hi!"
Esme smiles, still an apolagetic smile. "It's supposed to be a warning, that we're not normal, to scare people. You're quite immune to that, though, aren't you?" she questions with a laugh and shake of her head. "Oh, I'm sure they'll be able to, or maybe I'll just put us all to work and have the family build it… it would be done sooner," she gives with a wink before she turns to see Alice. "What did you do?"
"How can something so beautiful be used to scare people…I would think it would mesmerize then." Bella responds with a grin as she is teased on her Vampire fear factor immunity. "I am afraid there is little you can do to scare me off…wait…forget I said that." Lets not tempt the vampies. She laughs a little and looks down to the mud pit to see Alice standing next to it, "Hey Alice…"
Cue big innocent golden eyes. "Nothing!" Alice cries. "Just.. um.. made the pit a little deeper." On second glance, one would notice that Alice was wearing what she must think are her "frumpy" clothes, and they're spattered with mud. "And.. wider.." Alice admits.
Esme eyes Alice, she doesn't look happy. "You what?! Alice Cullen, that pit was all set to start laying down the rocks and sand! The dimensions, everything, it was /perfect/. I didn't buy enough rocks for a wider and deeper pool, Alice, and we can't get them here fast enough for when we'll need them…" uh oh… maybe an annoyed Esme-vampie can scare Bella?
"I am going to drown." Bella just says in a flat voice as she presses her head to a post for a moment, before looking around it at Alice and smiling. "You all are having entirely too much fun digging holes…" She says with a laugh before looking down at the pit, "It might be better for the kids to do it…explaining the hand digging marks could be fun." As Esme goes grumpy, Bella bites her lower lip and looks up at Esme.
Alice, surprisingly, begins to giggle. And giggle. "Chill, Esme! I was only joking. Man, you should've seen your face.." Alice starts giggling again. "I was just playing in the hole. I thought it'd be fun. The dimensions are unchanged, I promise." She bounces a little. "When is it gonna be a real-live pool, anyway?"
Esme sighs and shakes her head, before she gives Alice a tight hug. "Oh, Alice, you horrible girl. I bet you saw my reaction a mile away," is offered with a slight giggle. "You know, Alice, I think I'm going to put you lot to work on it. I know you'll do a good job, and probably be faster than a contractor. Besides, I want the pool done before the wedding."
Bella relaxes as all is revealed to be no more than a joke. No agro Esme today! As the date on the pool is announced Bella raises her hands helplessly, "Like I said…I will die drowning. I will come into my new life smelling forever of chlorine. Great." There is veiled sarcasm in her tone as if she is partially kidding at least.
Alice grins at Bella. "Don't worry," she tells the girl. "We'll get you some of those inflatable water wings. And maybe a raft of some sort," she says, only half teasing. At Esme's news, she grins. "That could be fun! I bet we'll have it done in no time."
Esme chuckles. "You won't drown, Bella, no one will let that happen," she notes, shaking her head in the teens direction. "And I think, Alice, that I'll have you kids help, make it a family thing. So long as you guys don't destroy the place."
"We never destroy anything!" Alice says virtuously, looking innocent. "Or.. well.. mostly. Sort of… yeah, I see your point." She comes around finally, then clasps her hands together. "Fun!"
Bella glances up at Esme and finally smiles, "Ok, I suppose I will have seven lifeguards." She finally says, trying to summon up enthusiasm for the death trap waiting to be created. "I saw the requests…the thing will look fantastic." She looks over to Alice and grins at her 'innocent' look. "I am sure there is parts of the forest and a bathroom that begs to differ."
Esme laughs. "Alice, innocent. My darling, you're not more innocent than your father and I," she states with a shake of her head. "And yes, Bells, you'll have seven lifeguards. You'll be perfectly safe."
Alice grins happily at Bella. "It will be wonderful! You'll love it, Bella, I promise." She grins at Esme, and makes a face. "I am the most innocent of all the Cullens!" She proclaims loftily.
So its sunset around here, the sun just a slowly dimming orb on the horison. Occasional rays make their last staps through the clouds to sparkle on the skins on the vampires. Bella is sitting on the edge of the back porch with Esme standing beside her. Alice is standing next to a big vaguely pool shapped mud pit in the back yard. Bella looks between Alice and Esme with amusement on her features at the chatter between them, "Only because you know when they would catch you not being innocent Alice." She teases lightly in response. Yesterday the three of them went to the Bonfire at LaPush without incident thanks to invitation with the Elders.
Esme eyes Alice. "I think not, I've seen some of the damage the two of you have caused," she points out with a shake of her head and a lopsided smile. "It's a good thing you like the stock markets, otherwise you'd put us out of house and home," clearly, she's exagerating now. "Good point, Bella… she can see when someone will catch her and Jasper damaging things," she gives, with a wink.
Alice grins at the pair. "I can think of some siblings that're more destructive than Jazz and me," she gives. Her golden eyes go shifty at Bella's comment. "Well.. that could have a part in it, Bells. Maybe."
Jacob has been making himself useful and it shows! He's muddy, though he wears it well, being russet himself, it looks more like a wet sheen, caking here and there and drying as the heat of him bakes it on. He listens to the banter of the others, smiling to himself at their easy chatter. "You all are very different, when you're not in public, you know that?", he says. "I like this better… when you wear your masks, it takes something away from… from who you are." He shrugs, not wanting that to come off the wrong way. He wipes his brow and tightens his abs, back to work smoothing the sides with a trowel. "Think this'll be ready in time for this summer, or are you aiming for next?"
Bella grins up at Esme, "I promise I will try to not destroy anything much afterward…" Yeah got to love those solid promised. There is amusement in her eyes, she looks relaxed as she sits there, enjoying the little byplay between the family. She laughs at Alice before looking down as Jacob appears all muddied and topless. Whimper. Bella makes a concerted effort to look at his face. She looks over to Alice and Esme for a moment as he speaks before looking at Jacob, "Me too…but its neccesary.."
Esme chuckles and nods. "Well, yes, Rose and Emmett are fairly bad. And I'm /sure/ Bella and Edward will be a bit of a… emm… destructive duo," is given with a wink towards her daughters. "Aww, thanks Jakey," she gives and moves to give the mud covered pup a hug, not that she's worried about her outfit. Carlisle may not appreciate his shirt getting muddy though. "Oh, it'll be done before the wedding, Jake. I won't have the yard a mess for that important day, after all. And, well, we won't have much time afterwards, what with Rose and Emmett's wedding and then… more weddings," she laughs, shaking her head slightly. "Bella, I promise, you'll destroy a lot afterwards. I did," she offers with a wink, knowing the 'EWWW' factor that Bella will get. "And Jake, we like being away from the public. It's very hard, sometimes, pretending to be what we aren't."
Alice grins at Jacob, giving a little twirl as she notices him, all covered in mud. "Careful not to damage the proportions down there, Jake.. Esme will throw a fit," she tosses a wink towards her mother.
Jacob beams one of his smiles at Alice. "Don't worry Alice, I'm good with my hands. I am a mechanic after all. Not that any of your cars would ever have any trouble. I'm sure the minute one of yours needs an oil change you just donate it to charity and buy a new one." He asks, generally, "Did you like the drumming then? I got a little distracted, the beat always takes me somewhere else."
Bella tries really hard to not let the image of parental snickerdoodles enter her mind. Really she does. The blush on her cheeks shows she feels along with a low strangled groan. She finally just sighs and gives a little nod, "Well, maybe just at first." She admits. Well her and Eddy have got to be the two most frustrated people in town…next to Jacob. She glances to Jake and nods, "It was nice…I am glad your elders let them come."
Esme smiles. "No, they're all quite fond of their cars, Jake. They get Rose to fix them up," she offers with a laugh and shake of her head before sending a glare in Alice's direction. "You, my /darling/ daughter, are horrible," and she goes to give the pixie another hug, laughing as she does. At the look in Bella's face Esme only offers an innocent smile. "You only wish it would just be 'at first' my dear… and yes, Jake, it was very lovely. We were all so glad we were able to go and enjoy it."
Jacob blushes too. It carries all the way down his front as Bella gives him just a little too much information about Edward. He looks suddenly like he's trying to do his multiplication tables backwards, or think of all the countries that start with 'C'. He takes a deep breath and just focuses on his work for a minute, "… never a dull moment.", he says with a smile. Then he voices softly his own personal wish, "Maybe the boundry line needs to go…" Did he say that? Yep.
Jacob blushes too. It carries all the way down his front as Bella gives him just a little too much information about Edward. He looks suddenly like he's trying to do his multiplication tables backwards, or think of all the countries that start with 'C'. He takes a deep breath and just focuses on his work for a minute, "… never a dull moment.", he says with a smile. Then he voices softly his own personal wish, "Maybe the boundry line needs to go…" Did he say that? Yep.(re)
"Oh Esme! You are enjoying this far too much!" Bella cries as she hides her blushing face behind the nearby post again. She tries to get those images out of her own mind. Not of Edward and her of course, but of Esme KNOWing about her and edward. For her its thinking about of Jane Austen book titles that gets her cheeks back to a normal hue and then at Jacob's announcment she sits up straighter and looks quickly over to him, "Really?"
Esme smiles, sweetly. "Guilty as charged, Bella," she gives, trying to maintain her innocence. "We have a hose, if either of you requires a cold shower," is pointed out in a mischevious manner before her expression turns serious. "You know, I think we'd like that. We like it when you come over, Jake, but… I think we'd like to be able to return the favor every now and again…"
Jacob grins, "You realize I'm only trying to… to give you an excuse to visit. I'm scared that after the wedding, you'll just… have other things to think about." His smile doesn't fade, but the set of his shoulders becomes a little less sure. This thought has been bothering him, but he's quick to shake it off, "Shame to waste all this good mud….", he says, shifting his mind to something plesant, effortlessly. He picks up a clump, hefting it.
"I am good Esme.." Bella replies in a clipped voice, trying not to focus that really it wouldn't be a bad idea, though her attention goes quickly back to Jacob, nodding to Jacob's words. "Oh that would be great…I would hate that after I couldn't visit you when I wanted to…when I needed to. I suppose it will be sometime before I could…but I don't plan to jump out of your life Jacob. You can't get rid of me…of us that easy."
Esme smiles, another sweet smile, in Bella's direction. "Oh, I know, you don't need my help in any of that," she gives with a wink. "And, you know you'll always be welcome to visit us Jake, line or no line," she gives. "Now, if you will excuse me. I should be heading in, check on the family, on Carlisle…" though one can only guess why she'll be checking on her husband. "No mud in the house. There's a hose to wash down. And if you get mud on the house, clean it up. If you mess up the dimensions of the pool… run. Fast," is noted, before she ducks inside.
Jacob drops his dirt clod, disappointed that most of his potential targets have left. "You know, it's not fair that they left us here to finish this… I demand hot chocolate, or something! This is too big a job for just us…" He smiles, "I feel that way a lot, like how did I get rolled up into this whole wolf mess…"
Bella can't help but notice Jake's intentions and drops down from the porch, even as Esme's departing warnings touch her ears, "Of course Esme, no dirt inside the house." She calls back after her as she moves towards the perimeter of the pool, "Now Jacob…I can not help but remember a time where you would dump sand in my hair…" Yes Bella is definately in a good mood today, or at least giving herself over to enjoying herself to not thinking about what all is going on. She grabs up a bit of mud in her delicate hands, forming it into a mudball before she lobs it towards him.
Jacob chuckles, "That's the Bells I know and love! On guard!", he forms his own mudball, nice and squishy and crouches low. Then, he adds the unmistakable five whistle tune from High Noon. "Draw…", he offers, cocking his hand back with a grin.
A voice can be heard coming through the house and out to the backyard. "No mud in my house! Not a drop! I mean it!" Clearly, that's Esme.
Jacob shouts back, "Oh don't go all supernatural… hire somebody to clean, Esme!"
And he knows you heard him too, Esme — Vampire ears.
"Yes Esme!" Bella calls out even as she ducks behind the mudpile on the side of the pool. Taking the higher more 'defensive' ground. "You play fair Jake…" She calls out to him even as she is making up her own ammunition. This is probably going to be hard to explain later, but she needs this bit of human fun right now.
"Yes, Jake, that'd go over well, wouldn't it?" Esme calls back down, though now her head peeks out of an upstairs window… a masculine chuckle can probably also be heard.
The lob splatters on her pale blue t-shirt, right over her right shoulder. "Oh Jacob you are going to pay for that!" Bella calls out as she rises up from her protective barrier to lob a mud ball into the pit at Jacob. High colour on her cheeks from the excitement of the game. There is no final exams, no wedding plans, no volturi at the moment. Though with the heft at which she throws the ball, maybe those things Are on her mind.
More words echo out the window-wall. "And leave the dimensions alone…"
Bella's throw is spectacular, either by luck, Karma, or chance. The mudball catches Jacob at the hariline, and smooshes. It'll be days before he gets all that out of his hair. His hair! No! Not the hair! He quickly makes another ball, hoping she doesn't have reserves, and tries to find a way around her wall. Unfortunately, it's difficult for someone his size to be… well, sneaky.
There is a giggle from Bella's side of the mud divide as she grabs up her own backup ammunition, only to lose sight of Jacob and miss his movement from the basin of the pool, before catching it quickly enough as he moves around. "Oh Now…I said play fair Jake!" She calls out to him.
Jacob appears at the top of Bella's wall, grinning, exuberant, free from the concerns of recent times. He is, himself, his old self. He starts chipping off pieces of Bella's wall and raining them on her head.
Bella looks up as Jacob appears above her, eyes wide as she looks at him. "Oh…" She starts to complain even as she gets pelted. Her bandaged right hand tries to cover her head as she makes haphazard lobs with her good left hand as she backs away from him, her steps taking her too the edge of the dug out deep end of the pool.
Jacob startles. She moved? His bulk prevents him from following. So there he is, at the top of the wall, no ammunition made, a sitting duck. He does what he can, and ducks down, "Oh no… not good."
Eventually, the upstairs window-wall is closed, without another word from the occupants within.
Seeing him free of weopons, Bella quickly grabs up some mud nearby and starts to lob it at him, walking backward slowly as she does. Yes we are getting within inches of the edge of the pit now, "You will pay for this Jacob!" She calls out to him, her head and torso pretty much covered in mud.
Jacob pays, dearly. Unable to see where she has taken up station, and unarmed, he gets the full barrage and has to take it square. All he can manage to do is put up an arm and keep it out of his eyes. He looks about ready to protest, forming a scathing retort but there's a pause, he looks at Bella — she's… actually happy! He smiles slowly, nodding to himself. Mission accomplished. Almost… he has to retaliate somehow. Jacob's smile twists into a mischievous and handsome grin. He shifts, without anger, and in a blink he's turned around towards Bella and well, digging like a dog, in a section of the mudpit that won't disturb things. But this is not the random digging of an amimal, there is, that portion of Jacob Black that lives in the wolf, intelligent, and measured and well aimed clods fly in bella's direction, as fast as two paws can fling them.
The window-wall is still open, and that's probably a /bad/ thing for Jake the dog. "JACOB BLACK! Do NOT make me come down there," she yells, now entirely visible, standing on the ledge, her toes where there's nothing but air. "I told you NOT to ruin the dimensions!"
As he shifts in front of her Bella closes her eyes, the image always unsettling to her in that moment. Unfortunately the weight of the pummeling takes her to the edge of the pool. Well its probably a good thing that mud preceded her arrival into the pit because she lands with a soft wet splat instead of a crunch, though there is a cry of alarm as she was falling over.
Jacob looks back, his demenor changing instantly. He shifts again and scrambles down after her. He's naked, it's true, but he has always been comfortable with himself, and the change only causes him the smallest pause. He is, just, as he is, without apology. He calls down to her, "Bella?", concern in his voice, "Bella?" A groan, and a quick scramble down, slipping his spare pants off his leg, for they were underneath his first pair and tied on. He slips them on and hurries over, "You okay?"
Bella laying still on her back in the deep end pretty covered in mud with her eyes closed for but a moment, then her eyes open to see Jacob in all his glory and she blinks before closing them quickly again. Thankfully the sheer amount of mud covering her hides the flaming blush on her skin. "Put some clothes on!" She yells out in a tight voice as muddy hands cover her muddy face.
Jacob soothes the Bella, "I'm dressed, don't worry about that.", he dismisses that with a wave, "Are you.. okay. Please say yes."
From up in the window-wall, Esme scowls. "Jacob, did you hurt my daughter??"
"He's got pants on, Bella. You can look," Alice says reassuringly from her perch next to the Pit Of Mud. "Geez, Jake, when did you get a six pack?" She is so not helping Bella's blush.
Bella just remains still, mired in the mud no doubt. Hands are still over her face until both give assurances at his nature of dress. She slowly peels one hand from her face and warily peeks, of course wiping away some of the mud and revealed quite red cheeks. The hand flops down to her side and she grabs a handful of mud to push in Jacob's face, "Yes, better now." She says with a playful smile.
Jacob mrrfs as he is mudded from close range. But his relief is such that he's able to take it in stride, sort of. "Whew, I'm glad you're okay!" He smiles now, exuberant again, "I'm so glad you obey the first law of movie monsters." What an ironic comment, considering the current company. He extends a hand to help her up.
Esme is out of the window and in the yard before Bella can actually say she's fine. "Oh, now you tell me…" she gives, shaking her head and casting a glance up towards the bedroom wall-window thing, going to stand beside Alice, now.
Alice glances at the mud. Then she glances at her mother. Then back to the mud. Then over at Esme. This repeats a few more times before she gets a devious look on her face; she leans down to scoop up a handful of mud and hurls it at Esme with a war cry.
Bella grins at Jacob, just a natural smile of teenager enjoying time with a friend. Something she was well overdue for. Even at the bonfire she was still tense as if waiting for something bad to happen. As he goes to help her up she takes his hand she forgets and its her sprained wrist she passes him and as he pulls her up she jerks back reflexedly and falls back toward the mud again.
Jacob is caught by surprise, he looses his balance and falls in a heap. He tries to scramble free but only makes it worse, slipping, laughing, completely and hopelessly covered. He manages not to squish Bella but only just. In the end, he's laughing so hard he just collapses, "We can't do anything right today. Your other wrist, Bella, remember?"
Esme stares at Alice, almost too in shock at what is about to happen. "Alice… your father wouldn't be very pleased if you ruined his favorite shirt," she notes as she backs away from her daughter, quickly. Alas, the front of Esme/Carlisle's shirt now has a big mud splat on it. "Alice Cullen! You are in big trouble young lady," Esme notes as she picks up some mud, balling it appropriatly, and lobbing it, with a fair portion of strength, towards Alice. For the moment, she doesn't appear to pay much attention to Bella and Jake, they're behaving.
"Mud washes out!" Alice cries gleefully, "Not gonna get in trouble for a bit of dirt," she points out, rather succinctly deflating Esme's argument. She giggles madly and partially dodges the mud ball, though it catches her arm and hip. "Eek!"
Bella falls splat back in the mud, with Jacob nearly on top of her, which of course causes her to blush more feircely. Though she starts giggling at the mess they find themselves in, Jacob's laughter just being contagious to her as she lays there in the mud laughing. Oh there will be curses later when she has to remove the mud. As she hears Alice and Esme she tilts her head back, smuching more mud into her hair and grins to see them caught up in the fun and starts laughing all the more.
Jacob blushes now too, as he realizes there's a bit of an awkward moment there. He settles quickly though into a grin and a shrug. He eventually sorts himself out and stands up, offering his hand to Bella again, "Let's try that again…", he offers hoping this time he won't slip. He looks about at the mess they've made, at Esme, at Alice, and begins to say, "I'm sorry Ms…." he can't continue and desolves in laughter as he sees she's convered in mud. "I'll… I'll..", he struggles to talk. "I'll have the guys come over tomorrow and fix everything okay?"
Esme eyes Alice. "Mud stains, especially /white/, Alice," she points out, looking mournfully at the shirt. Yes, mournful, at a shirt. It was probably one of her favorite ones for Carlisle to wear. "Yes, you will Jacob, Emmett worked hard on that," she states, picking up some mud and lobbing it in Jake's direction, putting all her effort behind it.
"I've never met a stain I can't get out," Alice proclaims loftily. "Stop looking like I just killed your puppy." With that, Alice lunges at Esme's legs, intending to knock her into a nearby mud pile.
This time Bella does make it up to a standing position, though there are sucking sounds as her feet try to pull out of the mud, one foot coming up bare as the thick mud sucks off a shoe. "Oh crap…" She curses but just starts laughing again, caught in a fit of giggles, which just increases as she looks up at Esme and Alice, "Oh Gosh….OH…" She gets as she sees Esme's lob, though the result is far too quick that she doesn't get a chance to get a warning off.
Esme's well aimed shot hits Jake square in the six-pack, on the left side. A stray fragment of rock or two hidden in the dirt cut him, though his muscles seem to flex on their own and compensate for the force. Yes, to normal human eyes, it's a significant gash but jake only winces, "Dang Esme, good thing you don't have a paper route… there woudn't be an unbroken window in the neighborhood." "Uh, good arm.", he smiles. Already the wound is closing, slowly.
Esme has her attention on Jake, just about to move to take a look at his injuries when she's knocked into a pile of mud with a shriek. "Sorry Jake," she gives, sheepishly, as she tries to smack a handful of the mud into Alice's hair. "And, uh, thanks… be glad it wasn't anyone else… they're stronger than I am."
"My /hair/! Noooo!" Alice shrieks, flailing around as her inky black hair is marred by muddy brown. "Oh, it's ON!" She cries, jumping on top of Esme and attacking those caramel locks with handfuls of goopy substance.
As the vamps get involved with the mudslinging, Bella just tries to stay in Jacob's shadow. Really it is about as safe a place to be as anywhere when your feet are mired into the mud and you can't get out quickly. There is a cringe behind him, though she is still grinning as she peaks around to look over at Alice and Esme, "Remember no tracking mud in the house…" She calls out in echo of Esme's earlier comment.
Jacob looks around. Is there a hose out here or something we can wash off with?", he asks politely. No sense now being bashful about it, and he really doesn't want to make things worse. Tracking mud into the house would be… bad at this point. He's so covered that bits of mud drop off him at random now. Were a plane to fly overhead, given his size, build, and state, they might mistake him for Sasquach.
Esme smiles, sweetly, though that doesn't last long as caramel turns into muddy brown. Although Bella gets a wicked glance. "Well, Carlisle won't come out here to help me clean up," she gives with a wink as she grabs another ball of mud, and aims to smoosh it in Alice's face. "Attached to the house, Jake," she responds, attempting to avoid any further mud from Alice.
Alice spits out bits of lumpy brown stuff, scooping up mud in both of her hands and beginning to apply it to Esme's face, a la a mud mask. Giggling all the while, she bounds up and goes to find some more ammunition.
Baby sasquach tries to follow Jacob out of the mudpit but she pauses as she notices something. The smile fading quickly from her lips as she looks down to her bare wrist, her fingers feeling it up and down and then the other before she is looking around in the mud. She drops down to her knees, fingers digging through the mud despite the pain the effort might cause her sore hand. Completly quiet, trying not to alert anyone to her loss.
As Jacob turns to help her look, Bella looks up at him with a look of guilt on her face and she turns back down to her search of the mud. Really an impossible task as the mud just refills the spot she just dug. "The bracelet…" She finally admits in a whisper, her fingers clawing at the mud, even as the bandage unravels on her sprained wrist.
Jacob only smiles, "Bells…", he says with an exasperated look at the daunting amount of mud they must now search through. "If I didn't have you, what would I do with my free time."
Bella looks up as she hears her name, worry in her gaze and it takes her a moment to realize that he is teasing her and she at least manages a smile, "Well I suppose Its my job to keep you honest, eh?" She says trying to sound light before her fingers move back through the mud.
Jacob grins, "Maybe this is a bad time to point out that I can make you another carving." His eyes glint "Not that I woudln't exhaust every other possibility first." The subtle message is clear, Jacob Black's gifts carry no price, no loss…
Bella drops back to her knees with a sigh looking hopelessly at the mud around her. "It…it wouldn't be the same…" She says in an almost mournful tone, before looking around awhile longer before she is encouraged out of the pit with the darkening sky. She looks rather dejected as she grabs up the hose, washing the mud off herself.
Jacob washes off too, transforming from a mud man back into glisteney wet Jacob. "Then we'll find it."
Jacob adds softly, "Promise."
How quickly things can go wrong, from laughing in the mud to the guilt of losing a teasured gift from friend and love. Bella looks over the black hole in the backyard, willing the sun to rise quickly so that she can hunt out her bracelet again.
