Stepford Wives Club

IC Time: My 26, 2007
Location: Cullen Front Yard
Synopsis: Charlene pays Bella a visit, gets Esme instead
Submitted by: Esme


It's tomorrow, no, really, it is. It's a nice, overcast day in Forks, though there's no hint of rain, not even the smell of rain in the air. Esme is out front, carefully tending to the garden that takes up a small portion of the front of the house, looking very Stepford Wifeish, attired in a nice white sundress with cute little white sneakers. Beside her rest all of her gardening tools.

Charlene pulls up in her slightly used Accord, a gift from her parents, or rather a way to get her Mother out of driving her to and from the private school she goes to. Cutting the engine, she steps out of the car with only a slight wince, her ribs still tender and wrapped in bandages that are unlikely to be seen under her clothes. The rest of her doesn't look too bad, bruises fading, lip fine, etc. Closing the door she leans on the car, looking over the roof at Esme, keys still in her hand.

Esme lifts her head from her work as she hears the vehicle. Pausing in her work the woman takes a light sniff of the air before she stands up, turning in her place and casting a smile towards Charlene. "Miss Swan," she greets, cheerily. "What brings you here?" is enquired in a chipper fashion as she takes a few steps towards her… niece-in-law?.

Charlene wasn't exactly expecting Mrs. Cullen to be the one she'd be talking to, but what choice does she have. Waving politely, Charli moves around the front of her car towards Esme. "Hello, Mrs. Cullen. How are you?" She does her best to walk as casually and as pain free as possible, not all that hard. She's got Vicodin. "Thought I might speak with Bella?" She just pipes it out and gets it over with before the subject starts out as anything else.

Esme gives the girl a bright smile, keeping a careful eye on the teen. "Oh, Bella and Edward have left on their honeymoon already," she gives, shaking her head slightly. "I'll let her know you were looking for her, though. Is there anything I can help you with, my dear?" she enquires with a quirked brow.

Charlene decides against a confrontation, she's terrible at those, but she has learned in her short years how to get an answer she wants by asking a different question. Feigning a bit of disappointment she sighs and asks, "When did they leave?" She doesn't come any closer and seems actually a bit put off. "No, thank you. It's Bella I need to talk to."

Esme cants her head to the side as she takes a few steps closer to Charlene. "Not all too long ago," she gives, intentionally being as indefinite about the timeline as she possibly can. "Please, my dear, tell me if I can do anything to help. You are my Bella's cousin, that makes you family, in a fashion."

Charlene holds her hands up as if to fend you off or at least your good intentions. Chuckling nervously she says, "No, really, Mrs. Cullen. It's a personal thing between Bella and me." Turning to head back towards her car, she starts to get lost in thought. "Just tell her I stopped by." she says absently as she begins to jingle her keys to get the right one between her fingers.

Esme watches the girl for a bit, letting her mothers instinct sink in for those few seconds. "Charlene, are you okay?" she questions. She's already aware of the girls drug habits, and she knows that the teen knows about the wolves. "You can come to me, should you ever need to talk."

Charlene opens the door and instead of sliding down into her car, she steps forwards to look over the hood of her car. "Ah. I'm fine, Mrs. Cullen. Jake takes good care of me." She smiles slightly, "Like I said, it's just something between Bella and I. A talk we had the morning after the Wedding. That's all." She shrugs, evoking a wince and rolls her eyes at her own stupidity. "It can wait."

Esme hmms slightly as she listens, not wanting to push the girl, but wanting her to know that she's here. "Is it about Jake? I'm sorry for pushing, I shouldn't, I know. I just hope you do realize that you can come to me if you want to talk about anything, /anything/," she emphasizes that last word, hoping that Char gets the hint.

Charlene squints her eyes, contemplating but shakes her head slowly, "No offense, Mrs. Cullen, but I think I owe it to Bella to talk to her first. Thanks, though." She just can't see herself having a heart to heart with Bella's mother-in-law over this. Bella on the other hand, well. She started it. Stepping back a bit she slides into her car and closes the door, fingers fumbling with the key as she works it into the ignition, turning the car over.

Esme chuckles slightly as she dusts her hands upon her dress. "My dear, it may be more of a help than you know," she states, standing near the car. "Oddly, us old folks may know more than you give us credit for," see, she's trying to hint, and probably dismally failing, too.

Charlene rolls down the window on the passenger side by holding down a button - leaning over to peer at Esme. "I'm not stupid, Mrs. Cullen. It /really/ is that I just want to talk to Bella. You've been nothing but kind to me, and your husband. It's just personal, that's all." She straightens back up and reaches for her seat belt, strapping herself in.

Esme nods, though she doesn't step away from Charlene's car. "I'll have Bella call you as soon as she's home," she notes with a pleasant smile. "Be safe, Charlene, and, please, send my regards to Jake," she requests, chipperly, before she finally backs away from Char's vehicle.

Charlene smiles through the windshield at Esme, "I will. Headed over to his place, now." With that she pushes a few buttons, that just lower more windows and push back the sunroof, before she carefully navigates a turn about and heads down the driveway at a slow leisurely pace, making sure not to sling rocks from under her tires.

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