Sight Unseen 23

“Kate stop bouncing.”Tanya scolded her sister as she watched Kate in the review mirror of the van she was driving jumping up and down in the backseat.The coven leader knew Kate was excited but she didn’t want her sister to break the vehicle.Not only that but it was beyond annoying feeling the whole van shake.Tanya along with Irina, Alice,Emmett,Rosalie,Kate and Garrett were all on their way to pick up Bella to take her to the airport.Since there was so many of them they were using the van that the Cullens used when they all wanted to travel together that held 8 people with two rows of backseats.

“I’m sorry I’m just excited.This is the first time Bella is going to meet Garrett.”Kate said.

“Yes we know but you will not overwhelm Bella with questions.If she chooses to use her gift it up to her so don’t pester her.”Irina warned.She was excited to see her daughter again and was sitting in a bench seat with Rosalie.The plan was for Bella to sit in-between the two.That way Irina had an excuse to be physically close to the human.

“I won’t pester her.”Kate was offended that Irina thought otherwise.”I just know that she has someone for Garrett to talk to.”

“I am curious of who would like to contact me.”After coming home the day before Garrett was told all about Bella and her gift.He had been happy that his mate got to talk to not only her human father but Sasha as well.Finding out that Bella would have someone for him to talk to as well had him beyond excited because he had many people he would want to talk to that had passed away.

“No matter how curious you are keep it to yourself.Now everyone is to be on their best behavior or you will not be allowed to be around Bella while we are on this trip.”Tanya knew that none of them wanted to be left out of helping the ghost so the threat would hopefully keep them in line.Pulling into Bella’s driveway Tanya parked the car and waited while Rosalie got out.It was decided Rosalie as the one Bella was most comfortable with would be Bella’s point of contact on this trip.

Before Rosalie could make it to the front door it was opened revealing a very sleep deprived Bella.Rosalie looked the girl over with concern.”Good morning Bella.Did you get any sleep?”

“Yeah, plenty.”Bella said sarcastically.Ralph had kept her up most of the night pestering her about the many things he wanted her to do for him when she got to his home town.

“That’s good.Well we are all ready to go when you are.”Rosalie took Bella’s bag from her and led her to the van.

“Good morning Bella.”Irina greeted.As Bella got into the van she pulled her towards her seat and held the girl’s hand.

“Good morning everyone.”Bella greeted.She tried to get her hand back from Irina but it seemed the woman was set on keeping it.

“Hey Bella I want you to meet my husband Garrett.”Kate called out from the back seat.

“Nice to meet you Gar….”Was all Bella could get out before suddenly a man in a patriot uniform that Bella guessed was from the Revolutionary War appeared in front of her face.”For fucks sake!!”

“What,what’s wrong?”Rosalie asked in a panic.

Irina immediately pulled Bella onto her lap looking around for whatever danger her daughter was in.”Are you alright?”

“Hey yah Bella.”The ghost said as he gave her a salut.”Ralph said that you would help me talk to my brother.”

“Do we have to do this right now?”Bella asked as she tried and failed to get Irina to let her go.

“Well I would have come last night but I wanted to let you get some sleep.”The ghost told her.

“How considerate of you.”Bella actually meant it.Usually a ghost wouldn’t care what time it was when they wanted something from her.

“What is going on Bella?”Rosalie asked.

“It seems one of the people Ralph promised could talk to his loved one has decided right now was the perfect time to do so.”Bella told them.

“Who is it?”Kate hoped it was for Garrett.

“Who are you?”Bella asked the man.

“The name is Frederick but you can me Freddy.I was hoping to be able to talk to my brother Garrett.”Freddy said.

Bella turned her body around the best she could in Irina’s arms to face Garrett.”The man claims his name is Frederick and that he is Garrett’s brother.

“My brother is here!!”Garrett wasn’t sure he actually believed in Bella’s gift but if his brother was there then he would be more than willing to see for himself if it was truly him.

“He said that he knows you don’t believe it and that you need to stop looking at me like I’m your blind uncle Billy when he drank to much whisky.”Bella wasn’t pleased to hear the comparison but it was better than others she had heard.

Garrett laughed loudly.After hearing that he was a firm believer that Bella was talking to her brother.”You ole son of bitch how are you?”

“He says not as good as you.He wants me to ask Kate how much she was paid to be your wife.”Bella told him.

”I assure you not enough.”Kate replied causing the rest of the occupants of the van to laugh as well.

“Hey!!”Garrett was outraged his mate was ganging up on him with his brother.”If you just came back to harass me then maybe you can leave and send someone else in your place.”

“He says that he fought hard to get this chance so he will be good.”Bella wasn’t sure what Freddy meant by having to fight for the chance but knew that if she asked he wouldn’t tell her.

“So what is like to be dead?”Garrett asked.

“He says it’s against the rules to tell you anything other than he is happy and watches over you.Not all time so you don’t have to worry about him seeing you naked with Kate.”Bella told him.

“That’s a relief.”Kate mumbled.

“He wants me to tell you that he is very proud of the man you have become.You changing your feeding habits made him happy because he knew what taking innocent lives was doing to your soul.Especially after the war.”Bella was confused by what Freddy meant and added it to the list of things that weren’t quite right about her new friends.

Irina stiffened hearing that.She looked at Bella to see if the girl had any reaction and was relieved when it seemed Bella was none the wiser.Lowering her voice she asked the group.”Do you think she suspects something?”

“How could she not.”Rosalie whispered in reply.If there was any doubt that Bella was on to their nature it was gone.

“That just means it will be easier to talk to her about us being vampires.”Tanya added.

“That and having Kate in my life have made everything better.”Garrett said ignoring the conversation between the others.

Bella cleared her throat a little uncomfortable with what she was about to say.She looked Garrett in the eye and hoped he wouldn’t be to affected by what she was about to say.”Freddy wanted me to tell you that he wasn’t killed on the battlefield like you thought he was.He was killed in camp during a fight with another man in your unit.”

“What?!”Garrett roared.

Bella flinched at the reaction and felt almost glad that Irina was holding her because she doubted the woman would let anything happen to her.”He wanted you to know so you would stop blaming yourself for not keeping him safe.He said there was nothing you could have done different that would have saved him and you need to let go of the guilt of not being strong enough to protect him.”

“Who was it?!!”Garrett demanded.

”He says it doesn’t matter who it was.They were killed not even a day later in battle.He knows that you are angry but he wants you to let it go.Everything worked out the way it supposed to and now he is in a place where is happy and you have a life that anyone would envy.”Bella told him.

Garrett turned his head so that no one could see the tears in his eyes.”It shouldn’t have happened like this.We should be here together.”

“Freddy knows you don’t want to hear but this was the way it was always supposed to happen.If he had lived then you would have never become who you are and Kate would never have found you that night in the woods.”Bella sighed hearing Freddy’s request.”Before you say it isn’t fair that you can’t have one without the other he wants you to remember that he is always available if I’m willing to have a conversation with you.”

“And are you?”Garrett asked hoping that this wouldn’t be the only time he got to talk to his brother.

Bella rubbed her forehead trying to ease the headache she felt forming.She wanted to say no because she didn’t want to be pestered all the time to talk to their loved ones but the pleadings eyes of not only Garrett but Kate as well had her caving.”Of course.”

“That you Bella.”Kate was happy that her mate would get to talk to his brother again.Garrett had told her many stories about Freddy and finding out that it wasn’t his fault that the man died would ease some of the guilt he had for losing his brother.

“Just don’t expect me to do it all the time.I’m not a telephone line to the dead.”Bella warned.

“Of course you aren’t.”Irina agreed.She would have to make sure that Bella wasn’t bothered by the others.Irina didn’t want her daughter being used even if her gift didn’t seem to hurt her when she used it.

“Is there anything else you want to say to Freddy?”Bella asked.

Garrett thought about what else he wanted to say to his brother.”Not right now but I’m sure in the future I will have some questions.”

“Then he will happily answer any you have next time.”Bella watched as Freddy saluted her again and disappeared.”He’s gone.”

“That was so cool.”Garrett said.

“I told you.”Kate had known Garrett didn’t fully believe Bella’s gift was real and would have to experience it himself.

“Do you think you can let me sit back in my seat now?”Bella asked Irina.

Irina shook her head and tightened her arms around Bella.”You are fine right where you are.”

“I think it would be better if Bella sat back down.”Rosalie didn’t like that Irina was making it so she didn’t have access to her mate.

“I think you should mind your own business.”Irina hissed back at Rosalie.

“I think that Bella would be more conformable sitting in the seat Irina.”Tanya lowered her voice so Bella didn’t hear her.”My love if you don’t let her go she will avoid you in the future.”

Irina wanted to fight to keep Bella on her lap but knew there was some truth to her mate’s words.”I guess it’s alright for Bella to sit back down on her seat.”

“Thank you.”Bella almost rolled her eyes when Irina retook her hand as soon as she was situated.

Rosalie not to be outdone took Bella’s other hand and held it.”Yeah thank you.”

“It’s no problem.”Irina gritted out between clenched teeth.Her instincts were telling her to pull Bella back on her lap and keep Rosalie away from the girl but she fought them.It was Irina’s hope that if she got Bella comfortable enough with her then she would sit next to her on the plane not Rosalie.She was also still trying to figure out a way to get Bella to let her hold her while she slept.It was something Tanya wanted to do as well so one of Irina’s plans was to say they didn’t have enough beds so the three of them would have to share.She would have to talk to Alice in private to see which plan would work out best for her.