Sight Unseen 18

“How’s it going?”Rosalie asked Bella as the human was sitting at the desk in her room using her computer.Bella had been silent the whole time they had been in Rosalie’s room and Rosalie wasn’t sure how to get a conversation started.Usually the most composed person Rosalie ever knew she didn’t understand why she was so flustered.Rosalie couldn’t even decide whether she should sit or stand and had been alternating between standing next to the desk, to sitting on the bed, to pacing and then sitting on the window seat.She felt like a fool and didn’t know how to make herself seem cool.

“It’s going fine.It’s taking so long because I’m trying to make sure that this can’t be traced back to you if someone figures out what was done.”Bella explained.

“Yeah that would be bad.”Rosalie hadn’t even thought of that when she agreed to let Bella use her computer.

“Yes, it would.”Bella agreed.

As they fell back into a silence Rosalie wracked her brain to try and find something to talk about. “So what are you going to do to help Ralph once you stop his wife from fleeing?”

“I need to get access to the safe deposit box but I’m not sure how I’m going to be able to do that.”Bella didn’t know how she would be able to not only travel to North Dakota by herself but explain to her dad why she needed to go.

“Where exactly is it?”Rosalie asked.

“North Dakota. Ralph didn’t even realize he had the evidence at all until he heard his wife talking to the business partner.”Bella said.

“Well if you want I wouldn’t mind going with you.”Rosalie easily volunteered.She would jump at any chance to spend time with her mate.

“I don’t know.I have to figure out if I’ll be able to convince my dad to let me go.Plus there is the cost.”Bella wasn’t looking forward to dipping into her savings to help Ralph.He promised there was money in the safe deposit box but she didn’t know if he was being truthful.

“I don’t mind paying for everything.”Noticing that Bella wasn’t comfortable with that Rosalie quickly added.”It’s for a good cause.I mean it’s not everyday that you get to help a dead man solve his own murder.”

“I’ll think about it.”Bella didn’t exactly trust Rosalie but could admit to herself that the blond did intrigue her.Not enough to take a walk in the woods at night in the dark again but enough to consider hanging out with her in public with lots of people around.

“If you are worried about having a chaperone I’m sure that Tanya and Irina will be happy to go as well.”Rosalie would prefer the Denali not to come with them but she knew that she wouldn’t be able to keep them away.Not that it would be fair to do so, Rosalie just wanted to have some alone time with her mate to hopefully get Bella out of the mindset that they were trying to kill her.

Bella didn’t know how she felt about that either.Sasha had been a great friend growing up and had told her many tales about the sisters but Bella wasn’t sure that she could trust them.Tanya hugging her when they first met was uncomfortable and Bella was afraid that they would get to familiar with her like the Three Stooges seemed to be.”I’ll think about it.”

“It is up to you but I know that they would be more than willing to help out.”Rosalie held back a frown when Bella just shrugged her shoulders in reply.She wasn’t sure how to make Bella let them come with her and that frustrated her.Having a mate was supposed to be easy.Instant love and devotion.Rosalie knew things were different with Bella being human but she didn’t think it would be as difficult as it was.”Do you want me to ask them to come up here to talk about it?”

”I’m actually done so we can go downstairs.”Bella knew they were going to bombard her with questions anyway so she may as well get it over with.

“Good.”Rosalie held out her hand to help Bella off her chair. She couldn’t stop the smile that came to her face when Bella accepted the offer and took her hand.

Noticing what had just happened Bella quickly dropped Rosalie’s hand.She wasn’t sure why she grabbed it in the first place.Shaking off her discomfort she almost ran to the door.”Come on let’s go.”

“I’m right behind you.”Rosalie smile had turned into a smirk as she noticed how flustered Bella became.Maybe she was worrying a little to much about her mate not liking her.

“Are you done?”Tanya asked as she saw Bella and Rosalie come down the stairs.She and the others had been waiting impatiently for the pair to come back.

Bella nodded.”Yeah we are all set.”

“So what do we do now?”Kate had wanted to go see what was taking them so long but Tanya had stopped her from going up the stairs numerous times.

“Bella needs to go to North Dakota.”Rosalie told them.

“When do we leave?”Emmett asked.

“We aren’t going anywhere.I’m going to go by myself.I just need to talk to my dad first.”Bella didn’t want any of them to come with her.

“Absolutely not.You are not going alone.Myself and Tanya will be coming with you.”Irina wasn’t going to let her vulnerable human daughter go on a trip by herself where who knows what could happen.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”Bella said.

“I don’t care what you think.Tanya and I will be going with you.”Irina told her.

“My love calm down.”Tanya could tell Bella wasn’t responding well to Irina’s demands and knew they had to try a more subtle approach.”Bella please excuse Irina. With your connection to Sasha she feels like she needs to take care of you for our mother’s sake.”

Bella could understand what Tanya was saying but didn’t know if she wanted to be looked after by the pair.”I think I need to talk to Sasha first.”

“Can you talk to her right now?”Kate asked excited by the prospect of talking to her sire.

“I would rather speak to her in private.”Bella said.

Before Kate could speak again Tanya cut in.”That is perfectly reasonable.Would you like us to leave the room so you can do so now?”

“Yeah if you wouldn’t mind.”Bella would rather wait but from the look on everyone’s faces they weren’t going to be patient with her.

“Come on everyone let’s go in the kitchen.”Tanya knew it was just a formality as they would be able to hear at least Bella’s side of the conversation so it was of no surprise that the others followed after her.

Once in the kitchen Kate whispered.”Why are we hiding in here?”

“Because Bella is uncomfortable with us and we need Sasha to make her relax.”Tanya said.

“Yeah but why couldn’t we be in the room when she talked to her?”Kate asked.”I mean it would be cool to be able to talk to our mother.”

“Yes it would now shh.I want to hear what she is saying.”Irina felt the same way as Kate but didn’t want to push Bella to much.

“Can you please get Sasha for me?”The heard Bella’s voice ask.

“Does that mean she has to have help to talk to the ghosts?”Emmett asked.

“Shh.”Rosalie hissed.

“I’m fine.”Bella paused”Yeah that’s what I wanted to talk to you about.They are a little intense just like you said.”

Tanya flinched as she heard Bella call them intense.”That’s not good.”

“I know. I need to be more open to having relationships with people.”Another pause.”I promise I will try and be open to talking to them.”

“That sounds like Sasha is on our side.”Kate said.

“They want to go with me to help Ralph.”Bella chuckled.”Yeah I don’t think it’s a good idea to be alone with Ralph either.”

“What is wrong with this Ralph person?”Irina asked in concern.

“Bella said he was a creep.”Rosalie told them.

“Ok but if I let them go will you be around if I need your help?”Bella asked.

Tanya held her breath as she waited for the answer.

“Deal.I let them come and you will come if I need you.”Bella said.

“Yes!!”Emmett cheered only to have Alice tackle him and cover his mouth.

“Be quiet she doesn’t know we can hear her.”Alice told him.

“She’s coming, get up Emmett.”Rosalie quickly took a seat on one of the stools at the kitchen bar and tried to act nonchalant.

“So I guess you guys can come with me.”Bella announced when she walked into the room.

Tanya put her hand on Irina’s shoulder to hold her in place.”That’s wonderful news.I take it Sasha vouched for us.”

“She did.”Bella confirmed.”Now I just need to figure out what to tell my dad.”

“How about you let us deal with that for you.”Alice said.She could figure out the best thing to say once she worked it out through her visions.

“Ok.”Bella wanted to ask what they would do to deal with that but quickly remembered her promise to Sasha.Bella had promised she would be more open to getting help from not only the sisters but the Cullens as well.

“Good that’s settled.What do you want to do now?”Kate hoped that Bella would be open to spending some time with them.

“I guess I don’t have any plans.”Bella said.

“Great, that means you can hang out with us.”Irina was already planning all the things she could do with her child.One of the things she was hoping for was to cuddle Bella for a little while.”Why don’t we watch a movie?”

“Lame.”Kate wanted to have Bella call up some ghosts so she could talk to them.

Tanya immediately picked up on what Kate was thinking and shot it down immediately.”I think a movie is a splendid idea.Bella why don’t you pick.”

“Come on I’ll show you were we keep our movies.”Rosalie once again reached for Bella’s hand and when Bella took it in her own she smiled as brightly as she had the first time Bella had taken it.Now she just had to make sure that she got to sit next to Bella because she had no doubt that Tanya and Irina wanted to sit next to Bella as well.Walking into the living room she grabbed the blanket Esme had draped over one of the chairs for decoration.Maybe she could use the blanket as a way to get Bella to cuddle close to her.Holding back a sigh Rosalie led Bella to their movie collection.This having a mate thing was harder than she thought.