Chapter Five,  Imogen's Birthday Surprise

After talking it over with the other two parents, Charlie - along with Ella's and Leah's parents, Suzanne and Ricardo Núñez, and Sue and Harry Clearwater - had agreed that their daughters could learn and practice Wicca and form their own coven together. Charlie had found Wiccan classes in Port Angeles, Harry had found a course that the girls could do to gain a better understanding for their new chosen religion, and Anne and Sue had found a business, called the 'Black Cat Boutique' where they sold Wiccan, Holistic, Pagan, Buddha and alternative items for those religions.

Upon being told they could start Wicca, the girls were ecstatic, screeching loudly as they jumped up and down hugging their parents; especially as Charlie had decided to convert the disused attic into a space where the girls could freely practice Wicca without having to pack it away each time and immediately started looking for contractors to help Paul and Jared's father's Jonathan Lahote and Jeremiah Cameron to convert the attic properly as it only had a tiny window, a hatch in the ceiling for access that you have to climb a ladder and push up, and beams with no proper flooring.

Unfortunately, the building work had the undesired effect of bringing on one of Imogen's migraines worse than ever, a few days before her birthday which caused her to be too ill to attend her appointment with Carlisle as she lay in her darkened bedroom throwing up.
"Oh, sweetheart." Charlie sighed sadly, placing a damp flannel on her forehead making sure to keep his voice low so as not to aggravate her migraine.
"I'll be okay Daddy." Imogen whispered hoarsely, after rinsing her mouth into the bowl that sat beside her bed she'd just used to be sick in.
"I'm not going to work today. I'll quickly pop in and grab some paperwork and have Bob from next door come and watch over you while I'm gone. I shan't be too long, sunshine." Charlie informed her, ignoring her refutes as he stood from the bed pressing a tender kiss to her clammy forehead.

Imogen must have fallen asleep for the next thing she knew was being woken by the sound of her bedroom door opening and four heads peering round it with a wince upon noticing they'd awoken her.
"Sorry." Emmett's loud baritone voice whispered.
"We didn't mean to wake you." Ella added perching on the foot of her bed.
"I told this Buffon we'd wake you." Rosie scoffed teasingly, rolling her eyes playfully as Emmett protested vehemently; but smiles donned each of their faces as small giggles escaped Imogen's lips.
"How're you feeling, darling?" Jasper fretted, pressing a kiss to his girlfriend's forehead.

They'd only been dating a few days as Jasper had asked Charlie for his blessing after the ballet recital - which had endeared him to not only Charlie but also the men from the Rez, and Ella's father as well; all of whom were very protective of Imogen.
"Feeling a little better." Imogen replied tiredly, after taking a sip of the fresh cool water Rosalie had just handed her before her hand automatically went to Patch and Shadow stroking their little heads, or stomach in Patch's case.

"That's good." Ella sighed with relief. "You had us all worried bout you, Immy. Your Dad let us come up and stay for a while as he had to pop to the station. There was a problem involving one of the younger officers, I don't know what though." Ella stated, shrugging her shoulders.
"Plus El and Jas had to bring you the boring stuff, I.e. homework." Emmett shuddered dramatically making them all laugh and roll their eyes fondly at the goof ball that posed as a giant Teddy bear.

"Be careful Emmett or El and I will hex you." Imogen teased wiggling her fingers at the large but friendly giant - a literal Hagrid - who looked ridiculous trying to sit in her desk chair that was too small for his large built and well muscled frame.
"Nah!" Emmett dismissed, waving his hand at the two thirds of the Cat Coven Wiccans. "You both love me too much for that." Imogen and Ella shared a look before saying together.
"Nah, we love Rosie more!"
"Stop that! And what about poor Jas!" Emmett cried.

"Well, girls have to stick together after all." They teased again, which encouraged Jasper to join in the dramatics.
"Rosie!" Jasper and Emmett whined.
"Nope! I love Immy and Ella more." Rosalie declared, perching on the other side of the bed and wrapping her arms around both girls.

"WHAT!!" Emmett and Jasper shouted before they all fell into raucous laughter; unbeknownst to them Charlie had returned home frustrated with the ineptitude of his officer who had been on the force for fifteen years and should know better, only for the frown to be washed away the moment he stepped through the front door hearing laughter filter down the stairs from Imogen's bedroom. He'd hated leaving her to sort out some of the huge mess that had been created (only to be told by his Deputy that she'd finish the rest and to head home to Imogen after an hour of frustrating work), but he was glad she was in good hands and was being looked after while he wasn't there. Jasper just went up a notch in his book.

***

Imogen's birthday had arrived with rather mixed emotions. Imogen was rather despondent but also happy regarding her birthday. She was despondent as she knew her mother, Renee, and older twin sister, Isabella, would pretend yet again that she didn't exist that Bella was an only child as they refused to even contact or acknowledge Imogen. Whereas, she was happy as she had her Dad, friends, pseudo aunts and uncles from the Reservation and Ella's parents, and now extra friends and a boyfriend in the form of the Cullens.

She didn't know what they were doing today, as she and her Dad normally went to the Rez to celebrate with a small gathering in the form of her friends and their parents from the Rez, and Ella and her parents, but this time her Dad told her to be up and ready by ten as they were going to the Cullens. It didn't really register with Imogen that everyone was heading to the Cullens; she just thought she was heading to the Rez later. So that morning she did her morning routine only with taking her injection by stabbing the AJovy epiPen into her left thigh (which she had to do monthly, alternating between both thighs and her stomach each month) added in. After making sure the needle was safely in the sharps bin and her towel was secure, Imogen left the bathroom for her bedroom dressing in blue ripped jeans, a white crop T-shirt, white trainers, black leather jacket and her hair in plaited space buns with simple makeup.

"Come on Patch, Shadow! Dinner!" Imogen called to her kittens lazing about on her bed. Almost immediately Patch jumped up running out the door, only to backtrack to make sure Imogen was actually coming. Laughing Imogen shook her head as she coaxed Shadow once more who had gone back to sleep tired after running around all morning with her brother.
"We should've named your brother Garfield, shouldn't we, Shadow?" Imogen asked, laughing. "Come on sleepy girl, breakfast." Finally, after coaxing from Imogen and Patch's squeaky meows, Shadow got up joining Imogen as they left her bedroom heading towards the kitchen where her Dad sat with a coffee at the coffee table which was ladened down with presents for Imogen; that were just from him.

"Morning Sunshine. Happy birthday." Charlie greeted, kissing his little girl's forehead. He couldn't believe she was fifteen already, where did the time go? "And good morning Patch and Shadow." Charlie greeted, bending down to pick up the kittens giving each some fusses, a kiss and a cuddle while Imogen quickly prepared their breakfast before getting her own.
"There we go." Imogen laughed, setting their food on the floor, for to very eager cats who proceeded to scoff the lot. "Good morning and thank you, Daddy." Imogen replied happily, kissing his cheek as she sat beside him.
"Eat up as we have a busy day ahead. The birthday girl can't be late to her own birthday party at the Cullens that everyone from the Rez has travelled to so they can celebrate with you." Charlie informed her secretively, as if he was sharing a long hidden secret.

"What? Really?" Imogen asked stunned, she knew her second family (Billy Black, and all the other adults and Elders) were wary of the Cullens due to their Legends and didn't expect them to actually go to the Cullens.
"Of course. You are so loved, Sunshine. Very much so and we will always love you and continue to prove it to you. I want you to forget, or at least try, all that your so-called mother and sister have said and done to you. They don't matter, it's their loss that they're missing out on the amazing young woman that you are." Charlie declared passionately, pulling his youngest into his arms and kissing her forehead.

If anyone is interested in the non Harry Potter and non jewellery images below then please let me know as they are from my store 'Lauren's Wiccan Circle' which is a part of the 'Black Cat Boutique' business.