Chapter Two, Funerals
Chapter Two, Funerals
Charlie Swan was furious. He paced around his living room on the phone with Seattle Hospital while Callie cried into Paul's chest and her best friend Elizabeth Rainer (who had come down from Seattle to support her friend through the funerals) held her hand and rubbed her back gently, being mindful of her ribs. It has been a week since she had been home from the hospital, she was still in a lot of pain and was often left drowsy from the high pain medication but so far there were no complications.
During the week that Callie had moved in with her uncle, Charlie had a security system installed which consisted of a high-end burglar alarm that would alert the police station straight away, an emergency button, cameras and motion detection lights, and cameras around the property, after finding out that Edward had been breaking into his house while he had been asleep even before Bella had got together with him (that is what Sam guessed from his scent). But it was also to give himself peace of mind that he would know if anyone entered without his permission, and so Callie would never have to go through that again.
But today were the funerals for both Harry Clearwater, her uncle, and her father, Miles Swan followed by a ceremony held for both held by the Tribe and its Elders. It was the highest honour the Tribe could do for Miles. However, there was a complication.
"How can you lose my brother's body!?" Charlie shouted at the head of the Morgue. "You mean to tell me you've waited until now to let us know instead of a week ago? Knowing full well it is his funeral today! Well sorry isn't good enough is it! Now my niece and I have to bury an empty casket! I will be taking this incompetence up with the board and reporting this!" Charlie hung up growling in frustration as he brushed away the tears that were falling down his cheeks.
"I'm sorry sweetheart." Charlie apologised as he knelt before his niece squeezing her small non-injured hand comfortingly in his much larger hand. "I will find out what happened to your father, I promise. The hospital won't get away with their incompetence."
"I-its not your fault Uncle Charlie." Callie sniffled, releasing Elizabth's hand to lean forwards and hug her uncle, who held her firmly in his arms. Although he was careful not to squeeze her because of her fractured ribs and how sore he knew she was still.
A sharp horn broke the soft atmosphere pulling niece and uncle from their hug; it was time for Harry Clearwater's funeral. Miles's funeral had been set for that afternoon but now they had to bury an empty casket.
"Let me just go talk to Billy and Sam." Charlie kissed her forehead before exiting his house leaving Callie in capable hands of her boyfriend and best friend.
"We're here for you, Callie. Always." Elizabeth promised, gently squeezing Callie's non-injured hand.
"Thanks Liz." Callie whispered offering her best friend a small smile.
"Callie." A soft wavering voice called from behind them.
The trio looked over their shoulders spotting Seth who had tears pouring down his cheeks dressed similarly to Paul in black jeans but with a black t-shirt whereas, Paul wore a black shirt, black jeans and a charcoal grey blazer. Beside him stood Leah with tears pouring down her gaunt cheeks, eyes red rimmed and in a plain black dress with black ballet flats; however, when her eyes locked with the tall blonde sat next to her best friend her whole countenance perked up slightly as it felt like she was what was holding her to the earth and who stopped her from drowning in her grief. She knew what had happened. She's Imprinted on this gorgeous tall blonde who had blue eyes that were darker than Callie's, like the ocean but no less gorgeous.
In that moment Leah forgot the reason why she and her little brother, Seth, had entered the Swan residence, as their life together flashed through Leah's eyes with an echo passing through her Imprint, including seeing their beach wedding, dates at an ice rink and cinema, until he spoke once mor, pulling both girls from the trance they had entered the moment they had locked eyes. Blue onto dark brown.
"I'm sorry about your Dad, Callie." Seth whispered, gently wrapping his arms around her shoulders. "I can't believe the hospital did that and that they didn't tell you and Charlie! It's not right!"
A shock wave went through Leah at that. Ashamed she eased her brother off of her best friend and pulled her into her arms. The pair holding tightly to each other as they sobbed over losing their fathers at only nineteen, before Seth joined in as they cried together bonding further over the pain of the loss. It wasn't fair! They had lost their fathers due to vampires (not knowing it was the same one, as Victoria had caused Harry to have a heart attack due to the fright) and Callie had lost her mother and aunt figure to a vampire as well leaving her an orphan. They couldn't help but have their hate for vampires increase exponentially, but Leah and Seth would endeavour to treasure their mother and not take her for granted.
"You don't have to feel guilty Lee-Lee." Callie reassured as she pulled back and leaned into the back of the sofa. She knew the signs – from Paul Imprinting on her and watching her other friends find their Imprints – which meant her two greatest friends are each other's soulmates. "I mean it!" she insisted spotting the insecurity on Leah's face, leaving Elizabeth to frown in confusion. She knew that Callie was a Banshee like her mother, Kimberly, her grandmother, Runa Bates, and all maternal members of her family but she didn't know about vampires or shifters.
"Lizzie, this is Leah Clearwater and her little brother Seth. Who I've told you about. Lee-Lee, Seth this is Elizabeth Rainer. My best friend from Seattle, she came down for...my Dad's..." Callie trailed off sadly, leaning into Paul who immediately offered her the solace and comfort she seeked.
"It's nice to meet you both, I'm sorry about your father. Liz, Lizzie or Betty is fine." Elizabeth greeted.
"Thank you." Seth muttered, not his bouncy, happy self but no one could blamed him for that.
"I-it's nice to meet you too Lizzie." Leah stuttered, a soft smile on her lips. "You're welcome to come to our father's funeral as well and thank you for being there for Callie."
"No thanks are needed." Lizzie insisted. "She's always been there for me. So had Miles, so it's the least I could do."
"When did you meet Callie?" Seth asked curiously.
'Congratulations.' Was whispered through Leah's mind from all members of the pack causing a pleased smile to creep across her face.
"We work together in Waterstones." Lizzie explained. "We kind of just hit it off straight away and bounce off each other. Everyone at work thought we were twins separated at birth." Lizzie laughed causing everyone to laugh, making them all feel slightly lighter and not weighed down with crushing, crippling grief. At that moment, a whistle sounded from outside signalling it was time to go. Paul picked Callie up effortlessly in his arms while Seth wheeled out her wheelchair. It was time to say goodbye.
***
When they arrived at First Beach they spotted a large amount of people waiting to say goodbye to Harry who was in a canoe at the shoreline with Sue stood beside him sobbing quietly, with her niece, Emily and nephews, Jamie and Jason, Jamie's wife and daughter Claire, stood beside her along with her brother, Astila and his wife Odina (from the Makah tribe, where they'd moved to after getting married. With them was also Harry's little sister, Jane and her husband, Esteban Fuller and their twin sons, Jack and Brady Fuller. All offering and taking comfort from each other. There was the whole tribe, Harry's friends from the fishing shop in Forks and the Swans and Lizzie.
The moment the car stopped Seth and Leah flew out of the car to join their mother standing on either side of her wrapping their arms around her which she'd readily returned. When everyone was with them and had quietened down, Billy said a few words as not only was he the Tribe Elder and Chief he had also known Harry the longest with Charlie and Miles as Seth pushed the canoe out to sea with Leah. As the canoe with Harry's body was taken away by the waves they all bowed their heads sending up silent prayers to the ancestors. When the body and the canoe was no longer visible they walked in a long procession towards the church where a headstone was added to the graveyard with all the other Clearwaters.
Once everyone had dispersed, after offering condolences to the family, leaving only those who were close with the Swans and Clearwaters (the pack and Tribe Elders), it was time to bury the empty casket for Miles. Moving to a plot within the graveyard they had been allowed to use with permission from Billy and the rest of the Elders as they all cared for Miles, Charlie and Callie. But they didn't care much for Bella as she has proved to be spoilt, selfish and uses people. All you had to do was look at how much Jacob has changed since he spent time together with her.
The minute Charlie and Callie spotted Sam, Paul, Jared, Embry, Quil and Jason Young carrying the red oak coffin they had picked out for Miles Swan but would forever remain empty they lost their composure and started sobbing heartbrokenly. It was the not knowing what happened to him that was getting to them and that he would never be laid to rest. Charlie knelt beside Callie's wheelchair, uncaring that he was ruining his suit, he gathered his niece into his arms letting her cry into his chest as the coffin was lowered into the ground. Billy looked at his friend and pseudo daughter sadly as 'Old' Quil Ateara as the medicine man of the tribe said a few words as white roses and a handful of soil was thrown on to the coffin by each person in attendance.
Once all of the pack (surprisingly no complaints coming from Jacob), including Lizzie who wanted to help not liking seeing her friend so upset, covered the coffin with a mound of soil filling in the grave it was time for a bonfire, that was built outside the graveyard, and prayers to be sent to the ancestors to send both Harry and Miles off into peace with the ancestors, and stories shared of their loved ones.
That was the other part of the Quileute funeral rite: they'd send off with everyone present with prayers to the ancestors, followed by intimate prayers to the ancestors to receive them into peace by those closest to the deceased with a bonfire, followed by sharing stories of the happier times to ease the crippling grief that was felt like a ripple in a pond, as two rare, happy and incredibly kind souls have been lost; and it was felt deeply by all who had been touched by those souls.
Unbeknownst to all around the fire a storm was about to hit Forks and La Push with Bella's return the following day with arm-in-arm with Edward not caring all that he had put her through the last few months after he had left her for dead in the woods, and neither caring what Charlie had been put through with Bella like that. They will especially not like that Edward not be able to enter the Swan residence whenever he liked or that the Pack had updated the Treaty the two species had.
Billy and Sam will soon be informing them that Callie (Charlie's niece and Paul's Imprint) is now living with Charlie, keeping that she is a Banshee a secret, and that all of the Cullens but especially Edward is not allowed within a hundred yards of the Swan residence in any direction.
But most especially they, but mainly Bella, will not like that Callie will be living at the Swan residence permanently and will make the Banshee's life a living hell with the help of her demon aunt, Renee Dyer.
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Author's note: DO NOT ask me to update in any way shape or form. There are other ways of telling me what you thought of this.
Who should be the Imprints of the following (no vampires please);
• Seth Clearwater: ?
• Jacob Black (possibly Angela Weber) ?
• Jason Young: ?
• Jamie-Lee Cameron: ?
• Taylor Benally: ?
• Jack Fuller: ?
• Brady Fuller: ?
• Collin Littlesea: ?
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