totally useless。 I couldn't be
around my family—I couldn't be around anyone。 I'm embarrassed to admit that I
more or less curled up
into a ball and let the misery have me。〃 He grinned； sheepish。 〃It was much
more pathetic than hearing
voices。 And； of course； you know I do that； too。〃
I was deeply relieved that he really seemed to understand—forted that this
all made sense to him。 At
any rate； he wasn't looking at me like I was crazy。 He was looking at me like
he loved me。
〃I only heard one voice；〃 I corrected him。
He laughed and then pulled me tight against his right side and started to lead
me forward。
〃I'm just humoring you with this。〃 He motioned broadly with his hand toward
the darkness in front of us
as we walked。 There was something pale and immense there—the house； I
realized。 〃It doesn't matter in
the slightest what they say。〃
〃This affects them now； too。〃
He shrugged indifferently。
He led me through the open front door into the dark house and flipped the
lights on。 The room was just
as I'd remembered it—the piano and the white couches and the pale； massive
staircase。 No dust； no
white sheets。
Edward called out the names with no more volume than I'd use in regular
conversation。 〃Carlisle？ Esme？
Rosalie？ Emmett？ Jasper？ Alice？〃 They would hear。
Carlisle was suddenly standing beside me； as if he'd been there all along。
〃Wele back； Bella。〃 He
smiled。 〃What can we do for you this morning？ I imagine； due to the hour； that
this is not a purely social
visit？〃
I nodded。 〃I'd like to talk to everyone at once； if that's okay。 About
so