't tell him； though when he checks in again？〃 I asked。 She knew I
didn't mean Carlisle now。
〃No。 He'd bite my head off；〃 Alice said grimly。
I laughed once； and then sighed。
I didn't want to sleep。 I wanted to stay up all night talking to Alice。 And it
didn't make sense for me to be
tired； what with crashing on Jacob's couch all day。 But drowning really had
taken a lot out of me； and my
eyes wouldn't stay open。 I rested my head on her stone shoulder； and drifted
into a more peaceful
oblivion than I had any hope of。
I woke early； from a deep and dreamless sleep； feeling well…rested； but stiff。
I was on the couch tucked
under the blankets I'd laid out for Alice； and I could hear her and Charlie
talking in the kitchen。 It
sounded like Charlie was fixing her breakfast。
〃How bad was it； Charlie？〃 Alice asked softly； and at first I thought they
were talking about the
Clearwaters。
Charlie sighed。 〃Real bad。〃
〃Tell me about it。 I want to know exactly what happened when we left。〃
There was a pause while a cupboard door was closed and a dial on the stove was
clicked off。 I waited；
cringing。
〃I've never felt so helpless；〃 Charlie began slowly。 〃I didn't know what to
do。 That first week—I thought I
was going to have to hospitalize her。 She wouldn't eat or drink； she wouldn't
move。 Dr。 Gerandy was
throwing around words like 'catatonic；' but I didn't let him up to see her。 I
was afraid it would scare her。〃
〃She snapped out of it though？〃
〃I had Renee e to take her to Florida。 I just didn't want to be the one
if she had to go to a hospital
or something。 I hop