ed being with her mother would help。 But when we started
packing her clothes； she
woke up with a vengeance。 I've never seen Bella throw a fit like that。 She was
never one for the
tantrums； but； boy； did she fly into a fury。 She threw her clothes everywhere
and screamed that we
couldn't make her leave—and then she finally started crying。 I thought that
would be the turning point。 I
didn't argue when she insisted on staying here and she did seem to get
better at first〃
Charlie trailed off。 It was hard listening to this； knowing how much pain I'd
caused him。
〃But？〃 Alice prompted。
〃She went back to school and work； she ate and slept and did her homework。 She
answered when
someone asked her a direct question。 But she was empty。 Her eyes were blank。
There were lots of
little things—she wouldn't listen to music anymore； I found a bunch of CDs
broken in the trash。 She didn't
read； she wouldn't be in the same room when the TV was on； not that she
watched it so much before。 I
finally figured it out—she was avoiding everything that might remind her of
him。
〃We could hardly talk； I was so worried about saying something that would
upset her—the littlest things
would make her flinch—and she never volunteered anything。 She would just
answer if I asked her
something。
〃She was alone all the time。 She didn't call her friends back； and after a
while； they stopped calling。
〃It was night of the living dead around here。 I still hear her screaming in
her sleep〃
I could almost see him shuddering。 I shuddered； too； remembering