Renesmee ushered me hurriedly into the doorway and sat me down at the wooden table that was tucked in an airy nook of the kitchen.
A vase of flowers sat upon its highly polished surface like one of Queen Charlotte of Bridgerton's wigs.
Bruce followed obediently behind us and jumped into my lap. He wriggled until he had found comfort then let out a contented sigh.
With a heavy heart, I proceeded to enlighten my sister on the happenings that had taken place between Felix and I in the library. With every carefully enunciated word, Renesmee expressed violent joy. Her eyes widened with the possibility of romance as I described Felix's face mere inches from mine.
"And then...?" she asked with rapt anticipation.
"And then in came Felix's Uncle John," I said flatly.
"No. Get out of the library Uncle John!" Renesmee said as she banged her hand on the oak table to communicate her frustration.
"It was so awkward," I said. "We were about to kiss and then Uncle John burst in and said there was something wrong with River."
"Who's River?" she asked.
"I don't know," I said sadly. "They both left before I could get any more information."
Noting my forlorn expression, Renesmee hugged me closely. "What a day you have had, sister!" she said. "I know just what you need - a hot cup of Sangue and marshmallows , a snuggly pair of PJs and a good chick flick."
As the sun rose and cast a sheen upon the leaves outside my window, my thoughts were centred around the mystery of Felix and River.
I hurriedly dressed and made my way to school, eager to speak to Felix. My morning classes dragged like feet wading through deep mud.
Finally, the bell rang and it was recess. With purpose, I propelled through the cafeteria and made my way outside to the picnic table under the tree. I now considered this table 'ours' - Felix's and mine. We had an unspoken routine of meeting here every day. This routine had become something I longed for like a hibernating hedgehog longs for the spring. I let out a sigh of relief as I saw him sitting there. However, my relief soon turned to concern as I took in his worried countenance.
I transferred from my chair and slid across onto the bench. "Are you okay," I asked breathlessly.
Felix looked gravely in my direction and reached for my hand."No, I'm not okay," he wrote.
"Who is River?" I asked.
With a sad expression, Felix began scribbling on his notepad. "River is my dog. She is very sick and we don't know why. Three days ago, she stopped eating and now she won't even drink. The vet doesn't know what is wrong with her. If we don't work out what is wrong, she won't survive for another day."
As if thinking about River was too much for him, Felix abruptly stood.
"I have to go," he wrote. "I have to be by River's side."
Ideas swirled in my head like a tempest of unruly waves. I can communicate with animals, I thought. I can ask River what is wrong!
"I'm coming too!" I called after Felix, in a voice ripe with new ideas.
Felix turned to me and smiled thankfully. He didn't need to write anything down for me to know what he was feeling. The grateful spark in his sapphire eyes communicated more than words ever could.
We headed out of Forks High and towards River.
Our steps and revolutions echoed, simultaneous in their clarity and everlasting in their mission. We were heading to save River, however we could.
We made our through the doors and into the sterile interior of the veterinary clinic. Felix led me to the back of the building, where the sounds of meowing cats, chittering mice and cawing birds made a chaotic melody. We entered a room that held medical equipment, a large overhead light and an operating table. Upon the table lay a large, long-haired Collie . Its eyes were closed and its breath was coming in short bursts. I knew without a doubt that this was River.
Felix made his way to her side and stroked her fur gently. He wrote on the note pad and showed it to me "I wish I knew what was wrong with her."
Using the gift that had been bestowed upon me when I became a vampire, I asked River clearly, "My name is Ella and I am your friend. Tell me what is wrong with you."
With effort, River opened her eyes. She stared straight at me then whined piteously. What sounded like a mere bark to Felix, was as clear to me as the English language. With that simple whine, River had just given us the clue we needed to help solve what was wrong with her.
With resolve, I turned to Felix and laid my hand on his shoulder reassuringly. "I know what is wrong with River," I said emphatically. "I know exactly what is wrong with her...!"
Soundtrack:
While I was writing this chapter, I was listening to:
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