4 breaking dawn破晓- 第4部分

〃I'm　not　sweating；〃　I　lied。　

I　leaned　away　from　his　fierce　scowl；　cringing　into　Edward；　and　instinctively　wiped　the　back　of　my　right　
hand　across　my　forehead　to　remove　the　evidence。　

〃You're　pregnant！〃　Charlie　exploded。　〃You're　pregnant；　aren't　you？〃　

Though　the　question　was　clearly　meant　for　me；　he　was　glaring　at　Edward　now；　and　I　could　have　sworn　I　
saw　his　hand　twitch　toward　the　gun。　

〃No！　Of　course　I'm　not！〃　I　wanted　to　elbow　Edward　in　the　ribs；　but　I　knew　that　move　would　only　give　
me　a　bruise。　I'd　told　Edward　that　people　would　immediately　jump　to　this　conclusion！　What　other　
possible　reason　would　sane　people　have　for　getting　married　at　eighteen？　（His　answer　then　had　made　me　
roll　my　eyes。　Love。　Right。）　

Charlie's　glower　lightened　a　shade。　It　was　usually　pretty　clear　on　my　face　when　I　was　telling　the　truth；　
and　he　believed　me　now。　〃Oh。　Sorry。〃　

〃Apology　accepted。〃　

There　was　a　long　pause。　After　a　moment；　I　realized　everyone　was　waiting　for　me　to　say　something。　I　
looked　up　at　Edward；　panicstricken。　There　was　no　way　I　was　going　to　get　the　words　out。　

He　smiled　at　me　and　then　squared　his　shoulders　and　turned　to　my　father。　

〃Charlie；　I　realize　that　I've　gone　about　this　out　of　order。　Traditionally；　I　should　have　asked　you　first。　I　
mean　no　disrespect；　but　since　Bella　has　already　said　yes　and　I　don't　want　to　diminish　her　choice　in　the　
matter；　instead　of　asking　you　for　her　hand；　I'm　asking　you　for　your　blessing。　We're　getting　married；　
Charlie。　I　love　her　more　than　anything　in　the　world；　more　than　my　own　life；　and—by　some　miracle—she　
loves　me　that　way；　too。　Will　you　give　us　your　blessing？〃　

He　sounded　so　sure；　so　calm。　For　just　an　instant；　listening　to　the　absolute　confidence　in　his　voice；　I　
experienced　a　rare　moment　of　insight；　i　could　see；　fleetingly；　the　way　the　world　looked　to　him。　For　the　
length　of　one　heartbeat；　this　news　made　perfect　sense。　

And　then　I　caught　sight　of　the　expression　on　Charlie's　face；　his　eyes　now　locked　on　the　ring。　

I　held　my　breath　while　his　skin　changed　colors—fair　to　red；　red　to　purple；　purple　to　blue。　I　started　to　get　
up—I'm　

not　sure　what　I　planned　to　do；　maybe　use　the　Heimlich　maneuver　to　make　sure　he　wasn't　choking—but　
Edward　squeezed　my　hand　and　murmured　〃Give　him　a　minute〃　so　low　that　only　I　could　hear。　




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The　silence　was　much　longer　this　time。　Then；　gradually；　shade　by　shade；　Charlie's　color　returned　to　
normal。　His　lips　pursed；　and　his　eyebrows　furrowed；　I　recognized　his　〃deep　in　thought〃　expression。　He　
studied　the　two　of　us　for　a　long　moment；　and　I　felt　Edward　relax　at　my　side。　

〃Guess　I'm　not　that　surprised；〃　Charlie　grumbled。　〃Knew　I'd　have　to　deal　with　something　like　this　soon　
enough。〃　

I　exhaled。　

〃You　sure　about　this？〃　Charlie　demanded；　glaring　at　me。　

〃I'm　one　hundred　percent　sure　about　Edward；〃　I　told　him　without　missing　a　beat。　

〃Getting　married；　though？　What's　the　rush？〃　He　eyed　me　suspiciously　again。　

The　rush　was　due　to　the　fact　that　I　was　getting　closer　to　nieen　every　stinking　day；　while　Edward　
stayed　frozen　in　all　his　seventeenyearold　perfection；　as　he　had　for　over　niy　years。　Not　that　this　fact　
necessitated　marriage　in　my　book；　but　the　wedding　was　required　due　to　the　delicate　and　tangled　
promise　Edward　and　I　had　made　to　finally　get　to　this　point；　the　brink　of　my　transformation　from　
mortal　to　immortal。　

These　weren't　things　I　could　explain　to　Charlie。　

〃We're　going　away　to　Dartmouth　together　in　the　fall；　Charlie；〃　Edward　reminded　him。　〃I'd　like　to　do　that；　
well；　the　right　way。　It's　how　I　was　raised。〃　He　shrugged。　

He　wasn't　exaggerating；　they'd　been　big　on　oldfashioned　morals　during　World　War　I。　

Charlie's　mouth　twisted　to　the　side。　Looking　for　an　angle　to　argue　from。　But　what　could　he　say？　I'd　
prefer　you　live　in　sin　first？　He　was　a　dad；　his　hands　were　tied。　

〃Knew　this　was　ing；〃　he　muttered　to　himself；　frowning。　Then；　suddenly；　his　face　went　perfectly　
smooth　and　blank。　

〃Dad？〃　I　asked　anxiously。　I　glanced　at　Edward；　but　I　couldn't　read　his　face；　either；　as　he　watched　
Charlie。　

〃Ha！〃　Charlie　exploded。　I　jumped　in　my　seat。　〃Ha；　ha；　ha！〃　

I　stared　incredulously　as　Charlie　doubled　over　in　laughter；　his　whole　body　shook　with　it。　

I　looked　at　Edward　for　a　translation；　but　Edward　had　his　lips　pressed　tightly　together；　like　he　was　trying　
to　hold　back　laughter　himself。　

〃Okay；　fine；〃　Charlie　choked　out。　〃Get　married。〃　Another　roll　of　laughter　shook　through　him。　〃But。。。〃　

〃But　what？〃　I　demanded。　

〃But　you　have　to　tell　your　mom！　I'm　not　saying　one　word　to　Renee！　That's　all　yours！〃　He　busted　into　
loud　guffaws。　




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I　paused　with　my　hand　on　the　doorknob；　smiling。　Sure；　at　the　time；　Charlie's　words　had　terrified　me。　The　
ultimate　doom：　telling　Renee。　Early　marriage　was　higher　up　on　her　blacklist　than　boiling　live　puppies。　

Who　could　have　foreseen　her　response？　Not　me。　Certainly　not　Charlie。　Maybe　Alice；　but　I　hadn't　
thought　to　ask　her。　

〃Well；　Bella；〃　Renee　had　said　after　I'd　choked　and　stuttered　out　the　impossible　words：　Worn；　I'm　
marrying　Edward。　Tm　a　little　miffed　that　you　waited　so　long　to　tell　me。　Plane　tickets　only　get　more　
expensive。　Oooh；〃　she'd　fretted。　〃Do　you　think　Phil's　cast　will　be　off　by　then？　It　will　spoil　the　pictures　if　
he's　not　in　a　tux—〃　

〃Back　up　a　second；　Mom。〃　I'd　gasped。　〃What　do　you　mean；　waited　so　long？　I　just　got　enen　。　。　。〃—I'd　
been　unable　to　force　out　the　word　engaged—〃things　settled；　you　know；　today。〃　

〃Today？　Really？　That　is　a　surprise。　I　assumed　。。。〃　

〃What　did　you　assume？　When　did　you　assume？〃　

〃Well；　when　you　came　to　visit　me　in　April；　it　looked　like　things　were　pretty　much　sewn　up；　if　you　know　
what　I　mean。　You're　not　very　hard　to　read；　sweetie。　But　I　didn't　say　anything　because　I　knew　it　wouldn't　
do　any　good。　You're　exactly　like　Charlie。〃　She'd　sighed；　resigned。　〃Once　you　make　up　your　mind；　there　
is　no　reasoning　with　you。　Of　course；　exactly　like　Charlie；　you　stick　by　your　decisions；　too。〃　

And　then　she'd　said　the　last　thing　that　I'd　ever　expected　to　hear　from　my　mother。　

〃You're　not　making　my　mistakes；　Bella。　You　sound　like　you're　scared　silly；　and　I'm　guessing　it's　because　
you're　afraid　of　me。〃　She'd　giggled。　〃Of　what　I'm　going　to　think。　And　I　know　I've　said　a　lot　of　things　
about　marriage　and　stupidity—and　I'm　not　taking　them　back—but　you　need　to　realize　that　those　things　
specifically　applied　to　me。　You're　a　pletely　different　person　than　I　am。　You　make　your　own　kinds　of　
mistakes；　and　I'm　sure　you'll　have　your　share　of　regrets　in　life。　But　mitment　was　never　your　problem；　
sweetie。　You　have　a　better　chance　of　making　this　work　than　most　fortyyearolds　I　know。〃　Renee　had　
laughed　again。　〃My　little　middleaged　child。　Luckily；　you　seem　to　have　found　another　old　soul。〃　

〃You're　not。。。　mad？　You　don't　think　I'm　making　a　humongous　mistake？〃　

〃Well；　sure；　I　wish　you'd　wait　a　few　more　years。　I　mean；　do　I　look　old　enough　to　be　a　motherinlaw　to　
you？　Don't　answer　that。　But　this