Q:So tell me honestly. How do you like Phil?
He’s…fine. Better matched to Renee than I was, I guess. I’ve only met him a couple times, so I don’t have a whole lot to base an opinion on. But from what she told me, he’s a real good guy. Just grounded enough to keep her level but crazy enough to follow her when she flies.
He won my respect at Bella’s wedding, I’ll tell you. Not an easy position to be in, and he didn’t try to fight me or prove he was more important to Renee or get possessive or act like a father to Bells or anything. He just let us all do our thing. Took a backseat. But was still there and supportive.
And he was faster on the draw with the tissues when Renee needed them than I was.
Q:Um, when I said "Vitamin R" I meant beer... I have it on good authority that you've been known to clean your guns while downing a couple.
Anonymous
Huh. Didn’t know anyone outside Seattle called it that. My bad.
Big difference between cleaning unloaded guns and “handling firearms.” Yeah, I might have one while doing the former, but only after I make sure they’re all unloaded. The latter? Never. Alcohol and using guns do not mix. Ever.
Q:So... about them werewolves...
Anonymous
Ungh!
Ix-nay on the erewolves-way, would you?
Never gonna get that image out of my head.
Queue’s running kinda low. I’m gonna go get beer. If you want to know what was going through my mind here, all you have to do is ask.
Q:Was it hard having your daughter pretty much grow up so far away from you?
Hardest thing I’ve ever done. But I never felt so detached from her. She came and spent her summers and we talked on the phone. Hell, I talked about her so much, half the people in town thought she did live with me.
She’s my pride and joy. Always has been. Always will be.
Q:How often do you speak to Renee? How were you able to face her after Bella had to fake her death?
Anonymous
Renee and I haven’t had anything to talk about besides Bella in years. Back in the beginning, it was hard to talk to her at all.
She’s got a good life now. But I’m not a part of it. And that’s fine with me.
And I hate lying about things I don’t even understand when it comes to Bella. I hate that Bella had to do that to her mother, but she was right. Renee never would have been able to keep a secret, and in her own scatter-brained way, she’s way too perceptive. If she’d seen how Bells looks now, or if she’d met Ness… It wouldn’t have been good.
Q:How much DID you pay for Billy's old Chevy truck?
Anonymous
That old thing? About two grand and a year’s worth of carting his disabled ass around town.
Cheapskate didn’t even throw in snow chains for it…
Q:Did you ever consider leaving Forks to be closer to Bella or even to try to work things out with Renee?
Anonymous
Renee made herself very clear. There’s no working it out when you fundamentally want different things in life.
Her need to wander all over the place is a big part of why I didn’t try to move closer — I would have loved to be able to see Bells more often. But Renee packed up and moved whenever she wanted. I would have spent my whole life chasing her around the globe.
In the end, I’m a guy who’s rooted to a place. Forks is my home. My parents were born here and they died here, and I was responsible for them toward the end of their lives.
All I could do was provide someplace stable for Bella to go to if she ever wanted to. I always hoped she’d choose Forks someday. And me.
In the end, it worked out pretty damn okay.
Q:Do you really spend all of your free time fishing, Charlie?
Anonymous
Not all of it. Life doesn’t get a whole lot better than being out on a lake or a boat with a couple guys and a couple brews. Quiet. Nature.
Or at least that’s what I used to think. Now that I’ve got Sue and Bella and Ness… Well, let’s just say I fish a whole lot less than I used to. Still enjoy it when I have the time, though.
I started teaching Ness how to fish a couple years back. She likes it well enough, though she might just be humoring me. Poor girl never catches anything. The fish all seem kinda scared of her for some reason…
Q:How did you fall in love with Renee? You two could not be more different.
I asked myself that every day for about ten years.
Renee was…a force of nature. We were both young, and I had responsibilities she didn’t. While I was taking care of my folks and trying to find my place on the force, she was making clay pots and painting murals. She was just…fun. She made me really happy.
But in the end, you’re right. I am who I am and she was who she was. After Bella was born, Renee wanted to go see the world. I had roots and a paycheck. I never wanted much more than that. I couldn’t blame her when she went looking for something more.
I sure did miss her spark, though.
