Let’s Re-Read Eclipse Together! Chapter 19

Welcome to the ‘Eclipse’ Community Re-Read! Join us by reading a chapter every Monday & Friday.  I’ll post a thread for each chapter in the book, counting down the days until the official release of the film on June 30th. So, dig out your old or new copy of Eclipse, read the chapter and then come back here, and discuss anything you find of interest that you might have missed the first time around.

 Chapter 19: Selfish

 I deliberated for a moment. Given Alice’s warning last night, I could guess why she’d called. And then remembering the troubled dreams I’d had as I’d slept through the day-dreams where I chased after Jasper, trying to follow him and find the clearing in the maze-like woods, knowing I would find Edward there…Edward, and all the monsters who wanted to kill me, but not caring about them because I’d already made my decision-I could also guess what Edward had overheard while I’d slept.

 Gossip…Gossip…GOSSIP!!!! After Bella awakes from being sleep the entire day, Edward joins her in the kitchen for Pop-Tarts! This is where all of the most intimate secrets of the wolf pack emerge, and it is…juicy! But first Edward notices the graduation gift from Jacob Black on Bella’s wrist.

•  Pg. 411 When I lifted the Pop-Tart to take the first bite, I noticed him staring at my hand. I looked down, and saw that I was still wearing the gift that Jacob had given me at the party. “May I?” he asked, reaching for the tiny wooden wolf. I tried to read the expression in his eyes. All I could see was thoughtfulness; he kept everything else hidden, if there was anything else. “Jacob Black can give you presents.” “You’ve given me presents,” I reminded him. “You know I like the homemade kind.” He pursed his lips for a second. “How about hand-me-downs? Are those acceptable?” “What do you mean?” “This bracelet. You’ll be wearing this a lot?” I shrugged. “Because you wouldn’t want to hurt his feelings,” he suggested shrewdly. “Sure I guess so.” “Don’t you think it’s fair, then? If I have a little representation?” “Representation?” “A charm-something to keep me on your mind.” “You’re in every thought I have, I don’t need reminders.” “If I gave you something, would you wear it?” “A hand-me-down?” “Yes, something I’ve had for a while.” “Whatever makes you happy.” Have you noticed the inequality? Because I certainly have.” Yea us too!  “What inequality?” His eyes narrowed. “Everyone else is able to get away with giving you things. Everyone but me. I would have loved to get you a graduation present, but I didn’t. I knew it would have upset you more than if anyone else did. That’s utterly unfair. How do you explain yourself?” “Easy.” I shrugged. “You’re more important than everyone else. And you’ve given me you. That’s already more than I deserve, and anything else you give me just throws us more out of balance.” “The way you regard me is ludicrous.”

• Pg. 415 After Alice calls and fills Edward in on Bella’s intentions; Edward drops all this gossip on us! Here is where things get really juicy. “Jacob is second in command. Did he ever tell you that? His orders have to be followed, too. I got a fascinating look into the pack’s mind last night. It was better than a soap opera. I had no idea how complex the dynamic is with such a large pack. Jacob’s been keeping a lot of secrets,” he said with a grin. “For instance, did you note the smaller grey wolf there last night?” I nodded one stiff nod. He chuckled. “They all take their legends so seriously. It turns out there are things that none of their stories prepared them for. They always accepted with question that it was only the direct grandsons of the original wolf who had the power to transform.” “So someone changed who wasn’t a direct descendant?” “No. She’s a direct descendant, all right.” I blinked, and my eyes widened. “She?” He nodded. “She knows you. Her name is Leah Clearwater.” “Leah’s a werewolf!” I shrieked. “What? For how long? Why didn’t Jacob tell me?” Bella then reflects on the recent events on the Quileute reservation. How Billy had been spending all of his time over at Sue Clearwater’s house, apparently it was to help Seth and Leah with their transformations. And now Leah Clearwater, with all of her spitefulness is hell bent on making not only Sam Uley, but the entire pack miserable, just like she is. And now she was part of Sam’s pack, hearing his thoughts…and unable to hide her own. “I really hate that part,” Jacob had said. “Everything you’re ashamed of, laid out for everyone to see.” “Poor Leah,” I whispered. Edward snorted. “She’s making life exceedingly unpleasant for the rest of them. I’m not sure she deserves your sympathy.” “What do you mean?” “It’s hard enough for them, having to share all their thoughts. When even one member is deliberately malicious, it’s painful for everyone.” “She has reason enough.” “Oh, I know. The imprinting compulsion is one of the strangest things I’ve ever witnessed in my life, and I’ve seem some strange things. The way Sam is tied to his Emily is impossible to describe-or should I say her Sam. Sam really had no choice. It reminds me of A Midsummer Night’s Dream with all the chaos created by the fairies’ love spells…like magic.” He smiled. “It’s very nearly as strong as the way I feel about you.” “Poor Leah,” I said again. “But what do you mean, malicious?” “She’s constantly bringing up things they’d rather not think of. For example, Embry.” What’s with Embry?” I asked, surprised. Here’s where it gets juicy folks! “His mother moved down from the Makah reservation seventeen years ago, when she was pregnant with him. She’s not Quileute. Everyone assumed she’d left his father behind with the Makahs. But then he joined the pack.” “So?” “So the prime candidates for his father are Quil Ateara Sr., Joshua Uley, or Billy Black, all of them married at that point, of course.” WHAT!! Quite the scandal!  “No!” I gasped. Edward was right-this was exactly like a soap opera. “Now Sam, Jacob, and Quil all wonder which one of them has a half-brother. They’d all like to think it’s Sam, since his father was never much of a father. But the doubt is always there. Jacob’s never been able to ask Billy about that.” Wow, Edward is quite the little gossip isn’t he? I like it. There’s nothing like some good juicy pillow talk!

• Pg. 419 Edward continues to tell Bella about how mesmerizing the pack’s mind is, but Bella soon realizes that he stalling. “I have to be in that clearing, Edward.” “No,” he said in a very final tone. Just when I think my disgust for Bella’s behavior has leveled out, she ups the ante and goes in for the kill. Being the coward that she is, she cannot even look Edward in the eye. “Okay, look, Edward,” I whispered. “Here’s the thing…I’ve already gone crazy once. I know what my limits are. And I can’t stand it if you leave me again.” Who here is completely disgusted? Okay first of all, Edward feels like crap ever since leaving Bella. Secondly, because of his actions, he now has to watch the core of his existence, swoon over her best friend who happened to save her from insanity because Edward left. Now Bella has the audacity to use that trump card and throw it back up in Edward’s face! And Edward, the ever loving partner that he is, instantly embraces Bella, smh. Suddenly, his arms were around me, his hands stroking my face, my arms, He was comforting me. The guilt went into spiral mode. Do you all think she feels guilty?
• Pg. 420 Bella decides she might as well make more demands, and asks something that I never thought she would even think of. He sighed, “It’s going to be easy, Bella. There’s no reason for your fears.” “None at all?” “None.” “And everybody will be fine?” Everyone,” he promised. “So easy that you could sit out?” WHAT? I took a deep breath, “So it’s one way or the other. Either there is more danger than you want me to know about, in which case it would be right for me to be there, to do what I can to help. Or…it’s going to be so easy that they’ll get by without you. Which way is it?” He didn’t speak. I knew what he was thinking of-the same thing I was thinking of. Carlisle, Esme, Emmett, Rosalie, Jasper. And…I forced myself to think the last name. And Alice. “You ask me to let then fight without my help?” he said in a quiet voice? “Yes. Or to let me be there. Either way, so long as we’re together.” 

• Pg. 422 Edward asked Alice to come over to the Swan home, to babysit Bella, while he went to speak with Jasper. “I’m going to discuss…me sitting out.” “I’m sorry.” “Don’t apologize. Never be afraid to tell me how you feel, Bella. If this is what you need…” He shrugged. “You are my first priority.”  This is why I am Team Edward all day everyday! This man’s love is endless and unconditional. Alice has arrived! “You’re going to miss all the fun,” she grumbled. “Hello, Alice,” he greeted her. He walked out the door, leaving me to face Alice. I’m happy Alice gives Bella the business. She glared at me. “I’m sorry. Do you think this will make it more dangerous for you?” She snorted. “You worry too much, Bella. You’re going to go prematurely gray.” “Why are you upset, then?” “Edward is such a grouch when he doesn’t get his way. I’m just anticipating living with him for the next few months.” She made a face. “I suppose, if it keeps you sane, it’s worth it. But I wish you could control the pessimism, Bella. It’s so unnecessary.” Lol.
• Pg. 424 Alice is so grand! She singlehandedly gets Bella out of the house for the fight. “Howdy, Alice! How are you hun?” “I’m fine, Charlie, thanks.” “Where’s Edward?” Charlie asked, a little grudgingly. Alice sighed and her face turned tragic. “No. He’s off planning the weekend with Emmett and Carlisle.” “Hiking again?”  “Yes. They’re all going, except me.” As Alice continues her tail of woe, she tells Charlie that the Cullen clan has abandoned her. “Alice, honey, why don’t you come stay with us,” Charlie offered. “I hate to think of you all alone in that big house.” She sighed. Something squished my foot under the table. “Ow! I protested. Rofl. Alice tries to get Bella to save her, but Bella is quite slow at the moment. “Er, Dad, you know, we don’t really have the best accommodations here.  Bet Alice doesn’t want to sleep on my floor. Charlie pursed his lips. Alice pulled out the devastated expression again. “Maybe Bella should stay up there with you.” Just until your folks get back.” “Oh, would you, Bella?” Alice smiled at me radiantly.
• Pg. 432 This chapter closes with Bella and the entire Cullen clan, at the clearing preparing for the fight. Bella gets her way and is right in the middle of everything. But Bella doesn’t care to watch the actual fight training. Jacob in wolf-form snuggles up next to Bella, and their bonding time begins. After a few minutes, I leaned against his wide shoulder. It was much more comfortable that way. Absently, I began pulling my fingers through the fur on his neck. Oh goodness, here we go with the copping a feel, again. “You know, I never had a dog,” I mused. “I always wanted one, but Renee’s allergic.” Jacob laughed; his body shook under me. As Bella talks to wolf-Jacob about the impending fight, she makes herself even more comfortable. I settled deeper into his warm fur, resting my head against his neck. It was strange. Even though he was in this bizarre form, this felt more like the way Jake and I used to be-the easy, effortless friendship that was as natural as breathing in and out-than the last few times I’d been with Jacob while he was human. Odd that I should find that again, here, when I’d thought this wolf thing was the cause of its loss.

How you feel about this bond between Jake and Bella? IMO she needs to cut all ties with Jacob. I’ve always said this. It will be this continuous spiral of hurt(as we all know) and its Jacob who always gets the raw end of the stick. Their feelings are too strong for each other, to be friends alone. *Sigh.*

Category: Eclipse Re-Read