me；　let　me　do　that。〃　I　could　feel　that　my　face　was　bright　red　again。

〃I'm　already　done。〃　She　smiled　up　at　me。　〃How　do　you　feel？〃

〃I'm　fine；〃　I　assured　her。　〃Carlisle　sews　faster　than　any　other　doctor　I've

had。〃

They　both　chuckled。

Alice　and　Edward　came　in　the　back　doors。　Alice　hurried　to　my　side；　but　Edward

hung　back；　his　face

indecipherable。

〃C'mon；〃　Alice　said。　〃I'll　get　you　something　less　macabre　to　wear。〃

She　found　me　a　shirt　of　Esme's　that　was　close　to　the　same　color　mine　had　been。

Charlie　wouldn't　notice；

I　was　sure。　The　long　white　bandage　on　my　arm　didn't　look　nearly　as　serious

when　I　was　no　longer

spattered　in　gore。　Charlie　was　never　surprised　to　see　me　bandaged。

〃Alice；〃　I　whispered　as　she　headed　back　to　the　door。

〃Yes？〃　She　kept　her　voice　low；　too；　and　looked　at　me　curiously；　her　head

cocked　to　the　side。

〃How　bad　is　it？〃　I　couldn't　be　sure　if　my　whispering　was　a　wasted　effort。　Even

though　we　were　upstairs；

with　the　door　closed；　perhaps　he　could　hear　me。

Her　face　tensed。　〃I'm　not　sure　yet。〃

〃How's　Jasper？〃

She　sighed。　〃He's　very　unhappy　with　himself。　It's　all　so　much　more　of

challenge　for　him；　and　he　hates

feeling　weak。〃

〃It's　not　his　fault。　You'll　tell　him　that　I'm　not　mad　at　him；　not　at　all；

won't　you？〃

〃Of　course。〃

Edward　was　waiting　for　me　by　the　front　door。　As　I　got　to　the　bottom　of　the

staircase；　he　held　it　open

without　a　word。

〃Take　your　things！〃　Alice　cried　as　I　walked　warily　toward　Edward。　She　scooped

up　the　two　packages；

one　half…opened；　and　my　camera　from　under　the　piano；　and　pressed　them　into　my

good　arm。　〃You　can