I know there is already some Charlie posts and I’ve read through them without seeing this addressed.
Who is Charlie expecting every time Bella comes in the door and he calls out “Bella?”?
Even Bella wonders “who else would it be?”

Some have stated he was doing the best he could as a “new” dad. Many think he is a good father. Personally, I have many issues with him. For instance why he is so willing to accept her as his housekeeper, doing his laundry and cooking, after 17 years of taking care himself? This is not the traditional teenage role. He ignores her pretty much, leaves her on her own a whole lot and accepts her explanations about things other parents would have questioned more; but would he have been so compatible if she hadn’t been so willing to keep his house? And that whole laugh it off with Jacob about her being kissed against her will. Not a very police-chief-like way to behave. You would think, Him of all people would have kept that opinion to himself at least in front of the teenage Boy. Jacob pretty much gets a feeling of permission from Bella’s Dad to kiss her again.
But I digress.
Just WHO is he expecting all the time? I couldn’t help but wonder if he had been seeing some one who was cleaning and cooking for him before Bella called. Some one who wasn’t pushing him for marriage since he was still so “hooked on his ex”? But who had been providing for him, coming over pretty frequently, I’d say, since he is always calling out every time the door slams.

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And I felt all the more besotted by him. I would cause me physical pain to be separated from him now.
Twilight Chap. 13: Confessions

MortalCoil wrote:

And that whole laugh it off with Jacob about her being kissed against her will. Not a very police-chief-like way to behave. You would think, Him of all people would have kept that opinion to himself at least in front of the teenage Boy. Jacob pretty much gets a feeling of permission from Bella’s Dad to kiss her again. But I digress.

That bugged me too. Along with the lack of concern over Bella's hand. Okay, so I had to think about this one for a minute. The scene reminds of sometimes when my dad and my husband get together. They forget they aren't adolescents anymore, and they behave towards me like Charlie and Jacob did towards Bella. It's kind've of an "us guys gotta stick together" thing, that overrules any common sense (would you ever like to have sex again, dear?). Once Charlie gets away from Jacob he did tell her she shouldn't put up with that.

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“If there was any way for me to become human for you-no matter what the price was, I would pay it.”

Buzzwords

Okay, So Charlie was just being a guy- and he very much prefers Jacob, son of one of his best friends, to Edward, So naturally he lets that show.
But on the "is that you Bella? part - just who is he expecting? Stephenie puts that in all 3 books I believe, which is why I think it might have more meaning. To repeat something seemingly inconsequential like that seems to place more importance on it. I just don't think he was the lonely bachelor some believe.

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And I felt all the more besotted by him. I would cause me physical pain to be separated from him now.
Twilight Chap. 13: Confessions

Maybe, he has been alone for so long that when he hears the door opening he has to remember who it is, or he does it just to reassure himself that his daughter really has come home, lame I know but it's the best i can come up with, give me a couple of cups of coffee and I will be ok.

hmm jacobsjill, that's a thought. He is just so accustomed to being alone. But then, even tho it's a small town, no gangs or trouble makers, you'd think he wouldn't have just anybody walking in his house. Or maybe BECAUSE it's a small town, people do just walk in, call out and join you on the couch? He could be surprised that she keeps coming home. If that's true tho, then he shouldn't have been surprised when she stormed out suddenly.
ah well, it's a conundrum.

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And I felt all the more besotted by him. I would cause me physical pain to be separated from him now.
Twilight Chap. 13: Confessions

I think part of the reason she puts it in the books is because it bugs Bella when he calls her name when he gets home. It's a very "teen-age" reaction to be bothered by something simple like that (I speak from former experience). I think it's just Charlie's way of saying "I'm home and I'm checking on you" without actually saying it. She's not used to being the one who needs to be checked on so it bugs her a little bit.

I think Charlie throughout the books is just trying to be a good dad, without any experience to rely on. He knows Jacob would never intentionally hurt Bella, so the whole kissing thing is just another wedge between Edward and Bella, and therefore a good thing since he's seen what negative effects Edward has has on Bella(in the past of course). And he does reconsider later, and tells Bella it's not okay for any boy take what's not given.

Done with my rant now.

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~Susan

"Well look at me, I'm absolutely ordinary---well, except for all the near-death experiences and being so clumsy that I'm almost disabled."

I have to admit that when I come home from work and I know that my hubby is going to be at home then I automaticaaly call his name when I walk in, I know he's there, but I just do it, and he always replies, yeah I'm in the kitchen/garage/toilet(!). So I see where Charlie is coming from

Okay - two very good points of thought.
Teenage reaction - especially since Bella was used to being the "responsible one" with her mom for all those years. Good point.

And I don't doubt that Charlie is doing the best he can. He seems a good person. No disagreement there.

on the automatically calling out thing, I guess I didn't identify with that. Our home is so small that it takes just a glance to see if you are home alone or not. And my hubby travels a lot, so coming in to an empty house is no issue for me. Same for our teenage daughter. So that is a point of view I didn't consider.
Thanks. I'm starting to ease up on Charlie some now.

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And I felt all the more besotted by him. I would cause me physical pain to be separated from him now.
Twilight Chap. 13: Confessions

jacobsjill wrote:

I have to admit that when I come home from work and I know that my hubby is going to be at home then I automaticaaly call his name when I walk in, I know he's there, but I just do it, and he always replies, yeah I'm in the kitchen/garage/toilet(!). So I see where Charlie is coming from

My husband and I do the same thing - always with a questioning tone to see where the other person is. My dad always greets my mum with "Hi honey, I'm home!"...just like an old sitcom. My mum usually just rolls her eyes - dad isn't looking for a response.

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"Show me the damn ring, Edward."

Yeah, growing up my family never called out like that, but now that I'm married I've noticed that my mother- in- law does that. Except when she walks in the door she says, "Helllllooooo?!?!?" I love my in-laws, but many things they do bring out the teenage rebelliousness in me. I don't know why, but I have the same reaction Bella does. I subconsciously roll my eyes and try to act like I'm not annoyed. So if it wasn't for my mother-in-law, I'd be wondering why Charlie was calling out too.

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"You're driving me crazy!"

I think the whole "married to his job" thing isn't going to seem so believeable when the movie comes out if Charlie is being cast by Billy Burke. That man looks way too good to have been alone so long. Even if he still has feelings for Renee, a man has needs!
But seriously, even though Edward seems to be perfectly undetectable, maybe Charlie could feel his presence sometimes. Edward was "watching" Bella for a while before they really got together, and maybe Charlie could feel that someone else was around even if he couldn't see him. Maybe he is more intuitive than we think.
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Here's a thought: could Charlie be calling out when he gets home because he gets the feeling that someone is there, and on some level, he gets that creepy deja vu my-ex-is-still-here shiver? I think that, in his mind, he is still married to Renee.

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9/20/08

Quote:

even though Edward seems to be perfectly undetectable, maybe Charlie could feel his presence sometimes. Edward was "watching" Bella for a while before they really got together, and maybe Charlie could feel that someone else was around even if he couldn't see him. Maybe he is more intuitive than we think. Here's a thought: could Charlie be calling out when he gets home because he gets the feeling that someone is there, and on some level, he gets that creepy deja vu my-ex-is-still-here shiver? I think that, in his mind, he is still married to Renee [/img]

oooo- very good points! He IS a cop, someone trained to pay attention, (one of the things I found conflicting about his surface behavior with Bella) and just MAYBE he does have some intuition that someone else is there? Good idea. And the idea that Bella brings back those feelings about Renee, also good. We know that Renee is very observant and it may be that him being intuitive as well was one of the attractions between them.
EXCELLENT line of thought ladies!

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And I felt all the more besotted by him. I would cause me physical pain to be separated from him now.
Twilight Chap. 13: Confessions

I think Charlie calls out because he is not used to comming home and there actually being some one there. Bella isn't one of those kids who has the TV or radio blaring when the parent comes home. The house is quiet just like it has been every day for the last 16 years when he comes home so it has to be something for him to get used to.

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When life offers you a dream so far beyond any of your expectations, it’s not reasonable to grieve when it comes to end.

Kat N Hat wrote:

I think Charlie calls out because he is not used to comming home and there actually being some one there. Bella isn't one of those kids who has the TV or radio blaring when the parent comes home. The house is quiet just like it has been every day for the last 16 years when he comes home so it has to be something for him to get used to.

Another excellent point. She does keep to herself. Not much of a TV couch potatoe. Plays her music with headphones. The few times she is sitting in the living room with Jacob or Edward or Alice doing homework or stuff he doesn't seem surprised. At least I think that's the way I read it.
I guess she is just so like her Dad and he is so reclusive (is that a good description?) that he calls out to check if she is there.

_________________
And I felt all the more besotted by him. I would cause me physical pain to be separated from him now.
Twilight Chap. 13: Confessions