Look At Me
By YoursTruly101
A one-shot
Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.
"I feel absolutely blessed," a proud mother of a newborn glowed.
A loud crash came from downstairs, echoing throughout the house and into Esme Cullen's ears where she sat upstairs on her and Carlisle Cullen's king bed. She was watching TLC's A Baby Story. Esme clicked the power button on the remote, a picture of a delicate sleeping baby boy faded to black. Harshly shoving the heavy comforter off, Esme sped downstairs and stood in front of her children, all of them. Edward. Emmett. Jasper. Rosalie. Alice. Even Renesmee, Bella, and Jacob sat before her in the spacious living room. "What's going on?" she questioned them, tapping her right foot and putting her best mom face on. She gestured with her chin to the shattered glass between Edward's piano and an end table. Among the glass were four disjointed pieces of dark wood that used to stand together to form a frame that held a photo of her and Carlisle on Isle Esme. The photo, like the wood floor, was covered in sharp glass, a corner ripped. "What's that?" she asked. No one dared open his or her mouth. "Answer me."
Just then Carlisle entered the living room, its air thick with suspicion, blame, doubt, and sadness. The frame had been bought by Carlisle for his Esme on one of their numerous anniversaries. "Esme?" he said, a hint of question in his voice. He lightly placed his left hand on the small of her back, comfort. "Is everything alright?" he asked, looking from his wife to his children. The shimmering glass on the floor caught his eye. "Who wants to confess?"
Renesmee stood up and walked towards Esme. "Grandma, I'm sorry. I ran into the table and it fell off." Esme's eyes melted with not sadness, but forgiveness. She adored when Nessie addressed her by Grandma; it made her feel not only loved, but needed by those she loved.
Emmett stood up, bowing his head like a four-year-old who knows he did something bad. "Then I accidentally stepped on it... I'm sorry, mom. I know that frame was special to you." Mom is another term that Esme admired.
"It's okay," Esme smiled sweetly. "The picture is still mostly in tact." She grasped Carlisle's hand. "But clean it up." She made her way upstairs. Carlisle stayed to talk to his family.
"It would be extremely smart of you guys to either stay clear of your mother or be the most perfect children to ever walk this earth. She's a tad... hormonal... or as hormonal as a vampire can be." Jasper raised an eyebrow, questioning what Carlisle was telling them. "She's been watching the A Baby Story marathon all morning." Everyone nodded with understanding as if to say, Ahh, okay.
Carlisle then turned around to find his wife. The second their bedroom door had shut behind him, Esme looked at Carlisle. If she could cry, now would be one of those times.
"Esme," he mumbled, pulling her in tight to his body. "It's just a frame."
Esme shrugged. "It's not that," she told him before turning around to grab the remote off of the bed.
"Really, love?" Carlisle asked. "You prefer the television over me?" He had perfected he puppy dog pout of the years. One glance, and he had Esme in a second.
"No," she said. "Look." Esme turned on the TV. Another episode of A Baby Story had started. "Baby," she spat out like a toddler would when she sees her baby doll lying on the toy-covered floor. "Baby." She sat down on the end of the bed, and Carlisle wrapped his arms around her, protection.
"You have several babies," he told her. "There's Edward, Alice, Rosalie, Jasper, and Emmett, being the biggest." They both smiled. "There's even Bella, Nessie, and on occasion, Jake."
Nonexistent tears swelled up in Esme's eyes. "But I want my own baby."
Carlisle softly kissed her cheek. "You have me."
She turned around to face him. "I do," she smiled.
He gently caressed Esme's face. "Look at me," he said, and she moved her eyes to make contact with his. "We have a beautiful family downstairs. You know that, don't you?" Esme nodded. "And you have me."
"You said that already."
"Yes, I know, now don't ruin my romantic moment, love. Thank you." And he continued. "I love you with my everything, and that is why I would do anything, absolutely anything, for you. I admit, you have me wrapped around that little finger of yours, but I like it. And every time you turn to face me, those big round perfect gold eyes looking at me, I am reminded just how much I love you and how big a part you play in my life. Don't you ever forget that for one second," he said, kissing her lips.
"I never do," she told him. "I love you."
