I was dreaming I was in a field of flowers, soft rolling hill around me. The sun was so bright I could feel the heat on my face, it was pleasant. I looked around me and noticed dressers placed randomly in the field. I walked to the one closest to me, it looked worn the varnish gone in places. I ran my hand over the top, I could feel where the wood was starting to splinter. The knob was missing on the middle drawer, I tried to pry it open with my fingers but couldn't get a hold. I tried the drawer on the right, the knob was loose but the drawer opened. Inside was a letter opener and paper, I grabbed the letter opener from the drawer and went back to the middle drawer. Slipping the opener around the edges of the drawer I was able to pry open the drawer, inside of the drawer were hundereds and hundereds of pictures. There was me as a child, some with my mother, some with my father. I couldn't remember ever seeing these photos, I continued thumbing through, they were all pictures of my childhood up to adolesents. Birthday parties, high school parties, my first date, graduation. I smiled at the last one, a picture of my mother and father on either side of me in my cap and gown. That seemed ages ago, I missed them so much. I left that one on the top of the desk and move to the next. This desk was in much better shape than the last one, again I opened the middle drawer, inside were papers. I grabbed a handfull, college exams, all A's. I devoted every ounce of my energy to becoming who I am today, I placed them back in the drawer and closed it. The last desk I came to was very large, cherry oak and it's finish gleamed in the sun. Again I opened the middle drawer. Empty. Confused I moved to the drawer on the right, a single pen. I picked it up and closed the drawer. I moved to the drawer on the left, sheets and sheets of blank paper still confused I pulled a single sheet out and shut the drawer. I stood there for a moment, looking down I noticed two bottom drawers. I opened the bottom right hand drawer, as if spring loaded the drawer opened and shot back at least 10 feet, I jumped slightly. More photos, I knelt down and picked up a few, my children. I smiled, they were so young, pictures at the swimming pool, vacations, birthdays, photos of Emmett with his numerous broken bones. I laughed as I sorted through them. Looking up the sun seemed to be closer, it was getting hot now, very hot. I removed my outer shirt and placed it on the ground next to me then turned to the last drawer. This one opened on its own, I looked inside and saw one picture, the picture of my wife and I on our wedding day. I picked it up and held it close 'she is so beautiful I thought'. I remembed back to when we first met, I was on my last round of residencies and she came in late in the night. She'd fallen trying to ice skate in the parking lot of her apartment with her friends. They'd practically carried her in although she insisted she could walk. They sat her on the exam table and she looked up at me, smiled and I was hooked forever. We were married only months later, and 9 months after that our first baby was born, little Rosallie. Esme was so worried about being a mother, I knew she would be the perfect mother, and I was right. Looking at the photo closer I noticed a tear in the lower corner, there was writing. I picked up the frame and turned it over, I removed the back, there was a letter in my handwriting. I pulled it out and read it.
Dear Esme,
Leaving you is the hardest thing I have ever had to do. I want you to know no matter what happens in life that I love you more than life itself.
Please don't blame yourself. Take care of our kids for me, they're going to need you more than ever. I'll be with you forever.
Love,
Carlisle
I dropped the letter, it hit the ground then diappeared. I looked around, confused. "Please. What does this mean?" I said outloud. "Hello?" My heart started beating wildly. "I don't understand. Please. Oh Go Carlisle wake up." I grabbed my hair, spinning, looking. I stopped, there, in the distance. "Hello!" I cried. "Please, can you help me." The figure walked toward me. "Where am I? Please what is going on?" I asked walking to meet him. As I got closer the figure got clearer. I stopped. "No, it can't be." I said. She stopped directly infront of me. "Hello Carlisle." She said with the familiar warm smile. I dropped to my knees. "Mother." Was all I could get out. She kneeled beside me, and touched my shoulder. "How...I dont understand." I said softly. She was as I remembered her as a child, soft skin kind eyes. She was wearing a long white sundress, her dark hair softly blowing in the wind.
"Try and remember." She touched my cheek. I closed my eyes and as if lightening had struck it all came back to me. I jerked a look up to my mother.
"The accident." Was all I said.
"Tell me what happend." She coaxed.
"Esme had called me as my shift ended. She said I needed to come home right away after work, she said it was important. I grabbed my jacket and headed straight for my car. She didn't give me any explination but I figured it must have been important or she wouldn't have called. It had been snowing, the roads were wet, but good for driving. I was only about a mile from home..." I stopped.
"And." she said.
"A truck, it ran a stop light, it hit my car. Oh God. I was alright but the door was pinned shut by the front of the truck. I looked into the cab of the truck to see if the driver was injured. His head had hit the steering wheel, he was unconcious. I tried to unbuckle my seat belt but it was stuck. I reached for my phone and called 911, they said they were only minutes away, thats when I smelled smoke. I looked in my rearview mirror, the back of my car was on fire. He had hit the gas tank. I tried to crawl out of my seat belt but the door had me pinned against the steering wheel. The last thing I remember was the smoke and heat and thinking of Esme and the kids, how badly I was going to miss them. And then I woke up here. Mom...where am I?" I started crying.
"You know where you are son." She said putting her arms around me. I leaned into her like a child and sobbed.
"I wasn't finished. I had so much more to do, so much more to see. What about Esme, what about the kids. How will they ever understand?" I cried.
"Your letter darling. Esme will receive it when she is alone. It will help. They will be alright." She pulled away to look at me. "Carlisle, my boy, dry your tears now there are so many people waiting to see you."
I wiped my eyes, my heart aching from the loss of my family, I didn't know how to exist without them. I stood and held my mothers hand, "Are you ready." She smiled looking up at me then to the distance. I followed her eyes, near a tree I could see people, hundreds of people, and in the front my father. I squeesed my mothers hand and we began walking.
The End