This "Renee" person turned around and beamed when she saw Esme. She was very elfin in her features, short and lightly curved. She had high cheek-bones and a pointed chin that balanced out her angled brown bob perfectly. She smiled, showing rows of pearl white teeth, and turned to face us, pushing her cart a few steps back so that she was standing beside mum.
That's when I first saw her.
Small pale hands clutched at Renee's hip from behind. I took a step away from Esme to see who was hiding behind Renee, as any curious 6-year-old would do. The diminutive fingers tightened around Renee's waist and from behind appeared the most sublime chocolate eyes I have ever seen, wide with curiosity. Silky chestnut hair fell from her crown, creating a river of glossy locks that flowed to her mother's knee. This angel stepped out from behind Renee, revealing a small button nose and full scarlet lips. She was clad in an ebony leotard and Tu-Tu with black and white tights and violet ballet shoes. She couldn't have weighed more than a piece of paper, my breathing became placid so as not to blow her away.
I continued to stare in slightly-open-mouthed wonder at this dazzling creature until I was startled out by the call of my name.
"Edward?" I heard a voice say, possibly my mothers. It was a distant call, like I was on a different planet. "Say hello to Renee."
The question seemed so trivial. Why did anyone else matter but this exquisite goddess before me? The divine girl lifted her eyes from her gaze on the floor and saw my slightly-open-mouthed stare. She seemed startled, but then broke into a glorious blush and returned her gaze to the linoleum.
"Edward, say hello to Renee." The request seemed clearer now and I tore my eyes away from the angel a few feet away from me and looked up at my mother. She and Renee both had laughter in their eyes, aware of my infatuation with the girl beside me.
"This is my friend Renee Swan, Edward," Esme said to me. "Renee, this is my son Edward." Renee looked down at me and smiled.
"Charmed," she said, holding out her hand. I grasped her warm and callused hand in mine and shook it firmly, just like Carlisle taught me.
"Such manners- Oh! And were are mine," Renee chattered, her smile widening and the same amusement returning to her eyes.
"Edward, this is my daughter Bella."
Bella smiled shyly and held out her dainty hand to me, mimicking her mother. Before I knew it, instead of the gentle handshake that I had been planning, I had lifted her hand to my lips and placed a soft kiss on her knuckles.
"The pleasure is all mine," I said, my eyes captured again by her round crimson cheeks.