Close Enough to Touch
Hey all! This is my fic about Carlisle and Esme and how they first met. I really love this couple because they are the sweetest ones in the Twilight series, in my humble opinion. Hope you enjoy my story! All the credit goes to Steph Meyer!
"She should be fine," said a quiet female voice, that sixteen year old Esme could barely make out. "She fractured her shin and broke her wrist but bones can heal."
Esme couldn't really recall how or why she was sitting in a hospital bed, aching all over. Flashes of what had happened came back to her, slowly at first. She remembered going outside only to see her cat, Minnie, up in a , she remembered climbing up after her. But after that, her memory was lost.
"Esme, how do you feel?" the voice was clearly that of her mother.
Esme rubbed her eyes and tried to focus. The room around her was swimming. All the walls were white, and it was a little scary. She'd never been in a hospital before. Was this what they looked like?
Her eyes could barely make out the blurry silhouettes of two women gathered around her cramp bed. She suddenly felt a slice of pain shoot up her right leg, and she grabbed it with a small yelp, embarrassed.
"Oh dear!" the woman who she guessed was a nurse exclaimed. "Try not to move that leg, dear. The doctor just had it wrapped up."
"Will I be able to walk?" Esme immediately wondered out loud, sounding like a worried little child. She winced.
"Of course you will," the nurse laughed. "But not for a ...while."
Esme frowned at the cryptic response. Her mother patted her on the shoulder. "I don't know why you decided to climb that tree, Esme! Minnie is perfectly capable of jumping down on her own. Cats don't need rescuing."
Esme rolled her eyes, wishing she could tell her mother how wrong that information was. Minnie was a scardy-cat if there ever was one. If Esme hadn't climbed up after her, she wouldn't have ever come back down.
And now she had a fractured leg to show for it.
Blast! That cat was always getting her into trouble!
"Well," her mother sighed. "I'm going to tell your father and uncles that you're doing just fine."
"Just fine?" Esme mumbled ungratefully under her breath as her mother walked out of the room. Surely she was anything but just fine. She was going to be bedridden for who knows how long!
The nurse smiled at her before she left the room with her mother, but Esme could only pout. That nurse didn't know the half of it! She didn't have a leg that tingled with pain every time she moved it, and she didn't have to worry about lying in bed for days because of a brutal injury!
Esme looked around the room, hating the feeling of being all alone in this strange place. It smelled strange, like medicine and cold things. She didn't like it.
She stared at her leg and puffed out a breath of air that caused her bangs to fluff up on her forehead. "Hospitals are awful places," she grumbled.
A soft male laughter met her ears from across the room, making her jump. The sound was hauntingly beautiful, but she had no idea where it was coming from. She glanced around in concern. "Hello?" she whispered. "Is someone there?"
"Over here," the male voice answered, an enchanting sound. Esme gasped when she turned and saw the owner of the voice, in the opposite corner of the room, holding a clipboard against his hip.
"Oh! I..I didn't see you there, sir..er, doctor, um..." Esme stumbled over her words, unable to speak properly in the presence of such a handsome man. She was stunned to see someone in here when she thought she was alone, but it was even more startling to see someone who looked like an angel! How had he been so quiet for her not to notice him until now?
"My name is Dr. Cullen," the tall blond man said quietly as he walked over to her bed and extended his hand. Esme reached out with her smaller one and hesitantly let him shake her hand. His hand was so cold! She almost said something about it, but worried he might think her rude.
"Were you the one who wrapped my leg?" she asked, pointing to her cast.
He blinked and smiled, showing a perfect row of white teeth. "Yes, that would be my doing."
"Well I guess I owe you thanks," she said bashfully. "I might never be able to walk again if you hadn't helped me."
"Whatever happened to hospitals being awful places?" the doctor asked with a smirk.
Esme blushed so much, she was sure her cheeks looked like cherries. "I was just speaking out of frustration," she excused. "Besides I didn't think anyone was listening. I certainly didn't mean to offend you as a doctor."
"No offense taken," he said nonchalantly. She sighed in relief.
The doctor grinned and pulled up a stool close to her bed so he could sit down beside her. "Is it true your cat was the one who got you into this mess?" he looked very amused.
Esme blushed even harder. "Oh, Minnie! She's such a sweet cat, but she really knows how to find her way into the most troublesome situations!"
Dr Cullen shook his head. "Most cats have a knack for that. So what exactly happened?"
"I don't really remember most of it. All I know is that she was up in a tree, and I knew I had to go up after her or else she would stay up there all night. She'd very scared of heights you know."
"Well maybe she'll have learned her lesson for next time."
"I really hope so. Or I might have a second broken leg!"
Dr Cullen laughed. Esme thought the sound of his laughter was magical. He was like something in a fairy story.
"Well Esme, if you ever break your other leg, you'll know who to visit." He winked at her and she felt her heartbeat skip.
"I think I will."
End of chapter one, well it's really more an intro chapter, but I do want to continue it. Please let me know in a review what you think? :)