Written for Mackenzie L – an amazing writer and a wonderful friend. You are an invaluable part of my life.
I don't own Twilight, but I wish I could steal Mackenzie and keep her with me always.
La nipote is Italian for granddaughter.
"It is never too late to have a happy childhood."
~Tom Robbins
Esme knocked lightly on the large door to her husband's private sanctuary. She pushed it open when she heard the familiar timbre of his voice invite her in. It was never exactly messy in this room, and yet it was never completely clean either. That simply added to its charm, though. The disorganized chaos was perfect for this one room. She found Carlisle sitting at his desk with a thick medical tome in front of him, his face alight with fascination. It always made her smile to see him like this. He was so enraptured by medical science. She often likened it to the popular phrase kid in a candy store.
His eyes lit up when he turned them on her, and her un-beating heart did a small flip at the knowledge the only thing he found more fascinating then medicine was her. He motioned for her to come around the desk and sit with him. It was almost like a private joke between them. The room held three chairs and a sofa, and Esme only ever sat in her husband's lap while in here with him.
She sighed contentedly as she lowered herself into his lap. His arms wrapped around her, trapping her in a prison she would never attempt to break free from. She leaned her head against his chest and breathed in his scent, allowing it to wash all her cares and worries away. Carlisle placed a gentle kiss to the top of her head, and ran his fingers through her hair, twisting each curl with exact precision.
"To what do I owe the pleasure of your company," he asked softly.
"I missed you." It was a simple reply, but carried a certain amount of weight with it. It was not always easy having six children and a rapidly growing grandchild. Time alone together was often hard to come by.
"We have la nipote this weekend," he said.
As sacred and treasured as time alone together was, their time with their granddaughter was something to always be looked forward too. It was a grand inside joke in the family that they were the youngest grandparents in the world and it was not a position either took lightly.
"Yes, I hear from her aunts that she's greatly looking forward to it. She's apparently becoming very annoyed with her parents nighttime activities."
Carlisle laughed at the wry grin that spread across Esme's face. It was never an easy thing dealing with newlywed vampires. Poor Nessie was unfortunate enough to fully understand what her parents did every night, but was just young enough to be uncomfortable with it.
Edward and Bella's upcoming weekend hunting trip would be a much needed relief for Nessie. It would be a weekend where she could simply be a child – a noble pursuit her loving grandparents were always happy to indulge her in.
"I've been thinking we should do something for her. Get her something that's just for her to enjoy at this house."
Esme looked at her husband in shock. "Carlisle she has a bedroom full of things that are only for this house."
"I know, but I was thinking maybe something for outside. She loves to be out there, and I think she needs something she can enjoy in the yard."
Esme sat up straighter and ran her hand down Carlisle's cheek. She leaned forward to give him a soft kiss as he twirled a strand of her hair.
"I think that sounds wonderful," she whispered against his lips. "We better think of something before Friday."
A light breeze stirred the trees and blew miniscule flakes of snow from their branches as Esme gazed wistfully at the scenic backdrop. It was the stuff of childhood dreams. A picture fit for a postcard. Sometimes she could hardly believe this piece of winter wonderland was her own backyard.
She leaned her forehead against the large plate glass window as the clouds drifted through the sky, sometimes parting long enough to allow a sliver of sunlight to shine through. The light drifted in broken shards through the window, casting an odd prism of color on the wall as it anointed Esme's skin with diamonds.
She couldn't help but smile as the light illuminated the inner ring of trees that marked the beginning of the forest. The one closest to the house was an especially impressive specimen. It stood tall and proud, with a thick trunk and branches that were sturdy and true. Her smile widened as her eyes traced the twin paths of metal that hung from the tree, joining at the bottom to support a single slab of oak.
The swing had been Carlisle's idea, but Esme liked to claim it as her own.
Regardless of who had the flash of inspiration, neither could deny it was a wonderful plan.
A swing, handmade by her grandmother, was the perfect way to allow Nessie to indulge in the childhood she deserved to have. She was so often treated like an adult in the family because of her advanced maturity, yet she still maintained the aura of innocence and youth. She was the kind of child who could sit on the rubber strips used to coat playgrounds and tell all the other children exactly what the surface was made out of.
She was the perfect balance of maturity and youth.
It often made Esme think of her own childhood. She had grown up in a time when children were rarely ever allowed to run free and play. There was never time for carefree innocence and all the things that are meant to be enjoyed by the youngest members of society. Children were treated like miniature adults in those days. Especially farm children, as Esme had been. As soon as their legs could carry them they began to work.
The most ingenious of children could always find ways to have a bit of fun during their chores, but it never changed the fact they were not treated as children ought to be.
She had no exact memories of her own childhood. She could only recall things in fuzzy detail, almost like looking through a looking glass. It was like watching someone else's life. She could see vague recollections of people's faces but had no names or real memories to attach to them. She could not even recall if she had known her own grandparents or if they had passed on before she had been born.
Esme was determined to give her own granddaughter many memories of her grandparents - even though they would always be there.
And yet, even as she thought of all the wonderful memories her granddaughter would make on that swing, even for a short time, she mourned all the memories she didn't have from a time she could no longer recall.
The idea was in her head before she realized it. She flew down the stairs to Carlisle's office like a lightning bolt in a summer storm.
She walked right in without knocking, strode around the desk, picked up her husband's hand, and led him out of the room; all without uttering a single word. They walked hand in hand down the stairs and out the back door in silence. Esme knew Carlisle trusted her. He didn't need to ask where they were going, but from the small teasing circles he was drawing on her palm with the pad of his thumb, and the mischievous glint in his eyes, she had a feeling he knew.
It was never too late to enjoy one's childhood.
They crossed the snow-covered yard to the very edge where the frozen creek lay. Esme looked up at the tree in wonder. It truly was the only one worthy of caring for their granddaughter's swing. It held each flake of snow on its branches with infinite care, cradling each one and providing it a place to rest before it traveled back to the sky to start the process over again.
Esme let go of her husband's hand, though he tried to hold on a moment longer. She turned and smiled at him as she gently lowered herself onto the solid oak swing.
It didn't budge an inch under her weight.
She had made it out of the strongest wood available, and they had doubled up the chains holding it to the tree. Carlisle reinforced it at the top with metal ties and bungee cords. If it could hold the weight of a vampire it could hold their granddaughter.
They both breathed a sigh of relief that it hadn't fallen under Esme's weight.
Carlisle moved to stand behind Esme. He brushed her hair back from her shoulders and dropped a kiss to her collarbone.
"You built the perfect swing, amore," he whispered in her ear.
Esme felt a strong surge of pride that her gift for her granddaughter was so resilient, but in the thrill of the moment the sudden surge of playfulness was even stronger.
"Push me, Carlisle."
He started slowly, with one hand on her back to give her a light nudge. Her feet lightly dragged in the snow, kicking up what looked like a whirlwind of powdered sugar.
"Push me higher, Carlisle."
He stopped the swing and placed one hand on each of her arms to steady her. Esme turned her head slowly and gave him an annoyed look. He smirked and ran his hands down her arms as he bent to brush a soft kiss across her lips.
"How high do you want to go, amore," he whispered.
"I want to touch the sky."
She knew she had won. He may have been worried about the stability of the swing, but Carlisle could never resist anything Esme asked of him.
He pushed with both hands this time. It was still a gentle push, all things considered, but carried just enough momentum to send the swing a little higher. As the swing reached its peak Esme turned her head to glare at her husband. Carlisle couldn't help but laugh. His little dare devil wanted to test the limits of flight and he was being uncooperative.
The next push further tested the borders of the sky, and Esme finally felt as though she might fly if she were to jump. One unnecessary breath after another raced from her lungs, chasing after each other into the crisp winter air.
Esme felt lighter and lighter each time she rapidly approached the sky. She turned her head to see Carlisle smiling behind her. His infectious happiness only served to further her carefree wonder at seeing the world in this way.
There was something new to see each time she ascended towards the heavens. A new bird flying by, new clouds floating across the sky, soft flakes of snow falling from the trees - all things that could be easily be seen from the ground. Somehow, though, seeing them from the sky made everything clearer. It felt like seeing the world from the point of view of an angel.
Esme wondered what it would be like to be an angel; to be able to glide across the sky with no limits. She knew this was the closest she would get.
Her own heaven on earth.
She leaned back in her seat as the breeze pulled its nimble fingers through her curls, making them as disheveled as a child's. She wanted to feel as carefree as possible. She let go of the bars as the swing made its way to the sky. It truly felt like flying. There was nothing but her, the wind, the trees, and her beloved husband who was making this miraculous feeling possible for her.
Her final descent began slowly. Carlisle pushed the swing a little lighter each time, gently coaxing Esme down from her high. By the time her feet scraped the snow covered ground and the swing stopped her breath was coming fast and an exuberant smile adorned her face. It spread from ear to ear, and danced all the way up to her bright, golden eyes. Her hair was a mess of caramel tangles, but she failed to care. All that mattered was the beautiful smile her husband graced her with as he walked around the swing to stand in front of her.
He offered her his hand. She accepted it and was immediately pulled into the safe circle of her husband's arms. He ran his hands lightly over her back as he gazed into her eyes, absorbing all the happiness they held. The kiss was slow but intense. Esme lost herself in the sensation of Carlisle's lips in much the same way she had lost herself to the power of the sky.
She turned him around slowly and pushed till he had no choice but to take refuge in the swings embrace. She stepped forward to stand between his legs as his hand came up to tease her curls back into place.
"I love seeing you so happy," he said.
She leaned forward and placed a small kiss to the corner of his jaw, and let her finger trail softly down the slope.
"I am happy," she said simply. She moved to stand behind him, and bent her head to whisper in his ear.
"Now Doctor Cullen, it's your turn."
In conversation Mackenzie told me she let the chess games I write in Ties that Bind inspire the one-shot she surprised me with.
I knew I had to write one for her so in keeping with her method of inspiration I let Sparkles in the Pavement influence me.
Maybe if ya'll ask her sweetly she'll write about Nessie and her handmade swing. =]
Also, did anyone catch the two references to Stained Glass Soul and the two references to my story Ties that Bind? One of those is hard to catch.
Reviews are cherished. I always love hearing from you guys!