Characters belong to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement intended.
I sit at the back of the ballroom and smile as I watch my son twirl his beautiful wife on the dance floor. Shaking my head with a chuckle as I watch him dip her dramatically.
"He gets that from you, you know."
I raise an incredulous brow as I turn to peer at my wife over the rim of my glass of brandy, seeing the mischievous glint in her eyes as she pretends that she's not looking at me. I take a long swallow of my drink as I watch the way the lights play gently over her beautiful face and I know that I am in the presence of a true angel.
"I beg to differ, my love." I wink as she turns her attention to me, her beautiful smile tugging at the corner of her lips, "You're the hopeless romantic and I do believe it's a trait you've passed on to our son."
Her eyes shine with love as she glances back at our beautiful Edward before fixing her gaze on me, "Nope. He gets it all from you... He swept her off her feet just like you did me." She looks sad for a moment as she lowers her voice, "I loved you from the moment we met, Carlisle."
I swallow against the lump in my throat as I raise a hand out towards her, before letting it drop to my side, "I loved you from the moment I was born... I just took a while to find you."
She looks down at my hand for a moment before locking her eyes with mine, "It's getting late." She looks back towards Edward and Bella, "It's almost time to leave."
I nod and set my glass back on the table, my hand itching to take hers in mine as I whisper, "I'm ready, Esme." I feel the familiar presence of heavy tears filling my eyes, "You know I've been ready since the moment you left."
She smiles softly, "I know, sweetheart... But you had to take care of our boy. You've done such a wonderful job with him, Carlisle."
I shake my head as I look back to Edward, "You were always right there. Guiding me in the right direction, just like you always did." I turn back to my beautiful wife. "I'm so tired..." And I am tired. I've been tired for the past seven years. Part of me has been dead for the past seven years.
"I know you are, sweetheart."
Esme got sick so suddenly. We didn't have time to prepare ourselves. She was gone before we'd truly accepted that there might be a possibility that she might leave us. Watching her beautiful soul be torn away from us killed me. She was my world. My life. And suddenly she was gone. Leaving me with a devastated seventeen year old son who was not ready to be without his mother. We pulled together and we were there for each other. My Esme would not have been pleased if I had failed our precious son at such a time in his life.
I turn back as I sense Esme's calming presence, finding her kneeling on the floor just in front of me with her beautiful smile on her beautiful, healthy and glowing face, "It's time for you to rest, sweetheart." She reaches up to touch my face and I gasp as I feel her gentle caress, "You didn't fail him... and he's going to be okay now, Carlisle." She glances at Edward with a soft smile, "He's found his soul mate."
"Esme..." I reach up and gently cover her small hand with my own, "Please... I need mine... I can't lose you again."
Her smile lights the room and lights my world again.
"It's time for you to come home, sweetheart." She leans forward and presses her sweet soft lips to mine, "You won't ever lose me again."
I stand and pull my darling wife into my arms, relishing in the sound of her beautiful laugh as I dip her backwards, sealing my lips with hers. I'm finally home.
