I was 5 the first time someone asked me that all encompassing question. In fact I was sitting in my kindergarten class with my best friend Mary Alice colouring quietly in a corner.
"Hey Rosalie, What do you wanna be when you go up?" little Alice asked her eyes meeting mine when I looked over at her.
"Its grow up, not go up Ali" I said and sighed as I looked down at my picture of a unicorn that I was coloring a pretty red and purple color.
"I want to be a mommy, with lots and lots of kids" I replied.
Now I was very logical at 5, well as logical as a 5 year old could be anyway. I saw things way differently then most of my peers because I hadn't grown up the same way they did. My mom and dad were killed when I was really little and Alice's parents took me in. The Brandons were great but they were not my mom and dad. And when Alice's parents were killed when I was 4, we were sent to a foster home, where Esme and Carlisle found us, and took us home adopting us. I wanted to be like Esme, taking in lots and lots of kids. But very few people knew that.
" What about you Alice, what do you want to be when you grow up?" I asked her and my blue eyes widened as I looked at the seriously bright pink unicorn on Alice's page.
"I want to be a fairy princess" Alice said and we went back to coloring our pages and just enjoying being together. That was the end of that conversation.
The next time the question of what I wanted to do when I grew up, came about I was 15 years old. I was in my social studies class sitting beside Emmett, who was also my boyfriend at the time. Alice was sitting in front of me beside her man Jasper and Bella and Edward were across the room. It was a boring class and one of the few all of us had together. Edward, Emmett, Jasper and Bella had joined the family when I was still in elementary school. Bella and Jasper were the only two who were actually brother and sister. But that really was a back detail of little importance. We were all listening to the teacher drone on and on about career choices and how we really need to choose our path now, so we can take proper classes to get into university. We weren't at that stage yet, so none of us cared.
"Ms. Hale, what is it that you would like to do once you are out of school?" the teacher asked and I sat up chewing my bottom lip in thought.
"Probably something like a model or some shallow crap like that." snickered Lauren Mallory to her bestie Jess.
"Well ma'am, I want to have lots of children and raise them in a loving enviroment," I responded and the class had the audacity to laugh at me.
"I think you misunderstood Ms. Hale, what career do you want to pursue?" The teacher pressed and I remember becoming very angry.
"I want to take care of children." I snarled and shut my eyes, trying not to bite off peoples heads. It was one thing I really wanted to do, and no one understood that. That was the last time anyone actually asked me about what I wanted to do. But the desire to be a mom, never left me. Even when I went away to university for business.
Today my dream was coming true. I had spent many years since I graduated working odd jobs and saving enough money to open this place. My degree in business administration paid off in dividends and ironically so did my friends dreams too. Bella was a well known news journalist. Edward was an IT person for Microsoft. Emmett, sweet lovable, wonderful Emmett, My husband owned and operated a gym. Jasper was teaching High School and Alice was interior designing part time, while dancing in the local ballet company as a fairy princess. None the less all our dreams were coming true. Including mine. With the money I had saved up, I was able to purchase an old Victorian home with 15 bedrooms. It was a character home that badly needed some love. Alice handled the decorating while Emmett and the boys handled the heavy lifting. Bella was given free reign on the library and I was able to get the permits and the training to open the home as soon as we were ready. Emmett and I were on the top floor, the attic really. This area also housed my office and his and the classroom. The next floor had 5 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. The rooms fit two beds comfortably. These were for older children and done in soft blue color tones. The next level had the Library and 3 bedrooms. Because the library was so big, it actually took two rooms put together to be as it was. This floor was purple tones. The secondary level from the main, had 5 bedrooms as well. It was done in earthy brown tones. The main level had the kitchen and dining room, and a basement was the games/theatre room. It was a gorgeous home and it had been outfitted with the best and it was home. It was the house that Hope lived.
Now when someone looks at me, they first see the blonde hair and crystal blue eyes, killer curves and model body. Everyone honestly thought I was going to be the movie star or model, and they always scoffed when I said I was going to be a mom. That was what I wanted as a career. What they failed to realize was I wanted to be just like Esme. I wanted tones of kids to love and be loved by. And my dream was coming true. "Welcome everyone to House of Hope, a safe place for those who have no safe place to go." My husbands voice rang out as I cut the ribbon to the grand opening of our home. My family was there with me, and I had 10 little orphans who would be moving in, in the next few days. My dream of children was being realized. And no one understood until they saw it for themselves. I had opened up an orphanage, which is what I wanted to do in the first place. I knew children would come and go, some to good homes, some just leaving, but I would be momma Rose to them all, and I would shower them with love and hugs and safety for as long as I could. It had been my dream for years. Looking back now I realize that maybe I didnt do the best at explaining what I wanted for a career, but if someone asked me what i wanted to be when i grow up now, id tell them that I wantedd to run an orphange or hiome for htose children who have no where else to go. After all Esme always said to pass on the best of your world to others. And I intend to do that wholeheartedly for the rest of my life.