Disclaimer: Things I own: Way too many scarves, a pack of cigarettes, a bottle of Nuvo, a lot of lame paintings...
Things I don't own: Edward Cullen. Oh how I wish. (And do I really have to say everything else? I mean... Really...)
PROLOGUE
Early Summer, 1992
The pale little brown haired girl slowed to a stop. She knew she was going to lose, that he was going to catch her. Sure enough, his tiny little frame collided with hers and they were sent sprawling into the lush patch of grass outside the encroaching forest of their tiny, rainy home of Forks, Washington. The little girl giggled as he began to tickle her. Three things happened simultaneously; his tickling slowed, she opened her eyes that had been shut tight and he stared into her warm, wide brown eyes. His tickling stopped altogether and he leaned down slowly to kiss her.
You would have thought, as they were both seven, that either one would have been disgusted by a kiss from the opposite sex. But this was not the case. They did not move at all. His lips barely touched hers. As he pulled away, she whimpered.
"I'm gonna marry you Bella." He stated, absolutely sure of himself.
"Not if I marry you first, Anthony!" She said, sticking out her tongue which provoked him into torturing her with his tickling once more.
Late Summer, 1992The thin, pale, brunette woman sipped her tea slowly, trying not to show any type of emotional reaction to the other woman's words. She chose her own carefully, and decided to speak.
"Well Esme, it seems like it hasn't been that long since I've met you, but it feels like much longer. Honestly, you've become a sister to me. I'm sad to see you go."
Esme ran a hand through her caramel locks. "I'm sad to go. I'll miss Forks, but even more, I'll miss you, Renee. And your Bella. It's… Unfortunate." Esme wiped a tear, which made Renee cry too.
"They can't give him any more at Forks General?" Renee asked, her words a bit wet. She knew that Esme wouldn't see it as prying.
"No. We're doing fine, but with Carlisle's father's unexpected hospital bills, we just can't find a way to do it. The hospital in California has offered him a fourth more than what he's getting paid here."
"Understandable." Renee sighed.
"Yes… But still very unfortunate." Esme said decidedly.
"We'll keep in touch." Renee promised.
"Of course we will. And we'll make sure the kids do too. I know it will be hard for Edward to let go of Bella."
"Edward? Is that Anthony's given name?"
"Yes, it's his first name. Anthony is his middle name. Do you remember that dreadful Black boy, who lived down the street? He was always making fun of Edward's name. The day he met your Bella, he had decided that he would go by his middle name. And then, do you remember she said she 'liked that name very much?' he clung to that like a life preserver. Told me a million times, 'Bella likes it very much.'" Esme chuckled. "So Anthony it was. Carlisle and I have indulged him. All of our family has even begun to call him that, with the exception of Carlisle's father, as he's his namesake." She chuckled again. "Hopefully he'll grow out of it."
Renee also chuckled. "Hopefully."
Autumn, 1992
"But I'm sleepy…" The little pale girl whined. "Can't I see Anthony tomorrow?"
"No, honey. It has to be tonight." Her mother said firmly.
"But why?" The little girl's whine rose in pitch.
"You will understand in time."
Something about her mother's tone caused the girl to fall silent.
Later That Night
"Mommy no!" The little girl wailed.
"Baby, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
"Did they leave… 'cause of me?" The little girl tried to get out between sniffles.
"No honey, of course not. Carlisle had to go work somewhere else. They didn't want to leave." The woman tried to pacify her child.
"But it's not fair…" The child wailed. She cried, repeating those words until she fell asleep in her mother's arms.
A/N: Minute Prologue is a song by Leonard Cohen. I don't really have much else to say. I probably sound dumb, but this WILL get better, I promise.
