Esme's Garden
Author: Silent Ballet
Summary: Esme realized it was time to plant the orchids.
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Every flower in Esme's garden had a place all its own, but no one flower was complete without the others. What was a garden, after all, without variety?
When Jasper and Alice moved in, Esme had studied them carefully. Alice was clearly a Crocus plant. Insightful. Not only could she see what was going to happen, she also had a gift for reading people, knew what they were about to do without her gift. Carlisle believes you bring your strongest traits with you to your new life. Esme felt Alice understood people and their actions. Yes, definitely a Crocus.
Jasper, of course, could be Salvia, which affects emotion, but Esme always felt he was a Daffodil. She watched as he spoke with quiet Southern grace, never raising his voice to Alice or Rose, though Rose might have earned it once or twice. No, Jasper was always cordial in the beginning, and as he grew more comfortable around Esme's family, became a part, an irreplaceable part of Esme's family, he began to show evermore of his chivalrous teachings. Someone, his mother probably, taught him to be quite the gentleman. This brought a pang of sadness to Esme's very soul. He had a real mother, one whom he probably loved dearly.
She suppressed the sadness with difficulty. Jasper was her son now.
Yes, Alice and Jasper had fit quite easily into the family, into the garden. Supporting the flowers that were already there, not overshadowing them, but accenting them.
Her wonderful Carlisle was Larkspur, the center of the garden. So many colors and shades and combinations to support all the other flowers' diversities. The center to which all the rest can be tied.
She herself was Camellia, Esme felt. The mother, there for the others at all time. Gracious.
Dear Emmett was Gladiolus. Even the name reflected his character. Strong willed, unbendable in his ambition to keep his family safe, to keep Rose safe. Oh, how happy she was when Rose brought him home. Rose, the Amaryllis, the beautiful Rosalie who deserved a loving husband after the hardships she's faced. If she was capable of tears, then she'd have cried Rosalie an ocean for what those men did to her eldest daughter. When Emmett was turned and she saw his gentle strength, his kind gaze, and his wide smile she felt a rush of fierce joy that there was someone to protect Rosalie from her vicious memories.
The strong Gladiolus beside the Amaryllis.
But for all the beauty in her garden there was one flaw. It was out of balance and that concerned Esme, for next to her Begonias there was an empty space of fresh soil. Her garden was incomplete. Edward felt the begonias did not need any flowers beside it. Esme knew better. Looking at her eldest son, her eldest child, the only family member without a partnering bud, Esme felt saddened. He deserved someone there, someone to love him unconditionally.
Esme was glad Edward was not drawn in by Tanya of the Denali clan. Esme loved her as extended family, but she was all wrong for Edward. Delphinium would have looked pretty next to begonias, but Edward needed better than good looks.
Then he came home after saving a human woman-child's life. And Alice said the sweetest words I've ever heard.
"Edward, I love her too!"
Too. Edward was in love. Alice and Rosalie would have a baby sister, I'd have my youngest daughter, and dear, sweet Edward would have a flower next to his Begonias. There's no describing the relief and exuberant joy I felt.
And then he brought her home. How beautiful she was! Her always blushing cheeks, the look in her eyes as she gazed at my son, even the way her lips twisted slightly as she tripped over nothing at all! She was perfect for my Edward, lovely inside and out.
And she agreed to marry him.
Alice and I were planning the wedding, reception, and honeymoon. It would all be perfect. Perfect for my son and daughter. Oh, how well those words fell of my tongue! My daughter, Bella.
She fit right in. Perfect in every way.
All that was left was to plant the Orchids.
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Orchid: Delicate Beauty: Bella
Crocus: Foresight: Alice
Camellia: Graciousness: Esme
Amaryllis: Dramatic: Rosalie
Begonia: Deep Thoughts: Edward
Daffodil: Chivalry: Jasper
Larkspur: Beautiful Spirit: Carlisle
Gladiolus: Strength of Character: Emmett
Delphinium: Boldness: Tanya
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A/N-
What do you think? Esme's family. Probably wouldn't actually make much of a garden without the shrubs to balance it, but that's okay.
Review!