Summary: Esme is babysitting Renesmee and they decide to go flower picking to put in a new antique vase, but not everything goes as planned. I guess sometimes all you need is a grandmothers touch. One-Shot.
Authors Note: Okay, so I'm really on a roll recently. All week-end I've been writing one-shots, but I also managed to go shopping too, so a rather good weekend :) I thought it would be good to explore Esme and Renesmee's relationship, especially with Esme being so mothering. I hope you enjoyed reading it!
Thanks to Alex (Thats-So-Alex) for Beta-ing again - she's so great!
Of course, I do not own Twilight; Stephenie Meyer does.
In Esme's words...
"Nessie, honey, do you want to help Nana?" I called to my granddaughter who was colouring at the dining room table. Bella and Edward were out shopping for Nessie's upcoming first birthday, so I was left as babysitter, something that I enjoyed more than anything.
The days were long when my family were busy doing such things; my children liked to do things by themselves, with their own husbands and my husband at work being as noble and passionate as he was, saving the lives of others at his own discomfort. He told me the blood did not bother him anymore, but I found it hard to imagine ignoring such a thirst.
"Doing what Nana?" Nessie jumped off the chair and walked over to me in the living room. Days were not as long now I got to spend them with my beautiful granddaughter; she had lit up my life, everybody's life, with her heart melting smile and ability to love and understand.
"Well, I was thinking that the house was looking boring, don't you think?" Nessie analysing eyes wandered the room and quickly nodded her head, agreeing with me. "So, I thought we could pick some flowers. Nana bought a new vase that she found on the internet."
Nessie's eyes widened as her gaze followed my hands to the cardboard box, stuffed full with polyester packaging, and I lifted the floral patterned vase from the box. There was a hair line crack at the rim at the top, but that was just from where it had been used from years ago. It fitted perfectly into my antique collection.
"That's very pretty, Nana." Nessie gazed in awe at the vase that was delicately in my hands. I liked change, and this vase would look perfect on the coffee table with fresh flowers spouting out of the top. "So pretty flowers for a pretty vase?" Her voice echoed of the smile that was spread across her face.
"Yes, that's right. You want to help?" I asked the little girl with the bronze hair, the brown eyes, the rosy cheeks, and the perfect crooked smile. After spending so long with Edward as my son, I truly felt she was my grandchild, even if, biologically, she was not mine. Her hair wasn't just bronze; it was every copper, bronze, toffee, fudge colour under the sun, blending together in harmony to make the perfect colour that dominated it.
"Darling, put your shoes on." I handed her the small navy shoes that had tiny fragile butterflies on the Velcro patch. Bending down, she slipped her feet inside before standing up straight, awaiting the next instruction.
For a human child, I would make sure they were wrapped up warm, especially in the cold town of Forks, but seeing as it was the end of summer, and Nessie was half vampire, I let it go, simply handing her a pale blue cardigan that she put on over her white blouse that she'd been dressed in for the day.
"Ready, darling?" I asked her and she smiled widely, nodding gently and taking my hand as I led her outside.
There was a place with flowers nearby, the clearing where the Volturi had threatened our lives almost a year and a half ago was now covered in flowers, although they were becoming less pronounced as they died under the influence of the autumn season. It reminded me of poppies after the war. Poppies for bloodshed, only this time, it was daffodils, and pansies for freedom and peace.
"It's so pretty, Nana!" Nessie breathed, letting go of my hand and running through the shin high colourful petals. Nana. I loved the name. Before, I was always fearful that I'd never be called a mother, but I had the chance to be one, even if the name was rarely used. Now, to add the cherry to the cake, I was a Nana too. Every time I was called by Renesmee, my heart would feel like it was beating again, as if it was my resuscitation pads.
"Darling!" I called, smiling at her happiness. "Don't tread on them! You've got to pick them!" Following my instructions, Nessie dropped to her knees, skimming her hands around her. The blades of the grass and the stems of the flowers were cut at the impact of her skin, as if it were a blade of its own. A mass of petals fell into her hands, and I watched with amazement as she gripped the stalks tightly and ran over to me, careful not to tread on any plants as she ran.
"Wow, Nessie, that's great!" I praised as she handed them to me, smiling proudly at her collection, even though weeds were present in the bunch too. She reached up, her hand outstretched and she gently touched my face.
She imagined the flowers sitting in the beautiful vase at home, and she recognised that the colours of the flowers would match the colours that had been painted onto the pot.
The image left my mind as she withdrew her hand.
"Can you get some more?" I asked, and she did the same again, only kneeling closer to me this time. As she was down on the floor, I sorted through the bunch, picking out the odd weed and blades of grass. Bounding over, she held up a fresh bouquet of freshly picked flowers, each smelling as sweet and colourful as they looked.
"Have we finished, Nana?" Nessie asked, and I nodded kindly, taking her hand again. There was obviously a heat difference in our skin, hers warm and soft, mine cold if touched by others. Renesmee really was the link between all species, with a human mother, a vampire father, an imprintee of a werewolf.
"Nana?" Nessie asked, as we walked, Nessie carefully cradling the flowers as if they were the greatest treasure, when in fact, the greatest treasure was Renesmee herself.
"Yes, darling?"
"Do you like looking after me?" Her voice wasn't demanded, just curious, but the question certainly took me off guard.
"Of course, darling, I love you." I answered instantly.
"I love you too, Nana." She said warmly, giving my hand an extra squeeze, which had a related effect of my hearts strings, tugging them gently as I replayed the words over and over again. Carlisle was the only one of my family that told me frequently that he loved me, and it was so nice to hear it in a different context.
"Why did you ask, darling?" I asked just as our house came into view, very distantly I could see the reflection of the light on the windows.
"'Cause I'm adopted." She answered casually. I almost choked, unsure as to what Nessie was saying, and extremely confused with her statement.
"Honey, you aren't adopted." I corrected, but Nessie stopped walking and looked up at me, her pink face as beautiful as ever.
"Nana, I am." She said firmly as if I'd got it all wrong.
"Why do you think that, darling?" I knelt down so I was the same height as her, looking into her brown eyes. They were definitely beautiful; I could see why Edward always thought that Bella's were beautiful.
"Because…" She scrunched her face up before placing her hand, which smelt strongly of grass, on my face. I saw, through the eyes of Renesmee, Bella and Charlie sitting in Charlie's living room where I'd only been on two occasions. They were talking, and that was when Charlie mentioned me, saying that I was a good adoptive mother and then he looked at Renesmee. I took Renesmee's hand from my face.
"Darling, you're not adopted. Your daddy was adopted by Grandpa Carlisle and me, but you're not adopted." I smiled, rubbing her cheek with my thumb gently. It was quite hard to tell her that, even though she already knew. Our history and the family links were the first thing Renesmee knew; she was a very clever and observant girl.
"That's what I meant." She rolled her impatiently as my supposed stupidity. "Because daddy was adopted, that means I am too."
I suddenly understood what she was saying. She wasn't saying that her parents had adopted her; she was saying that she was only my adoptive granddaughter because I'd adopted her father. As much as it ached for the words to be said aloud, it was mixed in with a new desire; a desire to show Renesmee that being blood related wasn't everything.
You fell in love, falling and hitting your head hard and trying to find out how you ended up so desperately in love at the bottom of a loving pit. You didn't just fall in love with your lover; you fell in love with your children and their partners, and their children.
"Nessie, darling, adoption means nothing, really. I picked your daddy because I loved him which really means that I love him even more." I smiled, hiding my ache as I made the accusation that I loved Edward more than my infant son. It wasn't true, and I knew I was lying. But not too much. I loved Edward as much as my infant son, never more, but never less either.
"Oh," Nessie breathed, and her eyes closed in concentration. On an impulse, I picked her hand up and pressed it against my cheek, seeing her thoughts.
She was debating what I'd just said, remembering her daddy, and the way I acted around him. She compared it to the way that Bella acted around her, and realised there was no difference, really. I took my hand of Renesmee's and she withdrew it, her eyes opening wide and smiling happily at me.
"Nana, come on!" She encouraged, running a little in front of me. "We've got to sort the vase out!" Her enthusiasm made me grin as I gently chased after her at a steady pace, returning to our empty house seconds later, and the vase visible amongst the white protective balls.
"Darling, I'll go and get some water." I smiled, handing Nessie the flowers which she took eagerly and hurrying to the kitchen. Instead of taking the vase to the sink, it seemed a better idea to take a jug of water to the vase.
I reached into the cupboard where all of our dishes were, usually unused, and found the large jug which I filled with water. I'd specifically ordered a vase that was antique but wouldn't be harmed by water.
I noticed a bag of cookies next to the fridge, remembering when Renesmee often craved something human, like cakes, or burgers. They were extremely random at times.
"Nessie, did you want any human food?" I called, in case today was that time.
"No thank you, Nana." Nessie answered, but just then, there was a crash. My heart dropped instantly to my stomach, anxious if Nessie was hurt. Despite knowing she was half vampire, her life was still precious. Her life could still be lost.
"Nessie?" Instantly, I was beside her tearful eyes. I could see no damager on my precious granddaughter.
But my eyes followed hers as she looked at the shattered glass on the floor beside us. The bits of pot meant nothing to me, simply something that the Cullen bank account had bought as a way to indulge every so often. Renesmee seemed to think otherwise as the tears streamed down her cheeks.
"Nana, I'm sorry!" She wailed, as I pulled her into my chest but she tried to pull away. "I didn't mean to break it, Nana, you called me and I knocked it over by accident, and I couldn't catch it because I was looking the other way!" She cried, talking quickly and trying to convince me she hadn't done it on purpose; I knew she hadn't.
"I believe you, Renesmee - don't worry, darling." I soothed but the tears didn't stop. It was horrifying to watch her in such a state over a silly vase. I had liked it, but money could replace it easily. "Nana will buy a new one, its okay." I tried again, and Nessie sniffed back the tears, wiping her eyes with the sleeve of her blue cardigan.
"I'm sorry, Nana." She said again, but I shook my head and kissed her forehead gently. This seemed to do the trick, quietening her just for a moment. "Will daddy be mad?" At this I laughed.
"And when have you ever seen your daddy get mad at you, sweetheart?" Nessie's face broke out into a smile as she shook her head.
"Never."
"Exactly." I brushed the fallen hair out of her eyes, and wiped the stray fallen tear on her cheek. "Give Nana a hug." I said, pulling her into me again. Over her shoulder, I noticed the fallen flowers on the floor, sprawled out creating a colour chart of their own.
"Nessie, do you want to colour the flowers instead? You were colouring earlier, and the paints are still on the table." I suggested, and Nessie bounded upwards. Nodding eagerly, she collected the flowers and walked into the dining room, me directly behind her.
"Here you go, Nana." She said once we'd sat down, handing me a blue flower and a blue colouring pencil. I smiled warmly at her, putting my pen to paper and beginning to draw. A grandmother's touch was all she needed.
I struggled a little bit trying to capture Esme's character. The Twilight books don't really mention her a huge extent, so I had to try and hope for the best. I felt she was extremely mothering towards Renesmee and very proud of Edward because of her.
Please review with your thoughts and comments! I'd really love to hear what you think, and I welcome constructive criticism too :)
Thanks for reading xx