I stood there in the kitchen of this big house. I knew he would be home soon, and once again everything would be whole, everything would be alright. The kids had gone away hunting for the weekend, well all but Edward, who had taken Bella to see her mother, but they were all away and that was what counted most.
The radio was playing and I was humming along to myself, just passing time; passing time until my husband arrived home from work, home for the whole weekend; no on call duties, nothing to distract him from our time together.
A new song started playing, and I listened carefully, the lyrics reminded me of things I had thought long forgotten. The song ended, I turned off the radio and kept humming the tune to this one song.
"We were both young, when I first saw you," I close my eyes and the flashback starts. I sang ...
Stood there on the balcony, watching over the town square. My father would hate me for being up here, instead of being part of the summer party. The breeze tinted with the smells of the country, the wild flowers and the warmth of the summer swam around me. Everyone was wearing their best ball gowns; Daddy liked to include the whole town in the celebrations.
I could see Pastor Cullen standing there talking to the women of the congregation, his son with him. Mrs. Emerson telling her daughter to behave by the fountain. My dear mother talking to one of the maids, probably asking where I was. My father within a heated discussion with the local tradesmen, Mother will be happy if he finds someone to replace the current staircase; falling through the middle step hadn't been my plan, reaching the foot of the staircase in the least time possible was.
I heard the maid knocking on the door behind me, "Miss Platt?"
"Come in, Mary," I called.
"Your mother wishes you to be downstairs. She has found a wonderful young man." Mary smiled brightly as she came to stand beside me. Mary had been my nurse when I was very little, while my mother had been quite ill. But as I grew, and as Mother got better, Mary had found a place within the home; I no longer called her nurse, as she was more a friend and a confidant than just my old nurse.
"Come, point him our to me." I requested.
She came to the balcony, and had a good look over the party. "He is stood there, by the fountain, talking to Mrs Mathews, he's her nephew."
"Mary, why must my mother constantly try and match me with someone of a naval background?" I asked, while stepping back from the balcony and back into my room. "Does she not know?!" My voice was stressed and betrayed just how hateful I was of the possible match. "If I must be married, I would ask for a husband who would be there with me, everyday. Someone who would come home from work to a house which we shared. I do not wish to marry a man who spends his years at sea." My legs fell from beneath me, and a silent tear fell.
"Miss Esme, don't get flustered. I'm sure she will find that it will not work." Mary sat beside me, "I hear Pastor Cullen is trying to find a wife for his son."
I looked up, and saw hope in her eyes. I couldn't deny her a smile, weakly I asked, "Really?"
"Would I lie to you, Miss?"
"Let's join the party," I said, strength in my voice, hope in my heart, smile on my face.
Mary and I walked into the party together. Smiles on our faces, hope in every word we spoke. We reached my mother and Mary departed, but made me promise to talk with her later; that I did. Mother led me towards Charles Evenson, Mrs. Mathews' nephew; he was dressed in the uniform of the Royal Navy, as I had before stated, a sailor, a man who would never be home.
After a short conversation, Mother asked me to go and talk to my friends; meaning to leave her to try and sort things out. I went and sat on the edge of the fountain, looking over at the beautifully dressed people. After looking around I decided that I would be quiet and vanish from the forefront of the party. Letting my fingers fall into the water of the fountain, I turned my hands in circles, breaking the peaceful water, watching the reflections of the candles break and ripple.
I looked up for a moment and noticed him, making his way through the crowd of people.
"Good evening, Miss Esme," he said, his voice mesmerising.
"I believe it is, Master Carlisle." I replied, smiling.
"Would you like to dance?" he asked, holding out his hand.
I placed my hand in his, after wiping my fingers on my dress. "I would be delighted to." I felt something magical shoot up my arm as soon as our hands touched; I didn't pull away, it was something I couldn't help but try and hold onto.
Looking into his eyes, I smiled, and he smiled fully in return.
He whisked me away from the fountain, and onto the makeshift dance floor. When he dropped my hand and bowed, I curtseyed in return. He took my hand, and placed the other on my waist; we danced slowly to the music being played by the minstrels.
When the music stopped playing, and my father called the party to a close. My dancing partner, dropped my hand once more and bowed again. Once he stood straight, I curtseyed, and he held out his hand for me to take. "Please allow me to walk you home?" he asked.
"I will allow you to do that, Carlisle." I smiled, never had I smiled so much.
"Goodnight, Esme Platt," he whispered, lifting my hand to his lips, and placing a kiss upon my knuckles. He dropped my hand, and walked off back towards the church, and the vicarage.
"Goodnight Carlisle Cullen," I whispered into the night.
Late that night, after everyone else was sleeping, I heard something tapping against my balcony. I got up, and walked towards it. There in the square was Carlisle, he stood there, candle in hand.
I quickly flew down the staircase, being careful not to fall into the hole which had yet to be fixed. I reached the front door, and pulled it open ever so carefully. I then ran down to the square, meeting Carlisle.
"Hello Beautiful." He smiled, lifting me into a embrace.
I had nothing to say back, so I just held onto him; not wanting to let go. Carlisle was the man I wanted my mother to arrange my wedding to, not those sailors; I wanted the Pastor's son, the holy man, I knew it was selfish, but you can't help who you fall in love with.
"Esme!" A voice called in shock. My Mother. "Fredrick!" she screeched.
"Run, Carlisle, please, save yourself," I whispered, releasing my hold on him.
"No," he stated, "I won't allow you to be punished by your father, if you are in trouble, then so am I," he said, placing his lips upon mine.
My father came running out of the house, he pulled me from Carlisle, and threw me towards the steps. "Stay away from Esme!" he shouted in the face of my love.
"Daddy, no!" I cried. Tears of hurt fell from my eyes; pain from my landing upon the stone steps, but heartbreak as my beloved was sentenced to what might as well be exile. "Carlisle, please don't go."
I know he would have stayed, but my father being who he was, marched Carlisle back home. My mother picked me up and dragged me back inside. For this I knew, there would be no more Carlisle, there would be no more home; I was going to be sent away, far away, my parents would disown me, and I would be handed to some charity for the unwanted.
"Romeo, take me somewhere we can be alone, I'll be waiting, all that's left to do is run, you be the prince and I'll be the princess, it's a love story, just say 'yes'" I whispered to myself as the carriage I had been bundled into drove out of the village, my tears fell like the autumn rainstorms, heavy and without a end it seemed, yet they were silent.
The first flashback morphed into another ...
Running through the darkened hallways of the plantation. Lantern in hand. Being careful not to wake the maids. I snuck out of the back door, across the manicured lawn, and into the trees of the orchard. In the distance I could see another lantern.
I quickly made my way over to it, keeping my skirts up, and making sure not to trip over the twigs that littered the floor of the orchard.
"Miss Platt, I see you made it." He smiled.
"I wouldn't miss our meeting for the world," I whispered.
He leaned down and captured my lips in a kiss. The lantern I had been carrying dropped to the floor, and I swung my arms around his neck, falling into the kiss, falling completely. I had fallen head over heels in love, and he was there to catch me; my Romeo was there to catch me from falling too far.
"My Sweet Esme," he whispered taking a deep breath. "How is it a young woman, of such a standing, be so tempting? The delectable Forbidden Fruit," he murmured.
"Esme!" A man's voice called, "Esme? Where are you?" It called again.
"Kiss me, Carlisle, just once more, before I must go," I pleaded.
He leaned in, and once again captured my lips, with a fierce passion, it felt as if all of this had been bottled up for a century or so. I savoured the feel of his arms around me. When we broke away to breathe, I pushed him away slightly; "Go, my beloved, if they find you, it will be the gallows."
He placed his arms around me, and held me in a tight embrace before kissing me once more, and hiding in the shadows. "I'll always be there for you," he whispered, although I couldn't tell where from.
"Captain, where are you going?!" I heard my father shout.
"She's in the orchard, I just know it." The voice of the man whom my father was forcing me to marry. I'd run away with Carlisle if he would take me.
My father had banned me from meeting with Dr. Cullen, for anything other than a medial ailment. Dr. Cullen was around the town and he was really nice, and so sweet, but apparently he wasn't the kind of man I should be looking to marry, I had to find someone worthy of me. Daddy had told Carlisle to stay away from me, and no matter how much he said it, he couldn't keep us apart. I wasn't destined to be the Doctor's wife, I was to be the wife of Captain Evenson. The problem was the Dr. Carlisle Cullen meant everything to me.
The vision moved on quickly, and it seemed as if a week had passed.
I was laid up in bed, with the windows closed, and the room full of heat; Dr. Cullen stood at the door, telling someone that I was unlikely to make it through the night.
He stepped into the room, and took a seat by my bed. His lips placed a tender kiss upon my lips before he took my hand.
"Esme, how are you, my sweet?"
"Tired," was my weak reply.
His lips touched the back of my hand; "Once again fate intervenes," he murmured barely loud enough for me to hear.
I knew my end was coming, so I took the last of my strength, "Romeo, take me somewhere we can be alone, I'll be waiting, all that's left to do is run, you be the prince and I'll be the princess, it's a love story, baby just say 'yes'. In another life Carlisle, I promise." my last words and my last breath.
Coming to from the vision, I moved myself onto the branch outside of the kitchen. I took a seat and looked out into the forest. A love story that spanned so many lifetimes; that was me and Carlisle. I began to think over the last verse of the song, and thought about it and tried to remember anything else ...
The hospital seemed too clean really, and the doctors were overly nice. I'd only broken my leg, all I needed was a plaster cast, and I'd be away. Climbing trees in about two months time.
I was lying there waiting for a plaster cast when I noticed him. I recognised his face; how could I not; I had not been to the hospital since my younger sister was born, so I had not met him during a visit. No, I recognised him from... From what felt like another life. He held so much love and compassion for those he helped.
It was that doctor who came to fix me up. I was in a plaster cast as soon as it was physically possible. "I hope you get better, Miss Platt," he said.
"Call me Esme," I had stated, as he helped my father get me into the waiting cab, "So be it, well, get well soon, Esme." And he waved goodbye as the cab drove off.
I had been waiting for that man. That wonderful man who I had fully remembered during my dreams. He was my love, he had been in so many lives previous; only this time he met me a little too early, I guessed. He had to be in his late twenties, to be a doctor, and I well I was sixteen when I met him. This love had been so difficult, over the lifetimes people had always told me how to feel, and who to love. If I ever met my Romeo again, we would make it out of this mess; I promised myself, because although it was tough, this love was real; it was pure.
My faith in him had been fading, and after I had been forced into marrying Captain Charles Evenson, I had almost completely given up hope. When all came to all, I had left Charles behind, and run to family who wouldn't throw me back to him. It was then that I discovered I was carrying his child. That baby would have been loved by me, and I would have found a way to give him everything he needed; but he didn't survive; it was then that I gave up on everything which fit in with a happily ever after.
Stood on the cliff I was wondering if Romeo would ever come and save me.
"Esme?" he called.
"I'm out here."
Carlisle sat beside me, draping his arm over my shoulder, "How are you, my sweet heart?"
"Better," I smiled ...
"Esme, you're awake," he cried.
I everything was heightened, all of my senses were better. I could sense the house I was in was on the outskirts of town, far enough away to be peaceful, yet close enough to be a convenience.
"Save me," I whispered, "My Romeo, I'm so alone. I kept waiting for you, but you never came. Is this all in my head? I..."
He knelt to the ground and pulled out a ring, "Esme, I have known you over centuries, and never yet has fate been kind to us. Would you please marry me?"
I threw my arms around him. I couldn't give a care to white dresses, or the thought of a big occasion. A small trip to the registry office would be good enough for me, as long as I got my Romeo. "It's our love story, yes." I placed my lips upon his.
"We were both young when I first saw you..." I whispered into our kiss.