Author Note: Keep in mind the date on the beginning of this story. This takes place seven years before my first story, Welcome Edward. If you haven't already read that story, be sure to read it after you finish this one.

Chapter One

1911-Columbus, Ohio

(Martha's POV)

I watched Carlisle out of the corner of my eye as I worked on some embroidery.

"Yes, Martha?" Carlisle asked me, not looking up from his book.

"What?" I asked.

Carlisle closed his book and smiled at me. He hadn't put a bookmark in, but he didn't need one. He would know exactly where he was. "You have been stealing sidelong glances at me all evening since I returned from work. What is on your mind?"

"I was just wondering what is on your mind? Or might the proper question be who is on your mind?"

Carlisle looks confused, "Excuse me?"

"Oh come on Carlisle, I'm a woman….I know the reaction a woman can have on a man…what's her name?"

Carlisle smiled, "I have no idea who you are referring to"

"You'd be blushing if you had blood."

Carlisle chuckled

"So? What's her name? Is she a nurse?"

Carlisle smirked, "I'm not saying anything."

I persisted, "Do I know her?"

"She came out of your imagination, Martha"

"Is she pretty?"

"You tell me, you created her"

"I bet she is" I said, "And knowing you, if you like her, she is smart too…you aren't the type to settle down with a trophy wife, you want someone who you can have a deep intellectual conversation with."

"So now she is pretty and smart….sounds good so far" Carlisle said with a smile, "Anything else?"

"Hmm" I studied Carlisle carefully. We had been together for just over a hundred years. When you have lived together for a hundred years and don't need to waste time sleeping, you really get to know a person.

"I bet she is sweet" I said, "If you like her she would have to be kind and gentle."

Carlisle nodded, "Kind and gentle would be nice."

"And she'd have to know when to be quiet, because while you like deep intellectual conversations, you also like having some quiet time, and so someone who talks all the time would annoy you."

"Hmm…talks all the time….now who does that remind me of?" He grinned at me, and I grinned back

"So?" I asked

Carlisle looked at me for a minute, "Let me make sure I am understanding you correctly…you are saying that I have found a woman."

"Yes I am"

"And that she is beautiful, smart, gentle, kind, and quiet when needed, correct?"

"Correct"

Carlisle thought this over for a minute, and grinned "She sounds great. When you find a woman like that, introduce me to her."

"Carlisle!" I whined

"What?" he asked with a knowing smirk

"You are teasing me, and it's not nice."

"Well you are pestering me, and that's not nice either." Carlisle said, he walked over to me and gently tapped my nose.

"If you'd answer my questions, I'd stop pestering you."

"If you'd stop pestering me, I'd stop teasing you" Carlisle answered back with a grin.

I continued to try to badger him for answers for the whole night, but he refused to tell me anything about her. I eventually gave up. We both needed to hunt, so Carlisle suggested we change into clothes more appropriate for hunting.

"Martha?" he said

I looked up at him, and he grinned. "Her name is Esme"

With that he raced into the woods.