Chapter 2: Startling Changes
The days went by, followed by weeks, and Carlisle had not received any kind of word from Esme. He would sit by the window watching as people walked by the house with his book sitting in his lap. The days and the nights passed by uneasily, all he wanted was to know why Esme rushed from the party so quickly.
Almost a month later, Carlisle was sitting by the window once more when one of his father's servants came in. "Mr. Cullen, Miss Esme Platt is here to see you sir," he informed.
"Thank you Walter," Carlisle answered, standing up.
Walking into the hall, he saw Esme standing there nervously. "Did you have to sneak away?" he asked.
"No, mother and father had gone to speak with your father," she replied.
Moving closer, he moved to touch her face and kiss her as he had been longing to do for the last three weeks when she turned from him. "What is it?" he asked quietly, knowing something was wrong.
"I have also come to give you this," she answered quietly.
The young woman reached into the pocket of her jacket with shaky hands. Sniffling she pulled out a white envelope, handing it to him. Carlisle looked at the envelope in his hands before looking at her to see the tears in her eyes. "What is this?" he asked.
"It is…a wedding invitation to you and your father," she replied slowly.
Suddenly feeling like someone had knocked the wind out of him, he took a couple of steps back. "Please tell me this belongs to someone you know," he insisted.
"No…it's mine," she replied.
Feeling so utterly betrayed; Carlisle moved his fingers through his hair. "Who?" he demanded.
"Charles Evanson, you have met him before," she answered.
"Him?! You are marrying him?!" he exclaimed.
"Yes," she replied, her voice shaking.
Shaking his head slowly, Carlisle grabbed a hold of her arms. "Esme you can't go through with this," he insisted.
"I have no other choice," she insisted.
She carefully got him to let her arms go. "I'm sorry, I can't stay," she whispered. Sniffling she kissed his cheek before leaving the house quickly. Standing there in completely silence for the longest time, Carlisle threw the invitation at the wall with a shout before he smashed the vase.
Carlisle felt like his whole world was crumbling around him. She was gone, his beloved Esme was gone and there was nothing he could do about it. Now staring at the shattered vase on the floor, he looked up to see Walter and a couple of the maids there. Instead of uttering a single word to them, he walked right by them and up to his room slamming the door behind him.
Two nights later during dinner, Carlisle was silent while his father was talking about the extension he wanted to add to his church. "Son have you been listening?" Franklin asked after a few minutes. Looking up, he cleared his throat.
"Forgive me father, my mind has been distracted," he replied.
"I can see that," Franklin observed.
Carlisle poked at his half-eaten dinner. "I would like Ruth to put out your best clothes tomorrow," Franklin informed.
"May I ask why?" the young man questioned.
"Mr. and Mrs. Platt's daughter is getting married and they have invited us," Franklin informed.
Hearing about the wedding again was another slap in the face to Carlisle. "Such a lovely girl," Franklin commented.
"Very," Carlisle answered quietly.
"She's marrying Charles Evanson, he owns a few of the factories around the country," Franklin stated, not noticing the heartbroken look on his son's face.
"Forgive me father, but I will be unavailable to attend the wedding," Carlisle answered.
"And why not?" Franklin demanded.
"I have to finish my studies for medical school," Carlisle replied.
Franklin nodded, clearing his throat. "My son the doctor, turning into a fine young man you are, Carlisle," he praised. Carlisle was silent. "Your mother, God rest her soul," Franklin started before doing the sign of the cross, "would have been proud of you." The young man glanced at the painting of his mother that hung in the dining room. "Wonderful woman your mother, strong woman, stubborn too. I guess that's where you get that from," Franklin chuckled before taking a drink of his wine.
The dining room fell silent again before Carlisle put his napkin on his plate. "Excuse me," Carlisle told his father before leaving.
Sitting in his own private study, Carlisle began to look over his medical notes, except his mind could not concentrate on the work at hand. Tapping his finger on the desk, he moved his fingers through his hair, letting out a frustrated sigh.
The next day, Esme was standing in her room looking at herself in her wedding dress. This was supposed to be the happiest day of her life…wasn't it. Instead, she felt like the most miserable bride in the world. "You look so beautiful," Regina commented, kissing her daughter's temple. She stroked her daughter's curled hair with a smile. "He'll make you happy," she added quietly.
"But I'm not…" Esme started.
"You'll love him in time, just like how I loved your father in time," Regina answered.
Esme bit her lower lip before looking back in the mirror. She was supposed to be happy, a fairytale wedding. Her Prince Charming was supposed to be Carlisle, not Charles. Letting out a shaky breath, she smoothed out the invisible wrinkles in her dress before leaving the room with her mother.
At the Cullen house, Carlisle was sitting in his room watching people walk by, going on with their days. He was twisting his mother's engagement ring on his pinky, something his father gave him to give his future bride. It was meant for Esme, his beloved Esme.
The seventeen-year-old leaned back against the wall watching as a man and a woman walked down the street, a little child walking between them with a huge smile on her face. The parents each held a hand, lifting the little girl up, swinging the giggling child back and forth. "Pour the salt in the wound," he muttered to himself closing the shade.