Chapter 3: Everyday America

Part 1: Esme Cullen

"That's how it goes in everyday America

A little town and a great big life"

Renesmee was walking by my side in the grocery store, picking out the foods she wanted. She was so precious, and the light of our lives. I had to almost fight the others to get any time alone with her, but I had dragged her along for my chore that was still foreign to me. Before Bella, everything had been different. Rosalie and I had pined for children and Edward had been my sad recluse. Now Edward had his Bella and we all had Nessie. "Grandma, can we get some cereal?"

I grinned at her, "Ness, you can get what ever you want." The girl was a picky eater and when she asked for anything, food or nonfood, it was given. Nessie skipped back to the start of the isle and I continued on, listening to her rapid heartbeat.

A woman caught my attention as I turned onto the next isle. She had long brown hair that was braided loosely around her face, it gave her a kind air that counteracted the sharp lines of her pretty face that could have made her seem cold. The little girl that was holding her hand was looking around wildly, like she'd never been in a grocery store. "Gerry, don't gawk. It makes you look strange." The woman chided the girl, who looked just like her mother. It was then I first noticed the little girl's eyes. They were violet.

The little girl looked up at her mother, "What is all of this?"

"Gerry, it's food. This is a place to buy food."

"Food." The child echoed.

"Yes." Her mother bent down on one knee and poked the girl softly in the stomach, "Food. It's why your brother has to exercise all the time. One of these days that fabulous metabolism of his is going to fail him, and he's going to get really, really fat. He'll look like your Great Uncle Jerome in no time."

The little girl wrinkled her nose in disgust. "Jerome is a slob." She tilted her head thoughtfully, "I see the resemblance."

Her mother ruffled her hair, but stopped when she saw Nessie run past her.

She looked at me oddly and then grinned. She walked up to Nessie and I, her daughter following obediently behind, "Hello, I don't mean to be a problem, but could you tell me where the meats are. I'm terribly confused. We've only just moved to America so I'm a little out of sorts." Her words were laden with a heavy English accent.

I smiled at the woman, she reminded me of myself. Her daughter's eyes unnerved me, but I knew my own eyes unnerved most humans. I told her where to find the meat and then my curiosity got the best of me, "I'm sorry to pry. Where are you from?"

The other little girl's eyes narrowed. She opened her mouth to speak, but her mother held a finger to her lips, "We're from England, London actually. My husband's sister has lived in Forks and we decided to see what the big fuss she kept making was all about. Forks really is a lovely place." She looked at Nessie, "Your daughter really is beautiful."

I laughed, "She's not my, she's my adopted granddaughter."

The woman's eyebrows shot up, "Adopted? How kind of you."

"Not kind, I'd like to think, but open. Some children need a home and parents and I feel inclined to give it to them."

The woman smiled, "You must be Esme Cullen."

I nodded, "Yes, I am Esme. And you are?"

"Oh, dear me. I'm being rude. I'm Anna Davenport." I shook her hand, "My sister-in-law has been going on and on about how she would love to have some of the Cullen children in her school. You all have had her foaming at the mouth for years."

I furrowed my brow, "Who is your sister-in-law?"

"Elaine Davenport. She's my husband's sister, and she owns and runs a boarding school for gifted children." The woman smiled, but something about it didn't reach her eyes, "It's nice that you adopt. I myself took in my best friend's daughter. Her mother died in childbirth and I convinced my husband that we would take her. I'm not sure what I was thinking; I already had three infants at the time."

I looked at her daughter, "You must be one of those three."

The girl shook her head rapidly and then hid her face in her mother's skirt. Anna smoothed down her hair, "She doesn't talk much. In sort of an awkward stage. She's my youngest, actually. My adoptive daughter, Holly, is sixteen. My eldest should be out of the house, but my husband and I can't seem to get him to leave."

I laughed, "Tell me about it. I have six teenagers and sometimes I want to pull my hair out when they won't leave me alone." That was only true sometimes, when they all decided to behave like children instead of adults, but in the context of the conversation it was the best I had to offer.

Anna smiled, "Wow, I though I was the only woman crazy enough to have more than four kids. At least your kids are mostly chunked together. I've got an adult, three teenagers, two preteens and this little one. I thought the nappies would never end."

"It's one of the things I'm glad about having adopted all of my kids, they were all well out of diapers." They were all more than out of diapers by the time I became their mother, but again, I had nothing else to say that was relatable.

Anna giggled, "Thank you so much for your help. I'm sorry to have kept you up, sometimes I find myself talking to anything that stands still long enough."

"It's no problem." I looked at Nessie, "Do you have what you wanted?" My granddaughter nodded jovially. "I hope to see you again."

"Me too!" The woman laughed as she turned away. I noticed her daughter was still staring at me, her hand grasping at her mother's. The girl was giving me a look that made me uneasy. Meeting her eyes was like looking into Renesmee's, they were eyes that seemed far too old for the tiny person they were encased in. Far too old...

I asked Carlisle about the Davenports when I got home, and he hummed for a few seconds, "Yes, I believe I've seen Elaine once or twice in the years we've been here. Never spoken to her, but she signed paperwork for a boy who was injured when he crashed his bicycle into a tree. She was his legal guardian. I remember something about him living with her and being taught by her along with a handful of others. There was an older girl with her who I've seen a few more times since, she picks up insulin for one of the others every so often. I don't think I've ever seen that one though."

"How odd." I commented.

Carlisle put a hand on my arm, "What's bothering you, Esme?"

I sat down the plate I was cleaning, "Have you ever seen anyone with naturally purple eyes?"

He nodded, "Yes, once, hundreds of years ago. A young woman named Valentine."

I'd never heard him mention the name before, "A lover?"

He smiled and shook his head, "No, but a dear friend. She and her young son lived with me for a short time. People were hunting her, searching for a woman with dark hair and purple eyes. She's the reason I had the faith in myself to save Edward, or any of you. Valentine and her son reminded me that I'm not meant to be alone. Valentine stayed until her hunters moved on. She left on a sunny day. I never saw either of them again. But without her, I would have never made it to fall in love with you."

"I owe her a lot then." I looked at my hands, "But you haven't seen anyone with purple eyes since?" He shook his head, "The youngest girl was with her mother, and swear her eyes were purple. She didn't look totally human, Carlisle. We got lucky with Janet coming through and making everyone in town forget we'd lived here before. We've been through so much already, I don't want more trouble in Forks."

Carlisle took my hands in his, "I know, neither do I. I'll keep an eye on things and have our children keep an eye on the Davenports that are in school." He kissed me gently, "We'll be fine, Esme. Don't worry."

I laughed shortly, leaning into him, "It's my job to worry, Carlisle. "

He wrapped his arms around me and sighed fondly, "I know. It's my job to tell you not to."

"I love you." I whispered to him, hearing the sound of the kids returning from a late night hunting trip.

Carlisle stole one more kiss, "I love you too, Esme."

Part 2: Seth Clearwater

"Hello, Lillium."

I put myself between Lilly and the Emmett sized man who had emerged from the shadows. I'd been so caught up with Lilly that I hadn't even noticed him. Lilly put her hands on my defensively raised arm, "It's okay." She stepped to the side, "Not funny, Nigel. Are you trying to give me and poor Seth here heart attacks?"

He looked so stiff and mean, but when his sister spoke to him, his face melted into an impish smile, "No, but that scream really was loud. I'm not sure Grams heard you. Maybe you should do another one, just to be thorough."

Lilly glared at her brother with an expression I'd given Leah plenty of times, "Nigel, what are you doing here?"

He grinned, "Well, Holly flubbed and got ratted out, so Mum sent me and the twins to come get you from your little play date." He looked me over, "You didn't tell Ollie it was with a boy. Mum made him squeal like a pig. She'll be the one with heart trouble when she finds out the truth."

"The twins?" Lilly asked, ignoring her brother's insight.

He hummed confirmation, "Mh, they're around here somewhere. A frog or something caught their eyes."

Lilly glared harder at her brother, "You let them out of your sight? For a frog!"

He didn't appear concerned, "They're not likely to get lost, Lilly. We all grew up in the same forest. Besides, they're together. What trouble could they possibly get into?"

Lilly was less than pleased by his assurance, "Are you bleeding mad? They are trouble!"

Two tiny blond heads emerged into the darkness, "He's not mad," Said one of the girls.

"He's eccentric." Stated the other.

I noticed a vein throb in Lilly's forehead and had to suppress a grin. She stared them down with a firm, maternal expression, "Ivy, Moss, you keep this up and I'll take you both over my knee. Couldn't you be less like freaks and more like me and Ollie?"

The identical twins frowned, mirroring each other, "We aren't freaks!" Okay, the unison was creepy.

Lilly sighed in frustration and knelt to pick one of them up, "You're right, you're not. Forgive me?"

The one in her arms nodded and tucked herself tightly into Lilly's grip, but I found myself wondering how Lilly could look so unencumbered by the girl's weight. Their brother scooped up the other one who had a medical bracelet glinting from her slender wrist. Nigel smoothed her wild blonde curls, "We're all a bit weary. Time change and all. Why don't you say goodnight to your new friend so we can get these two back to Mum and in bed."

Lilly shot me a sympathetic look, "I was enjoying your company, but I'm afraid Nigel is correct. The little ones need to sleep. So does he, for that matter." She said the last part while frowning at her brother, "You okay?"

He nodded, "Just fine. Catch up, won't you?" He held an arm out to the girl Lilly was holding, "Come on, Ivy, let's give our Lil a moment."

The little girl, Ivy, went from one sibling to the other, and Lilly gave her brother a grateful smile, "Thanks, Nige. I'll catch up."

He smiled back, holding the two preteen girls like they weighed nothing, "No problem, little sister, just remember that next time I ask for your assistance with something."

"You got it." She assured him, waiting until he was just out of sight to turn back to me, "I really am sorry. We were having such a lovely time. Nigel's a bit intense, but he's got a good heart."

"It's really alright. I'm thinking it would have been worse had it been my sister." I told her honestly.

"I would like to meet her." Lilly said softly before leaning close and pressing a kiss to my cheek, "Goodnight, Seth. I hope tonight is the first of many we'll spend together."

"Me too." I whispered, stunned and overjoyed. She flashed me a breathtaking smile and I found myself repeating, even though she was long gone, "Me too." I felt like I was floating on clouds as I meandered towards Sam and Emily's. I'd imprinted. Besides Leah and the guys who were far too young, I'd been the last single wolf in the Pack.

Jake found me sitting on the front steps, "What's going on, brother?"

I chose not to reply; I wanted to keep Lilly to myself for a little while. The thought made me smile. I knew why Jacob never wanted Nessie out of his sight, watching Lilly walk away with her brother had been excruciating.

Jacob was shook my shoulder, "Hey, what's up with you? Seth!"

I blinked at him several times, dazed. "I imprinted." I hadn't meant to say it. I hadn't meant to tell anyone about her, she was mine. I couldn't take the words back though.

My pack leader stared open mouthed at me for a moment before a large grin spread across his face, "Really! That's awesome! Who is she? Do I know her? When are you bringing her to meet the Pack?"

I shrugged off his overly excited self. Groaning, "Jake! I don't know, we just met today!"

Jake slumped into the sofa, "Why didn't you say so? Do we at least get to know her name and what she looks like?"

I shored up my resolve. I'd let the cat out of the bag, there was no way Jake was going to rest until he knew everything I knew about my new imprint. "Her name is Lilly."

"Lilly, huh? Tell me more."

"Yeah, tell us more." Damn, our discussion had pulled the whole pack near.

I tried not to look at them all as I spoke, "She just moved here. She's the second oldest of seven kids. Her hair is brown, but it looks red in the sunlight. Her eyes are gray."

"Gray!" Paul exclaimed.

I smiled, her gray eyes were only a part of her, but they held a point of mystery, "Yeah, her eyes are gray. Her twin brother and their father's are too. Her father is a gardener, which is why all of her siblings have flower themed names, even her adopted sister. They all kind of hate that."

"How old is she?" Jacob asked hesitantly.

"Seventeen." I answered instantly, and several of the guys breathed a sigh of relief for me. I would be eighteen in a month, but the age difference between the two of us was less than a year. I'd gotten very, very lucky.

The questions went on and on from there, most of which I couldn't answer. Billy finally called them off of me when they started outlining a game plan for me. The meeting lasted until late, so most of us decided to crash where we were. I stayed there too. My mom would understand, and it was a Friday night so I didn't have to worry about school. Also, if I was with the Pack all weekend, I wouldn't have to pine for Lilly quite so badly, they'd do a halfway decent job of distracting me.

The next morning, Jacob, Quil, Embry and I, decided to go see the Cullens. It was early, the sun just rising, not that any one could really tell because of the dense cloud cover, but at least it wasn't raining. The guys picked up where they'd left off with pestering me when I smelled something. Lilly.

We were near where her brother and younger twin sisters had appeared, and two female voices suddenly burst out of the morning silence.

Not a word was in English, but one of the voices I knew instinctually was Lilly's. "Lilly?"

"I thought you said she was from London." Embry whispered.

I was confused as well, "That's what she told me."

Jacob was scowling, "That doesn't sound like any English I've ever heard, and I'm pretty sure they speak English in England."

I hissed at them all to be quiet, and searched for any words I could recognize from their speech. I was also trying to figure out where they were.

Jacob was the first to accurately pinpoint where they were, "I think they're above us."

All four of us jerked our chins towards the sky, peering up into the dense branches.

"Pryd ydw I'n cael i gwrdd ag ef?" One voice said softly.

"Ych, nid wyf yn gwybod!" The other, Lilly's, exclaimed.

The first voice was chirpy then, "Beth am nawe? Mae'n gywir isod i ni beth bynnag."

"Beth!" Lilly shrieked, and I heard a branch snap.

They're speaking Welsh via Google Translate! Thanks to Wattagirl for reviewing! Next chapter is where we get truly new scenes! Keep on reviewing!

-Jenn