Chapter 4: Carlisle
I was a bit shaken by the events of the previous afternoon. But I soon put it out of my mind, I was perched in a window seat with a book in my lap. I had intended to read, but I found myself instead staring out the window at the sun fading into the western sky and wondering when Carlisle would come home.
It was in this position Edward found me. He sat down on the piano bench and played a scale so rapid it quickly snapped me awake. He smiled.
" When I was mortal we had a dog that used to do that…"
I looked at him puzzled. He continued smoothly. "It's true, a German shepherd I think…I can't remember it's name. But it was my father's dog , I clearly remember that. It used to sit at the window and wait for my father to come home every evening. It always looked so mournful, like no matter how much it loved the rest of the family its entire world revolved around whether or not my father was in its world. It doted on him that much." Edward shrugged, as I stared at him. "What can I say? It's the smallest memories that seem to remain."
" Well, I'm not a dog.." I responded cooly, returning to my book for a moment only to lift my head again. "When you were first made..did you.." I paused feeling the color come to my face, " Did you dote on Carlisle as well?" Edward smiled and cast a glance out the window, " Oh yes..I still do. He was my savior, my angel…now…well he's like a very old friend. One beyond titles. "
I smiled, "You never miss him when he's not here then?" Edward sat down at the piano languidly and played a few notes from the song I'd heard earlier. As he did he spoke his eyes straight ahead but obviously not reading the music. "Of course I miss Carlisle, but you see, normally I'm too occupied to notice when he's gone. There's my music, my studies, I've even studied medicin
a time or two…"
"A time or two?" I said surprised, Edward laughed and continued, " I think you're seeing my point…we have so much time you see. With luck we could see millennia together, there's much less urgency in our relationships then with humans. " I was silent for a moment, Edward seemed to be thinking. When he spoke it was a strange mix of joking and confessing only the very old can pull off. "Well," he said gesturing towards the view beyond the piano, " There's also a reason I practice my music so much…" I noticed for the first time then that the piano was in the direct view of the window. I smiled conspiratorially at him. "Your secret's safe with me."
A moment of silence passed then I spoke. "Do you know any songs or is all the music you play instrumental?" Edward looked at me out of the corner of his eye, " Why do you ask? Do you sing?" I colored again, "Perhaps…"
Edward and I as it turned out both had a mutual appreciation for music. He knew the older ballads and church hymns I'd been taught to sing, but also the more contemporary music of the time. I was singing the old Civil war ballad "Lorena" , one of my favorites and Edward was accompanying me on the piano when I felt the tiniest of prickles ride up the back of my neck. It was similar to the feeling of being watched you get at night, only stronger. I KNEW I was being watched and by who. Edward too seemed to sense it for the music ceased moments before my song did. There was a deep chuckle and the sound of someone applauding. "Carlisle.." said Edward without turning, but I turned as though singed. When I saw him words failed me. To my embarrassment I felt the color fill my cheeks again as I smiled shyly. Finally he spoke saving me the awkwardness of the moment. "Good Evening Edward.." said the now well known voice, then I felt his eyes on me and I lifted mine to meet his a small smile on my lips. " Esme.." he said, putting so many emotions into my name it made me marvel. He stepped closer to me and instinctively I backed up, men had always made me nervous. My husband had been abusive, no fit father for my child, I had left him because of that. But in all honesty, he'd left me long before that. Carlisle smiled gently, putting out his hand and softly touching my cheek . He cupped a hand under my chin and raised my eyes to meet his as though looking for something. Then I saw him smile, his kind eyes growing liquid for a moment before returning to their natural sparkle. " You look beautiful…" he said, I startled then remembered the dress he'd given me. I'd never taken it off as I'd intended too, secretly now I was glad.
"Thank you…" I said my words finally coming out in a gasp. Even as a vampire, this man could dazzle me. I obviously had a lot to learn about my new powers.