Chapter 7: Daydream Escapes

Esme swallowed when Charles finished beating her. She slowly stood up, leaning against the side table with her hand pressed against her forehead. She sat down on the bed, wincing slightly. She had gotten her period. She put her head in her hands and started crying.

Jasper stood up when Charles came downstairs and stood in front of him. "You leave my mom alone!" He snapped.

"What did you say boy?" Charles asked.

Jasper stood firm. "You leave my mom alone," he repeated. Before he could react, Charles grabbed Jasper by the front of his shirt, lifting him up from the floor.

"CHARLES STOP!" Esme shouted.

Charles dropped the nine-year-old and spun around to look at his wife. "What did I say about demands?" He asked. Esme felt the fear rise in her and yelped when he grabbed her arms, slamming her into a wall. "WHAT DID I SAY?!" He shouted.

"Charles I'm sorry," she answered.

"I don't want you demanding me around! Especially when you again failed to produce my son!" he snapped.

"Maybe if…" she started.

"Maybe what? What were you going to say?" He asked.

Esme stared at the floor. "You better give me the boy I want," he told her before he let he go and stormed out of the house. Esme slid to the floor with a sob. Rosalie and Jasper ran over to their mother.

"Come on mom," Rosalie murmured as they helped her up from the floor.

The three of them lied down on the bed. Esme stroked Jasper's curly blonde hair, her mind drifting to the handsome doctor that had been invading her dreams since the moment she saw him again

A week had passed and everything seemed to be calm. Esme was cooking dinner when she felt Charles' hands on her waist. "How are you today?" He asked with a small smile. She swallowed.

"I'm good…" she replied.

She closed her eyes tight when he nuzzled her neck. "You look really beautiful today," he said into her ear. Esme's hands shook slightly. "How about we have Miss Jensen take the kids tonight?" He suggested.

"Um…" she trailed off.

Instead of hearing her answer, he let her go and walked over to the phone.

Later that night, Charles's snores were filling the bedroom, but Esme was sitting on the other side of the room with her knees drawn up to her chest. Tears were falling down her face as she looked at the bruises that were forming on her arms, knowing there were going to be some new ones on her thighs. She climbed back on the bed and curled up in the fetal position and cried herself to sleep like she had many nights before.

The next day, Esme was sitting in the park, relaxing against a tree. She let the breeze brush over her cheeks and a small smile came across her face. "Esme?" She heard a familiar voice call. She looked over and saw Carlisle walking over.

"Carlisle…hi…" she greeted nervously.

"How are you?" He asked.

She shrugged slightly. "I could be better," she replied. He sat down next to her with a small frown.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"Nothing," she insisted.

Carlisle looked at her, knowing she was lying when she wasn't making eye contact with him. "Just some troubles at home," she said quietly.

"Want to talk about it?" He asked.

She started pulling at the grass. "I can't talk about it," she replied. Carlisle reached over and placed his hand on her leg.

"If you ever want to talk, I don't care what time it is, you can either call me or stop by at my house," he told her.

Esme looked over at him with a small smile. "Thank you," she answered quietly.

"Always," he told her with a smile.

Esme reached over and placed her hand over his, letting out a deep breath. "You were always the nicest man I have ever met," she murmured.

"Had a good teacher of how to treat women," he chuckled.

She laughed softly. Carlisle reached over and pushed some hair from her face, smiling at her. Esme smiled slightly before looking down at the ground. "Um…you shouldn't do that, Carlisle," she said quietly. She reluctantly held up her left hand. "I'm married," she added. Carlisle nodded slightly.

"Well, I guess congratulations are in order," he answered.

Esme leaned back against the tree. "How are Jasper and Rosalie?" He asked.

"They're good, Rosalie's in another play and Jasper's taking guitar," she replied.

"With Edward playing piano they should create a band," he chuckled.

Esme laughed slightly when her watch alarm went off. She bit her lower lip. "I have to go now, Carlisle, it was good to see you again," she told him getting up and leaving. Carlisle watched her go.

"It was nice to see you again too…" he said quietly.

Esme returned home to see Rosalie bouncing up and down. "Wow, this is the first time in a long time I've seen that smile," she commented.

"We have a new student today," Rosalie answered, beaming.

"Oh yeah?" Esme asked.

"It was Emmett mom! Emmett's in our school now!" Rosalie exclaimed.

Jasper was practicing his guitar. "Rosalie and Emmett sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G first comes love, then comes marriage, then comes Rosalie with a baby carriage," he teased. Rosalie walked over and hit her brother upside the head.

"Hey, no hitting," Esme told her.

She looked at her watch. "I should go make dinner," she murmured, going into the kitchen. She pulled out things for dinner and stood at the counter when her mind kept drifting to Carlisle. Esme let out a sigh and closed her eyes. "Don't be stupid Esme, just don't be stupid," she told herself. The more she told herself not to think about him, the more she would think about him.. He was always the kindest man she had ever met, he was her good friend, and not a day went by where she didn't think about him. Seeing him again brought back that old teenager giddiness. "Why do you keep thinking about Carlisle?" She asked herself. She heard the door slam.

"ESME! WHERE'S MY FOOD WOMAN?!" Charles shouted.

Esme sighed. "That's why, to forget my life with Charles," she said to no one in particular.