Chapter 7

Esme flipped a card and held it up so Caleb could see it. She smiled and her eyes seemed to sparkle as her son's expression was a happy and eager as her own.

"Alligator," he said, pointing toward the animated picture of the animal.

"Good job," she told him, clapping her hands a few times. The tone of her voice made Caleb smile as he mimicked her clapping. "How about this one?"

Caleb studied next card for a moment before he smiled again, "Tiger."

"Yes, it's a tiger sweetie, good job!"

"Because of the stripes," Caleb continued, reaching for the card in Esme's hand, "If not it would be a lion."

She handed it to him and kissed him on the cheek, "You're so smart."

"Can I go to the big school?" he asked.

"Where I go with Alex and the other kids?"

He nodded.

"Okay," she said, brushing his hair back, "We will soon. You can help me teach them."

Caleb flipped the card upside down and turned his head to match it. Esme smiled at his curiosity and picked up the deck they had gone through several times that night.

Carlisle heard them going over things in his office and stood at the doorway. He watched as Caleb asked for the set of cards that Esme had in her hands. She gave it to him and he began to look through them, unknowingly sticking out his tongue as he focused on each one.

"Are you looking for your favorite one?" Esme asked him.

He nodded and continued to place each animal down onto the table until a small smile spread across his face and he looked at his mother. Carlisle grinned but didn't say anything, admiring their interaction and watching Caleb's enthusiasm.

"Which one is it?" Esme tried to see and Caleb flipped it around.

"The monkey," he said with a laugh.

She grinned, "What do the monkeys eat?"

"Bananas."

Esme got up and picked him up, squeezing him tightly against her. "You're so smart sweetie."

Caleb snickered as she began to kiss his cheeks, crinkling his nose a little. His eyes rose when he saw Carlisle leaning against the open doorway. "Daddy!"

Esme turned and smiled. Caleb whipped his body around so he could still see his dad. "Did you see how smart Caleb is?" she asked.

Carlisle nodded and joined them, "Yeah. I think he only got what, one wrong?"

"No," Caleb said immediately, "None wrong."

"None?" Carlisle asked, pretending to be surprised.

"None wrong," he repeated.

"Wow," Carlisle said, "Even Masen used to get some wrong."

Caleb smiled and reached his arms out. Carlisle took him and kissed him on the cheek, feeling his head lay down on his shoulder. "You tired him out, Mom," he said to Esme with a smile, "I didn't know that was possible."

Esme grinned, "It's rough when someone is your mother and your teacher."

Caleb still held onto the monkey card and Carlisle felt it brush up against the back of his neck. "What animal is on the card?" he asked.

He didn't pick up his head and answered softly, "Monkey."

"Did I hear you tell Mommy that, that was your favorite?"

"Yeah."

Esme smiled and she looked at Carlisle as he gently rubbed his son's back. He gave her a little wink and rocked Caleb back and forth.

"Why's the monkey your favorite?" he asked him.

"Because..." Caleb answered.

They both waited for him to continue but he never did. Esme approached both of them and put one hand on Carlisle's forearm and the other on Caleb's head. She gave Carlisle a kiss, "I love you," she said.

Caleb and Carlisle both answered at the same time, "I love you, too."

Emmett whisked by and gave a light knock on the frame of the door. He gave them a quick smile. "How are the animals coming along?"

"Good," Esme told him, smiling.

Caleb looked over at him and turned the monkey card in his direction.

"A monkey, nice," Emmett said with a big smile, "They're kind of like us, swinging from tree to tree."

Caleb snickered and laid his head back down on Carlisle's shoulder.

"What's up, Emmett?" Carlisle asked him.

"Oh, uh, I was thinking that maybe you guys could come up with me to William and Maddy's place this Saturday? Do you have anything going on?"

Carlisle and Esme looked at each other and they both shrugged. "Sure, we can come up," Esme said, suspecting there was a reason.

"Okay, great," Emmett told them, "They wanted to redecorate some things, and were thinking of putting a back deck and a balcony. I figured you had the best eye, Esme."

She smiled, "Oh, I'd love to take a look."

"And I figured maybe Carlisle, you can just keep me company while the girls kind of... do their thing."

He laughed, "Sure. We haven't been up to their place in a while. That sounds good."

Relief filled Emmett's face and he took in a deep breath, "Okay. Good."

Esme smiled, "What'd you think we'd say no?"

He shook his head and shrugged.

"You look really nervous about asking."

"Oh..." Emmett shrugged again and smiled, "I don't know."

Carlisle looked at Esme, then back to Emmett.

"Alright, well... carry on little man," Emmett said to Caleb. He held up his hand and Caleb gave him a high five, then waved and disappeared.

Carlisle and Esme exchanged another glance.

"Mama," Caleb squirmed away from Carlisle to get back into Esme's arms.

He grinned and passed him over, then put a hand on the side of her face, "He sure loves his Mama."

"What can I say?" Esme shrugged and grinned, then accepted another one of his quick kisses.