Bella was ushered into a small parlour on the other side of the grand staircase. It was a more intimate space with only four high wingback chairs and a small coffee table in the middle. There were two smaller tables with large vases of freshly picked flowers to the sides against the glass wall. Bella was glad Esme and Rosalie had chosen their seats so she could get a chair facing the wall. She couldn't get over the view.
Alice came in behind her carrying tea and a slice of cake which she placed on the coffee table within Bella's reach. She continued to prepare her tea and gave it to her on a saucer. Bella was speechless beyond thanking Alice. The silver tea set looked expensive and antique. She was certain the cup was part of an equally expensive china set. Suddenly the cup weighed a ton in her unsteady heads.
"Well Bella, I'm especially happy that Edward has found you." Esme beamed causing her to blush. "We are so happy to have him home too and selfishly allowed him to stay when he should have been out there searching. Fate was certainly kind to bring you here." Bella smiled politely, not knowing what Esme was talking about. She was aware of Rosalie and Alice's full stares on her.
"You look beautiful Bella. That blue is your colour." Rosalie complimented Bella. She was being honest too.
"Thank you Rosalie,"
"Family call me Rose Bella, if you prefer." Bella liked that. She had been caught unprepared when Carlisle addressed her by her full name during lunch.
"This is- different," Bella gulped. "It's just, you're all so different from school. Not too different, but…you know-" she stuttered and hid her face behind the tea cup.
"Of course," Rosalie explained, "When we go to the outside world we play the role of a human. We pretend to be younger and attend school with you. Here, we have no need to be anything different. We don't pretend in our home."
"The others pretend Bella, but their father truly is a remarkable doctor and loves healing people." Esme added. Bella could tell she spoke with pride.
"Why high school? I-I mean you could go to college or maybe work" Bella asked taking in their natural maturity. Rosalie and Alice could pretend to be grown up if they wanted to be.
"Brother Edward wanted to go. He missed being outside." Alice answered, drawing Bella's attention to her strange answer.
"Yes, my son was kept indoors far too long. When he asked to go to school we couldn't refuse him. I was relieved when his brothers decided to accompany him." There was a hint of sadness in Esme's voice that tugged at Bella's heart.
"We go to be with our mates." Rosalie added.
"So you all go to high school for h-Edward?" Bella was confused by their answers that she actually voiced her thoughts. She hadn't meant to be insensitive to Esme's pain.
"No Bella, they all go because they should stay together. This is a very long life my dear and family is most important. It is everything. We Cullens have often joined the outside world by necessity for Carlisle to practice medicine. It is unusual and most of our kind disapproves. In fact, most of our kind disapproves not only of our way of life but our chosen nourishment as well. There are very few who share in our animal diet and even fewer who are true friends. Family is all my sons truly have."
Bella felt like she was being admonished. Esme's voice was still calm and kind though her words sharp. Rosalie's eyes had fixed on her lap. She knew Esme did not approve of what she had said. The awkward silence lingered and Bella rattled her brain for something to say.
"I hope you enjoyed the cake," Alice broke the silence when she stood to take the serving tray away. "Esme is an excellent cook. I only learnt last week after brother Edward found you. I find it interesting." Bella was stumped to hear that Alice learnt to cook because of her.
"We sometimes host Carlisle's colleagues. I had to learn. It gives me even greater pleasure to cook for you." Esme had brightened up again. Bella blushed, unsure how to respond. "Th-thank you. I enjoyed it."
"Here, you can look," Rosalie placed her hand on Bella's lap. Bella's eyes had been darting to her gigantic diamond ring often and she was only too happy to show it off. Bella studied the ring and told Rosalie it was beautiful.
"But…?" Rosalie asked at the slight frown on Bella's face.
"I-I couldn't- I mean it's beautiful really and compliments you well. Personally, I prefer something small." She blushed three shades of pink after saying that, but it was hard not to tell the truth with Rosalie's big golden eyes piercing though her. Esme's smile brightened her face.
"I'm sure you would be able to find one perfectly suited to your taste." She patted Bella's knee in pride. "It will be wonderful to have another wedding in the family. It's been so long." She had a wistful look as she stared past Bella into space.
Bella blanched at the implication of Esme's words. She had never considered ever getting married. The very idea of it made her want to run to the opposite end of the world. It was clear that Edward and his family would want her to marry from the looks of the three Cullen women in her company.
"Well dear, it's drizzling outside. Shall I show you the house? I'm sure you'd like to stretch your legs." Esme led the way without waiting for an answer.
Alice had suggested a quick relief for Bella who was about to have an anxiety attack. She shared a worried look with Rosalie. Together they had lived through the worst time the family experienced with Edward in servitude. Even though they had their mates, it was emotionally draining when everyone was constantly worried over Edward. Alice had been with Esme through the rough of it before Rosalie came. They knew Edward would not let Bella refuse him. Their worry was the emotional state Bella would be in for the greater part of her newborn years if. Alice shivered at the thought of experiencing anything like Esme's breakdown or Rosalie's inconsolable pain again.
Esme was unsettled by Bella's reaction and worried she may hurt Edward and herself. They talked lightly about some of the paintings and ornaments on display throughout the house. She loved watching Bella take it all in and comfortably ask questions about almost everything. There was a smaller private dining room to the side of the parlour. Extending the first floor was a fully fitted kitchen and two sizeable guest suites. On the second floor was a music room which held a grand piano and massive harp in the middle. Attached to the music room was another guest suite. On opposite ends of the floor were two master suites, Jasper Emmett's together with their wives. Esme only pointed to the direction of the rooms but didn't take Bella to their private spaces.
The third floor had two guest suites on top of the music room and the attached guest room. Esme told Bella that her and Carlisle's bedroom was to the one end of the long hallway, on top of Rosalie and Emmett's suite. She turned and guided Bella towards hers and Edward's room. She listened intently as Bella's heart sped up and watched her use the wall to regain her balance. Bella hadn't rejected her statement outright but her reaction did little to ease Esme's worry. She didn't pause to open the double doors that led inside Edward's suite.
It was massive. There was the largest four poster bed against the far wall that Bella had ever seen. The room was decorated in soft shades of gold and red.
"The bathroom is over here." Esme walked towards the door on her left. "I have restocked it to include anything you might need." She informed as she pried the door open.
Bella's jaw dropped to the floor. The victorian designed bathroom was large. There was a big glass shower for two with complicated knobs that intimidated her. It ran the length of one side of the wall. Where there should have been a covering wall to the outside it was glass. She looked through the shower at the trees outside. The large bath tub was placed in the middle of the bathroom. The toilet was in a smaller separate space with a door. The open cupboards around the basins were packed neatly with white towels and toiletries. There was a welcoming feel to the room. Her eyes strayed to the shower again and an unexplainable blush rose up her cheeks.
"Out of respect, we give each other as much privacy as we can. No one dares to climb those trees outside." Esme pointed to the trees on the other side of the glass shower wall. Bella followed her back into the bedroom walking slowly to an open dressing area.
There was a rectangular brown leather chair in the middle surrounded by full clothing cupboards. Esme didn't linger there. Bella felt tiny in the large intimidating room. They walked around the bed and through an open door Bella hadn't noticed before. It led to Edward's study which was behind the bedroom, further extending the size of his suite. She stood by the glass wall taking in this private space filled with books stacked to the high ceiling against one side of the wall. Across another wall was the biggest music collection she had ever seen outside a store. There was a long black leather couch against the entire third wall to the room. In the middle were two wingback chairs and a side table facing the glass wall. Where she stood she could see the thick green forest a distance away. It was a soothing, beautiful, private view. The glass wall was all the cover the Cullen mansion had at the back of the house. She loved it.
"I hope you like it. Of course, Edward has to make some space for you now." Esme had already started to think of ways to include Bella's presence in the otherwise manly quarters.
"I agree mother," A smooth voice answered from the door. Bella turned to see Edward casually leaning against the door watching them. She released a breath she hadn't known she was holding. As Edward slowly walked over to them she realized the intimidating space suited him perfectly and he was at ease there. Esme moved forward to give him a quick hug.
"I was hoping you could make space for Bella in the closet and in here." He asked only for formality.
"I'd love to. I think I know what she might like," she turned to Bella. "If you prefer you can come shopping with me dear," she invited as an afterthought. Bella declined thankfully. She wouldn't know what to get to begin with let alone where to find it. Esme confidently stated that she'll have everything done by Bella's next visit. She excused herself and left them alone.
Edward took bella's hand and walked her to one of the chairs in the room, sitting her on his lap. Her weight and warmth felt nice against the cold and hardness of his body.
"Did you have a good afternoon?" He asked
"Yes, it was lovely." She leaned into him, facing out the glass wall.
"I'm glad. Let me know when you're ready for me to take you home."
Bella hummed her response. She had at least an hour and didn't want to tear her eyes away from the view that captivated her. She had never liked Forks for its wet weather and the green that was everywhere. At that moment, she found herself slowly changing sides as she watched the drops of drizzling rain against the glass wall with the green forest stretching forever on the other side.
