Chapter 8
Esme walked into the kitchen, amused by her own thoughts. It was the third day back from Spring Break, the children were all in school and all she could think about was how much she missed the noise of a full house. The kitchen was spotless, the table wiped down and the dishes Angela had used for her breakfast she knew would already be in the dishwasher. The girl was meticulous about being clean and Esme couldn't stop herself from wondering if it was because Angela was naturally a tidy person or if perhaps the behavior had been forced upon her through her parents' actions. Opening the shining stainless steel fridge, she looked inside to assess what she would need to buy from the store and frowned at the contents of the shelves.
She had gone shopping for food the day before Angela and Bella had arrived for their girl's weekend more than two weeks ago and there was still quite a bit of food left inside. Although Bella and Angela were the only two who ate the food, Esme knew that there should be more gone than what there was. There were still two slices left over of the lasagna she had made three days ago, the layered meal only large enough for four servings. Thinking back over the previous two weeks, she shut the appliance door and let her mind drift over the times she'd watched Angela eat. The girl was too thin, Carlisle having told her that Angela needed to gain at least twenty pounds before he would consider her healthy. But in all the time that she had been there with them, Esme couldn't remember Angela eating more than half of what she was given at a time.
She knew that Angela loved food, helping her prepare the meals more than once, so why was she not eating? It didn't make sense to her. She knew that it had nothing at all to do with the food's appeal, having asked Bella for Angela's favorite snacks and drinks to prepare for the weekend. Pulled from her thoughts by the ringing phone, Esme stepped up to the cordless phone on the counter and answered the call.
"Good morning, Chief Swan," she greeted the man with a smile before frowning at his request. "I believe that Carlisle has a surgery scheduled for this morning, but I can come down to the station. Why, what's wrong?"
"The man Emmett caught in Angela's house, he's fighting against the harassment charges," Charlie told her.
"Harassment?" Esme asked as she gathered her purse and keys before asking Charlie to hold for a moment.
Retrieving her cell phone from her purse, Esme opened the device and pressed a few buttons on the portable house phone. A few seconds later her cell phone rang and she picked up the transferred call. Making certain that Charlie was on her cell phone before she put the portable phone back into its cradle, she walked toward the front of the house.
"Harassment is the only thing we can use to charge someone with stalking. Unfortunately, there isn't one law itself that protects a victim from a stalker. Is Angela in school?"
"Yes, she is, did you need me to bring her?" Esme asked as she exited the house and walked toward the silver Mercedes that was a twin of her husband's car save for the color.
"No, but I really would rather talk to both you and Doctor Cullen at the same time. What this man is saying is pretty serious and so far I haven't been able to reach her parents."
"Charlie, what's going on?" Esme asked her voice heavy with worry as she slipped behind the wheel of her car and turned it on.
"Mrs. Cullen…Esme," he paused for a moment. "This is something I'd really rather discuss in person with both of you. Give Carlisle a call, then let me know what time would work best. I can even come down to the hospital if that would be better."
"Ok," she agreed slowly. "I'll call you from the hospital and let you know."
Esme disconnected the call after parting words were made and could feel a cold sense of dread move through her. Pulling out of the driveway and maneuvering through the streets, she found herself needing to make certain that Angela was safe. She knew that the girl was in school, knew that Bella and her children were there with her, but her heart was telling her to be sure. Pulling into the school's parking lot, she exited her car and stepped inside. The bell rang as the doors closed behind her and she watched as students filed out of every classroom.
Edward moved through the crowd toward her, Alice coming down the hallway behind him. They had both sensed her presence, Alice through her visions and Edward through his talent for reading thoughts, and both could sense her unease. Frowning as he looked at Esme, Edward gave short curt nod before looking around the crowded hallway. He spotted Angela talking to Bella a few paces back and called her forth. He didn't understand the worried thoughts coming from Esme, but if she felt worried enough to come down to the school between classes then it was serious.
Angela smiled when she saw Esme standing in the hallway and stepped forward. Her smile fell when she saw the worry in the woman's eyes that she was unable to hide and she bit her lip, frowning as she stopped a few feet away from Esme. She knew something was wrong, she could feel it and the spike of fear and worry in her emotions drew Jasper forth to stand beside her. She looked over at him when he touched her arm, but shook her head as she moved closer to Esme.
"What is it?" Angela asked, her dark eyes searching Esme's.
Esme opened her mouth to tell her that all was fine before sighing and tipping her head to the side. Telling the others to go back to their classes, she led Angela down the hall and into the administration offices. Talking to the woman at the desk, she told her that she needed to borrow Angela for a few moments and requested that her teacher be made aware that she may be late for her next class. She walked quietly as she took Angela outside and sat with her on a wooden bench beneath an old oak tree. Angling so that she was turned toward Angela, Esme reached out and tucked her hair behind her ear.
"Chief Swan said not to worry you that we or he could tell you later, but whatever news he has sounds serious. You deserve to make the choice of whether or not you'd like to hear it first hand or from one us later on."
"This is about the man that broke in, my stalker?" Angela asked and glanced down at her hands before looking back up at Esme.
Esme nodded and watched the emotions pass over Angela's face as the girl considered what she'd said. Angela looked down at her hands again, her brows furrowing as she studied her hands folded in her lap. It still bothered her that she hadn't looked at the man's face and when she had given her statement to Chief Swan he had told her that her inability to positively identify the man could be called into question. She didn't know why he stalked her, why he was after her and that bothered her more than anything.
"I want to know," Angela said softly as she looked up. "I don't want to wait."
"Ok," Esme nodded and stood. "Let's get you signed out."
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Carlisle looked up at the soft knock on his office door and smiled at the feel of Esme's presence. Striding across the room, he frowned at Angela's scent and opened the door, biding both women entrance to his office. He could see the upset Angela was trying to hide and held his arm out to her in invitation of a hug. She stepped easily into his arms, and he held her close for a long moment as he looked at Esme. She shook her head, her expression telling him that she would explain in a few moments, she asked what time his surgery was scheduled for.
"It was cancelled," he said without further explanation and turned his attention on Angela when she stepped away. "Are you alright?" he asked studying her eyes.
Angela nodded silently, biting her lip before looking at Esme. She had told her at the school that she wanted to know whatever it was that Chief Swan had to say, but now she wasn't so sure. What if the man was going to get away with what he did because she couldn't identify him? She had been afraid that if she waited, if she looked at the man's face that he would hurt her before she could call for help. Had she been wrong? Should she have stopped to look at him? It would be her fault if he was released.
Looking up when Carlisle called her name, concern evident in his voice, she waited for him to speak. He held his hand out to her, brought her closer when she placed her palm in his and kissed her forehead before promising her that she was safe. Logically she knew that the man was in jail and that the Cullens were strong enough to protect her from almost anything, but her memory of that night, the fear that still clung to her heart kept her from being confident in her own safety. Her eyes snapped to the door when she heard someone knock and Carlisle rubbed her arm, offering her a soft smile as he stepped across the room and welcomed Chief Swan into his office.
Motioning to the chairs by his desk as he offered the police chief a seat, Carlisle and Esme moved with Angela to sit on the couch. Her fear was evident, and the more she tried to pretend to be ok the more her hands trembled. Taking Angela's hand in his, Carlisle watched her, worried that the stress of this would induce a migraine.
"Dr. Cullen, Esme," he greeted them in turn and nodded at Angela. "How are you doing, Angela?" he asked and she bit her lip, shrugging her shoulders as she remained silent. "Like I told Esme on the phone earlier, the man who broke in, Jason Broomer, he's claiming that he's not the one who's been stalking you," he said and looked at Angela.
"Not the one?" Angela repeated slowly, unaware that she was tightly clenching Carlisle's hand.
"Was there any evidence on the notes that Angela turned over to you?" Carlisle asked as he chaffed his thumb over the back of her hand.
"No. The lab called me this morning and said that the notes were clean. The only prints on them were Angela's and whoever left them for you, Angela was careful to always type them."
Angela nodded and looked down as she fought to remain calm. With no evidence on the notes then that meant that there was no proof of stalking. For all anyone knew she could've left the notes for herself. If they weren't able to hold the man for stalking her, and she couldn't identify him as the man who broke in, where did that leave her? Looking up when Esme rubbed her arm in an attempt to soothe her, she tried to smile, but her fear turned the expression into a grimace.
"What happens now?" Angela asked as she met Charlie's gaze.
"I'm waiting on a judge's approval to get a search warrant for his place. Anything we find there should tell us more, but the truth is I don't know how long we can hold him. The official charge is breaking and entering, but it's beginning to look like that might be thrown out, too. He had a key, Angela. That's how he got in."
The fear froze her in place, her migraine screaming to life, pulsing inside her brain. She tried not to react, tried to be still and quiet, but she was terrified. This man had a key to her home, he had entry anytime he wanted it and nothing she said could prove that she hadn't given it to him. She closed her eyes against the panic arresting her, tried to calm her breathing even as her heart raced madly in her chest. Each beat of her heart made her migraine pulse and she wished that the others were there; needed to feel the safety that Emmett and Jasper afforded her with their big brother-bodyguard attitudes. Her phone buzzed in her pocket, but she ignored the vibrations. Looking up at Chief Swan, Angela tried to remain calm as she voiced her fears.
"If I had looked at his face then you could have – "
"Angela, no," Esme rubbed her arm. "Sweetheart, no one's blaming you."
"Angela," Charlie waited until she met his gaze before he continued. "You did exactly what you needed to, exactly what I would tell anyone else to: you fought back and got away. I've petitioned for a restraining order for you, he won't be able to get within five hundred feet of you and if he does, you call me or nine-one-one and he's put away no questions asked."
She nodded, but still felt at fault for not being able to identify him. He was going to be released because she hadn't looked at his face. Looking down at her hand held in Carlisle's she began to wonder how long it would be until she was left alone again. Her father hadn't believed her, had told her she was just begging for attention again. How soon would it be before they tired of her, too? She watched Carlisle ease his hand from her grip and looked up as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close for a brief hug. Kissing her temple, he promised to return shortly and asked Chief Swan to follow him outside his office.
Looking back at Angela as he pulled the door closed behind him, Carlisle pursed his lips and looked down for a moment as he thought of how best to discuss the situation with her parents.
"Angela's parents," Charlie said drawing Carlisle's undivided attention. "They're more than just out of town, aren't they?"
"Yes," Carlisle nodded once, his face tense with worry. "I was able to speak to her father for a few moments roughly four days ago. He did not tell of his location, but from the background noises and conversations I heard, my best guess is somewhere in South America. Angela is staying with my family until further notice and is welcome to stay as long as she likes."
Charlie nodded quietly. "You're good people, Dr. Cullen and I trust her with you. I've had my suspicions about her parents for awhile now. I'll let you know if I have any other questions for her."
Carlisle narrowed his eyes as he studied Charlie's face. He knew this man well, having worked with him on several occasions as a coroner and knew that he was holding something back. Asking Charlie what it was that he didn't want Angela to know, he waited and watched the man fidget somewhat uncomfortably.
"Broomer…he claims he was paid to attack Angela. He said that he was supposed to take her to someone else."
Carlisle stilled, his venom pooling in his mouth as he fought against his rising anger. There was no way to know if what Broomer said was true or not, but the possibility that it was had him on edge. Swallowing back his venom, Carlisle took in a deep calming breath and asked if there was any more information, or confirmation of the man's claims.
"He didn't have a name, or any way of contacting the person, but he did say that he was given the key, a picture of Angela and her address. Unfortunately, there's no way to validate his claims."
"So he could be simply trying to get out of jail by saying it was someone else?" Carlisle asked, frowning when he saw Jasper coming down the hall and slipping into his office just out of sight of Charlie.
"Could be, but I'm tempted to believe him. He doesn't strike me as the obsessive type, seems more like the kind to do anything for a quick buck. I can legally hold him for thirty days on the breaking and entering charge, but like I told you all in there, he's fighting it and with the key…"
Carlisle nodded and thanked Charlie for keeping them updated. Promising that he and his family would protect Angela, he watched the man leave before turning back to his office. He wasn't surprised to see Angela engulfed in Jasper's arms, each member of his family had become far more protective of her after learning of her stalker. Emmett and Jasper had kept close to her the most since her attack, but it was barely noon and he asked his adoptive son quietly what he was doing there instead of at school.
"I felt her," he said, keeping his voice too low for Angela to hear. "Anytime that she's really upset or scared the feel of her migraine pulses."
"Pulses?" Carlisle asked and noticed that Angela was in half sleep state in his son's arms, Jasper's embrace and talent calming her.
"Yes, pulses. Like a distress signal."
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Angela sat across from Bella at the Java Hut, staring down into her ceramic mug of mocha two days later. It was Saturday and although the weekends were supposed to be filled with frivolous activities, Angela couldn't deny the fear that weighed down her heart. Nothing had happened, she told herself for what felt like the millionth time, nothing really happened.
"You know, you're the one who asked me for coffee, remember?" Bella joked as she looked across the small table at Angela.
"I know, I'm sorry," Angela apologized as she looked around the Java Hut. "I wanted to talk to you; I'm just not sure how to broach the subject."
"I'm fairly easy," Bella said with a smile. "I don't remember you and I having this much trouble talking before."
"I wasn't living with your boyfriend's family before…and besides that, Jessica usually does all the talking. Is it weird? I don't want it to be weird. I feel like I'm intruding a bit. They were yours first."
Bella grinned before taking a sip of her coffee and shrugged. "There's more than enough of them to go around, besides that, you need them as much as I do. Maybe even more than I do, it's not weird. I promise. How are you doing?"
Angela said that she was fine only to be leveled with a look from Bella telling her that she wasn't fooling anyone. Blushing and looking down into her mocha, Angela bit her lip. It was still extremely nerve wracking for her to discuss her fears, her worries and emotions. She was always afraid of being rejected for speaking out. Taking a deep breath as she tried to calm her racing heart, Angela looked up.
"I don't know, I'm…kind of on edge all the time. I can't stop looking over my shoulder and," her voice was so soft that Bella was thankful they were the only two in the Java Hut. "I keep thinking that I'm going to wake up and…and be alone again."
Reaching out, Bella placed her hand over Angela's, trying to give her friend some semblance of comfort. Angela wouldn't meet her eyes, and she could feel her hand trembling beneath her own. Angela was terrified. Terrified of her stalker, or being alone, of not being enough. Bella frowned down at their joined hands and wished there was something she could do.
"I'm sorry, you don't…you don't need to hear this," Angela tried to pull back, but Bella's grip tightened around her hand.
"Hey," Bella shook her hand just enough to make her look up and meet her gaze. "We're friends, remember?"
Releasing Angela's hand, she watched as her friend tried to smile, but instead looked frightened. She had never known that Angela was suffering so much; her friend hid it far too well under the cover of shyness. She could see the tension in her face, watched her brows quirk and knew that Angela had more to say.
She was shaking; her entire body was trembling with emotions that she was trying her level best to hide. She was scared all the time. Scared that she wasn't safe when she was out in public, scared that the Cullens would see whatever her parents had and terrified of being alone. She didn't want to be weak. She didn't want to be scared, but each time she closed her eyes she was back in her room and being attacked again. She had started trying to block Edward, not wanting him to be subject to her fear, her memories of the attack. She felt guilty enough each time she had a migraine, upset that Jasper was being hurt every time he tried to help her.
"I'm hurting Jasper," she said quietly, her voice thick with guilt and self recrimination. "Every time I have a migraine, I'm hurting him. I don't want to hurt them."
"The thing about the Cullens is, once they take you in, they'll protect you with everything they have. They're not going to toss you aside, and as far as Jasper goes, he's a good guy. I know Edward's pretty worried about you. He talks to me sometimes when he thinks I'm asleep. He's worried you're pulling away. I thought you liked his talent."
"I do," Angela's whispered voice shook. "But I can't get the attack out of my mind. Every time I close my eyes…I know that it could've been worse, and there are so many things I should've done differently. He's going to get out because I can't identify him. He had a key to my house…Bella, he had a key!"
Angela folded her lips inward as she bit down on them and rubbed her fingertips against her forehead, unaware that she was rocking back and forth. She could feel her trembling grow worse as tears stung behind her eyes. Jumping at the feel of arms around her, Angela returned Bella's embrace. She struggled against the pull of her tears, tried her best not to cry, but the first tear fell down her cheek. A choked sob sounded from her and before she could regain control, Angela found herself sobbing into Bella's shoulder.
"Oh, look, it's Angela Weber and Bella Swan," a sneering voice sounded close to them, shocking them apart. "I heard you were living with the Cullens now, Weber. Rumor has it you put out for them all through Spring Break. Is Bella making the family slut feel better?"
Bella sat in silence, her mouth falling open, her eyes impossibly wide as she stared at Lauren Mallory. Angela slapped a hand over her mouth as she ran for the bathrooms. Bella shook her head, standing slowly from the table as she grabbed up both her cell phone and Angela's before following after her friend. She found Angela crouched inside the single person bathroom, vomiting into the toilet as she sobbed. Opening her phone and selecting Esme's name, Bella sent her a text.
Java Hut Angela needs you
Bella slipped the phones into her pockets and knelt next to Angela. Rubbing her back and doing what she could to soothe her, her mind was still reeling from Lauren had said. The girl was popular and could have anyone she wanted, but she looked down her nose at everyone. Looking up at the soft knock on the door, Bella stood and opened it, letting Esme inside. Keeping her voice low, she told Esme what had happened and what Lauren had said.
"Sweetheart," Esme knelt down beside Angela and rubbed her back. "It's Esme," gathering her long dark hair in her hands, she held it back and asked Bella to fill one of the small paper cups with water. "Here you go, Angela," she handed her the cup and waited while the girl rinsed her mouth and spit into the toilet before flushing it. "Ok, I've got you, sweetie. That's it, slow now," Esme soothed her as she helped her to her feet. "Bella, could you go pull your truck around. I was faster on foot."
Bella nodded silently and held the door open as Esme helped Angela walk out of the bathroom. Esme rubbed her hand up and down Angela's arm as she walked beside her through the coffee shop. She kept her voice low and soothing as she spoke words of comfort to the girl and helped her out to Bella's truck that was idling in front of the doors. Opening the passenger door and helping Angela into the vehicle, she slid in beside her and wrapped her arm around her shoulders as she closed the door.
Esme hugged Angela close as Bella navigated the truck through the streets and back to the Cullen manor. Kissing her temple and stroking her hand down over Angela's hair, Esme was hard pressed not to find Lauren and deal with the girl herself, but Angela was more important. The girl in her arms was quiet, too quiet, and the silent tears coursing down her cheeks worried Esme more than they would if Angela was still sobbing. Pressing a kiss to her dark hair as Bella pulled up to the house and shut the engine off, Esme looked up as her door opened.
Carlisle stood inside the open door of the truck and waited for Esme to climb out before he reached inside and lifted Angela into his arms. Holding her close, he carried her inside. He didn't care that she was sixteen or more than able to walk inside under her own power, in that moment all he cared was that she was hurting. He had already welcomed her into his family, and just like Bella, he accepted her as his daughter, human or otherwise. He sat down with her on the sofa, holding her in his arms as she cried quietly into his shoulder.
Rubbing her back, he looked up at Esme, listening intently as she relayed to him what Bella had told her. He clenched his jaw, closed his eyes, and held Angela closer. She had been through enough, first at the hands of her parents and then from her stalker. For Lauren to have said that to her… He looked down at her to find her still awake, but unresponsive.
"Angela, sweetheart," he called to her as he leaned her back to see her face. "Angela, talk to me," he said as he tucked her hair behind her ears.
"She's still," Edward said as he knelt in front of the couch and looked up into her face. "She's not even thinking anything. It's like she's just shut down."
"Jasper?" Carlisle turned his attention on his other son and watched him shake his head.
"No," he looked intently at Angela as he searched for any emotion. "It feels like she's guarding herself. Shut herself away inside her mind and pulled the door closed after."
"At the Java Hut," Bella's voice was hesitant, "she said that she couldn't get the attack out of her mind. She doesn't feel safe and then for Lauren to say that…"
"I know," Edward said as he looked up at Angela. "She's been trying to block me, but she can't, her emotions are too strong for that."
"Give her to me," Emmett said as he walked in the front door, followed close behind by Rosalie and Alice.
"Emmett," Carlisle looked as though he wanted to protest, but he had to concede that his son had spent the most time with Angela.
They all watched as Emmett sat down on Angela's side opposite Carlisle and lifted her to sit in his lap. He wrapped his arms tightly around her, curling his body around hers in a wholly protective manner as he rocked back and forth slowly. He spoke to her softly, promised her that she was safe and begged her to come back to him. Edward's eyes flew to Rosalie as he saw Emmett's memories, knew that this was how he had calmed Rosalie through her panic attacks after their first few years of being together. He cuddled her closer, curled his body tighter around hers as he tried to hide her from view and moments later they heard the first of her soft whimpers.
"Em-Emmett," Angela spoke his name, her voice soft and fearful.
"I'm right here, Sweetheart," he promised and kissed her forehead, "I'm right here."
"I'm tired," she whimpered as he stopped rocking and sat back.
"Then you just go to sleep, ok?" he said as she curled against his chest. "I'll be here, Half Pint. I'll look after you."
She whimpered once more as her eyes fell closed. Curling against his chest, her hand fisting in his shirt, Angela gave into the darkness pulling at her brain and fell asleep. He held her in his lap as she slept and looked at his family, his expression dark.
"Who the hell did this?" Emmett growled low.
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Consciousness came slowly, her eyes dry and aching from her tears. Blinking into the darkness, Angela whimpered softly and felt an arm tighten around her. Nuzzling her face against the hard chest she was using as a pillow, she breathed in deeply and pushed herself up slowly to a seated position as the person she had been curled against turned on the bedside lamp. Emmett looked at her, his expression somewhere between sad and comforting as he lifted his hand to brush her hair back from her face. Rubbing her hands against her eyes, Angela blinked against the brightness of the light and looked up as she felt the bed dip beside her.
"How are you feeling?" Rosalie asked her gently as she tucked her hair behind her ear.
"My head hurts," Angela whimpered, her mind too tired to comprehend that she had given voice to her pain.
"Yeah, I thought it might," Rosalie soothed as Emmett sat up behind her and leaned Angela back to rest against him. "Toradol or Advil?" she asked, opening her hand to reveal the two medications as she lifted the small cup of water from the bedside table.
"What?"
Angela's soft voice was whispered, her question so soft that only one of their kind could hear it. Rosalie looked at her with sadness and understanding. It was one thing to be attacked by someone you knew, but for it to be someone you had never met… It was the not knowing that could prove to be too much. Closing her hand over the three pills, Rosalie dropped the Toradol into Angela's hand and pressed the glass of water into her hand.
"Stay awake," Rosalie said softly after Angela took the migraine medicine. "You need to eat something. You and Bella went to coffee this morning, it's after eight PM. Bella said you barely ate anything at the Java Hut."
She was hungry, she could feel her stomach clenching with the need for food, but she was scared of being sick again. Her body couldn't handle being more than one-hundred-fifteen pounds and she knew that she had been eating more at the Cullens' simply because Esme loved to cook the meals herself, making everything homemade instead from boxes or pre-prepared meals. She had already put them through so much with her migraines; she didn't want to add to it by being sick.
Helping her from the bed, Rosalie led her down the hall and into the bathroom, leaving her to tend to her needs. Shaking her head, she looked up at Emmett and sighed. Of all of her family, Rosalie was the last to admit to or express worry, but Angela reminded her too much of herself. Where Rosalie was bitchy and ready to spar verbally, Angela would shut down and turn inward. The last thing Rosalie wanted to see was Angela trapped within her own mind. She knew all too well how deceitful and tormenting one's own mind could be.
She waited for Angela to come back out of the bathroom and saw how difficult it was for the girl to stand up on her own, let alone stay awake. Her arms were too thin, her legs more slender than her height would allow and Rosalie knew that something more than migraines was wrong with her. Keeping her arm wrapped around the girl's shoulders, she led her downstairs, not bothering to let her change from the cotton pajama set she'd changed her into earlier. There was no doubt in her mind that as soon as Angela had eaten she would fall asleep again.
"Look who's awake," Rosalie said softly and watched Esme and Carlisle turn in unison.
"Hey, Sweetheart," Carlisle greeted as he stepped forward and took Angela into his arms.
"Papa," she said, her eyes closing as she leaned against him, too tired to realize that she'd spoken at all.
Carlisle smiled down on the half asleep girl in his arms, knowing that she had no idea she'd spoken and wondering if she even knew where she was. For her to have slept as long as she did told him that she was not gaining the restful sleep that she needed and he considered picking up a mild sedative for her. She needed to sleep, and throughout the past week, he knew that she hadn't been getting the necessary eight hours per night that she needed. She curled against his chest and he knew that if he let her, she'd be asleep again within moments.
"You need to eat, Sweetheart," he told her as he leaned her back to look in her half-lidded eyes. "Are you hungry for anything in particular?"
Asking only for tomato soup, Angela leaned heavily against Rosalie once more as the blonde led her into the kitchen. Esme turned to Carlisle and voiced her concern over the girl's lack of eating and asked if there was anything that could be done.
"We have to get her to talk," Carlisle said as he held his wife against his side. "Considering how unwilling she has been thus far to talk over her childhood or her parents that may prove difficult."
Alice walked toward them a few moments later, her expression worried. Telling them that Angela had consumed less than half the bowl of soup Rosalie had prepared, she voiced her concern. Angela was not anywhere near a healthy weight for a girl of her height and it concerned them all. Watching as Emmett walked toward them with Angela half asleep in his arms, he turned his attention on Carlisle. Stepping up to their family's patriarch, Emmett laid Angela in his arms and kissed her forehead.
"Read to her," Emmett said as he looked down on the nearly sleeping girl. "Edward left to see Bella, but he said that Angela wanted you to read to her. He said she missed it."
Carlisle's smile was soft and fatherly, his expression gentle and loving. Cradling Angela against his chest, he carried her up the stairs and into her bedroom to lay her gently down on the bed. If Edward said that she wanted to be read to, then he would read to her all night long. Looking at the titles on her bookshelf, Carlisle took The Incredible Journey from the second shelf before returning to her side. She was almost asleep as it was and, tucking the blankets around her and under her chin, Carlisle bent low and kissed her forehead before sitting on the bed next to her.
He read through the first three chapters before finding her to be sleeping soundly. Whispering a soft "goodnight", he tucked a red ribbon through the pages and set the book on the end table before switching off the lamp. Leaning down, he kissed her forehead once more before standing and leaving her to sleep in peace. Looking back from the open doorway, Carlisle couldn't help but think how tiny she looked in the bed tucked under the thick blankets.
"You love it, don't you?" Jasper said as he looked at Carlisle. "Sure, it's one thing to be the head of our coven, but Angela…she needs you as only a human can. She needs a father, a real father, and you love being that for her."
Unknowing how better to express himself, Carlisle simply shrugged and said, "She's my little girl."
