Chapter 10
My phone beeped again most likely another message from Emmett apologizing again for ruining my dessert. I know he felt terrible when Rosalie told him what it was supposed to have been for. Knowing that they were going straight to dinner I didn't think I needed to explain that this was off limits, but I should have known better. Emmett raiding my fridge is a normal occurrence. I reached into my purse and finally just turned it off.
"As I'll ever be." I responded to Edward's question.
He opened the door and walked in like he owned the place. Maybe it's a family thing, remembering both his aunt and uncle were at his home, cooking dinner and answering his phone without him even being there like it was perfectly normal.
No one seemed to notice us at first. Carlisle was opening some windows as Esme stood underneath the smoke detector with a broom trying to silence the ear shattering beeping. I looked to Edward as he looked to me giving me the 'I'm sorry but this is not anything new' sort of look.
"Piece of shit smoke detector." Esme yelled ramming the handle into the middle of the device over and over again. Carlisle turned in our direction as if he was going to open the door next. A huge smile appeared on his face. He looked back at his wife but her focus was elsewhere and he walked over to us.
"Edward, Bella. I'm so glad you could make it." He semi-yelled to us. I was about to return the greeting when he held his finger up and walked back to Esme.
"I swear Carlisle; this thing is so sensitive." With one final whack the beeping stopped.
"Esme, Edward and Bella are here." She whipped around rather quickly then handed the broom to her husband.
"Edward." She gave him a quick hug. As she pulled away I noticed flour in the shape of Esme's hand was left on Edward's shirt.
"Bella." She gave me a hug too. "I'm so glad you came!" She pulled back and gave me a huge smile.
"Thank you for inviting me." I couldn't help but smile back. She made it seem like we were old friends, I liked her immediately.
"I've wanted to meet you from the minute Edward told us about you." Before I had a chance to respond Edward held the bag with our desserts out.
"Where would you like these Esme?" Carlisle stepped a little closer to inspect the contents of the bag, a smile lighting his face.
"Oh put them in the fridge dear." Carlisle followed Edward into the kitchen practically drooling after him.
"You have a lovely home." I said looking around the room.
"Would you like a tour?"
"I'd love one." We started on the main floor; the house seemed much bigger on the inside. It had the basics: kitchen, living room, dining room as well as the guest bathroom, I noticed that the medicine cabinet was slightly ajar and wondered if Carlisle did that on purpose so I would be able to find the things he stashed there in case Esme's cooking didn't agree with my stomach.
Next were two rooms that had a connecting inner door. I wondered what the rooms where originally used for but Esme informed me that they use them for their 'at home' offices. I glanced around before turning back to see that she had suddenly slipped into stealthy mode, looking back into the hall quickly as if checking to make sure the coast was clear before closing the door and turning back to me.
"Would you like to see some pictures?" Her voice was much quieter than it was a few moments ago.
"Yes, please." I sat in the chair she indicated to and watched as she pulled another one around next to mine before taking some photo albums from the shelf. She sat down and opened the album and shifted it so we both had a good view. The first few pictures were actually of her and Carlisle and they looked to be very young.
"I met Carlisle my freshman year in college and this picture was actually taken on our first date, he took me to a carnival and we found one of those photo booths."
"You both look so happy." I could read the emotions in their eyes quite easily.
"I swear it was love at first sight." She smiled. The cool thing was that they still held the same look for each other in all of the pictures, even the ones that were obviously pretty recent.
"I can believe it." She turned the page and there was a picture of Edward. He had a graduation cap and gown on, Esme stood next to him looking extremely proud.
"Edward is different." The statement was a little confusing and she must have been able to tell by the expression on my face that I had no idea what she was talking about.
"He's happy." She continued.
"Being happy is different?"
"I'm afraid so. He had a tough time growing up. Honestly I don't know how he turned out as well as he did. His parents….. I swear I could just kill them, both of them. Senior has always been incredibly hard on him. No matter what Edward did it was never good enough for that man." She was scowling clearly lost in thought.
"What about his mother?"
"She might as well not even have been there. She never stood up to her husband for the way he treated their son. I know he can be intimidating but." Esme seems to talk with her hands. Her arms were flailing about and her was voice was becoming louder but she stopped herself from finishing her sentence.
"I'm sorry, anyway I couldn't have been happier when Edward called us and said he wanted to move to Seattle. Carlisle was literally jumping up and down complete with a fist pump." She smiled again and I giggled while the image she just described flashed in my mind.
"It's too bad he didn't make the move sooner." I said.
"I think it has a lot to do with you."
"That he didn't move sooner?"
"Sorry, no. I meant that he's happy now and I think that has a lot to do with you. You've been a very good influence on him Bella."
"I don't think I can take the credit for that. I mean we only started talking a couple of months ago." She started laughing.
"Yes, that will be quite the story to tell the grandkids about." I wonder if Esme's been drinking. She looked at me and patted my knee when I didn't respond and put her focus back on the pictures. There were quite a few of a very young and completely adorable Edward and thanks to Esme mentioning grandkids I couldn't help but wonder what Edward's kids would look like. I….I think she did that on purpose.
"How long have you been living in Seattle?" I asked forcing the image out of my head.
"We moved out here when Edward was about 10. It broke our hearts to leave him but Carlisle had recently graduated Medical School and had received an incredible offer and my family is from Tacoma and my father had been very ill so we couldn't pass it up." She turned the page one last time before smiling.
"He was about three here. This one was during his naked phase; no matter how hard we tried we just couldn't keep clothes on that boy." The only incriminating picture might have been one where you could see his naked back side as he ran away from someone holding out clothes for him.
"Esme, I thought we agreed." Edward's voice went up an octave or two as he rushed in and swiftly took the album and shoved it back into its place on the bookshelf. He quickly ushered us out of the room stating that dinner was ready.
"I hope you like chicken; Edward said you were okay with anything besides fish." Esme said as she placed 'the loaf' down in the middle of the table. Now normally here is when I would make a comment about how good the food looks or smells but I hesitated thinking she would be able to see right through my lies since it was obviously burnt and the room still smelled slightly of smoke.
"I love chicken thank you, I'm sure it will be delicious." Charlie and Renee would be proud. The salad looked and actually tasted good as well as the French bread. I was beginning to think that perhaps Edward and Carlisle were just exaggerating.
"I've been dying to try out this new recipe." I helped myself to the chicken loaf. At least I wouldn't have to worry about it not being cooked all the way through. Trying not to cringe at the memory of Eric's tainted meat I took my first bite.
I had no words. This was….oh lord I reached for the glass of water in front of me. I took a big drink suddenly wishing that I would have taken Carlisle up on his offer of something else to drink. Something that might mask the awful taste in my mouth. I looked up to see Edward mouth the word 'sorry' while his hand covertly covered it from Esme's view.
Conversation flowed easily. In fact we all talked so much it was hard to eat at the same time and I realized this may be one of Carlisle's tactics. They both asked me about myself but as it turns out there was little that they didn't already know since Edward seemed to have already filled them in. I continued to eat what was on my plate. Too spicy burnt chicken interspersed with undercooked potato chunks. I knew there was more in there than that, but it was unidentifiable. Some array of spices and something else with the consistency of cottage cheese perhaps.
"Would anyone care for seconds?" Esme asked and I briefly considered taking some more, simply because she was so kind and went to so much trouble. Luckily Carlisle interjected.
"Why don't we save room for dessert? I'm sure you can send the leftovers home with Edward, it could be a nice lunch for him tomorrow." I could tell he must be practiced at this and often pawned off his dinner leftovers to Edward who probably dumped them as soon as he got home. How can she not know that this isn't any good, I wondered to myself. She didn't seem to be effected by it as everyone else had been. There has to be something wrong, I wonder if maybe she doesn't have any taste buds. That will be something to google later on.
"I'd like to apologize for the desserts." Carlisle looked at me like I was nuts. "I had actually made something for tonight but my friend Emmett got to it before I did so I picked these up on the way over."
"These are more than fine Bella; you shouldn't have gone to so much trouble."
"It was no trouble really; maybe I can try it again and have you both over for dinner." Esme smiled and Carlisle choked on his drink while answering right away.
"We'd love to." After we finished eating I started to clear the table.
"Bella, sweetie don't worry about the dishes, we'll take care of them. You and Edward can go relax for a while." She smiled again.
"Good idea, maybe I can finish giving you the tour." Edward said grabbing my hand and pulled me towards the stairs. As we were on our way up we passed by a collage similar to ones that I have of my friends and I, only these were all of Edward doing a variety of activities at various ages.
"I think you've probably seen enough pictures of me." He kept pulling and I wondered what his rush was.
"Come on Edward you were so cute."
"Were? As in past tense?"
"Yes were, and still are." I winked at him. He turned back and headed up the rest of the stairs in front of me giving me a very nice view. We reached the top and Edward pulled me into the room directly ahead. It was like I stepped back in time.
A poster of baseball star Sammy Sosa and Hockey legend Wayne Gretzky were located on the wall directly in front of me. As I continue to look around I catch a glimpse of what appears to be a Sports Illustrated Swim Suit model on the inside door of his closet. I think he notices that I notice and he discreetly steps in front of the door and pushes it closed so the busty brunette can no longer be seen.
Turning to the left I spotted a Nirvana and an autographed Pearl Jam poster. Edward informed me that Carlisle had taken him to see them in concert along with backstage passes when he was here one summer and was able to get them to sign it. The bed was a single and pushed up against the wall. A TV and many game consoles including an original Nintendo were on the opposite side. I looked over to see Edward kick his bedroom door closed, and then look at me with a wicked glint in his eye.
"Come here." For some reason his voice seemed even more sexy than usual. I quickly obeyed and he kissed me while slyly backing us up until my legs hit the edge of the bed. I'm not sure if it was me and I just lost my balance or if it was Edward's intention but I fell backwards onto his bed pulling him with me. I got a little lost in what we were doing until I suddenly remembered where we were.
"Edward, we can't do this here, this is your childhood bedroom and Carlisle and Esme are right down….." I said but he stopped my rant with his mouth kissing me one more time before pulling back.
"It was only my bedroom during the summertime." He said as if that would somehow negate the fact that his family is one floor below.
"Edward." He chuckles at my tone.
"Sorry, I actually didn't mean to attack you like that. I really only wanted a kiss, I just couldn't wait any longer."
"I know how you feel." And I did, I could barely stand it myself.
"Ready?" He asked standing up and offering me his hand. We started for the door but stopped when we heard voices coming for the other side.
"Hot damn, his door's closed." I could practically hear the smirk Carlisle was most likely sporting.
"Shhhh. They're going to hear you."
"Don't worry, they're probably too busy to notice." I can hear them both laughing trying to keep it quiet.
"Let's leave them be." I couldn't believe that they think we are actually...doing something... in their home. I'm beginning to question if that is the type of persona I am putting off. No, it can't be. I mean, they must be just teasing us...right? We haven't been up here that long and I know we kissed a little but they wouldn't think that...would they? And seemed to be okay with it? No, they're just teasing us, that's got to be it. I look to Edward to get his take but he is not looking at me he's looking down at the ground and his eyes are wide. I follow his line of sight and see that someone has just slide some condoms under the door. Fuck my life.