Chapter 10 : Home Sweet Home
Bella's POV
Forks , Washington
Everyone was home now other than Carlisle and Esme . Alice had already given everyone a heads up that they'd be a little late coming home . Apparently she had seen a vision of them stopping to hunt and to have a little time to themselves . We were all happy to know that Carlisle was finally back , though Renesmee was slightly frustrated that her grandfather wouldn't be home for at least another hour .
Renesmee reached up to me and I bent down so she could tell me whatever was on her mind . She placed her small palm on my cheek , letting a image of her sitting in Carlisle's lap with him telling her a story . I smiled warmly " Carlisle will be home soon sweetie . I know you want to see him , Mommy wants to see him too " I said in understanding . Carlisle had become a second father to me and I was just as eager to see him and know he was ok as everyone else .
Renesmee pouted , showing me another image . This one of her and Esme in the kitchen , cooking something up for Jake . I grinned " Esme will be home soon too " I added .
Edward looked up at us , having been lost in his world of music . He smiled " I know your impatient sweetie , but they will arrive home within the hour . " he said . He patted the place beside him on the piano bench and Nessie eagerly sat down beside him .
He grinned crookedly for a moment as he placed his hands over her tiny ones , teaching her one of the songs he had first learned when he started playing . Our daughter was a little annoyed with having to go through the basics , but Edward wanted to make sure she understood the basic things perfectly before she moved on .
Alice came flittering through the room at that moment " They just pulled onto the drive way " she chimed happily . Sure enough , I listened for a moment and heard the sound of tires on gravel . We all smiled to ourselves and Nessie squealed in delight . Jake even smiled for a moment before letting it fade before any of us ' leeches ' could tease him about it .
Carlisle walked inside the house with Esme at heels about two minutes later . Emmett was the first to speak " Carlisle , why is your shirt rumpled ? And is the top button undone ….. ? " he asked in amusement . Of course Emmett would comment on such things .
Carlisle glanced at himself and shrugged . He laughed and knelt down as Renesmee rushed over to him and Esme . Esme knelt down as well , and Nessie happily embraced both of her grandparents .
After about thirty minutes of hugging and welcoming Carlisle back home we all settled down once more . Alice was sitting on the bottom step , Jasper's head in her lap . Emmett and Rosalie were out in the garage , and Jake had left with Renesmee to go to the reservation and hang out with his friends there . I had heard Claire and my daughter had become fast friends , it seemed perfectly fine to me as it gave Renesmee a playmate .
I glanced up at Edward as he played softly . I recognized the song instantly . It was the one that he had composed in honor of Carlisle and Esme . I smiled and left my place on the couch to sit beside him . I watched as his long fingers flew over the keys , creating a beautiful song that one set of hands shouldn't be able to make .
" How are they ? " I asked in murmur .
He shrugged casually " They are enjoying being at home if that is what you are referring to . " he flashed a crooked smile , " Carlisle's trying to figure out when he should go back to the hospital and Esme's being herself – settled comfortably in his lap while he is on the phone . " he added .
I giggled . So they were in the safety of Carlisle's office ? Normally Esme sat beside Carlisle if he wasn't standing , she rarely left his side , but if there wasn't a chair to sit in she took the place in his lap .
Esme's POV
" Would it be alright if I returned to work on Monday ? I know it is three days but I would like a few days to recover . " Carlisle said quietly to his boss on the other line . A warm and kind voice told him that was perfectly ok . Miss Rodgers was more than happy to do that for Carlisle . She wasn't the only female coworker he had that was happy to please him .
" Thank you very much . Like I said , I'm very sorry for my prolonged absence . I'll do what I can to make up the work I've missed . " he smiled " goodbye , having a nice day Mary " he hung up the phone . " I've got three more days before I have to return to work . " he said happily .
I grinned " Hallelujah " I said in amusement .
Carlisle laughed lightly before gently moving me out of his lap . He stood up and walked over to one of the bookshelves in the office , removing an old leather Bible . I watched him silently , wondering what he was up to . The Bible was the one that had been in his family since the late 1500s ; he normally left it on the shelf so that it wouldn't get ruined .
He sat it down on the desk , opening it up to where the birth, death , and marriage dates were written . He chuckled , placing his finger on the marriage dates page . " I wrote that long before I proposed , I was dead certain that I would marry you one day…. I went ahead and put our names down as if that would make sure you did marry me . " he smiled briefly at me .
I smirked , looking at the page " You could have asked me when I was 16 . I would have said yes in a heartbeat " I replied . I read the names that were still legible , they were so faded now you could barely make them out .
The set of names before us was of Carlisle's parents .
John Cullen married to Mary Gainsford in 1636 , April 17th
Carlisle Cullen married to Esme Anne Platt in 1922 , May 8th .
I glanced at the birth date page . There was Carlisle's mother's name and her birth , and then Carlisle's own birthdate . After that he had carefully written Edward's , Rosalie's , Emmett's , Jasper's , and Alice's names and birthdates . He had even added my son to the list , despite how brief his life was .
Edward Anthony Masen Cullen , born 1901 , June 20th
Rosalie Lillian Hale McCarty Cullen , born 1915
Emmett Dale McCarty Cullen , born 1915
Mary Alice Brandon Whitlock Cullen , born 1901
Jasper Whitlock Hale , born 1843
Jonathon Carlisle Cullen , born 1921 , July 1st , died 1921 , July 3rd
Isabella Swan Cullen , born 1987 , September 13th
Renesmee Carlie Cullen , born 2006 , September 10th
The whole family was listed . I had asked Carlisle why he had put Jonathon's name down , and he told me ' because he was your son , making him my own son in my mind as well ' it had made me so happy to know that Carlisle considered Johnny part of his family . Even though he had never met him , he still considered him his own .
When he had turned around and asked why my son's middle name was the same as his , I had simply told him I wanted him to have the same name as the greatest man I had ever known . That had made him smile . I like to think that Carlisle loved that little knowledge , I think it helped make him believe that Johnny was his son too . In some kinda way .
I looked at him , then at where his parent 's names were written " Do you remember him at all now ? " I asked softly .
Carlisle shook his head " Vaguely . I did what I could to recover my memory , but time has dimmed it so much I barely remember him . What I do remember of him I wonder if my mind was simply trying to give me something to remember of my old life , so it created false memories . " he said quietly . He closed the Bible and smiled at me " How about we go and join the others ? I don't want Emmett making any more assumptions , if you understand what I mean by that " he said , changing the topic .
I giggled , unable to help it . Emmett would be the one to try and figure out what we could possibly being doing up here . I waited until he had put the Bible back up before grabbing his hand and leading him out and back downstairs .