Chapter 10 –RPOV

I couldn't sleep. This was the second night, and no matter how tired I was, I couldn't close my eyes without seeing my two eldest daughters hurt or being hurt in some way. But, I couldn't keep Emmett up too, so I carefully extracted myself from the warm bed, and took my dressing gown off the hook. I silently crept down the hallway towards my office. I would do some work: that would take my mind off things. So, I clicked on my emails, but that didn't help at all. I had at least six asking if Savannah would model in 'this' campaign, and now she was pregnant there were people asking if she'd help them launch their maternity wear? I answered them, saying she was away at the moment, but I would tell them as soon as she got back. If she got back... No Rosalie, don't think like that: they will come back.

I heard the door creak and turned around to see who was there. It was Alice.

"What's up honey?" I asked her.

"I had a nightmare Mama," she said and I saw again the little girl she used to be; before Savannah and Bella, where every night was plagued by nightmares.

"Shh baby, come here. I'll protect you forever," I soothed, taking her onto my lap.

"It was about Savannah, Bella and Coco," she whispered.

She never called my eldest biological daughter Savannah - it was always Karlie.

"What happened? But whatever it was, it was just a dream," I reassured, stroking her hair gently.

"They were on a beach. It was cold, and they had jackets on. Coco was all wrapped up in one of those papooses, so I couldn't see if it was a boy or a girl; but they were laughing. I was on the same beach with you, and Daddy and Jess but it was summer. You were sunbathing whilst Daddy read his book. No-one but me noticed they were there," she stopped and tears were pooling in her eyes, I hugged her closer to me, "Then, I saw the tide rising on their beach. There was a woman with auburn hair coming in on the tide and she was shouting at them, but I couldn't hear what was being said. The tide was rising faster and I tried to get their attention but I couldn't get through and they hadn't realised; they were staring at the woman. Then the tide came and I heard their screams of help but couldn't save them."

"Darling, darling don't cry. It was just a dream: nothing but a bad dream I promise," I comforted.

"Mummy, it was so real and I heard them screaming. They were so scared and I heard Coco Bean crying. Karlie was screaming more and then when I turned back to our beach you were crying and so was Daddy."

"Alice sweetheart, come with me: I want to show you something. You'll need a coat and some shoes; but remember to be quiet."

I had decided to take her to my favourite night-time solace. I knew neither of us would ever get back to sleep, and there was no point us creeping around whilst we waited for the rest of the family to wake up.

"Where are we going Mama?" she asked as I met her by the front door.

"You'll have to wait and see," I told her as I unlocked it and grabbed a key off the shelf.

We snuck round the side of the house and I led her down the garden, past the play house: further than we've ever let the children go, as we liked to keep them within sight of the house. Alice clung tighter to my hand as we rounded the pond and I know she was remembering the time my brother Jasper fell off the canoe and nearly drowned. The canoe still sits there in the reeds; untouched since that day.

Finally we reached it; my own heaven on Earth, my Garden of Eden. It was a small patch of the garden where the moonlight spilt through the trees onto a perfect circle of grass. There were wild flowers growing all around the edge, and I'd put a bench in it for me to sit on. It was the inspiration for most of my flowery designs and I could tell Alice was as enchanted by it as I was.

"Mummy, it's like the Secret Garden," she whispered with enchantment in her voice.

"But a hundred times better," I whispered back, and led her over to my bench.

"This is where I come whenever I'm upset or need to think," I explained, "It's where I came a lot when Savannah first came to stay with us and when she told me about Coco Bean."

"Can I come here too?" she pleaded.

"Not on your own you can't, but I'll come with you. However, we only visit at night as it looks prettiest then."

At that moment my phone rang. I took it out, praying it wasn't either of the girls, and breathed a sigh of relief when I saw it was Harry. But, what if something had happened and they'd called him first, not me? Just calm down Rosalie and answer the phone: then you'll find out.

"Hello," I answered.

"I didn't wake you up did I? It's just I couldn't sleep and I doubted you could too and I've just had the most fabulous idea and I had to tell you before I forgot what it was," he gushed.

"No you didn't: Alice and I were wide awake," I laughed.

"Oh, hi Ali. Well, I was thinking that we could put a collage of the whole family up on the wall to make it feel more loved. Like you, me, Sana, Bella, the twins, Em, and all the rest of the family if you know what I mean."

"Yes, that sounds gorgeous, and Karlie will love it too," I told him honestly.

"I am also writing a journal to give it, but is that too cheesy?" he asked sheepishly.

"Goodness no, that's perfect. I'm thinking of starting a maternity section in my magazine if we're being honest; which we most definitely are."

"Cool, so I'll pop round tomorrow and we can get some stuff together," he said.

"Yeah, that sounds great: now get some sleep!" I said before hanging up.

Alice during this time had fallen asleep and looked so peaceful. This place had a power over both of us, and it had put her restless mind at ease for which I was grateful. I scooped up her tiny body and carried her back to her bed before proceeding to get on with some work.

The next morning she bounced into my office with a huge smile on her face.

"I had a dream that we went into the garden last night and there was this beautiful place with a bench in it," she exclaimed.

"Sounds magical," I told her, smiling to myself.

Harry was coming over at ten and I was going to get the boxes of photographs out of the attic to go through when Emmett stopped me.

"Rosie, you haven't slept in two days, are you alright?"

"Am I alright. No Emmett I'm not. My two eldest daughters and grandchild are half way across the country on their own and you expect me to be alright," I shouted before collapsing sobbing into his arms.

"Shh, Rosie it'll be alright," he whispered, much in the same way I had done to Alice last night.

"I'm a wreck. I can't turn on the television or radio for fear I'll hear that something has happened: I just want them home. Where I can see them and know they're aright: where I can make sure Savannah is taking all her prenatal vitamins and I know they're safe with me," I sobbed.

"Well then, why don't we: the McCarty family take a short family holiday up to Norfolk?" Emmett asked.

"But Bella wanted to do this alone," I replied, but part of me was yearning to agree.

"We wouldn't interfere, just be there where we could see them," he promised.

"I'm sold," I whispered and kissed him.

"Eww, Mummy and Daddy please don't," Jess moaned and we laughed.

"Hey JJ, how would you and Ali like to go up to Norfolk?" Emmett asked.

"I'll pack," Alice screamed and shot up the stairs and down the hall.

"I'll take that as a yes then," he said stroking my cheek tenderly.

I went to pack and as I did I couldn't help but think about Alice's nightmare. What if it were really more than just a bad dream?

Sorry it's short, but I hope you enjoyed it! Thank-you to Echoes-of-Dreams who convinced me to do this in Rosalie's point of view. Do you think it's a good idea for them to go? If you don't, then say and there can always be a puncture or something of the sort: a flu outbreak: you name it! Thank-you again for sticking by me and exams are officially over until November! XxX