Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Ménage

Chapter 21 –Knowing She Was There All Along

Esme did not consider herself a prude. She was not particularly religious or uptight, but she had her morals, and she raised her sons to be the same way. Sex wasn't necessarily something sacred in her mind, but she firmly believed that people should only have sex when they were in love. She enjoyed sex, and she wasn't ashamed of that. Her mother, the hell-spewing Martha Platt, had brought her up in a strict, religious household. Church every Sunday or you were going to Hell, pre-marital sex and you were doomed to an eternity of fire and pain. If you cursed, you had to pray on your knees for forgiveness and starve yourself for two days to atone. Makeup was forbidden, even bobby pins were banned. Vanity was a great sin. Beauty was sinful, and Esme had the misfortune to be quite the beauty. Her mother had called her a whore on more than one occasion.

Esme's father, Roger Platt, was a good man. Esme used to wonder how a nice, wholesome man like him ended up with such a bitch (and Esme never prayed for forgiveness for using that word. Martha was a bitch, and that was that). He and Esme were close, and he was the good cop to Martha's bad cop. They were comrades fighting the same person. It was a shame that her parents didn't believe in divorce. Divorce was equivalent to punching God in the face, or so her mother said. It was an image Esme couldn't help but smile at.

Roger was the one who suffered the most. He was stuck and in love, which was a terrible thing to be when you were married to the wrong woman. Esme felt sorry for him, and she was angry for him. He was in love with a woman named Ana, a divorcee with two children who Esme was friends with. He met her when Nina, her daughter, was at the Platt's house. She came to pick her up, and Roger was the one to receive her at the door. It started as an infatuation, and weeks later he was thoroughly in love. They never had an affair. Ana wasn't even aware of his feelings. It was never meant to be.

Ana moved eventually, and Esme saw her father's heartbreak. He was devastated. Martha was none the wiser. She was the coldest woman ever, in her daughter's opinion, and would have made Roger's life ten times worse had she known he was in love with the lovely sinner Ana Bloom.

When Esme was eighteen, she began college. Months later she met her soon-to-be husband Carlisle. He was perfect for her, but she was cautious. He might be too good to be true. She might end up like her father, but Esme was not against divorce, and she was determined to be happy with her life. As it turned out, Carlisle was perfect, and they were perfect together. They married early. He became a doctor and she a decorator, (a profession her mother would have considered a vain whore's career), and they had three beautiful sons.

Her mother died when she was nineteen. A heart attack. Esme couldn't say that she missed her, but she did miss the mother who Martha Platt never was. Esme knew that when she became a mom, she would love her children the way her mother never did her, and treat them the right way.

Five months after her mother's death, her father called her with some news.

He was getting married. Esme was stunned. He'd already met someone? After twenty odd years of a terrible marriage, he was ready to give it another go? She had to meet this woman and make sure her father wasn't making a huge mistake.

Alas, the day came to meet her, and who was it who made her father's face light up and his heart beat faster than ever? Well, it was Ana Bloom, of course! Roger was adamant in finding the woman he hadn't seen in five years. It took some time, but he succeeded. Ana hadn't always been in love with him, but she admitted to a small crush. They'd been friends and she had admired him too much for a married man. She'd been relieved when she moved. If she got to know him any better, she once told Esme, she'd have fallen head over heels for him and the pain would have been phenomenal.

Esme was thrilled for them. And, as a side note, Nina and Nathan Bloom were now her step siblings. It was funny how things worked out so well.

Years later, when her niece Alice was discovered to be psychic, everyone was skeptical. It was hard to argue when the little girl was right with every prediction. People had to reevaluate their beliefs and put aside their more logical way of thinking and consider that such an extraordinary thing was not only possible, but right in front of their faces. Alice was psychic, and that was a fact. Anyone who doubted her was soon brought to right.

So when Edward told her about the soul-mate that his cousin had foreseen for him, Esme was happy. She wished all of her sons could be as happy and lucky in love as she was.

When Emmett let slip that Alice had told him the same thing, she was not sure what to think. Her first thought was that she had told all of her sons that they had soul-mates. Then another thought occurred out of nowhere. It was impossible. She didn't know why she thought of it. One woman for the three of them? No, that couldn't be it. So she confronted Jasper. He said Alice hadn't mentioned a thing about it. Esme didn't believe him, but she didn't want to nag him. He was obviously embarrassed, and it was personal. If he truly did have a soul-mate, then that was great, she was thrilled.

But the other impossible possibility lurked at the back of her mind. There was just no way…

Now there was this girl and a bed as wide as a house. Esme knew. It was a gut feeling. Carlisle was thinking along the same lines beside her. They had discussed it a few years earlier. She'd been reluctant to broach the subject, but when her husband commented on their sons' nonexistent love lives, she had to tell him. It was weird, he said, but it explained a lot. Edward was the one they were least surprised about. He was more sensitive and almost asexual, and not once showed an interest in girls. Jasper was more or less the same. He was quiet and fairly introverted. If there was anyone they expected to chase after girls, it was Emmett. He was rambunctious as a child, and had loads of energy as a teenager. He had a big sense of humor and everyone loved him, including girls. But he didn't have one date.

Yes, this girl who Edward held onto protectively was her. It was evident by the love bites adorning her neck.

Emmett was not blind to the tension. He saw how dumbstruck his parents were, and he honestly had no idea how to approach the subject of Bella. They hadn't really talked about what they were going to tell their parents when the time came, and now here they were.

Darn.

The men carrying the bed were waiting for an answer, oblivious to the implications that such a mattress brought with it. Well, they had thought it was strange…

"I'll show you." Jasper volunteered, finding the awkward silence intimidating. He'd need a minute or two to think of something to say.

Carlisle and Esme watched him disappear into the house as the men struggled to fit the monster mattress inside.

"How was Italy? Don't you have jet lag?" Emmett hoped to distract them, but that was unlikely. So he dove in for another hug. He hadn't seen her or his dad in, what, two months? He missed them. And he was worried about their reactions.

"Italy was great, Emmie. We had a wonderful time." Esme forced a smile, uneasy. She kept stealing glances at the timid girl.

"It's so good to see you, mom." Edward came forward slowly, pulling Bella along behind him. He realized his mistake, but seeing his parents made him happy and being near Bella made him ecstatic, so why not join the two? He wasn't thinking.

"You too, Edward." He kissed her on the cheek.

"You didn't have to stop by today, mom." He said. "You must be tired after yesterday."

"Well, we couldn't resist."

"Bring me back any presents, dad?" Emmett asked.

Carlisle laughed. "Considering all the places your mother shopped at, you bet."

"There weren't that many." Esme objected.

"My credit card is weeping."

Edward chuckled. "Glad to be back?"

"As always. I love traveling, but it gets exhausting. I want my own bed at the end of the day." He looked at Bella, then back at Edward expectantly.

Edward didn't want to lie. She wasn't just a friend or a temporary houseguest. She wasn't only his girlfriend. As kind and loving as they were, would they understand?

Carlisle decided to press him, seeing his son's hesitance. "So, who is this lovely young lady?"

Bella froze. Shit! Should I say something? Hi, I'm your children's bed buddy. Nice to meet you.

"This…this is Bella." Edward said, trying to sound strong and confident and not anxious in the least.

"Nice to meet you Bella." Carlisle extended his hand. Bella mustered up all the courage she had and put her hand in his.

"Nice to meet you, Dr. Cullen."

Carlisle was taken aback. So she knew he was a doctor? Curious. He gave Edward a sly look, letting him know that he was onto him.

Edward narrowed his eyes.

Esme was getting impatient. Her name was Bella, and…?

"I'm Esme." She thrust her hand in Bella's face, not meaning to seem abrasive but coming off that way.

Bella balked. "Oh, nice to meet you, too, Mrs. Cullen. I've heard a lot about you." About how you turn into a werewolf once a month, but never mind.

"Do you live around here?" Esme was in protective mother mode, but she didn't intend to scare Bella. She simply wanted to know more about her. Make sure she wasn't a fraud.

"Yes, she lives very close by." Emmett butted in, throwing an arm around Bella's shoulders. There was no way his mom was making Bella squirm, no matter how good her intentions were.

Jasper walked swiftly back out towards them, his hands buried in his jean pockets.

"Did they get it in okay?" Edward asked.

Jasper nodded. "Yeah, it took some maneuvering, but it's there. They're just setting it up."

"What do you need a new bed for? It's huge." Esme remarked.

Jasper crossed his arms across his chest, less than cheerful with the present circumstances.

"Want some coffee, mom?"

Esme and Carlisle both knew he was avoiding the subject, and they didn't fancy dancing around it. They were all adults and were capable of being honest with each other, even though it was awkward.

"Jasper-" Esme was about to scold him.

"I think we should talk."

He took the words right out of her mouth.

Another look at Bella told her how uncomfortable she was. Bella's brown eyes were downcast, and she seemed dulled by the last few minutes. Esme felt guilty. She hadn't meant to make her feel unwelcomed or ashamed. She looked like a nice girl, and if her sons loved her, than she must not be bad. Still, she had to see for herself, and she had to get on the same page as her sons. No more lying. It was nosy of her, but they were her children and she had a right to know.

Carlisle was curious, but he didn't have the overwhelming urge to be in the know when it came to their love lives. He was concerned for them, always had been, but when it came to sex, he was better off being kept out of it. God forbid they ever ask his advice on the matter. He had no problem telling his patients about the ins and outs of sex, how to stay healthy, and the proper precautions. But whenever he had to give one of them "the talk", he lost his sense of speech. Maybe it was that they were his kids. He remembered the day each of them was born, their first steps, first words. They were his babies, and seeing them as grown men was daunting. Esme was more accepting than he was and took a more sensible approach to life. To him, it was only yesterday that he and his wife were in bed conceiving them. Now they were in love and likely on their way to making babies of their own.

Oh, he so didn't need to go there. How would that actually work? There were four of them. Would they decide who fathered the first child, then the next, and so on? Would it not matter to them?

It was mind-boggling. He had to confess that, as a doctor and a human being, he found the situation fascinating. As a father, he found it disturbing.

Don't think about it.

They waited until after the delivery men left. No need to be overheard.

Esme sat down on the sofa, setting her purse on her lap. Edward fetched a glass of water for her, despite her protests. Carlisle sat next to her, tense. He observed Bella with a keen interest, trying to hide it. She was so small and fragile. It was obvious that his sons were protective of her. Jasper had her on his lap on the recliner with Emmett at their feet. Edward took the other chair and pulled it closer.

"Okay, mom, you can ask anything you want now. Just be polite." Jasper said.

Esme's eyes widened. That was very curt of him. "Am I ever impolite?"

"No, but I can see that you're upset, and I don't want Bella to get the raw end of that."

"I…I'm sorry, Bella," Esme turned to her, sincere, if not wary, "I was just surprised to see you here…no offense, but it is rather shocking."

"So you know, then." Edward said. He had watched her outside, and the awareness was plain to see. In an instant, she had put two and two together.

Esme nodded. "I'm not gong to say a mother always knows or it was mother's intuition, that would be too cliché, but I've suspected for years. It's so…I don't know what to say. I don't understand it, but I had an inkling of it when you first told me what Alice said to you, Edward. And then you, Emmett. No one ever confirmed it, but as crazy as it sounded, I had a gut instinct about it. Still, I can't say I actually expected this."

"Mom, I want you to know that it isn't anything to be upset about. We love her, and we've never loved anyone like that. It'll take some getting used to, but I hope you guys can accept this. It's beautiful, what we have, and that won't change." Edward walked over to her. There was an unpleasant air around them. He didn't want this to cause a rift. He loved his parents, and he was afraid of the unfamiliar tension amongst them. He noticed that Bella was affected by it. This was definitely not the way their introduction was supposed to go down.

Bella was a statue. This was too personal for her. She wanted to crawl into a dark hole and hide. She got that their parents would want to know, but she wasn't ready for that, this, talk. She wasn't sorted out yet in her feelings and she wasn't presentable.

"Honey, I'm so happy that you've finally met the right person. I'd hate for you to think I didn't approve, I just want to know what's going on in your lives. And if this is my new daughter, than I want to get to know her. Please don't hide her from me."

God, I'm right here! This is so embarrassing. They should be having heart-to-hearts with me out of the way, Bella thought. She was an intruder, and she had no idea how to react to what Esme Cullen was saying. Bella had barely gotten to know these men, and she wanted more time to prepare for a meet n' greet with the parents. She couldn't have been making much of an impression on them just sitting there looking scared and weak. Did she want their approval? Yes, she did. They were important factors in their children's lives, and if they thought negatively about her, then it was inevitable that their sons would begin to see her in a less positive light.

Too bad I don't have anything to offer.

"We're not hiding her." Emmett was quick to say. Esme gave him a pointed look.

Bella remained silent, and Jasper was concerned. "Are you alright?" He whispered in her ear.

She shook her head. "This is uncomfortable. Maybe we can do this another time? You know, have a real talk and properly introduce each other?"

Jasper's worried eyes softened. "Of course." He gave her cheek a kiss before addressing his mom.

"Mom, can we talk some other time?"

Esme saw that coming. It was a little disappointing, but another day might work better for all of them. "Oh, sure."

"We have things to do anyway, so we should be going." Carlisle said, which wasn't true, but he was anxious to leave. He got up, perhaps too fast, but Esme took her cue along with him.

"Let's have dinner soon." She suggested.

"Okay." They agreed.

"Next week? Or tomorrow? Is that too soon?"

It wasn't too soon. Or perhaps it was, but they decided that the sooner they cleared the air, the better.

Sunday it was.

They walked them to the door, Bella wishing something intelligent would come out of her mouth, but she sensed that she wasn't the only one who was speechless.

Esme frowned the whole way to the car, thinking. She turned to Bella as she got to the passenger side door. "Bella, may I speak to you privately for a second?"

"Um, sure." Oh, god no!

Everyone watched them carefully as they went a short distance out of hearing.

"Think we should intervene?" Emmett asked.

"Why? Mom isn't going to say anything bad." Jasper replied, but thought better of it as soon as the words left his mouth.

"I don't want Bella to be put on the spot." Edward said.

"Your mother is just worried about everyone, that's all." Carlisle patted Edward on the back. "She worries about all of you, no matter how often I remind her that you're fully capable adults. And you have each other. Besides, you know you can always come to us if you need anything, right? Even if you just need to talk."

They smirked. 'Talk' meant anything that wasn't sex-related.

"Yes, dad." Jasper said.

"Is there anything you need to talk about? We haven't spoken in so long…"

The three immediately felt guilty. There was always James. They weren't sure if that would do good or just do damage. They didn't want to put their dad in that position. He might feel obligated to call the police, or worse, confront him. He wasn't the type, usually. Carlisle wasn't a pushover or a weakling, but he preferred to be non-confrontational unless it was truly necessary. Violence towards women and children was the exception to that. If there was one thing he couldn't tolerate, it was that. As a doctor, a husband, and a father, he made it his business.

So, keep quiet about James Mercury.

"I apologize for coming off as cold or harsh." Esme told Bella.

"You didn't. I get that you'd be protective, and you don't know me or my intentions. I'd be asking questions, too." Bella gave her a small smile, but was otherwise ready for her to be gone.

"Can I ask…how old are you?"

Bella wasn't expecting that question. "Eighteen." It was young, she realized, especially compared to Jasper, who was twenty-six, and Edward, who was twenty-five. Emmett was almost twenty-four. Bella was still a child according to some people.

"Eighteen?" At least she's legal. She wasn't shocked. Bella looked young, and she'd feared that she was too young. Eighteen was acceptable. Barely.

"What do your parents think about this?"

Bella loathed that question, but it was predictable. Lie, lie, lie, lie.

"They're dead."

Esme immediately regretted asking. "I'm so sorry, Bella! I had no idea."

"It's fine. I'm sure, if they were alive, they'd have feelings similar to yours."

"Bella, I just need to process it. I'm actually happy about it, if my boys are happy and you're happy. I look forward to getting to know you better." Esme smiled softly. It was a start. They'd gotten off on the wrong foot. "Well, now that some of the awkwardness is out of the way, I guess we'll be going. So, tomorrow night for dinner? Around seven?"

"Sounds great." Bella shook her hand, thinking how formal and stiff a gesture it was. It was a bit soon to hug. They didn't know if they liked each other yet, but as far as Bella could tell, Esme was a woman that anyone would want as a mother. That didn't mean Esme would want her as a daughter or even see her in that respect.

Everyone said goodbye, Bella accepting Carlisle's outstretched hand as she had with his wife. He was more uncomfortable than anyone else, but he was an observant man and a deep thinker. He'd been watching Bella, and was struck by something curious. There was something about her…he couldn't pinpoint it exactly.

"Bella, have we met before?"

That startled everyone. Jasper, Edward, and Emmett looked at Bella and their father in confusion.

Bella dropped her hand. "No, I don't think so."

"You look so familiar. Have you been to the hospital? Maybe I saw you there."

Bella steeled herself. What was he talking about? She didn't remember him. She'd never been to the hospital, either. But if he had seen her, what did that mean?

"No, I've never been to the hospital. You're probably thinking of someone else."

Carlisle backed off. "Oh…right." But he was certain that he'd seen her somewhere.

There was silence after they departed. Edward was looking at her like she knew what that was all about, but she didn't. They were all wondering the same thing, though: Where had Carlisle seen Bella?

A/N Hope you liked this.