Opposites Attract – Chapter 25 – Reading of the Will

Esme's POV

Saturday = Reading of the will

I was so upset when my father passed away. He and I were not as close as we should have been. My mother passed when I was 10 years old of breast cancer. I don't remember much about her except that she was a loving woman who put her family first. My father loved her dearly. She was his entire world. After she passed it changed him. He was always good to me and provided me with more than I could have ever wanted in material things but his heart was closed off to me. When I married and had Emmett he opened up more and took to being a grandfather very quickly. When Edward was born he was completely consumed by his grandchildren. They would visit often and he would take them on trips and buy them expensive presents anything they wanted. And when Alice was born he was even more excited a little girl to treat as a princess. He would take her shopping and buy her dresses and dolls. I was pleased to see that my father had a heart again.

There was one weekend when my children came home from visiting with my father that changed everything. Alice asked me about what sex was and I was shocked. Where had she heard about sex from she was only 5. I explained it as best I could to a 5 year old and then went to my sons. Emmett (9) said he already knew all about sex and that he thought girls were dumb for letting boys pee in them. Edward (7) said that granddad is the most loved person in the world because all of the women want to be with him. Needless to say I corrected them on the views of the world.

I immediately called my father to find out what was going on while my children were there. He explained that the children walked in on him and a lady friend of his in a compromising position. I was more than livid. He should not have had a woman there with my children, his grandchildren. We argued for a while but there was no explaining things to him. I knew he had taken the company of several women after my mother passed away but I was never exposed to them and I always had a nanny to take care of me. I hadn't in a million years thought that he would do something like this. I forbid him to see my children unless he changed his ways, especially Alice. I would not have him raising my daughter to believe that women were to be treated like that. He refused to change his life. And that was the end of it.

Until a few months passed and Edward began to act up and cry for his PopPop that's what he called my father. I explained that granddad was busy and he was doing grown up things. Alice didn't seem to care that they hadn't seen my father in some time. Emmett was discovering friends and sports he was pre-occupied with growing up and eating. But Edward wouldn't let it go. I tried to find him a new piano teacher and I took him to museums but he just cried for is PopPop. I broke down and called my father. I couldn't bear to see my child in so much pain. He agreed to not have women over while the children were there but I was not allowing Alice in that house alone with him.

My father would come for holidays and we would visit him as a family. Edward was the only one to stay for an extended period of time. I regret this now because I see the effect it has had on my son's relationships with women. He has never been in love. He has never had a broken heart. He has never experienced caring for someone other than his family. I raised him to be a gentleman but that only goes so far once you reach the bedroom. When Edward was older about 12 he began to spend more time with my father. When Edward was 14 one of my father's many conquests had brought a niece with her one weekend. I don't think I need to tell you that that is when my son lost his virginity. The girl was 16 and supposed to be entertaining him while my father and his friend were "taking a walk by the ocean". I just recently came across this information while I was cleaning my son's room over the summer. I found a box of letters at the bottom of his closet from girls. I didn't want to know how many girls he has been with. I don't think I could take it.

I spoke with my husband Carlisle about the situation. He admitted that he knew of this long ago when Edward thought one of the girls was pregnant. I was relieved that my son at least felt he could come to one of us with a problem. I was a little hurt that it was not me. Carlisle reassured me that Edward uses protection and he is tested for all STDs once a month. The thought of my son having to take an AIDS test freaked me out. I had to stop this before something horrible happened and ripped my family apart.

When the children arrived for my father's funeral I knew that Edward would be a mess. He was never one for talking about his feelings like Alice or yelling like Emmett. He would break down and shut himself off from the world. I was so afraid that he would slip up and forget to use a condom or something or get someone pregnant or do something drastic. I was more than relieved when Alice told me that her best friend Bella would be there to help Edward when I told him. I was even more relieved when I saw how Bella handled Edward in the kitchen. I felt a weight lifted off of my shoulders when I saw the way he looked at this young girl. He was in love for the first time. She wasn't like the other girls.

Bella was sweet and charming. She was organized and smart. She was everything that Edward needed in his life. She reminded me of myself when I was younger. I was grateful to her for being there for my son when he needed her the most. I could see a strong connection between the two of them. It put my mind at ease to know that each one of my children had found their soul mate. There was someone out there to balance them perfectly. I knew right away that Rosalie was meant for Emmett, no one else could keep him in line or quiet his loud behavior better than she could.

Jasper and Alice are so quiet with their love. He gazes at her from across the room and it melts my heart. He looks at her the way Carlisle looks at me. He is upbeat enough to keep up with her bouncy personality yet calm enough to bring her back down when she goes too far.

But now it is time to wake up and get my family going. The vultures will be descending at his house in a few hours and I need to prepare myself for the quirky thinking of my late father. I spoke with the lawyer yesterday during the wake and he mentioned some DVDs. It was just like my father to have the last word and to be cryptic about it. Alice once asked me when she was about 11 if her grandpa was batman. She said because he was rich and powerful. And at home he was a different person. My father had a lot of people working for him and lots of girlfriends they would all be expecting a piece of the pie. I wasn't worried about material things I only wanted my mother's engagement ring for Edward and my grandmother's ring for Emmett.

I got downstairs to a busy kitchen. These college kids sure do wake up early. Everyone was showered and dressed. Bella was making breakfast with Edward sitting at the counter watching her every move. I wondered how far they have gone with their relationship. I hope he wasn't pressuring her into doing something she didn't want to do yet. Jasper and Alice were looking over a magazine together while Rosalie was flipping through modern bride. Emmett was sitting at the counter next to Edward waiting for food as usual. My husband came down behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist. He kissed me on the neck and whispered "I love you." into my ear.

I was pleased with the sight before me. Everyone seemed to be in better spirits. At least Edward was not clinging to anyone and he was able to sit next to Emmett. It smelled wonderful. We all took our places for breakfast.

"Bella darling this smells wonderful you didn't have to do this."

"Mrs. Cullen it's the least I could do, you all have been so good to me over the past year."

"Now Bella its Esme not Mrs. Cullen you know that."

"Sorry Esme."

"That's better. Where did you learn how to cook?" I asked wondering if her father could survive without her.

"I watched a lot of the food network my mother wasn't much of a cook so I took it on myself." Oh that poor child. She grew up in a broken home with that hair brained mother of hers dragging her all over the country after some baseball coach. That poor girl.

"Well as you all know we are going to be reading the will today, Now I want you all to behave. I don't want any sighs or grunts or hushed words under your breath if you don't agree with the way pop has distributed his estate." I stated worried that Emmett would say something inappropriate and embarrass us.

"Do you understand me?" I said glancing at Emmett

"What I wasn't gonna do anything." Emmett whined

"I have everything I want." He said pulling Rosalie into his lap. That boy could charm his way out of anything or scare his way out.

After breakfast we relaxed a bit in the living room taking in the last few days. I noticed that Edward sat next to Emmett and Rosalie while Bella sat with Alice and Jasper. There was clearly enough room on the other sofa but they stayed apart. I wonder if they had gotten into an argument.

"Mom." Edward's voice caught me off guard it was the first time I had heard him speak above a whisper since he got home.

"Yes sweetie?" I responded very curious to his response.

"I was offered a chance to pick up extra lab time and to shadow a doctor at Johns Hopkins Hospital over the summer and during spring break. If it's alright with you I'd like to accept. It will put me a few steps ahead and I could learn a lot." It sounded wonderful he was back on track and seemed to be thinking about his future.

"Of course it's alright I would like the family to get together over the summer possibly in Ocean City in Maryland it's about a 3 hour drive from your schools. Your father and I have purchased a condo near the beach." I was excited now to visit my children on the east-coast.

"Thanks mom. Do you think we could leave now and get this over with I want to head back to school as soon as possible I have a lot of catching up to do." He said this with a sad look on his face. He was glancing at Bella now who was fidgeting with the sleeve of her blue sweater. That color brought out her beautiful brown eyes. Their children would be gorgeous. Oh goodness Esme you are getting way ahead of yourself.

"I believe it's alright if we leave now, I would like to get there early before the vultures descend." Everyone chuckled a little bit but we all knew it was still a sad occasion.

We arrived to the large estate about an hour and half later. I pressed in the code to the gate and it opened slowly. The drive up the long circular driveway was beautiful the grounds were kept nicely. We had taken 2 cars just in case some of us wanted to leave sooner than others. The lawyer was sitting in my father's study with envelopes all over the desk. He was writing on them and putting them in piles. I gave the children and Bella a tour of the grounds and showed them the grotto. I believe my father had a strange obsession with Hugh Heffner. His estate almost mirrored the playboy mansion.

That shouldn't surprise me his personal life somewhat mirrored Mr. Heffner's as well. We made it back to the study in time to see the vultures circling and taking their seats in the Theatre room. I remembered the lawyer saying something about a DVD will.

A/N : Please Review and check out my alternate story Opposites Attract Alt. it has less lemons

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