Edward called Rose the next day, even though the family had decided to leave Rose and Em alone for the first few days or so. They would surely call them if something went wrong or they needed help. And they would also call to tell them when they could come home again.
But nevertheless, Edward picked up the phone and dialled his sister's number. She picked up after the third ring.
"Hello?"
"Rosalie," Edward said, and immediately he heard her sigh.
"You cannot come back just yet," she told him immediately and heard him groan on the other end.
"I know, that's not why I am calling."
"Then hurry up and tell me why you are calling. I don't want her to hear me speaking on the phone and be wary."
He cleared his throat. "Send her to my room."
"What?"
"Send her to my room," he said again. "I know she probably doesn't feel like going in there because she doesn't like me, but please, just tell her that she can go in there."
Rose shifted from one foot to the other and placed her free hand on her hip. "And why would I do that?"
"She likes music, just like everyone else does. I didn't take many CDs with me, so she still has enough to choose from."
"Edward-," she started to say, but he interrupted her.
"Just tell her. I have a big collection, let her pick something she likes."
She snorted. "Sure, and then you'll get upset with me if she happens to break something of yours. I don't think so."
Now it was his turn to let out a snort. "You think that's why I am calling? Because I'm bored and feel like arguing with you?"
"Who knows," she replied and he could practically see her checking her nails, because she always did that as she knew he hated it. It was one of her most obnoxious habits.
"That girl will break half the house if you don't give her enough options to busy herself with. Now that Jasper isn't around to step in when she gets angry or upset, we need something else to help her keep an even keel... well, as much as that's possible, I mean."
"Uh-huh," she muttered absent-mindedly. She had no idea why he used the word 'we', as she and Emmett were more than capable of taking care of the newborn and keeping her entertained.
Sighing, he closed his eyes for a moment before telling her in a soft voice, "Rose, music can be a guiding light… just tell her she's welcome to go into my room and pick a few CDs to listen to." Then it was silent for a second before Edward quickly added in a low hiss, "But you better not let her go anywhere near my piano."
And then he hung up.
Rose just stood there, staring at her phone in her hand, gasping at her brother's audacity to call her only to hang up on her like that.
But then she realised that his idea wasn't that bad. Let the girl roam the house, and let her do what she wants. Whatever would keep her busy for a while and give her breaks from all the mood swings was fine with her.
She walked into her and Emmett's room and found Emmett lying on the bed while Maddie sat cross-legged on the floor, holding one of Em's dark-green hoodies in her hands and looking at it with a frown.
Rose sighed with relief. "Oh, yes, please. Change into that one, so I can wash the one you have been wearing for days and nights on end now," she told the girl, making her scowl at her.
"But it's mine," she argued. She didn't want a different one - she didn't need a different one. And she didn't want Rose to take it from her... maybe she won't give it back.
"Of course it is. But if you put this on and let me wash the other one, then you'll have two. How's that?"
"I don't think that I need two," she replied and shook her head. She wouldn't let her trick her, no.
"Ah," Emmett said and laughed. "Two is better than one, Tiny. And I'm giving it to you as a present just like the first one, so now it's yours and you cannot give it back."
Maddie turned her head to gape at him. "But-" "No, you cannot give it back. Sorry, too late," he told her and shrugged his shoulders like his hands were bound and there was nothing he could possibly do about it.
Her brow furrowed as she tried to understand what she was feeling at the moment.
Rose cleared her throat to made the girl turn her head and look at her, and when she did, she gave her a smile. "Off you go. Get changed and then we could…," she trailed off, thinking of something fun they could do together.
"We'll watch a movie, Rose," Em said and rolled his eyes, wondering why she even had to think about what they were going to do now. "Tzk, you're getting old, babe. Of course we'll watch a movie! She said she hasn't seen The Thing yet, and I just cannot accept that."
Maddie shook her head to ease out of the weird emotions and thoughts, then got up and clasped the hoodie to her chest. "I go get changed," she whispered.
"Hurry," Em said.
"Um… thank you for this," she muttered and glanced at Emmett, before turning around and walking from the room.
"And don't forget that your jeans are dirty, too!" Rose called after her, then climbed up on the bed to curl up next to her mate. When he smiled at her, she suddenly slapped his thigh. "I'm not getting old."
"Aww, I know, Rosie. I didn't mean it."
Taking that as an apology, she nodded her head. "Thank you," she said before she gave him a look of confusion. "Emmy... what's The Thing?"
He practically gaped at her. "What's the...? That's like having two newborns to care for!" He threw his hands in the air and shook his head in disbelief.
Quick footsteps from the hallway made them look up right when Maddie came into the room, looking more at ease again. Emmett's green hoodie was also way too big on her, just like the other one, and it reached down to her knees. She sighed, then held the dark blue hoodie and her jeans up, before she threw them at Rose, who caught the clothes before they would hit her in the face.
"Here," she said and gave them something that almost resembled a smile.
Then she walked towards them and sat down on the bed, pulling her knees to her chest before she pulled the huge hoodie over them to make herself comfortable. Rose got up with a sigh, then pulled the socks off the girl's feet which were also dirty, and it drew a quick growl from Maddie. But she quickly settled down when she saw Rose wasn't going to hurt her in any way and luckily she didn't even notice Em tense up beside her.
Rose straightened up again and headed for the door to put the dirty laundry in the washer - after that they could enjoy whatever it was Em had picked out.
"Hey…," Maddie said thoughfully.
"Yes?" Emmett asked.
"I saw a big wooden cross yesterday."
"Yup, we have one," he confirmed, purposely leaving out the fact that it was Carlisle's.
"I thought you would worship Satan," Maddie remarked rather randomly while she looked at the Dvd player.
Rose, who had already reached the door, dropped the clothes. "You… what?!"
Emmett had to cover his mouth so he wouldn't laugh at his wife, because the way she reacted was just hilarious.
Maddie shrugged her shoulders, then glanced over her shoulder at Emmett. "Hey… where's the movie?"
A few days passed and Maddie had to admit that it felt good to know that they weren't around anymore and that her instincts didn't force her to be on the alert all of the time. Well, she still kinda was, but it felt different. Even her overly extreme mood swings were gone, and she couldn't help but wonder why that had changed.
Rose and Emmett had told her she would get used to this new life and maybe that was slowly happening. Maybe the mood swings had just been some kind of after effects of the transformation, who knew.
Rose just told her that it was completely normal at first to have trouble controlling ones emotions and instincts.
Well, at least she wasn't feeling so empty and forlorn anymore. She was still kinda angry a couple of times a day, and to be honest, she wasn't sure if that would ever stop.
Something she really couldn't understand was why they had left. This was their home, and they had just up and left. Wouldn't it have been easier to just let her go? Or kick her out? Or they could have let her die and none of this would have ever happened.
She liked that thought.
No pain, no anger and no instincts she had trouble handling. No weird people.
No venom.
No vampires.
She felt like she had made so many mistakes in her short life already, that there just wasn't any room for more. Why they had been stupid enough to bring her here and change her was beyond her. They had obviously known about her, so they should have known that as well.
But they couldn't turn back time, and so she had to try and get used to everything.
Days slowly turned to weeks and she grew more and more comfortable around them.
That was until one afternoon in late March.
Yup, a short one, but I just couldn't make it part of the next chapter... Thanks for reading! :-)
