Violetta

Another few weeks had passed. Mason was back at work every week day and Carlisle was working more often after seeing that I was fully capable of being a mother. I had Rosalie around a lot, anyway.

The girls were growing faster than they should have been, but slower than Ness or I had. They were smiling real smiles, and the biggest ones were always when they saw me in the morning, Mason after work, and every time they saw anyone else.

By the way they were acting; they might be grandpa's little girls. They were only a month and a half old, and they were already crawling and they talked in their baby language to each other at all times of the day. Lyla definitely enjoyed my company more than Mason's, and Charlotte didn't seem to care who was with her, as long as someone was giving her attention.

I was home alone right now and lying on the couch as my daughters crawled around the room between toys and seeing me. I was thinking about what I had to do. I knew the Volturi would find out soon and would come looking for us and my daughters. It would probably be similar to what I had been told about their encounter in terms of Renesmee.

I didn't want my family to need to get into yet another fight that we might lose. If we did, I wouldn't be fighting, I would be taking my daughters and I would be running. My option other than just letting Aro come to us and hoping for the best was me going to Italy, and probably taking the girls with me. I knew no one would agree to that, but that was the best way to handle it without violence.

I could just up and leave now without telling anyone. Alice would see it, of course, but she wouldn't be able to reach me in time before I got on a plane.

"Hey, Lyla, Char." I got their attention, "Want to go out?" I asked them. They stared at me with smiles, not understanding my question. "Come on." I stood up and they dropped their toys.

I flashed to my room and grabbed their adorable small jackets, and I grabbed mine. I got 2 blankets out of the cupboard and walked back out. I slid their jackets on and carried them down the staircase. My bag with their on-the-go stuff was on the dining table.

I put them down in the foyer and got the bag, making sure it had everything. I threw my phone in and walked back to the foyer. They were both out of sight. I took the stroller and went outside, closing the door behind me so they couldn't come out. I put the stroller in my car and made sure Mason hadn't taken then baby seats.

I went back inside and put my jacket on, "Lyla? Charlotte?" I called.

I heard noises as I walked into the living room. They were lying down in the middle of the rug. "Okay…" I said quietly as I approached them. "Come on girls. We're going to go shopping with mummy."

I lifted them up and walked out of the house, locking the door behind me. I went to the car and clipped them into their seats, tucking the blankets around them. It was snowing in Minneapolis. It was March, so I wasn't surprised.

I got in and pulled out of the driveway. Charlotte started making a small crying noise. I stopped the car and picked up the baby bag and got her pacifier out and her favourite teddy which I had thrown in. She took the pacifier with no hesitation and cuddled her teddy. Lyla made a whining noise, watching this happen. I offered her the same things, to which she took willingly.

I started driving again, and it took about 20 minutes to get there. I drove at the legal speed, not wanting to kill my daughters, and also because there was snow everywhere. It was almost not safe to drive through at all.


I managed to get the girls out of the car and into the stroller in record time. I had gone to several shops, shopping for me, the girls, Mason, and anyone that I thought would like something I saw. I got so many shocked and disapproving looks from so many people. For all they knew, I was just the aunty, but they all assumed correctly and judged without knowing a thing about me. I didn't care anymore, it's not like they would believe me if I said "I'm over 3 centuries old".

I went into a toy shop, to where the lady working sat and adored my girls for a solid 5 minutes, talking to them. They smiled at her and kicked their feet in excitement.

"Are they yours?"

"No, I'm their aunty." I lied with a smile.

"Sorry, they just look so similar to you."

I smiled, "They do, don't they?"

"What're their names?"

"Charlotte and Lyla."

"Awh, they're adorable. Well, enjoy the rest of your day." She smiled and stood up.

"You too." I smiled back and she walked back to the register and I wondered through the store.

Charlotte and Lyla both grabbed something off one of the shelves near them that they took a liking too. I walked to the register and put them on the counter. Lyla started crying because I took it off her. I rolled my eyes and tried to hush her as the lady scanned the items quickly.

She handed the teddies back and I gave them to the girls. Lyla stopped crying instantly and smiled at the toy. I smiled and shook my head, "Babies."

The register lady smiled and wished me a good day again.

I walked out of the store and continued through the mall.

Carlisle messaged me not long after and asked where I was. I texted him back, but he never replied to me.

A few minutes later, I saw him and Esme in the same mall. I guess they both had the rest of the day off and decided to have some time to themselves. Esme was laughing and Carlisle was grinning as he spoke. He was carrying a heap of bags. I walked passed without acknowledging them, hoping they didn't see me.

"Hey." Esme said.

I stopped and walked back a few steps, "I was going to pretend I didn't see you and let you have your time to yourselves…"

"You're spoiling them again…" Carlisle said, crouching in front of my daughters and kissing their foreheads. They smiled wide at him. Lyla reached for him but he didn't take her out.

"I'm allowed to spoil them."

"They're going to turn out like Rosalie…that was a big mistake on my part."

"Carlisle." Esme scolded.

Lyla whined when he didn't take her out after the second time she reached for him.

"You can take her out if you want." I said, "She's not as difficult to put back in as Char is."

He unclipped Lyla and lifted her up. When I looked over the edge, Charlotte looked about ready to fall asleep.

"When does Mason get back tonight?" Esme asked.

I shrugged my shoulders, "Depends if he comes straight home or not. He finishes at 5:30, but sometimes he goes and has a drink with a few friends."

"Well, Bella is closing early. We have a surprise for you guys."

"Can you tell me what it is and it will just be a surprise for Mason?"

"No." She shook her head.

"I hate surprises."

Carlisle wasn't registering our conversation. He was playing with Lyla. She laughed a real laugh. Her first laugh.

Esme and I smiled as we looked at her. Carlisle looked back at us, "That wasn't her first laugh, was it?"

"It was." I nodded.

"Sorry…"

"Why?"

"Because she should have laughed at you or Mason, not me."

I smiled and shook my head, "I don't think it matters who she laughed at."

My phone rang then. "Hey hun." I picked up Mason's call.

"That sounded so grown up." Esme said quietly.

"Are you home?" he asked.

"No, I'm in Minneapolis."

"Why?"

"I'm shopping…"

"You need to stop spoiling them…"

"Why does everyone think spoiling them is bad?"

"They'll turn out like Rosalie." I could hear the smirk in his voice.

I smiled, "That's what Carlisle said."

"Carlisle's with you?"

"Well, technically he's with Esme and I accidently crashed their date. Why?"

"…No reason, I was just wondering…"

"Mason?"

"I finish a half hour earlier tonight." He changed the subject.

"And you called for that?"

"I called to see if you were home."

"But why?"

"To be completely honest, I wanted to hear your voice."

Carlisle grimaced and I smirked at him.

"That's cute."

"Well…I'll let you get back to your date crashing. Love you."

"Love you too…" I put my phone back in my bag.

"That was weird." Esme said.

"Yeah, I don't know." I shook my head, "Maybe he's having a bad day."

Esme looked at Lyla in Carlisle's arms, and she switched her gaze to the now sleeping Charlotte.

"You're thinking that they're going to be mentally ill as well, aren't you?" I asked her.

"What? No." She shook her head.

"Liar." I called her out.

She gave me a guilty look.

"If they are, then I'll know how to help them, hopefully."

"Let's just count on them being mentally healthy…" Carlisle said quietly.

I smiled and looked at Lyla. She was now reaching out for Esme.

Esme smiled and took her from Carlisle as he handed her over. She attacked her with kisses and Lyla had a large smile on her face.

"What are your plans for the rest of the day?" Carlisle asked.

I shrugged my shoulders, "They need a nap later, so I'll probably go home soon. I can't decide whether I want to eat, sleep or shower first."

"A common dilemma in new mothers." Carlisle smiled.

"Oh my god, I have gotten so many judgmental looks today that I lost count." I remembered.

"You could pass as their aunty if they didn't look so much like you. I've never seen any child look so similar to their parents as these girls look to you. Well, Lyla. Char has your facial structure, but nothing else."

I smiled and nodded, "Yeah. The woman in the toy store didn't look convinced, but she also didn't look like she was judging me at all. For all they know, I was raped or something."

"Why do you have make everything so dark?" Carlisle asked.

"Dark like my soul, cold like my heart." I smirked.

Esme snickered and put Lyla back into the stroller, clipping her in with little effort and tucked the blanket back around her. She complained a little bit, but she settled rather quickly.

"Do you want to come with us or go on your own?" She asked me.

I hesitated. Was she offering to be nice? Did they want me to go with them? Did they assume I would want to be on my own? I was saved by Rosalie and Alice.

"Hey!" The greeted enthusiastically as the approached us.

I smiled as they hugged Esme and kissed Carlisle's cheek.

Lyla stirred and started crying. I moved the stroller slowly back and forth, and she calmed quickly.

"That was scary." Alice said.

"That was what babies do." Rosalie rolled her eyes, "Her cry is so cute."

"Please don't make my child cry on purpose." I said.

She smirked and looked down at her, "I could insult her, but she's too adorable, and she wouldn't understand it anyway."

"What're you doing here?" Alice asked us.

"I came out of boredom. I was originally on my own." I said.

"I was surprising Esme with money to shop for gifts she actually wants instead of pretending she likes the ones I buy that she secretly hates." Carlisle said.

"I like everything you give to me."

"Gross…" Rosalie said quietly.

"You're so dirty-minded!" Alice laughed.

"She married Emmett. What do you expect, really?" I smirked.

"Oh! When does Mason finish tonight?"

"It was 5:30, but apparently it's 5 now." I said. "Why?" I tried to get the surprise out of her.

"Just curious." She said.

"Lair." I smirked, "Esme already asked me."

"Oh, that's awkward." Carlisle smiled.

Alice and Esme laughed.

"Well, we have a million shops to hit, see you guys tonight." Rosalie said, pulling Alice away.

"Bye!" Alice waved as they left.

Esme looked at her phone. "It's 2, have you eaten?"

I shook my head hesitantly.

"We'll come eat with you." She said.

"Oh, are you actually going to eat? Because that will make my day." I smirked as we started walking towards the food court.

She rolled her eyes, "No."

I laughed as I remembered the last time she ate human food. It was hilarious. Carlisle laughed too.

"Are you imagining last time she ate?" I asked him.

He nodded and we both laughed again.

"Yeah, yeah, it was hilarious." Esme tried to hold her own laugh back and rolled her eyes again.