Hello Darlings!

My real life is unimaginably busy, but I'm desperately working to squeeze in chapters of this fic for you all! I'm working right now on the next full chapter, but here is a little bonus scene to tide you over in the mean time.

This is unbeta'd, so definitely all mistakes are on me.

Bonus Scene: Esme

"Here is my Queendom," Esme said, bringing the small child into her office. She sat her down on the sofa and motioned to a proposal on the low coffee table. Gracie took the thick proposal into her lap and Esme helped her open the book to the appropriate pages. She watched as the child's eyes lit up over the designs.

"It's so shiny!" she exclaimed, looking over the glass and steel tower Esme had designed. Esme smiled at her.

"It is. I like things to sparkle."

Gracie looked up at her. Esme was very pretty, just like Edward. She had the same shiny hair, the same green eyes, the same nice smile.

Gracie liked her immediately.

"Do you have a crown?"

Esme smiled. "Sometimes," she giggled. Gracie grinned.

"I have a crown," she said proudly, pointing to her neck. Esme leaned forward and caught sight of the small gold crown pendant Gracie wore around her neck.

"That's lovely," she acknowledged. "Where did you get that?"

"Edward gave it to me for Christmas."

Esme had to control herself from swooning at the child's words. She worried about all three of her children, knowing they all had so much love to give but all seemed to be happy not settling down with anyone. Emmett dated the worst women, but it never lasted, and Alice never told her anything anymore, but Edward… Edward had always dated the wrong person for much too long. First it was that awful Maria, then cold Charlotte, and then Victoria… oh how Esme had loathed Victoria. She worried her son would settle for one of those women simply because he was loyal. At least with her other two, she knew their fickleness would keep them out of a bad relationship after too long, but Edward didn't move as fast as his siblings.

She had prayed for him to meet a good woman, someone reliable and steady, who could show him how to grow up without being more of a burden on him like his previous relationships.

She had known within five minutes of meeting Bella that she was the type of woman Edward needed. She'd tried sniffing around, testing the waters on Bella's availability. Her heart had plummeted when she found out Bella had a child and what she assumed to be some sort of partner at home.

Never had she been more glad to be so wrong.

Esme fell in love with Gracie in no time. She was a sweet child; funny, outgoing, and so charismatic. She was also happy to talk about her mother's relationship with Esme's son.

"Sometimes Mama kisses Edward, but she hasn't turned into a princess yet," Gracie explained. "And last night, Edward snorded because sometimes he's a dragon at night."

Esme frowned. "He slept over at your house?"

Gracie shook her head, her attention spilling around the room. "No. Mama said there was water in our home and we had to take Diego and now we're having sleepovers with Edward."

Esme hardly caught herself from shouting, They are living together?

"Sweetheart, tell me about yourself," Esme asked. Gracie looked at her, grinning.

"I like unicorns and princesses," she said, coming to sit by Esme. "And I like sparkles and fishes and mermaids." The child went on, listing her favorite things, and Esme soaked it all in. It had been so long since she'd spent any time with a child, and this one was particularly precious. Gracie told her about her life—about Mama and how she worked with an octopus and how once how Grandma Nene made them octopus sushi and it made Bella cry. Gracie told her about how Edward had taken her Christmas shopping, how he took her on the merry-go-round and even bought her mother a necklace for Christmas.

Esme's heart could hardly stand it.

Her son had been living a secret domestic life, and though she was thrilled for him, part of her was sad he felt he couldn't share it with her. She tried to tuck away her feelings as she and Gracie played in her office. She could and would confront Edward later when the child wasn't around to overhear anything. For now, she was just going to enjoy the pure joy that radiated out of sweet little Gracie.

…

There was a soft knock on the door and the girls looked up to see Edward in the doorway. "Hey, Princess. You ready to go home?"

Esme beamed at her son as Gracie slipped off the sofa. "Is Mama home?"

Edward nodded. "She will be when we get there."

Gracie grinned, gathering her things. Esme shot her son a look, and he immediately flushed, looking away from her.

"I'm ready!" Gracie shouted, breaking the look between the adults. Esme reached out to Gracie.

"Thank you for spending time with me today," she said gently.

Gracie surprised her by launching into her arms. "Bye Nana Esme," she said, squeezing her neck. Over the child's shoulder, Esme watched her son's eyes widen. Esme shot him a grin, patting the child's back.

"Bye, Sweetheart."

Esme watched as Gracie reached for Edward's hand, and he gently guided her out of the office, throwing a goodbye to his mother over his shoulder.

"Oh, Edward!" she called before he could get too far away from her. He paused and she grinned. "Dinner, this weekend. Please let Bella know."

Edward looked like a deer in headlights, and Esme smiled when Gracie cheered. There was no backing out now.

Esme watched her son and that precious girl pack up and leave the office. It made her heart absolutely swell when he lifted her into his arms to place her in the back of his truck. Her son was a good man, and it looked like he'd finally found not just one woman worthy of his love, but two.