AN: Hi All! :D
Okay, so, it should be fairly obvious during this one, that the last thing I read was 'Show Me a Garden that's bursting into life' by atypical-swan.
I really enjoy the way that author writes family and day-to-day detail, so I've tried to harness a bit of that awesomeness and this is basically a fanfic of a fanfic, if that makes sense.
So any of the concepts here in that are based on the "Garden" universe, obviously the credit goes to atypical-swan :D
Seriously, that story is amazing, so if you haven't read it, you definitely should!
Just like most of my stories, this will contain poly content, same sex content, and yes, even some incest. As always, don't like, don't read ;-*
Chapter One
Alice's POV
"Are you nervous?" I ask as she stares out the window, nearly jumping out of her skin every time a car flashes past on the busier road our cul-de-sac sits along.
"Pshh, nervous, no. Why would I be nervous?" Aunt Esme dismisses out of hand.
"Maybe because you are about to see your sister in-person for the first time in decades?" I challenge.
"There isn't anything to be nervous about, Alice. Your mother and I talk on the phone every night. Always have. Always will. This is going to be the same thing. Just...with more hugging," she rationalizes, trying her hardest to believe her own press.
"If you say so." I shrug, leaving her to continue watching out the window while I return to the kitchen to help my siblings and cousins cook this 'welcome home' brunch.
"How is Mom holding up?" Bella asks, kissing me on the cheek as I duck back into the kitchen and passing me a large whisk and a giant bowl of eggs.
I shrug, taking a seat at the large center island with the bowl in my lap as I begin whisking. "I dunno. She says she's fine, but she sure seems pretty antsy."
"Yeah, well, it has to be pretty surreal, right? The anticipation of seeing your sister for the first time in twenty-five years...I'd be going crazy." My brother Emmett states, from where he is standing at the counter chopping apples and tossing them into the fruit salad bowl.
"I don't think it's just the anticipation of seeing her. I think it has more to do with the three of you." Edward suggests, waving the knife he is using, to gesture to me and my brothers.
He continues speaking as he stands beside Emmett chopping pears. "Now that the last of Aunt Cecily's 'babies' have moved west...I think Mom feels a tremendous amount of pressure around whether or not she's providing a good enough home for her sister's children.
"It was one thing while Alice was still in New England. I think back then there was a sense of, if she botched things with Jas and Em somehow, your mom would still have Ally. Plus, Aunt Cecily has never kept it a secret how she feels about California. Mom is probably also worried they won't like it here," Edward concludes.
I frown, handing the bowl of well-whisked eggs to Rosalie, who has the skillet preheated on the island's glass cooktop stove with the ham and onions sizzling, ready to make the scramble.
"Yes, well, once she sees that Cali isn't the scary place she's envisioned it to be, I don't think it's gonna be a problem. Mom's not a judgy person by nature. Right? Back me up, boys," I prod, stepping on Emmett's toe and elbowing Jasper as I budge past my brothers to steal another cup of coffee.
"Right, yeah, sure. Mom's calm, cool, and collected. Never had a high-strung day in her life." Jasper says sarcastically with a snicker as he pan-fries the hashbrowns on the main six-burner gas range stove.
"Exactly. I'm sure she won't ask Alice if she's eating enough, or ask me if I'm remembering to wear sunscreen or bug Jasper about when he's going to 'find a nice boyfriend and settle down'. She's just gonna walk in here and be totally chill, right?" Emmett grins as he and Edward finish up the fruit salad.
Next, Em begins cooking the applewood smoked bacon, while Eddie grates the cheese for Rose's scramble. "We should have gone with quiche," Rose mutters to herself, staring at the pan, her brow furrowing with consternation.
"Okay, no, I didn't say she was calm or chill or try to insinuate she is in any way low key at all. I just said, she isn't judgy," I refute.
"Oh. Well, yeah, I guess that much is true, generally," Em nods, thoughtfully. "She was pretty cool about it when you two waltzed out of the closet. I guess California itself is pretty much the only thing she's all that judgy about."
Edward appears lost in thought as he grates the cheddar and gouda before handing them both off to Rose. "I don't think Aunt Cecily rags on California for the reasons you three seem to think she does.
"I know she tends to refer to it as a hedonistic wasteland on occasion but I think her detest of this place has a lot more to do with what it represents to her. I mean think about it. For Aunt Ces and Uncle Rick, California is the place that keeps taking their family away from them.
"First Mom and Dad moved us out here when we were kids...Then Em got drafted to the Sharks...then I convinced Jas it's waaay easier to be gay here in San Fran than in rural New England...and now Alice, who doesn't even have a reason, which I think must be the biggest blow of all," Edward concludes, beginning to set out ten place settings around the center island as Rose shuts off the stove and wipes it clean. His words succeed at making me sufficiently irritated.
"Excuse yourself, Duck Duck," I grumble. "I do so have a reason I have plenty of reasons. I have the same reason as Jasper, for starters. Plus, my brothers were already out here and I missed them. Not to mention the private elementary I teach at here pays me way more than the public school I used to teach at back home, so there!" I huff, sticking my tongue at him (admittedly reminding myself of one of my kindergarten students).
"Same reason as Jasper, my ass! You're not gay, Ally, you're bi, which means you can just as easily marry a man and live in suburbia. Some of us don't have those kinds of heteronormative options to fall back on," Edward states with an air of superiority as per usual.
"Why don't you fall back on my heteronormative fist, Edward!" I grump, raising my voice. "You don't get to think less of me just because I don't have to suck a cock to be happy!"
As typically happens, Jasper gets stuck playing peacemaker. "Okay Squirt, simmer down. Ed didn't mean to imply that you don't belong here. He just means there was nothing pressing pulling you across the country like there was for Aunt Esme and Uncle Carlisle, or Emmett.
"And speaking of Uncle Carlisle, I think I hear the Bimmer pulling up, which means they're here. So maybe you two might want to put a pin in this because Mom and Dad are about to walk through that door for the first time ever and they don't need their first impression of this house to be you two screaming obscenities at each other in the kitchen," Jasper pleads with his hands on my shoulders, effectively calming me.
"Ugh, fine." I pout. "But you might want to keep your dog on a tighter leash, Brother," I advise, shifting my gaze from Jasper to Edward with a glare for the bronze butthead.
"Woof," Edward mutters, as we all finish tidying up and turn our attention to the living room where Aunt Esme gets up from the couch and smooths her dress before heading to the door.
"They're here, everyone act happy and natural!" Aunt Es exclaims, which is probably the most unnatural thing we could be doing at this moment. But hey, who am I to argue?
Bella takes a peach cobbler and a blueberry crisp out of the oven and places them on the counter before coming over to stand beside me where we all seem to be gathering in the doorway between the kitchen and the living room and tosses her apron to the side.
She kisses my cheek and gives me her big, sad, puppy dog eyes. "I know my brother is a pain in the ass, but he's the only one I got. Can you forgive him for being such a dickwad?" Bella whispers in my ear.
"Maybe. As long as he doesn't antagonize me anymore today. I've had enough of his guff for the time being," I agree quietly, as the front door swings open and the six of us 'kids' huddle together trying to look 'happy' and 'natural'.
"Look who I found wandering aimlessly around the airport," Uncle Carlisle teases, bringing in a bunch of Mom and Dad's luggage.
"They must be staying awhile, they seem to have brought everything but the kitchen sink."
"Don't look at me, I travel lightly." Dad grins. "It's Ces who thinks she needs an entire suitcase of only beauty products."
Uncle Carlisle scoffs, "Don't try to tell me a creature that gorgeous needs any beauty products."
"Mmnhmn, don't you get smart with me, Carlisle Cullen. It's been twenty-five years since you've seen me without my make-up on. A lot can change in twenty-five years." Mom smirks, setting down her carry-on bag and kissing him softly on one cheek with her hand resting on the other.
"Not that much." Uncle Carlisle grins with a wink.
"Oh, never you mind now, where are my babies?" Mom changes the subject, her eyes scanning the room until they land on us. "There you are!" She beams radiantly, holding her arms out. "Get over here and kiss your mother, Sweethearts! Last one in, has to carry my bags upstairs!"
Emmett and I race to Mom while Jasper strolls straight over to the suitcases and begins hauling them up the stairs.
"You didn't even try!" I call out after him.
"I'll kiss her after you two get through accosting her," He retorts, coming down for a second load of bags while Edward grabs the rest of them and follows along after him.
Leave it to those two to be all responsible. There's never been any doubt as to which kids are the oldest in this family. That's why, at the age of thirty, Jas and Eddie have their finances in order enough that they are currently in the process of purchasing a house together.
Meanwhile, Bella and I, the 'babies' of the family at twenty-six, don't have anything in savings. I pretty much spend the salary I make as a kindergarten teacher on enhancing my wardrobe and Bella spends all of her photojournalism income on books.
Em and Rose are doing a little better than we are, though not as well as Jas and Eddie. Emmett used to make a killing when he was in the NHL, but he retired two years ago when he was my age, so he has had to live off of his savings for the better part of the last couple of years and only found a coaching job a few months ago.
And then Rose is fairly well established in her career as a chef, but she's more like Bella and me, so she spends most of it, though her guilty pleasures are fine wines and her cherry-red Ferrari.
I'm not sure how Jas and Eddie are even affording to buy a house in the first place. I mean, Jasper is a history professor, and Edward is a concert musician. It's not as if they are rolling in the dough either.
"Okay, stop hogging Mom, you two." Jasper frowns, nudging Emmett and me out of the way so he can get his hugs and kisses.
"Now, now, kids, there is enough love to go around. Always." Mom assures us. "And speaking of, I need to see my nephew and nieces, too," She announces after Jasper has had his snuggles.
Mom holds her arms open and Edward barges past his sisters to steal his hugs from her first.
"Looks like chivalry is dead after all," I mutter under my breath.
Edward rolls his eyes. "You know that word means 'horsemanship' and was used in reference to the qualities of cavalrymen? Not really sure how it applies here. Besides, I'm being a gentleman by getting my hugs out of the way first so the girls can have longer for theirs. After all, I had two years more of Aunt Ces's hugs than Rose before we moved here, and four years more than Bella," Edward claims.
"I'm surprised you even remember that, Edward. You were only five years old when your parents came west," Mom challenges.
"I remember those early days pretty well though. When we all lived together in that big old house with the sprawling lawns and gardens. I remember the stables and the horses and running through the fields, and that chubby old lady who used to do all the cooking," Edward insists, as Rose elbows him out of the way to get her hugs.
"Her name was Nelly and she is the reason I wanted to be a chef from the time I was little." Rose beams. "We've missed you terribly, Aunt Ces, Skype just isn't the same thing, is it?"
"You can't possibly remember Nelly, Rosie! You were only three years old!" Mom exclaims, "Maybe you've just heard stories about her, hmm?"
Rosalie shakes her head adamantly. "No, I remember. She used to put out the beautiful china with the yellow tea roses on it and she would hand me one of the little teacups and say 'A Rose for my Rosie, now don't spill, Baby.' And I would sip apple juice out of the fancy cup and help her put out the sandwiches for afternoon tea. It's one of my favorite early childhood memories."
"Oh my!" Mom laughs nervously. "I'd shudder to think what else they might remember!"
"Oh goodness! Where are my manners? The children have made brunch, Ces, and here we are letting it all go cold," Aunt Esme changes the subject abruptly and ushers everyone into the kitchen.
I help Bella and Rose shift everything onto the center island where everyone can dish what they like from the available serving platters. Mom and Aunt Esme take a seat at one end of the large island, and Dad fills the seat next to Aunt Esme, while Uncle Carlisle ends up across from him, next to Mom.
Us 'kids' all just land where we're at, which leaves me beside my dad and Bella to my left, then Emmett to her left, followed by Rose, then Jasper, then Edward beside Uncle Carlisle. Once everyone is seated, we let the older generation help themselves first.
"Oh my goodness, what a feast! You kids needn't have gone to all this trouble just for us, this is so sweet of you." Mom smiles happily, taking a decent-sized portion of the egg scramble, a generous helping of the fruit salad, and a single strip of bacon.
Aunt Esme takes mainly the fruit salad and only about a half-cup portion of scrambled egg.
Dad tsks her. "Surely you aren't watching your figure, Es? Time has been exceedingly kind to you. You are exactly as beautiful as I remember."
"Oh Richard, you sure know how to make an old woman blush!" Aunt Esme scolds playfully, turning a lovely shade of pink.
"Who are you calling 'old woman'?" Uncle Carlisle chastises her lightly dishing himself a bit of everything. "I only see young women at this table."
"You know, Kids, your mothers were always highly sought after. We were very fortunate to catch their eye." Dad beams, taking quite large helpings each of egg, cobbler, and hashbrown, along with a few strips of bacon. No fruit salad though, I notice.
"Weren't the odds stacked slightly in your favor, though?" Jasper grins. "I mean, you did have their attention for more hours of the day than all the other boys...coming home to that same big house."
Dad and Uncle Carlisle were both orphans. Grandfather took them in when they were teenagers. He assumed his daughters would move away when they married, so having no sons of his own, he'd wanted someone to run the estate in his old age.
Little did he know those orphan boys would grow up to marry his daughters, take his family name, and be the ones to give him all these wonderful grandchildren. We've all heard that story a thousand times by now. It's a bit like something out of a gothic romance if you ask me.
"True. But they certainly could have had any boy they wanted. Still could, I'd wager." Dad winks.
As all of us kids begin to dish up, I see him discreetly slide some of his massive quantity of eggs onto Aunt Esme's plate. When she tries to protest, he shushes her softly.
"You boys were pretty popular too, I remember," Mom recalls. "Tall and lanky, both completely gorgeous. If you ask me, we were the lucky ones."
"Well, I happen to think everyone in this room is pretty lucky, you know why? Because we all get to eat Rosie's cooking." Emmett grins, wolfing down a giant mouthful of eggs.
"Agreed." Jasper nods, ruffling Rose's hair. "Having a Michelin Star chef in the house is one of the things I'll miss the most after we close escrow," he sighs looking at Edward, and continues eating.
"Yeah, I guess I will too. But to be fair there is something to be said about ordering in a pizza sometimes," Ed teases, taking a bite of his hashbrowns.
"Yeah, if you have the taste buds of a preteen." Rosie scoffs exhibiting her typical level of food snobbery. "I'm glad it's you moving in with him, Jasper. Pretty sure I'd sleepwalk and choke him to death on the very first night."
"Right!" I laugh, rolling my eyes remembering how annoyed I was with Edward earlier. "Don't think you can come crawling back once you realize what you've gotten yourself into," I tell Jasper, using my fork as a pointer.
"I dunno why you girls act like Edward is the worst thing since sliced bread. I personally find his whole schtick pretty entertaining." Jas defends as Emmett bursts out laughing and almost chokes on a piece of bacon.
"You find his what entertaining?" Em snickers as Jasper rolls his eyes.
"Schtick, Emmett, or persona, if you prefer. Get your mind outta the gutter," Jasper glares.
"Are you boys excited about getting out on your own?" Mom asks, taking dainty bites of egg as she valiantly tries to divert the subject somewhat and keep everyone from bickering.
"Mostly. Less excited about all the extra housework and whatnot, but it will be nice to have a place where we can invite people over without having to subject them to our sisters." Edward smirks, finishing his meal and pouring himself a coffee from the carafe in the center of the island.
"Hey!" Rose, Bella, and I all exclaim in unison.
"He just means, he wants to have a place to bring boys home without getting the third degree," Emmett smirks, scooping himself a bit more food.
"We don't give him the third degree..." Bella pouts.
"No, you just tease him mercilessly every single time. 'Oooh, Edward, this one is cute, are you actually gonna call him?' I'd be eager to get out from under that too if it were me," Em points out and resumes his chewing.
"Yeah well, we can't tease you about your love life. Your girlfriend is very adept at wielding sharp implements." I giggle.
"For the umpteenth time, I don't have a girlfriend," Em grumbles, shoving a piece of bacon in his mouth.
"Not one you'll ever admit to, anyway," I smirk as a grape comes sailing at my head.
"No food fighting!" Aunt Esme states sternly before any other produce goes flying.
"Does anyone want seconds before I package up these leftovers?" Rosalie asks, probably as a means of escape.
Dad steals a bit more food, as does Emmett who also jumps up and starts helping to put things away.
"This was a very lovely meal, thank you kids for preparing it." Mom smiles.
She tries to jump up and help with the clean-up, but an outcry goes up from most of us in protest as she is quickly assured that the kids have it under control and that since Mom and Dad are on vacation, her only job is to relax.
"Ces and Rich, I was thinking since you are probably both worn out from the flight, perhaps we could make it an easy day? A soak in the hot tub might be nice, and then if you'd like to nap or watch movies or something, perhaps we could start our sightseeing tomorrow?" Aunt Esme suggests.
Both Mom and Dad perk up at the mention of the hot tub. "That sounds lovely, Es. Give us a few minutes to get changed into swimwear?" Mom suggests.
"Let me show you to your room and help you get settled," Uncle Carlisle offers.
"I'll come along and find you some fresh towels," Aunt Esme adds as the four traipse up the stairs.