This will be the last chapter of Esme's story. I hope you enjoy it!

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight. The almighty Stephenie Meyer does.

"A few years later, when I was 21 I told my father I was thinking of moving West to become a schoolteacher. I loved little children, so I wanted to teach. Well, my father didn't think it was a good idea. He didn't think it respectable for a lady to live in the wilds all alone. He told me to wait until I found a husband, and then see where it goes from there. Well, as you know, I was the last of my friends to marry. But the next year, a family friend told my father that his son was interested in marrying me. 'He is a man with good prospects, and women would give anything to be in your position, Esme Anne.' He kept repeating things like that all the time, until I finally gave into my father, and said yes.

"I hardly knew the man, but I didn't go against him or his family. He sounded nice enough. So in 1917 at the age of twenty two, I married Charles Evenson. And I quickly found it was a very bad decision. His face that he showed to everyone else, his public face, was fatally different from his private one. He beat me." I ended the sentence on a sad note, and wished so much that I could cry. I looked to Bella, and her face was a mix of emotions; concern, sadness, hatred, and sympathy were written across her beautiful face.

"Oh, Esme. I'm so sorry." I knew she wanted to say more, but didn't know what exactly to say. Not many people did.

"It's alright, dear. It gets better."

"Oh, yes. I'm sorry. Please continue."

I only nodded and continued telling her my history. "My parents tried counseling me to be a good wife. Telling me to keep quiet; that if I was good, I wouldn't get hit. This upset me, but I had nowhere to go, so I stayed at home, and the beatings continued. When the news announced WW1, I wanted so badly for him to leave. I was relieved and thankful when he had been drafted. But in 1919, when he came back, it was terrifying. The beatings got worse and worse, and I was barely hanging on. Soon after his return, I found out I was pregnant. And the pregnancy was my channel to escape. I could not let a child into that home, in that environment. And especially not my child. I ran away in 1920 to Milwaukee to live with my second cousin, Beatrice. But eventually my parents found out where I was, and I had to move farther north.

"I pretended to be one of the hopelessly many war widows, and succeeded very well. I taught school in a little community outside Ashland. All of my students were very bright, and I felt that I had a connection with each one of them. Almost 4 weeks after teaching began, I had my baby. His name was Ambrose Blaise Platt (I refused to give him Evenson as a last name). I was so happy, and he was the only thing I had. I loved him so much, and not only because he was my son, but he had saved my life. He was my escape." I paused and cursed the fact that I couldn't cry. I saw Bella tearing up from the corner of my eye. I looked at my hands in my lap, and continued. "Then, a few days later, he died." I heard a sharp intake of breath from Bella, and smiled sadly.

"It's sad, I know. But do you know why I named him Ambrose?" She shook her head, and wiped away tears. "Because it meant immortal. But I guess he wasn't. He had a lung infection, and when he died, I had nothing left; he was my everything." I whispered the last part, and shook my head, getting too caught up in my past. "Anyways, I jumped off a cliff, and somehow, an angel found me. He brought me back to the hospital, and saved me."

"Carlisle?" Bella asked.

"Yes. It was Carlisle. After those dreadful three days, I looked up and saw the man, well vampire actually, of my dreams. I had not once forgotten his face, and it was a decade later. I was very thankful and very fortunate that he had found me. I wasn't really disturbed, so to speak, that I was a vampire, but I hadn't taken to it as easily as Emmett had. I was just so happy to be with him that it didn't bother me. And since I was physically the oldest, and had the fixation to be a mother, I became one. And now I am very happy with the life I have now. I have moved on from the past, and am looking forward to what the future has in store for me. Especially if it involves the family I have now. And that includes you, Bella."

She blushed, and said, "Thank you, Esme. I feel very privileged and am happy that you think of me that way. I think of all of you in the same way." She blushed a deeper red, but looked happy nonetheless.

I smiled at her, and she smiled back. Edward walked down then, and was asking where Bella was, but then said, "Oh! There you are. I could smell you, but you didn't come up to my room, so I was wondering where you were.." his voice trailed off, and he glanced at the wedding picture in Bella's hands. He looked startled, and gave me a questioning look.

"What were you doing?" he asked cautiously.

Bella giggled, and rolled her eyes. I did too (that's a first in a long time). "Don't worry Edward. Esme was just telling me her past, and how she met Carlisle."

Relief flooded his face, and I rolled my eyes for the second time (wow). "Oh, okay. But we should probably get going if we want to make the reservations."

Bella rolled her eyes again too. (This could go on forever, this game we have going.) "I have no worries that we will make it there on time. Your driving will get us there earlier than need be." He scowled, and she giggled. I just sighed.

"Well, I enjoyed your company Bella. I hope we can do this again…?" I left it as a question, so I could decipher if she really did want to do this again.

She nodded her head enthusiastically, and I smiled. "Of course," she said. "I had a wonderful time."

"I'm glad. Now, go have fun with Edward. And I wish you the best of luck in the car." Edward gave me a look, and I smiled sweetly at him.

Bella giggled, and said, "Bye Esme."

"Goodbye Bella… Edward."

She got up, handed me the picture, and startled me by giving me a hug. I tensed, and then realized what she was doing. I hugged her back, careful no to break her. When she released me she waved goodbye, and so did Edward.

When they left, I walked back to where the pictures were, and put the picture back in its place. I began humming my mother's lullaby, then I sensed a presence in the room.

"Hello," said an angelic voice.

I turned around, and saw my savior. "Hello," I said. He wrapped his cool arms around me, and I relaxed into the embrace, resting my face on his strong chest. "Carlisle?" I asked.

"Yes, love?" he asked softly.

"Do you remember that day? When I first met you?"

"Yes. The day I fell in love. Too bad you were under age." He added the last part sarcastically, but I knew he meant what he said.

I pulled my face up, and put my chin where my cheek just was. "I'm glad you saved me," I said.

"So am I," he said, the corners of his mouth turning upward. "I love you, Esme Cullen."

"I love you too." I strained to keep my voice steady, but it cracked on 'too'. He then lowered his face, and lightly kissed me; our lips barely brushing the others'.

"Do you promise to never leave me?" I asked in a voice so soft, I wasn't sure that he heard me.

But he did. "I promised that the day I saved you."

I stood on my tippy toes and kissed him, then murmured, "Thank you."

"Always."

And the only thing that was left, was the soft humming of my mother's lullaby.

END OF ESME'S STORY

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