Carlisle's POV
Under the stars in the night-black forest, I sit on a log with my youngest son by my side. Since his stomach was full and uncomfortable from all the food he consumed throughout the day, it was necessary to make a stop before returning home. It also provides an opportunity for us to talk privately.
Though most of our talk since he emerged from his spot in the bushes, has been about his time spent with Bella. He really enjoys talking about her, as should be expected.
As he goes on from one topic of his evening to another, I guard my thoughts as I have been doing since I have picked him up from Bella's house. Ever since my phone conversation with Esme earlier in the evening, I've been pondering over how to talk with Edward about a certain topic. Which has to do with beds, contraceptives, and the general act itself.
Which is why I've been blocking my thoughts from him. In order for me to be in control of the conversation, when I'm ready to bring it up.
I must have a conversation with him about coitus. Only, I'm not really sure how to bring up this topic since it's one of those things that I've never had to talk to my older boys about. But with Edward I do.
I continue to keep my thoughts from my mind-reading son, by thinking about the time in 1964 when our family owned a mermaid bowling alley with an indoor aquarium. The mermaids that were in the large tank were actually live manatees that were secured behind the thick glass that surrounded the inside of the entire bowling alley. It was an unusual purchase and not one that was made by my wife or myself.
Definitely not.
My two oldest sons had decided to make the ridiculous purchase in order to safely bowl and not have to hold back their strength, while making bets against one another for their entertainment.
It was a strange time.
Especially when they added a 12-foot jellyfish tank to the scenery and swam with the jellyfish. It's really an odd memory to think of.
I'm actually a bit surprised that Edward hasn't questioned why I'm thinking about it. Though I'm sure, he's too occupied with his own thoughts to notice. Because he hasn't mentioned anything about my thought process since I picked him up.
As he goes on talking, saying Bella's name a thousand times and telling me how kind she is, I listen. With his words, my thoughts that I allow him to see change. An image comes to the forefront of my mind, it's of his smiling face when he introduced me to his girlfriend. He was so full of light and happiness in a way I've never seen him before. The same light and happiness that shines through him now.
Edward and Bella looked very happy together and were not thrilled to part. It was interesting to witness, just as listening to him report about his first date of sorts. There's so much that he has to say, and I'm honored to be the one he chooses to tell it to.
I listen while he goes from telling me about the games they played in the treehouse, to having dinner with her and her father.
"I had so much macaroni and cheese. Not to mention potato wedges and chicken." Edward groans. "Charlie kept putting food on my plate when I finished it and telling me to have more chicken, since he bought two buckets."
"That's understandable." I say with a grin. "Adolescent boys usually eat quite a bit."
Edward makes a face of disgust. "I literally choked down a pound of potato wedges. Not to mention half of a chocolate cake."
"Well yes," I begin thoughtfully. "Sometimes we must eat food even though we don't care for it."
Edward nods his head. "But mountain lions are so much better."
"Very true." I agree.
There's no denying that eating food is an unpleasant part of the human charade. None of us enjoy it, but we pretend to eat food anyways, so we don't stand out.
"Anyways, after dinner Bella and I hung out in her room. With the door open." He says in a tone that makes him sound much younger than seventeen. "Her dad made sure we didn't close the door."
He openly shares he's annoyance on the matter. It makes me laugh. Though I'm glad her father made sure they were not in a closed room together. Lord knows anything could happen.
"He was only making sure you and Bella weren't doing anything you shouldn't be doing." I point out.
He rolls his eyes. "When Charlie came home, he was worried we had sex in the treehouse. I think." He pauses, giving me a strange look.
"You're not sure?" I wonder, wanting him to continue.
He shakes his head no. "I can't really read her father's mind."
"Interesting." I say more to myself than to him.
"It's not as silent as Bella's, but it's not very clear." He begins to explain. "So, either he was worried about that, or worried about getting coffee stains out of his jacket and something about pregnant penguins." He shrugs his shoulders. "I really don't know; I can only see images from his mind. It's weird."
My son's confusion makes me laugh. He frowns.
"Sorry," I apologize. "Laughing was rude of me."
"It was." Edward gives me a tight nod. "Bella and I didn't do anything other than talk, do our homework and play games when we were in the treehouse. I don't understand why he would have been worried about us being inappropriate."
"It comes with the territory of being a father to a daughter." I explain, letting my guard down.
In the forefront of my mind, I allow him to see the many times I have been worried about my girls. Rosalie and Alice are vampires, though I still worry about them in a way that's slightly different from the concerns I have about my sons.
Edward gives me a look of acknowledgement.
"We were only sitting on her bed talking, nothing else." He goes back to the topic that seems to be bothering him. "Well, we did read books and use her ancient computer to look up some things about turtles. It was disgusting." He shutters.
"You have a school assignment about turtles?" I guess.
He shakes his head. "No. At lunch Emmett mentioned how gruesome certain body parts of a turtle are." He explained with another shutter. "I already saw what it looked like from Emmett's mind, but Bella was curious. So, we ended up looking it up together."
The way he says this, along with the expression on his young face, makes him look like a little child that was looking at something he shouldn't have. But why?
"And just what part of the turtle were you researching?" I ask as casually as I can.
Without warning he breaks into a fit of childish giggles. Not sure what has gotten into him, I ask again.
"Turtle penises." He chokes out between laughter. "They are so huge and ugly."
"Is that so?" I wonder.
I'm intrigued by his juvenile behavior of falling into hysterics over this. When it was only yesterday that he had a hard time reading a puberty book with too much information about the male anatomy. But I suppose this is one of the ways he is maturing, growing up in a way, and finding different things funny that used to make him squeamish.
Trying to calm his laughter, Edward confirms my suspicion. He and Bella equally found their Internet research discussing and hilarious. Especially when they stumbled upon a link that showed two turtles having intercourse.
My only response is to shake my head.
Though I don't understand the significance of doing research on turtle anatomy when that's not even one of their school assignments, I say nothing. To each their own, I suppose.
However, now a new topic has aroused my mind. It's something that wasn't there before but now that it is, I can't ignore it.
"It's one thing to look up the anatomy of animals and their mating rituals," I begin in a serious tone. "But it's another thing entirely if you should search for the same intimate moments between humans. I'm aware it's on the Internet for the world to see, but it doesn't mean it's okay to look at it."
Edward stares at me, expressionless.
"Pornography is nothing to be treated lightly." I go on. "It can be addictive, and I don't advise looking for it."
"Dad, I know about Internet safety." Edward insists. "The middle school/high school we went to in Alaska, had an all-day assembly about it after a seventh grader was caught in his English class, looking at porn when he was supposed to be taking a reading comprehension test." He shakes his head. "The assembly was boring, and I'm well educated on it."
"Ah yes." I say, a bit relieved. "I remember that. However, I brought up the topic anyway."
Edward sighs. The way he does it is a bit dramatic and childish. I don't let that stop me from telling him it's my job as a father to inform him about certain things that could be harmful to him. Just as any other caring parent would do.
"You do realize I'm a mind reader, right?" Edward taps his index and middle finger against his temple. "If I wanted to see anything of the sort, all I would have to do is tune into Emmett or Rosalie's mind. They think inappropriate thoughts about each other all the time." He makes a horrible face, which shows how appalled he is. "But I tune them out. I don't wish to see that."
"Well put." I let out a sigh of relief.
"Going back to Charlie's muddy thoughts," He says, taking our conversation a step backwards. "His odd thoughts that were sometimes about me and the moon," He gives me a look of confusion. "Kept poking through my brain while Bella and I were up in her room talking and he was downstairs watching a baseball game. I'm not sure but I think he was stressing out about me being in Bella's room with her. It was annoying. I didn't like that."
"He's being a dad," I reassure him, putting my hand on his shoulder. "He's giving Bella room to grow while being concerned for her, not wanting her to do anything she isn't ready for. He's going to be a bit worried."
"It was annoying." He's tone is whiny. "I don't like him worrying about me and Bella."
"It may be irritating," I say, trying to put him at ease. "But worrying about certain things is a normal part of being a parent to a teenager who is maturing and beginning to date."
Edward gives me a look and I can't figure out where his thoughts have gone.
"Do you feel that way too? I mean, because I have a girlfriend now?" He wonders. "Worried about me, I mean."
"Yes, a bit." I answer honestly.
He does not seem surprised or annoyed by that, though he doesn't speak. His only response is to blink.
Both of us are silent for the moment.
When he retold his day's events with her, I saw a glimpse of the boy he is becoming. He's no longer my little innocent vampire who has no interest in girls but a full-blown teenager whose life revolves around one girl.
A full-blown teenager.
That's what he is all right. He's now in love with a girl who brings out the best in him. As well as his adolescence hormones, which is why I need to have this talk with him. A talk I didn't believe would come so soon.
"The Talk."
I sigh. It's one of those topics that makes human parents red in the face, vampire parents are no exception, though we can't blush. This subject is still embarrassing. Nevertheless, it has to be said, it's all a part of his hormones becoming active and him experiencing different feelings that are brand new to him. Different things that I did not cover in our conversations we had yesterday. Honestly, I assumed this talk would come later. Much later.
Breathing in the air that smells like rain I listen to the sounds of nature. Water trickling in the stream, an owl hooting in the distance, frogs croaking, and crickets chirping. All peaceful sounds that calm me.
'I believe this shall be easy. No need to fret.' I think to myself.
"What will be easy, Carlisle?" Edward wonders, hearing my thoughts.
I look at him, he's staring at me in wonder. His golden eyes are full of questions.
"Son, it's time we have a little chat." I speak casually, placing my hand on his shoulder. I give his shoulder a gentle squeeze before dropping my hand.
"But we are talking." He points out. His body becomes rigid. "I'm I in trouble?"
"No. Of course not." I shake my head. Silently I wonder to myself why he would think that.
"Besides from a few words here and there, you're beginning to block your thoughts from me." Edward explains.
"Ah yes." I say, with a small smile. Did it really take him this long to notice that my thoughts haven't been available to him? "To better be in control of the conversation. That's all." I reassure him.
Edward gives me a sideways glance. "Is this going to be another talk about puberty, masturbation, and erections?"
His guess is kind of right, and I'm sure he's had his fill of talking about this sort of thing. Though there's so much about the uncomfortable topics of sex and the pleasures of it, as well as the emotions that are tied to it, that I need to inform him of. So much more that needs to be said. Only, I'm not ready for this and I pray I'll say the right things.
Wordlessly, I nod my head.
Edward is silent and I wonder what could be going through his mind.
Despite not being ready for this in the slightest, I am his father. I'm the one who needs to inform him about mating, now that he has a mate.
"For a while," I begin slowly. "Until your hormones settle in, and you become used to everything your body is going through, these sorts of chats will be a regular occurrence for us. Nothing to be ashamed about. I want you to be well informed and always know you can come to me with any question you may have."
"I know." He speaks, his voice quivering. "There's actually something I've been wanting to ask you. But it's a little embarrassing…"
He lets his words trail off at the end, leaving me to wonder what else he might want to say. Could this have something to do with Alice's vision? Is he going to ask about sex? Or bring up the fact that he wants a bed?
Anxiety courses through my body with those thoughts, though I try not to make it obvious to him. I do my best to appear calm, both on the outside as well as in my thoughts.
'Son, you can tell me anything.' I silently try to put his mind at rest.
"What is a safe number of hard-ons to have in one day?" His words are fast, his tone is uneasy. His eyes look down at the ground instead of at me.
A sigh escapes my lips. I'm very relieved by this easy question, probably more than I should be.
"Son, there's really no safe number of erections to have in a 24-hour period. We're vampires, our bodies work a bit differently than humans." I remind him. "Besides, you're young, that will happen quite often to you, sometimes for no reason."
"So, ninety-seven times in one day is fine?" He blurts out, his eyes are still looking down at his shoes.
"Yes." I answer his question and add, "You're young and your hormones are settling in. It's going to happen quite a bit and that's okay."
"It happens more when I'm around Bella." He mutters.
"That's usually the way it goes." I chuckle.
He looks at me with an unreadable expression on his youthful face. Clearly, he has more on his mind, wanting to hear what he has to say I silently tell him to go on.
"Sometimes there's this unidentified aroma from Bella." He says in a faraway tone. "I'm not sure what it is exactly, but I know it's from her since it smells like her. Only more of her. If that makes sense. It's a mouthwatering smell that makes me almost lose my mind and feel strange inside and I get… um… an erection that won't go down." He mumbles the last part.
I nod in understanding.
"That seems to happen for no reason when I smell that aroma. It's a bit strange." He pauses for a second then continues. "Every time I breathe in that unknown aroma my muscles want to lock up, kind of, and I feel a bit like I do when I'm hunting."
"Oh." I breathe the word. I was not expecting this much information.
"But not exactly like when I'm hunting, because I'm not thirsty. I don't wish to bite her, just reach out and hold her tight." He explains, sounding a little worried. "Though I don't because I can't really think coherently, and I don't want to be too rough with her since she's human."
"It's understandable why you would fear that. But I'm sure you would be gentle with her." I reassure him, speaking from my own experience of courting a human.
"Maybe." He allows it. "Though I'm not sure why I feel so different in those moments. It can't be normal."
"It is." I put my hand on his shoulder, giving it a comforting squeeze. "These feelings you are experiencing are new and therefore are more intense. Nevertheless, all of this is perfectly normal."
"What about that delicious smell?" He wonders. "The one that makes me lose my mind and want to hold Bella and never let her go. What's that about?"
I'm taken aback by his honesty. He obviously doesn't know what he's talking about, what he just revealed to me. But I do.
A wolf - a shapeshifter - howls in the distance as raindrops start to fall. Nothing to worry about, this part of the woods is our hunting grounds, we are allowed to be here.
Another howl rings out in the air.
I am silent, listening to the noises of the night while trying to figure out how exactly to explain what my son is experiencing when he's around his girlfriend and what the smell from her is. I want to be tactful about this, giving him age-appropriate information that won't make him eager to try certain things.
Definitely not that. He's not not mentally ready to buy a bed, though his overactive hormones might make him think otherwise.
'All my internet research didn't cover this.' I think to myself, running my hand through my hair.
Edward looks at me, raising an eyebrow. He doesn't say a word, just sits patiently, waiting for my response to what he wants to know.
Rubbing my forehead, I try to think about what I should say. Thousands of thoughts run through my mind at the speed of lighting. But none are acceptable to say to my son in this situation.
I sigh. I need to quickly figure out how to give an answer to his question.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Thanks for reading.
How did you like this part of their talk?
Please leave a review. :))