Please meet in the dining room for a family meeting in fifteen minutes.- Esme
Jasper locked his phone screen with a sigh. Family meetings were only called for big news. Last time it had meant his mother was coming to visit for the first time in almost a decade. His sister, Rosalie, had help hoped for a big family reunion. Jasper hadn't wanted to get his hopes up only to be disappointed once again. He'd long ago given up on Coleen Cullen, or whatever last name she was going by at this point. Jasper didn't keep up with his 'mother's' rotating door of husbands, grateful that his uncle Carlisle had chosen to adopt him and Rosalie. Esme was a better mother anyhow, and he would take her love over the woman who had created him any day. Jasper would always find himself disgusted with the cards the universe had dealt, allowing Coleen to mother children she didn't want or care for when Esme, a woman with so much love to give, had been infertile.
The meeting preceding that announced Edythe's adoption had gone through, she was no longer a foster child and an official part of the family. In Jasper's twelve years living with his aunt and uncle, they had only attempted to adopt one other child they had fostered. Her name was Alice. While he was eternally grateful, they hadn't been able to make her an official part of the family, he missed her quite a bit. He'd made every effort to stay in contact with the girl throughout the three years since she'd returned home. Unfortunately, every attempt ended in failure. His letters were always mailed back, her number was changed, and she didn't seem to have any social media presence. They'd been close during her time with the Cullen's three years ago. Dancing around feelings and becoming inseparable.
"Jasper?" Rosalie's voice interrupted his trip down memory lane. "Are you coming down to the meeting? Esme's back, and everyone's waiting on you."
"Yeah," He smiled, standing up and following her out of his bedroom door, closing it behind him. The siblings quickly made it downstairs to the dining room, where they were met by the rest of the family. Edythe and Carlisle were chatting while Esme paged through some paperwork she had sat out in front of her. She looked up when the pair entered the room with a warm, loving smile.
The twins took a seat at the large dining room table; Jasper quickly noted the tension emanating from his aunt and uncle upon their arrival. Were they in trouble? He couldn't remember anything specific he had done wrong recently.
"Okay, let's get this started," Carlisle opened, refusing to meet his nephew's eyes. "Esme and I have recently been made aware of some information we think you should all informed of. We would like to discuss the issue as a family."
"I'm sure you've all heard The Swan's have adopted a new child, a friend of Bella's from Arizona." His aunt spoke cautiously, choosing her words carefully as though she was about to drop something heavy.
"Is everything okay with this girl?" Rosalie asked; his sister had a tough exterior but a heart of gold. If this girl was going through something, there was no doubt she would be the first to befriend her.
"It's Alice, yes, that Alice.
Jasper was aware of Edythe's questioning of who Alice was and aware of the other family members' eyes focused on him with caution. The world seemed to spin around him at the revelation, Alice was coming back. Alice, whom he'd missed for three years. Alice, who'd kissed him goodbye and promised to stay in touch only to fade away until she was only a memory after only a month. She was coming back.