Apparently people didn't get an email notification about the posting of this chapter, so I'm trying again!
Esme began to regale me with her experiences. Her story was one that flowed in order, rather than bouncing between past and present, it was a solid, weary, and heartbreaking tale, one which had me biting my lips as I thought about the beautiful motherly woman before me undergoing the struggles she had. Her loss of her baby was the worst part, but culminating in the start of her new life, somehow seemed to balance. She had inherited Edward, a child in desperate need of a mother, and gradually the others came to join them, extending the size of her family much farther than she had ever anticipated.
"I'm sorry your life has been so… difficult." I summed up, lamely.
"It has been challenging, certainly, but I am endlessly grateful for the gits I've been granted."
I sat quietly, processing. Alice's confusing and out-of-order tale summed her up quite perfectly, while Esme's tragic, and yet hopeful and happy story, gave her the wisdom she needed to be a mother, while giving her the strength and motivation to continue. In the corner of my eye I saw Rosalie shift uncomfortably. She was not ready to share her tale, and I wouldn't pressure her to.
"I have loved this. I really have. Learning more about your family is going to take me the better half of a lifetime I feel, but I'm glad you're letting me in. I'll obviously answer any questions you have, just feel free to ask, but right now – I need to get some sleep. That bath did wonders on me." Thankfully, a yawn managed to slip its way into my mouth as I finished my little goodnight spiel. I wasn't overly tired yet, and I had a lot to process, but I wasn't going to create an uncomfortable situation for a woman who (still quite unexplained to me) wasn't really comfortable with me.
"Of course. You know where you're sleeping, although I can tell you that Edward won't be happy." Alice chimed, wrinkling her nose. I smirked, standing up, and headed out into the dark entranceway. It occurred to me that they truly hadn't thought about turning on the lights. Adjusting to a human would be a process for them. Adjusting to darkness would be an interesting process for me, as I would never bring up the inconvenience it caused me. I hovered at the base of the stairs for a moment.
"Oh – If I snore, feel free to smother me to death. I'd rather be dead than shake the floorboards like Charlie." I saw Rosalie crack a smile again, and I placed my hand on the banister, treading carefully upstairs. Seventeen stairs later I hit solid ground again, and walked slowly towards Edward's room. When I got inside it felt as though I was outside again. The moon had just slid out from behind the clouds, and the shadows of trees fell through the wall of windows into the room around me. It looked in the dim light as if someone had forgotten a wall. Only my knowledge of the glass being there prevented my intake of breath. It was sort of creepy, and sort of beautiful. I wondered if Edward ever sat here at night observing the forest outside. I walked over to the couch, bumping my leg gently on the side of the coffee table I had forgotten was there. If I lay down where it was, I wouldn't be able to see the forest anymore. Was that a good thing? I would feel exposed I think.
Suddenly I caught a tiny blink of light out of the corner of my eye. I sat and waited for a little, and then saw it again. Fireflies. The little lightning bugs were flashing haphazardly in places. I definitely wanted to watch them. Should I angle the couch? No I wouldn't mess up his room. I grabbed the blanket, pulling it close to the window and folded it like a sleeping bag, rolling up inside it. I left the pillow under my head. This would probably suck for my shoulder, and I could feel my wrist aching already, but I was determined. I would send myself to sleep with the glitter of the night.
My dreams were strange. Instead of the usual nightmare my mind was filled with confusing images of Alice wandering around an abandoned hospital, flashes of Esme on top of a cliff on a stormy night, a flash of red fire that danced around laughing, and the cry of a wolf sounding in the distance. I couldn't hear much, which was usual, but not for my dreams, and different parts of the dream flickered in and out of focus. I was following a scared and bedraggled looking Alice through an empty corridor when I came across a mirror. Behind me was a dark figure, flowing red hair tumbling over their face. I checked behind me and they weren't there, but when I looked in the mirror she was. Her hand reached out to touch my shoulder…
And I felt a cold hand brush my hair back, bringing me out of unconsciousness.
I choked out a scream, flinging myself haphazardly away, and felt the crushing arms of someone strong wrap around me in the darkness. A light quickly filled the room – Edward's cell phone light – and I saw the concerned face of Edward, who had pinned my arms to my sides to undoubtedly stop me from injuring myself in my sleepy struggle. I took a deep breath, and relaxed, curling into his chest for a hug. I felt his chest murmur with sound. I pulled back to look at his lips.
"Pardon?"
"I'm sorry – I was just letting my family know that your screams didn't indicate my murdering preferences."
I chuckled once, swallowing, and clearing my throat. "At least, not tonight."
"Morbid." He shook his head, still looking concerned. "I didn't mean to frighten you." He signed his apology.
"No it wasn't you, really, well it was but – it was poor timing I think. I was having a very creepy dream." I realised he had essentially lit his phone light and threw his phone down to stop me from flailing around. "Is your phone okay?"
"It's fine." He assured me without even checking, he began speaking and signing. "Are your arms okay? Your shoulder?"
"Yeah they're fine." I said, rolling them around carefully.
"Can I ask you something?"
"Yeah." I said, sitting up cross-legged.
"Why exactly did you ignore both the bed and the couch? Are you trying to end up back in hospital?" He asked. I bit my lip and shrugged, wincing slightly at the stiffness in my shoulder.
"The bed is unnecessary and stupid. You don't sleep, and this is your room. I was going to sleep on the couch – but I was distracted." I felt really idiotic explaining what had led me to curl up on the floor. Edward waited patiently for my explanation, eyebrow raised in expectation.
"There was a firefly display happening, and I thought it would be peaceful to fall asleep to."
He frowned slightly, looking out into the forest.
"I can honestly say I don't think I've ever noticed that before. I recall the flashes, but I've never taken the time to watch them. I certainly never thought of them as a display worth watching."
I could feel a blush creep up my cheeks, and was rewarded by Edward stroking them.
"Would you mind coming to the bed now? You're making me nervous on the floor."
I rolled my eyes, but accepted his assistance in gathering my things and moving to the bed. It was a wholly unnecessary entity in the room. I tapped my phone on the bedside table, to reveal that it was 4am.
"I was about to ask what you're doing back so late, but I guess it's too early to be late."
"We were hunting. We wanted to give you girls some alone time."
"Well it worked. I had the best bath I've ever had, and enjoyed some bonding time. Happy?" I fake scolded him as he chuckled. "Shouldn't you be wetter?"
"I was soaked. Alice laid out some clothes for us, and we toweled off downstairs. My hair still may be damp."
I reached my fingers up and tousled his hair. It was indeed damp. I lay on the bed, tucking into a ball, and curling my hand up under my nose to subtly smell. He smelled divine.
"Is it harder hunting in the rain?" I asked, yawning. He smiled at me, sitting across from where I lay so I could see him clearly.
"Sometimes. The rain can confuse smells, but our hearing more than makes up for it."
"Lucky you." I said, fighting another yawn.
"Go to sleep Bella. I'll be here in the morning."
"What exactly do you do here at nights?"
"I'll have to rediscover that. After all – I haven't really spent a night here in a while."
I closed my eyes, smiling. I guess he hadn't.