As promised the second chapter! Have fun!
CHAPTER 8: A midsummernightsdream coming true – Esme's POV
The day passed too slowly. It was boring. In the morning the disgusting Dr Chandler announced that he would cast my leg. I was brought to the examination room where he worked for about an hour, bandaging m leg, touching me with his hot, fat fingers. I tried really hard not to flinch from the touch and craved for a certain someone in my thoughts. I doubted that I would have been happy with any other doctor. Carlisle just couldn't be reached by anyone. After my leg was cast I had to spend another one and a half hour in the examination room. The cast needed to dry. So I was left alone without anything to occupy my mind. I hated Dr Chandler even more. Carlisle would never have done something like this. When I was brought back in my room I quickly grabbed one of the books he brought me – Romeo and Juliet – and started to read. For the next hours I buried myself in the most famous love story in the world, letting the scenes play in my mind. I had to admit that Romeo in my imagination was blonde for somehow – though he was Italian according to Shakespeare setting the plot in Verona. Well, it didn't matter for me. While outside the nurses rushed past and treated the patients I was lost in the play.
When I finally lay the book aside it was almost dark and I was finished. Noticing the sun set outside my heart skipped a little. The nightshift would start soon and that meant that Carlisle would start working. When the nurse brought me supper could hardly eat. I was just so excited. It was my last night in the hospital. Dr Chandler had announced I would be leaving the next day. The thought made me somehow a little sad. My time with Dr Cullen would soon be over, too soon.
A few minutes later I heard the faint sound of a door falling shut and then a voice I would recognise everywhere. Carlisle. Though I couldn't understand the words spoken I knew it was him. I sat up straighter and waited anxiously. I was sure he would at least say hello. I heard footsteps go down the hall, away from my room and pouted a little. But then a knock on my door ripped me out of my sad thoughts. "Come in!" I shouted happy.
"Hello Esme." Carlisle opened the door and smiled at me. "Carlisle! Hello!" I replied. He chuckled because of my enthusiasm. "How are you? How was your day?" he asked me. "Well, I am going home tomorrow…" I stated sadly. Carlisle smiled at me but I had the strange feeling it was forced. "That's good news. I am sure your leg will heal properly and in a few weeks you can climb trees again…" He winked at me and I smiled automatically.
"Well, what did you do all day?" Carlisle wanted to know as he sat down on the edge of my bed. "Dr Chandler cast my leg in the morning and then I had to wait until the cast was dry. I did not even have something to read because they let me wait in one of the examination rooms." I explained to him, sounding probably a little frustrated. I did not want to make Carlisle feel bad and tried to change the subject.
"Why do you work the night shifts?" I asked him. Carlisle looked a little puzzled but answered immediately. "Well, someone has to work at night…" he said. I nodded. I really wished he could work at days too, but of course he needed sleep like everyone else and surely also had other things to do in his free time.
"Yeah, but I don't like Dr Chandler… he is just so… I don't know… he was not gentle and caring when he put my leg in a cast…" He is not like you… I added in my thoughts. Carlisle sat up straight and looked me into the eyes.
"Did he hurt you… Does your leg hurt?" He asked. His golden eyes were clouded with worry. "No, don't worry." I told him. "I am alright; I just wished I had you to talk…" The last part I only mumbled. Carlisle was not supposed to hear this. But he did, his grin proved this. "What did you do all day? It was so nice outside…" It had really been a nice day, though it was overcast. How I wished I could have spent it outside somewhere but I was stuck in this hospital, alone and bored. "I slept." Carlisle said. Of course he did. He had worked at night and spent a long time talking to me. "And then I read a little." He added. "You were not outside?" I asked puzzled. "It was so nice, even though it was cloudy." Carlisle watched me with a strange expression on his face. His eyes sparkled with some kind of idea. What was on his mind?
"Would you like to go outside?" Carlisle then asked me. I stared at him. Going outside? I would love that but… "Well, I know it's not the same, but perhaps you want to go out into the park with me… Just for a quick stroll…" Carlisle said slowly. I felt a large smile appear on my face. He wanted to take me outside? For a walk?
"Really? Could we go out? I mean…" I started happily. Carlisle smiled at my eagerness. "I am a doctor… I could take you out for some minutes… if you want…" he explained thoughtful. I guessed from the way he behaved he had never done this before and it made me feel special in a way. "Really? That would be great! It is such a beautiful night!" I tried, without success, to calm down my excitement. "Alright. I will get a wheelchair then and you should put some warmer clothes on…" Carlisle told me and stood up to leave me alone. As he reached the door I stopped him. I felt a little embarrassed to ask him for this but who else was there?
"Carlisle?" He turned around and looked at me. "Yes?" he asked patiently. I bit my lip and avoided looking him in the eyes. "Would you give me some clothes from the cupboard?" I was not sure if he could even catch the words because I only mumbled my request. "eh… yes." I heard him reply. It might have been my imagination but he also sounded a little hesitant. "Of course." I looked up at him but just in this moment he turned to the closet. He quickly put a skirt and a sweater down on the edge of my bed.
"Thank you." I whispered. "Shall I send a nurse to help you?" Carlisle asked. His voice still sounded a little strange – nervous I thought. I shook my head slowly. I would not need a nurse. My leg was cast now and it did not hurt so much anymore. I could at least move again – if only slow and careful. "No, thank you. It is alright." I reassured Carlisle smiling. "Okay, I will go and get a wheelchair." I watched him leave my room quicker as usual and without looking at me. I his shook my head at this odd behaviour. He always seemed so confident, calm and collected had my simple request bothered him that much? Unlikely.
I reached for the clothes on my bed and slowly, with some difficulties I changed into them. It took me an awful long time to pull the skirt over the cast because I could not bend my knee. Well, I was still lucky. The cast ended just above my knee. If Dr Chandler would have cast my leg up to my hip I would not have been able to move at all. I quickly pulled the sweater over my head and then tried to tame my hair a little bit. The wool had it to stand up in every direction.
I sat up in my bed and waited impatiently. Dr Cullen was talking outside, probably to a nurse. I recognized his voice but could not understand what was spoken. A minute later I heard a knock on my door. "Come in!" I called eagerly. A wheelchair was pushed through the door followed by Carlisle. He smiled.
"Well, are you ready?" he asked. I nodded eagerly. "I am." "Good, may I?" he gestured towards the wheelchair which he placed next to my bed. "Yes, of course." I told him. He had lifted me up several times now and I had to admit I liked the feeling of being held by him. He scooped me up again, effortlessly as it seemed. Though his body felt strangely cold and hard I missed it as soon as he gently sat me down in the wheelchair. I turned around and smiled up at Carlisle as he wheeled me out of the room and down the corridor.
It was cool outside, the air clean and fresh. A welcoming change to the sterile smelling hospital air. It sometimes felt like you were inhaling bleach. Carlisle pushed the wheelchair towards the little hospital park. I turned around again to thank him.
"Thank you, Carlisle." He smiled sincere. "My pleasure, Esme." He answered simply. I smiled. In front of us was a large oak tree with a bench under it. Carlisle stopped under the tree and sat down on the bench. "Well, I am sorry, you cannot climb up the tree but I think this is also alright…" He winked and I chuckled.
"This is perfect. Thank you." I whispered. I felt so much freer here. I really hated the hospital – at daytime. I was all alone, the nurses were not really friendly and I had nothing to do. I enjoyed being outside. I looked around the trees in the park and suddenly something caught my eye. There, by the bushes, something was moving. I held my breath and watched a squirrel coming out. It carefully listened and sniffed the air. I quickly grabbed Carlisle's sleeve to get his attention.
"Hey look, a squirrel!" I said excitedly but still low. I did not want to scare it away. Carlisle smiled as he watched the little animal with me. "It is so cute." I whispered.
"Yes it is." He agreed. We watched the squirrel take an acorn before it climbed up the tree again. For some time nobody spoke. It was a peaceful silence. Unfortunately I was beginning to get cold. But I did not want to go back inside just then and kept quiet. Just before a shudder ran through me I felt Carlisle placing something on my shoulders. I looked at him and saw that he had taken his coat off.
"Thank you." I said. "But aren't you cold?" He was just wearing a dark pullover now. He chuckled amused by me caring for him. "No, I am not. Don't worry." He answered and shook his head. I could not imagine how he couldn't be cold but I gratefully snuggled into his coat. It was not warm as it should have been from his body but it smelled so good.
"I read Romeo and Juliet today." I told Carlisle after a while. He looked into my eyes. "You read it? You finished?" I smiled at the surprise in his voice.
"Yes, I started it before I fell… I told you…" I answered. "Well, yes you did, but you didn't come far, I thought…" he said. "I did not, but it was so great and I read it through when I was back in my room, after the cast was dry." I explained. I had hardly noticed the time flying by as I was reading. And the plot was so thrilling. I could simply not stop. I needed to know how it would end.
"I never met someone like you…" Carlisle murmured astonished. I looked at him.
"What do you mean?" "It's just, you always surprise me. Girls your age are normally giggling, whispering over boys or dressing themselves up like dolls." Carlisle explained. I blushed slightly. I knew that I was not interested in these thing all other girls worried about. I did not want to learn cooking or sewing. I wanted to read and lead my own life. Not be the wife of some stranger my parents had chosen for me. "You are really unique, Esme." I heard Carlisle say. I smiled. Everyone else always told me my behaviour was not proper or not ladylike. Only Carlisle liked it.
"And you are flattering." I mumbled too low for him to hear. Just then Carlisle coughed but somehow I had the strange inkling he heard what I said though I knew he couldn't. I looked worried at him.
"I told you, you will get cold!" I instantly shrugged out of his jacket and wanted to give it back to him but he stopped me. "No. It is alright, really. What about we just continue our little walk?" Carlisle suggested. I nodded. "Well, walk at least for you…" I muttered. "I am just sitting here, being wheeled around." I really hated it that I was dependant on everyone. I felt so helpless. "You will be alright soon. In a few weeks the cast will be taken off and you can do everything you like again – even climbing trees." Carlisle cheered me up. I had to smile at these words. "Yes." I whispered.
I enjoyed being outside with Carlisle. We talked about a lot of different things and I felt like I could tell him anything. He never judged me. He just listened and respected my opinion. After some time though I became tired. I tried to hide the yawn. I did not want to go back to bed just yet. But Carlisle saw it nonetheless.
"You are tired. I will take you back inside." He said gently. I opened my mouth to protest. "No, I am not tired. Reawwy." I should have kept my mouth shut as I had to yawn loudly. Carlisle chuckled at my poor act. "Of course." He said still smiling.
"Come on. You need sleep, your leg will hear faster, if you sleep properly." He explained to me. I pouted at that. Of course I wanted my leg to heal but I also wanted to spent more time outside with him. But he already pushed the wheelchair towards the hospital. When we passed the reception the nurse glared at us. I blushed a deep red, suddenly aware of the fact that I still wore Carlisle's coat. As soon as Carlisle closed the door to my room I looked apologetically at him.
"I hope you didn't get yourself into trouble." I said. "No, why?" he asked rather surprised. Had he really not seen the look on the nurse's face? He must have noticed. "Well, this nurse didn't seem pleased." I said carefully. Carlisle laughed lightly.
"No, but I will survive it. She is probably just upset to work the night shift." He told me. I doubted that but didn't say anything else. I just nodded thoughtful. Carlisle winked reassuringly at me before he helped me out of the wheelchair and sat me down on the bed. After that he left the room to let me change my clothes again.
I changed as quickly as possible and wondered if Carlisle would come in again. I still had his coat. He would come to take it back, but would I still be awake? I hoped so. The minutes passed by and I started to get really sleepy. Just as I thought I couldn't keep my eyes open for much longer the door opened.
"I began to think you wouldn't come again." I mumbled. Carlisle smiled. "Of course I do. I just got delayed." He replied. I looked down at the jacket in my hands. "Well, I think you want this back…" I said lowly. I half wished he would say no. Though I knew he neither would nor could do that. But the jacket smelled so good. I wanted to keep this little part of him.
"Yes, thank you." Carlisle took the coat from my hands and smiled. I returned the smile. "Good night, Esme." He wished. I nodded. "Thank you. What will you do for the rest of the night?" I asked him. "Well, I actually will also rest a little bit, too. I was asked to work the morning shift tomorrow. A colleague is ill." He told me. As he said that instantly felt bad for keeping him up so long. He must already be very tired according to the circles under his eyes.
"Oh, then sleep well, I think. I hope you can get rest. It must be hard to work so long without sleeping properly." I said sheepishly. I felt like I was the reason he had gotten not enough sleep. He always spent big parts of his night-shift with me.
"Eh, well, it is alright… I will be able to release you tomorrow and do the final examination and that's a quite pleasant thought." He told me and I blushed lightly. This thought was really a good one. Carlisle winked at me and then he left the room. I cuddled into the pillows and smiled happily. At least I would see Carlisle again before I got home. I could not stand another examination by the awful Dr Chandler. With the image of Carlisle in my mind I drifted off to sleep…
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