SM OWNS ALL THINGS TWILIGHT.
AN: So, the beginning of the end. Can't believe it, I've said it before but I have to say it again, you guys are amazing, what am I going to do without you? LOL! Now, I know Epilogues are usually quite short, but this is me and Miss Evie has quite a bit to say. I know it may seem a bit weird me giving Evie so much space when it's a CXE story, but to me Evie is a major part of them and their life and I wanted to try and show how she saw them. Oh lord, I hope I haven't totally screwed up.
EVIE POV
"And those seven boxes in the car don't include all the new stuff we bought or my clothes…" I exclaimed as I rushed back into my room.
"You accumulate a lot of stuff in eighteen years." My mom said quietly as she continued to fold and pack the clothes I had decided to take with me to college. After flinging myself across my bed, I took a moment to look at her, really look, she was fifty eight, but had a figure and skin that a woman half her age would kill for. She had the odd grey hair, that she let show and up close you could see what my Dad called her laughter lines, but she was so beautiful both inside and out and as tough as they came. She had to be having a family like ours and a crew of construction workers to manage. So seeing the sad, vulnerable look in her eyes that she had been trying unsuccessfully to hide as the time for me to leave for school had approached had worried me.
I know all parents are supposed to go through the "empty nest" thing and that my attentions should be focused on my big new life at college. They were, I was excited, but I was also a little scared. I had had eighteen years of growing up in the middle of a large sprawling family who loved, encouraged, protected, teased and most of the time drove me nuts. Having older siblings was tough enough, but when you had an older brother like Emmett, who now his twins Masen and JC were teenagers had decided to channel his inner teenager whilst actually being the grand old age of 52, life was never quiet, dull or totally free of embarrasment. And although having a world famous fashion designer as a sister had its perks, it could also be a little stressful come new collection time. Alice was to put it nicely a little temperamental and demanding when she was "in the zone" as she called it. I think she even called one of her more dramatic collections "The Zone", but there had been so many collections now, she also had her boutiques and her TV work as a judge on Project Runway and The Fashionista. She was tough, sometimes really mean, but always fair. I loved them both…in small doses. And I always had Edward to rely on. Edward was pretty cool, calm, normal, when he wasn't fighting with Adam, who was my nephew but felt more like my little brother, about wanting to be a musician and worrying about Beth my niece discovering boys at High School. I also had Aunty Rose, who was just cool, drop dead gorgeous, could swear like a sailor and make you piss yourself laughing one minute and piss yourself with fright tough the next minute, cool. And of course there was Uncle Jazz, easy going, laid back, slightly deaf in one ear Uncle Jazz, who knew exactly the right thing to say in every situation, when Alice let him speak. He was always fun to hang out with especially if he was doing some signings or conferences for his latest historical novels, he always made sure I got to meet all the authors I loved and he made the best Mexican food ever!
But I drew my greatest strength and comfort from my Mom and Dad. I was there baby, what they called a gift. They had met and married late and had never expected to have children, which was why I was so special to them. They loved me, encouraged me, laughed with me, cried with me, but they never smothered me. They let me make my mistakes, fall down, get into trouble, not something I tried to do too often, because that disappointed look from my Dad was even more painful than my the quiet admonishments from my mom. And considering everything they and I had been through, I knew that I was damn lucky that they were so normal. We were a great team. I had thousands of happy memories of movie nights, epic board game battles, intense debates about news and politics and amazing holidays. Now I was leaving and I was excited ready to learn more, see more, make new friends but…
"Mom, you and Dad will be okay won't you…?"
"You are kidding? They've already sent out the invites for the all night party and then their heading down to Vegas…" Edward said poking his head round my door.
"We might get a Harley and join you and Bella on your road trip." Mom shot back throwing my sweater at his head.
"Well you already have the tattoos." Edward replied with a chuckle as he left.
"Oh yeah, I forgot about those!" I laughed.
"Your father still wishes you could have forgotten about them when we first got them…you wouldn't stop poking at his bandage and asking to see it. He was in even more agony than when he got it done!" Mom laughed.
"Well, I was shocked, you and Dad getting tattoos, especially after everything you said and still say about them…"
"We're your parents…you should do as we say, not as we do."
"Can I see?" I asked with a grin. Mom let out a huff of annoyance but smiled as she turned round and showed me the design on her lower back.
"Unbreakable huh?"
"That's right. Your Dad and I will miss you…a hell of a lot, but we'll be fine baby." My mom said sitting down on the edge of the bed. I shifted so that my head was in her lap, she began to stroke my hair in that comforting way that only she had.
"Your Dad and I have been through a…lot, some of which you know…some I will tell you, but not yet…we decided a long time ago to put as much time into being Carlisle and Esme as we put into being your Mom and Dad…we're a lot luckier than some couples. And you will be home from time to time I take it…"
"Yep, nobody does laundry or makes as good a lasagna as you." I giggled.
"Shameless girl! It's nice to know we're good for something…"
"Well, there's that and money of course."
"Of course!" Mom said as she swatted me with a pillow.
"'Spose it could be worse, I could be in New York like the geek."
"Adam is not a geek!" Mom scolded.
"Nah, he's pretty cool for a nerd!"
"Evie Rose Cullen! I will not have you talking about your brot…nephew…"
"Confusing isn't it." I laughed.
"There's only two weeks between you."
"What happened? Was there a power cut? I snarked.
Mom hit me with the pillow again before replying with a straight face.
"I believe there was here in Forks, your father and I were in Italy at the time."
"I shouldn't have asked!" I laughed.
"Nope and you shouldn't tease Adam."
"It's only cause I miss him. I'm really proud of him…I mean Julliard! Wow…and to think he gave me hell for entering him in the school talent show." I said.
"Well musical talent runs in his side of the family. Edward's mother was a music teacher and Edward had a lot of offers to take up music professionally but…"
"He disappeared up his own backside and got ripped off."
"EVIE!"
"Bella told me." I said quickly.
"You surprise me."
"She did." I said sitting up and moving to lean back against the head board. "I had to know why Edward was giving Adam such a bad time about wanting to be a musician…Adam was really hurt by what Edward said and how he acted…you know how much he loves his Dad."
"I know…I'm glad they've called a truce, at least until Adam graduates. Now young lady, there is work to be done…" Mom said all businesslike once more. "Now, I found that carved box you got when we went back to Mexico…I didn't touch it, I just wondered if you wanted to pack it?" Mom asked gently.
"Nope…that's staying here if you don't mind…but I wouldn't mind seeing what is actually in there…it's been awhile since I had anything special enough to put in there." I said hopping up and fetching he said box from my closet.
"Would you like me to come back in a bit?"
"No…there's nothing naughty in there…at least I don't think so." I teased.
"Oh you mean like that Victoria Secret underwear."
"You found that!" I squeaked blushing. "Alice bought it for me…well Alice and Rose…thought I might need it at some point…oh lord."
"Evie, whilst I don't really like to think of my baby being woman enough to wear underwear like that, although it is actually very pretty and restrained for Alice…I know that there are going to be boys…men in your life, relationships…I know it's embarrassing but if you to talk and Alice, Rose or Bella haven't answered your questions…don't worry, I know you'll go them first…I'm here…I know we've done the sex talk a couple of times but…"
"Thanks Mom." I said giving her a squeeze. She was right though, I would probably go to the others first, there are some things you really don't need your Mom to know!
"What was I saying, oh yes…would you like to do that in private?" Mom asked going to stand.
"No…I'd like you to stay." It was weird, but I really did want her to stay, maybe have the chance to explain and thank her for some of the happy memories that she had helped allow me create. She looked so happy, so excited. I had been busy with the last few weeks of school and a trip to Hawaii with my best friend Francesca, I hadn't I realized, spent as much time during my last summer before college with my parents as I thought.
Mom came and lay back against the headboard, whilst I turned and sat Indian style facing her.
"Open sez me." I said waving my hand over the box with a giggle. The man who had sold me the box in Mexico had told me it was for my special things and that it was protected by magic, so I had always done the silly little hand wave every time I opened it.
There were pictures, of my friends and I, family, Mom Dad and me, Mom, Dad and one I loved of me curled up on Dad's lap both of us asleep, his glasses sliding down his nose. I think I was about four. A strange look came over Mom's face as she stroked the two printed faces gently. I also had a picture from Mom and Dad's wedding of them dancing. They were still damn good, but in this picture they looked so happy and so in love. I knew it was probably impossible, but that is what I wanted someday. To look at and be looked at by someone with such love, but for it, like it had in my parents case to continue. The next thing was a piece of paper. Unfolding it, I found it was an invoice from Cullen Constriction and Design, Mom's company. I had unfortunately, not inherited Mom's gift.
"Do you remember this? When I hired you to design and build the tree house." I asked handing it to her. She snorted with laughter, lifting the glasses that hung round her neck to her eyes.
"How could I forget? You were my most picky and demanding client ever!"
"Not true! You said that was Alice when you were designing her first store!"
"Okay, second most demanding…jeez, I really thought Billy was going to quit!"
"I wasn't that bad!"
"Evie, it was a tree house! But you wanted bedrooms, a games room…"
"That was Adam!"
"The microwave?" Mom asked archly.
"Okay, that was me…I thought we could have popcorn and stuff."
"I remember you asking me how much I charged for my architecting…and us coming to the agreement that I'd take it out of your allowance a few dollars at a time." Mom said.
"Looks like you did too! $400!"
"Well, you had to learn the value of money…I only charged you for the materials…"
"You made me and Adam make a proper appointment to come and see you…"
"You were the one who wanted to be grown up at seven!"
"You came though, both of you dressed smartly, You had the most lovely braid in your hair…ran all round the front as well." Mom mused.
"Edward did it, he is a freaking genius." Mom laughed as we got into another discussion about my crazy curly hair, which much to my fathers dismay, I kept short.
"You used to pester Billy and the little crew working here every day after school. You would come home have a snack and then change into jeans boots and your little hard hat."
"I still have those, including the pink one Alice got me."
"She couldn't still can't understand how you can be such a tomboy…she feels she's failed you." Mom laughed.
"I can do girly." I said hotly
"And you look gorgeous."
"You're biased." I said feeling my blush creep up my neck.
"I'm honest…my beautiful little girl…is now a beautiful young woman." Mom sighed, her breathe a little shaky with tears.
"Genes." I mumbled.
Mom nodded. "Cullen's are known for a being very good looking."
"I meant you." I said quietly. Mom snorted with laughter and flushed with colour, but she gave my knee a squeeze. Mom was usually so confident, but there were times especially when it came down to her looks and intelligence that she could appear so fragile. I knew she had been married before to him and that he had been violent, but what upset me more was the mental damage he had done to her. I was glad he was dead for many reasons, one of the main ones being that if he hadn't have been I could have quite happily killed him myself for what he'd done to this wonderful woman.
"Dad tells you how beautiful you are every day." I said. It was sweet, but also a little embarrassing, especially as it was often followed by kissing and not just a peck on the cheek! TMI!
"Now there's a man whose biased."
"And who seems happier when I'm wearing jeans…although lately, he has been saying that what I was wearing was looking a bit tight. Do you think I'm getting fat?" I asked worriedly.
"No I do not! And neither does Dad." Mom snapped. "Your Dad…well like most father's he hates the idea of men noticing you, but…oh god Carlisle, I'm going to kill you…your father has a thing about…my legs…"
"Eww TMI!" I squealed. I knew this, sort of, but I didn't really need to hear it or imagine.
Mom held a hand.
"Anyway, you seem to have inherited my legs at least and the thought of men looking at you and in particular focusing on your legs makes him a little crazy…hence his thing about you in tight jeans."
It was true I had my mom's legs. Okay, I understood, but it was time to move on.
"Annnyway…it turned out to be a great tree house in the end."
"We couldn't get you and Adam out of it for ages."
"Well Adam liked to go there to get away from Beth crying." Beth, Adam's little sister had come along when Adam and I were five. She was cute, looking as much like Bella as Adam looked like Edward. I had loved her for awhile, but I had lost interest when the crying and dirty nappies started. I was still traumatized from assisting Emmett change one of the twins according to family folk lore. Adam had got away because he was jealous. Adam wasn't a wimp, but he was sensitive about his lack of co-ordination and what he called his klutziness. He needed a bit more attention, which it took a little while for Edward and Bella to give him as they struggled with a new baby and their careers. Edward was still running the clinic with Dad, but he had also opened up a separate minor operations clinic at weekends and Bella was making a name for herself as a romance novelist. It was her who had talked Uncle Jazz into writing his first novel, which had been hailed as better that Gone With The Wind. There had been interest in the movie rights for awhile, but Jasper was not going to let it go to just anyone.
Apparently Edward had reacted in a very similar way when Emmett and Alice had come to live with Dad and Edward's mom. There had been a tree house involved there to, but it was a lot smaller and Dad had made Edward and Emmett build it together. There were fights, but they eventually started to get along. And it didn't take long before Edward Bella and Beth settled into routine and Adam felt a lot more settled. It was during this time that Adam really started to bind with his Dad over music, which was kinda ironic considering the arguments they were having.
The next piece of paper out of my box was Emmett's birth certificate. Not my brother Emmett, but Emmett the orangutan I adopted whilst on vacation with mom and dad. After what had happened to me at Seattle zoo in the monkey house, I had been terrified of the zoo and monkeys, but when I saw a woman collecting for the sanctuary and she explained that poachers and hunters were killing off the population and separating mothers and babies, my heart broke.
"What have you there?" Mom asked.
"Emmett's birth certificate."
"Ahh, your first holiday romance." Mom said wistfully. I hurled a pillow at her.
"I was just thinking about how that woman collecting for the sanctuary telling me about the mothers and babies being separated helped me get over some of my fear…"
"Worse thing a mother can face." Mom sighed, her face twisted in pain for a moment.
"Well at least you get to cuddle your baby…" I said wanting to take that awful memory from her. I scooted up the bed and into the crook of her arm. She gave me a grateful squeeze and kissed the top of my head, but I had still seen the tears pooling in the corner of her eyes. "Mine is thousands of miles away. He never writes, he never calls, but he still takes my money." I joked.
"The joys of motherhood." My mom replied. "How old is he now?"
"Seven…I was eleven when we went…"
But I was stopped by mom bursting out laughing, a full blown body shaking laugh.
"Whaat?" I demanded. What was funny
"Oh…um…fist time Dad and I went to Mexico, we met Hank and Jill and Jill was always telling me that because I went out to work, you would end up an underachieving crackwhore with two kids by the time you were sixteen…she was partly right after all." Mom stammered before almost falling off the bed laughing again. I had adopted Rosie, a gorilla when I was fifteen.
"Well…I can promise you the crack whore part won't happen, but the underachieving might."
"Oh baby…" Mom said sitting up. "You were second in your class, top two percentile in the country for your SAT scores."
"But it's seven years mom to become a vet, then another three to specialize in primate care…doctors don't train that long…maybe I should have just gone to med school."
"And been miserable…Evie, you have the Cullen caring gene, but for animals…monkeys."
"It could be a lot tougher than I think, I could screw up."
"You could, but I know you you won't give in without one hell of a fight. Your father and I are so proud of you, but we love you whatever you know that."
"Even if I do become a crack whore?"
Mom let out a growl and started to tickle me so hard we both almost fell off the bed!
"Do you remember when you told Emmett about Emmett?"
The family arrived the weekend after we got home from that vacation and the general chatter had soon turned to what we had done.
"Evie had a holiday romance." Dad had teased grinning evilly at my flushed face. I blushed a lot from the ages of eleven to sixteen.
"Ooh…Evie's got a boyfriend, Evie's got a boyfriend… Evie and a boy sitting in a palm tree K.I.S.S.I.N.G! Wait…hold on!" Emmett had roared when he realized what he had been saying . He could be even more protective than Dad about things like boys.
"What's his name?" Emmett had demanded, squinting at me across the dining table where we were all having breakfast.
"Emmett stop it, it was a holiday romance, she won't see him again, or will you?" Rose had asked genuinely interested.
"Probably not, not unless we go back there, but he will write…"
"They all say that sweetie." Alice had said giving my hand a sympathetic squeeze.
"No, he will or his guardians will, usually when they receive the checks…"
"WHAT THE…? You are sending some kid you hardly know money? Mom, Dad? Where the hell were you when this was happening?" Emmett demanded.
"Right next to her signing the paperwork." Dad had snapped.
"Again I ask his name and do you have a photo so I can hunt him down."
I remember by this stage, Adam was almost under the table laughing. He had been the first one I had told.
"His name is Emmett." I had replied.
Everyone looked stunned.
"Okay, so we know he's tall talk incredibly handsome and probably used his not inconsiderable charm to seduce you…" Emmett had said seriously. Everyone else was now laughing and choking.
"Well he is very cute." I had replied as I had handed over the photo of my baby. I swear the laughter that followed could have been heard in Seattle. Emmett had not been able to live it down for ages, in the end though, he would secretly call or email me for updates on Emmett's progress.
The next things out of the box were a fishing fly and a lip ring.
"Mom…do you have plans for dinner?"
"I was going to ask your father to pick up some take out on the way home. Bella and Edward are going out for pizza with the children."
"Well, how about we go out to? Pick up Dad and let me get a last fix of the best cheese burger and curly fries from the diner."
"Has your father put you up to this?" Mom asked
Dad had a love of junk food and sweet things that Mom had to watch closely.
"No…I just…" I began. Going for a burger was usually just something that Dad and I did, but tonight…I wanted one last night of being little Evie.
"Alright, but only if I get to pick the topping for the ice cream sundae." Mom pouted.
Dad and I usually split a sundae after our burgers and always ended up arguing about what topping to have.
"Well, you'll have no argument from me…but Dad…he's kinda fussy." I laughed.
"Don't worry about your father…I have ways of persuading him to my way of thinking."
"Okay, I love you both I do and I love the fact that you are still so into each other…but pleeeassse, no sucking face in the middle of the diner." I begged. Mom wacked me with a pillow. I knew she had far more subtle ways of dealing with Dad, some of the conversations I'd heard, where Dad was dead against something only to change his mind after a few words from mom, had me convinced that she was some kind of evil genius.
"Do you mind I we stop and see Grandpa Charlie on the way?" I asked suddenly. The next few days were going to be crazy and I really didn't want to leave without seeing him.
Entering our ridiculously large garage, which had been home for awhile to the car washing business I had started when I was nine, I found Beth, who was now a pretty, sweet but very shy thirteen year old sitting in my Volvo reading.
"Sorry…it's just Mase and JC were driving me crazy." Rose and Emmett were away for the weekend and the twins were with Edward and Bella. They were fourteen and already huge. Masen was a real jock, fun, life and soul, he was a younger Emmett. JC however, was quiet and extremely smart especially with computers and technical things, it was just he was always trying to keep up with his brother, so he played along. Beth decamped to my room, which the boys were under pain of death not to even look at.
Charlie wasn't my biological grandfather, something Adam loved to tell me when we fought, but you wouldn't know that by the way he treated us. Charlie was quiet and a little gruff, but when you got to know him, he was the kindest funniest man. He adored Adam and was the one that gave Adam more confidence in his physical abilities, but Charlie and I got on great. I loved to sit and watch the game and go fishing and camping. Bella had once thanked me for giving him the chance to do all the things he wasn't able to do with her because of her lack of interest and lack of co-ordination. Charlie and I would talk about all sorts of things and once he saw my interest in animals, he showed me tracks and nests, beaver dams, everything the country round Forks and beyond had to offer. I was fourteen when Charlie died. I still missed him every day. The graveyard was quiet as I tidied up a little and told him about school and my hopes and fears. Finally, I sat on the grass and stared at the fishing fly. I wasn't the greatest fly fisher, I had hooked myself and Charlie more than once, but I had persevered and the hook in my hand was the first one I had managed to tie by myself. Charlie had died in the early hours of the following morning from a heart attack in his sleep. Grandma Sue had taken good care of him, but his years of smoking, drinking, bad food and stress before he met her had already done the damage.
I had always been aware but never bothered by the fact that Dad was older than other Dad's. I thought he couldn't be that old if so many of the women in forks still flirted with him, sometimes shamelessly in the market or when we went to Port Angeles. But after Charlie died, Brittany Newton and her little gang of plastic posers, had pointed out that my Dad was only five years younger than Charlie and was probably next to die. This had freaked me totally out and I had spent several nights sobbing into my pillow at the thought of life without my Dad. It was during one of these nights, when I was tired and listening to loud, angry music that I came up with the idea that the only way to cope without my Dad, was to start cutting him out of my life now so it wouldn't hurt so much when he wasn't there anymore. So, I went all out to make him hate me. I froze him out, defied him, defied everyone. My music was loud, my skirts got shorter the minute I got to school and the limited makeup mom had finally managed to persuade him to let me wear became comically thick and over done when I got to school. Strangely, this made Brittany and her clic think I was worth knowing. Brittany's mantra was that your friends were better than your family. Looking at her family, I could see what she was thinking.
I was rude and obnoxious one minute and sulky the next. But I seemed to save the worst of my behavior for him. He tried to talk to me but I laughed, on the outside. It killed me to see the hurt in his eyes, but I had to keep going, I had to stop the pain that was coming. Eventually Mom and Dad had been called to school, my grades were slipping and I was becoming a bit of a bully. During the row that had followed at home I had ended up screaming "I fucking hate you old man" at Dad. He looked like I had slapped him I thought Mom was going to slap me. But Dad held up his hand and said "That's a shame Evie, because believe it or not…I still fucking love you." He was quiet, no shouting, but those words and the look on his face as he walked away broke my heart.
I hadn't known that Bella was in the kitchen and heard everything until she arrived outside the school gates and insisted I get in and take a drive with her.
"So, is it your turn to tell me what a little brat I am?" I had sneered
"Nope, I'm going to tell you that you a prize bitch you are." She had replied matter of factly. That had shocked me, Bella never spoke like that and she was the first to talk to me like she was seriously pissed off with me. In our hour long drive, she told me she knew what exactly what I was doing as she had done the same thing. Her mom Renee had been sick for a long time and when the doctors finally admitted that she was going to die, Bella had thought it would hurt less if she distanced herself from her mom. Bella admitted that all it had done was make her hate herself for all the time she had wasted. There was part of me that knew she was right and I hated the stress and atmosphere I was causing, I hadn't thought as Bella pointed out, that my actions could end up making Dad ill. But there was still a part of me which was enjoying what I was doing in a twisted way. I even went one better and got my lip pierced by one of the girl's older sisters. I couldn't take it out in case it became infected, it didn't luckily, but it hurt like hell. I found water a box of Tylenol and codeine and antiseptic wipes on my nightstand with a curt, very proper doctors note from my Dad. I wasn't sure what had hurt more at that moment.
It wasn't until nearly four months into my rebellion that I realized how much I needed and wanted my Dad in my life now. I had told Mom and Dad that I was staying at Brittany's when in fact, we had snuck out to a party. It was there when I was being groped and grinded on by older, frightening college boys that I began to realize that I hated what I was doing. Add to that how sick I felt with the alcohol I had had and all I wanted was to go home, but I couldn't remember where I was and I couldn't find Brittany. Then some guys had done something that still freaks me out, he came up behind me and pulled me tight against him. I didn't remember much about when I was snatched, I wasn't sure if that was through choice or a need to protect my mind, but I did remember that. I had freaked out, kicking punching and screaming, but the guy had just laughed and said something about liking feisty ones, those words had triggered an even deeper fear and reaction in me that I still didn't totally understand. You do not grow up in a house like mine and not learn a few wrestling moves and I managed to use one that loosened the guys grip on me and allowed me to turn and claw at his face whilst screaming like a demon. I have dim memories of the room falling silent for about thirty seconds, until the guys girlfriend, who was very drunk and not happy at seeing me attack her man had launched herself at me. It was a quick, but intense tussle which ended up with my lip ring floating in the frightening amount of blood that was flowing from my torn lip into my hand and down my top. The rusty stench of blood, the sweat from all the closely packed bodies, alcohol and my own fear had my stomach lurching. But before I could throw up, I had to escape from the girl had battered and her seriously pissed friends. Looking around in desperation I had seen what looked like a fire escape and launched myself through it, almost falling down the stairs on the other side.
The cold night air hit like a punch to my already delicate stomach and I ended up in a cold, dark alley in the middle of god knows where heaving my guts up, bleeding and terrified. Coming to a main road, I had staggered into a diner. The waitress who reminded me a lot of Grandma Sue had wanted to call the police when she saw the state of me, but I had tearfully insisted that the only person I had wanted was my Dad.
"Hello?" his voice was thick with sleep.
"Daddy." I sobbed.
"Evie? Evie what is it what's wrong?" he demanded. I could hear the rustle of sheets as he sat up and clicked on his lamp. A few seconds later, I heard my mom anxiously ask what was going on.
"Daddy…I need…please Daddy, can you come and get me...I want to go home…I'm sorry…so sorry…" I had begun sobbing so hard the waitress had had to explain where I was, somewhere in Port Angeles.
It seemed like only a few minutes had passed before my Dad was bursting through the door of the diner. He was dressed in jeans and a sweater and was pulling off his battered old leather jacket. My whimper at the comforting sight of seeing him, became a pained cry at the fear and worry that I had put on his face.
"Evie…Jesus, who hurt you? Who hurt you?" he had demanded, anger giving way to fear and unshed tears as he saw my face. He wrapped his jacket, which he still had and which I loved the smell of, round my heaving shoulders and then gently took my battered face in his hands. He examined it as gently as he could but I couldn't stop crying.
"I'm sorry…Evie, please tell me what happened?" he had begged as he accepted some ice from the waitress and applied it to my still oozing lip.
"I was at…a party…oww…this guy…he came up behind me…grabbed me…ohh it hurts…"
"Evie this guy, did he touch you? Did he hurt you?" I could see that Dad was praying that my answer was no. His hand had been shaking.
"Nooo, I fought him off…but his girlfriend I…Daddy…" I wailed dissolving into huge, body shaking sobs of pain and fear. All I remember was the feeling of feeling safe in Dad's arms as he held me.
"It's alright baby…daddy's here…daddy's got you…" he crooned into my ear.
"Your lip will need at least one stitch." He had said once we were in the car. That had been Doctor Cullen speaking and the coldness in his tone had hurt more than my lip, but I deserved it.
"Can you do it? Please?" I had begged. I hated hospitals.
"How much have you had to drink?"
"Not much…I threw up." I had said miserably.
I screwed my eyes shut as Dad had silently repaired my lip with two stitches and checked me out for other injuries. I had let out a soft whimper when I felt a tender kiss to my forehead before he had moved away. I was black and blue for about a fortnight and had a terrible headache. It had taken longer for the bruises I had inflicted on Dad to heal. Things were better, but it was New Year before I became his little noodle again. I had huffed and rolled my eyes, but that silly nickname made my heart swell. I had even volunteered to help with the stock take of the clinic supplies to get another smile and friendly words.
"Evie, it's not that I'm not grateful for the help, but honey, you don't have to keep sucking up." He had laughed.
"I'm not! I'm helping!" I said indignantly.
"Well okay…coz honey, things are okay between us…I'm not going to get upset if you're not round me 24/7."
"I know."
We worked in companionable silence, me teasing him over his singing to a song on the radio, a cover of a song that Dad had heard the first time round.
"God, things like that make me feel old." He had laughed.
"You're not old." I had said too quickly.
"Granted sixty five isn't that old, but I'm not as young as I was." He said observing me through narrowed eyes.
"But you're in good shape for sixty five you said the doctor said so." I said. Even I had heard the shrill tone to my voice.
Dad had stopped what he was doing and walked us out of the store cupboard and sat us on the couch in his office.
"I am in good shape for my age apart from my aching back, tired eyes and a couple of other things that aren't serious but you don't need to know." He had said. "Evie, has your concern for my age and health anything to do with Charlie dying?" he asked rubbing my shoulder
"You are only five years younger and…" I burst out, all my worries and fears flooding out over the next hour. Dad had let me talk, only wincing slightly when I explained about why I had done what I had done and why. Finally I was quiet.
"You are not a child Evie, you know that I will die one day, hopefully not for a long time, but accidents do happen, look what happened to Edward's mom…but when I do go, I would much rather have a lot of happy memories of my time with my little girl to take with me. In fact, I would like to make one right now…I would like the memory of my daughter taking me for a burger and chili fries…her treat. It'll shorten both our lives by about twenty minutes or something."
That had been our first of many regular trips to the diner when we wanted to talk or just be close.
"Heh Olivia. Is he free?" I asked as we breezed into the clinic a little later.
"His last appointment just cancelled I haven't told him."
"We will."
"I won't keep you a minute, please take a seat." Dad called from the little bathroom that backed onto his office. I sat in his chair and Mom perched on the edge of his desk.
"Sorry too…" he began stopping and leaning against the door frame as he saw us . He still stood tall, with that slightly cocky stance all Cullen men had, his hair was silver now and his face still very handsome, but I could see the lines getting a little deeper and his blue eyes a little lighter. I wasn't going to dwell, it was time to make a memory.
"I was just trying a doctor's chair for size." I laughed.
"So I see…it suits you Doctor Cullen." He said, his smile full of pride, I felt a rush of love and pride in my Dad at that moment.
"Although I don't think my patients will really care for formality, now Olivia has just told me that your last appointment has cancelled, so…I was thinking…it's been a while since we took twenty minutes off our lives with burgers and chili fries." I said
"And ages since I've had an ice cream sundae." Mom said.
"Olivia, if anyone calls, you can tell them that I have gone out to dinner with the two best looking women in Forks." He said as we left. Mom and I who were flanking him, our arms tucked in each of his both rolled our eyes, but gave him an extra squeeze, he was corny but we loved him.
We had a good time, laughing, talking and just sitting quietly and much to my annoyance, Dad insisted on paying. It was when he had his wallet open, I saw next to the group family photo we had every year and a picture of mom, a picture of me in my prom dress.
"Oh my god, I can't believe you have that." I huffed as I pointed.
"Why wouldn't I? You looked so beautiful that night, I was very proud…" I had felt like a princess in my first gown, a black and silver patterned halter neck designed by Alice.
"and a little over protective." I laughed.
"That boy had wandering hands." Dad growled.
"Oh he was sweet, but his kissing wasn't that great either." I laughed.
"If I remember, you seemed happy enough when you floated through the door that night." Mom said with a laugh.
"Ahh, but there has been better since him."
"No more…what is Alice says? Way too much information!" Dad almost pleaded.
I laughed and gave Dad's shoulder a squeeze and kissed the top of his head as I passed on the way to the bathroom. Apart from Archie who had taken me to the prom, there had been short but quite passionate relationships with Luke and Ben. I knew that although I could have a bit of fun, it wouldn't be fair for me or a guy to start something until I got settled.
The diner had been extended into a bar. And as I came back from the bathroom and passed the small dance floor and jukebox I was struck by a moment of madness. I already had many memories of dancing with my Dad as a little girl on his feet and later when he was trying to teach me and a few friends for prom, but that was ages ago.
"Aww Evie…take pity on an old man." Dad had wined as I dragged him to the floor. I couldn't tell you the actual song we danced to, but as we moved round the floor, both dad and I got a new memory to treasure.
"I love you Daddy." I whispered
His answer was to give me that comforting kiss on the forehead that could take away any worry or fear I had. But when Mom asked to cut in a few minutes later and I saw Mom and Dad dancing together, laughing and teasing, but with a look of such love in their eyes, I knew that they would be okay.
It took me a minute to realize that Dad had been taking the long way home and that we were at La Push beach. We were parked near that cliff.
"Carlisle?" Mom said quietly.
"I'm sorry…it's just…if that bastard had really bought her to the top of that cliff that day…she wouldn't…I wouldn't…we…gone…alone…" he stammered, his voice low and thick with tears. He didn't look at us, he just stared intently out at the cliff face.
"Oh Carlisle…I know sweetheart…I know…" Mom said reaching over the consul taking his hand and raising it to her mouth where she kissed it. It was such a tender action and one which seemed to give my Dad the strength he needed as he turned and looked at her, smiling weakly but in more control. There was an old song that I'd heard where the guy had said that he wanted to "Know what love is.?" I was looking at it.
"And there was Evie hoping that we could restrain ourselves from doing anything too embarrassing during her last few days at home." Mom said suddenly. Dad huffed a watery laugh and wiped his eyes.
"Sorry noodle." He said catching my eye in the mirror.
"'S ok." I said, hoping that he couldn't hear the large lump of emotion in my throat. "You know, I think we need to try and walk off a few of the thousands of calories we just had." I said. Mom had explained to me that her and Dad's tattoos were a symbol of them letting go of the past and all the pain that had come with it. But I had a feeling that for it to really be over for them, I had to let it go as well.
Whilst Mom, Dad and the rest of the family had never hidden what had happened from me and I had my own scattered memories, it was very much something that had been left up to me, moving at my own speed to ask about.
At the age of fourteen, Adam had had a growth spurt and he also started to work out a little under Emmett's supervision so he was tall, but more lean than skinny, add his charm, manners, wicked sense of humour and amazing musical ability and you had one popular but nice guy. He could however sometimes be a little too nice and easily led, especially if girls were involved, which was how during my sweet sixteen party on the beach he had ended up cliff diving from that cliff.
Whilst the adults had moved off to a more discreet part of the beach, they had seen it all. I thought Bella, who adored Adam was going to kill him, Rose had to led Emmett away. Mom and Dad had just gone quiet
"That cliff, you had to chose that one you little punk." Emmett had almost screamed later.
"A cliff is a fucking cliff." Adam had exploded back.
"No…it was only that one that I had to watch my mom and what I thought was my sister fall from." Emmett roared.
"What? I…I wasn't anywhere near cliffs." I had burst out.
I remembered being in a small, damp apartment with a tall, thin creepy guy who kept screaming at me and pulling my hair. I remembered arguing with him when he had insulted my dad and announcing that my dad was coming to kick his ass. I was scared, but I knew my mom and dad would come. Alice had already told me the story of how brave mom had been running away from the creepy guy and how Dad had rescued her. All I remembered after that argument was crying as a red haired woman had fixed a cut on my head and the being surrounded by what seemed like a million different firemen.
I had vague memories of mom having a broken leg, I couldn't or wouldn't remember anything else. After seeing everyone's reaction to what Adam had done, I knew I needed to know more, especially after hearing Emmett talk about me and mom falling from a cliff. Had I been there? I needed to know.
The next day, Mom and Dad looked awful the deep purple smudges beneath their eyes told me that they hadn't slept. Scared by seeing them so shaken and by what I might hear, I had sat myself between them and I remember feeling glad that they seemed to get some comfort from that
"Why did he want me?" I had started.
"Evie, this is a lot to take in…some of it isn't…" Mom began.
"Please." I had begged.
I knew the basics, but I didn't know about the I-Dent club collapse and his part in it or that he had tried come to Forks and attacked my mom at the little cottage where she had been living.
"One good thing came out of that night." Mom had said with a smile.
"What?" I asked in disbelief.
"You. I found out I was pregnant with you. We were worried incase he might have hurt you…but you were a tough little thing even then, you hung in there."
"You were even late coming." Dad had laughed. I remembered being shocked but laughing as they told me all the things they had done to try and shift me. The image of mom in Emmett's jeep and then his shock at her having false contractions did make me laugh.
"He escaped from prison…"
"And took me so he could get money to escape the country." I had clarified. They had looked at each other strangely then and seemed to be having a silent argument with their eyes.
"What…I want to know…"
"We thought that to begin with, but when he called to change the meeting place, we knew that he was…he wanted your mom, not you or the money."
At that I had gripped my mom's hands tightly in mine. She was so calm, dad too but there were tears sliding silently down her cheeks as she explained that Platt her husband was so twisted he believed that she was his possession. Mom had then begged me to understand that she was young and stupid when she had met him and after years of abuse, she had begun to believe everything he told her and that she deserved everything he did. It was hard to believe that my strong, intelligent mother could believe that, but I would never blame her. How could I?
"And you still went to meet him." I said in disbelief.
"Of course I did." She replied sounding shocked.
"Weren't you scared?"
"Terrified, but I knew I wasn't alone really…your Dad, Emmett, Edward, they were around…what I had to do was get him to hand you over and hang on long enough for the police to arrive. And baby…I was more scared for you…I would have gladly let him do whatever to me…if it meant I got you back safe."
At this Dad had got up and rushed to the kitchen. After I had made sure he was okay, I had decided I needed some air. I hadn't known where I was going till I found myself at Grandma Sue's. She had filled me in on the hellish three days wait that my family had had to endure waiting for the bastard to call and how everyone who loved me had searched every street and alley of Port Angeles and most of Seattle. I knew how much my brothers, Uncle Jasper and Grandpa Charlie loved me, but this had showed me just how much. I still can't explain the intense rush of love I felt and still felt for them all. Including Adam, who still felt bad for not doing more to help me.
Sue had also told me and shown me pictures of my mom when she first arrived in Forks and when she first met my Dad. I couldn't believe that it was the same woman. My heart ached at the thought of my beautiful mother being so scared and ashamed, her mind and body battered by this evil bastards lies. The strength she had to not only escape him, but also take the chance of trying to live and love again with dad and…willingly going to a mad man, willingly risking her life everything she had to try and save me. She truly was amazing. And my Dad? He really was like a knight in shining armour, their love was the stuff that people dreamed of.
I had then gone to the cliff.
"Thought you might come here."
I had spun round in shock to see Billy Black. When my mom and dad bickered she always joked that she was going to run away with Billy, who apparently had a big crush on her when she first arrived. Billy was nearly eighty, his hair white, his face weathered, but he still had an aura of a tribal leader about him.
"Was it bad?" I whispered.
"It was like a nightmare." He said coming to stand beside me and pulling me to his side. I let myself melt into him a little. Billy had always treated me like a young adult, never patronizing.
"Tell me."
"The sick bastard bought one of those dummy's you get in a kids clothing store…dressed in your coat."
"That is soo sick."
"Platt was a very sick, twisted man."
"We didn't know that…till it was too late…we were too far away…something set him off and he dropped what we thought was you…off the cliff." He said quietly. I held him tighter as I began to shiver.
"You mom…that scream…it reminded me of an animal, not in pain but in mortal agony, it's a sound I never want to hear again. Your mom, she flung herself at him so hard that they both fell from the cliff…that knocked the grin off the bastards face…he didn't expect Esme, the woman he had beaten and made to believe she was nothing to have the strength to do that. But your mom, she was always a strong woman…it just took your father and the way he loved and cared for her to bring it out."
"Where was Daddy?" I whispered half afraid to know as my head had swam with images of my amazing mother. She must have been so angry, so scared, but she her love for me had made her disregard everything she had to make sure that the bastard who had hurt me suffered, paid for what he did.
"We were above." He said pointing. "I thought his face when he saw the two of you fall was bad enough…but when we got to the beach, when he saw it was a dummy…when he…Platt couldn't swim, he had literally almost drowned your mom to keep himself afloat…he broke her leg when he slammed it against some of the rocks out there. We got them both out eventually…but your mom…we thought she was gone, your father wouldn't stop though, he kept pounding her chest…begging her to wake up. He was broken…but then he said…Damn it Esme, you promised you wouldn't leave me…you promised me you'd fight. I remember those words so clearly. It was like wherever your mom was, she heard him, heard the agony in his voice. You see kiddo, what Carlisle had with his first wife was love alright a very deep love, but with your mom…it's something else…it's a passion, a meeting of souls and we could all see that it whilst the thought of you, who really are his heart was breaking him, losing your mom, his soul was destroying him.
"Evie…come back from the edge." Mom had said sharply as we reached the cliff. She and Dad were holding each other tightly, their faces tight with stress.
"I know this must be painful for you…but there is something I want to say. We are all starting a new part of our lives now and it's time for me to let go of the past like you did…and the best way I can think of to do that is…what was his name?"
"Charles." Mom whispered.
"Well Mister Charles Platt, you sick, twisted sonofabitch…"I said as I went and stood between Mom and Dad, looping my arm through each of theirs. "You tried your twisted best…but you learnt the hard way as a couple my mom and dad are unbreakable and that nobody…sorry mom…"I winced "FUCKS WITH EVIE CULLEN!"
"I couldn't have put it better myself sweetie." Mom said.
College was exciting, scary, tough, everything I wanted it to be and more. Not that I didn't have my tough times and moments of extreme home sickness and panic over work. During my third year, the apartment I was sharing with two girlfriends and my gay best friend Stephen flooded. It was right before I was due to turn in a really important term paper, all my research and everything was gone. I literally collapsed in an over tired sobbing mess. In the end, Stephen picked me up, bundled me in the car and drove me home to Forks. I don't remember much apart from Mom putting me to bed.
I woke the next morning to find Stephen about to leave, even though he had nowhere to go whilst our place dried out and we were on study leave. Even though Stephen's parents lived in Seattle, he couldn't go home as they had disowned him for being gay. Mom, Dad and I persuaded him to at least stay the weekend. Stephen was studying fashion and as a little thankyou for being such an amazing friend, I had wanted him to meet Alice. I had never told him of our connection and when we went shopping, I always said that my discount in Alice's store was due to working there. I wasn't ashamed and I loved Stephen, but I shared Alice's limited time with so many other things and people I wanted to keep what time we did get together as sisters to myself and not have to deal with people wanting to meet her.
Mom had called Alice and told her what happened and it was nearly lunch time and we were all in the garden having lunch when we heard what sounded like a police car siren echoing through the house. Next thing we knew Alice was standing there with a siren strapped to her head, almost buried beneath a pile of bags. Alice was in her mid fifties but looked amazing.
"I believe my baby sister is having a crisis…Jazz is sorting out your apartment, Dad and Edward will sort out your geeky dilemma..I have your fashion crisis covered." She announced.
"The hormone patches are working then." Edward remarked dryly.
Alice was going through the menopause.
"Maybe a little too well." I groaned. "Stephen this is…"
"Alice Cullen…" he whispered. Now although he was gay, Stephen was not overly camp unless he wanted to be and this was looking like one of those moments.
"Yes Sweetie and you are…?"
"About to fall at your feet." He simpered.
"My gay best friend who is an amazing fashion designer, who thinks you are a goddess and who has nowhere to stay as his parents kicked him out when he was sixteen." I said. Alice observed him threw narrowed eyes for a moment before opening her arms
"Come to Momma."
Alice and Jasper had never had children. Alice although amazing with me and her nieces and nephews had never felt the maternal urge and Jasper was still scared by the way he had been treated by his own family, so they had settled into a happy life of loving each other and their work. Until they met Stephen, Alice was known for being able to assess people and see how they would fit into her life in a heartbeat. Alice took Stephen home with her that day and he would become the son they never knew they wanted.
"I can't do this…I'm going to fail…" I whimpered as I let my head drop to the dining table. Dad and Edward were trying to help me re-write my term paper.
"I'm no expert at your field sis, but from what I managed to read of what was left of your paper…you put forward some really interesting and well thought out arguments." Edward said as he stood behind me and rubbed my shoulders.
"I can't remember them…my mind has gone blank…" I mumbled as I sat up.
"So, you start again…you put forward your arguments to Edward and I and we will put forward the relevant evidence or counterargument." Dad said. There was an excited gleam in his eye.
We worked and argued hard over the next few days, only stopping when Mom or Bella forced us to. I did all the writing, structuring and summarizing, Dad and Edward manned the books and the internet to find my evidence. Working with them was tough, but fun and I think my paper was better for it, my arguments better.
"Damn, I am too old to pull all nighters anymore." Edward moaned rubbing his neck the day we finished. Dad just grunted whilst I tried to get the feeling back in my hands.
"We need too celebrate…this is a momentous occasion, the first academic paper co-authored by all three Doctor Cullen's." Mom announced.
"But only one will get credit." Edward growled, but there was a smile twitching his lips.
"Just thing brother mine…it brings me ever closer to the day when I can pay you back all the money I owe you." I teased.
"It's been a pleasure Doctor Cullen." Edward burst out with a smile holding out his hand.
"Thank you Doctor…" I said shaking Edward's offered hand, before turning to Dad "Doctor…"
"Why thank you Doctor." He replied, before turning to Edward who started all over again
We were all laughing.
"Okay, I think it's time all these clever little doctors took a nice long nap." Mom said gently pulling Dad away.
"You too Edward." Bella said with a roll of her eyes. "Say goodnight Edward."
"Goodnight Edward." He grinned wickedly and that set the three of us laughing again, we were punch drunk tired.
I passed with flying colours. Dad had retired from the clinic at seventy and Edward had bought in a friend of his from medical school who was looking for a change of pace after years at a big city hospital. Mom was semi retired, she still oversaw major projects but the main work was now done by Sue's son Seth and Emmett who had retired from the Fire Department after twenty five years. Mom and Dad loved to travel but they were quite happy pottering about at home, laughing, bickering and dealing with all the little drama's and major events that always arose with a family like ours.
ESME POV
"Now Carlisle, please be nice…she really likes him." I pleaded.
"I am always nice and I know how much she likes him…she mentions him in almost every conversation we have."
"Are you jealous?"
"No... NO! It's just, she's doing so well at her studies…I don't want her getting distracted…she's almost there…she needs to focus…"
"She needs to live as well Carlisle…have you ever seen her quite so happy? Honestly…she's glowing…"
Carlisle then started to mutter about how it wasn't happiness that was making her glow and how it might be better if Sam, Evie's boyfriend slept down at Edward and Bella's.
I had always wanted Evie to have a least some of the happiness that I had with Carlisle, to find a good man who would love and care for her. And she had had a few nice boyfriends, but Sam was special, he was studying with Evie, he was tall and muscular without being overly so and had a cute if not handsome face. But it was the way they were together that I loved. I had met him on my trips to Seattle to see all my girls. He adored Evie, there was no other word for it, without being clingy, he was calm where she was impetuous…
"They're here." Carlisle grumbled. He had never met Sam, they had spoken a few times on the phone, but that had not gone too well as Carlisle had not been wearing his hearing aid and had accused the boy of shouting at him. He was most definitely wearing it today and I had a feeling the small device which fitted in his ear would not be coming out tonight!
"I'm warning you be nice." I snapped raising an eyebrow.
The car was on the drive, but they were taking their time. Finally exasperated, Carlisle flung open the front door.
Oh god, this wasn't good. Sam was carrying Evie bridal style up the steps.
"What the…?" Carlisle began.
"I slipped over whilst I was at the zoo on my work placement…it's just a sprain. He is being totally over the top." Evie grumbled.
"Uh huh, you could barely stand this morning because you wouldn't rest the damn thing…do you think I could just stand back and let you hobble around in pain." Sam replied depositing her on the couch.
"I am not an invalid."
"No you are a stubborn no it all, who needs to please let the man who loves you look after you…just for a little while…please…" Sam said, his voice trailing off softly as he looked at Evie. His face then paled when he realized where he was and what he had said infront of us. Carlisle's face had remained neutral through the exchange, I was worried as Sam approached him and held out his hand.
"Pleased to meet you Doctor Cullen sir."
Carlisle shook his hand. "I think we need a little talk Sam…"
Oh hell. I saw Evie pale.
"It wasn't bad…what you said…but I think I need to teach you a few less dangerous ways of handling hurricane Evie." Carlisle laughed. "Especially if you intend on meeting her brothers…"
AN; I know, it's very long. And sorry but I really wanted to see some events from Evie POV, she's just been such a big character the last few chapters and I really wanted to see events from her POV and see CxE as parents, because never really showed that. Promise that the end is a BIG fluffy CxE moment. Oh and I know…if I hadn't already ruined it for you by adding to much Evie…I killed of Charlie! I'm sorry.