Carlisle

The girls got home late. We had gone to a bar and slipped blood into our drinks when no one was watching after the NRL game.

"How was your day?" I asked as they walked in. They were carrying mountains of bags.

"Great." Esme smiled and kissed my cheek before sitting beside me.

"Carlisle got hit on my three women and got a number from the bartender." Emmett said.

"A male bartender…" Jasper clarified.

The girls laughed, as did the guys, for the third time.

"You went to a bar?"

"Not my decision." I said.

"Was he good?" Esme turned to them.

"No. He was meaner than Edward was."

Esme laughed and turned her eyes back to me.

"Hey, don't smile at him. I just told you that he was very mean to your son!" Emmett complained. He wasn't being serious, but Rosalie hit the back of his head.

"Carlisle, can we talk?" Bella asked. She hadn't been amused by any of this.

"Sure." I stood up and followed her out. She led the way to my office.

"You told them to talk to me about marriage, didn't you?" She accused.

"Sorry?"

"They attacked me, Carlisle! Thanks to your orders, I'm now not talking with Rosalie, Alice no doubt thinks differently of me, and Esme thinks I am a complete bitch!"

"They do not. You and Rose always fight."

"Did you ask them to, or not?"

"…I suggested that Esme explain the significance of marriage to you. Alice was in the room when I said it."

"And Rosalie asking me about it yesterday on the way to see you at the hospital had nothing to do with it?"

"Maybe Alice told her? I'm sorry I even suggested it."

"To be honest with you Carlisle, I'm not mad that you did it. I'm upset that you didn't feel like you could do it yourself."

"I thought it might have been more comfortable coming from another female."

"It wasn't the sex talk. You didn't get a female to give me that…"

"There wasn't a female around to give you that, except for Rosalie. But I told her the same time I told you."

"Okay." Bella nodded and turned to walk out.

"Wait. Do you mind if Esme and I talk to you?"

"That depends. What is it about?"

"Your recent assumptions on our marriage…"

"Oh geez. Yeah, sure! Let's just let Esme see me as even worse as she does now. That's smart!"

"Could you please stop being so sarcastic? You're becoming more like Rosalie."

"I've come to the point where I don't even know if that is a compliment or insult…"

I tried to supress my laugh, but wasn't successful. "Esme!" I called her. A second later, she was in the room.

"Yes?"

"Oh, he wants to have a conversation that won't be awkward at all!" Bella said, sarcastic again.

"You're doing it again…"

"Doing what?"

"Being sarcastic."

"Carlisle, don't you think she's had enough for today?" Esme asked.

"Yeah. I'm just one person." Bella defended.

"It's a simple conversation…"

Bella sighed and sat down in one of the chairs across the desk.

I motioned for Esme to come stand beside me. She didn't move.

"Normally when you're in a conversation you stand closer to the people involved…" I hinted.

"I'm not in the conversation." She dropped her head to the side and crinkled her nose up.

"Esme, really?"

"I told you…" Bella said quietly in a mocking tone.

Esme looked at me with questioning eyes.

"She thinks you don't like her now after today."

"Oh no, sweetheart, I love you like I love Alice or Edward or Emmett. I'm just not good at conversations…"

"This is a good conversation starter…" I smiled.

"How?" Bella glared at me.

"Well, I have a feeling some of your questions about our marriage is because you're not as fond of Esme as you are me. You're wary."

"No, it's because I have seen a marriage crumble right before me. Caused by me, too."

"How was it caused by you?" I asked.

"I got in the way." She answered bluntly.

"Is that all you can think to say? So really, it wasn't your fault, then."

"Bella, one marriage doesn't define the fate of others." Esme said softly and smiled to add to her comfort. "And I understand that you aren't comfortable with me. I would usually feel the same way." She was taking the subject off Bella's past.

"And not now?"

"I guess something changes when you gain 3 more children."

"So, did you get anything out of the conversation with the girls today?" I asked.

"That is private." Bella smirked and looked up at Esme.

"You just said before that it didn't need to be a female thing."

"Yes, but you made it a female thing. Besides, we talked about a little more than just basic marriage. Stuff that had made Rosalie slightly uncomfortable, but still intrigued. I don't think you want to know."

I stared at her, confused for a second before catching on. I looked at Esme slowly and raised my eyebrows, "Please tell me you didn't…"

"That is…off topic." She struggled to change the subject and to hide her smile. She put her hand over her mouth and looked in the direction opposite me.

"We will discuss this…" I warned before turning back to Bella. She was struggling to keep her laugh in too.

"To answer your question, yes, I did get something out of the conversation."

"Basic marriage wise?"

"Yes. And also a few new moves…" She teased.

"Oh my god." Esme closed her eyes and failed to hold her laugh back with her hand this time. I flicked my head quickly in her direction and dropped my mouth open.

"Okay, I can't do this…" I walked out and heard them laughing. I walked downstairs and when I entered the living room to find Alice and Edward in hysterics, I knew that they knew. I looked at Rosalie and went to say something before stopping myself when I heard Esme and Bella coming down the stairs, still laughing. I decided to go hunt.


When I got home, they all knew. They were still laughing. I walked into the living room and Esme stood immediately. "I didn't say a thing."

Emmett went to make a joke, "Don't." I warned.

"You didn't say a thing this time…And judging by Bella's comment before, you got pretty extensive."

She bit her lip. Rosalie and Jasper, although laughing, still looked somewhat uncomfortable. "I promise you, it was your daughters…and your son."

"I wonder where I got that information from…" Edward smirked.

"Oh, he got the best picture?"

"I am so sorry." She said, still trying to hide her smile and laugh.

I left without another word, walking up to our bedroom. I heard her follow behind.

"You know, we could torture them…"

"I think it would end up torturing me more than them in the end. Emmett, Jasper, Edward and Bella would never stop."

"Well, I would be the one screaming…so I think I would be more embarrassed. You would probably be praised." She smirked.

"I'm not sure I want to test your theory…"

She walked over and placed a lustful kiss on my lips. "How about now?"

"I'm on call."

"When have they ever called you to come in? We're in Forks." She rolled her eyes.

"Fine." I kissed her before lifting her up and placing her in the middle of the bed.