"Tanya?" I said quickly into the phone as soon as she picked up. "Slight change of plan. I'm not coming up anymore, sorry I put you through so much hassle!"
"Oh, don't worry about it!" Tanya said happily. "So things worked out between you and Carlisle?"
"How did you...?" I asked slowly.
"Oh Esme," she laughed. "It's fairly obvious! With Carlisle, you can get through anything, but without him, you are lost. It was fairly clear that Edward's behaviour was affecting him in a way that pushed you away, and you needed support. Support that we are more than happy to give you," she added at the end.
I frowned. Tanya sure was good at this. "Ok, well, thanks Tanya, you're the best!"
"I know," she laughed. "Have fun now!" And she hung up. I couldn't help but smile. Tanya really knew how to cheer someone up, no matter how low someone might be, she could always coax at least a small smile out of them.
Totally serenity came over me as I drifted up the stairs and unpacked my hastily filled suitcase. I picked up the scarf, breathing in its scent as I wrapped it loosely around my neck. Smiling, I took the picture of Carlisle and I on the beach, and placed it back where it belonged, for all the room to see. With the serenity that I was truly feeling, I decided to sketch while I waited for Carlisle to return home. I sat against the headboard on the bed, and held the pencil above the paper for a moment, trying to decide what to draw. I looked around the room, and then smiled, as my pencil met paper.
Before too long, I heard the familiar sound of tyres at the top of the drive, and looked up at the clock. Nearly an hour had passed me by, and I had hardly noticed as the memories I shared with Carlisle had flooded my mind happily. I looked down at the drawing in my hands sadly. No drawing would ever do him justice, no pencil, no paintbrush, could reproduce something that knocked the breath out of everyone, that enchanted every woman who saw it, that could bring my deadened heart to life. His face really was something to behold. Setting the notepad down, I swung my legs over the edge of the bed and floated slowly down the stairs. I hread the front door open and close, and his scent wafted over me, along with the scent of fresh roses. I smiled as I turned the corner of the stairs and saw him standing in the doorway, a bunch of roses in one hand, a CD in the other.
"Esme," he greeted me happily as a smile illuminated his face. I marvelled for a moment. Looking at him was like looking at the sun, I was blinded.
"Carlisle, you shouldn't have," I smiled as he handed me the flowers.
"It's the least I can do, my dear. It's the least I can do after this," he added seriously.
"No, ok? Just, please stop feeling guilty. I love you, now and always, and that's all that matter," I told him sternly, stepping forwards to wrap my arms around his neck. He looked down guiltily, and I put a finger under his chin. "Please, Carlisle?"
"Ok," he sighed eventually. He looked up at me finally, and allowed me to kiss him.
"Esme?" he asked after a short moment. How he managed it I shall never know.
"Mmm?" I mumbled.
He pulled away from slightly, resting his forehead on mine and gazed into my eyes. "I have one more thing I picked up for you." He held out the CD I had all but forgotten, and I took it curiously. It was blank.
"Carlisle? It's blank," I smiled.
"I know. Go put it in," he encouraged.
"You know where it would be better to go?" I said, a sudden idea coming to me. "Upstairs. Our room has the best acoustics, let alone the highest quality stereo."
"Is that so?" he asked with a raised eyebrow, and took each end of his scarf I was wearing gently in his hands. "If I didn't know any better I would think that your intentions were not entirely musically based."
"Do you object?" I enquired, running my hands up and down his back slowly.
"Not entirely. But I do request that you listen to at least the beginning of the first track," he teased. "If you can resist for that long?"
"I do have adequate control over myself, thank you very much!" I cried indignantly, and slapped his chest.
"I'm glad to hear it," he chuckled. "After you." He indicated for the stairs. I narrowed my eyes at him, but couldn't keep it up. I burst out laughing at his puppy-dog expression. He joined in with my laughter as we made our way up the stairs. Once we were in our room and the door was shut, I walked over slowly and deliberately to the CD player and hit 'play'. The sound of Bach's 'Air' filled the room, and I was suddenly overcome with emotion.
"Our wedding song," I said, choked up. Carlisle came up behind me, and took my hands in his own. Slowly, he turned me until we were facing and started to slowly sway me to the music.
"Our wedding song," Carlisle repeated quietly into my ear, nibbling the top of it gently.
"Oh Carlisle," I sighed happily, nuzzling my head into his neck and placing a tender kiss just below his ear. "Thank you."
"Anything for you, my darling." Turning his head down to me, his lips met mine gently, moving them slowly with mine...