AUTHORS NOTE – SHORT CHAPTER AGAIN, BETA'D BY THE LOVELY Linwe-Ancalime, I AM TRYING TO UPDATE THIS STORY REGULARLY… BUT PLEASE BE PATIENT!
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Carlisle sat on the sofa, with Esme on one side and Jasper on the other. His fingers interlaced with his wife's, her head resting on his shoulder. Jasper was hunched into the far corner – as far away as he could get without leaving the sofa. His knees were curled up into his chest, his head resting on his knee caps.
They were waiting for Emmett, Rosalie and Bella to return from an impromptu hunting trip, pretending to watch a cheap movie on the television.
"Dear, why am I feeling nauseous?" Esme asked Carlisle. He glanced at Jasper, who hadn't reacted at all to the comment, before turning back to Esme. Their eyes met and they exchanged a look of understanding.
Esme thought he looked so broken sitting there, holding onto himself. His golden irises swirled with black but were vacant and lifeless. His blonde hair covered his handsome, angular face – perfectly framing his jaw, making him look like a cherub.
"Jasper, are you feeling okay?" Esme asked him, the concern ringing in her voice.
He didn't turn his head towards her, or make any other signs to show he had heard her other than a quick nod of the head. The nausea stopped abruptly.
"Only I felt a little sick a minute ago…" Esme continued. "And I haven't felt that in all my years as a 26 year old."
"Sorry." Jasper said shortly, ducking his head before resting it back on his knees.
"What made you feel that way? Of all the emotions…" She pressed, trying to draw a response out of him. Esme was curious about him broadcasting a typically "human" emotion in his moments of pain.
Before he could give an answer, Emmett, Bella and Rosalie came through the front door, immediately gathering in the living room. Emmett sat on the black leather loveseat, Rosalie climbing onto his lap. Bella, being the almost odd one out, sat cross-legged on the floor opposite the two seats.
"Where is Edward's piano?" Bella asked casually.
"Esme and I relocated it to your room. I hope you don't mind." Carlisle said almost softly. "We thought you'd want to treasure it…"
The room fell silent as everyone stared into space. It remained like that for two entire hours, no one wanted to break the silence. Emmett's hands sat perfectly still on Rosalie's hips, Carlisle and Esme's hands stayed intertwined, Jasper remained hunched up into the corner of the couch and Bella sat staring into the empty space where the grand piano had once stood.
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"Rosalie, I believe you had something to tell us." Carlisle finally said, shattering the silence. His voice was leading and encouraging. Rosalie immediately understood that Jasper had told Carlisle about their whole conversation, and that of course she would have to share it at some point.
"Yes. But…" She said, trailing off. "Jasper and Bella aren't going to like this."
Without fully comprehending, Carlisle caught onto what Rosalie was implying.
"Jasper, do you feel like moving to sit next to Esme for me?" He asked softly, standing up. Jasper shuffled along without looking up at his family, before slowly pulling his knees back up into his chest. Carlisle smiled nervously to Rosalie, before indicating to the seat in which Jasper had been sitting. "And Emmett, can you please sit here?"
"Sure." Emmett said, moving to sit next to Jasper.
"Okay. Bella and Jasper, from what I understand, this information is going to affect both of you. If at any time, you feel that its getting too much," Carlisle said, directing his stare to Jasper in particular "- Just tell someone and we can let you leave."