EPOV: After spending all night at my piano. I wasn't in a very good mood today. I sat silently at my piano and watched as Carlisle left for work. I envied Carlisle his talent as a doctor I get so bored sitting at the piano night after night with nothing coming to me to write.
Esme came walking down the stairs as I tried to write again. "Good morning Edward. Are you having trouble writing?" She asked kindly. "Yes I am its getting very frustrating." I replied a bit testily. "Oh dear, would you like some help? Maybe I can inspire something." She offered. "That would be lovely Esme thank you." I said. She came to sit with me on the bench. I found out that Esme is a wealth of ideas. Together we wrote a very solid piece.
I silently decided to call it Esme's Serenade. I looked at the clock and saw that we had been working for almost six hours and that Carlisle would be home soon. I looked through the piece Esme and I had just written and thought "I can't wait to show this to Carlisle when he gets home."
I made my way to my bedroom and sat down on my couch. I started to edit Esme's Serenade so it would flow smoothly when I played it for Carlisle. I started when I heard Carlisle's car pull up the drive and I read his perplexed thoughts. I ran downstairs to meet him at the door. "Edward we need to have a family meeting in ten minutes. Please call Alice and Rosalie at the mall and also call Emmett and Jasper from the hunting grounds. Tell them to be home in five minutes. I need to tell you all about this young girl I met today." Carlisle said when he saw me.
"Of course Carlisle." I said. I pulled out my phone and quickly dialed Alice's cell phone. She picked up on the first ring. "Edward what is it? We won't be home for a while." She said quickly. "Alice Carlisle says you and Rosalie need to get home in five minutes for a family meeting." I explained. "Oh, ok I'll go find Rose and we will leave right away. Bye!" She squealed as she hung up. I quickly dialed Jasper's cell phone number. He picked up on the third ring. "Hey, Edward what's up?"He said. "Carlisle needs you and Emmett home in five minutes for a family meeting. You guys gotta leave now and run very fast to get here in time." I told him. "Oh, Emmett is not gonna be happy it looks like he just scented a grizzly. I'll go stop and we'll head right out. See you at home man." He said quickly as he hung up.
I flipped my phone closed and headed into the kitchen to find Esme and Carlisle at the big meeting table. I read their thoughts and grimaced at the thoughts in Carlisle's head. "You really think this girl is being abused?" I asked quietly. "Yes I do Edward. All the signs are there. She was reluctant to share how she hurt herself and hesitant to roll up her sleeve to show me her wrist. I knew she was lying about how she broke it because her heart was beating unusually fast and she was blushing. When I said I wanted to see her for a follow up in two months she jerked so fast she almost fell of the exam table. The I learned she was only in town for two weeks and when I said I wanted her make an appointment with her regular physician for the follow up she blushed very badly and her heart rate when through the roof when she said she will. She was lying again. That combined with the fact she was walking as if her back was paining her as well I wondered if there was something wrong there to. I gently patted her back on the way out and noticed she winced in pain and flinched from my contact. I think someone at her normal home abuses her frequently." He said patiently.
"Ok, but what can we do?" I asked curiously. "I'll explain when the rest of the family shows up." Carlisle replied. We waited for a couple minutes then we heard the sound of Alice's Porsche pulling up the driveway and we saw Emmett and Jasper run up behind them. They all silently made their way to the table and took their seats. Carlisle stood and started talking. "Today I met a very interesting young woman that I would like to tell you about. Her name is Isabella Swan and she is the daughter of Chief Charlie Swan. You all know the Swan story and how Isabella lives with her mother and step-father, Renee and Phil, in Arizona. I think that is the most likely place the abuse is happening. We all know and love Charlie so we know this could not possibly be happening with him." Carlisle explained.
"I think we should help her." said Rosalie. I read her thoughts and they all said something along the lines of "I know how she feels Edward. No matter what the family says I will help her!!" I looked at Rosalie and nodded my understanding. I looked over to Carlisle and asked the question burning in my mind "How do we help her if she is only here for a two week visit?" He pondered that question and said "We will probably have to wait until she comes to live with Charlie. I know that will be soon because her face had many old cuts that scared over and still fading bruises on it. She tried to cover them up with makeup and her hair but I could still see them." "I will look out for her Carlisle to see when she decides to run to Charlie."Alice said. "Thank you Alice." Carlisle responded. "That is all I wanted to tell you guys. Just be ready for when she does come to Forks I don't want any accidents, her blood is very potent." Carlisle added.
There was a chorus of yes Carlisle's' from around the table and then everyone went opposite directions. I said good night to Carlisle and Esme before heading to my room to think. I made my way upstairs and put in my favorite CD with my favorite son Claire de Lune by Debussy. I sat on my couch and thought of the girl Carlisle told the family about.
