Chapter 64

The mailbox was filled with party invitations, it was apparent from the colorful envelopes. Each couple was addressed separately and Alice took turns passing them out as she came inside.

Edward laughed, "Why didn't you just give them to us? You didn't have to mail them."

Alice gave him a playful glare, "Emily wanted to mail them. It was more... official."

He smiled and shook his head.

"Don't you know your party etiquette?"

"Not half as well as you do, I suppose."

Alice handed one to Renesme, that also had Jacob's name written on it. Edward stared at the label, and Bella nudged him a little extra hard.

"We still haven't discussed this," he whispered to her.

Renesme looked toward him, and then quickly away before changing the subject by talking with Rosalie and Alice. "Can we go shopping for a costume?"

"Of course," Rosalie said, "We'll find you something cute."

"How about a tuxedo," Edward joked, though didn't have a hint of it on his face.

Alice rolled her eyes, "A nice dress, and a fancy mask to go with it."

"Maybe a tiara," Rosalie said, "You have to look like royalty."

They all giggled together.

Bella smiled at Renesme's glowing expression. Edward didn't look as happy, but didn't say anything. He tried constantly to ignore Renesme's thoughts, and the image of her and Jacob's kiss over and over that replayed over and over in her mind.

Bella squeezed his arm, "I know it's hard," she whispered, "It's not fair to you either."

He shrugged, then decided to try making light of the situation, rather than be a downer, "I don't think I'm going." He winked at Bella, as Alice spun around.

"Oh you're going!" She said fiercely.

Bella laughed, and Edward smiled. "Just kidding, Alice. You know, you reminded me of Rosalie just then."

Rosalie's smile, turned to a scowl and she made a face at her brother.

"Stop causing trouble, Edward," Esme told him, "Let your sisters have some fun. This is going to be great."

"I guess it is the witching season," Bella said.

"I went to one of the first masquerades a long time ago," Carlisle said, "It was one that The Volturi crashed," he shuddered, "Let's hope this one can turn my visions around as to what they're suppose to be like."

"My masquerade will be unforgettable," Alice assured him, "In a good way."

"Oh now it's your masquerade," Edward continued to taunt her, "What about Emily?"

"Edward, you are being quite the you know what today," Alice said with a grin.

"Enough," Esme said, "Masen is already picking up everyone's habits." She smiled to herself.

Masen appeared with Emmett, "I didn't get an invitation," he told them.

"I think you're hanging back with Seth," Emmett told him.

"Come on," he pleaded, "Why?"

"I'm like thirteen, right?"

"Your voice hasn't changed yet," Emmett teased, "So unless it changes by..." he looked down at the invitation in Rosalie's hand, "By Saturday, you're not allowed."

Masen rolled his eyes and looked to Carlisle and Emmett, "It's not like I have a bed time."

"We'll see," Esme said.

"Great," he moaned, "That means no."

"Masen," Carlisle said, "Don't give your mother the attitude."

"Me and Seth will just crash it," he told them.

"You know," Esme said, "I was thinking about letting you come, but now..."

Masen groaned and made his way out of the room, "Fine, I'll just stay home," his voice called when he was out of sight.

Esme looked at Carlisle, and he knew it meant she wanted him to follow Masen. He got up from from where he was sitting and made his way to find his son. The lack of privacy from their exceptional hearing let everyone know that Masen was in big trouble.

Bella rarely saw Carlisle upset, but the tone of his voice said it all. Masen argued back momentarily, before finally giving in and just listening.

Renesme looked at Bella, then to Rosalie and Alice.

"Shopping?" Alice said to break the tension.

Bella nodded.

"I'll drive," Renesme volunteered.

"Drive?" Edward laughed.

"Jacob's been teaching me."

Bella saw anger pass through Edward's eyes, and Bella jumped in before he could say anything, "I'll let you drive," she said, "But only if you let us take you driving from now on. I know Jacob's trying to help, but that's still our job." She pointed to her and Edward.

Renesme nodded, "Okay. I only went with Jacob twice, and it was after me and you already drove around a little."

Edward looked at Bella, "You took her driving?"

She felt guilty, "A couple times," then added, "With Charlie."

"Oh stop it, Edward," Rosalie said, "Bella doesn't have to run every single thing by you. It's not 1920 anymore."

"Stay out of it, Rosalie," he said angrily, "It's not your business."

"Let's go," Alice said, pulling whoever she could by the arms. They headed toward the door. Rosalie and Edward exchanged furious glances toward one another for an extra couple of seconds. Bella looked over her shoulder at him as they left and mouthed the words, "I'm sorry."

Jasper put a hand on his shoulder, "It'll be fine Edward."

"Yeah if it makes you feel any better," Emmett chimed in, "Rose doesn't run anything by me. Ever." He looked at Jasper and the two of them laughed.

Esme looked at the three of them, still listening to Masen pleaded with Carlisle in the other room, "You three need to start holding Masen accountable," she told them, "I don't want him to think it's okay to act..."

"Bratty," Jasper laughed.

"Exactly," Esme said, not laughing. "Emmett, he looks up to you the most. So you'll probably have the best hold on him. If he says or does something with you, set him strait. I know we do it all the time, but if it came from someone other than his parents, it might sink in a little more."

"Alright," Emmett said sincerely, "I can do that. I'd feel bad yelling at the little guy."

"You don't have to yell at him," Esme said, "Just tell him to stop if he's doing something wrong if he's ever with you." She looked down at the party invitation again.

"What do you think about the driving thing?" Edward asked Esme.

She shrugged, "If Bella was with her, I don't really see a problem. But I do understand what you're feeling by her not running it by you first. I was a little mad at Carlisle when he took Masen to hunt without telling me, but it wasn't a big deal. We talked, it was fine."

He nodded.

"Sucks that your daughter's dating a werewolf, huh?" Emmett said with a smile.

Edward looked at him and didn't say anything. Jasper grinned to himself.

"Why don't you three go look for costumes of your own," Esme suggested, trying to break the growing tension that was lingering in the house.

"Why, you want some alone time with Carlisle?" Emmett laughed. Jasper snickered. He had been trying to control his laughter at the constant little outbreaks of frustration that had occurred between his family members over the last twenty minutes. He recognized the same feeling in Esme's expression after Emmett's comment.

"I was thinking more so you don't feel the wrath of what I'm feeling right now, Emmett," her voice was stern, but all of them knew there was a softness underneath.

"Let's go," Jasper said, he pushed Emmett and Edward in the direction of the door.

"Fine," Edward agreed, "I'm driving."

"No way lead foot," Jasper joked.

"Take the Jeep," Emmett instructed.

"No, the Volvo," Edward protested.

"I like the Jeep better," Emmett said.

"Guys!" Esme shouted, "Stop the arguing." She went to the key ring and picked up a set of keys without looking. "Whoever's keys are in my hand is what you're taking."

Jasper reached for them and smiled, "Jeep."

Edward rolled his eyes and the three of them left the house. Esme plopped herself down on the couch and put her feet up.

Carlisle returned to the living room, looking aggrivated and tired. He looked at Esme and shook his head.

She held her arms out, with a similar expression, "I know. Come here."

He made his way to the couch and let her baby him for a few minutes, laying his head on her stomach and stretching out.

Esme closed her eyes and put her arms around him, gently stroking his hair, "I guess we're no different from other families in this sense."

"I thought I'd faced every challenge there was to face," he told her. A laugh escaped his mouth, "I guess not, huh."

She laughed, "You have to admit that this is the best challenge, though. Even in these moments."

"Yeah," he agreed, looking up at her, "But it's so much easier when he's just..."

"Behaving," she said, finishing his sentence.

"Yeah." He put his head back down on her and closed his eyes. His mind drifted back to the first and only masquerade ball he'd attended. The events of the night made him feel uneasy, and he tried his best to shake the bad feelings that lingered with the thoughts of the party. He knew it was unfair to Alice and everyone who was taking the time to plan and make it a wonderful night.

"What else is bothering you?" Esme asked.

"Nothing," he told her.

"You sure?"

"It's nothing," he said, not moving from his place. He didn't want to look her in the eyes and try to fib about gut feeling he was experiencing. He tried to let his rational thoughts take over, "I just had a bad experience at the last one of these things I went to, that's all."

"We don't have to go, Carlisle," Esme told him reassuringly.

He sat up and looked at her, "Don't be silly. It was centuries ago," he laughed and felt rediculous that the moment still bothered him.

"I'm serious," she said, "It doesn't matter how long ago it was."

His smile reassured her, "We'll have a great time. This is much different. It'll be our family there. The tribe. In Forks..."

Esme cradled his face with one hand, then brushed his hair back, "Well, think about it. We have all week to decide. We can stay back with Masen."

"Thank you, Esme," he signaled for her to give him a kiss. She leaned in and kissed him once. "But, I've already made up my mind," he continued, "We'll go and we're going to have a great time."

"Are you sure?"

He nodded, "Yeah."

They heard Masen shuffling around in his room, probably going stir crazy from the punishment.

"I'm going to go talk to him," Esme said.

Carlisle nodded, "Okay."

He stretched back out the full length of the couch and looked up as she was about to go, "You're a great mother, Esme."

She smiled and left the room, leaving Carlisle to his thoughts.