A/N: Happy Sunday! Thank you for all the sweet reviews and birthday wishes!
This chapter is also really long, but I hope you enjoy it!
Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, these characters, or the song lyrics.
Song for chapter: Taking You Home by Don Henley
And this love
Is like nothing I have ever know
Take my hand love
I'm taking you home
Where we can be with the ones who really care
Home, where we can grow together
Keep you in my heart forever
Esme POV
The start of the New Year signified a time to start over, but for us, it was simply a continuation of our relatively new life together.
Right after Christmas, Carlisle took me to see the land he had looked at. As soon as I saw it, I knew it was perfect for us. Most of the land was cleared, with only a thin line of trees at the back. It was right next to a subdivision, but there was still privacy. I was glad that we would be closer to Carmen and Eleazar, and even though Carlisle would have a longer commute to the hospital, the pros still outweighed the cons.
Carlisle's bid did go through, and we were able to sign the papers together. Since he always insisted that everything he had was mine, I was made a co-owner. I didn't really care either way, but there was something a bit thrilling about seeing my name on an official document. I had never owned anything that big before, and it just showed once again how much I was able to live since finding Carlisle again.
As soon as the land was ours, the house planning began. Carlisle and I worked together, looking at different house plans to decide what we both liked. Carlisle wanted us to both have a separate study which I agreed to. It would be nice to have a space if I ever went back to work, and it would also be useful to have somewhere to work on my scrapbooking or any other hobby. I wanted I large front porch and a nice kitchen, which Carlisle agreed to. The process continued with both us of agree on everything until we had a good idea of what we wanted. Since I had taken a couple drafting class in school, I managed to draw some rough house plans, but we still took our ideas to an architect for him to complete the finer details.
We weren't in an extreme rush to begin building, though. Our plan was to wait until around March to try to avoid the rainiest months, and we would need the extra time any way to make sure all of the contracts were ready to go. We were also waiting until Garrett would be able to come down to be our general contractor. I didn't think he would be able to help us at first, but it turned out that he was licensed in Washington, and he also knew a lot of the people who would be helping him. I was extremely happy to have him working for us because I knew we could trust him to hire the best people, and having him work for us also meant that Kate and the kids would be coming down for at least a few months of spring and summer.
As we waited for things to be sorted out, January was soon half-way over, bringing us to our four month anniversary. Carlisle had brought me flowers on our first three month's anniversaries, but we weren't able to do much else because we had been so busy. I knew that we weren't going to be celebrating every month for the rest of our lives, but there was something about the first year of being together. Everything was so new and wonderful, and I knew I wanted to do something special for Carlisle this month. I planned what I wanted to do in advance: simply a nice dinner, some desert, and alone time together after Emmett was in bed. The night before, I went to sleep, dreaming of the perfect day to come.
All too soon, I was being woken up by soft kisses trailing over the side of my face. My lips curled upward of their own volition, and I heard Carlisle chuckle softly upon seeing my expression. When I opened my eyes, I saw him standing by the bed, holding a tray with what appeared to be breakfast as well as a vase with four pink roses. I turned my head to look at the clock and saw that the alarm wasn't supposed to go off for thirty more minutes.
"Carlisle," I groaned as I turned my head back and threw my arm over my eyes.
"What is it, sweetheart?" he asked with a worried tone. I felt him sit the tray down on the bed and then sit down on the end.
I moved my arm and looked over to mock glare at him. "I wanted to do something nice for you today, but you woke up early to fix me breakfast. Your being the perfect husband is really messing up my plans." I changed my glare to grin which made him relax.
"Well now we can both do something for each other." He stood up and came around to the side of the bed. "Happy Anniversary, Es," he said as he leaned down to kiss my lips softly. I kissed him back readily, trying to further show that I wasn't really mad.
"Happy Anniversary to you, too," I said after we released each other.
I took a second to look at the food because the delicious smell had finally registered in my brain. Carlisle had really out done himself. The tray contained muffins, eggs, bacon, sliced bananas, coffee, and orange juice.
"Oh, and technically, this breakfast is also for me if that makes you feel better," Carlisle said as he walked to the other side of the bed and crawled over beside me.
"Well I guess what I have planned is also for me, too, so I would say that we are even." I helped Carlisle position the tray over both of us so we could eat together.
The food he had prepared tasted as good as it smelled, and I was very proud of how far his cooking expertise had come in such a short time. It was a fun way to spend our breakfast, curled up in bed while eating and feeding each other. I hoped we would continue to do the little fun things like that for many years to come.
When Emmett woke up, Carlisle went to get him out of bed and brought him into our room. I moved the tray so Emmett could cuddle up beside me, and Carlisle went to the kitchen to fix a small plate for him.
Carlisle brought Emmett's breakfast to me, and then reluctantly headed into the bathroom so he could get ready for work. As he got ready, I fed Emmett so he wouldn't make a mess in the bed. It was still messy, though, because Emmett had a case of the giggles for some unknown reason, and his laughter made food fall out of his mouth. I didn't have the heart to ask him to stop; his laughter was adorable.
After Carlisle was ready for work, he took the tray with our empty plates into the kitchen. He then came back to our bedroom to kiss Emmett and me goodbye before heading to the hospital.
Emmett was in a snuggly mood, so I was able to have a few more minutes of peace with him in bed before getting up to start the day. Eventually, he did get tired of just lying around so I had to pull myself out of the comfortable warmth.
After I dressed us both, we had to brave the cold weather to make a quick trip to the grocery store so I get what I needed to make dinner and dessert. When we got back to the apartment, Emmett did not want to lie down for a nap, so I decided to let him help me in the kitchen.
I had planned to make a chocolate cake with fudge icing, and Emmett did fairly well with helping me stir the cake batter. There were a few unnecessary messes made, but we had a lot of fun together in the process of baking. I also knew that Carlisle would appreciate the fact that Emmett helped with the cake.
After I had cleaned all the chocolate off of me, Emmett, and the kitchen counters, I went to sit in the living room where Emmett was playing. The train table still had not been moved into his room even after all of the Christmas decorations had been taken down, but I had a feeling Emmett enjoyed having it where it was so we were around to play with him more.
Once the cake was out of the oven and cooled, I iced it and then made us some lunch. After we ate, Emmett was still playing hard, and I had a feeling he was probably going to crash soon. He had never skipped a nap after exerting as much energy as he had, but he was still in a good mood. Normally if he was cranky, I would have rocked him until he went to sleep, but I knew he would sleep when he was tired enough.
I started making dinner a couple of hours before Carlisle was supposed to be home. I had planned to make lasagna for him, and it had a long preparation and cook time, so I knew I needed to start early. As I worked in the kitchen, Emmett continued playing in the living room. I periodically called out to him to make sure he was okay.
As I was layering my ingredients, I called his name, but he didn't answer. After calling him once more and still not getting a response, I quickly wiped my hands off and went to look for him. I went to the living room first, but nothing was out of place. The door was also untouched and still childproofed. I reminded myself to stay calm as I headed to check his room next.
As I was walking down the hallway, I stopped in front of the master bedroom door and breathed a sigh of relief. Emmett was lying up against my pillow as he clutched one of his stuffed animals while he slept peacefully. I hadn't made the bed yet so the covers were rumpled around him. I quietly walked over to my side of the bed and pulled the quilt over his small body before placing a soft kiss on his forehead. He didn't move at all while I was in the room, and I knew I had been right about him crashing. I closed the door half-way as I left the room and went back to the kitchen feeling very thankful and relieved.
I finished layering the lasagna and was about to put it into the oven when I heard the front door open. I quickly placed the pan into the oven and set the timer. I turned around and was about to head into the living room, but Carlisle was standing in the doorway waiting on me.
I smiled brightly as I almost ran to him. It was always one of my favorite times of the day when Carlisle came home from work. Seeing him leave for work never got any easier, but missing him just made his return so much sweeter.
I threw myself into his arms, and he held my tightly against him. We embraced silently for a few moments as I breathed in his scent and he rocked me back and forth. His arms felt like home, and I smiled against his chest as he placed kisses against my hair.
"I missed you," I mumbled and then looked up at him. I noticed that he was smiling brighter than usual, but I wasn't sure why.
"I missed you, too, sweetheart. I love you." He leaned down to kiss my lips and then returned to his bright smiling.
I stepped back from him and eyed him speculatively. "I'm going to guess that the smile you're wearing isn't just because you're happy to see me, is it?" I asked with a small smile of my own.
"I'm always happy to see you, sweetheart," he chuckled. "But you're right. There is something else. Let's go sit down and I'll tell you."
He clasped my hand in his and led me into the living room, shuffling toys out of the way as he walked. He sat down on the couch first, and then pulled me down to snuggle into his side.
"Where's Emmett?" he asked as he pulled my hair down from the pony tail it was in and ran his fingers through the now loose strands.
"He's actually passed out in our bed," I said with a smile. "He skipped his morning nap, but I guess he just couldn't make it any longer." I turned slightly so I could see his face. "Now tell me what happened before I die of anticipation."
He laughed at my lack of patience, but I could tell he really wanted to tell me.
"Well, I received a call at work right before I was going to walk out the door. The call was from Mary Randall."
"And?" I asked, urging him to continue when he paused, and he chucked once more.
"And, the judge set a date. We go on January 26th at ten in the morning."
I then understood why he was so happy. The only thing we had left to wait for in the adoption process was for a date to be set when we could meet with the judge so everything could be made official.
"The 26th?" I asked with an even bigger smile. "That's your birthday, and it's only next week!"
Carlisle nodded. "Now you can see why I'm so happy. In just over a week, I will legally be Emmett's father. That's the best birthday present I could ever imagine!"
I threw my arms around him again, and I knew my smile now matched the intensity of his. It was the news we had been waiting for, and it felt like a weight had been lifted after simply knowing how many more days we had to wait.
I finally had to release him, and I stood up with his hands in mine, bring him up with me. "Dinner will be ready in about an hour and a half. You should go lie down with you son for a while before we eat," I suggested.
Carlisle readily agreed and kissed me before he headed to our room.
I went back to the kitchen to clean up my mess. When I was finished, I decided I might as well clean up the living room so it wouldn't have to be done later. I peeked in on Carlisle and Emmett a couple of times as I worked. Carlisle was lying on his back with his eyes closed, and the smile was still there on his face. Emmett had rolled over and was sleeping right up against his daddy. Seeing them together filled me with such joy, and I was tempted to stay and watch them. I did leave them alone to make sure Emmett took as long of a nap as he could before he had to wake up to eat dinner.
I made some garlic bread before the lasagna was ready, and when everything was done, I placed it on the table and went to get my men. Carlisle opened his eyes as soon as I entered the room, and we woke Emmett up together. Once his little eyes were open, he was so excited to see that Carlisle was home from work.
After we all washed our hands, we sat down for dinner. Carlisle complimented my lasagna multiple times, and I knew he was being honest based on how much he ate. Emmett also ate well, and we all enjoyed the chocolate cake.
Even though he took a late nap, Emmett still went to bed around his normal time which gave Carlisle and I time together on the couch before we went to our room. We had both talked about how we were going to miss the couch since we would be getting mostly new furniture for our house when it was finished. I hoped we would be able to find someplace to put it so we could keep it. Our times talking and sleeping together on it were good memories, and I really didn't want to have to get rid of it.
By the time we did go to bed, we were both too exhausted to do anything except curl up and go to sleep. I didn't mind, though. Sleeping next to Carlisle was one of the best things about being married. Our mini anniversary had been wonderful, especially because of the news we received, and I couldn't wait for the next week.
The rest of the week seemed to pass by slowly, mostly because of our anticipation. Carmen used the time wisely, though, and was able to plan a small party to celebrate both Carlisle's birthday and the adoption. Most of our friends were going with us to the courthouse, and we planned on just driving over to Carmen and Eleazar's afterward.
When the day did finally arrive, I woke up to an empty bed. I smiled to myself as I got up and put my robe on because I knew where Carlisle probably was. I walked quietly across the hall and found Carlisle sitting in the rocking chair watching Emmett sleep which was exactly where I expected him to be.
"Happy birthday," I whispered as I entered the room. He looked over at me and smiled.
"Thank you, sweetheart. I didn't wake you up did I?"
I shook my head. "No. I just now woke up, and I guessed that I would find you in here. How long have you been awake?"
"Not very long," he answered. "Maybe fifteen minutes."
He pulled me close to him and wrapped his arms around my waist. I leaned down to kiss him, and then wrapped my arms around his shoulders.
"I like watching him sleep," Carlisle confessed. "He looks so peaceful. I just find it hard to believe that in a few hours, he'll be mine legally. It won't be any different than if I had been at the hospital the day you had him. It's an incredible feeling."
I could only nod. I found it incredible as well. Carlisle had taken on the role of Emmett's father without any prompting, and he was amazing at it. I knew Emmett was incredibly blessed to have such a wonderful father, and it was something that I had worried about for him at one time. When he was a baby, I worried about him never having a father in his life, but Carlisle had filled that void just like he was made specifically for the job.
Carlisle looked up at me, his eyes swimming with emotion. "Thank you for the opportunity, Esme," he whispered. "This is one of the most precious gifts I have ever received."
"You're welcome, but you don't have to thank me. Emmett is also receiving a gift. I couldn't have hand picked a better father for him because I would have chosen you anyway."
We went back to watching Emmett in silence until I knew I needed to go to the kitchen to start breakfast.
"I'm going to go make breakfast," I said as I moved out of his grasp. "What would you like on your birthday?"
"Pancakes," he said automatically, and I had to stifle a laugh.
"What is it with you two and my pancakes?" I said while shaking my head. "I think you guys might live on them if I let you."
Carlisle shrugged his shoulders and smirked at me. "Your pancakes are just the best, sweetheart. I can't help it if Emmett and I know what we like."
I gave him one more kiss and then headed to the kitchen, internally laughing along the way.
I made pancakes, just as Carlisle ordered, and I also made some sausage to go with it. I finished cooking just as Carlisle entered the room with a still sleepy Emmett. He perked up as soon as Carlisle mentioned what we were eating for breakfast, and it made me start laughing all over again.
After breakfast, Carlisle got Emmett dressed as I got ready. I had laid out our outfits beforehand so we would be coordinating. My cream colored sweater and brown skirt went perfectly with Carlisle and Emmett's matching brown sweaters. We tended to match a lot on Sundays, and I wanted to do the same on this day as well because I knew many pictures would be taken.
As soon as we were dressed and bundled up, we left since we wanted to be punctual. When we got to the courthouse, we waited in the lobby for everyone else to get there. It didn't take long for the room to start filling up with our friends and family. Carmen and Eleazar were the first ones to get there after us, and I could tell they were both as happy as we were that this was about to happen. Peter and Charlotte were both taking the evening shift so they could make it, and Maggie and Ben were both able to come as well. Liam showed up, too, and I was surprised to see Siobhan was with him. I hadn't seen her in a couple of months because we had been so busy with the holidays.
Chelsea and Alec had wanted to come, but they weren't able to since they were still looking for a house and Alec was just getting started at his job. Kate and Garrett were also unable to make the trip down, but we didn't expect them to. They had already visited many more times than anyone could have imagined in the past few months, and they were going to be staying most of the summer.
Emmett was very nervous as we waited, and I knew it was because he wasn't used to so many people being around him at one time. He held on to me tightly, and I was glad I had thought to keep my hair down so he could hold onto my curls.
After a few minutes of waiting, we were finally called back into the room to meet with the judge. The judge was an older man, and he seemed to be very nice. He promised to get us out as soon as possible, and I was grateful because Emmett had become very restless. I eventually had to hand him over to Carlisle. Carlisle whispered something into his ear, and he nodded and stayed still while resting his head on Carlisle's shoulder. This didn't go unnoticed by the judge, but all he did was smile and continue with the paper work.
Carlisle and I both had to sign several forms as well as the judge, the final one being Emmett's new birth certificate. I started crying when Carlisle sighed on the line labeled "father," and I could hear other sniffles behind me. The judge was true to his word, and the whole process took less than an hour. At the end, he congratulated all three of us, and said he could tell that Emmett had a wonderful father.
As we left the courthouse, all of the women were holding tissues, wiping their eyes, and some of the men looked a little teary eyed as well. Emmett was so confused, and it was amusing to watch as he tried to find out why everyone was crying. We tried to assure him that everyone was okay, and he relaxed a little once it was just the three of us in the car.
Carmen had planned a lovely party; it truly seemed to be one of her many talents. There were enough finger foods to serve as a small lunch for us, and she also made a delicious coconut cake for us to enjoy.
Since it was Carlisle's birthday, he received several gifts. I didn't get him much, only a few books he wanted and some new shirts. I knew momentary gifts would never compare to the gift he received when Emmett was legally his son.
Emmett also received a couple of presents which put him on cloud nine. Even though he had been a little scared and confused, I knew he enjoyed the day since he got to eat cake and he received gifts.
I couldn't stop smiling all day. Carlisle had been right. "Emmett Matthew Cullen" did have a nice ring to it. It was also comforting to know that Emmett would never remember a time when Carlisle wasn't in his life, and now Carlisle's birthday would have another special significance.
The house building finally began in mid-March. The permits had all been filed and approved, and then the clearing began. We chose an area for the house where there would be a fair amount of land surrounding it on all sides, especially in the back. As soon as the spot had been leveled out, the house began to take shape, starting with the foundation. The weather proved to be a challenge, but since the men were used to the Pacific Northwest weather, they knew how to work around it.
Garrett came down to Seattle right before the building was underway, but Kate and the kids didn't come until the end of April. While Garrett was working on the house and Carlisle and Eleazar were at the hospital, we women were able to spend a lot of time together. Most days we didn't do anything besides chase the kids around, but it was still nice to have company while doing it. I also invited Charlotte and Maggie over several times to join our "girl time," and they seemed to enjoy it as well.
Kate and Carmen also helped me work through my ideas I had for the décor of the house. It seemed to be much easier to provide designs for a home that belonged to someone else, but I did have an idea of what I wanted. For the family room and our bedroom, I planned to use natural colors. I designed the family room to have different shades of brown, tan, sage, and a little bit of red. Our bedroom would also have some of the brown along with blue to make it relaxing. The more I got involved with it, the more my excitement grew, and Kate and Carmen also seemed to enjoy giving their opinions.
Throughout the spring and summer months, we were able to watch our house take shape before our eyes. After the foundation came the framing, the concrete slabs, and all of the electrical and plumbing work. Garrett obviously knew the right people for the jobs because it didn't seem like it was taking very long at all, and it was a big house. What we had planned was indeed a luxury home, but Carlisle insisted it was worth it. He said we might as well get everything we wanted the first time, and I agreed.
As our house grew and changed, so did many other things in our lives. Emmett was growing every day, both physically and mentally. He was speaking in full and comprehendible sentences, and it was so much fun for us to listen to what he had to say.
We were also able to potty train him during the summer. Kate was a big help in that department, having potty trained both Corin and Riley. It didn't take Emmett long to figure it out, especially after seeing Riley's "big boy" underwear. It was definitely one time when I was glad Emmett chose to mimic his cousin.
One thing that didn't grow was our family. I was trying not to worry, which was difficult. Carlisle and I expected to conceive right away, but that just didn't seem like how it was supposed to happen for us. Carlisle was always there to support me when I became discouraged, and Charlotte was also a great help. She and I were both hurting over something we didn't have. I often reminded myself that she and Peter had been trying for longer than Carlisle and me, but she still managed to remain positive. Seeing her helped me to also not get depressed about things not happening as fast as I wanted them to because in the end, I wasn't the one in charge, and it was obvious that God didn't feel like it was time for us to have a baby. It was hard for me to accept, but I tried.
We took Emmett into the house after the flooring and painting had been completed. We had driven past it several times after the exterior was finished, but we decided not to take him inside until everything was cleaned up and safe. Emmett loved running around in all of the empty rooms, and we made sure to show him which one was his bedroom.
The house was finally finished and ready for us to move in by the beginning of August. We didn't want them to rush anything with the interior or exterior, so we had been content with waiting as long as we had to for them to do a good job with all the trims and minor details.
The move-in process was long and stressful. Not only did we have all of our furniture in the apartment, but we had been furniture shopping for months, and moving all of the items was a challenge. We did have a lot of help, but it was very different from the last time I had moved. It was also a challenge to decide where everything went in the house. The sad part was that even though we had so much furniture, we weren't even furnishing the whole house. Three bedrooms upstairs remained empty, and the guest room downstairs only contained a bed and a dresser.
After wasting a few days procrastinating, we finally had one big work day to get the house furnished. Once we were motivated, everything fell into place, and I was able to start really enjoying the house.
My kitchen was exactly how I wanted it. It was large with stone flooring, and plenty of natural light was able to come. The oak cabinets and granite countertops were beautiful, and I loved the stainless steel appliances. Our kitchen table had been upgraded to one that could seat eight, and it was also oak to match the cabinets.
The family room nice as well. We had bought a sectional couch to fill the large space, and we also moved our old couch into the room. Along with the TV, we also had an organizational unit to hold some of Emmett's toys which I hoped would cut down on some of the clutter we usual had.
The formal living room was small, but it was mostly just for looks anyway. The formal dining room, however, was rather large, large enough to fit a table for twelve.
While the entire downstairs minus the kitchen and laundry room had hardwood flooring, the upstairs was carpeted except for the bathrooms.
Our master bedroom was perfect, just like I planned it. The new bedroom suite we had purchased had a king-sized bed which filled the space nicely. Beside the window, there was a sitting area, and we also had a large his and her walk-in closet. The master bathroom seemed to be almost as large as the bedroom. The bathroom was done in stone and had granite counter tops, similar to the kitchen. The room also contained a large Jacuzzi tub, separate shower, and double sinks.
Emmett's room looked remarkably different than the one at the apartment. We had traded his crib for a double bed with guard rails. He was excited about the bed when we bought it, but I wasn't sure if he would actually sleep in it.
After everything had been moved and everyone had left, Carlisle and I finally had a chance to relax. It was late, and Emmett had already passed out. He was already in his pajamas, so we tucked him in his new bed, turned on the night light, and made sure the baby monitor was on before going downstairs.
We went to the family room and sat down on the new couch. After a few minutes, we turned to look at each other and then quickly moved to curl up on our old one.
"So what do you think now that it's finished?" Carlisle asked as we watched the nighttime news.
"I love it," I sighed while resting my head against his shoulder. "It's everything I ever wanted. Thank you."
"I'm glad you like it, sweetheart," he said and kissed my head. "It was definitely worth it, but I don't think I ever want to do that again. I feel like I could sleep for a month and still be tired."
I nodded. I knew he was especially tired. He had helped as much as he could to get the house ready, all while still working his usual shifts.
"Why don't we go to bed then?" I suggested softly.
He agreed and turned off the TV before standing up and scooping me into his arms.
"What are you doing?" I giggled as he carried me up the stairs.
"Well I didn't get to carry you over the threshold of the house, so I'm about to make up for it by carrying you over the threshold of our room."
I continued to laugh quietly into his shirt as his carried me, and as soon as we got to our room, we changed as quickly as possible and then crawled into bed. We both fell asleep quickly, and it was the best sleep I had had in a while. Having the house finished was a big weight lifted off of our shoulders, and now all that was left to do was enjoy it.
The following days were spent getting used to the house. I had been right about Emmett sleeping in his bed. When he fell asleep before we put him in bed, he was fine and slept all night. He just wouldn't go to sleep while in bed. Carlisle and I didn't mind rocking him to sleep, but eventually he needed to learn to go to sleep on his own. We didn't dwell on it, though. I hoped he would eventually get used to the bed because I hated causing him unnecessary tears during bedtime.
I filled my time while Carlisle was working with more decorating. I made sure to hang our pictures back up including the engagement/family pictures and the wedding pictures as well as many candids from different occasions.
Before long, it was time for my birthday. We had been so busy, and I didn't want to do very much. Kate, Garrett, and family had headed back home right after we had moved in, and Carmen and Eleazar were visiting them the week of my birthday. I decided to invite Chelsea and Alec up to have dinner and stay for a couple of days since we hadn't seen them since December. Carlisle agreed that it sounded like a good plan, and I called Chelsea to invite her right away.
Chelsea and I had remained in contact, sharing phone conversations a couple of times a weeks. Alec had settled into his job nicely, and she had found a part-time job working as a receptionist for a dentist. They had managed to find the perfect house for the two of them, and since we had settled into our new house, it was the perfect time for a visit.
Chelsea and Alec flew in on my birthday, and we picked them up at the airport. Emmett was very excited to see them since he had a better understanding of who they were.
That night, I made a big dinner of baked chicken and vegetables, and they all teased me about cooking my own birthday dinner. I didn't really mind, though, because I liked to cook, especially in my new kitchen, and I loved it that people enjoyed my food.
I noticed that during dinner, Alec seemed very reserved and almost sad. I wasn't sure why, but I wanted to find out. I didn't want him to feel uncomfortable in our home since he and my sister were very welcome.
After we finished eating, Carlisle offered to clean the kitchen for me, and Emmett dragged Chelsea off to show her his room. Alec was sitting in the family room, so I decided to take the opportunity to find out if anything was wrong.
"Alec," I said softly as I approached. He still had a sad look on his face. "What's wrong? Did you not enjoy your dinner?"
"Oh no, of course I did," he said quickly. "Dinner was delicious. Thank you for inviting us. It's too bad you had to cook on your birthday, but I can't complain about it."
He smiled as he rubbed his stomach to indicate how much he ate. I could tell he was sincere, but the smile was still a little forced.
"Well, thank you. I'm glad you enjoyed it. But you just seem so troubled. Is something else wrong?" I asked gently.
Alec sighed and looked down at his hands. "I just feel so guilty," he said softly after a minute. "You always make both Chelsea and me feel so welcome, but I don't deserve it.
"I was so stupid. I love Chelsea so much, and at first, I thought the only way to get her was to impress your father. But even after we were married, I still let him influence my actions.
"I was horrible to you," he said while shaking his head. "So horrible. You were living in hell and needed help. I didn't realize it until you were already gone."
He looked up at me, and his eyes were filled with tears.
"He could have killed you, Esme. And it would have been partially my fault for not doing anything. And something could have happened to Emmett. I just… I can't imagine the world without him in it."
I cringed as he reminded me how close Emmett and I had come to losing both of our lives.
"I'm so sorry," he continued in a whisper. "I don't know how you've forgiven me. I certainly don't deserve it. I wonder how differently things would have turned out…"
"No, Alec," I interrupted softly, placing my hand on his arm. "We can't play the 'what if?' game. Nothing will change the past, but I honestly wouldn't want to. It's true that you weren't very nice to me, and even though it hurt, I don't think you were the first person to ever fall victim to my father's power.
"But everything happens for a reason, and the important thing is that we're all happy now. Carlisle and I have the life together we always wanted, along with Emmett and hopefully more children soon. You and Chelsea also have a happy life together as well as being a part of ours. All of the hard times led us here, and I for one am incredibly happy and content. Aren't you?"
Alec nodded, but didn't say anything.
"Well then stop felling guilty and cheer up," I said with a smile. "I'm sure I can convince Emmett to tickle you if you don't have a real smile on your face soon."
With that comment, Alec laughed and pulled me in to a hug. I was a little surprised by the gesture, but I immediately returned it. After that, his mood did seem to improve greatly, and the rest of the visit didn't contain any more awkwardness.
I hoped the air was cleared once and for all. I really did forgive Alec, and he just needed to realize it. His apology did mean a lot to me, and Carlisle was also happy about it when I told him about the conversation.
We invited Chelsea and Alec to spend at least one of the winter holidays with us, and they agreed. Both Carlisle and I were looking forward to having them even more involved in our lives.
Carlisle POV
Our house really was perfect, and the longer we lived there, the more I loved it. Esme was slowly turning our rather large house into a home with all of her small touches. Everything she added made the rooms look better and better.
Our one year anniversary quickly approached, and I wanted to make it more special than our mini anniversaries we had celebrated every month.
I hadn't been sure what to get her for a gift. It was extremely difficult for us to buy for each other because we were both so content with everything we had. For her birthday, I kept it simple by getting her a quilt stand for the wedding quilt Carmen had made her. She had loved it, and I wanted the cause the same reaction with her anniversary gift. Once I finally decided on something, I planned the night.
Carmen volunteered to watch Emmett for the night, and I quickly accepted her offer. Esme and I both dressed up for dinner, and her red dress looked amazing. I took her out to our favorite Italian restaurant, and we sat on the same side of the table which was our preferred seating arrangement when we were by ourselves.
When we finished eating, I wanted to take her to a movie. We were a little overdressed, but we didn't really watch the movie anyway. The twenty dollars I paid was totally worth having the opportunity to make-out with my wife like we were teenagers. We had missed out on so much when we were actual teenagers, and I enjoyed taking every opportunity to experience it all.
Once we were back home, we went directly to the couch to relax. I chose the time to give Esme her gift. As she opened the box, the look on her face was enough to confirm that she liked it.
"It's an infinity necklace," I said softly as her fingertips traced the platinum chain and diamond pendant. "The symbol is never ending, like my love for you."
Esme turned to look at me, and she had tears in her eyes. "It's beautiful, Carlisle. I love it, but now I feel bad for only getting you an office chair and that box."
One of her gifts was a box to protect and display my Cullen crest ring, which I thought was perfect.
"Your gifts were perfect, sweetheart. You always pick out just what I need, so don't feel bad. I am really glad you like the necklace. I love you," I said as I leaned down to kiss her.
Her hands immediately came up to either side of my face as she kissed me back. After a few seconds, I felt her tongue asking for entrance into my mouth as she ran it along my bottom lip. I sighed as I opened my mouth to her, and our tongues danced together until we were breathless.
"Happy Anniversary," I whispered while we caught our breath.
"Happy Anniversary to you, too," she responded. "Umm…can we maybe go to bed now?" she asked shyly.
I knew she didn't mean to sleep, and I quickly stood up and lifted her into my arms to go upstairs. We spent most of the night making love, and our coupling hadn't lost any of the feelings even after a year. It was still so intense and consuming as we joined ourselves together. As we fell asleep tangled in each other's arms, I couldn't wait for the many more happy years to come.
The only depressing factor in our life was the fact that it had been a year, and there was still no baby. Esme had been worrying for quite a while, so we both went to the doctor to make sure everything was alright. We both received the news that everything was fine, and there was no reason that Esme couldn't become pregnant. Her doctor explained that stress could be one reason why it was taking so long, and it seemed like a logical conclusion. We had been really stressed about the house, so we hoped that it would happen soon since everything was starting to settle down again.
The fall was soon upon us, and brought us to Halloween. Emmett chose his costume once again, this time picking Spiderman. We had no idea why he picked it, but we couldn't talk him into anything else. When it was time for trick-or-treating, Esme and I had to agree that it was hilarious watching Emmett going around and telling people who he was dressed as.
We kept Emmett's birthday small once again, but he still enjoyed it. The theme Esme chose was Thomas the train, and Emmett loved it. We dressed him in little overalls, and he even had a conductor hat. It was so hard to believe that he was already three. The year had passed by so quickly, but it was amazing to see how much he had grown and learned.
Thanksgiving was spent with Chelsea and Alec. Carmen and Eleazar had gone to Alaska, so it was just the five of us. I was glad Esme had talked with Alec while they were at our house for her birthday. Since then, he had seemed a lot more relaxed around us, and I could tell he finally believed that he truly was forgiven.
A few days after Thanksgiving, Peter and Charlotte invited us to go out to dinner with them. As we sat down together, I could tell that something was going on based on the way Peter and Charlotte kept looking at each other.
After we placed our orders, Peter grabbed Charlotte's hand and turned to us with a big smile.
"We invited you to dinner tonight because we have some news," Peter began.
"I'm guessing it's good news judging by your smile," Esme commented.
Charlotte smiled even wider. "Oh yes," she said. "It's very good news."
Peter cleared his throat and began again. "Well, we wanted you two to be the first to know after our parents. We found out last week that Charlotte is six weeks pregnant."
"Oh, Charlotte," Esme gasped and stood up to go around to the other side of the table. "That's incredible! Congratulations."
Charlotte also stood up and hugged Esme tightly. They were whispering to each other, and I could hear the sniffles beginning.
"Congratulations, Peter," I said with a smile. "You two really deserve it."
Peter thanked me, and I could tell how happy both he and Charlotte were. Their joy was infectious, and Esme and I were both smiling brightly with them.
"So was it fertility treatments?" Esme asked curiously.
Charlotte shook her head. "We didn't ever have a chance to make an appointment with the doctor. I think the time was just right."
Even though I was extremely excited for them, I couldn't help but worry about Esme. I kept my hand in hers throughout dinner; I didn't want her to feel like she was alone. The rest of dinner was very high spirited, but Esme did seem a little down while we were on our way home.
"Did you have a nice time?" I asked as we sat down on the couch together. The house was quiet since Maggie was keeping Emmett, and I wanted to take the time to make sure Esme was alright.
"I did," she said with a sigh. "I'm so happy for Peter and Charlotte. They've wanted a baby for so long. Charlotte always said it would happen when the time was right, and I guess it did."
"But it makes you sad, doesn't it?" I asked softly. Her smile fell lightly, and she laid her head down on my shoulder, nodding against me.
"I'm happy for them, I really am," she said quickly. "The miracle of life is amazing, and I couldn't have picked a better couple to be parents." She paused and took a deep breath. "But I don't know why it hasn't happened to us yet. It's been over a year, and they waited even longer than that, but it doesn't stop me from wanting it now. I feel like I have so much love for you and Emmett, but then there's even more space in my heart. I just want to give out that love."
I could feel the silent tears falling against my shoulder, so I reached over to wipe them away and then kissed the top of her head.
"I understand, sweetheart," I said as I gently rubbed her arm. "I want it, too. But I'm sure it will happen when it's right for us as well."
After a few more minutes on the couch, we went up to bed. By the time we crawled under the covers together, I could already tell that Esme was feeling better.
Christmas planning further lifted Esme's spirits, and I was happy to see her acting more like herself. It wasn't like her to be pessimistic; she always preferred to see the glass as half-full, and I knew that was because of everything she had been through. We had accomplished the nearly impossible, getting back together after years apart, and there wasn't any reason for us to not have hope with our baby situation.
A few days after our dinner with Peter and Charlotte, I came home from work after a long afternoon and evening shift. It was after midnight, so I walked quietly as I ascended the stairs, not wanting to wake Emmett up. I had a feeling Esme was staying up until I got home, so I quickly looked in on a sleeping Emmett before heading to our room.
As I approached the doorway, I saw that a light was on, and I smiled to myself seeing that I had been right. I opened the door, and I expected to see Esme sitting up in bed waiting for me, but instead, she was curled up on her side facing away from door. I could hear her quiet sniffles, and I quickly dropped my bags, pulled my shoes off, and climbed in the bed beside her.
"Sweetheart, what's wrong?" I asked as I pulled her closer to me.
She rolled over, and I could tell that she had been crying for a while. Her eyes were puffy, and she looked so heartbroken. As soon as she faced me, she got as close to me as she could and cried into my chest.
I let her cry for a few minutes while rubbing her back in comfort and quietly shushing her. Once she was quiet, I pulled her back from me and placed a tender kiss on her forehead.
"Do you want to tell me what's wrong?" I asked again.
"I need tampons," she whispered and her lower lip started trembling again.
"Oh, sweetheart. It's alright," I breathed out as I pulled her to me again and held her tightly in my arms. I knew she wasn't just upset about needing feminine hygiene items in the middle of the night. This was sorrow for another month passing without getting what we so desperately wanted.
I continued holding her even after she fell into a deep sleep. The next morning, she woke up in a much better mood, and the smile she gave me was not forced in any way. I could tell she was still hurting, but she had accepted it for another month. I knew she was truly happy, but I felt helpless. I wanted to find something I could do to make this better; I just wasn't sure what it could be.
A/N: This will be the last chapter for a while that covers a large amount of time. Their lives are about to change during the next chapter, and I for one am excited!
I'm not sure when the next update will be. I have plans during the weekend, but I'll try my hardest to update sometime nest Sunday.
Thank you so much for continuing to read!
There's a picture of the necklace on my profile, and don't forget to recommend songs if you know of any! :)