A/N: Thanks for all the reviews and for waiting patiently for me!
I hope this chapter is worth the long wait!
Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or these characters.
Carlisle POV
Sarah's birth was definitely something we were all celebrating.
For Peter and Charlotte, she was an answer to many prayers that had taken place over the last couple of years. They had never lost faith, and now they had been blessed with an amazing gift. The timing seemed perfect because Peter and Charlotte had so much love they had stored up and were now able to give it all to their precious little one. Sarah would be able to grow up knowing how much she was wanted and never be able to doubt her parents' love for her.
For Esme and me, Sarah's birth gave us hope that one day we would receive the same gift. We were very similar to our friends: nothing medically wrong, but still no baby. Seeing it happen for them made us realized that if we stayed patient and continued to trust in God's timing, He would give us everything we needed. Or in this case, something we wanted.
We really didn't mind the waiting any more though. Our lives were filled with Emmett, Rosalie, and Jasper, and they really did fill us in every way. Before Rosalie and Jasper came into our lives, we had been longing to have another little one to love. It was no surprise that God gave us the perfect children. We were able to give Rosalie and Jasper the love we longed to give, the same love that they so desperately wanted and needed to receive. Everyone we knew agreed that it was our unconditional love that was responsible for how well their recovery was going.
On the days when we wanted a baby to snuggle, we simply headed over to Peter and Charlotte's house. Peter and Charlotte appreciated any help we offered and graciously allowed us to invade their home. The kids all loved Sarah, especially Rosalie. To her, Sarah was just like her baby dolls, and it was fun to watch her play mommy. Esme tried to take Rosalie with her as much as possible when she would go to help. We were trying to provide safe opportunities for Rosalie to be around non-family members, and our best friends were the best option so far. They loved Rosalie and encouraged her to socialize with them, many times by using Sarah as a sort of "bait."
Sarah was a good baby so far. She was very mellow and didn't cry without a serious reason. Peter and Charlotte had an easy time with her although their life was very busy, as it was with any newborn.
Esme and Carmen helped out as much as possible with meal preparations and housework. Their usual strategy was to cook many food dishes to take over at one time which gave Peter and Charlotte meals to reheat.
After a couple of weeks, they decided that a hot meal was in order instead of making them always reheat the food. Esme and Carmen planned a day when they could go, and I had the idea to turn the day into something else. I wanted Esme to leave the kids at home with me- all of them, including Rosalie. We had been talking with Siobhan about possibly trying to leave Rosalie was with me, and this seemed like a good opportunity.
Esme and I talked about it and finally agreed. We were both anxious, but it was a step that needed to be taken. She would only be a few minutes away if anything happened, but we hoped nothing would happen.
It was tough for Esme to leave when the day came. Everything she needed was loaded into her car, but she kept double checking. I knew she was stalling, so I put on my best confident face and assured her that everything would be fine. The assurances were for me as well because I really didn't know that everything would be fine; I could only pray that I would be right.
Esme did finally leave while the kids were napping. Emmett and Jasper were in their bed while Rosalie laid in ours. With them sleeping, we were able to avoid the drama of Esme leaving, but it created new possibilities. I had no idea how Rosalie was going to react when she woke up and saw that her mommy wasn't here.
I took advantage of the quiet house and sat in the family room with my lap top. Peter and I had slowly begun searching for possible office locations. We wanted an accessible location and a good sized office building. So far we hadn't made any serious decisions, but it was nice to know what we liked. All the research now would make everything less stressful when we started making our final plans.
Two hours into nap time I started thinking that maybe this was going to be easier than I thought. I hadn't heard a peep from upstairs, and I wasn't sure that I was going to before Esme came home. I was about to go upstairs and check on them when I finally heard someone slowly making their way downstairs. I closed my computer and waited to see who it was.
When I saw Rosalie enter the room, my anxiety immediately increased. I could tell she was still sleepy as she rubbed her eyes and looked around the room. Her baby doll was held under one arm, and I noticed her gripping it tighter as she came farther into the room. Her anxiety seemed to be growing as well, so I tried to stay calm for both our benefits.
"My May Mommy?" she asked softly as she continued to look around.
I smiled at the name she used. Most of the time, she called Esme 'Mommy,' but it wasn't uncommon for her to mix the names around. Esme answered to basically anything said in that sweet little voice, so it really didn't matter.
"Mommy's not here, baby. She'll be back in a little while."
I knew I had given the wrong answer when Rosalie stood still as her lower lip began trembling and her eyes filled with tears. I needed to do some quick damage control.
"Don't cry, sweetheart," I said quickly. "Mommy will be home soon. She went with Nana to cook lunch for Peter and Charlotte and baby Sarah. You like baby Sarah, don't you?"
I held my breath and prayed that I had distracted her. I finally breathed again when she nodded slightly.
"Baby Sarah is fun like your baby doll, huh?"
She nodded again and held her baby tighter. My mind started working, trying to think of something to keep her occupied until the boys woke up. I knew she would be more comfortable being with me when they were in the room, too, but I really didn't want to have to wake them up when they had obviously needed a nap.
"Mommy…" she whimpered again.
"Mommy will be home soon. You're okay here with me," I assured her. I glanced around the room until my eyes landed on the bookcase that held all of their books, and I suddenly had an idea.
"How about you go pick out a book, and I'll read it to you?" I asked, smiling gently at her. "You can pick any one you want."
She sniffled quietly and used her hand to rub the tears from her eyes before she nodded with a small whispered, "'Kay."
"Okay, baby girl," I nodded back. "You go pick out the book, and I'll go get you some juice."
I headed into the kitchen and poured some juice into one of her favorite princess cups. At this point, I was willing to do just about anything to make her happy. It was amazing how she had me wrapped around her finger even with all of the limitations. I knew that when she did become completely comfortable around me, nothing would stop me from showering her with as much love and affection as she could handle.
When I made it back to the family room, I found Rosalie sitting on the couch with a book in her lap. I approached her slowly and offered her the cup while maintaining the same gentle smile on my face. She looked up at me for a second, but didn't hesitate before handing the book to me as a trade for the cup.
I sat down on the couch, making sure to be far enough away from Rosalie so I wouldn't upset her, but close enough so she could see the pictures in the book. I looked down at the book I was going to be reading and chuckled softly. Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus was a bedtime favorite. The kids all loved the funny voices I used while reading, and they always picked it or another pigeon book at least once a week.
As I read the book, complete with funny voices, Rosalie relaxed with her head against the back of the couch. She drank her juice, but I could see her grin behind the cup, and every few minutes, she would stop drinking to laugh. Her little tinkling laugh was music to my ears, and I tried to cause it as much as possible.
I had never really had any time with just Rosalie, and I wanted to take advantage of it for as long as I possibly could. When I finished the first book, I asked Rosalie if she wanted me to read another one. She immediately nodded and went back to the book case. She brought me yet another pigeon book to read, this one involving a puppy. My voices coaxed more little giggles out of her which I loved.
Once we were finished with the second book, I knew it was time for me to make lunch. The boys were going to wake up soon, and they would want to eat.
"Okay, baby girl," I sighed as I stood up. "I have to go make us some lunch. Do you want to watch some TV?"
She shook her head at my suggestion.
"Alright. You can stay in here and play if you want, or you can come in the kitchen with me. Whatever you want to do."
I didn't say anything else after giving her the option since I didn't want to pressure her. I hoped that she would want to stay with me, but her comfort came before what I wanted.
I walked to the kitchen and wasted no time in my lunch preparations. My lunch specialty was still the sandwich, but today we were having two different options: peanut butter and jelly or turkey with cheese. I started with the PB&J first, humming as I worked. The smile hadn't left my face from reading with Rosalie, and I didn't think anything could bring my mood down.
After making three sandwiches and cutting them diagonally, I pushed them to the side to begin the turkey. As I retrieved the meat and cheese from the refrigerator, I noticed a little blonde head- complete with a hair bow-peeking into the room. My smile grew as I continued with my task, and even though I was celebrating inside, I tried to stay calm on the outside.
"Hi, sweetheart," I said happily. "You can come in."
She hesitantly stepped into the room and headed straight for her little sofa Esme left by the counter for her. The baby doll was still tucked under her arm and her free hand was at her mouth, pressed over her pacifier.
We had figured out that the pacifier was Rosalie's security item which was why we weren't trying to make her give it up. She could go for a while during the day without having it as long as she was comfortable. When she was nervous, she needed it, but Siobhan didn't think it was a bad thing since she used it to self-soothe.
Even though I could tell Rosalie was nervous around me, I wasn't bothered; I was just glad that she was willing to face her fears to be in the room with me. I had at least gained some trust from her.
I paused my sandwich making long enough to put a few cheese crackers on a napkin for Rosalie. I placed them on the sofa next to her, and she stared at them for a few seconds before starting to eat. With her content for the time being, I was able to finish the sandwiches and put them and the side items on the table.
The only thing missing was the boys, but just as I was about to go up and get them, another blonde head peeked into the kitchen. I knelt down and held my arms open for him, and he came to me.
"Hey, buddy," I said as I kissed his head. "Did you have a good nap?"
Jasper nodded before stepping back slightly and looking at me. I tried not to laugh as he studied me, but he finally smiled and laid his head back against my shoulder.
"Daddy," he sighed as he hugged me back.
My heart felt like it wanted to burst right out of my chest every time he called me Daddy. The first time had been so unexpected and random that I really didn't expect it to happen again. But it did, almost every day now.
I hugged him tightly and kissed him again before standing. Once I stood up, Jasper turned toward Rosalie and smiled when he saw her. They were happy to see each other now, but I knew having both of them in the kitchen without any entertainment was dangerous. I sent Jasper back upstairs to get Emmett, hoping to prevent any kid of drama. While he was gone, I fixed the drinks and placed them on the table with the food.
I stopped to take a deep breath and smiled to myself upon seeing what I had accomplished. Esme had been gone for three hours now, but the house was still standing. There hadn't been any breakdowns, tantrums, or anything else that I couldn't handle. Maybe my anxiety had been unnecessary.
But as I turned back and saw Rosalie watching me carefully, I knew that my challenges weren't over. Somehow, I was going to have to get her into her booster seat at the table which meant I had to touch her. There was no way around it since she couldn't climb up by herself and there was no one else to help her. So many possibilities flashed through my head, ranging anywhere from really good to really bad. There was no use putting off the inevitable, so I pulled out her chair and put on my best happy face to address her.
"Okay, baby girl. Lunch is ready. Bring your cup over, and we'll get you all set up."
She tilted as she looked at me but slowly stood up and walked toward me. She stopped a few feet away from the table, almost as if she realized how precarious the situation was. It was like a test of the trust she had in me so far, and I didn't want either one of us to fail.
I could tell she wasn't going to come any closer, so I held my breath as I slowly reached for her. Her eyes went wide as she tried to back away, but I knew that wouldn't do either of us any good. I gently scooped her up before she could back away, and she squeaked and dropped her sippy cup in the process. As soon as I placed her in the booster seat and pushed the chair up to the table, I finally breathed again and waited for her reaction.
At first, she seemed to be stunned. After all these months of me keeping my distance, I had violated that bubble of safety that surrounded her. When the surprise wore off, she looked back at me and began whining as he breathing quickened. She was also squirming in her seat, but I didn't want her to get down. Going through that all over again was not something I was ready for, so I quickly grabbed her fallen cup and placed it in front of her.
"Here's your juice, baby," I said calmly. "Do you want turkey or peanut butter?"
As I waited for an answer, she realized that I wasn't going to try to touch her again, and her heavy breathing gradually slowed as she calmed down. She finally moved her eyes away from me and focused on the table. "Butter," she whispered before taking her pacifier out and drinking her juice.
I placed half of a sandwich on her plate along with some more cheese crackers and a few grapes and sat down in my chair to wait for the boys to come down. Rosalie ate quietly but at a normal pace, and I was grateful that my distraction had worked. I made a mental note to tell Esme about this. Distraction could definitely be a useful tool in the future for anything that she wasn't comfortable with. As long as her attention was diverted from what upset her, she seemed to be okay.
When the boys came into the kitchen, I placed them both in their seats and fixed their plates with their preferred sandwich choices before fixing my own plate and sitting down. Emmett was in a good mood after his nap, and he chatted happily as we ate. Jasper had few words to share as usual, but he laughed at his brother and a few times at his sister when she joined in the conversation. They were all very silly, but I loved watching them together.
We were just about finished eating when I heard a car pull into the garage. A few minutes later, Esme walked in the door and smiled when she saw us eating.
"Hi, guys," she said cheerfully. "I'm back."
We responded with a chorus of greetings, all of us very happy to see her.
She dropped the bags she was carrying by the counter and came to join us at the table. After giving out multiple kisses and hugs to the kids, I pulled her into my lap for my own kisses and hugs. She giggled at my eagerness but kissed me back with enthusiasm nonetheless.
"So what have you been up to while I was gone?" she asked curiously.
The kids had gone back to eating, so I answered for them. "The boys napped until lunch. Rosalie woke up before them, and we read a couple book together."
Esme raised an eyebrow in suspicion as she looked at me, and I smiled and nodded. I could understand how it would be hard to believe.
Her eyes widened before turning to Rosalie. "Did you read with Daddy today, sugar?"
Rosalie nodded and continued eating as if there was nothing amazing about what she did. Esme and I knew, though. Being alone with me was one of the biggest steps she had made, and it opened the opportunity for her to make many more strides toward the full recovery we expected.
Esme slowly turned her head back toward me, and her eyes were filled with tears. "Really?" she whispered.
"Really," I nodded as I leaned forward to press my lips against hers. I kissed her quickly because of the little eyes around us, but she didn't seem to mind. Once I released her, we rested our foreheads together, staring lovingly into each other's eyes. "I'll tell you all about our day after they go play, alright?"
She agreed, and I worked on finishing my lunch. Esme had already eaten, but she humored me by letting me feed her little bites of my sandwich. The kids were soon finished with their food, so we cleaned their sticky hands off quickly before letting them run off and play in the family room.
After they went to play, I cleaned our mess off the table as Esme put away the things she had taken to Peter and Charlotte's. She had to work while holding Rosalie because she did not want to let her mommy go. Esme didn't mind though; she was already a pro at working while having a toddler attached to her hip.
We finished around the same time, and I took Esme's hand and led her to the family room. I sat in my usual spot on our little couch, and Esme sat beside me while holding Rosalie. It didn't seem like she wanted to ever let Esme go, but after a few minutes of cuddling, she was ready to go play with her brothers. With Rosalie occupied, Esme snuggled close to me as I wrapped my arm around her shoulder. Emmett, Rosalie, and Jasper were off in their own little world as they played together which gave us the perfect opportunity to talk.
"So are you ready to tell me everything now?" Esme asked as her fingers trailed lightly over the t-shirt I was wearing. "I want to know what I missed because it seems like I missed a lot."
I chuckled and reached up to hold her hand in mine as I told her all about our day. I didn't leave any details out, and as I relived the afternoon, I realized exactly how incredible it was. When we first met Rosalie, she was nervous with me in the same room as her. She wouldn't even let Esme sit close to me while she was holding her. And today, she actually sat on the couch next to me as I read to her. She didn't hide or have a total melt-down when I touched her.
"See," Esme whispered when I was finished. "I told you that it wouldn't be much longer. I think Rosalie is more comfortable with you than either of you realize."
"I'm starting to see that," I said with a smile. "I don't want to push her boundaries right now, though. I can be patient for a little while longer." As long as Rosalie was healthy and happy, I would keep my safe distance and wait until she was ready.
"I know you can." She smiled softly and placed her hand on my cheek. "You waited for me, after all. Love is patient and it never fails."
"You're right, sweetheart," I murmured as I lowered my lips to hers. "One-hundred percent right."
One thing that couldn't wait was my return to work. My superiors had been very lenient with me, but I knew I needed to go back no matter how much I wanted to stay at home. Esme had everything under control with the kids, and I was out of legitimate excuses as to why I wasn't going back. No one was pressuring me, but four months was a really long time for me to be gone.
Everyone I worked with was happy to know that I was returning, and they were all very accommodating with what shifts I would work. I was going back to my favorite shift: weekday mornings until mid-afternoon with a three day weekend. I also requested not to be on call unless it was an absolute necessity. There was no way I would be comfortable having to leave Esme at all hours of the night to go to the hospital. I hadn't liked it when we just had Emmett, but I especially didn't like it now.
It was finally a good time for me to go back to work, though. Rosalie and Jasper were both settled into our family and weren't having any obvious problems. They finally understood that when we left, we would come back, and I knew they would eventually get used to seeing me leave every day. If I always worked the same hours, it wouldn't be difficult to adjust our routine, and hopefully nothing about our life would drastically change.
We prepared the kids as much as possible. Emmett knew what my job was and that I had to go to the hospital to do it. Rosalie and Jasper, however, didn't know. I had been hesitant to tell them because they associated doctors and hospitals in a negative way. To them, doctors caused pain and hospitals were scary places. I didn't think Rosalie had ever seen me in my scrubs, and I could only think of one time when Jasper had. My worst fear was that they would be afraid of me or hesitant around me after all the progress we had made. Esme and I tried to warm them up to the idea gradually using books and some plastic doctor toys that we had bought, and as far as we could tell, they were alright.
All too soon, the day came for my return. I had set the alarm clock to make sure I was awake in time. We usually woke up early, but I didn't want to count on the kids to be my alarm since there was always the chance that they could sleep late.
The alarm was unforgiving, but I somehow resisted the urge to hit the snooze button. I lay still for a few minutes as I continued to wake up before opening my eyes. I could feel Jasper cuddled close to me, and when I turned my head, I saw that he was still sleeping soundly. Esme was also sleeping deeply, so I tried to scoot Jasper over to her without disturbing either of them. He whined at first when I started moving him away from me, but once he was touching Esme, he settled down again.
Leaving the comfortable bed was not enjoyable, but after a hot shower, I was feeling a bit more alert. It felt strange to put on scrubs after so many months, but it wasn't a bad kind of strange. I did love my job and was excited to return, but I still loved my family more.
After I was dressed, I quietly went down to the kitchen to start the coffee and make some toast. I didn't need very much to eat, and there was no way I was going to wake Esme to fix breakfast when none of the kids were awake. Once my breakfast was ready, I sat at the table to eat and check my email on my laptop. I finished quickly and then looked at the clock. It was almost time for me to leave, so I started another pot of coffee and went back upstairs to say goodbye to Esme.
When I walked into our bedroom, I chuckled softly upon seeing that Esme and Jasper hadn't moved at all. I hated the thoughts of waking either of them up, but I knew Esme would want to see me before I left. After watching them for a few moments, I went to Esme's side of the bed and reached down brush some of the hair out of her face and cup her cheek. I rubbed it lightly with my thumb, but she didn't move so I bent down to gently place my lips against her. I kept the kiss soft and then moved to other parts of her beautiful face. I made it up to her eye lid before she began stirring.
"Wake up, sleeping beauty," I whispered into her ear before kissing her temple.
She hummed softly before opening her eyes and focusing on me.
"Love your lips," she mumbled as her eyes fluttered closed once more.
"I know you do, sweetheart," I said with a smile as I tried to reign in my laughter. "But you can have more time for my lips later. I have to leave for work soon, and I just wanted to see you before I left. You can go back to sleep now."
Something that I said caught her attention, and she sat up slowly while rubbing her eyes.
"No, no. Need to…hug before…work."
I could tell she was desperately trying to wake up, but it was always fun to listen to her early in the morning when she couldn't speak clearly. At least I was a pro at deciphering what she was trying to say.
"Okay, sweetheart. How about you wake up some more and meet me downstairs? I'm going to tell Emmett and Rosalie bye." I tried to keep my laughter in check, but she was adorable when she was all frazzled. She nodded at my suggestion, and I kissed the top of her head before heading to Emmett's room.
Emmett was fast asleep on his side of the bed just as I expected him to be. His quilt was pushed down a little from where Jasper had gotten out of bed. Jasper hadn't managed to stay a whole night in bed with Emmett yet, but he always fell asleep there and stay until he woke up sometime in the early morning. The sleeping arrangements weren't perfect yet, but at least there was a routine.
I went over beside him and leaned down to kiss his forehead. I didn't want to wake him up, but my mornings were usually spent with him and Jasper and I wanted to make sure he knew why I wouldn't be with him today.
"Wake up, buddy," I said softly as I nudged him. He finally began waking up, although he was resistant. After a minute of stretching, he opened his eyes just enough to see me, and he smiled before closing them again.
"Hi, Daddy," he mumbled. "I asleep, what you doin?"
"Well you can go back to sleep," I chuckled. "I just wanted to tell you bye because I'm going to work today."
He rubbed his eyes quickly and opened them again. "You come home?"
I nodded seriously after seeing the worried look in his eyes. "Of course, buddy. I'll be home in just a few hours. Be good for Mommy while I'm gone, okay?"
He smiled in relief and nodded. "Kay, Daddy. Love you."
"I love you, too," I said as I kissed him once more. I fixed the quilt and tucked him in again, but he was already asleep by the time his eyes closed.
I quietly left the room and walked down the hallway to see Rosalie. She was also sleeping soundly, but I was careful not to wake her. My quiet moments in the morning with her were few and far between since she usually woke up right after Esme and I did. I was around Rosalie throughout the day but always with Esme near. There was just something about my time with her in the mornings that was special. While she slept, I was able to tell her how much a loved her and hope that she somehow understood. This morning gave me an opportunity for a special moment, and I gladly took it.
After placing feather-light kisses on her peaceful face and whispering my love for her, I left the room as quietly as I had entered. I walked down the hallway and peeked into our bedroom, only to find that it was empty. I hoped that Esme had been able to wake up a little more, but I knew it would take a while for everyone to get used to this new schedule. Crawling out of bed early in the morning definitely wasn't the easiest thing to do.
I headed down to the kitchen and found Esme there. She did look a bit more alert as she poured herself a cup of coffee and swayed slowly with Jasper in her arms. His head was lying on her shoulder, and I couldn't tell if he was awake or not.
"Good morning again," I whispered, making my presence known.
She turned around and smiled. "Good morning. Thank you for the coffee."
Her soft voice was much clearer now that she was fully awake, and her sentences actually made sense. Jasper was also awake, but it didn't seem like he was ready to be.
"You're very welcome, sweetheart," I said as I pulled them into my arms. I placed a kiss on my beautiful wife's lips followed by one on Jasper's head before holding them tightly. "I'm sorry it's so early."
"No, it's alright," Esme assured me. "We'll just have to be lazy all day, won't we Jasper?"
Jasper didn't say anything, but I could see that he was smiling which made me feel a little better.
"So when do you have to leave?"
I sighed and looked at the clock. "I need to leave now, but I'll be home for lunch." They were starting me back with a half day, and I was extremely grateful. We all needed to ease into this slowly.
"Okay," she murmured regretfully. "I guess I'll have to let you go now."
I kissed her head before she stepped back, and we smiled at each other. A few hours apart wouldn't be that bad. Esme could easily handle the kids, and she had Carmen just a few minutes away if she needed anything.
"Tell Daddy 'bye,'" she instructed Jasper as she passed him to me. His smile fell, but he reached his arms out to meet mine.
"Go?" His heartbroken expression made me want to reconsider ever wanting to go to work again. I didn't have to leave; I could stay home with them always and save us all the pain of me leaving. But I knew I needed to go. The hospital was now counting on me to return. My job wasn't my top priority, but it was a priority that had been neglected. We would survive the short separation.
I held Jasper tightly and rocked him back and forth in my arms. It was just as hard to leave him as it had been when Emmett was younger. Even though it hurt, it did mean a lot that he wanted me to stay.
"Yeah, I have to go buddy," I said softly and kissed his cheek. "I'll be back soon to eat lunch with you. You get to stay here and have fun with Mommy and Emmett and Rosalie."
He face brightened slightly but not enough for my liking. The frown remained pasted to his face, and he laid his head against me as he held me like he didn't want to let go. Esme seemed to notice his reluctance so she reached for him.
"I love you, buddy. I'll be home soon. I promise." I hugged him one last time before Esme and I coaxed him into her arms.
I kissed Esme temple and whispered my love for her into her ear before quickly gathering my bags and heading out the door. I knew that if she could distract Jasper, my leaving would be easier.
My drive to the hospital was boring and quiet. I missed the singing and the chatter as well as my name being constantly called. An environment that was annoying to some people was the one where I felt the most comfortable. I was proud to be a daddy and gladly accepted all the noise that went along with my role.
The rest of my morning followed the same pattern of quiet and boring since I was mostly catching up on paperwork. Peter still had a couple more weeks to stay home with Charlotte and Sarah, so I didn't have him to keep me company in my office. I was happy to be back, but the busy work didn't lessen my desire to be at home. My colleagues understood since many of them had families of their own, and they tried to show me how glad they were to have me back.
All in all, it was a productive morning, but I was on my way home as soon as possible. The drive went by surprisingly faster than my morning commute had, and I was wearing a large, silly grin by the time I walked in the door. I had imagined that I would be greeted with my boys running to see me, but the house was silent.
I was about to call out to see where everyone was, but then Esme met me with a large smile. I pulled her into my arms and hugged her tightly. It might have been ridiculous for me to miss her after only a few hours, but I had missed her. Feeling her in my arms again made everything better.
After hugging for a few minutes, we stepped back from each other. I cupped her face in my hands and quickly molded my lips against hers. She responded with equal enthusiasm, but we eventually had to break away to catch our breath, plus I didn't know here the kids were. I rested my forehead against hers and she smiled up at me.
"Hi," I said softly.
"Hi," she giggled back. "I missed you."
"I definitely missed you, too. Where are the kids?"
"Napping," she explained. "They're on the couch if you want to go sit with them. I have to get lunch ready since they'll be awake soon."
I kissed her once more before heading to the family room. Just as she had said, all three of the kids were asleep on the couch. Rosalie was in the middle of the couch by herself, but Emmett and Jasper were crowded together on one of the ends. From the looks of the scene, they had been watching a movie which turned into nap time.
I picked a spot next to the boys and quietly sat down beside them. It felt so good to be home and to have my little ones within a few feet. My original plan was to let them all sleep until they woke up on their own, but I couldn't resist pulling Jasper into my arms. I cradled him gently in my arms, but he was a light sleeper no matter how gently I held him. He began stirring slowly, stretching and snuggling against me, and I kissed his head as I waited on him to wake.
His eyes finally opened, and I knew the moment he recognized that I was holding him. His smile was huge as he looked at me, and mine definitely matched.
"Hey, buddy," I said softly. "I'm home."
I helped him sit up, and he scrambled to throw his arms around my neck. I hugged him tightly as I relished the moment. Leaving almost seemed to be worth it just to be able to experience the reaction when I came home.
A few minutes later, Emmett's nap was over as well, and he joined Jasper in my lap. He quickly filled me in on all the fun they had had with Esme just like he always had when I came home. Thankfully, Jasper didn't react negatively to my scrubs. He enjoyed playing with my nametag, as did Emmett, but there was no fear to be seen. When Rosalie woke up, she didn't seem to be afraid either. I wasn't sure how they already knew to separate me from other doctors, but I was glad they did. The last thing I wanted was my job to cause any sort of problem with my family.
The rest of the week followed the same pattern. My shift gradually increased until I was working a full eight hours. We adjusted well, and Esme didn't seem to be having any problems with keeping up with the kids. My favorite part of the day was when I came home and received an enthusiastic greeting from the whole family. I spent the afternoons playing with the boys, while trying to include Rosalie, and the evenings cuddling with Esme.
The weekend was definitely a welcomed occurrence, but our Saturday was interrupted by a call from Mrs. Cope. She wanted to meet with us along with Mary Randall and Liam. It was short notice, but since we didn't have anything planned, it wasn't a big deal for Esme and me to let the kids spend the afternoon with Nana and Pops.
We weren't sure why she wanted us to meet, but it sounded important since we all needed to be there. I could tell Esme was nervous as we drove to Liam's office, and my feelings were similar. The absolute worst case scenario involved Rosalie and Jasper being taken from us, but it seemed highly unlikely at this point. My mind cycled through many possibilities, but I stayed strong. Whatever it was, Esme and I would face it together.
When we walked into the building, Liam immediately brought us into his office where the ladies were waiting. After seeing them, most of my anxiety disappeared. They were both smiling and sitting casually in the leather armchairs, not looking the least bit distressed. Esme and I sat down on the sofa, facing them as we waited for someone to begin.
Liam sat down behind his desk and nodded toward Mrs. Cope who then turned to us.
"First off," she began with a smile, "Thank you for coming down here on such short notice during your weekend. I promise we don't have any bad news. This is just something that couldn't wait any longer."
Esme and I nodded in understanding and were finally able to breathe easy as we waited for her to continue.
"Okay. The first thing we need to discuss is the trail that's coming up for Royce King and Maria Garcia."
Esme gripped my hand tightly, and I squeezed hers back. I honestly hadn't even thought of those monsters since the last time Mrs. Cope mentioned them in April. We had been focused on helping Rosalie and Jasper heal, and the monsters who had hurt them didn't deserve our thoughts.
"Don't be nervous," Mrs. Cope said with a small chuckle after noticing our hands. "This actually doesn't affect you directly. Mr. King and Ms. Garcia go to trial in two weeks, but you don't have to do anything. Rosalie and Jasper couldn't testify anyway, not that you would want them to. Since the police caught them, there's enough evidence for the trail and to basically guarantee their conviction. I can almost promise you that they won't be leaving prison for a very long time."
We sat quietly for a few moments and let everything sink in.
"So we don't have to do anything?" I asked to clarify.
"Not a thing," Liam emphasized. "We'll be able to let you know the outcome if you should choose to know, but you don't have to find out. We just wanted to let you know what was happening."
"So to summarize, justice will be served to those monsters while we stay at home and love on our babies?" Esme said slowly.
We all chuckled, but they agreed. That is exactly what would happen.
"Since you mentioned your babies, I think it's my turn," Ms. Randall said. "We also need to discuss the adoption."
Mrs. Cope nodded. "You're still in your six month waiting period, but I'm basically finished with my duties. Your home study has been finished, and you passed every check, of course. Once the wait is over, I turn you over to Mary."
Rosalie and Jasper's adoption was another thing we hadn't been thinking about. They were already our children and we were their parents without any paperwork to prove it. It would definitely be a special day when we did adopt them though. The best birthday I ever had was the one when I was able to officially call Emmett mine, and I knew it would be just as amazing when the twins were legally ours.
"Do we have to do anything special with for that?" I asked Ms. Randall.
"Not really," she said as she shrugged her shoulders. "When your waiting period is over, we'll make an appointment with a judge to finalize everything. No other family members have come forward at this point, and we don't expect them to. Even if they did, I honestly think you would be allowed to adopt Rosalie and Jasper anyway. I know we would all testify how much their lives have changed since they've lived with you."
Mrs. Cope and Liam agreed, and I turned to smile at Esme. We could see how much Rosalie and Jasper had changed, but it meant a lot to know that other people saw it as well. It was also a relief to know that nothing was going to stand in the way of the adoption.
"So to sum this little meeting up, we asked you to come down here so we could tell you that you don't have to do anything in regards to…anything."
"Well, thank you for that, Liam," Esme said sarcastically. "Just what I wanted to do on my Saturday."
He winked at her and shrugged his shoulders. "That's what I'm here for."
"I'm sorry we called you down here for what turned out to be nothing," Mrs. Cope said apologetically.
I shook my head. "Don't worry about it. We weren't doing anything important, and I bet the kids are having fun with their grandparents."
As soon as I mentioned the kids, our conversation turned completely informal as Esme and told them all about what they had been up to this week. We were proud parents, so we had no problem talking for a while about our favorite subjects. Our audience loved hearing about them, but we eventually ended the meeting so we could head back home.
The meeting had been quick and seemingly unnecessary, but I could tell it eased our minds. We hadn't been thinking of the issues that were presented to us, but they were important. Since we were now informed, we could factor the issues into our plans for the future.
The adoption was definitely something I was excited about, but our more immediate future was almost full. We had two birthdays coming up as well as three holidays, plus our anniversary. Every experience would be better with Rosalie and Jasper now in our lives, and I couldn't wait to experience everything with them.
A/N: Sorry again for the long wait. This week will probably be just as busy, but I hope to update on time. If I take too long again, I'll be sure to send a teaser to everyone who reviews! (I might give you one even if I finish on time!)
The two books mentioned in the chapter were Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus and The Pigeon Wants a Puppy. Both are by Mo Willems, and they are definitely some of my favorite children's' books.
There were a couple of scenes that were originally supposed to be in this chapter, but I had to stop somewhere. They should be in the next chapter, so get ready for an emotional breakthrough for Jasper!
Thank for reading and feel free to let me know what you think! :)