A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews. Sorry for the wait, but a super long wait equals a super long chapter! ;)
Better late than never, right?
Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or these characters.
Esme POV
A sudden jarring movement pulled me from a deep sleep, and my eyes snapped open to figure out what was wrong. I immediately relaxed and smiled after I saw that it was only Emmett. He was jumping on the bed a couple of feet away from me, and that was plenty close enough for me to feel every moment. Jasper was also on the bed, but he was sitting beside me instead of jumping. When I turned my head, I found Rosalie standing beside me, smiling eagerly. It was very strange to have all of the kids in one place, especially in the morning. Once everyone was awake, they generally scattered downstairs to wait on breakfast or find something to play with. I had a feeling Carlisle was in charge of this family togetherness considering he wasn't in bed beside me.
"It's…your…Happy…Birthday…Mommy," Emmett said between jumps once he saw that I was awake. After one last big jump, he landed on the bed and burst into a fit of giggles as he rolled around.
I laughed at his usual antics and sat up against my pillows so I could see him better. The last thing I wanted was for him to fall off the bed during his fit of giggles.
Once I was sitting up, I wrapped my arm around Jasper and kissed his head. He relaxed against my side, and everything was peaceful until I heard whining to my side. I turned to look at Rosalie, and she was desperately trying to crawl up on the bed to join us.
"Oh, I'm sorry you're left out, sweet girl. C'mere." I reached down to pull her up beside me, and she mirrored Jasper's position as she snuggled close to me. I could tell she still didn't like our bed first thing in the morning, but Carlisle wasn't beside me. In fact, I didn't know where he was.
"Hey guys, where's Daddy?" I asked curiously.
"I'm right here."
I looked over and smiled when I saw Carlisle in the doorway holding a tray of food complete with a vase of flowers. I should have known that he was going to bring me breakfast in bed on my birthday. It was pretty much a tradition now.
"Happy Birthday, sweetheart," he said as he placed the tray across my lap. "We made breakfast especially for you."
"All of you made this breakfast?" I asked suspiciously.
"Yes we did. These guys are excellent chefs" Carlisle said as he leaned down to kiss me. It was quick, but I knew I would get a better birthday kiss once the kids were occupied.
"So who made what?" I looked at the plate full of French toast, bacon, and sliced fruit. There was also a bowl of syrup, a glass of milk, and a cup of coffee. This was definitely a step above the usual muffins that were Carlisle's breakfast specialty.
"Well, Emmett and Jasper helped me flip the French toast," Carlisle explained, pointing things out as he went. "Rosalie placed the fruit and the bacon. And I guess I did everything else."
"Daddy, the card." Emmett interrupted.
"Oh yes," Carlisle chuckled. "And the card on the tray is from Emmett, Rosalie, and Jasper. They did it all by themselves."
I smiled as I took everything in. This birthday was truly special and different from all the others I had had. My heart was so full with the love I had for the little ones crowding me in the bed and the wonderful man standing beside me.
"This is amazing!" I said with as much excitement as possible. "Thank you so much."
Once I shifted everyone around, I was able to look at the sweet card they had made. There were all kinds of drawings and scribbles which wouldn't mean much to anyone else, but to me, the card was a beautiful expression of their love. There was also a sweet card from Carlisle with his own handwritten words of how much he loved me and how thankful he was for me. I teared up after reading it, but he quickly distracted me with the breakfast which was as delicious as it looked.
"I'm impressed," I commented after I was finished. "How did you learn how to do this?"
He shrugged his shoulders before removing the tray. "Carmen. She taught me one day while you were with Charlotte. Was it any good? The kids seemed to enjoy my practice pieces."
"It was wonderful. Thank you doing all this for me."
"Oh, but it's still early," he said with a teasing smirk. "We have a full day of festivities planned so you might want to get dressed."
He kissed me once more before carrying the tray back to the kitchen. Emmett and Jasper followed him, so the room immediately became quiet with just me and Rosalie sitting on the bed.
"Ready to get dressed, sugar?" I asked as I rolled out of bed. She nodded and crawled over to jump into my arms.
After going to Rosalie's room to pick out her outfit for the day, I raided my own closet before jumping in the shower. The hot water relaxed my tired muscles until I was feeling refreshed and ready for whatever Carlisle had in store.
I dried off quickly and pulled on a cotton sundress with a light cardigan. Summer was almost over, but I planned to enjoy it as long as possible. Rosalie wasn't ready to put her clothes on yet, so I moved on to my hair and make-up. As I was putting the finishing touches on my loose curls, I noticed Rosalie was abnormally quiet. When I turned around, I found her standing over by the toilet, looking at it curiously.
"What are you doing, baby?" I asked, trying not to laugh at her thoughtful expression.
"Potty," she said as she pointed at the toilet.
"That is the potty. Do you…need to use the potty?" It was impossible to keep the hope out of my voice. I planned to start trying to potty train her soon, but her showing an interest first was even better.
When she nodded, I almost jumped for joy.
"Okay, baby. Stay right there, and I'll be right back." She nodded again, and I hurried to the other bathroom. I had already bought some princess pull-ups for her, so after opening the package that was stored under the sink, I pulled one out. I also picked up the little plastic potty we had and rushed back to the master bathroom.
Rosalie was waiting where I had left her, and I hoped she hadn't already used her diaper. But the little dance she was doing made it pretty clear that she hadn't.
I quickly set the potty down on the floor and knelt down so I could help her. I pulled her nightgown off first to make things easier, and she watched me curiously as I removed her diaper.
"Okay, baby girl. You can go potty right here," I said as I touched the little potty. She furrowed her eyebrows but sat down without much hesitation. "Just tell me when you're finished, alright?" She nodded, so I slowly stood up and went back to finishing my make-up.
I wasn't expecting much to happen since this was her first try. It had taken Emmett a while to get the hang of it even after Kate had advised me. It did seem easier with Rosalie so far. She was with me most of the day though, and that did include my bathroom breaks. It was possible that she simply learned through my example.
I didn't have much left to do on my make-up, but I took my time to give Rosalie a chance to do her business without a direct audience. My mascara was finished quickly even with my stalling, so I moved on to my jewelry. Two rings, a pair of earrings, and a necklace later, I was completely ready. I had no choice but to turn around and check on her progress.
I smiled when I saw that she hadn't moved at all. She wasn't paying attention to me though; instead, she was looking up at the ceiling while slightly swaying back and forth.
"Baby, what are you doing?" I chuckled.
She smiled and looked over at me. "Mommy, all done!"
"You're all done, huh?" I asked as I walked back over to her and knelt down again. I helped her stand up before we both looked into the potty. I gasped upon seeing actual liquid.
"Oh, baby girl. You did it! I'm so proud of you!" I cheered as I wrapped her tightly in my arms. She giggled as she hugged me back while wearing a proud smile on her face.
I almost couldn't believe it. Of course, we still had a lot more practice ahead of us, but this was an excellent start.
After I wiped her and took care of the mess, I helped her put on the new princess pull-up. Her smile grew even brighter at being able to wear her favorite characters, and she danced around the bathroom happily as I cleaned up.
"What's going on in here?"
I was surprised to hear Carlisle's voice and see him standing in the doorway. He was watching Rosalie with an amused expression on his face.
"Someone used the big girl potty this morning," I said in a sing-song voice.
His smile grew and he immediately knelt down. I could tell he was resisting the urge to pull her in for a hug, just like I had.
"Did you go potty, sweet girl?" he asked, and she stopped dancing long enough to nod. "That's wonderful!" He held out his hand just like he did for the boys when he gave them high-fives.
I knew for a fact that Rosalie knew what it meant, but I didn't know if she would go through with it. She was fine with being in the same room with Carlisle, sometimes going as far as to sit next to him. But her choosing to make physical contact with him was totally new.
Rosalie stopped moving again to watch Carlisle carefully. After studying him, she glanced over at me. I nodded in encouragement and tilted my head toward Carlisle to let her know it was okay. She looked back at him and walked a little closer as she hesitantly raised her hand. I held my breath as she gently touched his hand with her before quickly pulling it back.
Carlisle's smile softened, and I thought I could see his eyes tearing up. "Thank you, Rosalie," he whispered. "Daddy's so proud of you."
My own tears gathered in my eyes because I knew he was proud of her for more than just using the potty. That small moment between them showed how much Rosalie did trust him. Nothing about it was forced; she had to decide on her own, and she did. It was truly amazing to watch.
As Carlisle stood up, I went over and wrapped my arms around his waist. We held on to each other tightly, both of us sniffling softly. When we stepped back, Carlisle wiped my tears away and kissed my forehead. I returned the favor and then placed a kiss on the edge of his jaw, allowing my lips to linger.
"I couldn't have asked for a better gift today," I whispered into his ear.
"I know, sweetheart," he mumbled. "But the gifts are just getting started. In fact, there should be one arriving very soon."
"What do you have planned, Mr. Cullen?" I asked with one eyebrow raised.
"You'll just have to wait and see, Mrs. Cullen," he smirked. "For now, though, I think you might want to dress the little princess. The boys are ready, and I think they're growing impatient."
I chuckled. "You might want to go make sure they're not destroying anything. We'll be down soon."
Once Carlisle left, Rosalie and I were on our own again. She seemed unfazed by her encounter with him, so I took my cues from her and acted like nothing was different. She was cooperative while I dressed her and fixed her hair, so it didn't take long for us to join the boys downstairs.
Downstairs was quiet which worried me. Our house was never quiet unless it was nap time or bed time. The family room was empty as was the kitchen, but the door to the garage was cracked open.
"I wonder where they are," I pondered softly. Rosalie shrugged her shoulders, and I chuckled as I gave her a kiss.
I opened the door fully and heard voices which was a great relief. I followed the sounds out to the driveway where the boys were running around and Carlisle was standing with Carmen and Eleazar.
"What's everyone doing?" I asked curiously, making my presence known.
"Oh, Happy Birthday, darling!" Carmen said as she rushed over to me. She pulled me in for a hug and then immediately stole Rosalie from me, not that I expected anything different. She always informed me that it was a nana's job to steal the grandbabies.
I then moved to Eleazar who also gave me a big hug. "Happy birthday, Ezzie," he said as he kissed the top of my head. "How's your morning been so far?"
"Wonderful," I said with a smile. "I just don't know how it could get any better."
"I think I know how," he said conspiringly.
"Come with me, sweetheart," Carlisle said, grabbing my hand before I could ask Eleazar what he was talking about.
He led me over to where Eleazar's truck was parked and guided me to the back.
"What are we…Oh!"
A large box was sitting in the bed of the truck, and I almost couldn't believe the picture on the side.
"Really?" I asked with wide eyes.
"Really," Carlisle chuckled and kissed my temple. "Happy birthday from me, Emmett, Rosalie, and Jasper."
Once again, I felt like jumping for joy. Based on the picture, the box contained the glider rocker and matching ottoman I had been wanting. I couldn't wait to have it put together and be able to try it out.
"Can we put it together now?"
"Of course. Eleazar and I will take care of it right away. You didn't think I would make you wait, did you?"
I turned and wrapped my arms around him, squeezing tightly before actually jumping up and down a little. Carlisle continued to laugh at me, but his own grin betrayed that he was almost as happy as me.
They didn't waste any time before carrying the box into the house. I was worried that it was too heavy for them to carry up the stairs, but they both assured me that it wasn't a problem. I directed them to the master bedroom and over to the spot in the sitting area where I wanted the chair to go. They quickly got to work on assembling all the parts while I sat on the bed with the kids to watch.
My excitement was like that of a child, practically giddy with anticipation. Sure, we had the wooden rocking chair that I had bought before Emmett was born. We painted it white while we were setting up Rosalie's room, and it now stayed in there. I had spent many nights rocking her after nightmares, so that chair definitely had memories.
But this chair…this chair was one I had been wanting for a while. I had no idea that Carlisle even noticed, but somehow he did. I couldn't wait to sit and enjoy the smooth movements in the chair as I read a book quietly or sat with one of the kids. Or as I rocked a newborn baby.
I giggled as Carlisle and Eleazar mumbled under their breath when things weren't going as smoothly as they were expecting. Carmen kept them on task throughout their mumbling and frustrations. They both seemed to understand not to go against her, and it was very entertaining to watch.
The pieces gradually came together through their hard work, and a few minutes later, my chair and ottoman were finished.
"Come on, sweetheart," Carlisle said as he pushed it back and forth. "You're first to try it out."
I smiled as I crawled off the bed and skipped over to the chair.
"Someone's excited," Eleazar chuckled. They were all laughing, but it didn't bother me. I had laughed at them after all. Turnabout was fair play.
I carefully maneuvered between the chair and ottoman and gently sat down. The cushions cradled my body perfectly, and I closed my eyes and sighed as I put my feet up.
"So how do you like it?" Carlisle asked after I had rocked silently for a few minutes.
I opened my eyes and smiled up at him. "It's perfect," I said softly. "Thank you so much."
"You are very welcome my love." He leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on my forehead followed by my lips. "I'd do anything to make you smile like this."
It really was the perfect gift, and I was impressed at how well it fit into our bedroom. The designer in me always wanted everything to coordinate, and Carlisle left the decorating to me for that reason. He did a good job though making sure the stain of the wood was the same as the rest of our furniture and the cushions didn't clash. The cream added a nice accent to the darker tones in the room. Our small sitting area definitely seemed complete now.
The kids all took turns rocking with me until they all wanted to sit with me at the same time. The chair was a decent size but not quite large enough to hold us all. However, convincing them of this fact was easier said than done. I finally had to just stand up and let someone else have a turn. Carmen loved the feel of the smooth rocking as well, and by her pointed looks toward Eleazar, I knew what she would be getting sometime soon.
Once everyone had their turn, it was almost lunch time. Carmen and Eleazar wanted to take me out, so we loaded into our vehicles and headed into the city.
I was a little nervous about taking Rosalie and Jasper into a crowded place. We had been slowly venturing out to more places as a family, but we tried to pick times and locations that wouldn't be full of people. At lunch time, restaurants weren't likely to be low on patrons.
I was worried for nothing, though; Carmen and Eleazar knew what they were doing. I expected them to pick one of the restaurants where we normally ate, but instead, they chose a small diner. Eleazar was friends with the owner and had wanted to give it a try. The food turned out to be delicious, and we were able to sit in a semi-private area. Rosalie stayed glued to my lap for the entire meal as did Jasper with Carlisle, but besides that, the meal was very laid-back.
Carlisle asked me to decide what we did for the rest of the day, and I opted for a quiet afternoon at home. That's how a majority of our afternoons were spent anyway, but I loved it. Children grew up so fast, and I was making sure that I saw as much as possible. Plus, our children were actually very fun to be around. There was never a dull moment.
The weather was nice, so we spent our time outside running around and playing on the play set. Carlisle had his work cut out for him as he pushed Emmett and Jasper on the swings as well as me with Rosalie in my lap. The day really had been perfect and carefree so far, but somehow I had a feeling that there would still be more to come.
I had to take a few breaks from playing to answer the phone. Kate and Garrett called to wish me a happy birthday, and all the kids had to talk to me, too. Chelsea and Alec also called as did some people from church. I felt like my face was going to break from smiling after every call. It was nice knowing that so many people cared about me.
Eventually we had to drag our tired little ones inside for a much needed nap. Carlisle put in a movie for them to watch, and it only took a few minutes of watching for the boys to fall asleep. I stretched out on the couch beside them with Rosalie curled against me. She was soon snoring lightly beside me, and I felt my own eyes growing heavy. Resting for a few minutes seemed like a good idea, so I let them close as I cuddled with my baby.
"Esme? Esme, wake up, sweetheart."
Carlisle voice startled me, and my eyes popped open. He was kneeling beside the couch, eye-level with me and smiling softly.
"There you are," he whispered and leaned forward to give me a kiss. "Did you have a nice nap?"
"What?" I mumbled as I took in my surroundings. The room was much darker than I remembered, but when I glanced at the window, I could tell the sun was now much farther down in the sky. The TV was turned off, and there was a different little one cuddled against me. Emmett lay beside me drinking a cup of juice with one hand wrapped in my hair, oblivious to the fact that I had no idea why he was there and not Rosalie. Not that I minded.
Carlisle chuckled quietly at my obvious confusion. "You didn't mean to take a nap, did you?"
"Umm…no," I said, shaking my head. "That was an accident. What time is it? And where did Rosalie go?"
"It's a little after five, and Rosalie went upstairs a few minutes ago," he explained. "I was about to go check on her, but Carmen called. She wants us to come over for a barbeque at six. Is that okay?"
"That's fine," I said with a yawn. "I better go check on Rose and see if she had to go potty."
Carlisle went to call Carmen back, and I sat up and stretched. The short nap had left me a little groggy, but I hoped it would wear off soon.
I stood up and lifted Emmett onto my hip. If he was in the mood to snuggle, I wasn't going to stop him just because I was going upstairs.
It seemed that I had slept the longer than the kids. Jasper was also awake and sitting in the recliner as he drank a cup of juice. I went over and leaned down to give him a few kisses and run my fingers through his soft hair. In return, he gave me a big smile that melted my heart.
Since Jasper appeared to be content where he was, I let him be and headed upstairs with Emmett. I didn't hear any noise coming from down the hallway, so I went straight into the master bedroom. The light was on in the bathroom, and when I walked in, I found Rosalie sitting on the little potty with a rather used pull-up around her ankles.
She heard me enter and turned her head to look at me. "I no do it, Mommy," she explained softly. She seemed a little sad, but I didn't want her to think that she was doing anything wrong.
"That's okay, baby," I said with a big smile. "You're doing so good using the big girl potty. You'll get it next time. Would you like some new princesses to wear?"
She nodded quickly and appeared to be happier after hearing my assurances.
I quickly went to the other bathroom, and Emmett helped me find a new pull-up. When I got back to the bathroom, I put Emmett down by the toys and helped Rosalie get cleaned up. I made sure to give her a big hug and kiss and tell her how proud I was. She had only used the potty that one time all day, but she was still trying. It wouldn't take long before she mastered it.
After I took care of the mess, I changed dresses quickly and took a look in the mirror to make sure I still looked okay to go out. My hair wasn't rumpled too badly, but Rosalie's was another story. Once I fixed her hair again, I carried both her and Emmett downstairs.
We killed time together until it was time to find shoes and load into the van to go to Carmen and Eleazar's. Even though the barbeque was short notice, I thought it was a good idea. The summer was dwindling, and we needed to enjoy it as long as possible. I wondered if I should have thought to bring anything with us, but knowing Carmen, she would be just as happy doing all the work. It wouldn't take that much food for the seven of us anyway.
After we pulled into the driveway, we unloaded the kids. I picked up Rosalie and Jasper while Carlisle grabbed Emmett, and we headed to the door. I was going toward the door inside the garage that led to the kitchen, but Carlisle stopped me.
"Carmen wants us to use the front door," he explained with a shrug.
We always used the kitchen door, so I wasn't sure why this evening was different. There had to be an explanation, but which door we used seemed too trivial to worry about. I simply nodded and followed Carlisle.
Once we were in front of the door, he hesitated for a minute before opening it and motioning for me to go first. I looked at him with one eyebrow raised in question, but he motioned again and nodded. He was acting strange, and I didn't know why.
But after I walked in the door, my eyes went wide upon seeing the foyer filled with our friends and family. Carmen, Eleazar, Peter, Charlotte, baby Sarah, Ben, Maggie…they were all there.
"Surprise!" they yelled while wearing wide smiles.
I was slightly taken aback, as were Rosalie and Jasper. They tucked their heads into my neck and held on tightly.
"Oops," Charlotte muttered as Sarah started whimpering from the shock. It seemed that surprise didn't agree with our children. Everyone's faces fell as they saw what they inadvertently caused.
The sudden change in demeanor was something I found comical, and I failed to hold in a laugh. My laughter made them all look at me like I was crazy which made me laugh even more. Soon, they were all laughing with me, and Jasper gradually relaxed as he realized no one here was a threat to him. Rosalie remained hesitant which I attributed to having so many males in a small space. She could handle Carlisle and Eleazar, but the addition of Peter and Ben obviously worried her.
"We havin a party?" Emmett asked loudly after our laughter died down.
"Yes we are, darling," Carmen said happily. "We're having a special party for Mommy."
I finally broke out of my daze to fully comprehend what was going on, and I turned to look at Carlisle.
"You threw me a surprise party?"
He nodded sheepishly. "It was Carmen's idea, but I went along with it. Is that okay? We've never done anything like this before, so I wasn't sure."
"It's fine," I assured him. "Wonderful, actually." I turned back around to face everyone else. "Thank you so much for coming everyone. This was so sweet for you to do."
Charlotte passed Sarah to Peter and came forward to give me a hug. "We're so happy to be here, Esme," she said as she embraced me. "Happy Birthday."
I couldn't hug her back with my arms full of children, so Carmen took Rosalie from me to take her into the kitchen where it would be quieter. Jasper then somehow ended up with Eleazar, and my arms were finally free to hug my best friend.
After Charlotte, I was passed around to Peter, Ben, and Maggie. I had missed Maggie a lot since we hadn't seen each other in a while. She and Ben had been busy or our family had activities that kept us from spending time together. I definitely wanted to do something to change that very soon.
"I've missed you two so much," I said as I hugged Maggie and Ben together one more time.
"We've missed you too, dear," Maggie said. "We need a girls' day with Char and the little girls."
"Definitely," I nodded with a smile.
"And send the boys over to hang with me," Ben chuckled. "I can teach Em and J the fine art of watching football."
"Sounds like a plan to me," Carlisle said as he came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist. "But for now, I think dinner's ready. We better go before Carmen hunts us down."
We all laughed, but knew it was true. However, I knew Maggie could talk us out of any "trouble" we might find ourselves in. It was almost scary how alike she and Carmen were sometimes. I loved their crazy, assertive personalities.
I was once again surprised when we sat down to eat. I expected the barbeque explanation was just a cover story, but the meal was actually barbeque-type food. Eleazar had grilled some chicken breasts and we had potato salad and baked beans as side dishes. It was delicious, and our fun conversations were just as enjoyable.
After dinner, Carmen brought out a cake she had made. Instead of the usual German chocolate she made for me every year, this one was strawberry shortcake. It was perfect for the warm evening where as the chocolate would have been too rich. Everyone insisted on singing "Happy Birthday" to me, so I humored them and even blew out a few candles. The adults all had small pieces of cake since we were full from dinner, but the kids somehow managed to make room and eat good-sized slices.
I wanted to help Carmen clean up the dining room, but she shooed me out and made me go sit in the den. Rosalie came with me as did Charlotte so she could nurse Sarah. With everyone else working together, they were finished in no time, and then it was present time. I hadn't expected to get any gifts, but they were all wonderful. Picture frames and scrapbook material seemed to be the popular gifts, and it was nice to know that my friends knew what I liked. Carmen and Eleazar's gift was a promised shopping trip which was also nice since I would be needing fall and winter clothing soon.
The boys had fully recovered from their nap and were hyper from the cake by the time I finished opening gifts. We sent them outside to burn off some energy on the trampoline and Carlisle, Peter, and Ben went to jump with them while Eleazar remained a spectator.
We ladies laughed at their craziness, but we were much happier inside where we all had a chance to have snuggle time with Sarah and Rosalie.
There were also a few more presents for me to open. Presents of the lingerie variety which made me blush as they all laughed at me. I appreciated it, of course, but it didn't make it any less awkward for me to open them in front of my mother-in-law.
By the time the men came back inside, the boys were once again exhausted and it was time for us to call it a night. After saying goodbye and thanking everyone again, we headed home to start our bedtime routine.
I gave the kids a quick bath and dressed them in their pajamas before going to the family room for Carlisle to read the book for the night. Emmett fell asleep in the middle of the story, but once it was finished, we didn't wait on Rosalie and Jasper to fall asleep before putting them in bed. They were now able to go to sleep on their own in bed as long as a night light was turned on. It was much better than having to cajole them to sleep, and it was another example of their wonderful progress.
Several goodnight kisses later and Carlisle and I were curled up together on the loveseat downstairs. The room was quiet, and the only lighting was provided by a small lamp. I was content after the long but perfect day, and crawling into bed seemed like a better option by the minutes.
"Are you tired, sweetheart?" Carlisle asked softly as he trailed his lips across my forehead.
"Mmm."
He chuckled at my lacking the ability to respond. "I'm going to assume that means yes. Did you enjoy your birthday? I hope the party wasn't too much of a shock."
"It was absolutely perfect," I said as I sat up slightly to meet his lips with mine. We kissed slowly for a few minutes and then I rested my head against his shoulder once more. "The party was great, too. I definitely didn't expect it."
"I wasn't sure if you would figure it out or not, but I'm glad you didn't," he confessed. "I like surprising you. In fact, I have one more surprise left."
He reached down to pull a small box out of the pocket of his pajama pants that I didn't know was there. It wasn't wrapped, but there was a purple bow covering the lid.
"Another present? You're spoiling me," I teased.
"You deserve it, sweetheart. You know I would give you the world if I could. Now, open it so we can get some sleep."
I giggled at his insistence, but did as he asked and pulled the lid off the box. I moved a piece of cotton out of the way and then removed a very familiar bracelet.
"It's not exactly a new gift," Carlisle explained. "But I had couple things added to it."
I held the bracelet up so I could see it better, and tears filled my eyes as I noticed the two additional stones on my favorite bracelet. It had been missing for a few days, and I had been meaning to look for it since I had worn it every day in the two years since Carlisle had given it to me.
"Aquamarine," I mumbled softly.
"It's the birthstone for March," he said just as softly. "So now you have me, you, Emmett, Rosalie and Jasper." He pointed them out as he went through the list of birthstones, and the tears were silently flowing as he got to the last two. Our family was represented in a way I could carry around with me always, and it meant so much to me.
"I know they aren't legally ours yet," he continued, "but I know they will be. They deserve to be represented because they'll always be ours no matter what."
"Thank you," I whispered. "Now the day is completely perfect. I love you so much, Carlisle."
"I love you, too. I'm glad you enjoyed your day."
I leaned back against him, and he sighed as we relaxed once more. My happy tears eventually ran out, and my eyes grew heavy for the second time of the day. I was vaguely aware of Carlisle picking me up, carrying me upstairs to bed, and tucking me in before snuggling in beside me.
Another special day was celebrated for the first time with Rosalie and Jasper in our lives, and as with the others, they somehow made it better. It was definitely the best birthday I had ever had.
The summer continued to inevitably wind down after my birthday. We tried to spend as much time as possible together, and since Carlisle returned to work, Saturdays had become our favorite days. It was the only day of the week when we didn't do anything besides stay at home and enjoy our family time. It hadn't taken the kids long to adjust to our new schedule with Carlisle working, but they still missed having him at home. Saturday was a way to make up for that.
The first rule of Saturday was that we slept late. Of course, late for us was eight o'clock or if we were lucky, eight thirty. We also demanded plenty of snuggle time. After we did drag ourselves out of bed, we headed to the family room to eat mini-donuts on the couch and snuggle together.
The rest of the day was spent being lazy, playing outside, or anything else that we felt like doing. For lunch, the kids usually picked what they wanted me to cook, and I would make whatever it was within reason. Cookies, candy, and soda was out of the question no matter how many times Emmett asked, but almost anything else was fair game.
On this Saturday, they picked their favorite: chicken nuggets and macaroni and cheese. It wasn't a favorite for Carlisle or me, but it was easy to prepare and easy to feed to them. We didn't have completely picky eaters, but we could never go wrong with classic "kid" food.
Carlisle and I worked together in the kitchen with him watching the chicken nuggets in the oven and me cooking the macaroni. I always loved being in the kitchen with Carlisle and not just because he helped out. Every time we passed each other, we stopped for a kiss or some sort of contact. His soft caresses on my arm or back were always welcomed, and I knew he loved when I touched him, too. It was amazing how much love could actually be transferred through such light touches.
The kids had just woken up from a nap, so we didn't have any interruptions. When the food was almost ready, it was time to call the kids to the kitchen.
"Time to round up the troops?" Carlisle asked playfully.
"I guess so. I just hate to disturb them when they're quiet."
"But meal time is never quiet in this house," he said as he pulled me into his arms. "No use putting off the inevitable. We'll just have to brace ourselves for today's entertainment."
I giggled softly as he placed a quick kiss on my lips and then gently smacked my bottom as I left the room. Saturday also seemed like the day for us to be flirty and playful.
The kids hadn't moved from the spot on the couch in the family room and were still hanging on to the last bit of their nap. It was always my favorite time to cuddle with them, but it was time to eat.
"Okay guys," I announced to catch their attention. "Lunch is ready. Go wash your hands."
I wasn't sure whether the idea of eating or the idea of hand washing motivated them to get moving, but something surely did. All three of them jumped off the couch and ran toward the bathroom.
"Don't make a mess!" I called after them, but their responding giggles let me know that making a mess was in fact their goal.
I sighed and shook my head as I went back to the kitchen. Carlisle immediately noticed my amusement once I had returned, and he raised his eyebrows in question.
"I sent them to wash their hands," I explained. "And…"
"And they're going to have too much fun with that," he finished.
I nodded. "You've got it. If they could swim in the sink, I think they would."
"Well, how about I finish up here, and you go supervise?" he suggested with a smile.
"Are you sure?" I didn't want him to have to finish lunch by himself, but it was probably a good idea to try to prevent some damage in the bathroom.
"I'm positive, sweetheart. I just have to put everything on the table and get the plates and drinks ready. You go make sure no one drowns."
He was right that there wasn't much left to do, so I headed straight for the bathroom as quickly as possible. The giggles grew louder as I approached, and I wasn't surprised when I found Emmett and Rosalie elbow deep in water with Jasper looking on.
"Alright, guys. What are you doing?"
"Hi, Mommy!" Emmett said with a smile. "We're playin in the ocean!" He punctuated his statement by waving his arms, sprinkling me with water in the process.
It was almost impossible not to smile after seeing them having such a good time, but it was lunch time.
"The ocean, huh?" I asked. "Let's finish our ocean playing and wash up so we can eat, okay?"
"Kay, Mommy," Rosalie answered as she turned the water down. Emmett looked very disappointed because his playtime was over, but his pout definitely wasn't going to change my mind.
Rosalie and Emmett were finally washing properly with soap when Jasper came over to me with his arms raised. I picked him up without question, but I started to worry when he simply laid his head against my shoulder.
"You okay, baby?" I asked softly as I smoothed the curls out of his face. Instead of answering, he wrapped his arms around my neck and twirled his fingers in my hair. His strong hold caught me off guard, and it didn't seem like he was going to let go of me long enough to wash his hands. I quickly decided not to force it this time. We were mostly trying to create a habit with them to wash their hands, but I didn't think Jasper's were dirty since they had all just woken up.
When Emmett and Rosalie finished washing and drying their hands, I sent them to the kitchen while I cleaned up the mess. It didn't take long since I had caught them before they had a chance to really splash each other. Jasper continued to cling to me as I wiped down the counter, and I wasn't sure what to do. It had been at least a couple of months since he had been clingy like this, but I had no idea what was causing it now. I hoped he was just still sleepy from his nap and that there wasn't anything seriously wrong.
"Are you ready for lunch?" I asked softly as I made my way back to the kitchen. My worries were slightly relieved when I felt Jasper's small nod.
Once in the kitchen, Carlisle immediately noticed Jasper's behavior and came over to see if he would go to him. Jasper went willingly, but he went into the same position he had been in with me. Carlisle flashed me a worried look, but I could only shrug my shoulders. I didn't know how to explain this behavior.
With Carlisle holding Jasper, I was able to turn my attention the Emmett and Rosalie. Emmett was already sitting in his seat at the table, but Rosalie was waiting on me to help her. I kissed her head and placed her in her seat before sitting in my own next to her. The food had been placed on the table already, so when Carlisle brought the last of the drinks over, he was able to finally sit as well. Jasper sat in his booster seat without a fight, but he didn't look very comfortable.
I became more worried by the minute. This was not normal behavior for Jasper. He was usually easy-going like Emmett, not putting up a fight about anything. Something was wrong with my sweet baby, and I felt powerless.
After Carlisle prayed, we fixed the kids' plates before ours and then started eating. Emmett and Rosalie dug right in to their favorite foods while starting up their normal chattering. It was nice to see that they didn't seem to be suffering from whatever was bothering Jasper. He remained unanimated and had started squirming in his seat and whining softly.
"Hey, Jasper? What's the matter baby?" I asked.
He looked over at me, and his lower lip began trembling as his whining slowly turned to sobs.
"Em…gots more…ronis'n me," he gasped out before succumbing to his tears.
My eyes immediately went wide. That was the longest sentence I had ever heard him say, even with the interruptions from his sobs. I turned to Carlisle, and he looked as shocked as I felt. After blinking a few times, he recovered enough to speak.
"Buddy, you can always get more macaroni when you finish what's on your plate," Carlisle suggested, but Jasper simply shook his head and let more tears fall.
We were both at a loss as to how we should do. Emmett's tantrums we could handle, and I was well versed in Rosalie's tenacity. But this was something we never had to deal with since Jasper was always quiet and obedient.
All of a sudden, I realized what this could be. Siobhan had been warning us about Jasper expressing his emotions. It seemed that these repressed emotions were finally making their way to the surface, and it both thrilled and terrified me.
I looked back over at Carlisle, and I could tell that he had reached the same conclusion as me. He titled his head slightly, asking me if I wanted to deal with it first. We couldn't both help him at the moment since Emmett and Rosalie needed supervision, but one of us could give him the undivided attention that he needed.
I nodded, letting Carlisle know that I wanted to go to him first. I stood up and went to kneel down beside Jasper so I was eye-level with him.
"Jasper," I said softly and waited for him to look at me. When he did, I continued. "Do you want to stay here and finish your lunch or go upstairs and rock with me?"
"Rock me," he cried as he reached for me. I immediately pulled him from his booster seat and into my arms as I stood up. He rested his head on my shoulder once more and continued crying into my neck.
Emmett and Rosalie had stopped eating and were watching us cautiously. They weren't really sure what was going on, but I didn't want them to see this. Rosalie and Jasper especially had a strong bond, and I knew this would upset her more if she had to see him cry.
"You two finish your lunch, okay?" I said, trying to stay calm. "Daddy's here if you need anything, and I'll be just upstairs. Everything's okay."
Emmett didn't look totally convinced, but he nodded and started eating again. Rosalie was even less convinced, but I knew part of her hesitance was because she was going to be left with Carlisle. She was more comfortable around him now, but she wasn't at a level of comfort yet where she was one hundred percent okay with being alone with him.
"Emmett's right here with you, sugar," I reminded her, hoping that it would be enough to assure her. She looked over at Emmett and then back at me before slowly picking up a chicken nugget and eating.
I sighed in relief and grabbed Jasper's sippy cup. Carlisle gave me a supportive smile, and I kissed his cheek before quickly carrying Jasper upstairs. I went straight to the master bedroom and sat down in the glider rocker. Jasper's sobs hadn't quieted, so I cradled him in my arms and rocked slowly.
It hurt my heart to hear all of his emotions coming out, but I didn't try to stop him. He had been holding all of this in for months, and I hoped this would make him feel better.
"Mom…mmy," he cried brokenly, gripping my top in his hands tightly.
"I'm right here, baby. Mommy's right here. You're okay." I reached down to grab a blanket that was sitting on the ottoman and then wrapped it around him. Rosalie always felt safer when she was wrapped in a blanket, and I hoped this would work for Jasper. He needed the assurance of having me near, so I held him as close to me as possible.
His sobs continued as we rocked back and forth, but they eventually lessened. Once he was relatively quiet, I began humming softly. I went through several songs and any tune that popped into my head. Gradually, my voice began to soothe him to a point where the tears were no longer falling. He sniffled and hiccupped every few seconds, but he seemed so much calmer than when we first came upstairs.
"Do you feel better, baby?" I asked as I gently wiped the tears from his little flushed face. His nose was red and his eyes were puffy, but he was still cute as a button.
"Mommy," he sighed as he snuggled closer to me. I had to smile at hearing his little voice again. This time, my name wasn't cried in desperation. His tone was full of relief now, like he was glad I was with him.
"I've got you, baby," I said with a smile. I tightened my grip slightly and ran my fingers through his short curls.
I wasn't sure how long we rocked together, but it was very calming. Jasper kept a strong grip on my shirt, but he seemed to be feeling better, although I could tell he was tired once more. Even though he had taken a nap earlier, he was now emotionally exhausted. I hoped he would fall asleep, but his eyes remained wide open as he looked up at me.
I began feeling that we were being watched, and I turned my head to find Carlisle in the doorway. He was smiling sadly and appeared to be hesitating about coming in the room. I nodded in encouragement for him to enter, and he slowly came over to us.
"Hi," he whispered as he leaned down to kiss my temple. His brought his hand over to Jasper's back and rubbed it lightly. "Hi, buddy. You feel better now?"
Jasper nodded, but his small whimper betrayed him. Apparently he wasn't finished getting his emotions out, but I didn't blame him at all. He had experienced too much in his short life. I hated that everything was being released at once, but I hoped he would feel a lot better soon.
"I think it's Daddy time now," I suggested to Carlisle quickly as we both noticed Jasper's eyes filling with tears again.
Carlisle lifted Jasper out of my arms and hugged him tightly. I rose from the chair, and moved aside so he could sit down, but he shook his head.
"I think I'm going to lie down with him for a while," he said softly as he swayed back and forth with Jasper. "Another nap seems to be in order."
I smiled sadly. "Yes, he's exhausted now, but I couldn't get him to sleep. Maybe you'll have better luck."
After I gave Jasper's sippy cup to Carlisle, I changed my tear soaked shirt and then quietly left the room so they could have some quiet time together. Jasper needed to see that he had two parents to offer him comfort whenever he needed it, and he definitely needed both of us today.
Once I was heading downstairs, my fears returned. This was an amazing step that Jasper had made, but I had no idea where we would go from here. So many questions floated through my head. Would everything go back to normal? Would everything change? Could Jasper have behavior problems after this? What exactly was he upset about?
Carlisle and I definitely needed to discuss this together, but it could wait. Until then, I needed to find something to keep my mind occupied while waiting.
As I was walking down the stairs, I almost ran into Rosalie who was coming up. She didn't see me, so she gasped in surprise when I scooped her into my arms and carried her back down with me.
"Where are you going, baby doll?"
"Mommy, I not a doll," she giggled once she realized it was just me holding her. "I a girl."
"Oh, I am so very sorry, baby girl, I said with an exaggeration which made her giggle more. "So why were you going upstairs?"
When her giggles stopped, she looked me in the eye, turning somber all of a sudden. "J sad," she whispered.
I nodded. "He was sad, but he's okay now."
"All better?"
"Mmhmm. He'll be all better. He's taking a nap with Daddy now, so let's stay down here and be quiet, okay?"
"Daddy make better."
Her statement caught me off guard at first, but I nodded again. It wasn't new for her to worry about her brother, but it was very new for her say something about Carlisle directly. And the way she said it left no room for argument, so I knew she really believed what she was saying.
"That's right," I said with a blinding smile. "Daddy will help Jasper feel all better."
She nodded with a grin and began squirming for me to put her down. I complied and then followed her to the family room in a daze.
I felt like I would burst with pride for Rosalie. She didn't refer to Carlisle as Daddy very often, and I had never heard her say something so positive. She knew that Daddy would make things better, and she wasn't connecting him with anything negative.
My head was spinning as I sat down in the floor where Rosalie and Emmett were playing. Jasper had made what I hoped was an incredible break through, but it seemed that Rosalie had made some progress as well. Or maybe things hadn't changed. We never really pressured Rosalie around Carlisle to see exactly how much she trusted him. Home was a safe place, so we always let her take the lead with how closely she interacted with him. It was clear now that she trusted him more than even I had imagined, and that was amazing. I didn't expect her to suddenly be able to go give Carlisle a hug, but her realizing that he wasn't a bad guy was a huge step toward that goal.
The most important thing was that our babies were healing. I tried to focus on that without worrying about all the little details as I played along with the games Emmett and Rosalie were inventing. I was grateful that they seemed mostly unaffected by the scene with Jasper. Emmett did ask me if he was okay, but I assured him as I had with Rosalie. It was nice to see our kids learning to care about each other. Carlisle and I hoped the kids to learn from our example and grow to be compassionate adults. They seemed to be well on their way even as toddlers.
Time passed quickly with Rosalie and Emmett to entertain me. I missed having Jasper and Carlisle with us though. Saturday just wasn't the same without the whole family. After two hours, I set up a wooden puzzle for Rose and Em and quietly returned upstairs to check on my other men.
Our bedroom was quiet when I entered which I took as a good sign. Carlisle was lying on the bed, but he was turned away from the door so I couldn't tell if he was awake or not. I slowly crossed the room and went to the other side of the bed, smiling as I got a better look. Jasper was curled next to Carlisle's chest as close as he could get, and Carlisle's arm was wrapped tightly around him. They were both breathing deeply and appeared to be content as they napped together.
I wasn't sure how long Carlisle wanted to sleep or if he cared. I did miss him being around though, so my selfishness won out. I carefully leaned over Jasper and placed a soft kiss on Carlisle's lips. He stirred immediately after feeling the contact, and I smiled as I watched him wake up.
"Mmm hi," he mumbled as he opened his eyes. He lifted his hand and quickly rubbed it over his face and then through his hair. "What time is it?"
"Just after four," I said quietly. "I didn't know how long you wanted to nap."
"Not this long," he sighed.
After he blinked a few times, I could tell he was fully awake. He smiled when he saw Jasper's position and kissed his head.
"How was he?" I asked hesitantly.
"He was okay," Carlisle said. "There were a few 'Hold me, Daddys,' but other than that, he was fairly calm. I hope this second nap makes him feel even better."
"So should we do anything else? Or are we just going to act like everything is still the same?"
It was easy to hear the worried tone in my voice even though I was only whispering. Carlisle reached for my hand and squeezed it between his.
"Do you want to call Siobhan? I'm sure she'd be glad to talk us through this."
His suggestion was a good one, but I felt bad about calling Siobhan on a Saturday. Surely she and Liam liked to have their family days together as well. But I knew I would feel better after talking to her.
"Do you think she would mind?"
"I don't think she would mind one bit," he said as he kissed my knuckles. "I think she'll be as thrilled as we are. I'll call her as soon as Jasper wakes up, okay?"
I smiled and nodded.
"I think I'm about to wake him up now and then bring him down to eat. Can you heat up the rest of his lunch?" he asked. "It's in the refrigerator along with yours if you still want it."
I chuckled softly as he winked at me. We weren't big fans of chicken nuggets, but we dealt with them for the kids.
"I think I'll pass," I teased. "Is pizza alright for dinner, though? I'm too tired to cook."
"Pizza sounds great, sweetheart," he smiled. "I think we're all a bit exhausted. It's been a big day."
I left the room as quietly as I came in so Carlisle would have a chance to wake Jasper peacefully. His mood was something that we couldn't predict, so being cautious was the smart thing to do.
I checked on Rosalie and Emmett before heading to the kitchen, but they were still working on the puzzle. They weren't fighting and no pieces were being thrown around, so I hoped they would be okay for another few minutes while I reheated Jasper's food.
His covered plate was easy to find, and I placed it in the microwave to warm. While I waited, I poured him a new cup of juice and placed it on the table. Once the food was warm, I stirred the macaroni and broke up the chicken so it would be easier to eat and he wouldn't get burned. After placing the plate on the table, I just had to wait for Carlisle to bring Jasper down.
A few minutes later, my wait ended when I heard Carlisle's familiar steps coming into the kitchen. Jasper was rubbing his eyes as he leaned against Carlisle's shoulder, but he didn't look as upset as he had earlier in the day. He wasn't clinging quite as much which I hoped meant the nap helped.
Carlisle brought Jasper over to me, and I pulled him into my arms to give him a big hug. He put his arms around my neck and hugged me back. When he pulled back and smiled at me, I kissed his forehead and tickled his belly until he giggled. His giggles were a welcome sound after his previous heartbreaking sobs.
Carlisle stepped out of the room while I was having my moment with Jasper, and I assumed he was going to the family room. I carried Jasper to the table and placed in his seat, and he started eating before I could even put a bib on him.
"You were hungry, huh baby?" I chuckled as he scooped macaroni and cheese into his mouth as quickly as possible. "Slow down before you choke."
He eventually slowed down and ate a normal pace, and it was easy to see that he was enjoying every bite. Since he was pigging-out, it didn't take long for him to finish. I quickly put the dishes in the sink and wiped him off before joining everyone in the family room.
Emmett and Rosalie were both happy to see Jasper, and they included him in the game they were playing right away. Everyone was smiling again, and it was a huge relief. Everything wasn't back to normal though. Jasper played and laughed with his brother and sister, but he didn't stray far from Carlisle or me. He went back and forth between our laps and had to be touching at all times. We weren't really sure how to handle this either, and it was a good reminder to call Siobhan.
Once Carlisle explained to Siobhan how our day had gone, she immediately asked to come over and talk to us and Jasper. Apparently this was as big of a deal as we thought, and we had no problems with inviting her over. I still felt bad for bothering her on a Saturday, so we invited Liam as well and asked them to stay for dinner. They accepted our invitation and promised to be over in less than an hour.
I had no idea what to expect once they arrived, but I hoped we would be able to figure out the best way to help Jasper. We didn't need any setbacks after this breakthrough, so I was ready to hear whatever Siobhan had to tell us.
A/N: Sorry again for the wait. My classes attacked me with homework and projects which left me with no time to write. Thanks for being patient while I was so fail.
I hope you enjoyed the chapter. You'll get to find out what Siobhan has to say in the next chapter which should be finished soon. The wait definitely won't be as long. Reviewers get teasers again. :)
This week I have another rec for you guys: my awesome friend MelissaMargaret's new story Amongst the Ruins. It's a Carlisle/Esme period fic set in WWII. Carlisle's a navy doctor, and I want to do naughty things to him ;). It's an amazing story, and you won't be disappointed.
Also, there's a picture of Esme's chair on my profile. Thanks again for reading!