Thank you so much for the reviews and for waiting patiently for me. I hope you enjoy the chapter!
A million thanks to my beta MelissaMargaret for making this chapter pretty. She is definitely the fasted beta ever! The end.
Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or these characters.
Carlisle POV
Three days later, I was on my way to the airport to pick up Chelsea and Alec. Their flight was arriving in the late afternoon, so we would be home in time for the dinner Esme was making.
Saturday had been a good choice for them to fly in, giving them the night and possibly the next morning to rest from their travels. We would be going to church, as always, and Emmett's party was scheduled for the afternoon. If they wanted to sleep until it was time for the party, we had no problem letting them.
The flight arrived right on time, and I managed to quickly find my in-laws in the crowded airport. It was good to see them after so long, and after a hug and a handshake, we gathered their luggage and headed to the car.
Our conversation flowed easily as we made the journey home. It was easy to see how excited Chelsea was to see her sister and meet her new niece and nephew. Alec, who was normally more subdued, seemed to share his wife's excitement.
But with their excitement came worry. They expected Rosalie and Jasper to be hesitant around them. A webcam could only help so much as far as getting everyone acquainted and comfortable around each other. We all knew it would take a few days for everyone to be comfortable in our house, so I tried to ease some of their worries.
"Really, Chels, I promise everything will be fine. Your presence will not harm Rosalie or Jasper in any way. There's no reason to worry this much."
"I can't help it," she sighed, looking out the passenger-side window at the passing scenery. "It's their house...where they feel safe, and now we're going to invade."
I shook my head and chuckled softly. She really was thinking too much into this, but it did make me happy to see how much she cared about the kids. Chelsea's previous absence in Esme's life had been all but completely forgotten, and she and Alec were proving to be a wonderful aunt and uncle for our children. I knew they loved Emmett, but this hesitance, as ridiculous as it was, showed that they also loved Rosalie and Jasper. That was all that mattered.
"Alec, convince your wife to calm down," I joked with another chuckle. "I promise it will be okay. It will take a couple of days to adjust, but this visit will be a good one for everyone."
"Relax, babe, and listen to Carlisle," Alec said. He smiled as he reached forward to rub his wife's arm from his spot in the backseat. "He knows his kids and wouldn't put them in danger. Even for family."
Chelsea began to calm as her husband soothed her, and she finally turned away from the window to look at me.
"It's really fine?" she asked softly.
We stopped at a traffic light just in time, and I was able to turn and offer her a supportive smile. "Yes, Chelsea. My 'sister' and her husband visited this summer. Yes, it was a bit strained at first, but after a few days, everyone was fine. Rosalie and Jasper are even more adjusted now, so your visit will be even easier for them."
My sincerity seemed to finally get through to her, and she finally smiled and relaxed in her seat. The rest of the drive was filled with random, brighter conversation, and it passed quickly. By the time we were pulling into the driveway, Chelsea's excitement had returned in full force, the worries all but erased.
I was going to open Chelsea's door for her, but Alec had it covered. He also went to get the bags, but I stopped him. There would be plenty of time to get them later. Right now, we needed to deal with our excited wives.
When we entered the house, I expected at least one bouncing child and possibly a squealing Esme; however, we were met with silence. Alec and Chelsea seemed confused by this lack of a greeting as well, but all I could do was shrug and lead them through the house until we found someone.
Our short search ended as soon as we entered the kitchen. Esme was singing softly as she worked on dinner, fluidly moving through the kitchen as only she knew how. Rosalie was sitting on the counter watching her mother with a smile on her face, giggling every so often at her actions. I didn't want to interrupt their fun, so Chelsea, Alec, and I remained silent observers in the doorway.
They remained oblivious to our presence for a few more moments until I caught Rosalie's eye. Her eyes widened slightly, but her smile didn't fade. I smiled back and winked; it was always a treat for me to receive a happy smile from my baby.
Unfortunately, that happy smile disappeared as soon as she noticed that I wasn't alone. Her eyes remained wide and slowly filled with fear as she stared at her aunt and uncle. I was almost afraid that she would try to jump off the counter to run away. It only took a few moments for Esme to notice Rosalie's distress, and she immediately went to her before turning around to see what the problem was.
"Oh!" she gasped. "You're here!"
I could clearly see the indecision on Esme's face. She wanted to go to her sister, but she couldn't leave Rosalie. I made the decision for her and quickly crossed the room to stand by the counter with Rosalie, giving Esme the opportunity to greet out guests.
The kitchen was soon filled with squeals and loud talking, along with many hugs. Esme was completely ecstatic to see Chelsea after so long and Alec as well. She managed to get her arms around both of them several times before just focusing on Chelsea. They had a lot to catch up on but couldn't seem to pick just one topic.
Rosalie calmed slightly with me beside her, but she still wanted her mommy.
"It's okay, sweetheart. That's Aunt Chelsea and Uncle Alec," I explained. "They're here to visit us."
She turned her head and looked up at me, her blue eyes still holding some fear. "Okay?"
I nodded. "Yeah, baby. It's okay. Do you remember talking to them with the fun camera on the computer?"
She looked from me to them a couple of times before finally nodding. Seeing them on the webcam was completely different than meeting them in person, though, and I understood her hesitance. Chelsea and Alec were strangers, and they had to earn her trust.
"Daddy?"
"What it is, sweetheart?" I asked, answering her timid whisper. Instead of replying, she patted her lip with her hand, and I knew immediately what she needed. "Do you know where it is?"
She nodded and pointed toward the family room.
I smiled reassuringly. "Okay, baby. I'll go get your pacifier as soon as I can."
My answer seemed to satisfy her for the time being, and she returned to watching the scene that was playing out in front of us. The hug-fest appeared to be winding down, and Esme and Chelsea were significantly calmer. Their fast conversation had shifted to the children, and this of course put the attention on the little one behind me.
"Is that Miss Rosalie I see?" Chelsea asked as she leaned to look around Esme.
Rosalie scooted over on the counter to be further behind me, and while I didn't want her to be afraid of her aunt and uncle, I couldn't help but be happy that she was using me as a shield to keep her safe.
"Come meet Aunt Chelsea, baby," Esme said as she walked over to scoop Rosalie off the counter. Rosalie did relax some once she was in Esme's arms, but she remained wary of the new people in her home.
Alec did the smart thing and walked around the island to stand by me. I smiled and nodded, agreeing with his thinking. It would take time for Rose to warm up to his presence, and she definitely wasn't comfortable with him now.
As Esme worked on getting everyone acquainted, I quietly ducked out of the room. I had no problem finding Rosalie's pacifier and as soon as I rinsed if off in the bathroom, I returned to the kitchen. Rosalie smiled at me when I handed it to her and quickly popped it into her mouth. Having that security item calmed her further, and I knew it wouldn't take much time for her to be comfortable again.
I returned to my spot next to Alec, not wanting him to feel left out.
"So where are the boys?"
I turned to look at Alec and chuckled, just realizing that I had no idea where the boys were. "No idea," I shrugged. "Maybe we should go find them."
"Carlisle, the boys are upstairs," Esme pointed out after hearing us. "They were napping in our bed. You two go find them, and I should have dinner ready as soon as you come back down."
"All right, sweetheart. That sounds good to me." I gestured for Alec to follow me, and we left the kitchen to head upstairs.
Everything was quiet as we entered the master bedroom, so I assumed they hadn't woken from their nap yet. I was halfway right. Jasper was still sleeping, curled up on his side with his head against my pillow. Emmett, on the other hand, was awake and was talking softly to himself just like he used to do when he was younger. The memory of him talking while lying in his crib every morning brought a smile to my face. But as much as I missed him being a baby, I loved seeing him growing up. He was so silly and fun now that he was older.
"Hey, buddy," I whispered to Emmett, "look who's here."
Emmett turned to look, and his eyes widened as he grinned. "Uncle Alec!" he squealed. "You here!"
I tried to shush him, but it was already too late. If his squealing didn't wake Jasper, his jumping off the bed did.
Jasper eyes popped open before quickly closing, and he whined softly from being disoriented.
Emmett was attempting to drag his uncle out of the room, so I nodded for them to go ahead. Emmett wanted Alec's undivided attention, and I needed to make sure Jasper was okay after his rude awakening.
I gently lay down on the bed and pulled Jasper to me. He continued to whine softly as he stretched and rubbed his eyes, and I wrapped my arms around him and kissed his head to let him know I was there.
He cuddled closer to me and slowly began to recover from the shock Emmett had given him. When he opened his eyes again, he was no longer disoriented, and I was rewarded with a large smile.
"My daddy," he mumbled with a yawn. "Home."
"That's right, bud," I chuckled, hugging him tightly. "I'm home. Did you have a good nap?"
He nodded. "Mmhmm...Daddy?"
"Yeah, buddy?"
"Where Em?"
"Em's with Uncle Alec," I explained. "Remember, Aunt Chelsea and Uncle Alec are going to stay with us for a little while."
He nodded again, but he was nervous. His body wasn't as relaxed as it had been when he woke up, but I wasn't giving up hope. Jasper would soon love Alec and Chelsea as much as Emmett did, even if it took a few days.
As Jasper continued to wake, I scooped him up to head back downstairs. His head rested lazily on my shoulder, but his arms were wrapped tightly around my neck. I rubbed his back, trying to give him as much comfort and security as he wanted. This was going to be a challenge for him, but I knew he would succeed.
The upstairs was quiet once more, so I assumed Emmett had dragged Alec to the family room. My assumption proved to be correct. Chelsea was also with them, and Emmett seemed to be doing an excellent job entertaining them.
Since Emmett had everything under control in the hosting department, I joined Esme in the kitchen. The table was already set, which meant it was almost time to eat. We swapped tasks, me passing Jasper to her, allowing him to have some Mommy time. I then set the homemade lasagna on the table along with the salad and bread, while Esme went to make sure the kids washed their hands.
I had just finished placing the drinks on the table when Emmett and Rosalie came running into the room. I helped Emmett into his seat without a word, but I wasn't sure what Rosalie was going to do. She was standing by her chair, but made no move to try to climb up.
"Do you need help, sweetheart?" I asked, taking a chance that she would let me help. I couldn't fight the curiosity either. She had been comfortable around me since I returned from the airport, and I wanted to see how far it would go.
I had to smile as I watched her think it over with her eyebrows all scrunched up and her hand over her pacifier. After what felt like a lifetime, she finally nodded and whispered a "peas."
Instead of focusing on how happy I was, I focused on her as I swiftly but gently lifted her to sit in her seat. She made no objections when I touched her, and didn't seem bothered at all. Once I scooted the chair forward and made sure she was all set, I could finally relax and celebrate our victory. Only a few months ago, the same act had caused Rosalie to almost panic. Now, I was able to help her without any stress whatsoever. I couldn't wait to tell Esme, but it would have to wait a while. The evening would more than likely be a very loud one, at least until the little ones were asleep.
As soon as everyone joined us in the kitchen, we sat down to eat and the happy conversation started. Esme and I tried to talk to Chelsea and Alec, but Emmett never hesitated to insert himself into our conversation. We were used to it, but it was a new occurrence for Chelsea and Alec. They didn't seem to mind and graciously answered Em's questions and responded to his comments with smiles and chuckles.
Dinner was actually a lot quieter than it usually was for the five of us. Rosalie and Jasper weren't visibly upset, but they were very quiet and clingy. Jasper insisted on sitting in my lap, and I couldn't tell him no. Rosalie was a bit better and did stay in her seat, but she held Esme's hand throughout our meal. I didn't view this as a setback, though. They just needed time to acclimate to our guests and learn that they weren't a threat.
Overall, our time spent at the table was very enjoyable. Esme's lasagna never failed to impress, leaving every plate cleared. However, the sauce and cheese had wound up covering little hands and faces which meant it was time for a bath.
As Esme took Emmett, Jasper, and Rosalie upstairs, I helped Alec retrieve their luggage from the car. I then sent them to get settled, declining offers to help me clear the table. They were our guests, and besides that, I really didn't mind doing it alone. It had been my job for two years, and it was a job I did proudly.
Once the leftovers were in the refrigerator and the kitchen was spotless, I was able to relax in the recliner and watch a few minutes of the evening news. In our busy home, it was easy to get behind with what was happening in the world, so I tried to do my best to keep up. Not much was going on tonight, but I left it on for Alec and Chelsea to watch whenever they joined me in the family room.
Bath time length was unpredictable so I didn't know how long Esme would be busy upstairs. But when Emmett came running downstairs after only half of an hour, I knew it had been a short one tonight. My guess was that he didn't want to miss a minute of the fun.
"Daddy?" he asked excitedly, "do I get to play with Aunt Chelsea and Uncle Alec now?"
"Sure, little man," I nodded. "You can play until bedtime. Maybe you can get Jasper to play, too."
"Yeah, Daddy. I wants Jasper to play with me, too! Why he scared?"
"He's just a little afraid because he doesn't know Aunt Chelsea and Uncle Alec yet. He's hasn't played with them before like you have. They're like strangers."
"Ohhh," he sighed with an understanding nod. "I don't like strangers. I not a'posed to talk to them."
I smiled and nodded, proud that he had listened to us. "That's right. Jasper won't be afraid forever, but you can help him feel safe, can't you?"
"I can!" he cheered. "I can do it!"
"What can you do?" Chelsea asked as she and Alec entered the room. They sat together on the couch, and Emmett immediately ran over and jumped up to sit with them.
"I gets to play with you, Aunt Chelsea. And I help Jasper play, too!"
She smiled and hugged him tightly. "Oh, that sounds like so much fun! What are we going to play?"
"Blocks!" Emmett said and quickly jumped down before anyone could protest.
Chelsea turned to Alec and shrugged. "Apparently we're playing blocks. How does that sound to you?"
"Sounds great," he said as he kissed her cheek. She giggled and cuddled closer to him.
Their easy relationship made me smile. I loved seeing couples who were as happy together as Esme and I were. We were lucky to be surrounded by so many happy couples who helped encourage each other. The only current problem was that seeing my brother-in-law and sister-in-law together made me long for my own wife to be sitting with me. I knew she would be down soon enough. Emmett put up the most fight during bath time, so if he was already finished, it wouldn't take long for the twins.
Only a few minutes later, Jasper cautiously entered the room wearing only his diaper and carrying his pajamas. He brought them over to me and set them in my lap before crawling up.
"All clean, buddy?" I asked, kissing his damp hair. He nodded and lifted his arms, silently asking me to help him dress. I missed hearing his voice, but I understood his silence so I didn't push him. I dressed him without question and then let him cuddle in my lap for a few minutes before I sent him to play with Emmett.
It didn't take long for Jasper to play normally with Emmett, and I sat with a smile on my face as I watched them. They were each building their own little block structures and then knocking them over together. Their happy giggles were so much fun to hear, and we were soon laughing along with them as they continued their destruction.
"Aunt Chelsea, Uncle Alec, play with us!" Emmett soon requested.
Chelsea and Alec both looked over at me which made me roll my eyes.
"You don't need my permission," I sighed with a smile. "Just go have fun."
They wasted no time before sitting on the floor next to the boys. Emmett crawled into Alec's lap right away, but Jasper remained hesitant. As they played together, Chelsea tried to include Jasper in her building as much as possible until he was finally laughing and smiling with them. When he eventually crawled into her lap, I didn't know who was happier between us all.
I was so absorbed in watching them that I almost didn't notice Esme sneak into the room and sit on the couch with Rosalie.
"Hi, sweethearts. Have a good time?"
Esme looked from me to the group in the floor and back to me before smiling and nodding. "Yes, we did. And it looks like you've been having fun down here, too."
"Of course we are," I chuckled. "Emmett wants to play until bedtime."
"I hope that's soon. I'm exhausted." Her statement was followed by a large yawn, and I could tell she was very tired. Her preparations for our guests and the birthday party had taken a lot out of her.
"But," she continued," I do love seeing the boys playing with Alec and Chelsea. I didn't know if Jasper would get used to them this fast."
"You know we can hear you," Chelsea teased. She passed Jasper to Alec before going over to sit beside Esme on the couch. "But we're happy, too, so talk away."
Esme and Chelsea got lost in their own conversation, so I just sat back and enjoyed it all. Everyone was happy and comfortable for the moment, even though sleep was slowly sneaking up on us all.
Rosalie fell asleep on Esme's lap, and Jasper soon followed in his spot on Alec's. Emmett was fighting it, but I knew he couldn't last much longer.
Esme and I excused ourselves to take the little ones up to bed, and even though Emmett had been fighting sleep, his eyes closed as soon as his head hit the pillow. After making sure they were all tucked in, we headed back downstairs.
Alec and Chelsea had moved to the couch, so I lead Esme over to the recliner and pulled her into my lap. She blushed and giggled but didn't try to fight me. She liked this spot as much as I liked her being there.
My in-laws also seemed tired from the combination of traveling and then the play time, but I knew it would only get worse after spending nearly a month with us. Our children were active and didn't slow down for anyone.
"I'm afraid this won't be much of a vacation for you," I said apologetically. "We don't have much of an itinerary for the month."
"Oh, don't worry, Carlisle. We don't need one. Just being here and playing with the kids is so much better than working," Chelsea said with a smile.
"I think so, too," I agreed. "I know I'd rather play all day instead of working."
"So are you still going to open a private practice? How's that going?"
"So far so good," I answered Alec with a proud smile.
The conversation then shifted to talk of our future plans. Peter and I continued to plan out exactly what we wanted to do. It was coming together nicely, and we would soon be ready to look for a location. Right now, our lives were really too busy to get a whole lot accomplished, but we weren't in too big of a hurry. As long as things continued to fall into place, it was possible for us to be on our own within the next year. I couldn't wait to get away from the unpredictable schedule of the hospital. They had been very understanding of our situation, but things were beginning to get hectic. Being on call during the week was not something I enjoyed, even if I was rarely called in. The uncertainty wasn't good for any of us.
After talking for a while longer, we all decided to head to bed early. We were all exhausted at this point, and there would be plenty of time to catch up later. Once we said good night, I carried Esme up to bed, but she seemed to be asleep before I even made it to our bedroom. As soon as I lay beside her and pulled her into my arms, sleep quickly claimed me as well.
Morning came early, as it always did, but it didn't bother me. I was well rested after our early bedtime and excited about spending the day celebrating Emmett.
Jasper had crawled into our bed some time during the night and was sleeping beside me, his body as close to mine as he could get. I gently rolled him toward Esme until he was touching her, and then carefully climbed out of bed. After making sure he was still asleep, I made a quick trip to the bathroom and then checked on Emmett and Rosalie. They were both still sleeping, so I went downstairs by myself to start a pot of coffee and get things ready for Esme to make breakfast. I wasn't much help in the cooking department, but I was willing to do whatever else would make her life easier.
Since it was Emmett's birthday, he would be deciding what we ate for breakfast. And knowing him, we would be having pancakes and plenty of bacon. I set every out that Esme would need and then grabbed the morning paper and sat down at the table to read it.
The house had been quiet, but I soon heard movement close by, showing that Alec or Chelsea was awake. I was a bit surprised because I hadn't expected anyone to be awake this early.
"Good morning," Alec announced as he entered the kitchen.
"Good morning," I replied, gesturing for him to sit at the table with me. "Did you sleep well? I hope everything was all right in the room and bathroom."
"We did sleep well, and everything is fine," he assured me. "We don't normally sleep late, but I see we're not the only ones like that."
I chuckled and shook my head. "No, I leave early for work most days, plus Jasper and Rosalie wake up early every day. You won't see Emmett and Esme for a while, though. They love their sleep."
Alec chuckled and reached for the sections of the paper I had already finished. The coffee was soon ready, and I poured us both a cup before returning to my reading. We sat in comfortable silence until the silence was interrupted by quiet footsteps. I turned my attention to the door way and smiled when I saw Rosalie.
"Good morning, baby girl," I said as she rubbed her eyes. "Did you sleep good?"
She nodded and started to walk into the room until she noticed Alec sitting beside me. That stopped her right in her tracks, and she looked at me with wide, scared eyes.
"It's okay, sweetheart," I quickly assured her. "Do you want some juice in a princess cup?" I stood up and walked over to the refrigerator, hoping she would follow me and not panic.
Thankfully, she did, and I filled up her favorite sippy cup with some apple juice before handing it to her.
"Here you go, baby. How are those hands this morning?" The scratches on her hands from her Halloween fall were almost healed, but we had done this every morning since then. It was my job to make it better, after all, and I knew she was happy when I asked her.
She looked at one hand at a time as she drank her juice, carefully inspecting the fading red marks. "Stuff, peas," she mumbled as she looked up at me. Her bright eyes were no longer as fearful, but she wasn't comfortable being in the kitchen either.
"Okay, sweetheart. Can you wait for me on the couch? I'll go get the stuff."
She nodded and practically ran out of the room with her juice. I looked over at Alec, hoping he wasn't offended. Instead, he looked very curious, but simply smiled before going back to reading. I then excused myself from the kitchen to go get the "stuff" as Rosalie liked to call it.
After finding the Neosporin in the bathroom, I went to the family room and knelt down beside Rosalie. She offered one hand to me without me having to ask, and I applied a tiny amount to the rough skin. Once I finished both hands, I blew her a kiss before turning on the TV for her to watch a Veggie TalesDVD. She would definitely be more comfortable by herself until Esme woke up.
I washed my hands and put the small ointment tube away and went back to the kitchen. Alec was still reading the paper, but I could tell he wanted to ask me something. I began reading again, patiently waiting for him to make a decision. It only took a few minutes for my patience to be rewarded.
"So..." he began slowly, "Rosalie is okay around you? Like she lets you touch her?"
"Yes and no. She's fine being in the same room as me and even sitting beside me as long as there's enough space between us. And right now I'm only allowed to touch her hands and only at specific times when she says it's okay."
"Does that bother you? I mean, don't you want to hold her?"
"Every day," I nodded. "Every day I want to hold her or even just give her a hug, but she's not okay with it so I don't push the idea."
"She's lucky to have you," he said, and I could easily tell that he was being sincere. "I don't know of many people who would give her this much time. But I know you're doing the right thing. I was never around her when you first brought her home, but from what you've told us and from what I've seen in less than twenty-four hours, I can tell how much of a difference you and Esme have made in her life. And Jasper's, too. He's so much fun, just like Emmett."
"That he is," I chuckled before turning serious again. "Thank you for what you said about Rosalie. Esme and I think we're doing the right thing, but it's always nice to hear it from someone else. So thank you."
"You're welcome, and I mean it. I just hope one day I'll get one of those Rosalie hugs, too."
"Oh, I'm sure you will," I said with a smile. "When she starts giving those out, it will be an excellent day for all of us."
It wasn't every day that I had such a heavy conversation before breakfast, but I was glad that we did. The more I got to know Alec, the more I saw what a good man he really was. He might have been mixed up with Mr. Platt for a while, but had seen the error of his ways and made it right. I could see how happy he was that he and Chelsea got to be a part of our lives.
Chelsea was the next one to join us in the kitchen. She had already showered because they planned to go to church with us, so I poured her a cup of coffee and passed her a portion of the newspaper.
"I thought you said this wasn't going to be like a vacation," she said, raising her eyebrow as she took a long drink of her coffee. "You serving me coffee every day seems a lot like a vacation to me."
"Don't get used to it," I joked, making her laugh loudly. "Honestly, I probably would do this every day, but I hope you'll still be asleep when I leave for work. It's not vacation, but I hope you'll at least get some good rest."
Chelsea and Alec both agreed that they needed the rest, and I really did hope they would get it. Chasing kids was more fun than going to work, but it could also be more tiring. I was very glad that Esme would have some help for the next few weeks.
"Are you guys having breakfast without me?"
I smiled as Esme entered the room, and I stood up to go pour her some coffee to match ours. I kissed her sweetly before handing her the cup, which she took in one hand as she wrapped her other arm around me.
"Good morning," I said, kissing her nose because I couldn't help it. She was so beautiful just after waking up in the morning.
"Good morning," she said, smiling. "Have I missed much?"
I shrugged before shaking my head. "I don't think so. Rosalie's awake, but that's about it."
"I saw her already. Jasper's watching the veggies with her now. The birthday boy is still sleeping though, but I think I already know what he'll want for breakfast."
"Pancakes," we said in unison before laughing.
"I already got everything ready," I explained as I pointed everything out to her. "This should be what you need."
"It looks perfect," she said, standing on her toes to kiss my lips. "Thank you very much. Now, you men go to the family room and get out of our hair."
"Yes ma'am." I chuckled and gladly left with Alec following me. I knew Esme had breakfast completely under control without needing my help, plus this gave her more time to spend with her sister without interruptions.
As Esme cooked breakfast, I was able to spend time with Jasper. One-on-one time wouldn't be happening much today because of the birthday part, so I wanted to take advantage of it while I could. This was Emmett's day, but Jasper and Rosalie still deserved some of our focus as well.
The scent of pancakes and bacon soon filled the air, making my stomach growl in protest. It wasn't kept waiting long before Esme was calling us to the kitchen. Since Emmett hadn't come downstairs yet, I let everyone go to the kitchen without me while I went up to get him.
The room was quiet as I walked in, and I smiled when I saw him in his favorite sleeping position on his back with his arms and legs spread. I was surprised that Jasper even had room to sleep in the same bed as his brother.
"Wake up, bud," I said softly as I sat down beside him. "It's time to eat breakfast." I gently nudged his shoulder until he began stirring and finally sat up.
"Hi, Daddy," he yawned.
"Good morning, birthday boy. How old are you today?"
His eyes quickly popped open and he crawled into my lap, placing his hands on either side of my face. "Daddy, it my birthday! I'm four!
"You sure are," I chuckled. "Are you excited to be four?"
"Uh huh!" he said, bouncing on my lap with energy he somehow obtained in less than thirty seconds. "Is it cake and present time now?"
"Not quite, but it is pancake and bacon time-"
"That my favorite!" he squealed. "Can we go?"
I laughed again and tickled him until he rolled off of me before standing up. He also stood up and surprised me when he held his arms up for me to carry him. He had become increasingly independent and didn't ask for us to carry him very often. Needless to say, this request made me extremely happy, and I gladly carried him downstairs.
"The birthday boy is finally awake!" I announced as we entered the kitchen. A chorus of "Happy Birthday's" followed, and Esme took him from me to get her own hugs and kisses.
The excitement finally settled down enough for us to sit and eat. The pancakes were delicious, making it easy for everyone to understand why this was Emmett's favorite breakfast. Jasper and Rosalie remained quiet throughout the meal, but Jasper did sit in his own seat without any fuss.
Breakfast was the simple part of the morning, and it was followed by our weekly mad dash to get dressed and get out the door to make it to church on time. We had never been late as of yet, and we didn't want to change that today.
Chelsea helped Esme clean sticky fingers and faces while Alec and I took care of the table. We then went our separate ways to get dressed.
Today I was in charge of dressing the boys so I sent Emmett to go potty while I changed Jasper's diaper. Their clothes were already laid out on their dresser, which saved a lot of time. I dressed Jasper first since he wasn't bouncing around like Emmett. Em was just too excited for his own good at the moment.
"Daddy, is it cake and present time now?" he asked as I helped him put his sweater on.
I shook my head. "No, buddy. It's church time right now, then it will be lunch time, and then it will be cake and present time."
"But Daaaaddddy...that so far away!"
"Sorry, bud," I said, ruffling his hair. "Now, you two go downstairs to wait for Aunt Chelsea and Uncle Alec while Mommy and I get dressed, okay?"
They nodded in agreement and ran downstairs, giving me a chance to join my wife in our room. When I walked in, Rosalie was twirling in the doorway to the bathroom, giggling every time her dress would fill with air. I smiled as I watched her, but she stopped once she noticed me.
"You look so pretty, baby," I said with a wink.
She smiled but turned to run into the bathroom. I chuckled as I followed and found her hiding against Esme's legs.
Esme smiled when she saw me. "What's she hiding from?" she whispered.
I pointed to my chest. "I told her she looked pretty."
"Don't hide from Daddy, sugar," she said, gently running her fingers through Rosalie's curls. "Did you tell him 'thank you'?"
Rosalie turned just enough to whisper a thank you, making Esme and I laugh. As much as I wanted our relationship to grow, I was enjoying this shy stage Rosalie was going through. It was adorable, but I really did want to give her a hug. That desire would never disappear.
"You're very welcome, sweetheart. You're beautiful just like your Mommy."
"Thank you," Esme said as she pulled me over to her for a kiss. I couldn't settle for one, though, and continued kissing her until she playfully pushed me away. "We'll be late for church if we keep that up. Imagine explaining that to Carmen and Eleazar."
"Right. I'll just go get dressed then."
"Good answer," she said with a wink, patting my chest. "We're going to Rosalie's room to tame this hair so you can have the bathroom."
With one last kiss, Esme and Rosalie vacated the room, leaving me to dress in peace. Esme had laid my clothes out on the bed, so I went to grab them and then came back to the bathroom. I took a hot shower and quickly dressed so Esme could have the bathroom again if she needed it.
Esme was in the bedroom when I finished, already dressed and looking as beautiful as always. I followed her back into the bathroom, sneaking in a few shoulder and neck kisses as she finished her hair and makeup. After helping her with her jewelry, we were dressed to leave, but not quite ready to leave our little bubble.
"I love you," Esme sighed, leaning her back against my chest.
I gently turned her around and reached up to gently cup her face in my hands. "I love you, too," I whispered against her lips. "You look so beautiful today."
"So do you," she whispered back, kissing me again. "Handsome, I mean. Unless you want to be considered beautiful."
"You can call me whatever you want, sweetheart. But...let's continue that later," I said after glancing at my watch. "I think we need to go round the troops up now."
She reluctantly agreed, and we headed downstairs with Rosalie to relieve Chelsea and Alec of their short babysitting duties. I prayed that the boys hadn't driven them crazy, but everything seemed calm enough. Things did get a little crazy when we tried to all fit into the van, but we finally figured out a way for everyone to be comfortable. We had to move a car seat or two around, and Esme had to sit with Rosalie, but we did manage.
Carmen was so happy to see us all at church and enjoyed introducing everyone to Chelsea and Alec. I wasn't sure if they wanted to be the center of attention like that, but nothing was going to stop my aunt. Eventually, Emmett took over the attention when Eleazar had everyone sing "Happy Birthday" to him. Emmett loved it, but it unfortunately made the birthday fever worse.
By the time we sat down for lunch at Carmen and Eleazar's, Emmett was bouncing off the walls. "Emmett, sit down and eat, please" was said a dozen times before we finally just let him go run around the den.
As soon as we finished eating, we began transitioning into party mode. The dining room and den were already decorated with the construction truck theme that Emmett had picked out, but Carmen and Esme still had put the homemade chocolate cake and snacks on the table.
When everything was finished, we only had a few minutes to relax before the doorbell rang.
"Are you ready for this?" I asked Esme.
"I hope so," she sighed. "I'm excited for him to have this party, but I'm so tired. I feel like I need a two day nap."
"You should take one," I said as I kissed her temple. "Take the day off tomorrow so you don't wear yourself out. You have been tired a lot lately. I can handle them for a day."
"I might just take you up on that."
"You should, sweetheart. You deserve the rest. This party will be great."
The party was in full swing as soon as the guests arrived. There weren't that many, just Maggie, Ben, Charlotte, Peter, and baby Sarah besides our family. They were all ready and able to pay attention to Emmett though, and he loved it. I couldn't imagine what a party with many other hyper children would be like, but I knew that as soon as Emmett started going to school, we would be having them.
Rosalie and Jasper knew enough of what was going on so that they weren't confused. We had no way to know if they had ever had a birthday party, but they had been to Esme's. Having a lot of people around made them nervous, but since the main focus was on Emmett for once, they were able to pick and choose who they wanted to sit with, and it worked out well.
Cake and present time finally arrived, and Emmett was thrilled. He had a little too much of both, but it wasn't too bad. Everyone spoiled him, but it was nice to know how many people cared about our child. And the cake was delicious, so I couldn't blame my son for stuffing himself.
Once the party was over and we finished cleaning and loading everything into the van, we drove home. The kids all fell asleep in the car which left us with the challenge of carrying them inside without waking them up. With Chelsea and Alec's help, we were able to get them into bed, and then we were all ready to drop.
We took the next day to relax, just as I had promised Esme. I did anything I could for her so she could rest, and it was a success. She and Chelsea had a girls' day with Rosalie, which included painting nails, and brushing hair, and other things I wasn't familiar with. I took an easy approach and just bundled up the boys so Alec and I could take them outside. The slow day was exactly what we needed after the hectic weekend, and it set a nice pace for the remainder of Chelsea and Alec's visit.
The next day, I was reluctant to go to work, but it couldn't be avoided. Chelsea and Alec assured me that they didn't mind, but I still felt guilty that I wasn't home during the day. Their visit hadn't stopped our lives, though, and I needed to work as much as possible to make sure I would have the time off that I wanted for the holidays.
When I did have free time, we took Chelsea and Alec to explore the city, visiting as many museums and attractions as we could. They enjoyed the Space Needle as I expected they would, and the kids liked it, too. No one seemed to have a fear of heights, even though we almost wished they did. It was a chore to keep the boys from the guard rails, but nonetheless a fun trip.
We still had our weekly visit with Siobhan, and we took Chelsea and Alec with us. Esme and I were excited to share the progress there had been with Rosalie starting on Halloween and continuing after that. Siobhan was thrilled with how things were going between me and Rosalie and assured me that this was a sign of good things to come.
Siobhan was also impressed by how quickly Rosalie and Jasper had adjusted to their aunt and uncle. After a couple days, Jasper was no longer hesitant around either of them, and Rosalie had grown to love her "Aunt Sea." The fact that they could get used to new people so quickly showed how far they had come in the few months they had lived with us. Rosalie's issue with men wouldn't be changing any time soon, but this quick progress was more than we ever dreamed. Siobhan's praise was just icing on the cake.
Our weeks with Chelsea and Alec passed quickly, and before we knew it, it was Thanksgiving. It was bittersweet because we were excited about the holiday, but it also meant that our time with our family was over. Their flight was scheduled to depart on Saturday, and we were sad to see them go.
Our Thanksgiving dinner was very similar to our past ones, but different at the same time. We went to Carmen and Eleazar's house to eat the delicious meal that was prepared by Esme, Carmen, and a little help from Chelsea. It also still involved us watching football as we ate dessert, and the kids napping wherever they dropped.
But somehow the difference could be felt by everyone, the difference that came from now having Rosalie and Jasper in our lives. This was another holiday that we were able to teach them about, and it was very meaningful for our family. Thanksgiving was a time for us to thank God for all of our blessings, and those babies were the biggest blessing we had received over the past year. They had brought so much joy to us, and I loved being able to reflect back on how our lives were better.
It was sad when the holiday ended and we had to see our family leave, but the holiday season wasn't even close to being over.
Christmas would be here in less than a month along with all the excitement that came with it. I couldn't wait for Rosalie and Jasper to experience it, and for us to be able to teach them what Christmas truly was.
Somehow, I had a feeling that it would be the best Christmas ever for the whole family. I just didn't know how right I was.
A/N: Sorry this took so long...again. Hopefully I have my act together now. Most of this wasn't written until yesterday, so thank you Mel for writing with me.
Perfect Love does have a beta now, and she is amazingly awesome at polishing these chapters. I love her bunches for helping me out. =)
Also, PL has been nominated in the Avant Garde Awards. Thank you so much to whoever nominated me, and check out the link on my profile to see all the nominations and vote when the time comes. The Sunflower Awards are now open for voting, and you'll find the link to that on my profile as well.
Feel free to review and let me know what you think. Signed reviewers will receive a teaser, and I think it will be a good one. The next chapter is definitely a fun one! ;)