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Thank you to all my readers,
Me.
-----------------------------------------------------------------Esme sighed, all of the tension melting from her body as she sank into the hot bath. The air crackled and hissed as her icy body touched the scalding water. Steam curled through the air in wispy little tendrils, curling the locks of hair falling from her loose bun.
She rested her head on the rounded edge of the clawfoot bathtub and let her eyes close with a whimper of pure pleasure.
She was determined to enjoy her rare moment of quiet, determined to spend a bit of time not working on the house or breaking up fights between the kids.
Esme shook her head. The children were...a challenge.
Her heart had broken when Edward decided to live on his own. She had tried to stay cheerful during those years, but her son was never far from her mind. Every time a car turned into the drive, her still heart would lurch and her eyes would dart to the window. Carlisle had assured her that he would be back, that Edward wouldn't adapt to the lifestyle of a nomad.
He was right.
One day, he simply came back, walking right into Esme's open arms, his face buried in her shoulder. "Sorry, mom," he had whispered. And with that hug and those words, her heart was mended. It was the first time anyone had ever called her 'mom' and her elation was written clearly across her face.
Rosalie brought new challenges. Esme saw the broken child there, the girl forever trapped in her worst moment, eternally punished for her beauty. She found an easy kinship with Rose, the similarity of their pasts enough to bind them even when she was so intent on shoving everyone away.
Esme worked on her slowly, peeling away the hardened layers as Carlisle once had with Esme's insecurities. Esme loved her instantly, her finely honed motherly instincts taking over when she naturally would have retreated from the lashing out and bouts of bad attitude.
Carlisle's guilt was consuming him. He ached to see Rosalie happy and it pained him to see her so unable to find joy in her new life. She resented him for changing her and she went out of her way to avoid him entirely. He threw himself into work, often finding the hospital a much more inviting place than his own home.
Esme sighed and shifted in the tub, her eyes popping open when a familiar scent wafted through the thick steam.
"Why the sad sigh?" His voice was velvety smooth and her lips curled into an easy smile.
"I thought you had to work late."
Carlisle shrugged and moved to her, tugging his suspenders down as he walked and letting them dangle at his waist. "I just explained to them that I have a gorgeous wife waiting for me at home."
"And that was enough?"
He knelt behind her, one hand skimming the chilled water and the other moving aside the hair escaping her bun. He pressed a kiss to the nape of her neck. "Mmm," he murmured. "Well, that and a new doctor started today."
She laughed lightly and twisted to meet his eyes. "Less time at work?"
He smiled and touched her cheek with an amazed sort of reverence that never failed to take her breath away. "I will try."
Esme leaned forward, her lips still curved as he met her halfway. She lost herself in the kiss, twisting further to wrap an arm around him.
"Where are the kids?" he whispered against her lips.
