Old Soul

Chapter Sixteen: Back to the Cullens

The next morning, I pull on a plain white t-shirt and a pair of short overalls. I throw my hair up into a ponytail before heading downstairs.

Before I can even grab my customary Pop-Tart, my mom starts bombarding me.

"How was your date?" She asks, perched at the kitchen table, ready to strike. My dad, who I'd managed to keep in the dark, is sitting beside her, sipping his coffee. That is, until he hears about my date when he spits out his coffee, looking at me wide-eyed.

"Date?" He chokes, wiping his mouth with the paper towel my mom grabs for him.

"You didn't know? She went out with that Cullen boy."

"I thought you said you were just friends." My dad is accusatory, eyeing me with the suspicion I assume he reserves for suspects in his private investigations.

"At the time you asked, we were. It was just a date. Not a big deal." The last thing he needs to worry about is this date. He should feel worried that Emmett is a vampire that has quite literally killed me in the past, but that's neither here nor there, and I don't want to worry him further. At that moment, the doorbell rings and my mom heads to open the door.

"Good morning, Mrs. Lewis. Is Raquel in? I wanted to see if she'd like to go out and spend the day with me." Emmett's baritone voice is impossible to mistake. I hurry over to the front door, hoping to prevent my mom from embarrassing me, grabbing my coat on the way, throwing it over my arm.

"That's right! I almost forgot, Emmett and I made plans for today. I'll be back this evening, okay? Love you!" I say in a whirlwind, throwing on some sneakers and closing the door behind me, pulling Emmett along behind me.

"Go, go, go!" I mutter, making Emmett laugh.

"Something wrong? Or are you just that enthused to see me?"

"Unless you want the third degree from my father, who just found out about our date, we need to get out of here. Now." Emmett helps me up into the Jeep before crossing to the driver's side.

"Where are we going?" I try to hide my hope that we'll be going back to the small clearing.

"My house. Esme misses you, and Alice has been pestering me nonstop to meet you again. She's disappointed that Bella does not share her love of fashion. She has higher hopes for you."

"I have a feeling she'll be disappointed again."

When we make it to his house, Emmett helps me out of the Jeep. When he sets me on the ground my stomach grumbles, reminding me that I made my escape from my house before I got any breakfast.

"C'mon, let's get you something to eat." Emmett says, guiding me towards the house with a hand on the small of my back.

"You have food? Like, human food?" I ask. Emmett just laughs and holds the door open for me, ushering me inside.

Esme is seated on a white plush couch, watching—or, pretending to watch—TV. She rises once I've crossed the threshold, approaching me and offering a hug. I step into her chilly embrace, her soft caramel-colored curls brushing my cheek.

"I'm so glad you've come back, Raquel. I was so worried when you were kidnapped and we almost lost you. I felt as though I failed you."

"Esme," I squeeze her tighter, knowing I can't hurt her. "Please don't blame yourself. I'm alive, thanks to Emmett and Carlisle." She releases me, stepping back and gesturing at me to follow her to the impeccably clean, clearly never-used kitchen. She sits beside me at the giant table while Emmett goes rummaging through cabinets.

"Do I need to worry about him trying to cook?" I whisper to Esme, well aware Emmett will hear me.

"Not at all," She laughs, the sound tinkling like chips of ice falling onto glass. "In the pantry, Emmett."