Page 49

After an hour or two, of fixing Bella's truck, Pearl's stomach started to rumble.

Having not had anything substantial to eat today, she finished up with the truck and headed to the kitchen.

Meeting up with Esme and Bree who were cooking.

They were preparing food for the hybrid.

Pearl sat on a stool by the island and watched the two.

They knew that Pearl was there as they had heard her come in.

They were more than happy to accept Pearl's company while they cooked.

"Make sure that the pan doesn't boil over Bree." Esme warned.

"Right" Bree replied, turning down the heat of the stove.

'Esme looks right at home here. It's clear she enjoys cooking a lot.' Pearl thought, and decided to ask about it.

"Have you always liked cooking Esme?" Pearl questioned.

"I love to cook. I used it as my escape when I was human. And now that you and Bella are in the house, I can do it more as a vampire too, since there are people to enjoy it." Esme happily responded to the hybrid.

'An escape?' Pearl wondered what she meant by that, but thought better of asking.

"What about you dear? Do you like cooking?" Esme asked Bree.

"I liked cooking when I was human. Wasn't very good at it though. My talent comes in on baking. I used to love making deserts. Sweets, cakes and brownies. I had a real sweet tooth." Bree says while smiling.

"I can totally see that." Pearl comments.

"If you ask me, I'd say you're pretty good at cooking." Esme says.

"Thanks" Bree replied, looking down in embarrassment. She would be blushing right now if she could.

"And I can taste what you guys make, so I can confirm that everything you make tastes amazing." Pearl said while grinning.

Bree gasps, getting an idea. Immediately turning to Pearl, she asks, "If I start making deserts again, will you be my official taste tester for them?"

Pearl was slightly taken aback by the pure excitement flowing off of Bree. She could feel it in full force from the imprint bond. The warmth it produced was a wonderful feeling, so Pearl was quick to agree. "Sure. I can do that."

"Yes!" Bree exclaims happily, almost knocking the pan on the stove, over in excitement.

Esme was quick to intervene, and moved the pan out of the way, making sure that Bree wouldn't get hurt.

Esme wanted to scold Bree for her recklessness, but Bree's current happiness and pure excitement made that extremely difficult.

It was impossible for the matriarch to get the words out, so she just smiled warmly at the girl instead, enjoying her happiness.

After a moment had passed and the vampires had gone back to preparing a meal for Pearl. Bree decided to ask Esme about something she's been wondering for a while.

"Esme?" Bree gains the matriarch's attention.

"Yes dear." Esme acknowledges.

"How did you and Carlisle meet?" Bree asks shyly.

Esme smiles softly while looking at the vegetables she was preparing. Pearl could see a hint of sadness behind the woman's eyes.

Esme hums and replies to Bree, "I've never told you about my human life, have I?"

Bree shakes her head and looks to Pearl, silently asking if she has been told. Pearl shook her head slightly to Bree, indicating that she hasn't heard about it.

"Well, I was born in 1895 in Ohio. I met Carlisle for the first time when I was 16 years old." Esme reveals.

"Was he already a vampire by then?" Bree asks excitedly.

"Yes dear. Carlisle turned in 1663. When he was 23 years old." Said Esme, while smiling at the young vampire.

"So, he was born in 1640, then?" Bree says, unsure.

Esme nods to confirm.

'Esme looks older than 16. And she mentioned a first time. Does that mean, she met him again at a later date?' Pearl wondered.

"He's old." Bree states, rather bluntly. Which causes Pearl to snicker quietly and then try to cover it up with a fake cough.

Esme smiles at the two, and chooses to continue. "I met him in a hospital. I had broken my leg by climbing a tree and falling from it. Carlisle was the doctor who treated me. The local doctor wasn't around at the time."

"He was a doctor back then to?" Pearl voiced out in surprise.

"That's right. He had been a doctor for quite a long time before I met him." Esme answered.

"Did you know that you were mates when you first met?" Bree curiously asked.

"I was attracted to him, but I was human.

I didn't sense a powerful bond. Those bonds, really only form between two vampires, or other paired supernatural beings.

Of course there are exceptions. The two of you are certainly an unusual pair.

And Edward managed to sense his bond to Bella, who is a human. Esme responded.

"Supernatural bonds are weird." Pearl commented.

"That they are dear." Esme agrees with the hybrid.

"So, did Carlisle know? That you were mates, I mean?" Bree questioned.

"He felt a pull, and had his theories. But at the time, I was a little too young, and still, a very healthy human. So once he treated me, I returned back to my human life." Said Esme.

'So that's what she meant by first time. They must have ran into each other again at a later date.' Pearl thought.

Esme continued, "When I was younger, I wanted to move out of my hometown to become a school teacher in the west. Unfortunately, at the time, it was expected of me to stay at home and marry young." She said sadly.

'I don't like where this is going.' Pearl decided. Bree looked at Esme, worry visible on her face.

"When I was 22 I married Charles Evenson." Saying his name, was difficult for the matriarch.

Pearl picked up on the woman's discomfort, and let out an automatic protective growl. Esme smiled calmly at the hybrid and gave her a moment to calm down before continuing. Bree moved to stand next to Pearl, having finished making her part of the meal.

When Pearl was calm and had stopped growling, Esme proceeded with her life story. "Charles was not a nice man. He would force me to do things that, I didn't want to do. And if I tried to refuse at any point, he would hurt me as punishment."

"Sick bastard." Pearl muttered under her breath.

'But she's always so happy. I, never would have guessed...' Bree thought, startled to learn about Esme's dark past. She started to feel a little guilty about asking about it.

Esme ignored Pearl's comment and continued, "Charles was drafted during the 1st World War, so I had a time of peace during my human marriage." Esme smiled slightly at the girls, then took all of the pans off of the stove and served up Pearl's meal.

"It didn't last, did it?" Bree quietly asked.

"No dear, it didn't." Esme responded, sadness present in her tone.

'If I was born back then, Mr Evenson would have got up close and personal with a beautiful silver puppy.

' Pearl internally smirked at the thought.

'What's wrong with people? First Rosalie.

And now Esme. If I wasn't already on the animal diet, I'd be hunting down idiots like Royce and Charles for dinner, on a daily basis.

' Pearl thought while trying to keep herself calm, in order to avoid a giant mass of silver fur exploding in the kitchen.

"Charles returned in 1919 after the war was over. All of his bad behaviour, unfortunately came with him... Some time after he came back, I discovered that I was pregnant." Esme revealed.

Bree audibly gasped and Pearl was surprised, although she tried to keep it more hidden.

Esme carried on speaking, ignoring the girls reactions. "I didn't want to raise my child around him, so I ran away."

'Good. That guy is a fucking arsehole. He doesn't deserve to be a father. Much less a husband.' Pearl internally praised Esme's actions.

"Unfortunately, he was able to follow us. He discovered me in Wisconsin, so I had to flee again. I moved to Ashland and became a school teacher there." Said Esme.

"Have you always liked teaching?" Bree asked curiously, wanting to move onto a slightly lighter topic.

"I love children Bree. And teaching is more or less, the only way I can be around so many of them in this new life.

Since I can't have one of my own anymore.

" She said sadly, but perked herself up and added.

"That's okay though. I have all of you as my kids, and when we move to another city, I'll probably take up a teaching job again. "

Bree smiles brightly at the acknowledgment of being classed as one of Esme's children. Pearl gave Esme a soft smile while staying silent.

Esme sighed and frowned slightly as she looked at the ground.

Debating whether she should continue or not.

Deciding to give a general summary, Esme speaks, "I met Carlisle again in 1921.

My baby, unfortunately had passed away from a lung disease.

I... was not able to deal with all the pain and grief that came with their death.

So I jumped off a cliff, and tried to end my life. "

Bree looked startled by the revelation and seemed quite upset by what had transpired in Esme's human life. She ended up moving away from Pearl to bring Esme into a hug.

"I'm sorry you had to go through all that." Bree spoke quietly into Esme's shoulder.

Esme squeezed her reassuringly and said, "My human life came to an end that day. Carlisle found me in the morgue, my heart was barely beating. He remembered me and ended up biting me. So that I could have a new life." She spoke in a happy tone, when referencing her vampire life.

Bree nodded slowly and calmed down. She was still slightly concerned for the matriarch, but seeing Esme's warm smile, dulled down her worries.

Meanwhile Pearl, was silently fuming. She couldn't believe everything Esme had gone through.

Adding on to the still raw feelings she felt, from hearing Rosalie's tale, she was seriously considering switching to a human blood diet, in order to prevent anyone else from going though something like that.

Or at least to give them the peace of mind that their attackers were gone.

Maybe she should pay the local prison a visit?

Esme, taking note of Pearl's dark expression, spoke up, hoping to calm her down and set her mind straight. "It's okay Pearl. I'm happy with the life I'm leading now... sometimes happy endings, have sad beginnings."

Pearl made eye contact with Esme, and saw the sincerity in her eyes and sighed. "Still doesn't make it right." Pearl muttered.

"No, it doesn't." Esme replied in a serious tone.

"For the record. Charles. Is a douchebag motherfucker, who doesn't even deserve to kiss the ground you walk on. Your soulmate is a way better man than that bastard will ever be." Pearl growled.

"First off. Language." Esme playfully scolded. "Second off. I agree with you. I'm very lucky to have Carlisle." She smiles happily.

"He's lucky to have you." Pearl quickly responds. Causing Esme's smile to grow, as Bree nodded her head in agreement.

Esme and Bree pull away from each other, and the three girls start having a casual conversation. Until eventually, the subject of another vampires human life came up.

"What was your life like when you were human Bree?" Esme asks.