Made of Glass (Esme POV)

A Chapter by Charlie

An inside look at what the Cullens think of Dolly and Edward from Esme's point of view.

“Why would he bring her here? What’s wrong with them hanging out at the bar like always?”

“Really it’s like he enjoys putting her life in the most amount of danger possible.”

“Oh come on guys. This is his house too. Why shouldn’t he be as comfortable here as the rest of us?” said Jasper

“Because the rest of us aren’t dating lunch!” Emmett retorted

“Oh come now, Emmett. None of us are going to eat her.” I said while staring suspiciously out the window at the two of them. I was trying to have an open mind about the whole relationship like Edward suggested but it was hard with them being so reckless. Dolly was sitting on the hood of Edward’s car enjoying an ice cream cone and Edward was leaning with one arm resting on the hood in very close vicinity to her.

They seemed to be laughing but I couldn’t hear anything over my family’s bickering behind me. They had all gathered together in the hall to watch the couple flirt in the front yard. Edward was doing a very noble job of ignoring us.

“Could he be standing any closer to her? Keeping an arm’s length is not only the safe and prudent thing to do it’s only proper,” Rosalie complained.

“This isn’t the eighteenth century anymore, Rose. People are allowed to do more than shake hands before they get married,” Poor Jasper was very much alone in his defense of the young couple. He had been hanging out at the bar with the two of them more and more in the past couple of weeks and it seems the little elf- I shouldn’t call her that. She’s probably a sweet girl just very foolish. It seems the . . . waitress had wiggled herself into his good graces as well. Neither of the boys had anything but praise for the little one. I for one couldn’t see what was so special about her no matter how hard I tried.

“Maybe people, but not vampire/human relationships.” Rosalie argued back to Jasper.

“Ugh, you people are hopeless and sooo . . . traditional!” Jasper spat out angrily before leaving the spying party.

Traditional wasn’t usually a word that got applied to my family. We had been willing to turn our backs on the entire vampire community to maintain our morals but we couldn’t manage to welcome one little girl into our family?

No. We couldn’t. Being vegetarians was the right thing to do. This was wrong and dangerous.

Still it had been so long since Edward had looked so happy.

I watched intently as Dolly wiggled the ice cream cone in Eddie’s face and he gave a disgusted look. She laughed and took a long lick of the frozen concoction with a smug look on her face. Edward made a grab for the cone but she jerked it away from him and held it high above her head out of his reach. Edward was clearly just playing with her if he wanted the ice cream cone then he wouldn’t have had any probably getting it from her. Instead they engaged in a small game of grab and dodge in which Dolly was clearly winning. Until Edward climbed onto the hood alongside her reached across her body to where she held the cone as far away from herself as her tiny arms would allow.

I heard the entire family gasp when he practically threw his whole body across her for the silly ice cream that he couldn’t even eat. Now this wrestling match really was too close and yet Edward didn’t seem to be having any trouble controlling himself. He was loose and free and just doing what he wanted laughing all the while.

Eventually it was Edward that gave up and stormed off away from the car with a faux angry face painted across his features. He crossed his arms and pouted like a child. I could see the trouble he was having keeping away his smile by the way the corners of his mouth twitched.

Dolly quickly hopped off the car and ran after him throwing her arms around his neck from behind and apologizing sincerely. Another gasp followed from all in the peanut gallery except me. Edward didn’t even seem remotely affected by the surprise close contact.

Edward gave in and turned to face her. She offered the ice cream cone up in front of her so that he could have a lick.

Another gasp.

“Ew. How disgusting. Ya know where milk comes from don’t you?” Alice commented with her nose scrunched up.

Edward leaned forward to have a lick but before he got there she shoved the entire ice cream cone in his face and wiped it all around his mouth and nose. Then she doubled over in hysterics at her action.

I watched Edward closely. I knew it was never good to get his temper going. He stood frozen for a second, eyes squeezed shut. Then he slowly opened them and stared at Dolly with tears rolling down her cheeks. The entire family tensed ready to rush out to the yard to restrain Edward as he made his attack.

He did attack but it was nothing that any of us were expecting. He made a very slow lunge for Dolly but she twisted out of the way and let out a shriek. It wasn’t a scream of terror just of surprise but more than that it was a scream of pure delight. Like a child running from her father as he chases her with fingers curled and ready for tickling. She sprinted across the yard looking over her shoulder and Edward darted after her. Still moving very slowly so that she would have a small chance to get away. Everyone had to know that Edward was going to win but he let it drag out for a while.

“What are they doing?” Alice asked confused.

“They’re playing, Alice. Surely you must have done something like that in your life?” I responded sweetly still watching the couple.

“It’s a pretty sick game.” Alice said disgusted “Let’s see how far we can push this before I accidentally snap your neck”

I didn’t listen to Alice’s reply. Edward had caught his prey and now they were both rolling on the ground the rolls of laughter coming right after each other. I looked intently at Edward’s face. There was a look there that hadn’t been there in this decade. It was pure euphoria and simple rightness. He had been searching for so long for the place he belonged. He blamed himself and the family that he had never found it before. It turns out it was none of our faults. It was just that the place hadn’t existed yet because she hadn’t been born. Now she was here and he was with her. He finally found his place, his home and there was no way I would ever try to take that away from him.

I needed to start keeping food in the house. I bet she could use a nice glass of lemonade and some cookies right about now. It looked pretty hot outside.

I stepped away from the window.

“Something wrong, love?” Carlisle asked me without taking his eyes off the pair.

“Actually things are pretty much perfect,”

Everyone looked at me as I walked out the front door to the happy couple.

Gasp again.

They stopped rolling around on the ground as I approached. Edward bolted upright and gave me a confused look. He leaned a little closer to Dolly almost in a defensive position. I’m sure it was subconscious. He just didn’t like vampires approaching his love. Still it alarmed me that he would take a fighting stance when his own mother approached. I felt absolutely horrid about my behavior. How could I have forced him to choose between his family and the love of his life? I was forcing him away from us and into her arms. He shouldn’t have to pick sides. I was going to show him that it didn’t matter what side he was on, I would be there with him.

“Looks like you two are enjoying this fine morning!” I said with as much warmth as I could muster and a bright smile.

Edward scrambled to his feet and offered Dolly a hand to help her up. Such a gentlemen, someone certainly raised him right.

She ignored it and helped herself up. So independent, someone didn’t do a half bad job with her. I’m sure Edward mentioned where she was from. I would have to ask her about her family.

“Dolly, this is my mother, Esme,” Edward formally introduced us.

Dolly immediately stuck out her hand with a bright smile.

I stared out it for a moment. Strange that anyone would be so willing to meet a vampire let alone touch them. I know that Carlisle had stopped offering handshakes when he met people because they were almost always uncomfortable touching him yet she seemed completely relaxed with vampires already.

I took her hand in both of mine and gave it one gentle shake.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Cullen” Dolly said gaily.

“Oh don’t be ridiculous you may call me Esme. I want us to be good friends!”

Edward gave a quick confused and shocked look from me to Dolly and then back to me.

Dolly didn’t miss a beat her smile got wider, “I would like that very much. Edward is very fond of you.”

“As he is of you,”

A small blush spread across her cheeks. She smelled quite nice.

“What do you two have planned for today?” I asked.

Edward still stood shocked at my peace offering and wasn’t able to respond.

“Edward promised me a tour of the house and a look at his piano, but he thought it would be a good idea to wait until the buzzards got bored and stopped circling.” She gave a pointed look at the window that the rest of the family stood staring at the three of us through. Quite observant that girl, and unbothered by what other people think of her. That’s good.

My eyebrows shot up at the directness of her comment, but then let out a small laugh.

“Let me see what I can do for you, honey,” I winked at her. “I’m hoping you’ll come around here a lot more often.”

I decided that was a good enough beginning for today. I gave them both a quick departing smile and headed back toward the house to shoo away the buzzards.

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