Marvellous days

Chapter 49 -Alice?-

In the next week, Anna came over with Avery. She was now visibly pregnant in the 5th month. I was envying her a bit. Carlisle and I hadn’t talked about before recently, which is also understandable with the Volturi looming around, but I always wanted many children and a sibling for Carlie would be so great.

Anna was really glowing with her pregnancy. She was smiling broadly at me and hugged me. “Hi, Avery,” I greeted her sweet little son. “Hello, Aunt Esme,” he greeted me and smiled just like his mother.

“Say how old you are now, Avery,” Anna told him. I looked surprised to her and then to Avery. “I am four now,” he said proudly and held up four fingers. “Really? Oh, belated happy birthday!” I said and kneeled down to hug him. He giggled. “When was his birthday? I’m sorry I forgot,” I said and looked at Anna with an apologizing smile. “Yesterday, his friends are coming over tomorrow,” she said and smiled. I was already forgiven.

“We have a birthday boy over here,” I called and carried him into the living room where nearly everyone was sitting except for Edward, Bella and Nessie and of course Carlisle. “Oh, happy birthday, Avery,” Alice squealed and hugged him, too.

Rose walked over to us with Carlie in one arm and kissed Avery’s cheek. “Happy birthday,” she smiled. Avery blushed and hid in my shoulder. “Oh, he’s blushing,” Alice cooed and Anna laughed. Rose tickled him and he was himself again and laughed with her. Rose let Carlie down and helped her walking with holding both her hands. Together they walked into the winter garden and would be playing probably.

“You can go, too, if you want to, Avery. We have lots of toys there,” I smiled encouragingly at him. He nodded and I let him down so that he can go. We could hear him humming happily while he was playing with Carlie and Rose.

“So, how are you doing?” I asked Anna when she sat down.

“Couldn’t be better right now. The nausea finally subsided and I can eat what I want again,” she laughed, “now comes the great part of pregnancy and I enjoy it although I am getting huge,” she joked. I smirked at her for that. “No, it’s great. John and I are very happy right now. He might take a sabbatical for the first months. We are still thinking about it,” she told me.

“I will go and make some tea,” Alice announced and took Jasper with her. Emmett had already gone over to Rose.

“Have you and Carlisle thought about another little one?” she asked as Alice walked back in. Jasper was probably with the kids as well. Alice looked at with curiosity. “We haven’t really talked about it so far with Carlie on the run lately,” I joked and then got serious, “but I would really like to have another baby,” I told her.

“Yes, they are little miracles,” she mused. I had to laugh. “What?” she asked confused. “Carlisle and I called and still call Carlie our little miracle. We actually weren’t able to have kids on our own and Carlie came totally unexpected. But we loved her since the first second,” I told her.

“Oh, that is so sweet,” Anna cooed and patted my arm. “Yes,” I smiled and stroked my stomach.

“Everything alright, Esme?” Alice asked worriedly. “Yes, I’m fine, just cramps again,” I sighed. Alice sighed. “I had the flu, but I’m okay again, that was why I told you to meet later. I didn’t want you and Avery catching it from me.” “At least you are fine again,” she smiled. “Yes, definitely. It was worse a few days ago.”

Alice walked into the kitchen an hour later. The kids were still playing. Anna was just telling me about tomorrow’s party. Avery wanted a cowboy party and as the weather is quite warm already in March she decided to do it in the garden. It was his first birthday party with friends out of preschool and Anna wanted it to be perfect.

“If you need help, just call or knock. We have enough hands free,” I promised. “Thanks. My mother-in-law and another friend are coming over tomorrow, too, to help and John has his free day. I hope we make it out alive,” she laughed. “Oh, I don’t think that it can get so bad. You’ll see, it will be great,” I said with an encouraging smile.

Suddenly we heard something breaking in the kitchen. Anna didn’t make much out of it, but I did.

If you consider that there are only vampires, who nearly never let anything fall down, then the breaking noise was quite frightening. Jasper walked casually out of the winter garden and smiled at us, but I could look through his façade. He was just as worried as I was.

Anna was again telling me about the magician they had hired and what she was going to cook. I listened to her and nodded while smiling, but my thoughts were over in the kitchen.

A minute later, Emmett walked into the kitchen as well. I was nearly jumping up and I so badly wanted to know what had happened.

Then Alice walked into the room with a polite smile that I knew as the one she was hiding something with. I looked at her with confusion, but she only patted my shoulder and talked with Anna. Jasper and Emmett left the house directly after that. What had happened?

-All rights belong to Stephenie Meyer-