1921, Pittsburgh

[themidnightson]

Afternoon class was canceled on the account of a power failure on their floor.

They'd been asked to wait the first half hour while someone tried to fix it, but then they'd been sent home with a time table for when the lecture would be reconvened and the promise of it being fixed tomorrow. Though what the speaker was thinking was that he was promising phone calls tomorrow if the problem hadn't been handled and that someone was going to lose their job over it and hopefully it wasn't him.

With no need to stop anywhere else, Edward went home.

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[themidnightson]

"Gone." Edward looked at the curtain.

Both for himself and through her eyes. She actually had an opinion of what it should look like, whether she liked it. He just saw hanging curtains over a window.

"My parents both died in the week before--"

[mamavamp.livejournal.com]

"Oh, Edward, I'm sorry."

Esme was slightly embarrassed about bringing up a difficult topic. She, of all people, knew how hard it was to lose loved ones.

[themidnightson]

"It's alright," he said, very quietly.

He's thinking about it, what he does remember.



And then;

"I took care of them for weeks before it happened."

[mamavamp.livejournal.com]

"And then you got sick yourself," she said.

Her respect for him grew at that point. Other young men wouldn't have stayed and risked getting ill themselves. Her brothers certainly wouldn't have.

[themidnightson]

Edward had meant to shrug, but only his head tilted over and back faintly. His tone addressed her thoughts as well as her words. "They were my parents. They'd done everything they could for me for nearly two decades. I loved them."


He was certain of all that.

It had been bigger than any differences.

[mamavamp.livejournal.com]

Esme nodded. "I'm sure they loved you as well."

Despite only knowing her son for a few days, she knew how powerful the parent-child bond was.

[themidnightson]

"They did," Edward got a wry wisp of a smile, as his head shook this time. "Even if we rarely saw eye to eye. My mother and I especially."

She hadn't liked his plans--his dreams and goals--for his future.

[mamavamp.livejournal.com]

"I know a little about what that's like."

Esme's parents always accused her of having airs. She didn't understand what was so wrong about wanting to have more than a life on a farm.

[themidnightson]

"You definitely have that now," Edward said, quiet chuckle in his voice. He glanced over, harmlessly teasing, "Unless you change your mind. We could find you a small farm house. Might be easier than having to be surrounded by people during your first year."


Not that Edward had ever considered any of Carlisle's offers likewise.

And Carlisle had been serious in his, where Edward wasn't.

[mamavamp.livejournal.com]

Esme started for a moment and then laughed. "I guess I'll have to get used to you responding to things I don't actually say."

It still unsettled her a little, mostly because of the dark things in her past, but she was learning to accept it.

[themidnightson]

Edward's expression was instantly contrite, edged in some embarrassment and reluctance. Maybe even a touch of annoyance at both the secondary ones. He hadn't been thinking about it. He didn't here.

"Carlisle," he paused on the name uncertain how to explain. "With Carlisle I've been used to both hearing and being talked to that way. It helps in certain situations, but I do manage not to address people at my school so."

"I could make an effort not to," He offered. "If it would be easier for you?"

[mamavamp.livejournal.com]

"No, it's okay," Esme said. "I want you to be comfortable with me."

She was surprised to realize that she truly meant that. "It will just take me some time to get used to it."

And hopefully learn to keep her thoughts at least somewhat in check.

[themidnightson]

The relief and gratitude is surprising on his part.


"Which room is next?"

[mamavamp.livejournal.com]

"Carlisle's," she said with a slight smile.

She sincerely hoped that he wasn't picking up on any thoughts she may have had (or was currently having) about Carlisle's bedroom.

[themidnightson]

He kept his face clear as he could, and chose the most innocuous one present, while heading in the direction of Carlisle's bedroom with her. "You're going to decorate with his old stuff, too?"

[mamavamp.livejournal.com]

Esme nodded. "There are some new pieces as well. I can do the same for you."

[themidnightson]

"Whatever you pick will work fine," Edward said, picking up the far end of the newest curtain.

[mamavamp.livejournal.com]

"I'd like to make sure it matches your other things," Esme said.

[themidnightson]

He exhaled, looking for the curtain rod.

"I don't have other things."

[mamavamp.livejournal.com]

The curtains were forgotten as Esme turned, frowning at Edward.

"You mean to tell me that you haven't accumulated any belongings in the past two years?"

Thoughts of Carlisle's shopping spree for her danced through her mind and she wondered idly why Edward hadn't received the same treatment.

[themidnightson]

"I didn't bring anything with me originally." They took two years to travel with suitcases as props more than anything. "I haven't kept much between places that wasn't for classes."

What was the rhyme or reason to that?

What he held most dear of this life could not hang on a wall.

"It was a very different life style than yours will be."

[mamavamp.livejournal.com]

"What do you mean by that?"

It's not like Carlisle wants any kind of real relationship with her... no, she wasn't going to go down that train of thought again.

[themidnightson]

"This place is important to you," he says, punctuating it with the swish sound of the curtain going on to the rod. "How and whether it looks and feels right and pays homage to. What it can accomplish or evoke, remind of or comfort from."

Even if it's with pillow patterns and curtains.

"It was never a focus before."

[mamavamp.livejournal.com]

Esme considered his words.

"And you have a problem with that?"

Not that she had the slightest clue what that problem might be, but something about his words and the way he said them gave her that impression.

[themidnightson]

Edward faintly frowned, surprised at her conclusion.

"I don't. It's just different."

Beat.

"Ready."

He held up the curtain ready to be placed.