The Wonder of You

Paula was quiet through dinner. She just stared at her food, her mind running at a million miles per second as she tried to wrap her mind around what Rosalie had told her.

Dinner soon ended and she ran upstairs to think in bedroom. She knew she wanted to forgive all of them, but she wasn’t sure if she wanted to be with Emmett again.

It wasn’t a matter of love; she still loved him more than anything in the world but it was a matter of pride. She wasn’t sure if she could forgive him for the humiliation that he had made her go through.

“What’s on the agenda for today Suzy,” asked Carlisle with a dazzling smile spread across his handsome face.

Suzy was momentarily stunned, but when she regained her composure she responded, “Well you have a physical scheduled for 9:15.”

“Alright thank you. Can you give me the chart,” he asked her politely.

Suzy quickly handed him the chart, wanting to impress him with her quickness and said, “Here it is sir.”

Carlisle smiled and picked up the chart and was shocked to see Paula’s name on it. He asked the nurse if this was correct, because he is not her doctor but she informed him that Ms. Lombardi had personally asked for him.

He rubbed the back of his neck like a nervous seventeen year old boy that was about to meet his girlfriends parents. Carlisle walked into the waiting room and sure enough there was Paula reading a magazine.

“Miss Lombardi,” he called.

Paula looked up from her magazine and shot him a friendly smile. She stood up and walked over to him, hugging him. Carlisle was taken aback by this act of friendship and hugged her back fiercely.

The pair walked towards the room where Carlisle would be conducting her physical. He leant down and grabbed a hospital gown from the cupboards and was about to give it to Paula when she said, “There’s no need for that.”

“But I’m gonna give you a physical, you have to wear this in order for me to give you a physical,” responded a very confused Carlisle.

Paula let out a toothy grin and replied, “Nah. I just, I wanted to talk to you in private.”

“Really,” he asked her, clearly shocked by her words.

“Yeah, I got you something from my journey.”

Paula dug into her pocket and handed Carlisle a box. Carlisle took the box from Paula’s hand and opened it slowly revealing a beautiful vintage watch that was hidden inside.

He hugged her again, truly touched that she had remembered him when she had been out there on the road. Paula was confused she heard him crying but didn’t feel any tears, and then she remembered the deal about vampires.

“Calm down Carlisle, there ain’t no need for tears,” she said as she chuckled lightly.

“Yes, there is. I was horrible we were all horrible. We should’ve told you about Rosalie, but I didn’t think it was our place. I thought that if anyone was going to tell you that it would be Emmett, I’m so sorry.”

“It’s ok Carlisle. I think you’ve torn yourself more than you shoulda. I’m fine and I wanted to tell you I’m sorry for not talking to you. I was just so hurt, cuz I look up to you, ya know? You’re like this angel, perfection, you’re never mad you’re always nice so the fact that you knew about her and didn’t tell me well it just made me go ape. That reminds me I’m sorry for yelling at your kids.”

“They deserved it,” he responded.

“Yeah they did. I just lose it when people don’t respect their family, but Rosalie talked to me yesterday.”

“Rosalie?”

“You guys don’t give her as much credit as she deserves. She may be mean, but she has a heart of gold and she knows right from wrong. She’s an exemplary person. If it hadn’t been for her, I’d still be blinded by my pride.”

“So does this mean you’re coming over to the house today?”

“No, what are you crazy? This means that we, as in you and I, have yet again established our friendship.”

“What about the rest of my family?”

“All in due time my kind sir. Are your kids home?”

“No, Rosalie took everyone but Esme on a trip.”

Paula hugged Carlisle and left his office. She put her bike helmet on and rode her bicycle to the florist. She picked up a very beautiful bouquet and put it in a container so they wouldn’t get ruined. Then she was on her way to the Cullen household.

Esme stared out the window, she knew that Paula would most likely never return to her home, but she could not help but hope that maybe this would be the day she would come back.

Esme had been staring out the window since Carlisle left at eight, and it was now 1 in the afternoon.

She decided that she needed a break from staring out the window and just as she was about to make her way towards her bedroom, she heard a very familiar bicycle bell ring.

Esme ran outside with her vampire speed and caught up to where Paula was. Paula smiled and jumped off her bike letting it fall to the floor; she ran to Esme’s open arms and hugged her tightly.

Esme couldn’t help but cry as she held Paula in her arms, she had missed this child most dearly, as if she were her own flesh and blood.

Esme pulled away and took a good look at Paula. Paula handed her a bouquet of flowers which caused Esme to smile and kiss Paula’s cheek.

“I got you something else,” said Paula as she tried to keep her composure.

She took out a little box and handed it to Esme. Esme gasped when she saw the inside, it was a beautiful white gold necklace and the pendant on the necklace was that of a mother and child.

“Oh my dear you do not know how much I have missed you! I must say I’m sorry till the end of time to make it up to you.”

“Esme you know you don’t have too. I’m over it really. I’ve gotten all the anger out of me.”

“So you’re not mad?”

“No, if I was mad at you would I be in your house giving you a necklace right now?”

“I guess not.”

“exactly.”

“Do you mind if I make you some lunch?”

“Of course not Mama Esme!”

Esme laughed and quickly put together a delicious meal for Paula. As soon as Paula finished eating she rode off on her bicycle, she didn’t want to leave her scent lingering in the house.

Carlisle got home from work that day and noticed that the kids were gone; Esme informed him that they were going to back in two days since they were trying to relax in Alaska and clear their minds.

Esme smiled and said, “She was here today! She gave me a necklace.”

“Oh honey that’s so good to hear. She stopped by the office in the morning.”

“I’m so happy Carlisle, I feel like things are gonna finally work out.”

The next day Paula woke up early and cooked breakfast for her family. As she waited for them to wake up she cleaned the house, so her mom could take the day off and relax.

After breakfast she took her younger brothers out with her, because she had too buy a few things from Portland.

They walked into an antique shop and bought a very old copy of Jane Eyre. After that Paula headed into the Disney Store and bought a large plush Tinkerbelle.

Finally Paula wandered down to a pretty lame store for teenage girls. She walked in and saw the assortment of “best friend” jewelry that they had and she bought the girliest and pinkest ones they had.

After all that shopping was done Paula and her brothers headed over to the local movie house where they caught a movie and then they began the drive back to their house.

That night Paula took off to the Cullen’s place. When she got there Carlisle and Esme were sitting on their porch in rocking chairs. They immediately ran over to her, smothering her with hugs and kisses.

“What are you doing here so late Paula?”

“I want to leave something for the kids.”

The six of them had expected for this trip to make them feel better, but it made them feel even worse.

Well it made everyone feel worse except for Rosalie and Emmett, because Rosalie had broken up with Emmett and Emmett was now free to attempt to woo Paula.

Esme and Carlisle hugged their children as they walked into the house. Alice and Jasper walked into their room, they made their way over to their bed and stopped when they saw something on their bed. Alice screamed when she saw a large Tinkerbelle doll on her bed, she saw that it had a note in its hand.

Jasper saw a box on his side of the bed, he opened it and saw that inside there was a very colorful bracelet in there. He smiled as he read what it said, best, he couldn’t help but unleash a wave of happiness throughout the house.

Edward and Bella stared at the box on their bed skeptically. Finally Edward walked over to open it and there was an old copy of Jane Eyre, he smiled and showed it to Bella. They opened the front cover and there in very neat writing Paula had written something.

Bella began to read it aloud, “Life appears to me too short to be spent in nursing animosity or registering wrongs.”

Paula lay in her bed; she had the lights off and the window open, she was expecting visitors that night. They arrived all bunched together; Alice, Jasper, Edward and Bella stormed in through the window and jumped on Paula’s bed hugging her.

“Someone here’s still human,” croaked Paula when her air supply was running low.
They backed off when Paula said that and sat around the bed. Paula smiled and said, “I take it you like my apology gifts?”

“They’re perfect, but you know you don’t have to apologize.”

“Of course I did! I was out of line when I spoke to you!”

“No, you told us the truth no matter how hard it was to hear.”

“I think we should put that in the past and start our friendship all over again, clean slate.”

“Are you talking to Emmett yet?”

“Let’s focus on us.”

They spoke for two hours, and when they saw Paula begin to grow sleepy they excused themselves and began leaving the house. Jasper stayed behind and hugged Paula, Paula just rested her head on his chest taking in his scent.

She really loved Jasper like an older brother, she felt that he would look out for her and take care of her when things got bad.

Jasper pulled away and said, “It’s official.”

“What is?”

“That we’re best friends.”

Paula looked down and saw the pink bracelet on his hand; she pulled hers out and put her hand next to his. He smiled and kissed her goodnight on the forehead and left.

The next morning Paula got dress in a pair of tight jeans and a white tank, she grabbed her messenger bag that contained Suzy’s note and hopped on her motorcycle to go into the forest and think a little bit.

She pulled out the note, expecting to find that Suzy had written a long rant, but there in very neat cursive stood one word, BELIEVE.

Paula sighed and jumped on her bike, today was the day she confronted Emmett.

Emmett sat in his room staring at the ceiling, that’s right his own room because as soon as Rosalie and him got back they went into their own rooms since they were no longer together. Emmett was currently trying to think of a way to woo Paula, when he heard someone fall in through his window.

“Son of a bitch!”