𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐟𝐭 | carlisle cullen (2)

(𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐢𝐱) cleansed soul

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ESTE COULD HEAR THE FAINT SOUND of opera music playing as she knocked on the door of Edward's attic bedroom. She believed the track had been 'Claire De Lune'. Este had never been one for songs without words but she appreciated it's calmness nonetheless, she was nervous for what she was about to do.

"Come in" Edward called easily.

Este took another calming breath before she pushed the door open and stepped into the room. Edward was sat next to Bella on his sofa. She had a book between her hands, staring at annotations scribbled in pencil. Edward loved writing in books, he got that from Este who wrote more than she read.

"Can I help you?" Edward frowned as he delved into the opening waters of her mind.

Este didn't hide anything. She clearly laid out her intentions to Edward who seemed to smile rather thankfully.

"I was hoping I could talk to Bella" Este replied despite Edward's awareness of this fact.

The girl looked up in surprise, the book laying slack in her hands. Previously her eyes had been burning into the book with the intention to slip right through the pages. They hadn't talked properly, not since before the vote. Este knew at some point she had to have the conversation she was dreading. The explanation and the letting go. She couldn't hold her fort of anger while it was harming those around her.

Bella looked anxiously towards Edward and she felt a knot of bitterness inside her under the knowledge the girl was scared. Of course she was. Este had gone from her teacher to a vampire mother with a blood lust intent on killing her. As well as that she'd yelled at her, calling her foolish and naive while claiming she didn't have a place in their family, a sanctuary in their ranks.

Este hadn't gone about things brilliantly. She supposed speaking her mind always allowed words to become jumbled until she was unsure what she was saying anymore. There wasn't regret in her standing. Este had wanted the best for Bella but it was increasingly clear that the girls standpoint turned this optimism into dust. She would never be happy with things as they were.

Edward gave Bella an encouraging smile, squeezing her hand before he stood up and walked elegantly out of his own room. He'd go bother his siblings for a while. It had been a good amount of time since he'd had a petty squabble with Rosalie.

"What is it you want to say?" Bella asked curiously as Este shut the door behind her. The comfort from Edward seemed to have been all it took to calm her panicked spirits.

Este walked carefully to the arm chair at the other side of the room and sat within it in a graceful manner. She sighed to herself, staring out the window at the stretches of trees that seemed to go on for miles. Bella's curiosity filled the room.

"I knew I'd have to talk to you at some point" Este turned calmly to Bella, her hands clasped on her knees in front of her, "to explain myself"

"Edward's already told me" Bella replied. Her tone was almost final as though she didn't want to hear anything that the woman had to say. Este tried not to let this bother her. She was sure at some point Bella would've listened to anything she had to say. Would've seen her words as a pit of logic and now she surrounded them with worry.