"Dr. Cullen, Dr. Cullen they need you at a home a few streets over. A young lady has a broken leg and they need you. The local doctor is out, hurry Dr. Cullen!" My assistant John informed me. He gave me the address as I gathered my materials. "They are quickly bringing her over!" He called from the next room.
"Prepare the x-ray for use," I called over my shoulder and John scudded off. A few minutes later I heard the door open and the rush of people carrying in a girl. John was leading them to the cot in the x-ray room and placing the coverings on the girl. I hurried down the stairs and met the worried family and friends gathered outside the room where their young daughter was strapped down.
"Oh, doctor..." the woman began but she realized she did not know my name.
"Dr. Carlisle Cullen, miss," I informed her and she nodded. "Could you tell me a little bit about what happened?"
"She fell, just fell from her window!" The young woman's mother explained in between tears. She wiped away her tears and took a few calming breaths. "She won't be a cripple for life will she?"
A black woman who had been silently standing and observing spoke up then, "She did not fall from her window she was climbing down the tree and the branch gave in to her weight. Gravity crashed her to the ground, the rascal Esme."
"Lenette!" The mother hissed under her breath at the woman. "Will she be alright?"
I smiled and informed her, "Well I will have to examine her first," and then I opened the door and walked in to the room. Careful to close and lock it behind me, her parents seemed like the intruding type. I walked over to where the girl lay. She was quite remarkable for a human. She lay there still staring at the ceiling unaware that I had entered the room. She was small, 5'2" at the tallest and she had a petite figure. Her hair cascaded around her and it was the loveliest shade of caramel. Her hair shined in the dim lighting and she seemed to be radiating sunshine. He warm brown eyes were mischievious, friendly and above all curious. I sat down on the stool by the cot and she rolled her head to look at me.
"Hello," I introduced myself. "I'm Dr. Cullen."
"Hi," she said baffled, her voice pretty and alto, like a beautiful melody. "Esme Anne Platt, sir." She attempted moving and grimaced in pain. Biting her lip and drawing blood to the surface. My throat burned in involuntary response and I was ashamed. I help humans, I reminded myself. I help humans.
"We are going to take a few x-rays and see how much damage you have done to your poor body and then I am coming back in here and you are explaining how you ended up in a tree," I told her smiling and standing up. I ran my hands along he leg and she shivered. I yanked my hands away. "Sorry-" I began heading towards the door.
She reached out and wrapped her small hands around my wrist. Her eyebrows were knit with worry,"Please don't leave me.". Esme whimpered.
I removed her hand from my wrist and elf it between my own two hands. "I just need a few x-rays of your leg so I can help you," she was not convinced. "I promise I will come back after that," I promised her readjusting her lead vest so it covered all f her hut her leg. Esme nodded and I rested her arm by her body. I exited the room closed the door and stood with my assistant John as he began taking x-rays. Esme freaked out as the first one went off and I yelled at John. "Stop! Stop!" I screamed at him.
"But Dr. Cullen-"
"You can start again once I am in there!" I directed him.
"You'll surely get radiation poisoning, sir!" John called after me.
"I doubt that, but I will take my chances," I said half sarcastically. I ran in to the room and Esme turned to face me. Het eyes were terrified and I pulled my stool over next to the bed. "Shhh... you're okay." I whispered to her.
Esme reached out and clutched my arms. "You'll surely die," she stated as the second x-ray went off.
"You were upset. I didn't like that, I will take my chances," I informed her as she squeezed my hand with the third x-ray.
"Thank you," Esme smiled up at me and I just lightly sqeezed her hand.
After two more x-rays it was over, much to Esme's delight. She sighed with relief and threw the lead vest to the ground. I helped er sit up and she moaned in pain, but it was a muffled noise. John brought in the x-ray results and I began viewing them. I was ery aware of Esme studying me, which did not help me with the whole "l can not fall for a human, especially one who is only sixteen years old" thing. "Well, Esme," I said finally shattering the silence. "Your leg is most definitely broken. See here," I pointed at a spot on the picture. She nodded but her eyes were studing every detail of my face. "It is a clean break so it should heal nicely, you won't be a cripple for ever. It should be a few monthsod recovery and staying out of mischief but after that I hope you cautiously return to your devious ways." Her cheeks blushed a bright red and she batted her eyelashes staring at the ground.
I was amazed at how even though she as in immense pain she was still bubbling over with happiness. Her smile was lighting up this room brighter than the x-rays and she had this way of being the center of your thoughts, which is really impressive if it works on vampires as well because we are very easily distracted. "How about you tell me how this happened and I want the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth."
Esme giggled and blushed brighter as she me my gaze. "You are going to laugh."
I stare intently at her and shook my head with a slight grin, "Try me."
"Do you believe in true love, Dr. Cullen? In soul mates?"
"I am afraid I don't understand where you are going with this, Miss Platt."
Esme gave an exasperate sigh as I began to wrap her leg. "My mother and father well they came from different classes. My mother the wealthy and beautiful, my father the poor beggar. They fell in love so my mother married him and I was born but she sacrificed her inheritance and everything when she did so. When they se me they see a pretty face, a way of getting back to the wealthy social class. The young gentleman out there, Mr. James King's son, Arnie, they want me to marry him! I don't even want to court the lad but all my parents see are sacks of money. I snuck ou my bedroom window and on to a branch on the nearby willow tree. I was planning on running away in the name of the right to choose who I love. Do you have a child Dr. Cullen?"
I shook my head. "I am afraid I am a loner for life. No wife, no child, no family."
"If you did have a child, Dr. Cullen, would you force them to marry someone just for a higher social class ranking?" Esme asked me.
"No I wouldn't. I would let them choose the person who ha the other half of their soul," I admitted and she gave me a look as if to say case closed. "Promise me you won't do anything to endanger your life. I would hate to see a beautiful happy young girl fallto the evis of this world and be ruined, okay?"
Esme nodded and deep down I really hoped this wasn't our last time seeing each other.
