“Goodbye Elena, I'll be home shortly..the doctor just needs to fix my leg” I smelt the blood that must have been flowing to her cheeks. Her sister laughed. “Silly me, always falling” Esme said.

“He is such a gentleman , bringing me all the way here to tend on you, before fixing my leg.” I heard her say.

“Gentleman…very handsome to is he not?” Elena said.

“Yes..yes he is.” Esme said in a tight voice. They giggled and I instantly felt horrible. I had barely checked myself this afternoon, being so enthralled by this simple human girl, and I could feel the same lift in heart, the same desire as with Chiori. Was there no end to my audacity?

I insisted on paying the carriage for her to go to my office, and when we got to my clinic I payed more excruciating attention and time to preparing the plaster just right, and to spreading it in the right amount, just to covet more time with her, my new obsession. I was postponing the time of her departure because I knew that after this I was going to be avoiding that area of town, and avoiding her because of my ridiculous but dangerous adoration. When I was eventually finished she started to dig in her bag for something.

“How much would this cost?…not to mention helping me so diligently..” she muttered, embarrassed.

“Nothing at all Esme. It was my pleasure” I said.

“You're too kind” she said, it sounded as if she meant as a small insult.

I smiled at her.

“Now, let me escort you to a carriage back home, make sure you rest, I don't want you hobbling after your sister twenty-four hours of the day now okay?” I laughed. Her musical laughter joined in.

“I'll do my best” she said.

“Goodbye” I said with a small nod as I helped her into the carriage car.

“Goodbye…oh I have not even learned your name!” she exclaimed.

“Carlisle” No need for a last name.

“Well thank you Carlisle, truly I'd most likely still be crawling down the street without you” she laughed. I hid a grimace at that image.

“Goodbye Esme. Have a good day.” I said smiling and waving as the carriage set off.

“Goodbye Carlisle” she waved.

And I waved back. It felt to me, as if I would not be able to avoid attaching myself to the humans I met along my years. Wherever I could run, there would be a poor lady, a small child, a kindly elder, that I would become attached to and not be able to ignore them as a monster like me should. Compassion was more than a part of me, It was me. I could not rid myself of the images of the graceful woman, Esme.

Adieu Esme.