'Ladies and Gentlemen, at this time, would everyone please stand to welcome the members of the wedding party.'
Harriet, God bless her, had taken it upon herself to swap places with me, so that I could enter the ballroom arm in arm with my fiancé. She'd even sent word to the deejay so that he would announce our names correctly.
I hesitated, not wanting to hurt Charlie's feelings, to which my father merely laughed and told me to walk with Edward.
Once inside, we were greeted by a sea of friendly faces. I smiled back, even though I didn't know half of the people in attendance. Edward flashed his Hollywood smile, and I swear I saw a couple of women swoon.
I giggled at their reaction. He did the same thing to me, although I liked to think I'd become good at hiding it in public.
Yeah right.
We walked over to the edge of the dance floor and waited for the bride and groom to appear.
'And now, for the first time, I would like to introduce to you, Mr. and Mrs. Emmett Swan!'
The ballroom broke into uproarious applause as my brother and new sister appeared. They looked deliriously happy as they stood close together in the doorway. Suddenly, the music changed, and Pink's 'Get the Party Started' began to blast from the speakers.
I'm comin' up so you better get this party started
I'm comin' up so you better get this party started
Everyone laughed and applauded as Emmett and Rose made their way over to us, showing off their spectacular dance skills on the way.
Get this party started on a Saturday night
Everybody's waiting for me to arrive
Sendin' out the message to all of my friends
We'll be looking flashy in my Mercedes Benz
As soon as they reached us, Emmett pulled Rose against him, kissed her, and then twirled her around.
I got lot of style, check my gold diamond rings
I can go for miles if you know what I mean
I'm comin' up so you better get this party started
I'm comin' up so you better get this party started
Emmett nodded once to the deejay and Pink faded away, to be replaced by the lovely voice of Etta James singing 'At Last'. Edward pulled me close, wrapping his arms around me, as we watched my brother and Rose dance for the first time as husband and wife.
My heart clenched and my eyes filled with tears as I thought back over the last few years, so happy that Emmett and Rose had finally achieved their 'happy ending'. Every now and then my brother would speak softly in Rose's ear, and she would brush a tear from her cheek. They ended the song with a sweet kiss, after which the deejay handed Emmett the microphone.
He grinned at the assembled guests. "Rose and I would like to welcome all of you today. It means a lot to have our friends and families with us on the most important day of our lives. So, drink up, dinner will be served shortly, and then I want all of you to party your asses off!"
Everyone cheered and clapped as the music started again. Edward and I exited the dance floor, preferring to mingle with a few of the guests before dinner. We made our way to the table where Esme and Carlisle were seated with Dorothy and Duke. We were standing there chatting when a waiter walked by with a tray of appetizers.
At the sight of food, my stomach growled as I abruptly realized that I was starving. I'd barely eaten anything at brunch, and that had been hours before.
When the waiter halted beside us, I grabbed one of everything from the tray. Edward eyed my movements and chuckled as I crammed a stuffed mushroom into my mouth. His smile disappeared as soon as he heard me moan at its deliciousness.
I smirked at his reaction and proceeded to wiggle my eyebrows at him suggestively.
"You lovebirds are too much." Dorothy announced with a laugh. "I could cut the sexual tension in here with a knife."
Esme, Carlisle and Duke chuckled at her statement.
I felt myself blush all the way to my hairline over the fact that we'd been found out by the Cullen family's elderly friend.
Dorothy laughed even harder at my reaction. "Ah Bella, I remember being young and naïve like you. Although you've chosen much wiser than I did the first time." She grinned as she regarded Edward fondly and patted my hand which now rested on the table. "You two are sweet together. You'll make beautiful babies."
Cue the blush once again.
"I'm counting on that!" Esme announced excitedly.
"Dorothy, have you been drinking?" Edward asked with a chuckle. "You know you're not supposed to."
"I wish." She muttered and shook her head. "It's bad enough seeing you young people in love, makes me miss Roy." She sighed before turning to me again and whispering. "Roy was husband number two; I chose wisely that time." She grinned before continuing, "But to be deprived of alcohol and tobacco too..." She shook her head in disgust. "All I know is the day that game shows start to look attractive to me, is the day I hope I eat a bullet." She said with a smile and a wink, assuring us that she was only joking.
Edward and I cracked up. Dorothy was quite a character. I completely understood why the Cullens adored her.
-V&V—
'At this time, I'd like to draw your attention to the bridal table, for the traditional toasts.'
Charlie stood and cleared his throat, champagne in hand. "When I was coming up with what to say for this toast, I thought that maybe a few words welcoming Rose to the family would be appropriate; maybe a bit of advice on how to handle the rough patches that any married couple is certain to face. Also, I thought I would mention the advice my parents gave me on my wedding day." Charlie pursed his lips and turned to face Emmett and Rose, "Rose, I'm not going to welcome you to the family. The truth is that you're already a part of this family, have been for years now, and I can't imagine a better wife for my son, a better sister for Bella, or a better daughter for me, after having already been blessed with one that's damned near perfect." He turned and winked at me then.
That was sweet…
Edward squeezed my hand.
"As for the advice to overcome the rough patches, I think you've already faced more than your fair share of those, and it's only made you stronger. You've learned to rely on each other, which puts you light years ahead of most married folks your age." Emmett and Rose both smiled sadly at Charlie. "As for the last part, I will repeat the advice my parents gave to me, 'Never let the sun go down upon your anger'. It's good advice, and has always served me well." Charlie held the glass up then. "Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Swan. It is written: when children find true love, parents find true joy. Here's to your joy and mine, from this day forward." He grinned. "Yeah, I got that off the internet." He said drawing chuckles from the crowd. "Emmett and Rose, from the bottom of my heart, I wish you many, many happy years together."
"Cheers!" He said as we all held up our glasses and drank to the happy couple. My Dad then turned to my brother. "Don't screw it up."
Emmett gave him a dimpled grin and laughed. "I don't intend to."
Charlie passed the microphone to me. For once, I found I wasn't nervous speaking in front of a large group of people. I turned to face Emmett and Rose with a smile, and cleared my throat.
"Emmett" I tried to speak clearly. "I think the best part of being your little sister is the fact that there has never been a time in my life when I didn't have you." I swallowed hard as my brother bit his lip. "My earliest memory is of you, trying to convince me that Santa Claus was not just some scary creep in a red suit as I cringed away from him in fear. I swallowed back the tears I wanted to shed that day because I trusted you. I want you to know that I've always trusted you, and you've never let me down" I looked at him pointedly "Not once." I said as I stared into his eyes.
"Growing up, you, Dad and Mom were my entire world." I then let my gaze wander to Rosalie. "I remember as if it were yesterday, the moment that world expanded to include another person."
Rose gave me a gentle smile.
"Rose, when we met, I couldn't have predicted that one day you'd grow to become my dearest friend. I have come to rely on your advice, your strength, and even your doses of 'tough love' more than you know" I grinned "I count today as one of the happiest in my life, because I am finally able to call you my sister." Emmett was beaming at me as a tear trailed down Rose's cheek.
I raised my glass. The rest of the room followed suit. "To my brother and sister as they begin their life together, and as the saying goes: 'Love doesn't make the world go 'round; love is what makes the ride worthwhile.' Congratulations."
An echo of 'congratulations' sounded throughout the room before we drank again.
I was just about to hand the microphone to Emmett, when Jasper suddenly appeared at my side and reached for it. "May I?" He asked with a grin.
I placed the mic into his hand and took my seat.
"For those of you who don't know me, I'm Jasper Whitlock, brother of the bride." He drawled.
As he spoke, Jasper moved until he was standing behind Emmett and Rose. He seemed a bit unsteady on his feet. My suspicion was that Jasper had already imbibed a bit too much alcohol.
Oh well, it is a party after all…
"I just wanna say that Mr. Swan here has been giving me a hard time for months now, ever since he found out that my first name is really Francis." Jasper announced with narrowed eyes as he gestured with his champagne glass toward my brother. "He won't let me live it down." Jasper practically whined.
Emmett, still grinning, just shrugged. I glanced at Edward and caught him laughing silently beside me. I knew he'd been a witness to far more of Jasper's moments of humiliation than I had.
"Imagine my surprise when in the course of conversation with his Daddy yesterday, I discovered that Emmett's middle name used to be Homer." Jasper was now grinning from ear to ear.
For a split second, I almost felt sorry for my brother, and then I remembered how many pranks he'd played on me over the years.
"I don't use that name." Emmett tried to shout over the laughter. "I had it legally changed."
"Yeah, but that's the one your parents gave you." Jasper countered, still grinning as he patted Emmett on the shoulder. "But, seeing as you're now my sister's husband, and to prove that I'm the bigger person, I've decided that I will try my best to forget this newfound information. I won't tease you at every opportunity, embarrass you in front of strangers, and come up with demeaning variations of it simply to force a reaction out of you."
It always amazed me how articulate Jasper was while intoxicated.
Emmett gave Jasper a wary smile.
"In that spirit" Jasper said as he raised his glass. "I'd like to propose a toast to the bride and groom, here's to a long and happy life together" He paused as his smile grew wider, "and may your first child be a masculine child", that line drew snickers from those around us, especially Edward. "And may you name that child Bart." Jasper set the mic down in front of Emmett and gave him a half-hug as we all fell apart with laughter.
Emmett laughed along with us and shook his head as we all took another sip of champagne.
Emmett stood "Thank you Luca Brasi" he said while gesturing toward Jasper, "and especially thank you Bells and Pops for the things you said. I hope you know how much your words meant to us." Rose stood then, and she and Emmett made their way over and hugged Charlie and I before Emmett spoke into the microphone again.
"I need the attention of the bartending staff for a moment." Emmett said then in a booming voice.
He really didn't need the mic
I watched as he pointed as Jasper. "Make sure this man doesn't get any more alcohol tonight" He then grinned wickedly. "It seems that when he has too much to drink he… how do they say it in the south?" Emmett pretended to concentrate before speaking again, "Oh yeah! It seems that when Francis drinks, he tends to run around buck nekkid, and I really don't want Pops to have to arrest my wife's brother tonight." Emmett announced with a dimpled smile and a wiggle of his eyebrows.
Jasper blushed bright red before dropping his face into his hands, laughing along with the rest of us.
I could have told him not to challenge Emmett. Many men had tried and failed miserably. To my knowledge, only two had ever succeeded, and they were Chief Swan and Dirty Harry; both seasoned professionals. It wasn't a game for amateurs.
-V&V—
"Not hungry any more sweetheart?" Edward asked.
The waiter had served the main course and after taking a few bites, I discovered that my formerly ravenous appetite had been satisfied by the few appetizers I'd eaten an hour before. "Guess not" I answered with a shrug, as I decided to concentrate instead on my wine.
I took a deep breath before relaxing back into my seat and taking in the scene around me. We were seated at an oval table with the other members of the bridal party. Everyone around us chatted happily with each other. Rose was absolutely radiant.
I glanced over to Carlisle and Esme's table and noticed that Suzanne was seated with them. At the moment, she was having what looked to be a serious conversation with Esme. I regretted that I hadn't had much of a chance to speak with either of them yet.
Hopefully I can remedy that before the evening is over.
Edward and I spoke quietly about the house, and when we would be able to close. "The realtor assures me that as soon as we return from our honeymoon, the house will be ours." He said with a small smile.
Our honeymoon….
Edward was keeping very closed-mouthed about where he planned to take me for our honeymoon. The only thing I knew for sure was that it would be someplace warm. I allowed my mind to wander. The sexual frustration we'd both been feeling for weeks, even months, finally bubbled to the surface of my thoughts.
Hmm..would it be warm enough and private enough to insist Edward walk around naked the entire time?
I hadn't seen him naked yet. At one time, I was fully prepared for both of us to reveal the 'full Monty' to the other, but the right moment never quite presented itself. As we'd gotten closer to our big day, without saying the words out loud, we both seem to have decided to wait.
I wanted to wait.
Really.
No, not really. But I would wait.
Patiently.
Sort of.
But there's no law against me fantasizing about the visual I have to look forward to…
And now for the viewing pleasure of Mrs. Isabella Cullen alone, may we present, Mr. Edward Cullen..naked
Edward naked
Nekkid
Nah that makes me think of Jasper. Don't want to see Jasper nude, I want to see Edward
Edward in nothing but a smile…
I could feel my face flame at my inappropriate thoughts, and then I realized that if I were to make that request, Edward would be within his rights to insist that I walk around naked too.
Oh my hell
I swallowed hard and fought the urge to cringe at that thought.
"Bella, are you alright?" I turned to find Edward watching me with an amused expression.
"Uh" I touched my cheeks with my hand, realizing that I was still blushing. "I need a little more wine."
He gave me a knowing smile.
Oh God, I hope he can't suddenly read my mind
"I'll get you a drink sweetheart." He leaned down to peck my lips before walking toward the bar. I kept my eyes trained on him as he walked away. The view from the back was almost as good as the front.
The deejay's voice startled me out of my ogling.
'Good evening. Here's hoping that the wonderful meal has given everyone plenty of energy to dance the night away.'
There were a couple of whistles from the guests along with scattered clapping.
'At this time, Mrs. Rosalie Swan will be joined on the dance floor by her father, Colonel Frank Whitlock, for the traditional Father Daughter dance.'
Rose was beaming as her Dad led her to the dance floor. Rose told me that her Dad had chosen the song. I watched as Rose continued to smile brightly at her father as they danced. The song was unfamiliar to me, so I listened closely to the words.
Realizing that Colonel Whitlock had chosen the song himself, revealed a whole other side to this man who, most of the time intimidated the hell out of me.
Three a.m. on the clock
Lullaby, music box
Oh, baby please don't cry
Let's let mama sleep tonight
You've only been home one day
You don't even know your name
Tiny hand on my cheek
You're a miracle to me
In the stillness of the night
Cradled in this rocking chair
I hold all my hopes and dreams,
Every single answered prayer
In my arms
Wish I could hold you forever
I watched as the Colonel handed Rose a handkerchief in order to wipe her tears. As they danced, I glanced at Rose's Mom and saw the ice queen herself wipe a tear away.
And when you find that one true love
I'll put on my best smile
And I'll try to hide my tears
As I walk you down the aisle
As the song neared its end, Edward reappeared with my wine. I felt his warm hand on my shoulder. We both knew what was coming next.
As soon as Rose and her father exited the dance floor, I sensed my brother's presence behind me. I turned to find him standing there smiling.
'In honor of the mother of the groom, Renee Swan, her children Emmett and Isabella have decided to share this dance in her memory.'
I stood from my chair and silently took Emmett's offered hand and let him lead me to the dance floor. No sooner had my big brother pulled me into his arms then I heard the first strains of one of my Mom's favorites.
The song spoke of the unconditional love between two people. A mother and child, a brother and sister…
Oh, why you look so sad?
Tears are in your eyes
Come on and come to me now
Don't be ashamed to cry
Let me see you through
'Cause I've seen the dark side too
"It's perfect Emmett" I whispered through trembling lips. He tightened his embrace, but didn't answer.
When the night falls on you
You don't know what to do
Nothin' you confess, could make me love you less
It was perfect. The song gave voice to the relationship my mother had with both her children, and as I realized, the relationship that Emmett and I now shared with each other.
I'll stand by you, I'll stand by you
Won't let nobody hurt you
I'll stand by you
"Do you think she knows I got married today?" He asked quietly.
I looked up into his sad eyes and nodded. "I do." I cleared my throat as we swayed to the music.
"How can you be so sure Bella?" He asked, with a hopeful expression.
"Well… promise you won't think I'm crazy?" I looked up at him. "But, I've had dreams about her. Recently." I bit my lip and shrugged, afraid he probably feared I had lost my grip on reality.
Instead, his face expressed keen interest in what I was telling him.
"She knew about your wedding and she was happy." I whispered. "She told me that it would be beautiful. She also said that she keeps an eye on us, and Dad."
Emmett swallowed hard.
"The more I've thought back over that dream; it's just got to be real Emmett." My eyebrows knit together as the words started to flow from me in a rush. "I mean, how can someone like Mom, who loved fiercely, and was loved in return, be completely cut off from those she cared about?" I sighed as I formulated my thoughts. I realized I was babbling. "It's probably a silly notion, but knowing Mom, she wouldn't be completely happy, even in heaven, if she couldn't see her children. She'd find a way…" I gave him a small smile.
When you're standing at the crossroads
And don't know which path to choose
Let me come along
'Cause even if you're wrong
He thought over what I'd said, and eventually returned the smile. "I hope you're right Bells." He whispered.
I took a deep breath, knowing what I needed to say next. It was time to share something with my brother that I never had before. "Emmett, can I tell you something?"
He gave me a confused look before nodding. "Sure Bella"
"It's what Mom said to me just before…" I lowered my eyes and stared at the white rose pinned to his lapel. "You know.."
With my words, our dancing slowed to almost a stop.
"I never told you that her last words were about you." I whispered before looking back up into his face. He had a pained expression. "I hope you understand why I didn't tell you before now. I'm so sorry, but I was never at a place emotionally where I could speak with you about it."
After I bared my soul to Edward a few months ago, I realized that Emmett had a right to know that our Mom was thinking of him during her last moments.
I bit my lip. "I'm finally at that place Em, and I can't think of a better day to share this with you."
Take me in, into your darkest hour
And I'll never desert you
I'll stand by you
And when, when the night falls on you, baby
You're feelin' all alone
You won't be on your own
My throat tightened as I prepared to say the words.
I'll stand by you, I'll stand by you
Won't let nobody hurt you
I'll stand by you
Take me in, into your darkest hour
And I'll never desert you
"She knew she was going to die" I whispered as the tears I'd been holding back started to flow down my cheeks. "She asked that I tell you how much she loved you, and that she was very proud of you." I said, my voice breaking at the end. Emmett let go of my hand then before wrapping both arms around me, enclosing me in his warm embrace as he let out a shaky breath.
Won't let nobody hurt you
I'll stand by you
I'll stand by you
Won't let nobody hurt you
"Thank you Sissy." He said in a broken whisper. "Thank you for telling me….especially today." We swayed slowly to the music and held onto each other as if our lives depended on it until the end of the song.
I'll stand by you
No, no, no, no, no
Take me in, into your darkest hour
And I'll never desert you
I'll stand by you
-V&V-
"Edward, I'm sorry, but I need to steal Bella away for a moment." Rose said sweetly as she stood beside my chair. Her expression made it clear that this was a demand, rather than a request.
Rose grabbed my hand and pulled me with her into the hall. "Rose what's wrong?"
She looked a little mortified as she whispered her response. "I'm sorry Bells. Nothing's wrong, it's just that I have to pee, and I need help with my dress. Alice helped me last time, but she disappeared with Chris and now I can't find her."
I giggled at my friend. After lifting Rose's dress to keep it out of the 'line of fire' so to speak and washing our hands, we made a quick exit back toward the ballroom.
As we neared the doors, we saw Alice and Chris round the corner headed straight toward us. "There you are!" Alice said with a smile as she and Chris grabbed our arms and led us to a spot in the hallway just in front of the open ballroom doors.
"Did you need us?" Rose asked, confused.
"In a manner of speaking" Chris said breathlessly. "Rose honey, your mother is a piece of work." He continued with a grimace.
"Tell me about it." Rose muttered.
Mrs. Whitlock had behaved herself during the actual wedding ceremony, but ever since we'd arrived at the Westin, she'd been a nervous wreck and had pissed off several people with her bossiness.
"She's trying to orchestrate every part of this reception." Chris continued. "You should have seen her face when you and Emmett danced into the ballroom to that Pink song." He said before laughing loudly.
Rose chuckled and shook her head. "She made it clear that she hates our choice of music." Rose lost her smile and sighed. "I warned her that she'd better behave or I'd have her thrown out."
Chris thought for a moment. "Honey, if you toss her out you'll never forgive yourself. Besides, she's not being evil." He stopped speaking in order to glance over to where Rose's Mother was giving the deejay a piece of her mind as she wagged her finger in the poor guy's face.
"Much" Chris added before looking back at Rose.
Rose groaned.
"Maybe you should toss her out." Alice said matter-of-factly. I gave her a surprised look. "I mean, this stress is not good for Rose or the baby. Today is supposed to be a happy day." Alice explained as she rubbed Rose's arm soothingly.
It was silent for a long moment before Chris spoke again. "I have an idea." He announced with a mischievous grin. "With your permission Rose, I'm going to solve your 'Mommy' issues. At least for today."
"How will you do that?" Rose asked skeptically.
"Just leave it to me my darling. I'm going to become Mama Whitlock's new best friend." He said, now smiling from ear to ear.
"But…" Rose frowned.
"Stop frowning chicka, it's not a good look for you." He continued before patting her cheek.
Rose looked bewildered.
"Sweetie, trust me, if Chris says he can fix this, he can." Alice added in her chirpy soprano.
"See you a bit later." He said to all of us before dashing toward the nearest bar.
For the following hour, I caught glimpses of Chris plying Mrs. Whitlock with drinks. Each time I glanced at her, she looked just a little happier than the time before. Edward and I were out on the dance floor when Rose and Emmett, also dancing, sidled up to us. "My Mother has been downing Zombies for over an hour." Rose said with a giggle. "She's so toasted." She shouted above the music as we laughed. "I have to hand it to Chris; he found a way to diffuse her bitchiness."
I glanced toward the place I'd last seen Mrs. Whitlock and Chris drinking and laughing, only to see Chris with his arm around Mrs. Whitlock's shoulders, leading her to the dance floor. As soon as Soulja Boy came over the sound system, Chris caught my eye and gave me a wide smile accompanied by two thumbs up. For the next several minutes, Edward, Rose, Emmett and I stood at the edge of the dance floor with gaping mouths as Chris attempted to teach Rose and Jasper's Mother how to 'Crank That'.
Soulja boy off in this oh
Watch me crank it watch me roll
Watch me crank dat soulja boy
Then superman dat oh
"Oh my God. Make it stop!" Alice shouted in horror from where she and Jasper now stood beside us...
Now watch me you
(crank dat soulja boy)
Now watch me you
(crank dat soulja boy)
Now watch
Soulja boy off in this oh
Watch me crank it watch me roll
Watch me crank dat soulja boy
Then superman dat oh
It was horrible. Granted, Chris was a wonderful dancer; Mrs. Whitlock, not so much. Every step she took was at least a half beat too late; and those steps were often taken in the opposite direction of where they were supposed to be.
It was painful to watch.
Even Chris's smooth moves couldn't hide the fact that his dance partner was clueless. The harder she tried to emulate Chris's movements, the more embarrassed I became for the woman.
I realized there was no reason to pity her though, because she looked to be having the time of her life. I'd never seen her smile as much as she did during that dance. My eyes searched the ballroom, and found Colonel Whitlock standing beside his table, an amused expression on his face, as he watched his wife dance with abandon.
Soulja boy off in this oh
Watch me lean then watch me rock
Super man dat oh
Yeah watch me crank dat robocop
Super fresh now watch me jock
Jocking on them haterz man
When i do dat soulja boy
I cringed a little when I saw Chip and Dale taking photos of the spectacle.
Wow. Mrs. Whitlock will not be pleased.
Once she's sober.
'Crank That' came to an end, and was followed by 'My Love' by Paul McCartney. I watched as the Colonel walked onto the dance floor, at which time Chris relinquished Mrs. Whitlock into the capable hands of her husband. Mrs. Whitlock smiled sweetly at the Colonel before he pulled her into his arms.
Chris made his way over to us. "Well, I think my work here is done. You won't have any more trouble out of Mama Whitlock tonight."
We all laughed, and Emmett handed Chris a drink. "Thanks Chris. You my friend have managed a minor miracle."
"You're very welcome. I only hope she doesn't blame me for the hangover she'll have tomorrow." He smirked. "She's really not so bad once you get to know her, and after she's had about fourteen ounces of rum in her system." He said with a snicker.
We all laughed again.
Chris looked around. "So Rose dear, which one is your cousin Louise?"
Rose grimaced. "Ugh, why do you want to know?"
"Well, along about the time that Mama Whitlock was drinking her third zombie, she expressed her dismay that a nice young man like me had no lady friend. I informed her, sadly, that I'd never met the right girl."
Alice snickered. "You did not."
Chris grinned knowingly at her. "I couldn't very well tell your Mother in law that the only girl for me was already married to her son." He gave Alice a toothy grin. "Anyway, Mama Whitlock said she knew the perfect girl; your cousin Louise. I was just curious as to what my soul mate looked like."
"Are we back in the closet Christopher dear?" Alice asked with a smirk.
Chris laughed. "Hey, I never told her I was straight, she just assumed it. The woman's drunker than I thought." He snickered again.
I had to agree. Chris did nothing to hide the fact that he was gay; I couldn't understand how Mrs. Whitlock didn't catch on to that fact within the first five minutes of meeting him at Alice and Jasper's wedding a year ago.
Rose cackled. "Chris, you are amazing." She said loudly before giving him a hug. "And to answer your question, our cousin Louise is over there." Rose gestured toward two women standing a couple of tables away from us, huddled together. "She's the one with the frizzy blonde hair."
Chris grimaced. "Ew. Bad perm." He said with a shudder.
"She's also a major bitch. My mother invited her against my wishes, along with my cousin Tommy and his horrid girlfriend Britni." Rose said with a sneer.
"Does Britni happen to be the one talking to Louise?" Chris asked.
"Yes, how did you guess?"
Chris shrugged. "Eh, birds of a feather."
-V&V—
The next order of business was the cutting of the cake. We all laughed as Rose and Emmett tried, and succeeded to smash cake in each other's faces. It was obvious that the alcohol hadn't yet worn off, because Mrs. Whitlock laughed the longest and loudest of anyone in the crowd.
I was drafted once more to help Rose in the restroom, knowing that we had to hurry in order to make it back for the bouquet toss and garter throw. On our way back to the ballroom, we found Rose's cousins in a heated argument.
Rose stopped dead in her tracks and pulled me to a stop with her.
"You need to shut your mouth Louise." Harriet challenged, as Louise stood there smirking, her arms crossed over her chest in defiance.
"Harriet, it actually makes me sick the way you and Samantha have become Rose's lackeys over the years. I'll have you know that this is a free country, and I was making a simple observation about my cousin." Louise snapped.
"Well your observations aren't needed or wanted. In fact, Rose didn't even want you two here. Her mother invited you against her wishes." Samantha charged.
Louise and Britni both looked angry at this bit of news.
"Why does that not surprise me? She and Jasper have always preferred the Whitlocks." Louise announced. "I will never forgive her or Jasper for not inviting Uncle Cole to their weddings. They never fail to disappoint the Hale side of the family." Louise snapped.
Rose had heard enough. She marched over to the four women, her body tense with anger. "You know damned well why I don't want that bastard anywhere near what is supposed to be the happiest day of my life." Rose exclaimed. "Thank God my mother knew not to push me that far."
Louise and Britni wore twin masks of horror when they realized that Rose had overheard their conversation. It took a moment for them to regroup.
"Don't you refer to Uncle Cole that way." Britni challenged once she'd recovered her courage.
"Shut the fuck up Britni. Cole Hale should be rotting in prison for what he did."
Louise gasped. "Rosalie! He was found innocent! I suppose you know more than a court of law now?" she asked, her tone laced with sarcasm.
"You really want to do this?" Rose seethed as she crossed her arms over her chest and glared at the two women. "He was never 'found innocent'. His case was dismissed, it never went to trial, there's a difference. Didn't you ever find it curious that the most damning evidence against him went missing?" Rose continued. "My Mother's relatives paid a tidy sum of money to make that happen" Rose spat "and no one will ever convince me otherwise."
"That is cold even coming from you Rose. You wouldn't even give your own flesh and blood the benefit of the doubt?" Britni accused. "You're an even bigger bitch than I thought."
"Since when is any of this your business Britni? You are not even a part of this family. How much longer are you willing to hang around hoping that Tommy will propose to you?" Rose was in her element now. "You're such a needy whore."
I wanted to giggle at Rose's colorful language, but was also worried that this wasn't good for her or the baby.
"Rose" I said quietly. "Let's just leave. You're getting too upset." I offered gently.
She looked at me, and seemed to relax before nodding her head and pulling away from the group.
We didn't have a chance to walk away before Britni spoke again. "Tommy loves me. We don't need a piece of paper." She shouted. "I also don't need to get pregnant in order for him to propose." She snickered then.
Our mouths fell open in shock when the palm of Samantha's hand suddenly connected with the side of Britni's face. "I won't have you disrespecting Rosalie on her wedding day." Samantha snapped. "By the way genius, Rose didn't get pregnant until months after her proposal. And what business is it of yours anyway?" Samantha, very pregnant herself, shouted in Britni's stupid face.
Louise and Britni realizing they were woefully outnumbered, shot us all glares before retreating to the restroom in a huff, while Harriet, mirroring my actions with Rose, spoke calmly and quietly, leading Samantha away with us.
"I hate them." Harriet announced matter-of-factly with her hands on her hips when we'd reached the ballroom doors.
"I'm not going to let them get to me." Rose said before thanking her cousins with a hug before we all reentered the ballroom together.
The next order of business was the bouquet toss. By the smirk on Rose's face before she turned her back, I knew that she was going to aim for me. That would have been okay, if I could have been certain that Edward would catch the garter. So it was with a small amount of trepidation that I reached for the flowers as they flew directly toward my head.
The girls around me dashed forward. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a blur of movement before a pair of eager hands reached out and caught the bouquet several feet in front of my face. I turned my head just in time to see Rose's cousin Louise, bouquet in hand, land face first on the floor.
She cursed loudly as she stood and turned to glare at Harriet.
Charming
Harriet grinned sheepishly and shrugged.
Confused, I walked over to the sidelines where Edward stood with Alice, Jasper and Chris. Everyone was laughing at the spectacle. "What the hell just happened?" I asked.
"Well, Louise and Britni tried to catch the bouquet, despite Rose's obvious wish that you catch it, and Harriet took it upon herself to block one and trip the other. It was classic." He announced through his laughter.
Wow. I hope our wedding isn't this eventful.
Next up was the garter toss.
I noticed that Louise, seemingly quite recovered from her moment of embarrassment, eyed Edward possessively as he reluctantly joined the other 'single' men on the crowded dance floor.
Chris patted my arm and winked as he brushed past me. "Don't worry beautiful, I've got this." He announced with a smirk.
Rose sat perched in a chair, as Emmett inched her dress higher and higher. Once it reached the point where Rose's modesty was at stake, she smacked his hand and instead of lifting the dress any further, my brother stuck his head under it.
Everyone was hooting and laughing as Emmett made a production out of removing the garter an inch at a time with his teeth. As soon as the garter was airborne, I noticed that my gorgeous fiancé shoved both his hands in his trouser pockets.
God, I love him
We all watched in amazement as Chris leapt above the throng and caught the garter in mid-air. He proceeded to do a little victory dance before sashaying over to Louise.
And now, the young lady who caught the bouquet will share a dance with the gentleman who caught the garter.
Edward was still laughing when he reached me. We watched Louise and Chris dance for a while, Louise looking more uncomfortable by the minute, before Edward took my hand and pulled me away from the crowd.
The next thing I knew, we were in a quiet corner of the abandoned hallway outside of the ballroom. He wrapped his arms around me. "Have I told you how exceptionally beautiful you are tonight?"
I smiled and nodded. "Not in words until now." I whispered. "Thank you."
"I cannot wait until you are mine Bella." He beamed. "I'm afraid that I'll wake up one morning and find that this has all been a dream."
I sighed. "I know what you mean. I've taken to pinching myself regularly." I admitted.
He pulled me flush against him and rested his chin on the top of my head. I shut my eyes and pressed my cheek to his chest as we reveled in our moment of peace. It seemed to be a rare occurrence lately, these moment when we were both able to relax and just 'be'.
-V&V—
It had been a week since Rose and Emmett's wedding. As they happily honeymooned in Paris, things back home had kicked into high gear in preparation for mine and Edward's wedding.
As much as I tried to hide it from Edward, I was beginning to feel stressed out. All the plans were coming together nicely, but I seemed to have a talent for finding something to worry about regardless. Edward was on to me, and every time I was visibly stressed, he made it his priority to fix me.
In the past, making a visit to the Seattle Aquarium or an art gallery had been a relaxing way to spend an afternoon. Unfortunately, the two times we'd tried it since Rose and Emmett's wedding, we'd been stalked by the paps.
The ones shadowing us now had grown in number, and these new ones were very bold. It was getting harder and harder to sneak away without being followed.
The feeling of being a caged animal was starting to get to me, so much so that even the sight of them waiting outside my building was enough to piss me off for the rest of the day.
I'd actually had to physically sit on my hands once or twice as they followed us from my apartment building in order to keep from flipping them off.
"You ready to go Bells?" Dad greeted me with a smile when I opened my door. I nodded and turned to say goodbye to Edward.
Today, I was having lunch with Charlie, just the two of us, at his request. It took Dad a few minutes to convince Edward that we didn't need Lou to accompany us.
"Look Edward, I'm a chief of police, I think I'm more than capable of protecting my daughter." Charlie had reminded with an amused expression on his face.
At his words, Edward finally seemed to relax. "Of course. I apologize Charlie." He said with a sigh. "I can't seem to help myself where Bella is concerned…"
"It's okay son." Charlie interrupted as he patted Edward's shoulder.
"Have a good time sweetheart, and phone me when you're on the way home please." Edward said as he kissed me goodbye.
"I will." I assured before exiting the apartment.
As we left the parking deck, I ducked down in the seat hoping against hope that the paps wouldn't notice me. "You can sit up now Bells." My Dad said a couple of minutes later. "No one is behind us."
I sat up and peered out the back window of Dad's truck. He was right, for the first time in a week; I wasn't being followed by paparazzi. I sat back in the seat and breathed out a relieved sigh.
"Crazy week huh?" He asked.
"You could say that."
Something I need to get used to I suppose
"Edward thinks that once the wedding is over, they'll back off."
Dad nodded. "He would be the expert." Charlie pursed his lips then. "I had one of them approach me the other day."
"What?" I asked, alarmed that the stupid paps were now bothering my father.
"Hey, it's okay Bells. It happens from time to time." He soothed. "They are dying to find out when and where the wedding is taking place."
My good mood at the prospect of having lunch with Charlie unhindered by annoying photographers began to evaporate as I agonized over tabloid reporters possibly ruining my wedding day.
"Don't worry Bells. No one will get near the Church. My officers will see to that." He grinned.
I smiled back at him. "You know Dad, I don't think I've appreciated the fact that you're the chief of police more than I do at this moment."
Charlie pulled up in front of the diner he frequented whenever he came to Seattle. We grabbed a booth in the back and settled in.
"Okay Dad, are you going to tell me why you wanted to see me?" I asked after we ordered.
Charlie gave me a sheepish smile before sighing loudly. "I wanted to have lunch with my girl. Is there a law against that?"
I grinned. "No, and thank you for helping me have a time-out from the crazy."
He smiled before taking a sip of his iced tea.
I decided to ease into a different subject, one that had been on my mind for over a week. "How's Suzanne?"
Charlie's entire face lit up at my question. "She's good. Enjoying the summer."
He took another sip before studying my face. "Bells, I want you to be honest with me."
I looked at him questioningly.
"Are you really okay with the fact that I'm dating Suzanne?"
Instinctively I reached over, placing my hand on top of his. "Yes Dad. I'll admit that it bothered me a little at first, but honestly, that only lasted a couple of minutes. When I saw how happy you were, it made me happy also."
He smiled brilliantly then and covered my hand with his other one. "She does make me happy." He admitted in a quiet tone.
The waitress arrived with our orders, and we dug in. After a few minutes, I spoke again. "Dad, why did you wait so long to start dating again? Emmett told me that you never dated during all those years after your divorce."
Charlie frowned. I suddenly wished I could withdraw the question. I hadn't intended to put him on the spot. However, before I could voice my regret, he spoke.
"It was pretty painful after you and your Mom left, the last thing I wanted was another relationship." He sighed. "I threw myself into work, and your brother kept me pretty busy."
Yep. Those were the years that Emmett perfected the art of being a pain in the ass
"Aside from that, I never met anyone I was interested in. I'm not the kind of guy to have a 'casual' relationship." I almost giggled at his use of air quotes. "And I sure as hell wasn't going to let my guard down for just anyone."
Poor Dad. Emmett has often alluded to how hurt he was after we left.
"Suzanne and I talked about all this, and I discovered that it helped me to get it out." He admitted.
"That's exactly how I felt after confiding in Edward." I said more to myself than to him.
He nodded slowly, "Bells, the changes we've seen in you over these last few months have been nothing short of amazing ..my God.. I can't even describe how good it is to see you open up, and begin to enjoy life the way you have." He shook his head as a small smile played on his lips. "It's Edward I have to thank for that." He trailed off.
My heart warmed at his words. I could feel my throat constrict with emotion as I realized that my Dad had already accepted Edward as family. Just as he had Rose.
I turned my attention to my food, and we spent the next few minutes in comfortable silence as I willed the threatening tears away.
"So, Suzanne changed your perspective?" I asked quietly once I'd regained control of my emotions.
Dad hesitated. "Yeah, it would appear so." He took another bite of his club sandwich as he studied my face. "Are you sure you want to know this?"
I nodded.
"Well, of course I've known Suzanne since she taught you in high school. I thought she was nice, but didn't seriously consider asking her out at the time." He frowned down at his plate. "It wasn't something I could do, not after what you'd been through." He added in almost a whisper.
"You didn't date because of me?" I asked in awe.
Dad looked uncomfortable again. "Look, it wasn't like that. I didn't make a conscious decision not to ask her out back then." Charlie raked his fingers across his forehead. "You'll understand when you have a kid Bells. If your kid is hurting, then so are you, and everything else ceases to matter."
Once again, my heart clenched as I realized how much my Dad had sacrificed for me.
I would never fully recover from the fact that my Mother had been taken from me, but I seemed to have been doubly blessed by having such a selfless, caring father. A father who loved me unconditionally and would do literally anything for me.
"All I ever wanted was for my kids to be happy. As I said, it's been an amazing year." He added sincerely. "It wasn't until I spoke with Suzanne again at prom that I started thinking about the future and realized I didn't want to be alone anymore."
I reached over and covered his hand with mine again. "Hey Dad, can I let you in on a secret?"
"What's that?"
"You're one of the finest men I've ever known, and I'm so proud and happy that you're my Dad." I whispered. "I love you."
Dad looked uncomfortable, but he gave me a slight smile and patted my hand. "I love you too Bells."
-V&V—
After that first week, Edward seemed to make it his mission to find ways to lose the paps. He had gotten quite creative. Today, we'd gone to Esme and Carlisle's early in the day in order to pick up my Mustang.
We had an important task to accomplish.
Lou drove back out of the driveway in the car we'd arrived in, and was able to lure away the few paps lurking near the road. As soon as the coast was clear, we tore out of there and hit the open road. Our destination: Vashon Island.
"Why exactly are we going all the way out here for our marriage license Edward?" I asked with a smile while we huddled in the car, Edward's arms around me as we tried to remain somewhat inconspicuous during the ferry ride to the island. "You know we could have easily gotten our license downtown."
"Now what would the fun be in that Miss Swan?" He whispered with a smirk, his lips dangerously close to mine as his warm breath washed across my face. "I couldn't resist making it into a bit of an adventure."
I didn't comprehend what he said next as I studied his lips. I wanted him to kiss me so badly, but he just kept talking.
"Would you stop talking and kiss me already?" I blurted suddenly.
I watched as his lips stopped moving and turned up into a sexy smile. "Your wish, my command." He whispered before brushing his lips against mine, and then pulling me into a passionate kiss.
We didn't come up for air until the ferry had reached its destination, and a horn blew behind us, signaling our need to move.
A short time later, we pulled up in front of the Community Services Center, only to find it closed. He made me wait in the car while he investigated.
Edward returned to the car with a sheepish expression on his face. "It seems that this location is manned by only one person. She'll be back in a few minutes, she's at lunch."
The lady who administered our marriage license was more than a little stunned when she recognized us, but got immediately down to business and before we knew it, we were one step closer to becoming husband and wife.
Once that was taken care of, we spent the rest of the day exploring the island with the top down, not caring if people recognized us at this point. We'd already accomplished our task.
Lou was waiting for us when we arrived back at the Cullens'. He drove us back home and dropped us off in front of the apartment building where we quickly made our way through the crowd of photographers.
Edward, Bella, is it true that you went to Vashon Island to obtain your marriage license?
Did you elope?
Are you planning to marry on Vashon Island?
We barely listened as we made our way to the door.
Bella are you aware that your parish priest was in a traffic accident today while being followed by photographers?
This question stopped me in my tracks. I shot a frightened look at Edward before he ushered me quickly into the building. He already had his cell phone out before we reached the elevators.
"Chief Swan this is Edward. Please call me as soon as you get this message."
Edward grabbed my hand and wordlessly pulled me into the elevator. Once inside, he wrapped his arms around me. "Bella, sweetheart, please breathe." He murmured.
I realized then that I hadn't taken a breath since we'd entered the building. I buried my face in his chest and breathed in before releasing a strangled sob into Edward's shirt.
If anything happens to Father Pat, it's my fault.
My fault.
By the time we reached my living room, Edward's phone was ringing.
"Chief, how's Father Pat?" Edward asked, the words coming out in a rush.
I was dying inside.
"Oh, I see." Edward smiled down at me. "Okay. Yes, very much so. She's right here." He held the phone out to me. "Your Dad wants to speak with you."
"Daddy?" I asked, braced for what I was about to hear.
"Bells" My Dad's answered. "I need you to calm down. Father Pat's perfectly fine. One of those jackass reporters was following him too closely and hit his car."
"Was he injured?"
"No. Although I forced him to get checked out. I was in the hospital when Edward called."
"The hospital?" Even though he'd said Father Pat was fine, the word hospital sent me into a tizzy. "Dad, you said he was fine." I exclaimed.
"He is fine Bells, but the man is in his sixties, there's no sense taking chances." Dad assured. "He's signing some papers and then I'll be driving him home."
I stayed on the phone with my Dad until Father Pat exited the hospital and Charlie put him on the phone. "Isabella, stop your worrying. I'm in a lot better shape than the fellow that hit me." He chuckled. "I think it's a fair guess to say that he was in need of a change of underwear after the accident, especially once your father finished with him."
I joined in Father's chuckles then.
"You're sure you're fine?" I asked.
"Definitely. No guilt trips young lady." He directed.
"Okay Father. Thank you."
"I'll see you soon Isabella."
-V&V—
The days were flying by. It was now one week until our wedding, and the press had not only discovered the when, but also the where. The sources of the leak seemed to be an airline agent who booked Aunt Lola's ticket, and a couple of Forks' citizens who weren't thrilled that all these 'Hollywood' types would be invading their little hamlet.
Emmett and Rose were due back from France today, so Edward and I were hanging around our apartment waiting for them to arrive.
Even though they'd called often, I'd still missed them, and I knew I'd need the support of my new sister during the next few days.
"Bella, did you hear about the reporter confronting Gordon the other night at a concert in London?" Edward asked in an amused tone.
"No, what happened?" I asked as we relaxed on the sofa, each working on our laptops.
"They asked him if he was attending our wedding." Edward chuckled then. "He told them to fuck off."
I laughed out loud. I loved Gordon.
Suddenly a familiar booming knock sounded on the door. I jumped up and raced over, flinging it open to find Emmett and Rose standing there, grinning from ear to ear.
I threw my arms around them, so happy to see them again. "Rose" I gasped as I stepped back and looked down at her pronounced bump.
She grinned. "I know. All of a sudden I popped."
I couldn't resist, and I couldn't wait for an invitation. I reached my hand out and placed it on her stomach. "Baby Swan." I breathed, drawing a big smile from my best friend.
Suddenly, the panic and worry of the last two weeks and the annoyance of photographers stalking our every move was forgotten. In the grand scheme of things, it didn't matter. In a few days, Edward and I would make a promise to spend the rest of our lives together, witnessed by those we loved most. Nothing was going to take away from that.
"Emmett, why are you pinching Rose's butt in almost every photo?" I asked.
"Because, that's what European dudes do." He answered with a grin. "When in Rome…"
"Yeah, except we were in Paris." Rose said with an exasperated sigh. "After about five days of him playing 'grab ass' in public, I threatened to send him home with his arm in a sling if he didn't cut it out."
Emmett shrugged and gave me a dimpled smile, I returned it easily.
I'd really missed the big idiot.
"I behaved myself after that." He continued to grin. "Well sort of."
"Yes, except for almost getting us thrown out of Italy when we made a side trip to Florence."
"Is it my fault that Michelangelo's David has a small dick?" Emmett asked indignantly.
Oh for cripes sakes I don't think I want to hear this
"After announcing that fact loudly to everyone within earshot, Emmett decided that it would be a good idea to whip his own dick out in order to prove his point." Rose said matter-of-factly. "You know, sort of a side-by-side comparison."
"Hey, I was performing a public service. Who knows how many women have settled for a less than adequate package because of that fucking statue." Emmett defended.
I became aware that Edward was shaking with silent laughter beside me.
"Thankfully, before he'd had a chance to 'expose himself', some lady shouted and we were suddenly surrounded by guards." Rose continued, shaking her head. "I had to promise we would return to our hotel and stay there until the next morning in order for them not to arrest him."
Emmett shrugged again. "So I spent the night proving my point to Rosie instead." He said with a cheeky smile. Rose giggled.
"Thanks for that visual Emmett." I announced sarcastically before laughing along with them.
-V&V—
Edward had planned something for every day leading up to our wedding.
On Saturday evening, we had dinner with Kyle Browning and his wife, Jeannette. We had a great time. Jeannette was a kindergarten teacher, and she and I really hit it off, especially when I told her about the book I had written.
On Sunday, after Mass, we eluded the paps once again, and Edward surprised me with a picnic on the back deck of our soon-to-be house. Although it wasn't technically our house yet, and we couldn't go inside, it was still a wonderful and relaxing way to spend the afternoon.
"I don't think I'll ever get used to this view." I said. "It's even better than the one from your parents' back patio."
Edward nodded in agreement. We sat quietly, arms around each other, as we looked out over the water, just taking it all in.
"A week from now we'll have been married for a day." Edward whispered, never taking his eyes off of the water.
"Hmm." I hummed in answer as I watched a small smile play on his face.
"Just a few more days, and I get to keep you forever." He said with a smile as he turned toward me, placing his right hand on my cheek, and capturing my lips in a soft kiss.
About an hour later, Sidney was dropping us off in front of the apartment building. As usual, the paps started hurling questions as Lou escorted us inside.
Isabella, how do you feel about Victor James' interview with Jeffrey Dryden going viral?
Upon hearing those words, all the breath left my body in a gasp.
******A/N********
You evil cliffie whore! There I said it for you.
Song recs: Get the Party Started by Pink ; In My Arms by Mark Wills ; I'll Stand By You by The Pretenders ; Crank That by Soulja Boy
Luca Brasi=a character from The Godfather
Rose and Jasper's Uncle Cole…. Think heinous crime. The public knew he was guilty. The 'system' let him get away with it.
We are almost there. The next chapter will be another V&V. And the next LRM will include some things we didn't read about in this one.
Sorry this took so long...the hurricane slowed me down by leaving me without power for almost 5 days. Until next time...
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