I stared blankly ahead at the road as it sped by at an abnormal speed. I tightened my hand around the marble statue fingers embracing mine as we turned into the driveway.
"Bella… are you sure about this?" Edward's voice sounded different. Unsure.
I, of course knew it was not of our engagement…. I shuttered a bit at the thought… but of having to tell my father that his 18 year old daughter was getting married.
"Yes." I lied, he smirked a bit as my traitor heart sped up on cue.
"Well, at least Charlie is in a good mood. His team is winning." Edward smiled at me and his eyes glowed as he leaned in for a quick kiss. I went to hold his face to mine but he was too fast, before I felt his lips leave he was opening my door and reaching for my hand.
"Here goes nothing." I mumbled as we neared the front door.
When we walked in I saw Charlie sitting inches away from the tv with a triumphant look on his face.
"Yes!" He yelled at the tv, still not noticing us.
"Hey Dad." I slipped my hand out of Edward's and into the back pocket of my jeans before he could spot the sparkling diamond on my hand.
Edward caught the gesture, but made no notion to acknowledge it.
"Hello Charlie." Edward's polite manners always shinned.
He glanced at me, and then Edward, "Hey Bells," he said purposely not addressing Edward, "I just ordered some pizza so don't worry about dinner tonight."
"Okay, that sounds good Charlie. We'll be in the kitchen." I turned in time to hear him mumble an "uh-huh'.
Edward followed me with a questioned look. Just as he was about to speak I turned on my heel back into the other room, catching on my shoelace under my foot and nose planting toward the table.
Two arms grabbed me as I closed my eyes for impact. "Bella, what am I going to do with you?" Edward chuckled, then in a whisper he started, "I thought that you-" I held a hand up to his mouth and proceeded back into the living room, hand back in pocket.
"Actually Ch-Dad, Edward and I would like to talk to you about something." My heart picked up at a rate that I felt could not be healthy.
Charlie seemed to have not heard me at first, watching his game too intently.
"Dad could we talk to you please?" suddenly my question registered in his mind and he sat up turning off the tv. He glared at Edward as he sat in his chair. Edward still silent, reached for my free hand and sat with me on the couch.
"So what's up Bells?" Charlie now looked confused as he looked from my blushing, guilty face, to Edward's emotionless one.
I took a deep breath and looked at Edward; he nodded his head reassuring me. I don't know if it was my imagination, but there seemed to be hints of a smile in his golden eyes.
"Are one of you going to tell me what's going on?" Charlie was definitely getting nervous as he glared at Edward.
"Chief Swan, you know I love your daughter very much. She means more to me than anyone else I have ever met, and always will." Edwards words caught me off guard, he was doing the dirty work for me.
Charlie suddenly looked like a light bulb had gone off over his head, he pursed his lips angrily and rose from his seat. His cheeks turned a bright red, then almost purple as he spoke "Bella, you are pregnant aren't you?! After lying to me and telling me you were a virgin! God I can not believe this! And you!" Charlie stormed over to stand over Edward. "Get up right now!" Oh my God, was going to try and fight Edward?
I rushed out of my seat stepping in between Edward and my irate father, "Charlie! I am not pregnant! I swear that is not what this is about!"
"What?! Then what was so important that you had to talk with me about?!" He backed away a couple of feet, but still seemed hesitant to believe me.
Edward pulled me back down onto the couch and stood in front of Charlie blocking my view to his reaction. Was he trying to block any further rage?
"Sir, like I said I love Bella very much, she means more than the world to me…" he paused as though waiting for Charlie to take in the words. There was silence now, what was he thinking? I had to see his face.
I stood next to Edward, lacing my fingers in his cool hand.
"Dad, we're getting married." I blurted out the words, unable to wait it out any longer. "Before you say anything, remember Edward and I are both legal adults. So though we want nothing more than your blessing, we don't' really need it. And I really want you at the wedding, I couldn't imagine it without you." I looked at Charlie's face anticipating another outburst.
Instead he slowly backed into his chair and sank down, his face draining of color. He was completely silent, not even looking up from the ground. I was suddenly worried remembering Harry Clearwater's too early heart attack. Tears started to form in my eyes, I blinked them back.
"Dad?" He still didn't respond, "Charlie?" I got up and bent down in front of him, placing a hand on his arm.
"When?" He said it so softly I barely heard him.
"August 13th." I replying just as quietly.
He looked up then meeting my eyes, and seems a bit… relieved?
"Oh, so then there's time, you could change your mind after your first year of school you know." He misunderstood.
"Dad, August 13th of this summer." I stated flatly.
He looked at my eyes pleading, taking hold of my shoulders "Bella, you are only 18 you're not ready for this. How are you two going to survive? And what about college, is that just gone to hell now too? Don't you want better for your life?" I was thrown off by the questions.
"Dad, I am more ready for this than I've ever been for anything, Edward and I love each other, that will never change, that's the best life I could ask for. And we will manage to survive; we'll go to college together and share a couple's dorm. We're not backing out of this."
Charlie seemed to be getting his composure back, "And what about when he leaves again?" He glared up at Edward.
"I'm never going to leave Bella again Charlie, I've told you that. I can not live without your daughter."
Charlie sighed and put his hands in his face. "Does Renee know about this?"
"No, we wanted to tell you first." I smiled at him hopefully.
"Oh." Just then the doorbell rang. Charlie glanced at it and sighed.
Before he got up Edward went to the door and opened it paying for the pizza and placing it in the kitchen.
"Bella," Charlie whispered again "Please don't make the mistake your mother and I made. We were too young, and so are you. I want better for you than what happened with us. You are the best part of my life, I couldn't think of what would happen if he left you again, let alone after left marrying you. Bella, please…"
"Dad, please just trust me, try to be happy for us. Because one way or another it's happening." I smiled through the tears that were still lingering in my eyes.
"I guess I don't really have much of a say." He sighed again standing up.
"No."
He looked severely at Edward, "You."
Edward was still polite "Yes sir?"
"I'll go along with this for now, because it looks like I don't have much other choice. But you listen very closely to me son. If you ever hurt Isabella like you hurt her before I will not think twice about shooting you. Do you understand me?" though Charlie was shorter and smaller than Edward, he looked somehow fierce in a way I had never seen before.
Edward nodded his head "Yes sir, you have my word I will never hurt her. She is my life now."
"Okay then, one last thing I suppose." He looked at me with wary eyes.
"Am I going to have to wear a tux?" I laughed, relieved Charlie was at least making an effort now.
"That's not up to me, you'll have to ask Alice." I smiled, and Charlie raised his eyebrows and laughed "Oh, no."
With that Charlie went into the kitchen after his pizza.
Edward grabbed me into his arms unexpectedly and hugged me close, kissing the top of my head.
"See that wasn't so bad." He chuckled into my hair.
"One down, one to go…" I mused to myself.