-I-
Today is a happy day. I can feel Edward's hand in my own as we make our way across the perfect sand on a sunny day. We are alone on this beach and his hand is cold and comforting in mine. I love days like today, when it is just the two of us and reality is on a faraway stretch on some distant horizon. I look up at Edward and he is smiling his dazzling smile at me.
I can feel the warm sunshine on my face and I wish that today could last forever. Edward is looking at me like he is wishing the same thing. Forever. I gaze up into his golden eyes and suddenly forever doesn't seem like very long.
An eternity, maybe?
-II.-
The rain is falling in sheets and we are making a dash for it. Her hand is tight in mine and I wonder if I am squeezing too hard. I study her face but she doesn't seem to mind. She looks up at my suddenly and starts laughing, I don't know why she is laughing but I can't help it. I laugh, too.
She's standing there in the freezing rain, laughing, and I wonder if she knows she's beautiful.
III
I crawl tiredly into my bed, feeling the cool covers press against my bare legs. I wish that Edward would come soon. Today wasn't a good day. School had been awful, an endless string of classes that went by too slowly because Edward wasn't there. It was one of those rare sunny days when he was kept inside. I'd worked after school and everything that could go wrong had gone wrong.
"Are you okay?" Mike Newton had asked me after I'd dropped something for what seemed like the hundredth time.
I hadn't even bothered to answer him. My father had been grouchy, angry that Jacob and I had still made up. Jacob. Another reason why today has royally sucked. I missed him.
I snuggled deeper into my covers, waiting impatiently for Edward to come. And then all of a sudden he was there. He was so quick that I didn't even actually see him crawl through the window. He was just there, wrapping his arms around me and pressing his cold lips to mine.
And suddenly all of my anger and frustrations and hurt was washed away. It was amazing how he could do that.
Perfect.
IV.
It's almost two in the morning and Bella is sleeping next to me, her little fingers twisting around the corners of her pillow. She's frowning a little with concentration and I wait for the talking to begin. She never disappoints. I lean my head in closer to hers, pausing to leave a trail of kisses from her elbow to her ear.
"Edward." She whispers. And I know with ever fiber of my being that this is why I still exist. This is why I have a little skip to my step, a little pep in my eyes. This beautiful girl next to me who calls my name in the middle of the night. Who wraps her perfect arms around me and makes my heart sing.
V
The snow is falling around us. It's a change from the rain and it this moment, standing in the middle of it all with Edward, I think that maybe it's a nice change. His grin goes mischievous as he suddenly releases my hand and steps off into the sidewalk, stepping into the cold grass, now coated with the thin layer of the white stuff. I know what he was about to do and I feel myself start to laugh in spite myself.
I try to run from him but it's hopeless. The snow is in my face before I can do much more than blink. Then I decide to play mean. I pretend to be hurt. I cover my eyes with my hands and turn away from him. He takes the bait.
"Bella?" He calls to me, his voice laced with concern. "Are you okay? Did I hurt you?"
I bend myself down to the ground, pretending to be so hurt that I can't hold myself upright. But really I gather a small pile of snow in my hands and wait for him to come closer.
"Love, I didn't mean to hurt you. I'm so sorry." And then his arms are around me. I try to hide my snicker as I turn to shove the snow in his face.
"I win."
VI.
"She's going to be fine, you know." Emmett says to me as I sit in the passengers seat of his jeep, my eyes vacant as I stare out the side window.
I know that she will be fine. She'll have Alice looking out for her but I still don't like it. Not even so much because I worry about her - and I do - more because I don't like the empty hole that takes the place of my heart whenever I'm away from her.
"I know." I answer Emmett but don't take my gaze away from the window. It was only two days. In two days, she'd be in my arms again. Two days.
VII
The letter was sitting on my night stand with a orange orchid next to it. I take the flower and smell it before tearing into the letter, grinning.
My Dearest Bella,
Your sleeping now and you look so beautiful it makes my heart ache. I love being so close to you and you've been dreaming a lot tonight, mostly about us. It makes me happy to hear that.
You, my love, are like the brightest star in my sky. The lighthouse in a dark night. The one thing that I look forward to each and every day. When I am away from you, it is like a physical pain. And I know that I am away from you as you read this so I want to please ask you to take care of my heart because I have left it with you.
I love you, now and always.
-Edward.
VIII
"This is just a little ridiculous, don't you think, Edward." Emmett says as we pack up the jeep.
"Then why don't you stay and I'll find my own way home." I growl back at him.
"No, man, it's fine but didn't you ever think that maybe she wants a little time to herself every now and then? That maybe she's getting a little tired of being attached at the hip?"
I glower at him. "No." But it planted the first seed of doubt in my head. "Shut the hell up, Emmett."
Emmett laughs.
IX
The door closes behind me and I am immediately suspicious. Edward is away, gone for the weekend with his brothers. Immediately I notice the red flower petals starting at the front door and leading up the stairs and I was guessing, into my room.
"Charlie?" I call out even though I know he's not there.
I follow the petals slowly up to my room, a small blush creeping up onto my neck. I can here the soft tones of a piano solo coming from behind my closed door and I listen closer. It's my lullaby. I can't help it. I quicken my pace into my room and fling open the door. I would have laughed when I saw him there, holding a dozen roses in his hands if my heart hadn't stopped and tears of love and joy hadn't come into my eyes.
"I thought you were gone." I say.
"I couldn't stay away from you any longer." he says back. "I wanted to see you. Is it okay that I'm here?" He looks worried for a moment, as if he were spoiling my night by surprising me.
I smile and I don't answer him. I just wrap my arms around him and press my lips to his cold throat, wondering if someone has ever loved anyone as much as I love him.
Probably not.
X
I was worried about what her reaction would be when she found the roses (Bella hated surprises) and especially when she saw me there. I'd been afraid that she would get mad that I had ruined her alone time, maybe she'd had plans. But then she's opening the door and leaping for my arms.
And I can breathe again.
XI
It's our wedding day. I am about to walk down the aisle to my one, true love. I can hardly keep the smile from my face or the tears from my eyes. I was not one for weddings, obviously. But today was the happiest day of my life. Edward would finally be mine forever. I had the most real claim on him now than anyone had ever had.
I look up from under my veil and I see him standing there, at the end of the aisle, waiting for me. For me. It still didn't seem real. I almost wanted to pinch myself. Almost. Instead, I smile back at him and try not to rush Charlie down the aisle.
"Bella." he says when I finally reach the end of the aisle. I put my hand in his and I know that I have never felt more complete than I do today.
XII
She's the most beautiful thing that I have ever seen with her dark hair swept up in combs and her white dress hugging her tiny frame. She smiles at me and I feel myself freeze. What had I done to deserve a girl such as her? Would I ever understand? Was there something out there, waiting to happen? Some price that I hadn't thought to factor into all of this. Nobody gets everything that they want.
But then Bella smiles at me and I decide that I don't care about any price. I'd pay it.
Happily.