"Alice. I really don't understand…."

"Bella! You promised me."

I couldn't help grumbling despite the hopeful look on Alice's face. What was I supposed to do? Turn her down? Ignoring the fact that I found it close to impossible to say no to her bubbling words and brilliant face, it would be wasted energy to attempt to fight her. Despite her small form, she was hauling more power than anything I could come up with.

I made a point to drag my feet.

"You'd think I was asking you for a kidney. Well, not that I would need it anyway." She looked contemplative for a moment, then switched back to her usual smile.

"Why are you here? You said you're not even going to look at the dress." A wedding dress. So crucial to so many girls. It only solidified marriage to me, almost as much as the ring on my finger. It was beautiful, I'd never deny that, but it sat there constantly as a weight on my finger. Emmet spent a lot of time laughing at what he called my "ring sequence". As he described, when I looked down at the piece of jewelry I'd first smile; I automatically thought of Edward. Soon after I'd frown, remembering that marriage was in hot pursuit. Just after I'd turn irritated, then finally smile again. The previous was attributed to the fact that Edward got the upper hand as he always did. He had a habit of getting his way when it came down to me and him. The final smile could only come from the fact of what came after the wedding. Obviously, my fiancé's family would consider the promise of my turning to be the source of my happiness. I'd never admit to them that I was anticipating something else just as much. The wedding night.

"Bella?" Alice was waving her hand in front of my face when I finally snapped back into reality and the layer upon layer of white that was floating around me. It was a small boutique in France. It was insisted that there was no other place to go for a dress. Through the prodding of not only my mother but Esme as well I finally agreed. I wish my mother had kept a hold of the dress she married Charlie in. Soon after the divorce it was given a new home; to a family friend who's daughter couldn't afford one. I'd had a problem forgiving her when it first happened. I never told her that though. I never would.

"This is Anais. She'll help you." The woman looked nice enough. Her hair was pulled tight into a bun without a stray hair in sight. She looked pointy though. Her chin was sharp and her ears looked almost like triangles. Her lips were dark red, matching a heavy ruby necklace. That was the only color in her entire outfit. The rest was a black suit with a white collared shirt. She looked professional and on cue but her smile was enough to settle my nerves. A little. "Pick a good one. I'll be over there." Alice waved her hand towards a set of benches at the front of the store and gracefully loped her way over. She insisted on not being with me through the actual process of trying things on. She reminded me that it was bad luck if the groom saw the bride in her dress before the wedding. Unfortunately my fiancé could read everyone's mind but mine. If Alice saw, he saw.

"Madame, perhaps I'll show you a few of our signature pieces considering it has been made clear money is not an object." Even through the French accent it was apparent that she was pleased with this piece of information. I just nodded my head, trying to find a way to steer her to less pricey dresses. Edward and Alice were the worst about giving me presents. They liked to spoil me. I decided I might as well play along though; I knew how much Alice wanted to help pick the dress, but she was giving it up for me. Just so everything would be perfect. I couldn't help smiling to myself as I thought of how dedicated Alice, Esme, and even Rosalie had become to making my wedding everything anyone could wish for. Had it been me on my own I would have happily had the ceremonies performed in my back yard.

Anais began to steer me again. I kept dazing in and out of my own thoughts. The first she showed me reminded me of a cake more than a piece of clothing. It puffed out as such a colossal size I was sure it was possible to entrap at least two people in the rows of fluff.

I bit at my lip as I responded to her light description of the dress.

"It's nice but not exactly right for me. Maybe something a little less…big."

"Of course, of course! I have just the thing."

I wasn't sure the next one had enough material. It was thin and fell straight to the floor in shiny off-white satin. It looked more like an evening dress than something to wear to a wedding.

"Maybe something in between?"

Anais looked thoughtfully around the racks. "I have found it!" She had a wide grin spread across her face as she pulled something off a rack. She had the sort of theatrics that made me feel comfortable. Like she really wanted to find the right thing. Like she actually cared. "I won't even take it from the bag. Straight to the fitting hall with you." Before I could so much as open my mouth she had the dress bag in my arms and ushered me into a curtained changing room. I was surprised at how easily it slid on. I expected to need a pair of pliers and six extra arms to get into a wedding gown. I held up to folds of the white fabric as I carefully stepped my way to the mirrors. Anais had a hand pressed to her mouth. I was relieved when I saw it was a smile hiding, not a look of terror.

I stepped onto the raised platform and looked straight ahead.

"I think… I think this is it."