"The banner will be placed…here. Is that okay?" Alice turned around; a pencil and notepad were in her hands.
We were deciding the decorations for the wedding.
We had hired the community center since I wanted something small, and also, it was a very small wedding.
June 18th. Only weeks away.
Were we going to have the happy ending we deserved?
I bit my lip and smiled at Alice rearranging flowers on the arch that we—Damien and I—would stand under.
"Yes." I answered.
"Perfect!" Alice said, putting the finished putting on last white rose—a model one—in place for the arch.
Beautiful.
I thought. The color scheme was white. That's it. White, for me, resembled new future, new possibilities.
Clean, elegant…gorgeous.
"Okay. We can do more tomorrow. I guess you want to get back to Damien." Alice said giving me a sly wink.
I shrugged. "I think he's happy if I'm happy. You're doing a great job decorating, Alice. But, I guess that's to be expected." I said, grinning.
"Why, thank you." Alice said flaunting a little.
"Just don't let it go to your head." I commented.
"Ha ha, you're so hilarious, Morgan." She said dryly.
"What can I say?" I said, shrugging innocently.
"I'll get my revenge." Alice said, grinning evilly.
"How?" I countered.
"Oh. Just you wait until we choose your wedding dress." She said, laughing at her own little joke.
"Great." I mumbled.
"Come on, let's go home for today. Esme, Rose, and Bella said they'd help tomorrow, too." She said.
"Alright." I said.
"Wait. One last question. Who's the maid of honor?" Alice asked.
Oh, crap. I had forgotten about that part.
"Well," I said swallowing nervously, "I don't know. Maybe Bella." I said, chewing my lip waiting for Alice's jealous reaction.
"Awesome!" She cried.
I looked at her like she was insane.
"Uh…excuse me?" I said.
"I would love to help Bella choose her dress. And her hair, of course." Alice said.
"I think if I heard the word 'wedding' one more time, I'll have a nervous breakdown. Let's go." I said, opening the door of the center.
We walked to Alice's car which was parked just across the street. Just as I was about to get into the passenger seat, I noticed something. Something insignificant, but it nonetheless caught my attention.
A small girl in an alleyway with a black hoodie over her face, staring in my direction. I couldn't exactly see her face, but the sight of her sent a shiver down my spine for some reason.
"Are you coming?" Alice said impatiently, strumming her thumb on the steering wheel.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming." I mumbled, getting numbly into the seat.
As we were driving off, I looked one last time to the alleyway and saw that the girl was gone.
"An arch?" Bella said staring at Alice.
We were all in the living room, discussing the wedding.
"But of course! It adds to the color scheme, Bella." Alice said exasperated.
I grinned, holding Damien's hand who sat next to me on the couch.
"It sounds pretty…" Damien allowed.
Alice grinned at him.
"It'll be okay, trust me." I mouthed to him.
He smiled and kissed my cheek.
"We still have to pick out the wedding dress and the style of your head. Not to mention the bridesmaid's dresses, and the maid of honor's." Alice said counting all the tasks on her fingers.
I sighed. "Okay."
"You don't sound very enthusiastic." Alice commented mildly.
"I am, believe me. It's just this is…a lot." I said.
"Marriage is no picnic." Rose said, elbowing Emmett.
"What?" he asked.
She rolled her eyes.
I giggled.
I looked at the clock. It was almost 11o'clock at night.
"Where's Carlisle?" I asked Esme, who was reading in the recliner.
"Late shift at the hospital." She said, not looking up.
"Oh."
How can Carlisle keep that much restraint not to hurt patients? And, I should go hunting soon.
I thought.
"In any case, we have a lot of work tomorrow!" Alice said eagerly.
"Yes we do." I agreed.
"A little to the left…no. Right. You leaned too much! Left again!" Alice was instructing Emmett.
"God, Alice, make up your mind!" he groaned, putting a painting onto the wall.
"Do we even need this?" I asked, gesturing toward the painting.
Alice snorted.
"It adds to the theme, Morgan. Please be more enthusiastic. You're giving me a headache." She said, exasperated.
"Okay, okay…" I muttered.
Esme was arranging flowers, Rose hanging up lights, Alice ordering everyone around, and the guys were doing the moving. Bella was sitting on a fold-up chair staring in awe at the center.
"What I don't understand," Emmett growled to Alice, "is why if you can do all the moving stuff yourself, but you insist that we men do it."
Alice gave him a sly smile.
"What bridesmaid would I be, making Morgan do work?"
"Why can't you do it, Alice?" Emmett snapped.
"What are you? A weakling? You have infinite strength, but sit here whining about moving some lousy painting. That's pathetic." Alice retorted.
Emmett snorted.
I walked over to Esme subconsciously.
I didn't want to hear the rest of Alice's and Emmett's argument.
"What are you doing?" I asked Esme.
She looked at me and smiled.
"Morgan, which flowers do you like better? Roses or lilacs?"
I chewed my lip, thinking.
"Probably roses. But, they're both good." I said, grinning.
"You're going to make a beautiful bride, Morgan." Esme whispered, smiling.
"Thank you." I whispered.
Next weekend, I thought looking at Damien, marveling at him, we will be together. Forever.
Damien was laughing quietly at Alice and Emmett bickering.
A smile was playing on my lips.
He saw me looking at him, and walked beside me.
I pulled my black jacket a little tighter over my shoulders.
"Are you having second thoughts?" he asked.
"Of course not!" I exclaimed looking at him and grinned.
"Good. I'm not either. All I want is to be with you. Nothing else matters." He said.
"Me too." I agreed, holding his hand.
"Damien! Come here, I want your opinion!" Alice called to him, motioning her hand for him to come closer.
"Okay…" Damien groaned playfully, walking to where Alice stood.
I smiled at the arch, imagining Damien in his tux, and my silky white dress.
It was hard to believe that next week, I'd be a Mrs.
Mrs. Rider.
I giggled jubilantly to myself, wishing silently in my head that I was already saying 'I do'.