Yes, I know there is no light
in a room where the sun is absent,
if you are not here with me.
Con Ti Partiro ~ Andrea Bocelli & Sarah Brightman
Bella squared her shoulders and pushed her reading glasses up the bridge of her nose. "I have to tell Alice, Edward. She's my best friend," she tried reasoning.
Sighing, Edward uncrossed his legs before drumming his fingers on the coffee table. "You do know that Alice practically has her own column in The Post. I love her but her inability to keep a secret is left to be questioned. Besides, the less people who know the better."
Bella rolled her eyes. "Don't give me that crap. Jasper knows."
Edward looked taken aback. "How do you know?"
"His congratulatory text which came BEFORE your official proposal kind of gave it away," she replied dryly.
"Thanks a lot, Jasper," he muttered under his breath. "Why do you need to let Alice in, anyway?"
She gave him a 'duh' look. "Would she really believe that you'd marry me without ulterior motive?"
"Bella. Again, that hurts."
Bella rolled her eyes.
"Fine. Alice's in," he relented. He stretched his legs before bringing it to rest on the long couch. He made a mental note to ask Bella to keep that couch once she moves in.
"How about Renee and Esme?"
"How about we tell the whole New York?" Edward suggested sarcastically.
"Alright, alright," Bella surrendered. She clasped her hand together and looked down at Edward like she does with her eleventh-grade students. "So, we need to set some ground rules."
Edward nodded. "Sounds fair."
"First, give me a timeline."
"One year."
Bella chortled. "You're delusional. Six months."
Edward snapped his fingers. "Ten."
"Six months starting from the engagement. That's my final offer."
Disgruntled, Edward muttered incoherently before nodding.
"Next: the date," Bella announced.
"It has to be earlier than April before the will expire," he spoke. "I understand that barely gives you ample time.."
Bella shrugged. "I've always wanted to be a spring bride. A month and a half is more than enough for Alice to plan the wedding."
Edward chuckled. "You're right about that. Speaking of whom, how are we going to break it to her?"
"I was thinking -." Bella paused as her Blackberry vibrated to life. She saw the name on the display and grinned. "Speak of the devil. Excuse me, Edward." Punching the green button on her phone, Bella tentatively brought it closer to her ear, before pulling it away a second later, cringing.
"Isabella Marie Swan!! How could you get engaged to my own brother without telling me about it??" came the shrill voice from the phone.
"Hello to you too, Mary Alice Cullen-Whitlock," Bella greeted dryly. Edward was already chuckling at his sister's antics.
"So the caption in The Post is true?" Alice demanded.
"Yeah, about that -."
"What's going on, Bella? Are you out of your mind? He's my brother and even I could see that Edward is no marriage material!" Alice screeched again, her voice didn't escape Edward's sensitive hearing. The man frowned.
Bella laughed. "Honey, I think you just hurt my fiancé's feelings."
Alice audibly gasped. "He's there?"
"In the flesh," Edward made his appearance known.
"We need to talk, brother."
"Sure. When can you pencil me in your hectic socialite schedule, dear sister?"
"Edward, play nice," Bella intervened.
"I'm nice," he defended himself.
"You're out of your mind," Alice corrected.
Sighing, Bella turned off the loudspeaker and brought her phone back to her ear. "Listen, Alice. It's longwinded and I know you really don't have time for that. I suggest you talk to your husband. He's been holding out on you."
"He has??" Alice barked. Clearly Bella took the wrong way out. She cringed again. Jasper was going to kill her.
"Yes, sweetie. And after you are done being mad at him and with your round of hot make-up sex, give me a call. We need to talk about your matron-of-honor duty," Bella relay, grabbing a calendar from her coffee table. She tossed it to Edward, who caught it expertly. He instantaneously began flipping to 'April'.
Alice huffed. "Finally one thing you're doing right," she grunted. "Timeline, Swan."
Edward tossed back the calendar to her after circling two Saturdays on it. "Hmm, I have to fly to Moscow on the thirteenth to secure Dora Maar, so how about on the twentieth of April?" she inquired into the phone.
"Seriously, Bella? A painting comes before your wedding? Did Renee drop you on your head when you were a toddler?" Alice responded dryly.
"Hey, everything comes after a 100-million dollar painting, okay?" Bella felt the need to defend herself. "So, how about it?"
"That's a stiff timeframe you gave me, Bella."
"I know. But it's okay, I know you can do it," Bella placated.
After exchanging a few more minor details, Alice finally hung up. Before Bella could open her mouth to speak, Edward had beaten her to it. "You're moving in."
Bella frowned. "What's wrong with my place?"
"It's all the way uptown, Bella," he replied, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
Bella shook her head. "No. NO. I had put great effort to finally migrate from midtown and you're not hauling my ass back there."
"Bella, my place makes more sense, alright? Besides, it's nearer to everybody."
"But farther away from my school," she argued.
"Plus, my place is bigger," Edward put in, totally disregarding Bella's argument.
Bella sighed. "You are such a snob."
He grinned. "You can bring this couch over though."
Bella was so wiped out, how she was not yet breathing in and out of a paper bag astounded her. She had been in three continents over the last 96 hours. While munching on the airline meal, she berated herself for refusing Charlie's generosity to lend her his private Concorde. On top of that, she managed to stay in touch with her students via Satellite video conference directly from her hotel room to the classroom, despite the time differences. The kids emailed her their finished assignments and she had spent the fourteen-hour journey from Heathrow to JFK grading the paper.
Upon touchdown in JFK, Alice had hustled her into an awaiting limo for the final dress fitting. Rose, her sister in-law cum best friend could not make it to the fitting due to another prior engagement. Bella was a little dismayed; Rose is always useful in reprimanding Alice's superfluous nature. On the way, the socialite-turned-despot ran by her the list of things that needed to be attended to. Bella tuned it off somewhere along the 'cake sampling' and 'floral arrangement'. She still had a more pressing matter at hand; a van Gogh was starting to bid at £65 million in London's Christie's, and she was wondering whether she would be able to make it.
Finally, Alice had had enough. "Isabella Swan!" she bellowed.
Bella snapped out of her trance and immediately covered her hurting ears. She swore the limo's black tinted windows were shaking. "What's up, Alice? Are you nuts? In need of medical attention?" she asked, annoyed.
"I'm nuts? I'm nuts?" Alice repeated, she was definitely a moment away before combusting. "Of course I'm going nuts! Here I am, planning and primping my best friend for the wedding of the year within the span of a month while she doesn't even give a toss about which flowers she would have for her bouquet! I don't know, Bella, that trip to Gracie Square looks quite tempting about now."
Bella visibly cringed. She couldn't blame Alice. After all, she did leave her pixie-like best friend in charge. Her face softened as the reality of Alice's hard work dawned upon her. "I'm sorry, Alice. I am such an ungrateful child," she apologized.
Alice calmed down by a few. She could never stay mad at Bella. "No, Bella. You're not ungrateful, only painfully ignorant," she corrected.
Bella nodded amiably. "That I am. And to answer your question, a clutch of multicolour freesias would be lovely."
Alice smiled softly at her friend. "Wonderful choice, Bella. I'll arrange it with the florist."
"And please, Alice. No wedding of the year," Bella begged.
Laughing, Alice threw her arms around Bella in a tight hug. "Oh, I know, Bella! I was just jerking you around. I know you would prefer a small group of fifty over five hundred," she said, grinning.
Bella let out a huge sigh of relief.
"But that won't stop it from being the wedding of the year. With the bride and groom and the wedding planner of the year, it is kind of inevitable," Alice boasted playfully, winking.
Bella frowned. "I hope I won't trip in the dress. There's no train, right?" she asked almost with fear.
Alice gasped. "Train? Do you think you're getting married in the Victorian era?"
Bella giggled. She was so off from the fashion trend she wouldn't know if it was still cool to wear skirts with knee-high boots anymore.
"Are you sure you want to do this, Bella?" Alice asked suddenly.
Bella's giggles halted. "It's only for six months, Alice."
"Are you sure you won't be disillusioned by his manwhore ways?"
Bella wriggled her eyebrows. "Good thing I am painfully ignorant then."
Sighing, Alice closed her leather-bound planner with a thud. A corner away and they would be meeting Renee and Esme for the fitting. "You know the worst thing is about all of this?"
"What?"
"Renee and Esme would be crushed when they find out. They have been secretly vouching for you guys to get together, and now that you finally have, they'd be broken hearted to find out that everything is a scam. Let's just say, if you're brave enough to pull this off, make sure you have enough courage to endure the post breakup ordeal after that six months."
Bella slowly digested Alice's words. She knew Esme and Renee had been joyous when they had first announced their engagement. And Alice was right. Their planned separation within six months would infuriate the two older women.
"Believe me, Alice. I've thought about that. But the separation will be on good terms, so don't worry, sweetie, Edward and I will manage," Bella replied in a soothing tone.
The limo was pulling into a stop when Alice touched Bella's shoulder to convey one final concern. "If I were you, Bella, I would not tolerate infidelity on Edward's part."
Bella raised an eyebrow. "How is that infidelity if we are never in love to begin with?"
Alice groaned in frustration. "But you guys will be married. He should practice some discretion!"
Bella thought for awhile. "I don't know, Alice."
"Think about it."
The two women stepped out of the limo into the crisp spring air of Manhattan, arms linked as they made their way down Madison Avenue towards a Zac Posen boutique.
Once they entered the posh boutique, they were swept away by two attendees who helped them out of their coats and poured Evian into their glasses. Bella was too languid to wave the help off so she just let them buzz around her.
Esme and Renee came from behind a corner and squealed when they noticed her. After the session of hugs and air kisses, Bella braved her soul for the torturous girly session awaiting her.
"I haven't seen you in weeks," came a smooth velvety voice from behind her.
Bella whirled around on her heels and came face to face with her fiancé. She braced herself as Edward lowered his face to plant a soft kiss on her lips. Totally unexpected and a whole new territory. She was lucky she didn't shiver lest they foiled the act of being a couple in love. His cologne filled her senses and for awhile, Bella felt lightheaded.
"I'm sorry. Cliff notes: SAT, Picasso and launching," she offered apologetically, trying to rid the blush that was creeping up her cheeks.
Edward laughed. "I know. I'm just thankful you're still in one piece."
"Hold that thought. Never underestimate the mutilating power of dress fitting moments," she muttered under her breath.
Edward patted her shoulder consolingly. "Don't worry, Bella. If things get too tough, there's always Vegas."
A collective gasp came from behind them. Both Bella and Edward turned to find the horrified faces of Esme, Renee and Alice.
Bella cringed. "Oops?"
"That V word! That is a curse in such a magical place like this!" Alice reprimanded. "And you, what are you doing here? You're not supposed to be here!" she demanded, jutting her chin out at Edward.
Edward chuckled. "Alright, alright. I'm gone," he announced, before looking at Bella expectantly. "Do you want to walk me out?"
After taking Bella's dainty fingers with his long ones, they made their way outside the boutique before turning to face each other.
"I believe everything is in order?"
Bella nodded. She hesitated before blurting out. "Actually, there is one thing I'd like to talk about."
Edward waited. He reached over and tucked a strand of mahogany hair behind Bella's ear.
"We both know of your rather, uh, colourful history with women," she began. Her heart was thumping quite furiously due to the simple act of Edward tucking her hair.
Edward coughed. "Don't worry about it."
"I'm not being territorial but I'm not sure I would appreciate playing the part of a foolish helpless wife while her husband dallies around with his flavour of the week," she explained, all the while looking down at their fingers that were still intertwined.
"I understand."
She thought of a compromise. Her fiancé is after all, a healthy hot-blooded man, who did find it hard to keep it in his pants. "At least, keep it out of the country."
Edward smiled. "TransAtlantic affair. How interesting."
Bella laughed. "You know what I mean."
Nodding, Edward clasped both of Bella's hands in his. "Alright. So I'll see you at the church Saturday?"
She nodded while smiling a cliché smile. "I'll be the one in white."
Bella refrained from knocking her head against the table, lest her half scrunch-half sleek sideswept bun would tumble down her shoulder. Although she was quite convinced there was no way a single strand of her hair would go out of place with the amount of pin and chemicals the hairstylist had poked and sprayed into her chestnut tresses.
She was getting married in less than twenty minutes. In twelve hundred seconds she would walk down the aisle with Charlie, only to have Edward Anthony Cullen the Third waiting for her by the altar. Truthfully, she had never been like other girls who had dreamt of this moment all their lives. Sure, she had wanted to settle down sometime in the future, maybe have 2.5 kids of her own, white picket fences (or maybe a neo-Italian limestone town house given her city of choice), the whole package.
Yes, she had wanted all that, sure. But with Edward Cullen, not entirely sure. Yes, Edward is a fine specimen of the male species. With the windswept bronze locks and emerald eyes, Edward seemed like the perfect groom physically. But Bella has known Edward her entire life. He was a refined man, an intelligent businessman but the worst choice of a husband.
She knows this because she knows all about his indiscretion. Heck, all Manhattan could possibly have gotten wind of his less-than-discreet nature when it comes to the opposite sex. That man loves women. So much so that Bella couldn't help but pity herself.
Bella stood up from the antique chair and glided to the full-view mirror. Alice had definitely outdone herself again; even Bella herself had to admit she looked simply stunning. Alice had secured the wedding dress right off the runway model from New York Spring 2009 Fashion Week show. It has a cowl neck which shows off a modest yet sexy amount of her décolletage. The asymmetrical gathering details of the fabric accentuated Bella's curves, giving it a look of pure elegance. She paired it off with Jimmy Choo's Elani silk satin slingback shoes. She completed her look with a pair of dangling topaz and freshwater pear earrings.
Alice, Rosalie and Angela stepped into the waiting room, clad in their vermilion Alfred Angelo cocktail length satin dress. All three women looked equally beautiful and excited. But their faces fell upon seeing Bella's aghast one.
"Cold feet, Bella?" Angela asked, concerned of her colleague.
Rosalie smirked. She was bemused when the news of Bella and Edward's engagement reached her ears, but nevertheless, happy for the couple. 'Finally' was among the few comments that escaped from the gorgeous blonde's lips, along with 'fascinating' and 'this is not a joke, right?'. "I refrain from offering my insightful comments," she spoke, mirth in her eyes.
Bella choked out a laugh, thankful for Rosalie's comical attempt. Rosalie has a mouth with her, and Bella loves her for that.
Alice gave Rose a glare and stepped forward to fuss with Bella's gown. "You're not in need of Xanax, are you? I got some in my magic box if you do," she inquired, raising an eyebrow.
Bella rolled her eyes. "I don't need tranquilizers, Alice," she retorted. On second thought, "Uh, how about an oxygen bag?"
Rosalie and Angela burst out laughing while Alice looked unamused. She straightened her back and gave Bella a once-over. "Brilliant," she commented. "I'm a genius."
Bella rolled her eyes again.
"Something old?"
Bored, Bella lifted her right hand, showcasing the antique topaz-encrusted white gold bracelet which used to belong to her great-grandmother.
"Something new?"
Bella gave a breadbox look. "How about this entire ensemble?" she replied sarcastically, gesturing to herself from head to toe.
"Alright. That could work, I guess. And here's for your something borrowed," Alice said, tossing a delicate golden chain of anklet Bella's way. "And I need that back."
"Yeah, yeah," the woman mumbled as she quietly slipped the jewellery on.
"And something blue?"
Rosalie clapped her hands excitedly. "Oh, I know, I know!" She wriggled her eyebrows at Bella's smug smile. "I'll give you guys a clue: Paris Hilton has one thing in common with the 007, and that issss?"
Laughing, Alice gave Bella a begrudging pat on the shoulder. "Agent Provocateur. Nice touch," she commented. Angela, who was a little bit belated to fashions and high-society gossips, finally caught up and awarded an appreciative grin.
Glancing at the clock above their heads, they noticed they had ten minutes to spare. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door, and Charlie poked his head in. "Hello, girls."
"Hello Charles," came the chorus from the ladies.
Charlie smiled, although strained. "Can I speak to my daughter in private before I give her away?"
After the bridesmaids stepped out, father and daughter exchanged a brief hug. "I can't believe you're getting married today," Charlie commented before pulling away.
"Me neither," Bella replied, her lips drawn into a thin smile.
"Are you sure this is what you want?" Charlie drilled, his eyes questioning.
No! "Yes, father."
"Edward Cullen, huh?"
"Who would have thought?"
Father and daughter laughed.
"You know whatever happens, your mother and I always have your back, right?"
Bella rolled her eyes. "Thank you, father."
"By the way, she and Esme are in a tear-filled fest on the front pew."
"Hope they have that on video."
Charlie chuckled. He took a look at his Rolex. Two minutes. "I love you, kiddo. Don't forget to give him a bloody nose if he can't keep it in his pants."
"Father!" Bella admonished despite laughing.
There was a subtle knock. "It's showtime," came Alice's melodic voice.
Charlie heaved out a breath. "Let's get this show on the road."
The sound of violins and cello floated in the air from the upper tier of the church, playing the familiar intro of Con Te Partiro. Alice, the matron of honor was being escorted by the best man, Jasper. Next came Rosalie with Emmett, followed by Angela in Ben Cheney's hand.
As the music picked up, Charlie took the encouraging step into the church with Bella in hand. The whole congregation gasped at the sight of the beautiful bride dressed in pure white with a clutch of multicoloured freesias in her hand.
Edward nervously gulped. Bella looked simply stunning. She was a sight to behold. Deep down he knew many were envious of him; ex-boyfriends, admirers, men in general.
He watched as she glided down the aisle in Charlie's arm, a radiant smile on her face. He knew it wasn't the happy ending she had wanted; there were so many sacrifices in her part, and for that he would be eternally grateful. But he couldn't help telling himself that her smile was true; she was indeed happy to be there, to be married to him, as he was to her.
Father and daughter neared the altar. Bella kissed her father's cheek before being handed to her fiancé. "Take care of her," Charlie had muttered to Edward.
The rest of the ceremony passed by in a blur. The next thing Bella knew, she was already addressing 'I do'. Edward slipped the wedding band on her finger and she repeated the same with his. The crowd sighed. Finally the minister beckoned, "And I pronounced you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."
Bella and Edward had exhausted everything on the details of their wedding, but they had forgotten this particular part. Bella held her breath. The last time Edward had kissed her was at the sidewalk of a busy Manhattan street. It was chaste, it was sudden. But there was no witness to evaluate the depth and meaning of the kiss.
Fifty or so pairs of eyes were trained on them as Edward lowered his chiselled face to hers. Bella's eyes fluttered shut by default, anticipating a slight brush on her lips. The smell of sandalwood permeated her senses. "Thank you for marrying me, Bella Cullen," she thought she had heard before she felt the soft pressure of Edward's lips on hers.
The moment their lips met, Bella let go of her inhibition, and kissed Edward because she wanted to, not because she needed to.
A/N: Thank you for the words of encouragement and ideas! The ring however was not a figment of my imagination; I am not that creative. Once I get off my lazy bum I'll put up the picture of the ring on my profile, although I am not sure as to how necessary it is. Tell me if you want to see it. I hope you enjoyed this chapter :)
