Chapter 3
Unchained melody- Righteous Brothers
Oh, my love, my darling
I've hungered for your touch
A long lonely time
As time goes by so slowly
That time can do so much
Are you still mine?
I need your love
I need your love
God speed your love to me
Lonely rivers flow to the sea, to the sea
To the open arms of the sea, yeah
Lonely rivers sigh, "Wait for me, wait for me"
I'll be coming home wait for me
Oh, my love, my darling
I've hungered, hungered for your touch
A long lonely time
And i know the time goes by so slowly
That time can do so much
Are you still mine?
I need your love
I need your love
God speed your love to me
BPOV
Watching the ocean rolling in and out as we drive is so serene. One of the reasons why none of us could ever move from the Charleston area. The beach was always our favorite. And the rich history of our town just gives you this feeling that whenever you're walking around this great city, you're almost transported back to a time where history was made.
Being born and raised in a city like this, you learn to really appreciate that history. Edward and I would always go for walks along the Battery, taking in the historic houses there and Rainbow Row. Even visiting the various churches and seeing the graves from centuries ago feels like you're standing on hallowed ground. Which, you were. All over Charleston, is somewhere that history has touched.
I needed this ride with Edward, and this trip down memory lane to remember our own history. I'm not sure when, but I can feel my end is near. It's something I've noticed little by little the past few weeks. Maybe even before then.
I can feel myself slowly deteriorating everyday. I wanted to do this before I knew there was no chance that I'd be able to again. Every Sunday, my heart would hurt even more than it already does because this was mine and Edward's favorite tradition. Then one Sunday, a while after my cancer diagnosis, it was a hot summer day and, being in the south, it was humid as hell out. My heart was working overtime, and things were just not right. I couldn't breathe and things felt like they were falling apart around me.
Edward basically refused to take our rides after that because he didn't want to put unnecessary strain on me. I didn't argue because I didn't want to feel that panic again, but it tore both of us up when Sundays would come around and we would try to find something else to do.
Watching the waves and hearing the next song, 'Unchained Melody' by the Righteous Brothers, come over the speakers, takes me back to our wedding day.
Flashback
I can't believe I'm really getting married.
It's surreal to me that he's really mine for the rest of our lives. I mean, we've always been together as best friends, but when he proposed the day before my 21st birthday, it all became more concrete.
We didn't want to have too long of an engagement, so we decided on an April wedding on the beach in Charleston, the following year.
So here we are, getting ready at the beach house that Carlisle and Esme, Edward's wonderfully loving parents, own. Then having the wedding just a few feet away from the house.
I've always loved Carlisle and Esme's house, growing up. It's the epitome of the classic Charleston house, with its columns, grand porches, enchanting interior. It just gives you that feeling of warmth and welcome and home.
Alice, Rose, and Esme are helping me get dressed and ready in Esme and Carlisle's bedroom, since it's ginormous.
"Bella, where's your makeup bag, honey? We need to get started." Esme asked as she walked back into the room.
She has been running around like a crazy person all morning trying to get things to be perfect for our wedding.
"Bathroom!" I call from the window where I'm looking out at the water.
Rose and Alice have already had me getting pampered, shaved, plucked, and buffed to within an inch of my life. So, all I really need to do is get my hair finished and makeup done, then put on my dress.
I'm doing everything pretty simple; hair curled down my back, natural makeup with taupe eye shadow, and my dress… my dress is pretty basic, but elegant. It's a halter, chiffon dress that comes down to my knees, and has an mint blue sash under the bust. Nothing flashy, but still appropriate for the occasion.
"Ok, got it. Come on, sweetheart, you gotta get ready for your big day." Esme says, coming out of the bathroom and ushering me into the chair so that she can get to work on my face. After my makeup is done, Rose is gonna do my hair.
I'm kinda lulled into my own mind where I go over my vows again.
We decided to do our own vows for our wedding because we didn't want the cookie cutter vows. We wanted something that was us.
After a while, I feel my shoulder being shook, and look up at the mirror in front of me.
It's just how I wanted everything; simple and natural.
Alice is already in her dress, as is Esme, since Rose was the one to finish up with my hair. So it's just me and her to put on our dresses, then get downstairs.
"Bella, baby, I wanted to give you this as your something old." Esme tells me, holding up a strand of pearls that I recognize. "These were given to me by my mother when I married Carlisle. I want you to have them for your wedding day. And hopefully, you'll pass them onto your daughter one day, too."
"Thank you, Esme." I whisper to her as she comes to put them on me.
Once she has them in place, I look in the mirror again. "They're perfect." I smile and hug her to me.
"Sweetheart, I know how perfect you two are together. I've seen it since y'all were little. Way before either of you saw it yourselves. You two are going to be so happy together. And I want lots of grandbabies, too." She says, kissing the side of my head before she pulls back.
I'm beet red at her last comment, but, come on, it's not like we haven't already had sex.
"Thank you so much for giving me the best part of my life." I whisper, and kiss her cheek.
"Ok, so we've got the 'something old' taken care of, and your dress is new, and has something blue. Soooo," Alice says, holding out a beautifully intricate hair clip that matches the color of the aqua sash on my dress, and I know it's one of her favorite accessories. "I thought this would be perfect to go with your dress."
"Oh, Alice, this is your favorite. You should be wearing it today, not me." I tell her, but agree that yeah, it'd be totally perfect for my dress.
"Oh hush. That's why it's 'something borrowed'." She laughs, then turns me to the mirror to place the clip in. Then holds up a mirror behind me so I can see the full effect. "See? You need this much more than I do today. Besides, everyone's gonna be looking at you, not me. Now let's get that dress on and get you down to the beach, Mrs. Cullen." Her smile is so wide that I can't help but match it, myself.
Putting my dress on and seeing the whole picture, I want to cry. I'm really getting married.
I never thought about getting married and having a family all that much when I was a kid. I was always this reserved little girl. I always stuck to Alice, Rose, Edward, Jasper and Emmett. That was my group. I had a few other friends here and there, but it was always just us six that stuck together.
I guess I was always a little on the shy side growing up, but when my mom left us when I was eight, it made me feel like I did something wrong.
But daddy always told me that she started feeling like she wasn't cut out to be a mother anymore. That she had been excited and happy in the beginning, to be married to my dad and to have a daughter. But around the time I was seven, she started acting differently. She was a little more distant. She still cared for me, but as time went on, she just started becoming this different person that I didn't know anymore.
So she left and did her own thing. She called to check up on me for the first year, but I never heard from her again after I turned ten.
And in all honesty, I'm fine with it now. My dad has always been an amazing father to me. He never made me feel like a burden or that he couldn't handle things after my mom was gone.
I never even tried to find my mom to send her an invitation to the wedding. She made her choice, she can live with it.
"Knock, knock." I hear from the door, and Esme walks over to open the door for my dad, already dressed and ready in his black slacks and white button up. We didn't want it to be too dressy for the ceremony. So all the men were wearing the same black slacks and white button up.
He just stands there and looks at me and I see his eyes getting misty.
"Hi daddy." I say, as he finally walks into the room.
"Baby Bell… You look… beautiful, baby girl. You're all grown up…" He says as he comes over to hug me.
"Thanks, daddy." I whispered into his shoulder, trying not to cry.
As he pulled back, He said, "You ready to do this, kiddo?"
I looked up into his eyes, not even wavering, "Absolutely."
Esme came over and gave me one last kiss on my cheek, then led the rest of our group out to the back doors where we would walk out to the beach from.
I couldn't see the arbor that was set up on the beach for the ceremony from the doors, but that gave me a couple of moments to make sure I had everything together in my head.
As I watched Esme, Alice and Rose descend the stairs, my excitement grew. I was so ready to be married to the love of my life.
Making my own way out and down the stairs on my dad's arm, I finally saw the small gathering of our family and friends. And as I got closer, I could see the bright, smiling face of my soon-to-be-husband.
God he looked stunning in his slacks and shirt.
I'm so glad we nixed the tuxes for this.
Not that he doesn't look hot in one, but I've always loved the laidback look on him.
The ceremony was pretty basic, and it kinda all blurred, but his vows were so touching.
"Bella… I could've never, in my wildest dreams, found a more amazing person to spend my life with. We've always been perfectly suited for each other, whether we knew it at the time or not. And I promise to spend the rest of my life loving, caring, worshiping, and protecting you. I promise to always be by your side, through anything that life throws our way and always fight in your corner. I will love you til my dying day. And even after. You are the very best part of my life, and I'll never let you go." he vowed.
I knew I had tears streaming down my face, and I had to stop myself from launching myself at him and kissing the life out of him.
I was such a lucky bitch.
I wiped at my eyes, and tried to regain my focus on my own vows.
"Wow… now how do I follow that up?" I laughed, getting a little teary. "Edward, no one really finds the love of their life at the age of six, but I think you and I prove that wrong. People say if you can find your very best friend in life, and you can stay that way through anything, then you should marry them. I don't think I could see going through life's adventures with anyone else by my side. You are my best friend, and the love of my life, and I'm so proud to become the one who gets to share everyday with. I vow to never go to bed angry, to always love you through thick and thin, to be there and support you in everything you do, and always take care of you. Every single day of forever, I'll love you and cherish you." I barely got out.
I could see the tears brimming his own eyes as the minister finally pronounced us husband and wife.
Edward grabbed me by the waist with one hand and snaked the other into my hair, and dipped me back, kissing me for all he was worth… that was still appropriate, of course.
"I love you so much, Mrs. Cullen." He said against my lips, kissing me again.
"And I love you, Mr. Cullen." I said as we turned to greet our friends and family as a married couple.
We had a small reception on the deck of Carlisle and Esme's house, that included a beautiful white and black and aqua blue cake.
Hearing 'Unchained Melody' come over the speakers, I seek out Edward's eyes across the deck, and start moving towards him for our first dance.
He starts moving to me and takes my hand, pulling me into his arms and starts spinning and swaying with me as he lowly croons along with the song.
"How does it feel, Mrs. Cullen?" he asks as my head is nestled under his shin.
"Absolutely wonderful. We could've done what Em and Rose did, but I wanted it to be permanent. For us to be a permanent team. And I never wanted to be a statistic, you know? It's us til the end." I smile up at him.
"I couldn't have said it better, my love. It'll always be us." He says, kissing my forehead.
"Always."
End flashback.
"Best decision I ever made in my life was marrying you." He whispers, clasping my hand in his, then placing a loving kiss on the top of it.
I sigh, loving how wonderful and supportive he's been since that day. He always has been, but he takes his vows incredibly seriously, unlike some men in the world.
He never wanted to be one of those statistics either.
"You're the very…best part of my life, too." Giving that part of his vows right back to him. "You, and Carlie. I don't regret…any of our life together... Absolutely nothing… The only thing I'd change…is me getting sick." I tell him, looking back out the window at the waves that came back into view.
"Me too, baby. Me too."