Chapter 14 Jasper and Alice's Wedding

It was a beautiful July 7, 1859 morning. It proved to be an early morning for the Swan clan. They first had to take care of the animals, feeding them and cleaning out the stalls, and then getting washed up and ready for church, and the wedding. By the time that everything was taken care of at the farm and they were ready to prepare themselves, the pond water had had enough time to soak up some warmth, and the men had a bath party in it, even the grandpas. The ducks, geese and swans flapped and squawked as they retreated. The guys played around more than washed, and their laughter carried up and into the windows of the house where the women bathed quickly in the heated water and got dressed. The guys had already loaded everything into the wagons and soon they headed off to town, the church and the wedding.

They went the five miles as fast as they could without hurting the horses. They could tell as they drove by that the Blacks had already gone to town. As planned, they met President and Lady Cullen at the docks so that they could get into the covered wagon for the three block trip to the church. They had decided that 'roughing it' for three blocks was better than blocking traffic from people stopping to stare. It had been a few years since the President and First Lady had been up to Twin Forks, and it was sure to draw attention now.

The men helped the women get out, and Edward was eager to help Bella, which was the reason Charlie made sure that Seth did it. All fifteen of them entered the chapel and shook the bishop's hand. He greeted them warmly to the humble church. He asked President Cullen if he had anything that he wanted to say to the congregation, and he declined, saying he was just there for the meeting and Jasper and Alice's wedding, but thanked him for the offer.

It was a lovely service. The hymns were sung, the sacrament was served and talks were given by the bishop and a member of the congregation. The congregation had been hard pressed to not stare at the Cullens. The whispering was even harder to stop. When the benediction was done the bishop asked, as usual, if there were any announcements.

Charlie stood up with a couple of others and went to the front, to wait their turns. When the other two were done Charlie took to the podium. He figured that there would be an uproar when he gave Bella's news, so he'd better be last so that the others would get proper recognition. "The Swan family has a couple of announcements. First, my wife is expecting a baby and is due in the Fall." The congregation murmured their pleasure. They remembered what the doctor had said after Rachel was born. This was good news, indeed. Then he said, "Our second announcement is that our second child, our daughter Bella is going to get married." The crowd gasped and looked around to find her. "She said 'Yes' to Sir Edward Cullen last night and they would like to be married in October after church. Will you two please stand up so everyone can see you?" They stood, even though there was little need for it. Everyone knew what they looked like. The congregation was thunder struck, staring and silent. He hadn't expected the silence, but shrugged his shoulders and then turned to leave the podium and sit down. At that point the silence ceased, and thunder took its place. Everyone had questions, congratulations, comments, etc.

It took fifteen minutes for the bishop to calm everyone down and get them ready for the pre-announced ordinances to be done. Normally, half of the congregation went home at this point, but not this time. Everyone stayed for Jasper's wedding to see the Cullens. But first there was a baby to be blessed and given a name. The baby cried the whole time, which was almost normal. Then a new member was baptized. Then another wedding was performed, and it was very nice.

When it was Alice and Jasper's turn, the whispering began again, gaining volume. The bishop asked anyone that was not involved or who didn't know either family to leave, that a marriage was not a spectacle. Some people actually did leave. As was the custom, the family of the betrothed came forward and sat in the front of the chapel, which was cleared out after church for this purpose. There were the eight from the Swan family, the four grandparents, the Black family, six Cullens and the seven workers. The Brandons had four in their family, and four grandparents. There was a respectable number for a wedding people in the front. Friends were left to fend for themselves to find a place to sit, and suddenly lots of people were friends.

The bishop began with the "Dearly Beloved" and ended with "You may now kiss the bride," and all was well with Jasper and Alice. He embraced her and kissed her sweetly and tenderly. The bishop asked for the congregation to give them peace and respect during the luncheon, and to not go there if they weren't expected. They thanked the bishop, apologizing for the added drama. They wondered what will happen in October, with a two month warning. It will be mayhem. They then finished gathering their things and headed for the shade and grass outside. They quickly set up the food and quietly ate together. Jasper and Alice were on a time schedule, and had places to go, and things to do. They were the first to leave.

"Good-by! See you in a week!" called Alice to everyone.

"Where are you going?" called Bella.

"Jasper won't tell me, I don't know," and her father whisked them away in his small carriage to the docks where a small boat awaited them.

"Where would you like to go with me on our honeymoon?" Sir Edward crooned in her ear.

"Since I have never been anywhere, I choose everywhere!" she retorts.

"We only have a week for our honeymoon. You will have to whittle that list down a little," he chuckles.

"Where ever you pick will be new to me," she deferred to him.

"Actually, I don't plan on going out much for our honeymoon. I have indoor activities that I'd like to do with you," he hinted.

"Why, Sir Edward! I can't believe you just said that! Where would you get such notions?" she asked.

"Women aren't the only ones who talk to each other."

"No, we aren't, but we trade recipes and how to remove stains from tablecloths."

"I'll bet that after we are married you will have other things to talk about."

"Never!"

"We'll see," he was entirely too confident.

"Sir Edward?"

"You can just call me Edward now and drop the 'Sir' part; I am your fiancée now."

"Edward…" she whispered, as he stepped closer to her.

"Oh, I like that, say it again." She took a step forward, too.

"Edward?" they came within inches of touching.

"Yes, say it again!"

"Edward!" he bent over and whispered into her ear. She gasped.

"Yes, Bella, dear?" She looked into his eyes, which were very, very close to hers. They were not touching, however.

"Oh, no. You got me so flustered that I forgot what I was going to ask!"

"I flustered you?" he reached for her hand and put it to his chest, over his heart.

"You did that on purpose! You are a scoundrel!" and she used her hand on his chest to push him back. They laughed at each other. That flirting stuff was fun.

"All right, let me pick the honeymoon. I'll ask around quietly and find us the perfect spot."

"That sounds good to me. That's enough time on the subject of where we spend our week alone. We only have the rest of today, which is mostly gone, and tomorrow before we have to part again. I want to spend it happily with you."

They packed everything to go home in the wagon and the Swans caravan went home after dropping the Cullens off at the ship. Edward couldn't bear to sleep in the ship away from her, and it was arranged that he could go the farm and stay the night, but that they must come to the ship as soon as breakfast was done on Monday so that they could leave first thing in the morning for home. Both wagons made their way to the farm and the grandparents doted on the children who were left.

Edward and Bella went out to check on the goats. He wanted to see if he could get Moonlight to be less afraid of him. She looked up at Bella first, and then looked at the scarf that she wore around her neck. Bella let her explore it. She smelled her own blanket, and then Bella's scarf again. She seemed to be making the connection. As they were doing this, Edward was taking quiet, very small steps toward them. He was getting fairly close and he paused a moment. Moonlight looked around and spotted him. She jerked, but Bella was still soothing her and she didn't run. He knelt down so that he wasn't such a threat. He started to whistle a lullaby to her, but she was on alert. She watched him, and her nose twitched toward him and his scarf. She seemed to calm, and looked like she wouldn't bolt away, but he didn't take the chance. He stayed where he was just whistling softly. Bella said to him softly, "You're closer than Jasper has been, you're doing well." They just continued what they were doing for a while longer. Edward's knees were beginning to ache and he winced when he shifted. Bella saw it and began to let go of her. She separated from the nanny and Moonlight, and then slowly got up and walked to Edward. She offered him a hand and helped him get up. They stood there together for a couple of minutes as Moonlight stared at them. Bella got brave there in the dark and reached her arms around Edward and hugged him. He was surprised, but thrilled. He wrapped his arms around her waist and held her to him. He swayed back and forth, and she hummed the lullaby to Moonlight. Edward thought it was a magical moment. All too soon Bella said goodbye to the animals and they retreated slowly. When they got out of the pen and closer to the house she jumped up and down and quietly cheered, not wanting to startle the animals. "You did it! You got close to her and she didn't run away! Good job!"

He took advantage of the glee in the air, and her good mood and encircled her in his arms again. Before she could think he kissed her. If he thought the first one was good, it was nothing when compared to this one. She stilled in his arms, and hers traveled up his and met at the back of his neck. That was when Seth came out of the stalls with a bucket of milk. He almost dropped it. "Bella, what do you think you are doing? Goodness gracious first it's Jasper and Alice, now it's you two. It's getting to be a hazardous place out here in the barn!" They broke apart, of course, but the feeling of the kiss lingered on their lips. She wondered what she had missed between Seth, Jasper and Alice, though. They held hands as they went into the house.

The look on their faces told the story Seth didn't have to tell when they got inside. Grandpa Swan took one look at them and scowled to her, "How were the goats, Bella?" he asked.

"The goats? Oh, yes, the goats. Well, they are well. They were all bedded down." She saw the look in her father's eyes and knew she had been caught. "I sat with the nanny and Moonlight for almost a half of an hour. Edward was creeping up on us and got about five feet away. He just knelt there and whistled for a while, while I pet Moonlight to keep her calm. She didn't even stand up. It was good," she explained.

"Not as good as the barn," added Seth, grinning.

"Seth! Be quiet!" she admonished him. He laughed at her as she turned as red as a tomato.

Her father was fast, "Too late. Your faces told on you already. Are you guys ready to handle yourselves properly? The city is a different world. People are different than in Twin Forks; I can't imagine what they are like in Portsmouth. Edward, what do you have to say?"

"I'm sorry, sir, we were so happy at seeing Moonlight so close up and we were coming through the barn, and…"

"I can guess the rest" Charlie said. He wasn't as mad as they thought he was. He remembered how it was with Renee when they were engaged. It was actual work not to hug and kiss her. As that thought came into his mind's eye, it gleamed and his mouth turned into a smile a tiny bit. "All right, everyone in the family room!" he boomed.

After scripture reading and prayers, Seth and Liam escorted Edward to their family room to bed down. Bella went with her sisters to their room and closed the door. "What happened in the barn?" interrogated Rose.

"Oh, my goodness! We were so happy that Moonlight allowed Edward…"

"Edward, not Sir Edward?" Rose interrupted.

"He told me I didn't have to use the 'sir' in private now that we are engaged," she explained. "Anyway, he hugged me. It was so nice! But we only hugged for a minute…"

"A whole minute?" she interrupted again.

"Yes, and it was wonderful, but not long. Then we headed through the barn for the house, but we were still elated. I was bouncing up and down on my feet as we walked, and the next thing I knew I was surrounded by his strength and warmth, and he was kissing me!"

Rose gasped, "He kissed you? In the barn? On the lips? How was it? What did it feel like?"

"Rose, that was personal!"

"It sure was! Tell me anyway," she demanded. Rachel stirred in her bed. They quieted down so that they didn't wake her up.

"It made me feel warm and tingly. His arms were strong when they pulled me close to him. The kiss was wonderful! It took my breath away! We only kissed for a minute, and I raised my arms around his neck to pull him closer, when Seth caught us. You saw the rest. Would dad keep me from going to Portsmouth in the morning because we kissed?"

"I don't think so. He was grinning at the end of his tirade."

"He was? I missed that. I was afraid and was looking at my feet."

"I doubt that he would forbid you from going. It is a really important thing for you to go and see what your new life will be like."

"I know. Will you help me get packed, please? I'm going to take all four of my dresses and both of my nightgowns. I feel rich having a fourth dress, and it is so pretty. Alice sure knows how to sew."

"I know how you feel. I can't remember the last time, if ever, that we had four dresses apiece! What else is going?" Rose looked around to see what more was going.

"I'll be wearing my shoes, and I probably should take both my sweater and shawl, because I don't know what the weather is like down there next to the ocean. I'm sure I won't need my coat, though. Wait, if I take the hairbrush, you won't have one for your or Rachel's hair."

"We'll use mom's. Okay that pretty well does it. You have your locket on, so you won't need to pack that. What about a washcloth and towel?"

"Rose, didn't you see those linens Lady Cullen sent Alice? I'm sure there will be plenty of towels and washcloths at the palace. I think that this is everything. I'm glad that my Sunday dress is different from my new dress. I can wash anything I need before I wear them again."

"Okay, you're ready. I'm so excited for you that I will hardly be able to sleep," moaned Rose.

"How can I sleep? I'm on pins and needles. Will they like me? Will they be nice to me? Edward says that he will only be with me half of the time. That alone sends me into fantasies of hugging and kissing him. I'll never sleep!" Bella lamented.

She was asleep due to exhaustion before a full minute had elapsed after her head hit the pillow.