I'm so sorry. I meant to post this a few days ago and then ended up trapped under a pile of math homework, parent teacher conferences, and tax returns. Ugh, responsibility blows, doesn't it? Anyways, we're at the end except for an epilogue that should post shortly as long as my math teacher, my children and the IRS stay off my back.

Chapter 21

BPOV

Esme wasn't much more help than Edward in narrowing down the exact date that we'd met. Like her son, all she could remember was that it was a couple of weeks before Halloween and it had been a Monday. However, I was a teacher and knew that the information would be in his school records. I called around to a few co-workers until I found someone who had access to old records. It probably went against all kinds of rules and procedures but everyone was enraptured by our 'epic love story' as one lady called it and so they were willing to bend those rules enough to give me the date that Edward began at Forks Elementary. As soon as I hung up the phone, I ran into the studio and plopped myself into Edward's lap, completely interrupting his answering of emails.

"October seventeenth!" I cried, before pressing my lips to his. I watched the wheels turn in his head as he did the math.

"That's less than three months," he said hesitantly. "Or did you want to wait another year?"

"Absolutely not," I replied. I'd already had the extended engagement and all it had done was give me more time to stress and become overwhelmed. "You know I don't want anything fancy so we can totally pull this off."

"Can't wait. So, I guess the next thing we need to figure out is a location, right?"

I nodded and we kissed some more until we became too preoccupied to discuss wedding venues.

Over the next few weeks, I had either Alice, Esme, or my mom calling every day to propose a new location but none of them felt right. It wasn't until mid-August as I was up to my ears in last minute preparations for the upcoming school year that inspiration hit. I called Angela first, to get her opinion. She loved the idea though pointed out that it might not be possible. I called Alice next and asked for her help but otherwise, I kept my crazy idea to myself, not wanting to suggest something to Edward that might not even be possible.

The next day, under the guise of dress shopping, Alice and I took a little drive to our hometown. Miraculously, everyone was more than happy to help me with my dream wedding. In one afternoon, arrangements had been made. I was on cloud nine as Alice drove us back home.

"I really didn't think it would be possible," I gushed. "It feels like fate, Alice."

"It is. Even fate knows you two belong together."

I stared out the window, watching the green of the Pacific Northwest fly by in a blur. "Alice?" I asked. "Do you think we could keep this a secret? From Edward, I mean?"

"A secret? How? He sorta needs to be there if you want to marry him."

"I know but I want it to be a surprise. Do you think he'd go for that?"

Alice pondered that for a moment and then smiled brightly. "For you? I think he'd go for anything."

That night I made us a nice dinner though my stomach was in knots, hoping I wasn't going to start an argument. Edward came home from the gym and hopped in the shower just as I was finishing up. I set the table and opened a couple of beers for us, downing half of mine before he joined me.

We were halfway through dinner when I broached the subject. "So, uh, I found the perfect place for the wedding."

"Really?" he asked, his eyebrows raising in surprise. "That's great. Where?"

I dropped my gaze to my lap where I was fiddling with a napkin nervously. "Well, um, I was kinda hoping it could be a surprise."

"A surprise?"

I nodded and hazarded a glance in his direction. "Yes," I said sheepishly, suddenly feeling foolish for even having the idea.

He was quiet for a moment and sipped his beer. "So, how would I get there? I mean, if I don't know where to go?"

"Oh, um, Emmett or Jazz would drive you over, I guess. Or your parents, maybe."

"So everyone gets to know except for me?" he asked.

I nodded once more, chewing on my lip as I waited for his response. When it finally came I was stunned.

"Alright. I'm game for a surprise."

My head shot up in shock. "Seriously?"

He shrugged nonchalantly and smiled. "Sure, why not? I told you, I don't care where we marry or how we do it. I just want you. So, if you want to surprise me, then go ahead and try but I've got twenty bucks on you cracking before the end of the month."

"Twenty bucks? That's lame," I retorted. My mood had been instantly lifted and I was feeling playful. "We need better stakes than that."

"Oh really? Care to make this interesting?"

"Absolutely. You know I never back down from a good bet."

We had a long history of betting over silly things. He once had to shave half his head and leave it that way for two weeks when he bet me that Angela wouldn't sleep with Ben on their first date because her dad was minister. Silly boy, he'd been asking for trouble with that bet. I'd spent a semester and a half listening to Angela wax poetically about all of things she would do to Ben, given half a chance.

"Alright. First of all, I just decided that if you get to make the location a surprise, then I get to make the honeymoon a surprise."

I gasped but nodded in agreement. It was only fair. "Ok fine. Terms of the bet?"

"If you crack and tell me or if I can guess it before our wedding day then I win. If not, you win."

"Ok." I agreed. "Now the stakes. If I win then you do the dishes for a month. Oh, and I want a foot rub every night too."

"Sounds fair," he replied with a smirk. "If I win then we have a naked honeymoon."

"A what?" I cried.

"Naked honeymoon. Whenever we're in private, I want you naked."

"Even during the day?"

He wiggled his eyebrows lasciviously. "Especially during the day."

I briefly considered backing out but realized that I was pretty confident in the fact that he'd never guess my surprise location. "Deal. However, the bet ends the day before the wedding. No guessing in the car when you're on your way there and only a block away!"

"OK, you've got yourself a deal."

He helped me clear the table and wash the dishes, periodically grabbing me around the waist and attempting to tickle the information out of me. I was Fort Knox though and there was no way he was going to make me crack. Immediately after dinner I snatched my cell phone and called Alice swearing her to complete and utter secrecy. Eventually, I'd have to fill in a few more people so I could plan this wedding properly but with the stakes this high, it would be on a need to know basis. Edward always made me feel beautiful and he'd seen me naked plenty but the idea of just walking around doing everyday things with no clothing on made my stomach clench. My self-esteem was healing but I wasn't sure I'd ever be that confident.

The next weekend was my last before school started. I spent all of Saturday shopping with Alice, Rose, my mom and Esme. We'd decided against having a wedding party because we wanted it to be a small, intimate affair but that didn't stop Alice and Rose from buying new dresses for the event. After three different stores and a stop for lunch, I was beginning to feel discouraged. None of the dresses I'd looked at felt right.

Just as I was about to give up for the day, something caught my eye. It wasn't a traditional gown but it was beautiful. It was knee length, white lace over a simple, strapless, silk underlining. The sleeves came to the elbow and the waist was cinched with a pretty bejeweled embellishment. There was only one but it happened to be my size. I gave the rest of the women a hopeful glance before taking the dress into the fitting room. It fit perfectly and immediately I knew that it was the one. Simple and uncomplicated but also comfortable, lovely, and perfect, just like my relationship with Edward. I stepped out of the fitting room and both my mom and Esme began to tear up.

"It's the one," I whispered, choking back a few tears of my own. "This is my dress."

I was immediately pulled into a group hug, surrounded by the loving arms of both of my mothers and my sisters. Esme and Alice had always felt like family to me but it was soon to be official. My extended family was now complete.

The first day of school was hard, far harder than I expected it to be. I'd put myself in a happy, little, love bubble with Edward for most of the summer but my first day back at school popped that bubble. Most of my fellow co-workers had either been witness to the wedding disaster or heard about it through the grapevine. They danced on eggshells around me. Not a soul asked me how my summer had been. Instead I just got looks of pity and secondhand embarrassment. Lauren, the dance teacher, actually had the nerve to tell me that I looked 'surprisingly good for being jilted at the altar'. I didn't bother to correct her, she wasn't worth the effort.

The hard part came from my students. They hadn't been privy to the gossip like the teachers were so many of my return students came by to happily ask me about the wedding and married life. I fielded far too many questions about why I was still going by my maiden name. Most teachers would tell a student that it was none of their business but I enjoyed having a friendly rapport with my students. I didn't want to alienate them by telling them to butt out of my life but I wasn't about to discuss the details of my private life with them either. I managed to stay strong and settled on a simple response of "It didn't work out."

Of course, once I was home, the stress of the day crumbled my tough façade and I broke down. I kept it together enough to hug Edward, who was waiting eagerly to hear about my day, and then declared I desperately needed a shower. Alone in the shower, my tears fell as freely as the water from the showerhead. It wasn't that I was still sad about the end of my relationship with James. I was happier with Edward than I'd ever been in my entire life. It was just that the constant barrage of pity, inquiries, and eventually the rampant speculation and gossip had just gotten to me. I wasn't used to being the center of attention. Every time I walked the halls I could hear the whispers about me. Whenever I entered my classroom or any other room, all conversation ceased. It was the first day of school and I was the only thing people were talking about. It sucked.

In the shower, I sank to my knees and let the water flow over me as I sobbed. I was so lost in myself that I didn't hear the door open. It wasn't until I felt strong arms wrap around me that I even realized that Edward had joined me. While his arms comforted me, my heart sank, filled with guilt. I didn't want him to see this, to know that James and That Day still had the power to bring me to my knees. I loved Edward so much, more than I'd ever loved James or any other guy that I'd dated. I was terrified that my tears would make him think any differently.

He pulled me to my feet, turned me around so my face rested against his chest, and then wrapped his arms around me once more. "Shhhh, baby," he whispered, "it's ok. I've got you."

He didn't ask what was wrong or say much of anything beyond. He just held me tightly and let me cry. When the water grew cold, he toweled me off, wrapped me in a bathrobe and carried me to our bed. He pulled me into his lap and let my head rest against his shoulder, unconcerned with my wet hair dripping all over his still bare chest.

"Was it that bad?" he finally asked after several minutes.

I nodded numbly as I searched for my voice. "I'm sorry," I eventually managed to croak.

"Sorry? What for, B?"

"Letting it still get to me."

He pulled back and stared at me in astonishment. "Letting what get to you? The gossip?"

"All of it," I mumbled, toying with the edge of the robe.

He grabbed my face and gently rose it to meet his gaze. "Why are you apologizing to me, love?"

The tears began to flow once more and I struggled to find the right words. "You deserve better than me, than someone who can't get over something that happened months ago."

"What exactly happened today?" he asked softly, wiping the tears from my cheeks. "I sorta figured that there might be some talk since you had a few co-workers there at the wedding. It's why I came to check on you when you basically ran away from me, but I want to hear from you. Talk to me, love. Right now I'm just your best friend, not your boyfriend. Tell me what has you so upset and I'll let you know whether or not you need to apologize to your boyfriend," he said that last bit with a wink and an understanding smile putting me at ease.

I took a deep breath and recounted my day, telling him about the stares, whispers, and apologies. He listened quietly, taking in everything I said while rubbing soothing circles on my back. When I finished, I sat back and studied his expression. He looked confused which only made me confused as well.

"Bella, tell me truthfully, are you crying over James, because you miss him? Or are still upset about your relationship with him? Or is this just from the stress of everyone talking about you today?"

"I am completely over him, Edward. You need to believe that. It was just a really hard day today. I've never been talked about like this, especially by the students. I wouldn't go into details about why I didn't get married so, of course, they made up their own versions and some of them were less than flattering. I just," I pinched the bridge of my nose in frustration, "I knew there might be some gossip but I never expected it to become such a frenzy. I felt like I was being stared at all day, like a monkey in the zoo or something."

"Oh, sweetheart," he murmured, pulling me close to him. "I thought as much. I know how you hate that. Baby, why did you hide in the shower? Why didn't you just tell me?"

"I felt guilty crying about it, about him," I admitted, feeling ashamed. "He doesn't fucking deserve it."

"But you're not," he said quietly, "crying over him, that is. You're crying because everyone was talking about you, because you hate attention. Sure, they are talking about you because of him but you shouldn't feel guilty about it. It's not your fault."

"There's going to be a lot more talk," I realized out loud. "When the news that I've already moved on gets out. They're all going to be talking about me all over again."

Edward's face fell and I knew immediately that I shouldn't have said that. It had come out all wrong, like I was ashamed of him or something.

"We can wait," he said, his voice barely more than a whisper. "If that's what you want."

"No!" I insisted, "I don't want to wait."

"You're right, though. Clearly the entire school knows that your wedding fell apart, when you marry someone else a few months later, they'll have plenty to say about it and it won't be pity anymore. I don't want to be the reason you come home and cry in the shower every day."

When it was just me, it was too easy to let it get to me, to take it personally. However, I felt myself growing angry that it was hurting Edward too. I couldn't let that happen. Not to him, the man who had always been my biggest defender. I felt my spine stiffen and my nerves harden. "Know what?" I declared, "Fuck 'em!"

"Bella," he chided.

"No. I am not hiding you. I'm not hiding our relationship. It's taken us twenty damn years to get to this point and I'll be damned if I'm going to let a bunch of pissy teenagers and gossipy old hags make me feel like I should be ashamed because I'm not. I love you so fucking much."

"Sweetheart, I just picked you up off the shower floor."

"I know," I nodded. "It was a bad day, but I was caught off guard. I've been so happy lately, that I just forgot about everything else. I wasn't prepared to have it thrown in my face repeatedly. I'm prepared now and you have always been my rock, my favorite person, the best part of my life. I will not let what anyone says or thinks dictate our life. Let 'em talk. Besides," I added with a playful smile as I turned to straddle him, "once they see how sexy you are, they'll totally understand and if not, I don't care. Let 'em talk."

Talk they did. Edward had flowers delivered to work on my birthday. A beautiful arrangement of red roses and white calla lilies. They were gorgeous. I wasn't lying when I told everyone that they were a birthday present from my best friend. However, the flowers peaked some curiosity and eventually my friend and fellow English teacher asked about the ring I wore on my left hand ring finger. "I thought maybe you were having a tough time letting go so I didn't want to bring it up," she remarked, "but then I noticed that it's a different ring."

"And?"

"And you got those gorgeous flowers and I'm just wondering if you're not telling me something."

I liked Bree, she was one of my closest work friends and the wedding was only a month away so over lunch, I spilled the beans. She was a good friend and kept it to herself but once the cat was out of the bag, I decided to just embrace it.

A few of the older, more conservative teachers made their disdain known. Apparently it didn't matter that my ex had been cheating and knocked up another girl. In their eyes, it was simply scandalous that I had moved on so quickly. Whatever. I'd already decided not to let them get to me. I couldn't wait to marry Edward and no one was going to make me feel bad about it. Not even some cranky old biddies.

Before I knew it, September melted into October and then it was the big day. We had decided against bachelor or bachelorette parties. What's the point when your best friend can't come? We briefly considered a combined party but neither of us was really into the idea. It just wasn't our scene.

I woke early on our wedding day, having a million things to accomplish. Before leaving the house, I took one last look at my best friend, thrilled in the knowledge that the next time I saw him, we'd be getting married. I placed a kiss on his forehead and lowered my lips to his ear.

"Happy wedding day," I whispered as he began to stir. "Jazz and Em are coming to get you in a little while and I'll see you at the altar."

"I can't wait," he mumbled, his voice heavy with sleep. "I love you."

"I love you too," I replied, placing another kiss on his cheek. "By the way," I added, "I win. You owe me dishes and foot rubs."

"Anything for you, Mrs. Cullen."

The only thing that kept me from crawling back into bed with him was the urgent need to make that title official.

I drove to Port Angeles with my sisters and mothers. We spent the morning being pampered at a small salon there. I wanted to look beautiful for Edward and so I'd actually agreed when Alice suggested the complete package; massage, nails, hair, makeup, the works. Esme and Renee left the salon before the rest of us, to head over and begin decorating for the ceremony. It was going to be a small affair, only our family along with Angela, Ben and a few other guests.

By the time I arrived at Forks Elementary School, the room had already been decorated with a few flowers, the tiny desks of Mrs. Cope's class room had been moved to another room temporarily to allow space for a small archway and seats for the guests. I'd come to the school on a whim and a prayer, meeting first with the principal who gushed over my sweet love story before walking me down the hall to my old second grade classroom. I was stunned to see Mrs. Cope's name still there next to the door, and even more stunned to see the woman herself flitting around the room getting things ready for the school year.

To my astonishment, she actually remembered me and began to tear up as I told her the story of Edward and I. Our years of friendship and the way we finally found true love with each other. When I told her my far-fetched plan of marrying my best friend in the place where we met, she and the principal happily agreed to facilitate my dream. Fate was again on my side, especially when I was informed that our wedding date happened to fall on a half day for the school. This allowed us extra time to ready the room once school let out for the day. It fell together so easily that for a long time I worried that I had dreamed it.

The principal had happily allowed us another class room to dress in though I did find it a little odd to undress in a room covered in art projects and papers with names scrawled in large chunky handwriting on them. I couldn't keep my eyes off the clock, counting down the minutes until I could join my life with Edwards. It was unconventional to be sure, but I was elated that the school had been willing to let us marry here. My only regret was that I wouldn't see Edward's face when he arrived. I hope he enjoyed the symbolism and didn't find it odd or inappropriate.

I was nearly out of my mind with anticipation by the time my father knocked on the door and told me it was time. Alice and Rose excused themselves to go sit with their men, leaving me a moment alone with my parents. They didn't say much except to tell me that I looked beautiful and that they loved me. They sandwiched me in a warm embrace before my mother scurried off to take her seat.

"Ready?" Dad asked, holding her arm out for me to take.

"Ready." I repeated eagerly.

"Alright, let's do this."

I turned to my father, handsome in his suit, and raised an eyebrow. "What? Not going to encourage me to sneak out the back this time?"

"Nope, I reckon that you're exactly where you're supposed to be this time." I nodded in agreement as he continued. "Now, I'm your daddy and I'm not supposed to think any man is good enough for you, but Edward? Well, I think he's always been a good kid and he's grown into a fine man. I think he is as close to good enough as any man could be when it comes to my baby girl. I trust him to take care of you and that's all any father can hope for."

I had to blink away tears so I wouldn't ruin my makeup as I slipped my arm into my father's for the second time this year. We walked down the familiar hallway to Mrs. Cope's classroom, listening as the music playing softly on a CD player gradually grew louder. Unlike the last time, there were absolutely no nerves this time. It had only been a few hours but I couldn't wait to see Edward again.

Then we turned the corner, entered the room and there he was, looking incredible in his suit and tie. I walked with my father down a makeshift aisle of flower petals strewn over tile, but I only had eyes for Edward. I didn't see anyone else in the room, even as I walked right by them. In my mind, there was no one else but Edward there with me. I vaguely registered my dad kissing my cheek before literally giving my hand over to Edward. With his hands in mine, I felt whole again.

"You're so beautiful," he whispered to me, just before the judge began speaking.

Given the short time frame we had to plan this wedding, we'd decided against writing our own vows and opted for the traditional. So, I was caught off guard when the judge reached that point of the ceremony and simply turned the time over to us. Shit! What was I supposed to say? I hadn't prepared anything. Just as I was beginning to freak out, Edward handed me a small slip of paper. It was a photocopy of another paper, one I hadn't seen since I was a child. I looked up at Edward with a gasp. He smiled and nodded, motioning to the paper in my hand, the paper that held vows I had written two decades before.

"I, Isabella Marie Swan," I began, my voice shaky with emotion as I read from the small piece of paper, "promise to be Edward's best friend forever and ever, and I promise that I won't let that stupid Jane make fun of his hair and to never ever fight with him even when he eats the last cookie."

Our families laughed and my heart warmed with the memory of the day two silly kids had written these friendship vows. There was more to it now though. I wasn't a child anymore and I had more promises to make so I continued, speaking from my heart as I looked deep into Edward's eyes. "I promise to be faithful, understanding, and supportive. Most of all, I promise to love you for the rest of my life and beyond that. I promise to love you forever and ever."

Edward squeezed my hands and smiled tenderly as the judge handed the time over to him. I hadn't heard them for twenty years but I knew what he was about to say. Though I didn't realize it, the words had been tattooed on my heart.

"I, Edward Anthony Cullen, promise to be Bella's best friend forever and ever and to protect her from the stupid older boys when they call her clumsy, to let her beat me sometimes when we race even though I'm way faster, and I promise I won't eat the last cookie anymore," he said with a wink but, like me, he wasn't finished.

"Bella, you are the love of my life. Before I even knew it, my world revolved around you. I cannot wait to live the rest of my life with you, to start a family with you, and to grow old with you, my best friend and my reason for existence. You are my forever and ever."

I desperately wanted to kiss him right that moment but waited impatiently for the judge to finish. The moment he announced us husband and wife, I launched myself at Edward. He was ready for me and captured my lips with his own right as the judge said the words "you may kiss the bride."

It wasn't exactly 'church tongue' as Drew Barrymore in The Wedding Singer would have called it, but we weren't in a church and I didn't really care. It didn't even matter that my mother, father, and brother were watching. I just needed to kiss this man and kiss him hard. We kissed long enough that my father had to clear his throat a couple of times to break us out of our little bubble. When we came up for air, I heard Emmett guffaw loudly and offer up a little wolf whistle until Rosalie jabbed him in the ribs with her elbow.

As the judge introduced us as husband and wife, Edward pulled me against his side and nuzzled his face into my neck. "Surprised?" I asked.

"Very," he murmured against my throat. "How did you pull this off."

"It was easy. Apparently, the principal and Mrs. Cope are hopeless romantics."

He lifted his head and stared at me as if I'd sprouted a new nose. "Mrs. Cope? She's still alive?"

"And teaching," I added, "in this classroom. Didn't you notice the nameplate on the door? Or wonder about the vaguely familiar looking older lady sitting in the corner?"

He glanced her way and gasped, recognition finally setting in. "Oh my God, it is her!"

I laughed lightly and kissed him once more before our families pulled us in separate directions for hug and congratulations. Sweet Mrs. Cope was in tears when Edward and I approached her. She pulled the both of us into a big hug, gushing about how happy she was for us. Edward, ever the charmer, took her hands in his and thanked her repeatedly. "She's my life, Mrs. Cope. I'll owe you for eternity for introducing me to my soulmate. Thank you for letting me sit next to her that day."

She hugged us both once more and kissed our cheeks. "Cherish each other," she said softly. "Even when you were in my class and just little ones, I could see that you two had a special connection. Not everyone gets that. So, you hold on to it, ok?"

We agreed and went back to our families for a few more minutes before the party moved to The Lodge, Forks' only relatively upscale restaurant. I just wanted a simple family dinner instead of a grand reception, but my parents along with Esme and Carlisle had rented out one of their private rooms. It was possibly the world's smallest reception but there was delicious food and soft music so it was ok with me. After we ate, my dad insisted on a dance to which I happily complied. When the song ended, Edward cut in and we shared our first dance as a married couple. The evening flew by in a happy blur of drinks and dancing with the people who meant the most to me. I imbibed a little too much but Edward switched to water after the impromptu toasts had finished.

As the small party wound down, Edward pulled me outside where his car was waiting. Emmett and Jasper had gone to town decorating it with balloons and streamers and the words 'Just Married' emblazoned on the back window in that special chalk paint for cars. Edward held open the door for me as we waved good-bye to our families. I laughed as I folded myself into the car. It was filled with condoms, some blown up like balloons and another one rolled over the shifter. Edward came around and took his seat behind the wheel, joining in my laughter as he carefully peeled the condom from the shifter and tossed it into the backseat.

"How'd your car get here?" I blurted out. The alcohol having lowered my filter.

"I needed it," he replied simply. "So I had Emmett follow us in my car while Jasper drove me here, blindfolded the whole way I might add. Do you know how boring a three hour drive is when you can't see?"

"But I surprised you, right?"

"Sure did," he said, flashing me his brilliant smile. "That was probably the last place I expected to end up."

"Was it ok?" I asked nervously. "I know it's a bit untraditional but it felt right."

"Baby, it was fucking perfect."

Edward's big honeymoon surprise was taking me to his parent's home on one of the San Juan Islands. It was very close to home but right on the beach, secluded and beautiful. As we pulled up, he told me he'd chosen this place because it was homey and he didn't plan on us leaving until it was time to return home.

Since he wouldn't give me any hints about the honeymoon locale, I had Alice pack my bags for me. Clearly, she was on her brother's side because when I opened my bag, all I could find was bikinis and lingerie along with only one day's worth of actual clothing that had probably been intended for me to wear home. Fucking Alice.

Of course, by the time we arrived, it was getting late and I'd had a bit too much to drink so I was feeling adventurous. I pulled on a white silk nightie and padded out of the room to find my husband.

As it turned out, Alice had packed too much. Edward and I barely left the bed except to retrieve food which was usually shared in bed, feeding each other. It was bliss.

Because of the short notice, we'd only managed to snag a few days away from work and far too soon, we were getting ready to make the short drive home. "Ready to begin our new life together?" I asked as we loaded suitcases into the trunk of his car.

"Absolutely, Mrs. Cullen," he said with a smile, cupping my face in his hands. "You are mine now and I am yours."

"Forever and ever?"

He kissed me and wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me close. "Forever and ever, my love."

Well, I hope you were satisfied with their wedding. When I began thinking of wedding locations for these two, I had a few different ideas but, like Bella, none seemed as right as this one. Would love to know what you think!