The cab ride from the hotel seemed the worst and best time for Edward to broach the subject of the engagement. The worst because he'd already announced it to his mother without Bella's consent and the best because if she'd changed her mind it was better to hear it then before they told her family.
Bella hadn't changed her mind. Edward made sure that she was sure. He needed to know that after that having just untangled herself from Jake she was making good choices and not being rushed.
But Bella didn't feel rushed. Not at all. Because she'd never had a choice when it came to Jake and so she didn't see herself as 'skipping from one engagement to the next' at all. In fact she'd been rather vocal and she used some quite colourful language to explain that to a sheepish Edward who regretted using the turn of phrase he had.
It was then that the happily engaged couple had their first tiny taste of what the fuss was about making up. Even if it had to be just make up kisses in the back of a taxi it was still a heady time for them both.
Arriving back at her sister's house was like going home for Bella and surprisingly it was for Edward too.
It was the first place, the first home, where he'd been completely accepted for who he was. He'd never been judged inside it – except for by Renee but she didn't count as far as he was concerned – in fact, he'd been encouraged and supported to do whatever he felt was right for himself in the Whitlock home.
So going back to that house and its inhabitants felt like a true homecoming for the couple. They were immediately swamped with hugs and kisses and after the four of them had devoured a tray of coffee and cake out on the terrace they were smothered by a few more at the announcement of their engagement.
Edward was proud to accept their congratulations and amused at an emotional Mary Alice who clung to him and thanked him, in a hushed whisper, for loving her sister. He wasn't too proud or too embarrassed to confess that he loved Mary Alice too and that sparked another round of hugs and tears.
What Edward found to be most amazing of all was that their engagement was accepted without question. There were no offers to have private discussions about it, no opposition and not a single look or glance was shared between Mary Alice and her husband that looked like anything other than heartfelt pleasure at the announcement.
It was simply accepted as gospel. And that felt good. What didn't feel good was the way he'd proposed. Sure, at the time it had been perfect, but there'd been no ring.
So Edward's very first task was to remedy that right away. Before there was talk about when or where they'd be married he made plans with Jasper to head into the city to choose a ring that very afternoon. Bella blushed tomato red at the thought of a ring chosen by Edward on her hand and couldn't bring herself to ask him to be frugal even though that was her intrinsic nature. She didn't want cheap she wanted heartfelt so she didn't make a sound as the plans were made for the great shopping expedition.
The two girls were also planning to shop and both the men had rolled their eyes in solidarity as the two women began to immediately begin the planning of a wedding.
The happy couple didn't want to wait. They wanted to do it quickly. Not because they were frightened one or the other would back out but because they'd waited long enough. They were both free and both eager to make good on the plans and promises they'd made with one another.
At just nineteen Bella had lived a life of adult responsibility since before puberty and at twenty-five Edward was more than ready to be a man and take care of a wife. They were ready because they loved one another and saw no good reason to wait now they'd made the first adult decisions of their lives.
Mary Alice was disappointed that there wouldn't be a grand wedding and reception but once she was reminded that there was nobody to actually invite to such an event she toned down her own plans for the day and set about organising an intimate, emotion filled day for her sister and her new brother in law.
She raced inside and within seconds she was back with pens and note paper and after a sip of her coffee she had the house phone in her hand and the planning was underway.
The courthouse would've been the obvious venue for the nuptials itself but that meant the possibility of Charlie being insitu, and none of them liked the odds on that so it was decided that they'd marry in a civil ceremony at The Drake. There were reception rooms and smaller function spaces and even a small chapel.
The girls were on the phone asking about availability the instant Edward and Bella agreed it was a good idea to have it there. A frantic whispered negotiation was had when they were offered a booking for private use of the chapel in just four days time but there really wasn't much of a discussion.
It was enough time to get a license, Jasper confirmed with a wink, because their state and county laws only required a waiting period of just one day between being granted the licence and the actual ceremony. It was also enough time to plan the ceremony and the dinner afterwards.
The chapel was booked solid for months after that and Edward and Bella winced at the thought of waiting even a single month to be married. So four days it was. It was too soon and yet too far away for them both. Mary Alice excitedly confirmed the booking and then set about finding an officiant who could do the honours.
Only judges, or retired ones, ordained ministers and certain types of public officials could legally marry someone in their county and that posed a problem. Or at least it did until Jasper reminded his wife that his former mentor, Richard Brand, had the required qualifications to solemnize a marriage.
The call was a simple one. Jasper just called the guy up, stated his request, agreed to dinner at some point to catch up and then Edward and Bella had an officiant!
Another round of sincere thank yous was bandied about and then Mary Alice switched course and turned into what she was at heart. A planner.
It had been a long time since Bella had seen her in action. For Edward it was his first time, and he was stunned. She exuded an air of cool, calm efficiency right up to the point that someone on the end of the telephone didn't give her what she wanted. Then she turned into a...well, a thing. A seething, hissing thing Edward thought to himself as he listened to her coerce an overbooked and understaffed stylist to meet with her and her sister the next morning.
In stark contrast Jasper, using his cell phone to apply for the licence, was all charm and soft gentle prodding to get what he wanted, Alice not so much. Of course he had a contact at the County Marriage Licence office, being a lawyer himself he'd probably had to tap that contact a heap of times, so it was a simple matter to dispense with the usual requirement that both parties to the application attend in person. He promised to fax the required proof of identity and their completed application, along with the fee within the hour and that was that.
By the time Jasper left the table to go to his office to quickly print off an internet version of the application Mary Alice had an appointment with a cake decorator and another with a florist booked for the next day.
The notepad by her elbow now had several pages of detailed notes about the appointments she'd already booked as well as a list of others to make. On a separate page she made a list of things the boys would need to take care of themselves. Impressed and more than a little surprised to be allowed to do anything at all the two men read down her list and couldn't help but chuckle.
Beside each task was a notation outlining where Mary Alice thought the best places would be to achieve their goals.
Watching them laugh Mary Alice' face clouded over. She leaned back in her seat and let her pen fall to the table. "I'm so sorry," she mumbled, eyes cast down. "I didn't mean to take over. I just got so excited."
After a very brief nod from Bella it was Edward who reassured Alice. In his best, or worst depending on how you looked at it, impression of Emmett's Australian drawl he announced that she should 'go for her life'.
That was all it took to get the planning back on track. Bella and Edward simply wanted to be married. The where, when and how didn't matter. Mary Alice enjoyed the planning and all the details made her happy, so they were happy for her to do that. Jasper was along for the ride no matter what. If Mary Alice was happy he was happy.
At the mention of invitations both Bella and Edward balked. Was there anyone they wanted invited? Would anyone come anyway? Seeing their looks of distress over that the subject was dropped after Mary Alice urged them to think about it overnight and let her know as early as they could the next morning.
By the time the four split into two pairs to go shopping they each carried a list of things that 'absolutely must be done today, no exceptions' Mary Alice told them as she handed out the pages.
Edward's list was simple. Buy an engagement and wedding ring for Bella. Choose a song for their wedding waltz and buy it on CD. Have a haircut and choose a suit. If he needed shoes, a belt or anything else he was to get that too. Mary Alice would take care of the ties after a decision had been made on Bella's dress. The list told him to book and pay for a suite at the hotel for afterwards too. A footnote said that he should think about anything 'special' he wanted to have waiting for them when they got upstairs after dinner and to arrange that as well. That gave him something to think about because the idea hadn't crossed his mind at all.
Jasper's list was even easier. He had to drive Edward wherever he needed to go and he had to go to The Drake and pay for the use of the chapel and talk the concierge into allowing them the use of one of the private dining rooms for after the ceremony. Once that was done he had to go to the bakery and the florist to pay for the choices she'd already made. After that he could bring them both home but he had to promise that he'd check on the process of the licence before the close of business. Easy.
Bella's list was a mile long, but so was Alice'. Swift kisses were exchanged by both couples and then the two cars took off out of the driveway and headed for the city. It wasn't until they got to the actual heart of the shopping and business district that they went their separate ways. Jasper and Edward went south, the two girls went north.
The meeting with the harangued stylist was swift and simple. Bella wanted to look natural with her hair down in soft waves and with a minimum of makeup on. The stylist was relieved and agreed to the terms Mary Alice gave him for the job.
Before leaving the salon Mary Alice made an appointment for them both to come back the morning of the wedding for 'the full treatment'. Manicures, pedicures, facials, massages and hot body wraps as well as a trim for Bella's hair and her usual style cut for Alice'.
The girls had marked off two things off their list by the time the boys had achieved one. Their first stop was the bank where Edward was relieved to collect his credit and ATM cards that had been earmarked to be posted to him the very same day. Another load off his mind was having some cash in his pocket again. He'd hated using Bella's to pay bell hops and waiters at the hotel.
Having the credit card would also make his next stop easier. The jewellers.
Edward had voiced his preference for an estate jewellery store rather than a modern one that sold dozens of the same designs over and over. Jasper said he knew just the one.
It was only a block from the bank so the two guys walked the distance but Edward shook and trembled the whole way. Jasper said nothing; understand what a monumental thing it was to buy rings, especially such significant ones.
Jasper, if not a regular patron to the shop then certainly more than a one off buyer, was able to introduce Edward to Amy, the engagement and wedding ring specialist he'd used to buy Mary Alice' own rings. Edward was, once again, grateful to the other man. He seemed to know everyone and everywhere that would be just right for Edward's needs.
Amy showed Edward tray after tray of exquisite diamond encrusted rings but nothing really jumped out at him. They were all beautiful, of course. Such a prestigious place wouldn't carry junk Edward thought once he found out this was the place Jasper had bought things for his own wife. But they were all too large and too gaudy for his Bella.
Sensing Edward wasn't happy with the selections so far Jasper stepped in. He pulled him aside and asked outright why none of the offerings were piquing his interest.
After a shaky breath and a hasty hand run through his hair Edward admitted that he simply wasn't interested in the ring making a public statement. He didn't want flashy because neither he nor Bella was flashy at heart. He wanted simple elegance in a setting that was classic. Maybe even a little old fashioned. The cost didn't matter but the ring had to be just right.
Jasper gave him a brief nod and went with him back to the viewing table they'd been seated at before. "Single solitaires I think, Amy," Jasper said with confidence. "Between one to two karats in princess or table cuts. A few cushion or ovals for variety maybe," he told the nodding girl who seemed relieved to have a few guidelines to work within. He turned to Edward then, "Just diamonds or other coloured gems too?" he asked.
"No idea," Edward chuckled.
"No inclusions thanks Amy," Jasper called out to the girl as she unlocked another safe. "If you still don't see anything you like I'll get her to bring over some other colours," he told Edward.
"How do you know this shit?" Edward whispered.
"In case you haven't noticed, Alice has very specific taste," Jasper chuckled back. "I took a crash course before choosing her rings. She didn't throw them at me when I presented them to her so I figure I did good."
"Did you actually propose or was it done like Bella's?" Edward asked in hushed tones, genuinely curious.
"I didn't propose at first, no. My parents and hers had made the match for us so it was a formality I guess. But a few months later I took her to dinner and got down on one knee and did it right. We were already in love by then," he trailed off wistfully.
"Nice," Edward whistled softly, an idea forming in his head that was cut off by the return of Amy with a whole new tray of possibles.
He saw it immediately. "That one," he said right away, pointing to the one he wanted to inspect.
Amy plucked it from its velvet holder and placed it on a satin sheet on the table before him. He held it gently, turning it over and over so the central stone caught the light.
"The setting is platinum. The diamond is two point zero nine carats and its clarity value is," Amy trailed off while she searched its accompanying documentation to find the numbers for him. She continued to espouse the qualities of the ring but Edward didn't hear.
He didn't need to. He was in love for the second time in his life. He turned to Jasper, "The things she said about it, they're good right?" he asked.
"Yeah," Jasper laughed, clapping him on the back heartily. "They're very good. Nice choice," he told Edward then turned to Amy again. "Wedders next thank you Amy. Something that will sit next to the setting nicely please. Probably plain, no stones. Go traditional. Does that sound okay?" he asked Edward.
"Yeah, traditional is what I want," Edward answered because it sounded good to him, but he couldn't take his eyes off the ring he'd slid onto his pinkie finger. He couldn't wait to see it on Bella's hand.
Choosing a wedding band was simple once he had the engagement ring. He chose a simple platinum band; the whole process only took a few more minutes.
He made his way to the pay station and had his credit card in his hand when Jasper took him aside again. "Alice suggested one more thing," Jasper whispered. "She wore their grandmothers necklace on our wedding day but nothing like that is going to be available to Bella," he said sadly. "So she thought we should choose something, you and me, and Mary Alice and I will give it to Bella as a wedding gift. It could be the start of your own tradition?" he said, posing it as a question to hide the anger he felt at little Izz-a-bee being denied the family jewellery for her special day.
Edward was stunned at their thoughtfulness so only said thank you. Had he attempted to say anything else he'd have broken down and cried right there in the store.
Twenty minutes later Edward had two rings in his pocket and Jasper held a case with a necklace in it. They were both sporting brilliant smiles as they walked back to the car.
"It's perfect," Mary Alice squealed when Bella came out of the fitting room in yet another dress. "Do you like it?" she asked her sister, but she could already see that she did.
Lip firmly held between her teeth Bella could only nod as she looked at herself in the mirror. She'd already tried on dozens of dresses. From full on wedding gowns to simple cocktail dresses. Some coloured, some white, some ivory. And none of them had felt right. But this one did.
It fit somewhere in between cocktail dress and nightgown. A long, thin white satin sheath with shoestring straps and a gathered 'fall' that fell from the middle of her waist to the floor in soft pleats. There was no adornment, no sequins or crystal beads. Just a sleek, shift of a dress.
"It makes me feel pretty," she mumbled to herself but Alice caught it.
"That's because you are," her sister told her softly as they stood shoulder to shoulder and stared into the mirror together. "It's beautiful," Alice agreed. "You'll be able to wear lower shoes in this too. Because its floor length," she added. "I'll grab some, see what you think."
Bella stood stock still and looked at herself while Mary Alice raced around the store gathering a few different styles of shoes. She was back soon enough and when she slipped a pair of silver sling back sandals with a little wedge heel onto Bella's foot they both knew they'd hit the jackpot on the first try.
Bella felt a veil wasn't necessary and for once Alice agreed. Less would be more for the simple ceremony.
The attendant drew Alice' attention to another row of dresses once Bella was sure she had chosen the right gown for herself. "The dress your sister chose also came out in a shorter version," she told an excited Mary Alice. The attendant took three of said dresses from their rail and held them aloft.
She was right. They were the same dress, only shorter, and in three different colours. It didn't take much for the sisters to agree that the silver version was perfect. A quick fitting and a rummage in the back room by the attendant to find the same sandals for Alice' smaller foot and the two girls were done.
Bella had a wedding gown and Alice had a matron of honour dress. They both had matching shoes and matching smiles as they laid all their purchases down in the back of Alice' SUV.
The boys headed across town and actually sat opposite the girls at a red light but neither couple noticed the other as they crossed paths.
Jasper drew up a little ways down from the tailors and a few minutes later they were both down to their boxers in fitting rooms trying on suits. There was too much choice Edward grumbled as he tried on his fourth pair of trousers.
Did he really care about pleats or no pleats, turn ups or vest or no vest?
The tailor thought he should and so he tried on everything he suggested.
It wasn't until he was told, quite gruffly he thought, by the silver haired guy with the tape measure around his neck that he didn't want to look like he was delivering a power point presentation on his wedding day that Edward got with the program. After that he took the whole process more seriously and listened carefully to the advice of the tailor.
He chose a classically cut plain black suit, single breasted, and a vivid white shirt for underneath. Once he'd chosen it was a simple matter for both himself and Jasper to be measured and fitted correctly and for the bill to be paid. The suits would be ready in two days time and would be delivered to the house, free of charge. So they should Edward thought darkly as he signed for the credit card transaction. They cost almost as much as the rings had!
Bella's time at the jewellers was easier than Edward's had been. She knew exactly what she wanted. A plain gold band. A wide one with no adornment on it at all. She relaxed that when she was offered either a straight cut or bevelled edge and chose the curvier of the two options.
Did she want it engraved the cashier asked? No, she didn't, she told him firmly.
Back in the car on their way to the mens outfitters Alice asked why not.
"Because once it's on his finger it's never coming off," Bella said simply. "It has to come off if anyone wants to see the engraving, so no."
All Mary Alice could do was grin at the fierce confidence her sister had now as they drove back across town.
An awkward moment was had when the two couples met as the girls were going in, and the guys were coming out, of the tailors. Swift kisses, some light conversation and a few chuckles were exchanged and then the girls went inside and the guys went in search of a music store.
It was a simple thing to choose two silver ties to match the dresses and shoes so the girls were done and back onto the next thing on their list before the boys had found somewhere to park in the busy section of the shopping district.
They studied the information board that was flanked by every conceivable type of store and located a music shop. They lucked out. It was a beauty and Edward was once again as much in his element as he'd been in Pete's tiny little shop on the mountain.
Jasper liked Jazz, ironically, so he headed off to that section and was happily browsing while Edward selected three cd's and headed for the counter. He was pointed in the direction of a short hall that held three tiny booths equipped with players and headphones.
He listened only briefly to the first cd and set it aside as too morbid. The second had a decent rendition of Doblers arrangement of Waltz number 2 on it but it wasn't ideal. The third disc held a goldmine.
He listened to a piano version of The Chairman's Waltz from Memoirs of a Geisha three times through and knew he'd found what he'd been looking for. Short of playing it himself and recording it he was happy with the arrangement.
He paid for his selection and collected Jasper on his way out of the store and convinced him that coffee and a well earned cigarette break were in order. A cafe that opened out onto the street was duly located and the girls, cruising by on their way to La Perla again, couldn't help but giggle at the sight of the two guys sitting there without a care in the world as they themselves frantically travelled the length and breadth of the city.
"Guys have it so easy," Alice griped good naturedly as they passed by the guys in the cafe.
"Buy a suit and show up," Bella giggled as she turned in her seat for one last glimpse of her beautiful Edward with his feet up on a chair and a cigarette in his hand.
The ride home from La Perla was decidedly 'bluer' than on their last trip. As girls were wont to do they gossiped in whispered giggles about Bella and Edward's self imposed exile at the hotel.
Mary Alice didn't want details. Not really. She just wanted her sister to be able to talk freely about her newly discovered sex life.
Bella, only slightly embarrassed by the turn in conversation, answered every question her sister cared to ask. She figured it was safer to let Alice ask rather than divulge something her sister didn't want to know about.
When they got back to the house it was already dark and Jasper's car was already in the drive. That was to be expected they both giggled. The guys really did need to just show up!
There was no sound in the house as the girls went inside, but there was a seriously delicious smell. Needing to set their purchases down both women ran up the stairs to their respective ends of the hall and laid out their things before meeting at the head of the hall once they were done.
"Look at that," Mary Alice all but squealed as she looked over the railing of the staircase and out through the floor to ceiling windows of her living room.
Edward stood right beside Jasper and both of them had a beer in one hand and a pair of tongs in the other. They stood in front of the grill and were laughing heartily about something as they each turned a steak.
"He looks so different," Bella mumbled to herself but Alice caught it.
"It's because he's in love with you," she told her beaming sister.
It was after breakfast the next morning that Bella tried to get Edward to make a decision one way or another about inviting his mother to the ceremony. She hadn't forgotten Alice' request to let her know as soon as a decision had been made and she knew damn well that Edward hadn't forgotten either.
He'd slept fitfully overnight, tossing and turning and every hour or so he'd sit bolt upright and call for his mother. He was still asleep but his subconscious was insisting he couldn't forget that his whole life – or at least the part after his fourth birthday – had been a lie. Bella did her best to soothe him but nothing really worked.
For the first time since they'd been back in America Bella got out of the bed before he did. He'd finally succumbed to sleep just after three and she knew he needed the sleep in since his night had been so rough. So Bella crept out of the room and helped Alice make breakfast.
Edward came downstairs a little later and looked, well, normal enough. But Bella knew him better than anyone else in the house so she saw what the others didn't. The hollow sadness in his eyes was unmistakable to her. The slight purple bruising under them was from lack of good, restful sleep and it tore at her insides. He'd looked exactly like this the day they'd left camp.
She bit her tongue all through breakfast and when Alice and Jasper said they had a few errands to run she begged off going along. Edward said he was happy to sit and read the paper so Bella made another pot of coffee, retrieved his cigarettes and lighter from the kitchen counter and took them back out onto the terrace.
She lit one for him and passed it to him then lit one for herself. His head was buried in the paper so she knew he was avoiding her. He hardly ever did more than skim the newspapers and she knew it.
She opened her mouth to ask but Edward got there first.
"I don't know," he answered without needing to hear the question from her lips. He kept his eyes down at the paper on the table but he wasn't reading it any longer. "I know she was telling the truth. Even without Mrs Granger to back it up I think I just know that it's true. I can't explain how I know that, I just do. But I'm so angry at her. But I don't know what to do about it, okay? Like I've been telling you for days, I had no plans after telling dad to shove that job. I didn't think I'd even get this far and now I have no idea what to do."
"Alright," Bella said softly. "Just know that you don't have to do anything at all if you don't want to."
Now he raised his eyes from the paper. "And just ignore it?" he asked in obvious despair. "I ignored the problem my whole life. Ignoring it now probably isn't a good choice," he sighed. "My mother loves me, Bella. She endured it all because she loved me enough to need to keep me close. She could've made her own life easier with him and sent me off to boarding school. But she didn't. She kept me home because she loved me. I can never repay her for that, however much I wanted to go away to school at the time. I can't make it go away for her or for me. I don't know what to say to her. I don't know what to do for her. I don't know if I'm expected to do something for her. And I don't know what to do for me."
He had no idea he'd just defended his mother to her. He had no idea that he'd just accepted her at her word because he was speaking from his heart. He'd made sense of it all in his head, but up until right then, until he put voice to it, it had all just been a painful jumble in his brain.
Bella smiled at the goodness in his heart. "Is that what's holding you back? Not knowing how to repay her for her sacrifice?"
"I guess so," he mumbled, totally unsure of himself again.
"Edward," she began gently, "You've been given back what you never had and what I always wanted. A mother willing to sacrifice herself for her child. Sure she made some really bad choices and in hindsight she knows that, but she made every one of those choices on her own. Without anyone to guide her and without anyone to talk to. She did her best. She endured everything your father did to her and everything he made her deprive you of because she couldn't bear to be apart from you if he sent you away to school. Don't you see? You repay her sacrifice by giving her what she was fighting for."
"I give her me," he whispered as his shoulders relaxed.
"Exactly, beautiful man," Bella grinned as she kissed his temple and smoothed down his hair.
"I won't let her hurt me again," he said defensively. "If this has all been some kind of plot cooked up by my dad to get back at me..." he trailed off with a shake of his head. "If she's lying she's gone, Bella. I mean it. Gone from our lives and I won't ever take her back. I won't allow her to hurt me again, or you. I won't have it. I'd rather never see her or speak to her ever again than for her to hurt you."
Bella smiled at him again, grateful that he was protecting her again. "I don't think she means to hurt you, or me for that matter. She could've walked away when you resigned your position at the firm, after all. Like my mother did when I went against her wishes. But yours didn't. She left your dad and told you the truth. She had nothing to lose by doing that. She didn't pressure you into seeing her side of it and she didn't demand you contact her either. She gave you choices, darling. She gave you the information you needed to make your own choices."
"What do I do then? If I want to give her a chance?" he asked guardedly.
Bella thought on it for a moment and then grinned. "We invite her to our wedding. A proper, paper invitation so you don't have to actually talk to her if it's still too soon for you to do that. If she shows up and wishes us well you'll know she's there for the right reasons. If she turns up and tries to talk you out of it, or causes a scene or something, then you'll know that she's still wanting to make your choices for you."
Edward sat back in his chair and lit another cigarette. He offered it to Bella but she shook her head. One was enough for her. When he'd smoked it to the halfway point he sat forward again. "Can you arrange an invite for her if I find out where she's staying?" he asked, a small glimmer of the excitement she'd seen in his eyes the day before returning.
"Absolutely," Bella grinned, taking out her cell phone and calling Alice for the name of a good stationer who'd do a single invitation at short notice. She jotted down the name Alice offered and then called for a cab to take her to town. "We need to buy a car," she giggled.
She was about to get up and get ready to go when Edward's hand shot out and gripped her by the wrist.
"Are you sorry?" he asked, his eyebrows creasing.
"About what?" she chuckled.
"About having such a tiny wedding at such short notice?"
"Never," she said sincerely. "I want to be your wife. End of story. Everything else is just icing on a cake we don't need."
"Promise?" he asked.
"I promise," she told him with a kiss to seal the deal and then she was off to the stationers for her very strange request of a single invitation.
After she left Edward sat and stared at his cell phone for a long time. He couldn't think of any way to find out where his mother was staying without actually speaking to her. If he called his family home his father might answer and that was out of the question. The housekeeper might know but then he was back to his father possibly being home. No go.
There was only one thing to do. He'd treat it like ripping off a bandaid.
He dialled his mother's cell phone and asked after her health before his nerve left him. As soon as she answered that he asked her where she was staying. He jotted the name of the hotel down and asked if she needed anything. She told him she didn't and then she asked if he was alright.
He was about to make a generic response like 'I'm fine' or 'I'm good' when she stunned him by asking after Bella too, to make sure that she was alright because she'd been very upset during their talk the day before.
The genuine sounding care of her voice made him decided to tell her the truth. "We're okay, mom. We didn't sleep very well but we'll be okay."
After that he told her that he'd be having something delivered to her suite later in the day and that she should read it right away and get back to him after that. He gave her the cryptic message and rang off hoping that she'd be there in a few days time when he married Bella.
Bella was lucky at the stationers. Once she explained what she needed and why she was handed a box of samples and told to pick one. She picked a simple ivory card and wrote down the details of the ceremony and then waited while it was all printed in a lovely, shiny silver script onto the cardstock.
She called Edward and asked where his mother was staying and then she hand delivered it there. The concierge promised he'd put it into her hand himself and then Bella went back to her sisters.
That night, after they'd brushed their teeth and had gotten into the familiar bed in her sisters guest room Edward told her about his hope for his mother. He wanted her to attend. He wanted to know her, the real her, and he wanted his mother to know him as a man and Bella as his whole life.
And then he asked her if she wanted to extend the same invitation to her own parents.
Her solid and quickly delivered 'no' was the end of the discussion. He wouldn't ask again and she intended never to mention her parents ever again if she could help it.
The next day, with just another forty-eight to go before their wedding, Esme's answer arrived by courier. The elegant handwriting on the little ivory card said how delighted she was to receive the invitation and how much she was looking forward to attending.
So once again all Edward could do was wait and see what came of her attendance.
He had bigger things on his mind that day anyway.
The guys suits arrived just before lunch so they tried them on and made sure everything was right. It was.
The next big concern was the honeymoon. He had a mild panic attack about it when Jasper asked if he'd given it any thought because he honestly hadn't. He felt awful then. He wanted their marriage to be proper and that meant a honeymoon.
As had been the norm over the course of his stay with the Whitlock's Jasper came to his rescue. Both Edward and Bella had current passports and current visitors visas for Australia. Why didn't they go back there to celebrate?
"There's only two days before we'd need to fly," Edward balked when Jasper suggested it.
"That's plenty of time," Jasper told him. "All you'd have to do is book and pay for the flights and book and pay for somewhere to stay at the other end. Simple."
"Simple," Edward said quietly as he thought about the idea. "Can I take her back there without her choosing for herself?" he asked, worried about taking liberties with her life so soon after she'd gained her freedom to make her own choices.
"Its romantic," Jasper countered. "Mary Alice didn't know where we were going. If you're worried about it we'll book it and then tell them. That's probably best anyway because they'll want to shop and pack appropriately," he said with a roll of his eyes. "Look, the wedding and all its frills and shit, that's the women's domain. We don't get to say squat about that," he laughed. "But the honeymoon is ours. That's it, that's all you get to organise. If you give that up she'll take that over too. And I don't mean Bella," he chuckled, raising his eyebrows.
"Alice?" Edward croaked. "She'd do that, plan our honeymoon?"
"I can't even be sure she hasn't already," Jasper guffawed. "Do you think Bella would like to go back, back to where you first met? Do you think she'd find that romantic and special?"
"Yeah," Edward grinned, "I think she would. I do."
"Then do it. I'll help. We'll book some flights and somewhere to stay and it'll be great."
They shucked their suits then, pleased with the fit and the decision on the honeymoon. They stowed the suits back in the bags they'd arrived in and laid them out on the bed in the other guest room ready for when they were needed.
As they were leaving Edward stopped Jasper in the hall. "Have you been back?" he asked seriously.
"No, I haven't," Jasper admitted. "I took Mary Alice to Hong Kong for the world's most boring shopping trip," he laughed. "The nights were great," he grinned, "but god that woman has some serious stamina where shopping's concerned."
"You planning to take some time off now?" Edward asked, a grin forming on his own lips.
"Yeah," Jasper said cautiously. "I don't need to start looking for a job for now. We're good if that's what you're asking."
"I'm not, but the offers there if you need money," Edward said sincerely. "It's just an idea and if you hate it just say so, I won't be offended. But, what if you took Alice back to Hong Kong and recreated your honeymoon while Bella and I had ours in Australia, and then, when you're sick of shopping," he chuckled, "you two meet up with us in Melbourne? I know Bella would love to spend some time with Alice and we all get on really well, we might have a good time and you could catch up with Rose too," he added for good measure, a bit of a sweetener.
Jasper rubbed his chin and then slowly smiled. He clapped Edward on the back and began to nod. "I think I'd really like that, actually. I can handle Hong Kong for a bit until you two are done doing...well...whatever it is you two are going to do on your honeymoon," he grinned knowingly. "Yeah, that's a great idea. I've always wanted to go back, show Mary Alice the place and she'd get to meet Rosalie too. Yeah. I think I want to do that. You're brilliant," he told a beaming Edward. "And just so we're clear, don't offer me money again, I'm loaded," he said with a wink and took off down the stairs.
"Good to know," Edward laughed as he followed.
"Come on," Jasper shouted through the house to him from his study. "We gotta get on this now, before the girls come back from the mall, or they'll stick their oar in and we'll both end up in Bora Bora or some shitty place instead."
"Coming," Edward said as he grabbed two beers from the fridge and headed to the study.
Bella was happy to be taken out for a candlelight dinner that night. She got to wear one of her new dresses and she felt very grown up and very much in love as she sat opposite her fiancé in the romantically lit restaurant.
Their dinner was lovely, the conversation wonderful and after the waiter had taken their dessert dishes away Edward proposed properly.
Bella sat primly in her seat and watched as he slid from his own chair and got down onto his knee in front of her. Personally she thought his original proposal had been perfect but the look on his face as he opened the ring box and offered to make her happy for the rest of her life came in a close second.
Of course she said yes and of course she loved the ring. There had never been any doubt even though Edward was nervous about it, the ring, not the answer.
They drew a round of applause from the other diners and Bella blushed profusely.
With just twenty-four to go before they'd be married Bella and Edward said their goodbyes to one another. It was proper, after all, that the groom not see his bride the day before the wedding. And since the ceremony was set for early evening the next day that meant the two boys headed to The Drake after lunch and would stay there until the girls arrived for the wedding itself.
Mary Alice, and Jasper too if he was honest, had expected tears and a slight tantrum from Bella and maybe a show of anguished belligerence from Edward when the time came for them to part, but there wasn't any of that.
With Jasper's car already loaded with what they'd need for the coming days the two guys said their goodbyes to their girls at the front door.
The couple were so sure of themselves and of each other that their parting was swift and sweet. Edward kissed Bella firmly on the lips, told her he loved her and that he'd see her at the altar. Bella promised to be there and that was that.
Jasper kissed his wife just as firmly, told her he loved her and that he'd see her in church the following day. Mary Alice also promised to be there.
The two guys got into the car and as they were about to leave Jasper opened his window and called for Mary Alice to join him at the side of the car. He pulled her to him and kissed her through the open window and then grinned up at her.
"You'll find a little something special on my desk, Sweetpea," he told her mysteriously. "I hope you like it."
Her little 'ooh I love surprise presents' echoed around the cabin of the car but she was already gone, running back up the stairs and into the house, dragging Bella with her.
Jasper was howling with laughter then, along with Edward who, of course, was the mastermind behind the whole idea. "I told you she'd drag Bella along with her," Jasper crowed.
"You called it," Edward agreed. They sat in the drive, the car running, waiting for some sign. "If you listen closely I bet we'll hear them squeal," he laughed as he wound down his window so he didn't miss it either.
"And there it is," Jasper chuckled. He shook with mirth as his wife and sister did a little dance and whooped and hollered at their good fortune. "I think they like the idea," he said and turned the car down the drive.
A/N: Please know that although their preparations seem rushed they aren't rushing into anything. Yes, it's only been a few months since they met but when it's right it's right. And it's right. Trust me ;)
Also, there have been many, many questions from readers who want to know that at some point Carlisle, Renee, Charlie, Billy and Jake will 'get what's coming to them'. I can 100% garantee that yes, they will and that information is in the epilogues (that I've already mostly written outlines for because I was so eager myself to write about their downfall) that will follow the main story.
I haven't yet decided on a format for the epilogues, as there are quite a few stories to finish up for so many characters. At the moment they are individual chapters that relate to each 'pair'. Whether they stay that way I don't know, but they're all mostly drafted too.
Thank you so much for reading.
Please review.