Chapter Thirty Five

Bella

I was mighty relieved when we reached the airport and I could get free of Jake,

"Thank you for the lift but you don't need to wait for my flight to be called"

He smiled sarcastically,

"Meaning get the hell away from me Jake"

"You said it not me."

"I understand you were upset with me Bella but are you going to treat me like this for ever?"

"For ever? No Jake, that's a long time and I expect to be out of Forks soon so I wont have to treat you like anything. Goodbye"

I took my bag from him and walked away from the car towards the terminal hearing the car door slam as he got back inside. I didn't turn to wave I just carried on walking until I joined the rest of the passengers going into the terminal building. I heaved a sigh of relief that I was free of him for now although I had a horrible feeling he might be waiting when I flew back in and I considered not giving Charlie my return flight details, I was very tempted.

The flight was fine and I had the three seats to myself so I took out a book and made myself comfortable. At the other end I was relaxed although Jasper was still at the back of my mind, I just couldn't shake him for some reason although he'd made it clear he was through with not only me but the Cullens too. I was just relieved he had two friends, or three counting the woman Charlotte I hadn't met, I just hoped they could help him through his depression after finding out what a bitch Alice had been. I found it difficult to believe she had engineered Edwards death even now. I saw Renee waiting for me the same time she saw me and rushed over to hug me already talking about the arrangements she'd made so I missed half of them.

"Bella you look pale and you've lost weight. I knew you wouldn't eat properly living with your father."

That was a joke as I'd done the cooking when I lived with her and I'd got Charlie eating more healthily too.

We caught a cab to the hotel Renee had arranged and went up to our room, Renee telling me all she'd been doing since I left. The courses she'd been taking,

"I never knew I was so good at painting, I wish you could see the still life I did last, the fruit looks almost edible."

The new friends she made among the team mates of Phil's,

"There are a couple of really friendly girls, Ashley and Shirley but one of the girls is a real bitch Bella. She looks down on the rest of us as if she is a queen, well little Mrs Santos will get what's coming to her one of these days"

I realised nothing had changed for Renee, she even had Phil to follow her up and put everything right she messed up or forgot. I wasn't really missed at all which I didn't mind, a mother shouldn't be reliant on her teenage daughter to keep her organised after all.

"Now before I forget, tomorrow morning I'll take you to see Savannah, I told her how good you are at organising things and she's roped you in to arrange the seating plan and the table settings, you will make the place look wonderful"

"Isn't she using a wedding planner?"

"Well she was but they didn't see things the way she wanted them so she decided to do the rest herself with my help"

Now I was worried, in fact I was ready to break out in a cold sweat, the Renee and Savannah I remembered couldn't organise a tea party let alone a wedding and I could see why Savannah had insisted I come. Still it would keep my mind occupied for a couple of days and maybe I could stop thinking about Jasper, it was starting to make me feel physically sick!

Renee and I spent the evening rehashing old times and then I had to tell her all about Charlie and what he was doing, if I was left alone too much or put on,

"I told your father he mustn't put on you, you have your own life to lead after all"

I kept quiet, after all what could I say that wouldn't start an argument?

The next morning after breakfast Savannah appeared with an arm full of folders which she handed to me with a sigh of relief,

"I am so glad you're here Bella, when Renee offered your services I was so relieved. I never imagined that a wedding could be so complicated. I need caffeine"

While she and Renee sat chatting about the dress and her two nieces who were going to be floral girls I opened the folders and at first it didn't seem too bad, a lot of the main organisation was in place, the venue, the caterers, the minister and the flowers but looking closer I saw Savannah had cancelled the menu the wedding planners had agreed and the caterers were waiting for her revised menu with only three days to go.

"Ah Savannah, have you rung the caterers?"

"No, I thought you could do that for me Bella. I never know what to say."

"Do you know what you want?"

"Oh yes, I told the planner I wanted a hog roast but she said that wasn't really suitable."

"Really?"

"Yes, especially when I told her I wanted the catering staff in authentic western gear"

I could see this turning into a remake of City Slickers!

By the time she finished with her slightly strange list of complaints and alterations I could see why the wedding planner had baulked. Where the heck were we supposed to find a rodeo show, a tribe of native American Indians in full 1800's costumes and a mechanical rodeo bull? This was an impossible list so I talked her out of some of the more difficult things and then set to work. The only good thing was that I had a huge budget to play with and I was going to need it if I were to pull this off.

I hit pay dirt with a talent agency in Boulder who were quite sure they could get me the cowboys and a few "Indians" too. They also gave me a few numbers to try for the mechanical bull. The caterers were trying their best but it was up to us to dig the fire pit and supply the spit. Savannah rang her husband to be, a wealthy rancher or at least a wealthy wannabe rancher and he agreed to get the digging sorted out for us. This took most of the day while the other two chatted and went out for lunch, to tell the truth I was relieved to get the place to myself for a little while, any more wedding talk and I would scream! The flower girls were dressed as cowgirls with miniature Stetsons and boots so I didn't have anything to do there except arrange for someone to collect the dresses which wouldn't be ready until the morning of the wedding. The seamstress had offered to have them delivered but Savannah thought her fee for doing so was too much so now I had to find someone free to do that and it was out of town so more difficult still. At least she was doing the brides gown too although Savannah was very close mouthed about that. I dreaded to think what she would appear as, probably a captive "Indian" squaw!

By dinner I was tired and I ached from sitting at the phone so long but I was treated to a very nice meal in the hotel restaurant and a glass of wine in our room afterwards.

"Well that's a relief"

Savannah was looking at her list checking everything I'd sorted then handed it back to me,

"So just the table plan and someone to pick up the dresses, I would never have got it all done in time Bella"

"I thought you wouldn't need a seating plan if its a barbecue. People can sit where they like can't they?"

By the time Savannah had finished educating me in the ways of "exclusive" barbecues I understood no one went up to be served straight from the spit, there would be servers going round all the time with fresh sliced pork. Dressed as cowboys of course! While rodeo rope tricks were entertaining the guests. I was thankful I'd persuaded her that cow branding was a little OTT! I changed my mind, this was going to be more Blazing Saddles than City Slickers!