Chapter Fifty One

Jasper

Bella seemed in good spirits when we left Charlie's the next morning knowing the next time she would see him was at the wedding. We were both eager to get back and start on the renovations on the new house which was finally ours. The next few weeks spent knocking walls down, stripping wooden floors, refurbishing bathrooms, and the kitchen while Rose worked on the garden so it would be perfect for the wedding. When she started it was a wilderness of weeds and cracked concrete pathways but as usual she worked her magic on it. Now it looked wonderful with meandering paths made of blocks through rose bushes and scented herbs to a pond stocked with fish and wildlife and having a small waterfall at one end. She was about to start on the back yard next, leaving the paddock beyond for the horses I planned on getting later.

Bella

The house was coming together at last, the destruction finished and all the rooms beginning to take shape just the way we had planned. Emmett and Jasper were both excellent at building work and Rose had an eye for detail so she and I spent many hours looking on the internet to get just the right knobs, or bath tub, or tiles. It was my first time at doing any of this, Renee and I had painted and papered but that's where it finished and we always used whatever colours were on sale whereas now I could choose the colour I really wanted which was magical. I wanted to work on some days but Jasper always made sure we left before darkness fell, just as Renee had insisted. He wasn't usually superstitious but it was as if he were afraid something might happen if he broke her taboo. My nights were spent once more in his arms often not sleeping until I was too exhausted to keep my eyes open but I could never get enough of him, he was like a drug, my body craved more the more it got. When I did sleep I was still getting the same strange dream and it disturbed me enough to talk to Rose about it.

"So you get the same dream every time?"

"More or less, there are fewer voices now and they're more familiar but I don't know who the people are. It's still warm and dark, I can't see anything although I think I must be moving through a tunnel or something."

"Why?"

"I'm not sure, but sometimes I feel the walls are crowding in on me although I can't tell you why and the strange noises are still there, no louder or softer."

"Maybe you're feeling content, wrapped in Jaspers arms?"

"No I don't think that's it because I had the same dream when I slept alone at Charlies. It's disturbing me because I feel I should recognise the voices, should be able to put names to them but I don't have any words to use."

"Maybe we should talk to Jazz, he might have some idea or Carlisle"

"NO, not Carlisle"

My words were too loud, too abrupt but she just smiled,

"OK Bella, no Carlisle. What about Eleazar? He's very well informed about things. Maybe he could give as idea or tell us of someone else we could talk to."

"I don't know Rose, it all seems so silly when I try to explain it. Why should a dream be so unsettling? It's not threatening or horrible just disconcerting and I really don't want to worry Jasper, not this close to the wedding. I tell you what, if I'm still having the same dream after the wedding I'll ask him about it. OK?"

"Well its your dream Bella and I guess it isn't frightening so OK, but if anything changes I want to hear about it."

"Fair enough. Now when does my dress get here? There's only two weeks to go."

"It arrives the day after tomorrow so stop worrying, and everything else is under control, the reception is all in hand, the flowers sorted, rooms booked in town for Charlie, Renee and Phil, Angie and Brady, and anyone else whose asked for one."

"The minister?"

"Emmett's taken care of that and I have to tell you he's taking his responsibilities very seriously."

"Music?"

"I think I can remember the tunes Bella so stop panicking. Now what colour towels do you want for the master bath?"

"Are you sure Jazz is happy with me spending all this money?"

I felt his cool arms curl around me and his lips on my neck,

"He's more than happy for the future Mrs Whitlock to spend whatever she wants to get the house just the way she wants it, as long as she is happy, he is"

I turned and kissed him, always more content when he was close to me.

"Its OK Jazz she's just having a mild panic attack."

"Then my news isn't going to help"

"What? What's happened?"

"Calm down Bella. I just had a call from Charlie and he'd like to bring someone with him."

"Another guest? Well that doesn't matter, who is it?"

"A lady called Debs. He seemed to think you might be familiar with the name"

"Debs? Debbie Grant? The night dispatcher at the station?"

"I have no idea."

"My dads going out with her? With a girl?"

"Well it's better than a guy I suppose."

Emmett's loud laugh made me realize I was getting uptight for no good reason.

"Well its just a bit of a shock is all. Dad hasn't had a girlfriend since Renee left"

"As far as you know Bella, but he's a man with certain needs"

"God you sound like Renee, Emmett."

"Renee wants a man with needs or has one?"

"Never mind about Renee, well yes. What's Renee going to say when dad turns up with a woman on his arm?"

"Bella, she'll have Phil with her. What the hell can she say?"

"True, but that may not stop her, you know what she's like, well maybe you don't but I do"

"Bella you're going over the top, besides we'll all be here to keep an eye out. All you have to do is focus on Jasper. You can do that can't you?"

As he pulled me closer I nodded and suddenly it was true, I could concentrate on Jasper without a problem or even any effort.

Jasper

There was a secret between Rose and Bella and it worried me because it unnerved her. I had no idea why she wasn't talking to me about it but I knew if it had been serious Rose would have come to me. Just nerves as the wedding got closer probably. Or perhaps she was worried the house wouldn't be ready on time for the ceremony but Emmett and I had assured her that it would be. I had agreed to stay away for the two days prior to the ceremony so Rose and Emmett could surprise both of us but he had been with me for a suit fitting. I got the distinct impression that he was just going through the motions and I didn't understand that. His own suit was perfect but he kept finding slight faults with mine and now it wouldn't be delivered until the morning of the wedding. I smiled when they told us the ceremony was set for 6 in the evening, that had been a tradition in the South when I was growing up there. Maybe they'd arranged that as a nod to my past. I just wanted to see my bride walk into the house and say I do, then I would be complete and my own nerves would disappear.