Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns everything in the Twiverse. No copyright infringement intended.
A/N: Well… here we go. The final chapter. I sincerely hope you enjoy it.
Chapter 50: New Beginnings
Bella's POV
If the Forks High graduation was subtle and soft, the graduation party at the Cullen mansion was its polar opposite.
Balloons in festive shades of jade, sapphire, and fuchsia filled every corner of the space with matching streamers looping above. Black bean bags and folding chairs peppered the open floor of the living room and hall as Esme's furniture was stashed in the garage. Though welcoming as ever, she wanted her collectables safe from the exertions of the student body anxiously awaiting the chance to see the inside of the mysterious house in the woods for the first time.
The cook in question looked over the spread on the center island and frowned. "Are you sure we don't need more food? I could whip up some kabobs or loaded potato skins."
"No." Alice and I cried together for different reasons. "Everything is perfect as usual, Esme," I said. "Don't worry."
"Please don't cook anything else." Alice made a show of holding her breath. "It all seems dreadful."
"Says the girl who drinks from deer," I said. "That could be your Quileute name."
She pursed her lips then grinned. "Make all the fun you want, Mrs. Masen. But in a few short weeks, you'd break my arm for a spot of deer."
I sampled a fruit tart from Esme's overflowing tray. "I doubt that."
Alice extended her hand. "Wanna bet?"
"I want in!" Emmett flew in from the garage. "One hundred bucks says Bella attacks one of us for food within the first month."
"I want double if it's Edward," Jasper added as he dropped in from the second floor.
"Children," Esme scolded. "How many times have I asked you not to bet on Newborn Bella?"
In spite of my embarrassment, I laughed. "You make me sound like a Barbie doll."
"You are a Barbie doll," Rosalie said as she glided down the stairs. "Didn't Alice give you the memo?"
"Ha-ha," Alice sighed. "But I'm right about the deer, Bella. In your first few months, you'll want nothing more than to hog all the blood for yourself."
"I don't know about that." Edward appeared at the backdoor having finished clearing more parking spaces in the yard. "I should hope there's one thing she'll want more than that."
I dropped my tart and flew into his arms on Eros' wings. "I will always want you more than anything else."
"Ooh!" Emmett cooed. "Another hundred bucks says Bella chooses blood over Edward!"
"Double if he's naked," Jasper said.
Edward rolled his eyes as he grabbed my hand. As he closed the door behind us, I heard Esme say, "Boys, I think we need to talk."
"I'm sorry about that." He led me to our bench, the one where we reconciled in September, and sat me on his lap. "My brothers are first-class idiots."
"Very true." I couldn't help but smile. "Plus they'll bet on anything."
"Does it bother you?" His eyes were earnest as they sought mine. "To know they're making light of such a momentous decision?"
We both knew they could hear us, and I wondered if that was the point. "I think they're just excited and don't know how to show it."
"Excited?" His beautiful brow furrowed. "For me?"
"Yes, you moron!" Emmett yelled from inside.
I cupped Edward's cheek and turned his attention away from his brother's outburst. "Think of it this way: how did you feel when Rosalie found Emmett?"
"I didn't feel anything except relief that she would be his problem now."
"I heard that!" she shouted to our mutual amusement.
"Fair enough," I said. "What about when Carlisle found Esme?"
His face softened as he glanced toward the house. "I was thrilled for him, relieved to know he'd finally secured the woman he loved." I cocked an eyebrow at him, and he shook his head. "But I didn't make bets with Eleazar about how soon she'd break one of his limbs during an intimate moment."
"That's a good one!" Jasper crowed, earning a "Shut up!" from the three Cullen women.
"Perhaps not." I forced myself not to laugh. "But you can understand the urge, can't you?"
Edward tried to remain serious, but his cheeks wouldn't cooperate. He kissed my nose and patted my thigh. "I can hear Newton's thoughts. Let's get in the house."
I hopped off his lap and took his hand as we returned to the house. He whipped out his phone, and on the screen was an unsent text to me: Remind me to tell you about the time Esme broke Carlisle's back.
My hand flew to my mouth, and he slipped his phone back in his pocket. "It's even better than you think."
—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—
The party was something out of a teen movie dream sequence where the music is perfect, the dance floor full, and the shenanigans in great supply.
At precisely seven o'clock, Alice opened the front door to find no fewer than one hundred of Forks' most eager citizens on the doorstep, some of whom hadn't donned a graduation cap in more than thirty years.
Of course, Jessica, Eric, Angela, and Ben weren't among this group, having been here for our wedding, so they chose to arrive late.
At seven-fifteen.
No one was surprised to find me on the fringes of the room, and with home-field advantage, I had no intention of dancing. No matter how many times Alice batted her long lashes at me.
"This is the sickest pad ever!" Tyler cried for the fourth time. The grads were taking a breather to join me in the kitchen. "It should be on MTV Cribs or something."
"The Cullen House on MTV? Yeah, right," Jessica said. "Besides it was prettier at the wedding."
"These mini pizzas taste homemade!" Ben popped another in his mouth. "I know real cheese when I taste it."
"Did you come here to eat?" Angela slipped her arms around his neck as the bass-heavy song changed. "Or dance?"
He chewed as fast as he could, grabbing two more pieces. "Can't I do both?"
Angela pulled him toward the dance floor. "Come on."
Jessica grabbed Tyler's hand and followed suit, and I smiled at their enthusiasm as they added themselves to the already crowded space. Alice was in the middle with Renee—yes, my mother Renee—holding hands and twirling in a circle, much to the amusement of my friends. Though initially mortified by her insistence on "blending in with the kids," two hours was enough time to adjust.
If nothing else, her refusal to leave the dance floor kept me off Alice's radar, and there was almost nothing better than that. She'd asked to stay the night with the Cullens, as Phil was at the hotel nursing stomach trouble from an ill-advised lunch decision, but Edward offered our guest room at the cottage before Esme could reply. With her verbal diarrhea and his inhuman sense of hearing, Carlisle wouldn't be able to look her in the eye for a decade if she stayed with them.
As Renee and Alice pressed themselves back-to-back and shimmied to the floor, cool hands enveloped my waist. Edward leaned forward and kissed my cheek. "Are you all right?"
"Why wouldn't I be?"
He nodded toward the floor where Renee was shaking what Nana gave her.
"Actually, seeing her like this makes me happy."
"Since when?"
"Since I realized this was a glimpse of my future. Thanks to you and Rosalie, I'll have no shortage of chances to watch Renee embarrass herself. And I'm glad she's found a friend in Alice. She needed someone who could keep up with her."
"I resent that," Jasper said, joining us on the left. "I keep up with her just fine."
His sudden drawl made his meaning unmistakable, and Edward did not approve. "Keep it clean, Whitlock. That's my sister you're talking about."
"Is that so?" Jasper chuckled. "I'll be sure to remember that next time you and Mrs. Masen here decide to sneak off to your little love nest in the woods."
I could feel Edward's cheek twitch where it rested against mine. "Touché, Major."
"Much obliged, Seamen."
"Semen?"
"No, love." Edward chuckled as Jasper howled. "With an 'a,' the military rank."
I drew back my fist to punch Jasper in the arm but paused mid-swing. "Laugh it up now, Soldier Boy. Three months from now, I'll make you pay for that."
"I want in!" Emmett boomed as he crashed our party. "Two hundred says Bella-Bee can break Jasper's arm with a jab."
Edward suddenly reached into his back pocket. Chuckling, he held up his phone to Emmett who frowned. "Aw, Esme. That's not fair!"
"She told you to stop betting on Bella," Edward said. "Now you're on clean-up duty by yourself."
"Help me out, Jazz." He turned to his smirking brother. "Rosie and I have big plans tonight, and she'll kill me if I'm late."
Jasper stroked his chin. "You have to take Alice shopping the next ten times she goes."
"Ten?" Emmett cried, earning a hearty laugh from Alice where she danced with Renee. "Six."
"Nine."
"Seven."
"Eight," they said in unison and shook on it. "You started too high," Jasper said.
"And you made a bad bet," Emmett said. "Alice and I get in more trouble together than apart, and who usually ends up fixing our mess?" He clapped Jasper on the shoulder. "Bad bet, bro."
Jasper swore under his breath, and his discomfort was so unusual, I laughed. This time, my cell phone buzzed. I read the message and sighed. "Sorry, Jasper. Sorry, Esme."
Emmett scanned the ceiling. "What is she, omnipresent?"
"With you two yokels, she needs to be," Edward said.
"Come on, Jazz." Emmett clapped his shoulder. "It's time for our dance."
"Your dance?" I asked.
Jasper adjusted his collar. "It's tradition."
As they walked to the dance floor, the kids around them parted like the Red Sea. "Explain," I said to my husband.
"Sometime after Jasper joined the family, he lost a bet about how many elk Emmett could drain before vomiting."
I grimaced. Immortal or not, boys were gross.
"So Jasper had to learn and perform a dance of Emmett's choosing," Edward continued. "And it remains one of the funniest displays I have ever seen. We enjoyed it so much, they promised to perform a new dance for every public function where humans would be present, weddings and funerals excluded."
I looked toward the floor where Emmett marked out space and Jasper spoke to the DJ. "Isn't the idea to be inconspicuous?"
"With Jasper's ability to confuse people, there's no real danger of being discovered. And Rosalie activated the disabling field around the house, so no cell phone pictures or videos will survive."
"You guys think of everything." Rosalie, Esme, and Carlisle appeared beside us, and I smiled at Carlisle's expression. "What do you think about this?"
Carlisle shrugged. "If you can't beat 'em…."
"Laugh!" his wife finished.
Alice skipped over and stood in front of her parents. "This might be the best one yet!"
On the floor, Emmett and Jasper stood side-by-side, heads down with their feet shoulder length apart and their hands behind their backs. The room buzzed with excitement, and I wondered what off-the-wall song they would choose.
But nothing could have prepared me for MC Hammer's voice coming through the speakers. The boys looked up at his first word, put their hands behind their heads, and frantically pumped the air with their hips.
As the crowd whooped and hollered, I tugged on Edward's shirt. "U Can't Touch This?"
"Be grateful." He swayed us to the beat. "They were originally thinking Rick James."
—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—
The McCarty-Whitlock performance was the stuff of legend. The full-out split finale sent the packed crowd into a frenzy. Even Edward whistled through his fingers during the closing ovation. While Emmett stayed on the floor to be adored—the man was a ham—Jasper slipped out, the euphoria overloading his senses. Edward followed to help him calm down, and Alice went to accept the accolades on her husband's behalf.
"Oh my god!" Jessica gushed when she came back over. "That was the most amazing thing I've ever seen!"
"Dude," Ben turned to Tyler, "we've got to try that. Maybe we'll debut it at the Chief's wedding."
"No way," Angela and I said in unison. "Do you want spend the reception behind bars?" she added.
"I can't believe Chief Swan and Madeleine are getting married," Jessica sighed. "The whole thing is so romantic!"
I refused to ask what she meant, but she didn't need encouragement.
"I mean, the idea of two people alone for so long, living in the same town, finally coming together after all these years… It's like a movie."
"Yeah," Ben's eyes lit up. "A good ol' Hallmark Hall of Famer. I wonder if I could get some footage for a…"
"No way," Angela and I said again. "I will break your camera," I said.
Ben held up his hands in surrender. "All right, all right, no video. So much for being the town treasure."
"Tell me again how he proposed, Bella," Jessica said. "It's like my favorite story."
"It isn't mine to tell." I was looking for a hole to crawl into. "You should ask Madeleine. Besides, it's weird."
"What, talking about your father's love life?" Jessica scoffed. "We're all adults. It's not like we're asking about how often they do it or anything."
Angela gasped, and Ben and Tyler backed away with their hands covering their ears. "You keep that up and I'm disinviting you to the wedding," I said.
"Oh, stop. I was just kidding," Jessica smiled. "Besides you won't be the most uncomfortable person there."
"If you keep making comments like that, I will."
Jessica scanned the room and lowered her voice. "What about your mom?"
I spotted Renee by the DJ table, checking out his albums. "Why would she feel awkward?"
"Flying all the way back here in three weeks to watch her ex-husband marry someone else?" Jessica shrugged. "I know I wouldn't want to be sitting there at Newton's nuptials, and we never even made it to second base."
Jessica's concerned tone stopped me from dumping the artichoke dip over her head. "She'll be fine. They divorced ages ago, and she's with Phil now."
"You're right," Jessica's eyes lit up. "And he's younger than her, right? Advantage: Renee!"
"Hey Jess?" Angela grabbed her hand. "I need to adjust my spaghetti straps. Walk me to the powder room?"
I mouthed my thanks to Angela as they wormed their way through the crowd. I smelled designer perfume and found Rosalie standing to my right. "I was about to flick her forehead."
I laughed. "She would have deserved it."
Her golden eyes softened. "How do you feel about the wedding?"
"I'm thrilled for Charlie." I toyed with my wedding band. "No one deserves happiness more than him, and Madeleine is perfect."
"But…"
I would blame Jessica for ruining my night. "I'm worried about the Quileutes. This is my father's wedding, not some summit at the treaty line, and I don't know if they can make the distinction. And with Alice's visions for the day completely blocked…"
"Yeah, it's gonna be a total crapshoot." She shook her head. "Damn wolves."
"What can we possibly do?"
"Nothing." She pretended to sip her punch then set the cup on the table. "But no matter how much they hate us, they won't do anything to hurt Charlie. We'll have to bank on that."
I tried to take Rosalie's words to heart as I contemplated the wedding later that night. Billy loved Charlie like a brother, and his joy at Charlie finding a bride was second only to mine.
But tribal loyalty ran hot through his veins, and the idea of so-called "cold ones" attending his best friend's wedding was enough to bring out his sneaky side.
So it was with banning the Cullens in mind that he volunteered to host the wedding feast at First Beach. As the wedding was supposed to be small, the Quileutes were more than willing to accommodate the thirty or so people Charlie and Madeleine invited.
With seven notable exceptions.
Billy banked on the Cullens being forced to excuse themselves to honor the treaty, and for the sake of keeping the peace, they would have done so.
But Chief Swan was having none of that.
"What's this about, Billy?" he asked when Billy made the offer. Alice's visions of Charlie faded last Wednesday night, and Edward and I hid in a tree in the forest to eavesdrop.
(Yep, that was my life now. Snooping with the Hubbs in trees.)
"What do you mean?" Billy asked.
"You have no use for the people of Forks nor are you big on parties. Why would you want to host the reception?"
"You're getting married in a month and haven't planned a thing," Billy said. "Let your best friend lend you a hand."
"My bride is a part-time party planner, Billy," Charlie said. "And last I checked, Harry is my best friend."
Billy laughed, but the sound was off. "This was Harry's idea too. Let us take care of the guests so you can focus on that lovely woman of yours."
Charlie wiped his mouth with a napkin. "And when you say 'take care of the guests,' do you mean all of them or a select few?"
Billy dropped the act. "I don't care if they're your in-laws, Charlie. The Cullens are dangerous and have no business at your wedding."
Charlie's eyes narrowed. "I don't know what you think you know, but…"
"I know lots of things," Billy sneered. "Things that would make you wish your daughter had chosen my son instead of theirs."
"Enough!" Charlie rose from the table and leaned forward, his voice dangerously low. "You listen to me, Billy Black. I know more about the Cullens than you think, perhaps more than you do."
Billy's face paled. "What do you know?"
"Things I am not at liberty to discuss." Charlie would never break a confidence for any reason. "But the point is I trust them with Bella, which means I trust them with my life. And if you or anyone else cannot respect that bond, feel free to excuse yourselves from the wedding."
Billy was incredulous. "You would choose them over me? After all these years of friendship?"
"After all these years, I should not have to choose," Charlie replied with less heat, reminding me of my own words the night he went missing. "Despite your bigotry, the Cullens have never said a negative word about anyone on the reservation. And as much as I love you, Billy, I will not be a party to prejudice." Charlie took his plate to the sink and walked past Billy to the living room. "The choice is yours."
That ultimatum suspended all talk of a reception in La Push, though a few tribesmen suddenly remembered prior commitments conflicting with the date and time of the wedding.
But Harry and Sue Clearwater would be there, along with their son Seth, as would Old Quil and assorted elders of the tribe. And with all three of his children in tow, Billy Black would also attend. He even went so far as to throw some sort of bachelor party-slash-fishing trip last weekend.
Of course, the entire town of Forks wanted to witness the nuptials. So Charlie and Madeleine's modest guest list was slowly inflated by a well-meaning community who managed to get three hundred of its citizens invited to the ceremony proper.
A ceremony they arranged in less than thirty days.
"I can't believe I let them talk me into this," Charlie grumbled as he adjusted his tie.
"Easy, now," I said. "Don't take it out on the tux."
"Why couldn't we do this at Maddie's? She has that gazebo and all."
I arched an eyebrow as I walked toward him. "Did you just use the word 'gazebo'?"
"She doesn't like it when I call it 'that wicker hut in the yard,' so…"
I blinked again, trying not to ruin my makeup. Seeing my father so happy and dapper, preparing to start his life with a woman who adored him had my tear ducts in overdrive.
He glanced at me as I covered my mouth with my hands. "Now, Bells, if you start that stuff, I'm gonna have to ask you to leave. At least one of us has to be calm today."
"Oh, Daddy…" I wrapped my arms around him for the third time since entering the small room off Rev. Lewis' office in Forks Community Church. He patted my back, his hand warm and solid against my bare skin. "Me too, honey," he murmured. "It warms my heart to know you like Maddie so much."
I could listen to him call her "Maddie" all day long. "What's not to like?" I pulled back. "She's pretty, she's cool, she bakes, and she loves my dad. If she turned out to be an underground author, I might try to steal her from you."
He dropped his voice. "Don't push it, kid."
I laughed and kissed his cheek. "I love you, Dad. And I'm thrilled to be here to see this."
His face fell a bit. "When do you leave?"
"In three days." Surprise and disappointment flitted across his face, and I regretted bringing it up. "I thought it would be easier to go while you were gone."
"I appreciate that." He looked at his shoes. "I don't think I'd be able to say goodbye."
I bit my lip, heedless of how it might ruin my berry-colored gloss. Alice said it would be best to have this conversation, but as I watched the joy seeping from my father's eyes, I thought she might have been wrong for the first time in her immortal life. "I could wait, if you like."
"No, no." He waved me off and took my hands. "It's better this way. One last hurrah before we go our separate ways."
The knock on the door saved me from falling apart, and I swiped my cheeks and admitted Oscar and Billy Black. The latter looked alarmed at my expression while the Deputy whistled at my father's appearance. "Nice threads, Chief. I half-expected blue polyester and ruffles."
"I can still demote you before I take off," Charlie said, his eyes on Billy whose eyes were full of questions.
"You look lovely, Bella." The weathered elder's smile was a bit forced. "Very grown up."
"Thank you." I stepped aside to admit him and realized Edward was standing outside the door. "Well, I'll see you inside."
Billy bowed, and I could almost see the effort it took him not to growl at Edward.
My husband spared him not a glance or a word as he led me away from the room. "Though I cannot wait to never see him again, we do agree on one thing." He lifted and kissed the hand he was holding. "You do look lovely."
I sniffled, too overcome to reply.
Pulling us into an empty alcove on the other side of the groom's chamber, Edward caressed my fingers. "Are you all right?"
I shook my head. "I'm so excited and confused I hardly know if I'm coming or going."
"In a manner of speaking, you're doing both." He dabbed at my damp face with a handkerchief, trying not to smudge my wisely waterproof makeup. "You're ending one leg of your journey and beginning another."
"And so is Charlie. And I could not be happier for him."
"But…"
"But nothing. That's just it. Charlie's about to marry the perfect woman, we're three days from Isle Esme, and the Mariners are on a five-game winning streak."
His brows furrowed. "Is that bad?"
"It's perfect, actually. And I don't trust it for a second." I sighed, raising my eyes to his. "I don't mean to rain on our proverbial parade, but does that ever happen outside of books and ballads? I mean, does anyone ever get everything they want without giving anything up?"
"You are giving something up." He laid his hand above the chaste line of my strapless lavender dress, his long fingers pressing against the pulse in my neck. "Something priceless."
"We've been over this." I took his fingers in mine. "My humanity is useless because it would someday separate us forever."
"And we have been over this." His golden eyes shimmered. "There is nothing in our way, Bella. No one who can keep us from our forever."
I glanced toward the pastor's office. "There's a moody mutt down the hall who'd beg to differ."
He snorted. "You've been spending too much time with Emmett."
"But couldn't they stop us somehow? Enforce some subsection of the treaty and force a confrontation?"
"Perhaps I could answer that." I looked over Edward's shoulder to see Carlisle in the corridor. "Alice said you might need me."
"Let's talk in here." Edward indicated an empty room I hadn't noticed. "Guests will soon arrive in search of the restroom."
I led the way into the sunlit space, hoping the high clouds made their forecasted appearance. If the fair weather persisted, the Cullens would have to excuse themselves early. Carlisle closed the door behind us, joining Edward away from the windows to protect my eyesight.
"Though the Quileutes assume the right to defend humans everywhere," Carlisle began, "the treaty is clear. Their jurisdiction extends to the towns bordering their land and no further."
"Are you sure?"
"Absolutely. Jasper and I reviewed the treaty dozens of times from several angles, and their laws have no bearing on what will happen at Isle Esme. They may not like your future, but they are powerless to stop it." He took my hands as only he could. "You have nothing to fear."
The niggling doubt in my heart finally dissipated, and I stepped into his welcoming embrace. "Thank you."
His cool hands were the opposite of Charlie's but comforting in their own special way. "Anytime."
"Now will you allow yourself to be excited?" Edward walked toward me with outstretched hands. "Or do you need a signed affidavit from Billy?"
"Do you think we could get one?"
"No," they said in unison.
"I was kidding. Sort of."
Carlisle shook his head. "Eternity with you is going to be a hoot."
"Yeah," I smiled. "And I can't wait."
"Neither can we." Carlisle's voice became solemn. "We say this all the time, Isabella, but you have no idea how much we treasure you. Forever will not be long enough to show you, but we shall do our best with the time we have."
"Watch it, old man." Edward cradled me closer. "You're making me look bad."
It was Carlisle's turn to laugh. "I could shave your head and cover you in wolf fur, and you'd still outshine us all."
"True." I glanced at Carlisle. "But mention cutting his hair again, and I'll take a lighter to your toes."
—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—
The wedding of Charlie Swan and Madeleine Mumford was truly an affair to remember. From the lush scent of roses and lilacs pervading the wedding and reception space to the unity candle awaiting the couple at the altar, every detail was perfect. Madeleine's creamy lace cap sleeve gown suited her personality and frame to a tee, and when she and Charlie finished their simple, heartfelt vows, there was not a dry eye in the sanctuary.
I was honored to be chosen as one of Madeleine's bridesmaids and performed my minimal duties with pride. But when it was time for the wedding party dance, someone made a last-minute switch. Though Billy had declined to participate in the ceremony on account of his health, he had no problem suggesting I dance with Jacob so my rightful partner Harry could dance with his wife.
There was no graceful way to refuse without causing a scene, so I smiled at Jacob and took his warm hands in mine as Edward stiffened in irritation from his position at the Cullen table.
"Relax," Jacob smiled. "This will not be a repeat of junior prom, I swear."
"I sincerely hope not," I said. "I'm not as demure as I was back then."
"Don't I know it?" he chuckled. "According to my dad, you've been giving the elders a run for their money."
"I haven't spoken to any of them in months. And my invitation to Sue's birthday party must have gotten lost in the mail."
Jacob looked chagrined. "Yeah, I'm sorry about that. But if it makes you feel better, my dad's attitude is losing support from the other elders."
"Yeah, right."
"It's true." He lowered his voice. "People on the rez considers you family, and the fact that you married a Cullen and the Chief refused to bar them from the wedding makes them wonder if they might be wrong about them."
My eyebrows shot up. "Never thought I'd hear you say that."
"Yeah, well, I don't see them inviting the Cullens to a bonfire anytime soon." He paused when I laughed at his unintentional joke. "But the knee-jerk opposition isn't as strong. And those who disagree are learning to keep their opinions to themselves."
I wasn't foolish enough to think two weddings could reverse centuries of animosity and tribal history, but I appreciated what Jacob was trying to do. "I take it Billy doesn't know you're saying this."
He snorted. "He probably thinks I'm sticking it to Edward by dancing with you."
"It will take more than a harmless dance with a friend to ruffle Edward's feathers." I smiled over his shoulder at my approaching husband. "But thank you for telling me."
"No problem." He turned to see Edward standing behind him. "Guess that's my cue." Nodding to Edward, he released me and headed for the buffet.
Edward slipped his arms around my waist, his amber eyes intense. "I know the song isn't over, but I couldn't stand the sight of him touching you any longer."
I slid my hands up his back. "So much for unruffled feathers."
"Hmm. Let's see how you feel when I dance with Jessica Stanley."
I stopped moving, my hands dropping into fists at my sides. "I've got a book of matches in my purse, Cullen. Don't mess with me."
He chuckled, closing his hands around mine to coax my fingers free. "What did you think of Jacob's report?"
"I hope tensions between our fathers will lessen over time, but it's not up to me anymore. And after tonight, I won't give the Pack another thought."
"So you're really ready for this?" His knuckled brushed my cheeks. "To leave Forks behind and embrace your new life?"
"More than ready." I nodded as the song came to an end. "I just need to do one thing first."
As the opening strings to "What a Wonderful World" filled the church banquet hall, Edward released me to dance with Charlie. My father's eyes shone as I walked toward him, the sighing crowd making me blush. I answered his bow with a curtsey of my own and took his outstretched hand. Our sway was slow and simple, and I closed my eyes, reveling in my father's warm embrace.
Now I can die happy.
"I could die happy," Charlie murmured a moment later, and I wondered if I'd spoken aloud. "I mean, I want to live out my life with Maddie and see what my latter years will bring. But finding her and having you here like this…" He paused as his eyes misted. "I could die right now and be the happiest man who ever lived."
The threatening tears spilled over my cheeks, and I hugged him tighter, unable to speak.
The DJ must have sensed the need for a lift in our spirits for his next selection brought the guests to their feet. I forced a smile through my tears, and Charlie cleared his throat. "I'd better grab Maddie and show these kids how it's done."
I laughed at the thought. "Don't hurt yourself, Chief."
He kissed my cheek, a watery smile in his eyes. "Let me see you soon, Bells. Maddie's great, but she could never take your place. And I want both my girls in my life as often as possible."
I bit my lip and nodded, waiting until he turned away to make a quick exit. I felt Edward's eyes on me but couldn't stop to let him catch me. It would be hard to convince him I was ready for this with tears streaming down my face.
Reaching the ladies' room on the far side of the church, I was relieved to find it completely empty. I dabbed my face with a damp paper towel and let out a slow breath, trying to calm myself down. But Charlie's total acceptance of my future was more than I could take, and I clamped a hand over my mouth to muffle my cries.
The sound of clicking heels outside the door brought me up short a few moments later, and I prepared to assure Alice I was fine. But the person who entered was the opposite of Alice, and I gripped the sides of the sink and groaned.
"Lauren, I really can't do this with you right now, so please just…"
My words were cut off when she threw her arms around me, her nasally voice quavering. "Oh, Bella. I am so sorry!"
I was so bewildered that I was hugging her back before I knew what was happening. She continued to sob softly onto my shoulder, and I wasn't cruel enough to push her away.
After a moment, she pulled herself up and frowned. "I got lipstick on your shoulder."
I looked down at the rosy smear on my skin. "That's a first."
She pulled out a handkerchief from her purse. "You looked great out there, with your dad."
"Thanks."
"When I was a little girl, my dad and I had this tradition." She moistened the cloth and rubbed my shoulder, keeping her eyes down. "Every Thursday night, we ate ice cream and watched old Hitchcock movies. I hardly understood them, to be honest. But I was his 'favorite girl' and those were his favorite movies, so I figured what the hell."
I didn't reply and had the feeling I wasn't supposed to.
"One Thursday when I was seven, he came home early because there was supposed to be an ice storm." She finished with my shoulder and walked toward the mirror. "I was excited because it meant we'd get to watch two movies, maybe three. But when we got to the couch, I realized he didn't have the ice cream. 'We've got chocolate pudding, Laurie,' he said. But I wanted my rocky road, and Daddy could never refuse me anything."
My heart constricted in my chest.
"The ice storm wasn't even what killed him." She balled up the handkerchief in her hand. "That was the irony. He had a heart attack, lost control of the car, and slammed into a guard rail. They say he died instantly." She met my eyes in the mirror. "They found the ice cream in a bag in the passenger seat."
"Lauren…"
"I didn't know much about you before you got here," she interrupted. "But I kept hearing you stopped visiting the Chief because you hated the weather here. And the idea of a daughter refusing to see her father because of some clouds and rain was…" She shook her head. "I hated you for wasting time I would have given my right arm to have with my dad." She laughed dryly. "The fact that Edward Cullen fell instantly in love with you was just sour icing on the cake."
For some reason, this admission made me smile. "I can see that."
She met my eyes then. "Even though it's none of my business, watching you dance with the Chief showed me how much you love him and made me feel totally shitty for how I've treated you. You didn't deserve that, and I'm sorry it's too late to do anything about it now."
I stopped short of hugging her again, feeling that would be too much. "I forgive you," I said instead. "And I'm truly sorry about your dad. I can't imagine what that must be like."
"Thanks." She nodded, averting her eyes again. "Well, I've gotta go. Mike is waiting for me."
I noticed them sitting together at the wedding. "Are you guys on again?"
She shrugged. "I need something to do before I get to UCLA."
"Of course you do."
She laughed. "You know, Bella, if we could start over, I think you and I would be friends. You're a real smart-ass."
I tossed the paper towel I'd used on my face and followed her out of the bathroom. "Lauren, I think that's the nicest thing you've ever said to me."
—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—
The rest of the wedding came off without a hitch: toasts were given, the decadent devil's food cake cut, and the bouquet caught by a grinning Ms. Cope. We danced and laughed the afternoon away, high on love and that alone as the Chief insisted on sparkling cider and punch only.
As the sun began its descent, the bride and groom said their goodbyes. Madeleine hugged me for a full minute, thanking me for sharing Charlie with her. My eyes had no shortage of tears apparently, and I blubbered my way through reciprocal thanks for how she changed my father's life. Charlie and I hugged briefly, wanting to end things on a high note.
When the final benedictions were given, The Chief and Mrs. Swan climbed into the horse-drawn carriage Madeleine requested and headed to the police station. From there, Oscar would drive them to the train station where they would begin their honeymoon journey. Their destination was a surprise to the bride, but I knew she'd love the majestic beauty of Colorado Springs as much as her husband. Yet another reason she was perfect for him.
I stood with the rest of the crowd, tossing rose petals at the retreating horse until my paper cone was empty. Upon his return in two weeks, Charlie would find a sleek black sedan in his driveway, a wedding gift from the Cullens he would have no way to refuse.
Exhausted after saying goodbye to every guest at least once, receiving their congratulations and messages for the Chief and Maddie, and deflecting Renee's inappropriate inquiries about their love life, I sank into the passenger seat of the Volvo, closing my eyes with a long sigh.
Edward chuckled as he strapped me in. "Tired?"
"Can I sleep here tonight? I promise not to drool on the seat."
"You could…" his voice trailed off. "But I was hoping you'd make one more stop with me."
I opened one eye. "What sort of stop?"
He glanced at me, a smile about his lips. "The kind you'll have to be awake to enjoy."
I sat up in my seat with alacrity. "Then let's go!"
"It will take some time to navigate this traffic without resorting to vampiric tactics," he conceded, "so you can nap until we get there."
He didn't have to tell me twice. I was asleep before he put the car in drive.
In what seemed like seconds, Edward nudged my shoulder. I blinked myself awake as he unbuckled my seatbelt. "Come, love. The night is young."
I took his hand, and as I stepped out of the car, I realized exactly where we were. As I bent to the clasp of my shoe, I felt Edward's hand on my wrist.
"Not so fast, Mrs. Cullen." He pulled me to my feet, tucking an errant lock behind my ear. "I have waited all day for the privilege of undressing you, and I shall not be denied."
I gulped loudly. "My apologies, Mr. Cullen. I did not mean to presume."
"You are forgiven." He swept me in his arms, making me squeal. "Now, hold on tight."
I did as asked, burying my face in the crook of his neck as he sped us toward our destination. The wind was warm against my skin, but curiosity made me feverish.
"Faster," I breathed.
I could feel his answering growl in my chest. "Your wish is my command."
As if he kicked into a higher gear, we came to a stop in the next instant. He gave me a moment to regulate my breathing then set me on the ground. When I opened my eyes, my mouth fell open.
We stood in the middle of our meadow as I expected, its summer flowers in full bloom for our enjoyment. But beside us was a gorgeous white bed on a wide wooden platform. Billowing white curtains were suspended from its canopy, providing both privacy and ambience. The white linens and pillows were plush and inviting, and I wondered how he'd pulled this off without my knowledge. But as the heat of anticipation hummed in my veins, I turned to my husband no longer concerned with the details.
"I wanted to spend our last night in Forks here," he explained. "But a storm arrives tomorrow, and it will rain for the next three days."
"Then I guess we'll have to improvise." I leaned in for a kiss, and he returned it briefly before pulling away. "What's wrong?"
He shook his head. "Not a thing in this world will ever be wrong again, Isabella. All because of you and what you've done."
"What did I do?"
"It was in this very spot, when you should have been terrified that you first offered yourself to me." His eyes shimmered as if to cry. "Your heart, your soul, the very blood in your veins had I requested it. Though I deserved nothing, you gave me everything, and I wanted to thank you for it here, where it all started."
A heady sigh was my only response, and Edward pulled me closer as his voice deepened. "You are the beating heart within my chest, my conscience and my place of rest. My lover, friend, guide, and wife. My precious one, my love and life. And until the earth ceases to exist, I am utterly and eternally yours."
His fervor caught me off guard, and it took me a moment to gather my wits long enough to reply. "You have that backwards: I will be fully yours after you change me." I ran my fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck, enjoying the answering shudder in his body. "I cannot wait to awaken as a vampire, to know it is your venom running through my veins, giving me the life of my dreams. I cannot wait to run with you, to hunt with you, to make love to you as an equal, to know and learn you without restraint."
His eyes darkened, and I licked my lips as he brought his closer. "And I will take my sweet time as we explore those heightened delights together. But as it stands," he murmured against my mouth. "This will be the last time we'll be completely alone for the next few months. And I want to make love to you somewhere only the wind and trees can hear you."
And for the rest of the night, with the new moon watching, he proceeded to do just that.
There is a short epilogue to follow, along with final words and a few announcements. I can't believe this journey is over, and I don't really know what to say yet.
But I'll see you soon, xoxo
