Chapter Fifty Four

Bella

When I woke up I found an envelope beside my head on the pillow and Kat gone but I could hear her giggling outside and sat up looking for Jazz until I heard his voice talking to her. I opened the envelope curious to see what it contained but shocked to find it was a marriage licence for Jasper and myself and along with it was the acknowledgement for payment of the court for a ceremony today. He really had been a man of his word and I couldn't help grinning. I had always hated the idea of a big wedding, even when I was a little girl and dreamed of such things. With the Cullen family involved I was sure I would be forced into one but Jazz had furnished me with a way around it. I got up and showered then dressed and found Kat and Jazz back in the room, Kat drinking what smelled like hot chocolate. She turned and grinned at me and I went over to pick her up relieved I had her safe in my arms once more.

"Well? Did you like your surprise or have you changed your mind?"

"I liked my surprise just fine and no I haven't changed my mind but how did you do it so fast?"

"I had need spurring me on and I told you as soon as we got Kat back I was going to marry you but I did want to ask you about something else so if you don't mind leaving Kat with Emmett for a little while I'll take you to breakfast"

I kissed Kat and asked her if she wanted to stay with Uncle Emmett for a little while, knowing full well her answer would be yes, she adored him. Then pulling on my jacket and shoes I went out hand in hand with Jazz across the road to a diner where the smell of freshly cooked bacon and hash browns filled my nostrils and almost had my mouth watering. I ordered and once my coffee had been served I sat back,

"So, what did you want to talk about?"

"Its about Kat. You know I wanted to adopt her?"

"Wanted to?"

I know I sounded not only cautious but concerned too and he smiled,

"Don't worry Bella I still intend making Kat mine too but I spoke to Jenks last night, our tame lawyer, and he suggested another way. Kat has no father listed on her birth certificate?"

"No, I refused to put Matt on there."

"How would you feel about seeing my name on there?"

"Yours? But how?"

"I don't ask the hows just the can you? It was Jenks suggestion, he said it made things easy and it wouldn't take him too long to organise but of course its up to you."

"Yes"

"You can take as long as you like to think about it."

"Yes"

"The decision doesn't have to be made now Bella"

"Jazz I can't keep saying yes. Just ring Jenks and tell him to get on with it."

Jazz went outside to ring Jenks with a huge grin on his face while I started on my breakfast almost too happy to eat, how had I been this lucky after all the terrible things that had happened? Kat had a daddy and I had a husband and what a husband!

I could see Jazz through the window so I noticed he had a call when he finished with Jenks and when he came back inside he looked a little nervous.

"What's the matter? Who was that on the phone?"

"Alice"

"Oh, did she see something? Not Edward again?"

"No, unfortunately Alice saw our decision to get married and she and Garrett are here in town. She wants to take you and Kat shopping for dresses this morning and I don't think she will take no for an answer but she has promised me no pressure for anything else. Is that OK?"

I nodded, I really didn't mind under the circumstances and if that's all it took to make Alice happy I could live with it.

Of course it wasn't quite that simple, buying the dresses was just the start of her fun. Admittedly the dresses were understated for her, simple pale pink with a little lace for me and a darker pink outfit for Kat with little white bows for decoration, she looked absolutely lovely and made me very proud but then I was dragged into the hairdressers with strict instructions to sit down and stop frowning,

"You'll get wrinkles like a saggy cushion."

Alice and Kat went off for lunch while I suffered not only a styling but a manicure too and I swore one day I would get my own back even if I had no idea how. I did feel relaxed by the time she came back for me smiling to see Kat holding a bag with the top of what looked suspiciously like a horseshoe poking out.

"Right, nearly there now. Kat and I ordered you a small posy of flowers, she chose not me, so I think that just leaves one more stop."

"I thought we'd finished"

"Almost. Come on now"

The last stop was a shoe shop and while I dithered between a pair of white low heeled open toed shoes (my choice) and a rather higher heeled pink pair with a bow to match Kat's dress (Alice's choice) she took Kat over to look at the little girls range. I felt a little sad at the thought that Kat loved shoes but couldn't walk and I wondered if Carlisle's treatment would work for her vowing to buy her lots of pairs if it did. I heard a delighted squeal as Kat came back with Alice holding a pair of pretty white shoes with pink bows.

"Mummy ook"

"They are beautiful Kat, you are going to look like a princess today"

She beamed and hugged Alice tightly round the neck which had my "sister" smiling hugely too.

Back at the motel I found a note from Jazz,

"Gone to find a suit. See you later. Love Jazz xx"

"Right well I think you've suffered enough but if you don't mind Kat and I have another task. She wanted to go with me to collect the flowers didn't you Kat?"

Kat nodded looking at me anxiously so all I could do was nod although I still didn't entirely trust my pixie "sister". After they left I sat down putting my feet up and closed my eyes for a few minutes but I must have fallen asleep because the next thing I knew someone was shaking me gently by the shoulder and I opened my eyes to see Carlisle looking down on me.

"Bella I hate to disturb you but we have to leave in just under an hour and I wanted to speak to you first."

"Carlisle, you got here? I was hoping you would. I guess this is about Edward, before you say anything I have to ask you not to beg me to forgive him because I can't."

"I don't expect you or Jasper to, no I wanted to tell you that Edward wont be a danger to anyone for some time. I have entrusted him into the care of a friend who will keep him in a kind of waking dream until such time I feel it is right to bring him home. I can only apologise for what he did with Kat. I am aware it is my fault as I told you before but I am determined not to make the same mistake again. All that aside I wondered if you would allow me to stand at your side in the place of Charlie."

I nodded,

"Thank you Carlisle, that would be nice. I guess I should get ready but where's Kat?"

"I believe she is busy getting ready with Alice and the other girls. I find it best not to inquire too deeply with Alice, just go with the flow"

He was right of course but I couldn't help missing my little girl and Jazz but not for much longer, soon both would be back with me and this time for always.