Chapter Fifty Two

Bella

The day before the wedding the guests started to arrive, mum and Phil were first and she was whisked away by Rose for a few hours and Phil by Emmett so Jasper and I had a few hours alone together before he left for his stag do while the girls met at our rental house for the hen night. I had no idea what Rose had organised and I didn't really care. I was firmly focused on the next day, on making sure I didn't make a fool of myself or get things wrong at the ceremony. I had forgotten all about it being Christmas and had to do some last minute shopping between picking up guests and panicking, what a way to spend the day before my wedding but eventually Rose and Renee grabbed me and made me sit down and eat a hot meal.

"I just hope I still fit in my dress, you keep piling my plate up"

"Bella you're getting married tomorrow and you need a full stomach so you can have a drink this evening and give the butterflies something to fly through."

"They're already practising their line dancing techniques. Rose I feel sick"

"It's just nerves Bella, take a few deep breaths, you'll be fine."

I nodded and tried Renee's suggestion. It did seem to help and I took a few more just for luck.

The evening was much more relaxing than I'd thought it would be, Angie and dads "friend" Debs came along too and after a few drinks at the hotel in town we drove back to the house. Rose had bought a couple of comedy DVDs and we played trivial pursuit, well a version of it but who came up with the questions I had no idea and I was blushing after the first few answers. When I asked Rose where she'd got an X rated version from she just smiled enigmatically. I guess I learned a few interesting facts but the thing that surprised me most of all were the answers Renee got right, my mother was more knowledgeable about certain sexual practises than I could ever have imagined. I think Angie and I were probably the most embarrassed and ill-informed, at least to start with. As it got later I started to yawn and then I was bundled off to bed

"Now Bella we can't have the bride looking like she spent the night before her wedding in the town, so off to bed"

Renee ushered me up the stairs and sat beside me when I climbed in to bed and took my hand,

"Bella I don't know what happened to me over the past few months but I'm glad you've given me another chance. I'm very happy for you although I'm not sure Jasper is really the right one. He and his friends are slightly odd, I can't put my finger on it but there we go, he's your choice and I hope you're both very happy. Just don't make me a grandma too soon OK? Now get some sleep and I'll see you in the morning."

She kissed me and then went out shutting the door quietly and I lay back closing my eyes but this time I didn't fall asleep quickly. The dream was a waking one this time. I was still in the dark but I was sure the space had tightened around me, it felt like there was less although I couldn't feel any walls. There was a rhythmic noise I was now used to but the voices had almost disappeared, just faint sounds, still no sounds that made sense, no words although the sounds meant something I was sure. There was a new sensation though one that was pleasant and slightly frightening at the same time. Anticipation although I didn't know what the sounds that described the feeling meant. Something new was going to happen something that would be meaningful in some way. I woke with a start and sat up, I'd heard a voice, then I relaxed when I heard a loud laugh from Emmett, so he was back. Did that mean Jasper was here too? Is that why I felt excited unconsciously, I thought perhaps I were so attuned to his presence these days that I knew instinctively when he was close by although it felt he was so close all the time, we were almost one and by the end of today we would be joined forever. Unable to get back to sleep I turned the bedside light on and picked up the book I'd laid there the night before. Gone With The Wind was new to me but it gave me a taste of the kind of world Jasper had been born into. I hoped he appreciated Rose's themed wedding, what would he think when he unzipped his suit bag to find his army uniform inside? I longed to see him in it but just as much to see him out of it, joining me naked and eager in our bed tonight and for all our nights, and days if I had my way. I stopped myself here, I needed to relax not get myself even more worked up so I opened the book and continued reading where I'd left off waiting for daylight and my most treasured day to start. As I read, one line hit home, it expressed the depth of my love for Jasper,

"I'd cut up my heart for you to wear if you wanted it"

I must have fallen asleep eventually because Rose woke me and I started dropping my book to the floor. She bent over and picked it up smiling at the cover,

"Getting a little background for the day?"

I nodded then looked at the clock and jumped out of bed so fast it made my head swim,

"Rose, why did you let me sleep so long?"

"Bella calm down before you lose it. You have plenty of time, remember the wedding isn't until 6 this evening. Now have a shower, calm yourself, and come down for breakfast. Renee and Angie are waiting for you."

I took deep gulps of air to calm myself then walked slowly to the bathroom and took a long hot shower feeling my muscles unknot as I did so. There was a new CD player on the counter top and curious I turned it on smiling as I heard Christmas songs blare out. By the time I'd dried myself to "Frosty the Snowman" and dressed to "Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer" I was relaxed and ready to face the world once more. As I came downstairs I heard Emmett singing "I Want A Hippopotamus for Christmas" and I couldn't help giggling, the very thought of Emmett with a pet hippo was so crazy it was just conceivable. There was toast and cereal, eggs and bacon, and hot bagels to choose from and although everything smelled delicious I could only force down a bagel with some coffee, my hands starting to shake once more. Rose shook her head and took my hands in hers,

"Bella if you are this nervous spare a thought for poor Jasper. He's waited a century to find you."

"Yeah, he was like a cat on a hot tin roof last night and I don't think I helped when I pointed out we were close enough to the border for you to skip on him"

"You didn't?"

I was horrified then I saw he had been joking and threw the last of my bagel at him

"Oh you want to fight eh? Just remember you don't have Jasper to defend you until this evening."

He stalked me slowly round the kitchen to the delight of Renee and Angie before trapping me in the corner by the fridge. I was watching his hand fumble for the wet dish cloth which was of course what he wanted me to do. In the meantime he'd opened the freezer compartment and got out an ice cube which he slid down my back. My screams could probably be heard in town, along with his shout of laughter.