The moment we walked into the large room, I quickly proceeded to shut the door and turn the bolt officially locking it. Leaning heavily against it for a second.
"Isa?" Esme called, as we all sat down.
I slowly turned to look at her, tired.
Her silent question, was my undoing.
"Oh no." She gasped as I broke down.
"What's wrong with her?" I heard Sully ask quietly, stunned.
"She didn't know, Sul. Nobody told her. They lied to us so we wouldn't tell her either." Esme replied, as she pulled me into a hug.
"You got all that from a simple look, Es?" She asked.
I snorted, "No, but Esme has always been like a sister to me, and has an uncanny ability to know when something is wrong with me." I rasped in response.
"Oh, shit. I'm so sorry, Isa. Shit, we were both under the impression that everyone knew. Nobody ever said otherwise. Esme was the one who became suspicious, especially after Aro and I got married and you suddenly disappeared. Only visiting every so often." Sulpicia confessed.
So, they hadn't mentioned any of this to them? Weird. Especially since Carlisle and Esme tell each other everything.
"I figured as much after I saw the look you two shared with each other when I greeted Edward." I snorted.
"Oh, that my dear, That was a sight to behold." Esme snorted, shaking her head in disbelief.
"May I also add, I am sorry for calling you an outsider a few weeks ago? I didn't recognize you, especially since you were wearing makeup. I mean you hardly ever wore makeup when you lived with the Cullens." Sully said, turning scarlet.
I never felt the need to, especially when I've always felt comfortable with them. That all changed though, especially after the Thanya debacle.
"It's water under the bridge." I reply, leaning back onto the seat.
"Isa…" Esme whispered, patting my arm to gain my attnetion.
"Es?" I replied, closing me eyes.
"So, what is going on now? Are you two actually getting married?" She asks me, concerned.
Damn, she knew me so well. How could she not? She was a good friend of mine before I accidentally introduced her to Carlisle after I had an accident and ended up in the ER.
"Not until he proposes. This is going to be faux wedding. For mia amata Nani. So, she could go happily and in peace." I say, my eyes watering again.
Uttering those words was tearing me apart. I didn't want my Nani to go, I wanted her here with me, but I knew now that it was inevitable.
"Then we have a wedding to plan." Sul pipes in, throwing me a gentle smile.
"Where is it going to be? You know the 'ceremony' and stuff?" Sully asks, leaning forward.
"There's a store not far from here… it'll be alright for the faux wedding. You ladies don't mind being my bridesmaids, do you?" I ask, nervously. "As for the wedding...I'm not sure. Maybe the Eastern Patio?" I suggest shrugging.
It didn't really matter to me as long as my Nani was happy. Actually it did, but my Nani's feelings were more important at the moment.
"Of course not. All you have to do is pick out your dress. We'll help with the rest of the stuff." Esme says, looking pensive as she spoke.
"Well, then what are we waiting for? Let's go." I say as we all stand and head down the stairs once more.
As we make it down the stairs, everyone is in the foyer already. The atmosphere, tense per usual nowadays.
"Well?" Aro demands, walking over to his wife.
Amusingly enough all the men within the Cullen family tower over their wives. Some more than others, Sully being one of the taller ones hits around Aro's jaw.
The more amusing part is that despite height differences we can still hands their asses to them any time we need to.
A snort, brings me out of my trance, a small smile on my face.
"Well what, amore?" Sully replies, placing her hands on her hips.
"Uh...what happened?" He asked her.
I could tell, though, that nobody seemed to be paying attention to their exchange, that everyone was, in fact, listening.
"We cleared up a few things and talked business. That's all you need to know, my love." Sully told him, offhandedly.
"Nonna Franny, Nonna Iliana? Zia Elizabeth, Zia Catalina, would you please accompany us?" I asked, nervously.
They all looked at us for a moment, "Of course, tesoro. Just let us get our purses and then we can leave." Nonna Franny Swantorini says, smiling at me as the other women disappear up the stairs.
"Ivan?" I hear Nonno Felipe Swantorini call one of the security guards.
"Sir?" Ivan says suddenly appearing in the room.
"The ladies will be heading out. Prepare the SUVs." Nonno Felipe order.
The guard nods, "Right away sir."
"Demitri, Seth, Zachary, Felix? Go with them." Nonno Lesandro says, looking towards the door.
I smiled at Esme as she and Sully dragged me out of the house and towards the massive black SUV.
"Do you have your gun with you, Miss Isa?" Damian asked before I climbed in.
"Always do." I replied, climbing on and he climbed into the passenger seat.
I noticed that Nonna Franny Swantorini and Nonna Iliana Masen went in the gray SUV With Seth, Giovani and Felix.
It's a twenty minute ride to Lucy's Bridal shop.
Which I spend thinking of the possible options there will be.
"So, Izzy, what type of dress do you want to wear?" Esme asks me, on the way there.
"Oh, uh...I haven't decided." I replied, distractedly.
They both looked at me as if I had just struck them.
"Don't look at me like that! You both got the wedding of your dreams. You got to get married on the date you picked with the loves of your lives, I don't get to do that. I didn't even get the year I was promised!" I complain, leaning back onto my seat.
"Oh, Izzy Bee. I know this probably the shitiest of situations to be in, but … let's try to look at the silver lining in this. One, you got the opportunity to shoot Edward in the thigh. Which might I add, was magnificent. Two, you're able to spend time with your Nani, and three you are gaining two new sisters out of this along with an even bigger family than before." Sully said, gesturing towards Esme and herself.
"That's true." I muttered, cracking a smile.
"I can't wait until we get back home! We can go shopping, oh! No, we can go away for a weekend, make it a ladies trip! Even invite Jasper and Emmett's new love interests." Sully gushed.
"Ugh. Don't remind me." Esme muttered, scowling.
I looked over at her, raising a questioning eyebrow. "Anything happen while I've been here?" I ask, curiously.
"No. Nothing worth talking about, I promise." Esme said, cooly.
Sully scoffed as Ivan pulled up to the curb.
We all proceeded to climb out and walk right into the store. Standing behind the counter was Ms. Lucy Jacoby, the best seamstress in town.
She is a tall,frail-looking, thin woman with salt and pepper hair. Her face littered with wrinkles here and there, reminding me of my Nonna Franny. Usually her shop only takes appointments but she is my Nonna's closest friend, and allowed us to come in after she received a call from my Nonna.
Her shop, while looking small from the outside was a wide open space on the inside.
My mind blanked out as I saw the plethora of wedding gowns, evening gowns, ball gowns, prom dresses, bride's maid dresses, and other items of the sort.
All the lace was beginning to make me antsy.
"Ok, well first thing is first, cara. What size dress do you use?" The woman asked me.
.
I looked down, wrinkling my nose, before I looked up once more. "32 to 36." I muttered.
"Ahh…" she nodded in response before looking at me, then inclining her head to the side, silently asking me and the other ladies to follow her.
She lead us quietly into the back room. Where the torture slowly began in a for of simple questions.
A/N: Wedding Dress Trials up next.