CPOV
"Eddy! That's not fair!" Addyson whines. She's the only one in the world that can get away with calling Edward "Eddy', and he's made sure to let the rest of the family know it. Addyson is currently throwing a 4 year old sized tantrum because Edward found her during a spirited game of hide and seek.
"I can't help it Addy!" He fake whines back at her. "Your mind is just soooo loud."
She scoffs and marches off like the princess she is.
"Daddy!" She calls and I lean down to swoop her up in my arms. "Edward cheated!"
"I know sweet girl, but it's time for you to get ready anyway. Go find mommy, she has your pretty dress."
"Okay" she grumbles and scurries off to find Esme.
"Come on, old man." Emmett claps me on the shoulder. "Esme will kill us if we let you get married in jeans."
I smile at the word married and go to Emmett's room where my tux is laid out for me. My room has been taken over as "fashion station" (according to Alice). All of the women are getting ready in there, and there's no boys allowed.
I sigh as I pull my shirt off the hanger. I can't believe after 5 years, I'm finally getting married to my angel. The only ones that will be attending this wedding are our kids and that's just how we want it—small and intimate.
When I first proposed, we planned to be engaged for about a year. Esme insisted she needed to lose the "baby weight" and Alice almost had a heart attack explaining that it would take at least a year to plan a wedding. The date was set, the invitations mailed out, but it all changed in December of that year. Esme was on her way home from work when a drunk driver ran a red light and slammed into the driver's side of her car. She flipped 3 times before landing in a ditch. Alice had a vision of the police finding the wreck and by the time I got to the hospital, she was being pronounced dead. My body went completely limp until Alice picked me up and pulled me into the room. Once I was close to Esme, I could still hear a very soft and slow heartbeat, so faint that even medical instruments wouldn't have picked it up. All of the doctors and nurses left the room, and I took that private moment to bite Esme. Chest compressions coupled with bites all along her body brought her back to me. Alice took care of the "missing body" issue while I gathered Esme into my arms and ran home.
Three days later, Esme woke as a vampire and I attended her funeral. As far as any humans knew, she died that night. It had to be that way. Attending my mate's funeral will forever be burned into my brain as one of the worst experiences of my life. As soon as the funeral was over, we packed up everything and everyone and moved to the east coast.
Esme's first few days as a newborn were very tiring. We spent most of the time in the forest just the two of us as she learned to hunt. The hardest part was being forced to be away from Addyson. We couldn't risk it until Esme got her thirst under control; we weren't sure how long that would take, and the thought of keeping Esme away from our daughter for years was unbearable. It wasn't until Alice called us after a vision a week later that hope was restored. It seems that Esme's vampire super power is her love and compassion, I shouldn't be surprised as that was one of her greatest features as a human. The scent of humans doesn't bother her because she couldn't bear to hurt them, especially Addyson. That day we ran home as fast as our feet would carry us and we were reunited with our daughter.
Addy is 4 now and has everyone in this family wrapped around every one of her little fingers. We haven't told her exactly what we are, but she knows we're different and that it's a secret. She loves all of us despite our differences from her and we all adore her. Once she's old enough to understand, we'll explain what we are, and once she's an adult, she can decide whether she wants to change or stay human—we'll love her either way.
"Daddy!" Addyson squeals running into the room. "Look at my dress." She spins around to show me the whole thing and I chuckle at her excitement.
"It's very pretty. You look like just like a princess."
"That's what mommy said." She grins.
"I bet she did. Now go see Alice. The wedding's about to start."
She runs off and I stand in front of the mirror tugging on my mint green bow tie.
"Come on Carlisle. You look fine." Alice says taking my hand and pulling me into the backyard.
The yard is beautiful done and it's the perfect background for our wedding. There are benches for the "guests" to sit on and white flower petals line each side of the aisle. I'll be standing under a simple white arch made from thin wood and wrapped in white tulle that's blowing in the breeze.
We're not having any groomsmen or bridesmaids, only a beautiful 4 year old flower girl.
Alice places me up in front of the aisle they've made and I take a deep breath.
"Excited?" Rosalie asks coming to stand beside me dressed in a mint green dress.
"Yeah" I grin.
Rosalie will be officiating our wedding. Even though it's small and private, we want it to be legal, so she went online and got certified. She'll be the only one standing up here with me as I wait for my two angels to come down the aisle.
Suddenly Edward begins playing the piano (which we had moved outside for the occasion) and I laugh as Sampson comes marching down towards me with a massive bow tie around his neck. He's fully grown now and huge, but Esme still treats him like a little puppy.
He comes and sits next to me and I pat the top of his head. I guess I do have a groomsmen after all.
Next comes my beautiful princess walking carefully down the aisle in her all-lace, white dress. She is a carbon copy of her mother with bright green eyes and caramel-colored hair that curls softly down her back. She grins up at me and I'm impressed as she calmly walks slowly down the aisle. When she reaches me I lean down to hug her and she kisses my cheek.
"Daddy?" She whispers in my ear.
"Yes?"
"Mommy looks like an angel." She grins conspiratorially.
"That's because she is." I tell her and grin right back. She giggles and runs over, curls bouncing, to sit on Bella's lap in the front row.
Suddenly the music changes and Esme steps out, her arm hooked through Emmett's elbow. She's grinning widely and all of the air is sucked out of my lungs. Her hair is down and naturally wavy like I love and she has barely any makeup on. Her dress is completely lace, even the sleeves, and it hugs her body. The bottom leads out into a train where it meets the long veil tucked into the back of her hair. I can't take my eyes off of her as she finally reaches me. Emmett kisses her on the cheek and whispers something in her ear before going to sit with Jasper, Alice, Bella, and Addy.
Esme's hands slide into mine perfectly and I sigh as we're finally together and complete. I was a little worried that I would miss Esme being human when she was first changed, but I couldn't have been more wrong. Her skin is still like velvet to me and exactly the right temperature.
Rosalie's talking, but I don't hear her until she says, "if so respond with 'I do'" I respond accordingly and Esme smiles and does the same when it's her turn.
Tingles roll through my body as Esme (finally!) slides the ring on my finger and I do the same for her. It's not long before Rosalie informs me that I can kiss my bride, and I do, with gusto.
We're interrupted when little arms wrap around my thighs and I scoop Addyson up in my arms. She throws an arm around my neck and another around Esme's and hugs us to her. We both laugh and squeeze each other in a group hug.
"Smile!" Emmett yells out point a camera at the three of us. I look over at Esme and see she's thinking the same thing I am—I couldn't stop smiling even if I wanted to.
Several hours later, I'm swaying on the dance floor with Addyson clinging to my front like a monkey and Esme's arms around my waist, and I thank God for giving me everything I never knew to wish for.