Twelve
"No Emmett," Alice groans, "you walk before Edward."
"I did before and you just about ripped my head off," he snaps at her.
Rosalie glances at me helplessly. I sigh and move towards the distressed bride.
"Let's take five," I say, wrapping my arm around her shoulders, "come and chat with me."
Guiding her away from her full bridal party, I rub her back.
"It's okay," I soothe as stress appears in the form of tears on her cheek.
The group watches us as I guide her to the front of the room, where the arbour will be set up and where she'll face her groom. I motion for her to take a seat on the steps, facing the aisle. I crouch before her, blocking her sight of everything - her brothers, Jasper and her hire bridesmaids.
"It's not," she shakes her head, "it's a mess."
"Babe," I take her hands in mine, "this is just a rehearsal. It's going to be perfect."
"Everyone seems so confused. I feel like I'm making sense," she shakes her head.
She'd walked into this rehearsal flustered. It was doomed for this from the moment go.
"What's really going on?" I ask.
"Jasper and I had a fight in the car," she admits quietly, "I just want to go home."
"What about?" I push.
"This. This whole wedding," more tears stream down her face, she's fighting to keep it together, "the stress of it. His mother wants to suddenly be vegan and got annoyed when I told her I couldn't change the meal by tomorrow. Jasper is trying to keep the peace, but I guess I took it as him defending her. Then he told me his shoes broke, my florist told me there's a shortage on peonies…"
Shaking my head I shush her as her rattling off issues stops.
"This is so normal," I say, "but it's going to come together. Trust me. This is what I am here for. Leave the mother to me, Jasper is a big boy… let him deal with his shoes. As for the peonies, we're going to have to live with that."
"I know it's just… I want everything to be perfect," she buries her face into her hands.
"It will be," I insist, "I will die fighting for it to be. You deserve the best and it's what you will get."
Leaning up I wrap my arms around her neck and cuddle her.
"Stress is normal at this point. Please know that we've got your back," I whisper into her ear.
She nods into my shoulder.
"How do you want us to walk down the aisle?" I ask calmly as I lean back.
"Jasper first and then the boys. I want my mother to walk with Edward to her seat. Then I want you girls, you last and then me with my father," she explains.
"Right," I nod standing , "leave it to me."
Turning toward the bridal party, I waltz toward them, clapping to get their attention. It takes me 20 minutes, but I whip them into shape. Having us paced out, walking to the right rhythm of the music Alice has picked. I notice Jasper give Alice a comforting hug and kiss when they have a quiet moment. I'd restored peace.
"You're good at this," Edward shimmies up behind me to whisper in my ear, placing a hand on my waist, "thank you for keeping her calm. Emmett and I have always sucked at taming emotional Alice. Once her fish died and Emmett and I got her a new one. She cried for hours saying we were trying to replace Barbie."
"Poor Barbie," I smile up at him, "she's just panicked. You spend forever planning your big day and when it starts to come together you worry. She has us though."
"She's lucky," he nods, "to have you."
Glancing back at him I look up into his eyes.
"But next week you're mine again," he promises darkly, squeezing my ass discreetly as he turns to search for his brother.
"How much longer?" Tanya pulls me from my staring at his ass as he walked away
"Not much," I say.
"I'm starving," she huffs.
"We have the rehearsal dinner soon," I look at her.
She rolls her eyes at me, turning her back as she heads toward Angela. Likely to bitch more.
I ignore the attitude. Because if I don't I'll snap her in half.
"You're taking such good care of my baby," Alice's mother has the warmest hug.
Her arms hold such soul and love. Esme is stunning and exactly who I want to be when I grow up. She shines without allowing the glimmer to detract from anyone else around her. The love she has for her children is so clear it smacks you in the face. Her caramel hair, beautiful face.. she belongs on magazine covers.
"We've heard so much. Considering she hadn't mentioned you much before this," her father, Carlisle, says.
As for her father… Jesus. He's visual perfection. Rosalie and I had whispered "what a DILF" in unison when we'd seen him at first. He had blonde hair, a face with angles sharp enough to cut like a knife.
"She hasn't?" I gasp in a teasing offence.
"Not really," Esme pulls away shaking her head, "but she showed us the graduation photos. My memory must be fading."
"I'm sure you're just a busy, beautiful woman," I smile, "you must be so excited for her big day."
I'd told each bridesmaid to change the subject as quick as possible if anyone tried to bring up Alice's history.
Each girl had been given a notecard with instructions dot pointed for tonight. Nothing would go south under my watch.
"She's our baby," Esme smiles lovingly over at her daughter.
Alice chats with Tanya and Edward, pointing out something on her phone as they speak.
I'd decided to buddy up with her parents for a few minutes so that tomorrow it's smooth sailing.
"She is one of a kind," I say fondly, "you must be feeling all sorts of emotions right now."
"I'll be a mess watching Carlisle walk her down the aisle," Esme's eyes grow teary, as she places her hand on her husband's chest, "it was just yesterday you were teaching her to ride her bike."
"Don't start early," he kisses his wife's head, "save it for tomorrow, my dear."
My heart melts at the sight of their affection. They're so in love. How he speaks to her and how she confides in him.
"Did you expect Alice to marry first?" I ask.
Both of them nod in unison, before laughing at their identical reactions. I feel my smile widen further.
"Emmett will settle down soon I think," Esme says, "Edward… who knows with that boy. I tried to set him up with my friend's niece. He turned his nose up because he had a convention."
"He did," Carlisle defends, "I saw him at it."
"Darling, work won't give me grandbabies to spoil. Nor will it make your son truly happy," she scowls at her husband, "I just want all my children to be happy. I know he isn't with his head down working all the time."
"He seems different today," Carlisle glances over at Edward, "like he's lighter."
"I noticed it too," Esme agrees, "like he's let some of the weight in his shoulders go."
"Weddings bring out the best in people," I shrug, "maybe he's happy for his sister."
"He always has been," Esme looks at me, "but it's something else too."
"I'm sure you'll get it out of him," Carlisle kisses his wife's temple - the same way his son kisses mine.
Edward's hand finds my knee beneath the table, making me jump slightly. He squeezes my skin, trying to hide a sly smile on his face.
Watching Carlisle continue his speech, I drop my hand to his, giving it a warning pinch.
"So please raise your glass to my daughter and my new son," Carlisle says holding his glass up, "to Alice and Jasper."
Collectively we repeat after him, taking a sip.
"My mother pulled me aside," Edward leans into me, whispering into my ear as the table sections off into conversation, "told me I should make a shot at the beautiful maid of honour."
"Did she?" I smile.
"Yep," he nods, "you should have seen her face when I told her I was already ahead of her."
"You told her," I turn to look at him, "what did you say?"
"She was shocked that by some miracle you're into her grumpy son," he shrugs, "she asked me to not mess it up. She wants me to hurry up and bring you home. To introduce you as my girlfriend properly."
"She's so sweet," I smile up at him, "what did you tell her?"
"To be patient," he picks his glass up, taking a sip watching me as he does.
"Ahh. Long game," I roll my eyes.
"Sir," a waiter pulls him away from me, as a plate of food is placed before him.
I smile as the same waiter puts my food down before me too.
"Thank god for that," he picks his cutlery up, "I was about to break and kiss you stupid regardless of what my family thought."
I glare at him as he scoops some food up into his mouth. I realise this long game shit isn't just to build something between us… but he's also having fun waiting for me to beg him. To plead with him to beg.
It's game fucking on!
Thanks for reading x
