Book 4 – Chapter 2: White
Charlie was dead. I killed him. I am the reason Charlie is dead. All my fault.
"Bella" Charlie was dead. I killed him. I am the reason Charlie is dead. All my fault.
"Bella" Edward groans. "It's Edward love" he says shaking me gently. I look up to him and he lets out his breath. He hugs me tightly. I was causing him pain. I needed to stop.
"Edward?" I whisper and he smiles.
"Yeah it's me" he whispers as he kisses my forehead. "You've been out for twenty five hours…it's today" he whispers and I nod.
"Twenty five? Where did you go?" I ask him and he frowns.
"Alice needed help with the preparations outside. I've spent most of my time in here next to you for a vast twenty three hours. Renee and Phil arrived late last night. We had to move you to Alice's room so Renee wouldn't get mad." Edward says and I nod.
"I don't want to leave you" I murmur and he frowns.
"Of course. I'm sure Alice will understand. We've had enough bad luck to last us a decade anyway" he says and I hear the murmurs of chatter down below.
"Where's Bella?" the female voice of Renee rings into my ears.
"Upstairs. We don't know about her current…Ahh…state" Carlisle's familiar voice says. "She's with Edward, he hasn't left her side for one second" Carlisle says and I look at him as I stand up. I walk into Alice's room where she stands next to a white garment bag with several other black garment bags laid beside.
"Bella…" Alice says as she hugs me and I hug her back. "You know its tradition for Edward to be here" she says as she looks towards Edward. He smiles.
"Alice, Bella wants me here" He says and she sighs. Then after the intense staring, he sighs. "Fine" he growls. "If she goes back to the way she was before, it's on you" he growls before walking away. I freeze.
"Alice" I whine and she frowns.
"Come on, we need to give you a new face" Alice says as she begins to work on my makeup. I close my eyes, as if I could sleep and let the time overcome me. Eventually Edward walks back in, holding four coffee cups.
"Emmett and Jasper went hunting. They thought to get you this. It's animal blood, you'd have to wash your mouth out and brush your teeth. I suggest drinking it all before Renee and that come up here. Esme's keeping them busy" he says as he presses a kiss to my forehead, places the three cups on the vanity, keeping one for himself. He grins at my happy state. "Love you" he says as he closes the door.
"Love you too" I call and I hear his laughter through the walls. I couldn't help but smile as I devoured the contents of the cup. Alice takes a mouthful and drinks it before handing one to Rosalie who finishes it within a minute. Alice smiles as my eyes.
"They're a red still. But the gold is slowly mixing in. but you'll have to change in a couple of hours. Renee will come in when you're dressed" Alice says and I sigh as she starts to do my hair. Rosalie walks back in with her make-up complete and her dress on already. I look at her and she smiles.
"Hey Bella. It's good to see you back again." Rosalie says with a smile and I look down as she walks over to the back of my head. "Do you need help? I can do her hair?" she asks and I smile at her.
"Yeah sure, the braid goes under there" Alice says and she nods as she does it carefully. Alice slips my dress from the bag and once Rosalie is done, ushers me over. They help me slip into my dress with difficulty. Once I'm done, Esme rushes in and gets dressed, leaving me to my thoughts. "Your contacts" Alice says as she passes the dull gold over to me. I slide them in without difficulty, my eyes keep focusing on the scratches on the lenses. I sigh in frustration.
Esme, Rosalie and Alice are all dressed when Renee stumbles in, Phil tailing behind. "Oh Bella!" she says as she comes up and hugs me. She smiles as she sees Esme standing with Alice and Rosalie. "You all look beautiful! Alice everything is correct and in order. You two should go into business as wedding planners. It's perfect." She says "And Bella's dress, it's beautiful" she says as she looks at the delicate fabric around me. "Lucy is here by the way! You remember her Bella? She's your cousin on my side" Renee says and I nod
"Yeah" I say "Thanks"Sshe smiles.
"I'm sure if Charlie was here, he'd say the same" she says as she hugs me again and I freeze. Renee notices the tension in my body and frowns. "Sorry. Shouldn't have brought it up" she mumbles and they nod in sympathy.
"It's time" Alice calls as she walks out the room, dragging me with her. I couldn't help but smile. She links arms with Jasper and Esme runs out of the room with Carlisle, Renee and Phil as they take their seats. Suddenly I'm left all alone. Rosalie and Emmett go first, then Alice and Jasper. I follow slowly after them. Jasper messing with my mood. I smile as soon as I see Edward, but even Jasper's mood swings couldn't change the fact that I was sad deep inside. Edward noticed it and smiled back, the same agony in his eyes.
"Edward, please repeat after me" Mr Webber says as we hold each other's hand tightly. "I take you, Isabella Swan"
"I take you, Isabella Swan" Edward repeats in his own voice.
"To be my lawfully wedded wife"
"To be my lawfully wedded wife" Edward repeats.
"To have and to hold"
"To have and to hold" Edward repeats.
"For better"
"For better" Edward repeats.
"For worse"
"For worse" Edward repeats.
"For richer"
"For richer" Edward repeats.
"For Poorer"
"For Poorer" Edward repeats.
"In sickness and in health"
"In sickness and in health" Edward repeats.
"To love"
"To love" Edward repeats.
"And to cherish"
"And to cherish" Edward repeats.
"As long as we both shall live"
"As long as we both shall live" Edward repeats.
"Isabella, please repeat after me" Mr Webber says as we hold each other's hand tightly. "I take you, Edward Cullen"
"I take you, Edward Cullen" I say calmly.
"To be my lawfully wedded husband"
"To be my lawfully wedded husband" I repeat.
"To have and to hold"
"To have and to hold" I repeat.
"For better"
"For better" I repeat.
"For worse"
"For worse" I repeat.
"For richer"
"For richer" I repeat
"For Poorer"
"For Poorer" I repeat
"In sickness and in health"
"In sickness and in health" I repeat
"To love"
"To love" I repeat
"And to cherish"
"And to cherish" I repeat
"As long as we both shall live"
"As long as we both shall live" I repeat with a smile on my face.
We exchange rings.
"Edward Cullen, do you take Isabella Swan as your wife?" Mr Webber asks.
"I do" he says and I smile as his hand slips from mine.
"Isabella Swan, do you take Edward Cullen as your husband?" Mr Webber asks
"I do" I choke and Edward grins.
"Then I now pronounce you as husband and wife" Mr Webber says and Edward grins. "You may kiss the Bride" he says and Edward, slowly lowers his face to mine, but it's mine that's kisses him fiercely. He smiles and doesn't let go. We don't want to let go, and we won't, ever. We both notices the clapping slow and the coughs in the audience and we grin as Edward pulls back, as per usual. I smile and hug him around the waist. All our family comes up to us until Jake walks up with a grim smile on your face.
"Come straight to me after your turn with Edward on the dance floor" he says "I imprinted" he says and I freeze. Jake imprinted on who? "You look beautiful Bella! Congratulations" he says he hugs me and everyone else moves to congratulate us.
"Congratulations Bella, Congratulations Edward" Carmen says as she comes and hugs us both. I smile.
"Thank you" I say. "Maybe it will be Kate or Tanya's turn next?" I hint and they laugh. Laurent stays behind the Denali's. Quite with golden eyes. I frown and turn to Edward, who looks at me. Why was Laurent so sad? Edward brushes it off with Alice who drags us off to the reception. I laugh as she drags us on the dance floor. The music begins and everyone crowds around us. With a smile, I wrap my arms around Edward's neck, his arms wrap around my waist. We sway gently to the music, and I lean my head against his chest happily. But then my mind swims to Charlie…
His cold, lifeless body when the found him. I cry into Edward's chest sadly. He rubs my back gently. "I wish he was here" I cry and he soothes me.
"Nobody cries at weddings love" he attempts to joke as my moon is instantly calm. I smile sadly. Then everyone walks onto the floor. Jacob taps Edward on the shoulder.
"So…I imprinted" he says and I nod. "You know the girl around your age, and around your height. With brownish blondish hair. Yeah her" he says and I look at him.
"You imprinted on Lucy?" I ask him and he looks at me. I sigh. "What do you want me to do?" I ask him and he sighs.
"I don't want to force it. I just can't stay apart from her forever. It's biologically impossible." He says with a sigh and I smile.
"I guess I should be happy" I mumble and he smiles. I turn to Lucy. "Lulu, come and take my spot, I'm going to go dance with Phil" I say and she nods nervously as she takes my place, I find Phil and he walks me back onto the dance floor. Eventually I dance with everyone, and made my way back to my husband…it sounded all so real now. I smiled as I was back in Edward's arms, not dancing but sitting. We cut the cake, but didn't eat it then Alice reminded me about my contacts. I nodded to Edward. "I need to go to the bathroom" I say loudly and he nods.
"Ok, be back soon. I might miss you" he says and I laugh as I kiss him and walk back into the house. Alice tails after me and stands outside the bathroom door as I replace my contacts In the mirror, but I can't help looking at my reflection. Here stood a pale, dark haired, red eyed, beautiful girl wearing a white dress framed with thick lashes. I sighed as I placed in the contacts, and the girl looked less dangerous. I frowned then walked out the room. Alice follows after me and makes sure I get back to Edward in one piece. I grin as I wrap my arms around his waist. "Hey" he says as he kisses my forehead. "We've got to go soon" he says and I smile. "Ugh could Mike keep his thoughts to himself about a married woman?" he groans and I laugh.
"One: Where exactly are we going? And Two: What was he thinking?" i ask him and he grins.
"One: Surprise. We've just got speeches then that's It. And Two: His little fantasies of you aren't fun." he says as he sits down at a table. I smile and sit next to him. Everyone takes after us and all of Edward's family and the remaining of mine sit down. All Except Emmett who stands up and walks to the front. I internally groan.
"I'd like to propose a toast" Emmett starts. "To my new sister. Bella, I hope you got enough sleep these last eighteen years. Cause you won't be getting anymore for a while" he says with a laugh and a grin. I look at Edward and he grins. Edward mouths 'ironic' to me and I laugh. Then Jessica Standley gets up.
"Well, Bella was just like everyone else, totally mesmerized by Edward. Then suddenly, Edward has a girlfriend! Even though she's not captain of the volleyball team or president of the student council. I'm kidding! It took us all by surprise" Jessica smiles. "You both belong with each other you two. I'm glad you found each other. And I hope you two are happy" Jessica says with a laugh. "You both look beautiful tonight. To Bella and Edward" she says as she raises her glass. Everyone murmurs a happy chorus of 'Bella and Edward' before drinking. Everyone except the Denali coven and the Cullen's. I smile as Esme leaves our table to the front, her purple dress flowing along with her.
"I'd like to thank Renee and, even though he isn't here, Charlie, for bringing such a wonderful person into our lives. We will cherish and protect her forever" Esme says as she looks over at me. I look at Edward, who's grinning, oblivious to my mood change as we all raise our glasses and another chorus breaks out. Edward then stands up and walks to the front, while Esme comes and stands next to me and wraps me in a hug.
"It's an extraordinary thing to meet someone who you can bear your soul too" Edward starts and I raise one eyebrow. He laughs at my expression and continues. "Who will accept you for what you are and who you are. I've been waiting for what seems like a very long time to get beyond what I am, and with Bella, I feel like I can finally begin" he says and I smile sadly. He looks over at Jasper and I'm suddenly smiling. I would yell at him later. "So I'd like to propose a toast to my beautiful bride, No measure of time with you will be long enough, but let's start with forever" he says and I smile.
"Forever" I say loudly and he laughs as I come up to him and hug him tightly. I turn into the microphone. "I don't know where we are going after for the honeymoon. Edward won't tell me. Even though we've been together since we were both sixteen" I half lie. "I know that he's the one for me. So no matter who you love, fight for them, because love is an incredible thing. So I'd like to propose a toast to, the most unexpected person I could throw a toast to" I say and I look at Jacob. "Jacob, who I consider a brother to me" I say and he laughs. "Find who you truly want to be with, I know we've had a fair share of fights. Like when you kissed me and I punched you, sorry about that" I laugh and he grins and shakes his head. "But I hope you find someone like me to my Edward" I say and he laughs.
"Just don't do anything too naughty in front of people" Jacob yells and every laughs as I pull Edward down from the stairs and into out seat, me sitting on his lap. He hugs me and lowers his lips down to my ear.
"Just think" he whispers and I shiver at his voice and his breath flowing into his ear. He smiles. "In a few hours we'll be all alone, on our honeymoon, in a bed…" he whispers as he blows air into my ears. I grin as his hands trace around my hips to my abdomen. I smile as I kiss him again.
"Keep that going and we might not make it to the plane." I whisper in a small breath as I lean in to kiss him again.
"Bella" Alice calls as she walks in on us. We ignore her and continue. "Edward" she says a little annoyed now and Edward's arms rub my back and then my waist. Alice sighs in frustration. "I'll tell her where you're going" she says and Edward freezes before pulling him off me. I pout and he laughs.
"You are way too small to be so hugely irritating" he says and I laugh as I stand up as Alice drags me towards the house.
"I'm sorry Alice" I say and she laughs.
"It's ok, you can't seem to help it" She says and I laugh as she slips me into the blue thigh high gong away dress. I smile as we walk away towards the car, rice bouncing off our backs from Emmett. We climb into the car and then Edward drives away.