Thanks to Fyrebyrd, Gabby1017, 2brown-eyes, and TheMetroDad for pre-reading, and to my beta, SunflowerFran. Please remember, all mistakes are mine.
**I researched what I could, regarding employment contracts and the details surrounding an immediate resignation, but didn't find too terribly much. So, I'm taking creative license on this one. ;)
Bella
The delicate clinking of silver against glass sounds through the room, pulling our attention from the meals and quiet conversation we're all enjoying. It's also ridiculous, because we're a party of nine, three of which are children, so the gesture is unneeded for such a small group. At Esme's insistence, we're in the private dining room of a local restaurant having the requisite rehearsal dinner.
Carlisle stands, and I force a smile for the sake of my soon to be mother-in-law. Watching Edward from the corner of my eye, I see the tight smile he offers as well.
"I'd like to say a few words, if I may." He motions to the servers to deliver flutes of champagne to all of the adults before his eyes scan our small group. They land on Edward, and he nods in acquiescence.
"When Isabella came to live with our family all those years ago, I had high hopes that Esme and Icould help guide her in her future. Due to ... unfortunate circumstances, she wasn't with us for long."
I stiffen at his words as I sit at Edward's side. Why Carlisle would choose now to mention that dark time in my life, I don't know. With his arm now wrapped around my shoulders, Edward holds me tightly to him, and I relax, even if only a little.
"The years that followed," Carlisle continues, "allowed Isabella to grow into a fine young woman. While I can't take any credit for that, I know Edward was by her side for much of the time." His eyes meet his son's. "And Edward, I've watched you grow into the man you are today, become the leader you were always meant to be, and I know, together, you'll be able to overcome any obstacle the two of you face."
He reaches down to grasp his glass before raising it in a toast to us. "To Edward and Isabella. May your future be filled with happiness and prosperity."
The sentiment is repeated around the table, and everyone raises their glass to drink; everyone including me. I catch a glimpse of Edward's wide eyes as the flute reaches my mouth. He downs his glass, most likely just to keep himself from knocking mine from my hand. His eyes never leave me, so I see the moment he knows it's all for show. My lips are sealed to the rim, not actually drinking anything. He practically sags in relief but pulls me closer to mask his momentary panic.
I kiss along his jaw, up to his ear, before whispering. "Relax. I wouldn't do anything to hurt the baby. I just don't want him to know yet."
He nods once, almost indiscernibly, and turns his head just enough to capture my lips with his, the taste of the champagne lingering on his tongue. His tension is palpable in the urgency of his kiss. In the days since we uncovered Carlisle's secrets, Edward has been on edge. He's planning something, and it's beginning to put me on edge as well. And since the arrival of his parents, it's only gotten worse.
His hand snakes around the back of my neck and into my hair and our kiss soon turns heated and not at all appropriate for present company. It isn't until Kaitlin's giggle reaches our ears that we're pulled from our passionate moment, and we're met with varying expressions of amusement from our family.
"You two should save some of that for tomorrow," Esme says with a wink and a smile from her seat at the other end of the table.
"Sorry, Ma," Edward says. Though, judging by his tone, I'd say he's not sorry in the least.
My hand finds his under the table, and I lace my fingers with his, trying to show my support. I can only imagine how difficult this has been for him. Knowing what we know, but still having to include his father just so Esme could join us, has made a simple, island get-away wedding incredibly stressful.
After toasts and dessert, it's time to separate for the night, and my fiancé is none too pleased.
"It's a feckin' ridiculous tradition," he says, clearly irritated with not being with his daughter and me for the night.
"I know. But your mother is insisting on it." I reach up and run my fingers through his hair, trying to calm the man before me. It doesn't work, and he pulls me tightly into his arms, burying his face in my hair.
"Jimmy will be just outside, okay? And I won't be too far away; just down the road," he whispers.
I know there's no arguing with him, so I don't even attempt it. I simply nod and squeeze him tightly before stepping away. "Don't get into too much trouble," I say just loudly enough for Emmett to hear me as well.
"If there's trouble, I'm sure Eddie boy here will find it," he says as he steps closer to his brother, slapping his hand on Edward's shoulder.
"See you tomorrow?" he asks me.
"Yeah," I reply. "I'll be the one in white."
"I'll be waiting."
"Oh, Bella, this is just so lovely," Esme says as she runs her hand over the flowing fabric of my wedding dress. She turns to me with a gentle smile on her face. "You're going to be such a beautiful bride."
"Thank you, Esme."
Today has been low-key. After a lazy morning, one, which didn't include any morning sickness, we've just lounged around. The ceremony isn't until sunset, so we have a while to dress and prepare. Rose and her girls, as well as Esme, spent last night with Kaitlin and me, so I didn't feel too terribly alone.
Esme steps over to the sofa where I'm curled up and takes a seat next to me. "And I want to thank you for including Carlisle and me. I know things have been strained between all of us over the last several years, so it means a lot that we could share this with you and Edward."
"You're welcome," I say quietly, unsure how else to respond. I clear my throat, suddenly feeling like I have more to say. "Edward and I both wanted you here."
She nods a gentle smile on her face. "Well, it means a great deal to me." She studies me for a moment, her gaze contemplative. "You look so much like her, you know; your mother."
"You knew her?" I ask with wide eyes.
"I did," she says with a nod. "I met her when my family moved to Boston; in school, actually. She was a few years younger than me, so we didn't run in the same circles, but we crossed paths a time or two. It wasn't until some years later when our husbands began handling business together that we started a friendship. I had a house full of loud boys, and she and your father were trying to start a family. When it finally happened for them, she was over the moon excited, Bella. She couldn't wait for you to get here."
Tears well in my eyes, thinking of the years I lost with a mother I don't remember. Esme reaches out and takes my hand.
"She would have been so proud of the woman you've become."
"Why haven't you told me this before now? That you knew her?" I ask, my voice cracking.
"I just ..." She sighs. "It never seemed like a good time. In the beginning, I wasn't sure if bringing it up would cause you more pain, so I kept it to myself. And then you weren't with us very long ... All I can say is I'm sorry."
"Had the two of you been in touch when she ..."
She nods in understanding. "Yes. She had just returned from a trip to Sicily with your father. It was only a week later that she was gone."
My head snaps up, the mention of Sicily heightening my senses. "Sicily?"
"Oh, yes. I believe it was a business trip of sorts they turned into a getaway. In fact, they left you with us for the trip," she says with a smile.
A sense of dread creeps up my spine. For them to visit the town where Jane Mancini has been hiding away all these years, just before my mother's death, is more than a little disconcerting. My brain works through all the disjointed facts I've collected about the Voltolini family, and I feel like this is another piece of the puzzle, a big piece, to solve my mother's murder.
"Thank you for telling me, Esme."
"You're quite welcome, sweet girl. I'm only sorry I waited so long. Just know she would be proud of you. Both of them would be. I'm sure they're looking down on you today with smiles on their faces."
"Mommy!" Kaitlin comes barreling into the room, her oldest cousin, and aunt hot on her heels. "Aunt Rosie says it's time to get ready for the wedding!" she yells excitedly.
"Okay, okay!" I can't help but laugh at my little girl, so excited to make our family official.
"Right, then," Esme says as she gets to her feet. "Kaitlin, Emma, and Bree, it's time for Nana to whisk you away," she says with a flourish as she takes Bree from Rosalie's arms, kissing her granddaughter on the cheek.
"Be good for Nana," Rose and I both yell after them as they leave the room. We chuckle at the giggles that fade down the hallway.
"She's gonna have her hands full."
"No doubt," I say as I get to my feet and follow her into the bedroom where we'll get ready.
Rose busies herself with pulling out the cosmetics and hair products I'll need from my bag as I sit at the vanity and stare into the mirror.
"You ready for this?" she asks me as she begins to brush my hair.
"As I'm gonna be."
"Are you nervous?"
"Not at all," I say with a smile. "I feel like I've been ready for years, Rose."
"Then why has it taken this long?"
"You know why. I couldn't very well have been married to an alleged criminal while I was trying to work in the Organized Crime Division of the Boston PD."
"So you turned in your resignation?"
"I did," I say with a nod.
"I didn't think you were ready to quit just yet." Our eyes meet in the mirror.
"I really wasn't. I was close, but Edward convinced me it was time."
"How did Banner take it?"
"Not well."
"What the hell do you mean, effective immediately, Swan?" The vein in Banner's forehead is pulsing, and it's the only thing I can focus on as he yells. We're seated in his office, the door closed, but I'm sure they can hear our heated discussion throughout the floor.
"Due to personal, family matters, I'm handing in my resignation." I sit straight and tall in my seat, not backing down from his gaze. His eyes bore through me; his silence is almost as intimidating as his booming reprimand.
"You've gotta give me more than that, Swan."
I square my shoulders and look him right in the eye. "I'm pregnant and working in such a high-risk job is no longer what's best for my family."
"Pregnant? I didn't even know you were married." He begins flipping through my personnel file, looking for the details of my marital status, no doubt.
"I'm not."
"Oh," he says almost sheepishly as he loses some of his ire. He clears his throat, obviously uncomfortable with his faux pas. "You realize you won't be entitled to any of your benefits, your unused vacation time since you aren't giving us the required notice."
"I understand. I'm also aware I've fulfilled the employment contract I signed when I was hired, so other than cleaning out my desk, there isn't any further action you can take against me."
"And there's nothing we can say to keep you here? Desk duty maybe?"
"No, sir. It's time for me to move on."
"So, under the watchful eye of Mike Newton, I cleaned out my desk and was escorted off the premises."
"How do you think it'll go when they catch word of you marrying Edward?"
"I think I'll have to make sure I have a very good attorney on retainer," I say, only half kidding.
Rose's hands freeze in my hair, and her surprised eyes meet mine in the mirror. "You really think they'd come after you?"
"I have no idea," I say with a shrug. "I'll be married to a man they've been after for years. I'm almost certain it won't take them long to connect the dots. All I can hope is that the evidence they might gather on me is all circumstantial. But, after what happened last week," I say with a sigh, "all bets are off. I just might be having this baby in the slammer." I laugh a humorless laugh as I run my hand along my growing baby bump.
"Don't say that, Bella. I'm sure things will work out in the end."
"I can only hope."
"Oh, Bella, you look so beautiful!" Esme's joined hands cover her mouth as happy tears fill eyes.
My hands smooth over the lace of my calf-length, high-waisted gown. The flowing fabric masks the tiny bump that's made a more noticeable appearance in recent days. "Thank you, Esme." I can't help but smile as she and Rose fuss over me, and Kaitlin and Emma look at me with excitement in their eyes.
"You ready to get hitched?" Rose asks from my side as she hands me a small bouquet of white roses.
I look down at my girl, happiness radiating from her. "You ready, K?"
"Yes! Let's go get married!" she exclaims, jumping in place.
After hugs from Esme, Rose, and little Emma, they leave to take their places. The little girl at my side tugs on my hand.
"You ready, Mommy?"
"I am. Are you?"
"Of course I am," she says with a roll of her eyes. "I've been waiting a long time for this."
Her serious expression makes me laugh. "Oh, Kaitlin," I say with a sigh.
"What?"
"Nothing, K, nothing." I lean down to kiss the top of her head.
"Come on, Mommy!" She takes my free hand and leads me toward the French doors. "Let's do this."
I take a deep breath and step through the doors. We make our way off the deck and into the sand. The path from the house to the site of the ceremony is lined with lit candles floating in tall, glass vases, and sprinkled with white rose petals. And as we near sunset, the sky is turning beautiful shades of pink, purple, and orange. Four posts made of driftwood and twigs support an overflowing canopy of full, white roses, perfectly framing the vast ocean and Mother Nature's colorful display. I'm so overwhelmed by the sights before me, I don't even see our family seated on the two benches near the temporary altar.
But the sight that completely takes my breath away is the man at the end of my path. Edward, barefoot, dressed down in pale, linen pants, a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up, and a slightly darker linen vest, is a sight to behold. The gentle, summer breeze blowing off the water is rustling his usually unruly hair, but I've never seen him look more beautiful. And judging by the look on his face, he's thinking similar thoughts about me.
When my bare feet reach the teak-paneled path, I know I'm only steps away from the rest of my life. Our daughter gently pulls me along when my steps falter, and when we finally close the distance, Edward reaches out to gently trace my cheek.
"My god, you're so beautiful," he says, just loud enough for me to hear.
"So are you," I say with a tearful smile.
Kaitlin relinquishes my hand to her father, and the minister begins. The ceremony is a blur, except for the moments that will forever be burned into my memory. Saying our vows is an emotional experience; one which brings tears to both our eyes.
"I, Edward Anthony Cullen now take you, Isabella Marie Swan to be my wife. In the presence of God and before these witnesses I promise to be a loving, faithful and loyal husband to you, for as long as we both shall live."
"I, Isabella Marie Swan now take you, Edward Anthony Cullen to be my husband. In the presence of God and before these witnesses I promise to be a loving, faithful and loyal wife to you, for as long as we both shall live."
Choosing to make one more vow, we say the words together.
"We swear by peace and love to stand, heart to heart and hand in hand. Mark, O Spirit, and hear us now, Confirming this, our Sacred Vow."
And as we slide the rings on each other's fingers, engraved with a Claddagh and the words Mo Anam Cara,we both repeat, "I take you my heart at the rising of the moon and the setting of the stars. To love and to honor through all that may come. Through all our lives together. In all our lives, may we be reborn that we may meet and know and love again, and remember."
"With these hands, I give you my heart, and crown it with my love."
But the moment that brings everyone but Carlisle to tears is when Edward gets down on one knee and recites his own special vow to Kaitlin.
"Kaitlin, I vow to always be there for you. I promise to support you every way I can and to hold your hand in good times and scary times. I vow to show you how a man should treat a woman by the way I love and respect your mother. Above all else, I promise to protect you, care for you, and love you forever. You'll always be my princess."
Reaching into his pocket, he pulls out the silver locket he had engraved with the words níos mó ná mo shaol féin. After fastening it around her neck, he places a kiss on her cheek and stands, holding onto both of my hands as the minister says the words that will bind us together as a family.
"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."
Three days later find us standing in the doorway saying tearful goodbyes. Well, Kaitlin and I are tearful. Edward is trying to shove his emotions aside, but I can see the regret in his eyes. He doesn't want to leave any more than we want to see him go.
"Please come back soon, Daddy," Kaitlin says through pathetic sniffles. She's wrapped herself around his waist, squeezing him as hard as her little arms can manage.
"I'll try my best, Princess." He looks to me, his eyes pleading.
"Kaitlin," I say. "We need to let him go." I try to pull her away, but she only squeezes him tighter.
"But this was supposed to be our adventure. We can't have any adventures if he's not with us." She's been grasping at straws, trying to make up any excuse she can think of to keep him here. It's as if she knows this time is different.
This time we don't know when we'll see him again.
"But you can still have adventures, Princess. Aunt Rosie and the girls are gonna stay here with you, and you've got the whole island to explore."
"But it won't be the same without you here," she sobs.
He gets down to her level, looking into her sad, blue eyes. "I need you to stay here and take care of Mommy and the new baby, okay?"
She sniffles but nods. "Okay," she whispers.
The excitement of telling her about the baby this morning was only tempered by hearing that he had to leave ... and didn't know when he would return.
"I mean it, Princess. Mommy tends to try and overdo it, forgets to eat and she won't rest when she's supposed to." He side-eyes me, a grin firmly in place.
"Hey, I'm not that bad!" I say in mock offense.
"I really need you to keep an eye on her. Can you do that for me?"
"I can, Daddy. I promise."
"Good. I'm counting on you." He once again kisses the top of her head before getting to his feet and turning to me.
"I love you so much, álainn." He wraps me in his arms and holds me close, one of his hands finding our child nestled between us. "If anything happens—" he starts to whisper in my ear.
"No!" I shake my head adamantly. "Don't say that."
"Baby, you know this time is different."
"Just fix it and come home."
The days turn into weeks, and all of us grow more restless with every passing sunset. When Kaitlin and I visit the physician Edward arranged for me to see, I break down in tears when they do the twenty-week ultrasound. He's missing so much of this pregnancy. I had truly believed he would get to experience all the things he missed with Kaitlin. I turn down their offer to tell me the sex of the baby but accept the printed pictures. If he isn't here to find out with me, then we'll both be surprised when I deliver.
The occasional calls I get on my burner phone are few and far between. He told me before he left not to call him, so I have to wait for him to contact me. He can't talk long when he does phone, and he can't tell me where he is. All it does is fill me with worry and leave me with a longing that is slowly driving me mad. Every night, I lie awake, feeling the nudges under the skin of my abdomen grow stronger. And every night I cry myself to sleep knowing he's missing all these moments, that he's out there somewhere, and I have no way of knowing if he's safe.
I startle, now fully awake and feel something isn't quite right. My head is still aching from my nightly crying ritual, so I know I haven't been asleep for long. Kaitlin is sleeping peacefully beside me, and only the sound of the waves lapping the shore float through the window.
I close my eyes and begin to drift off when I hear a sound that makes my blood run cold. The familiar muffled pop of a silencer has me scrambling out of bed, my police training kicking in. In the bedside table is my Glock, the gun lock in place. My fingers fumble along the edge of the picture on the wall, frantically searching for the key.
When I finally find it, my shaking hands won't cooperate to put the key in the lock. When I finally pull myself together, it's too late.
"You won't be needing that, Mrs. Cullen."
*Mo Anam Cara - my soul mate
*níos mó ná mo shaol féin - more than my own life
A/N: Dun duh duhhhh! Everyone still with me?
The 'vows' Edward made to Kaitlin in this chapter came from a story many of you might be familiar with. Here's the link (you know the drill -remove spaces) to one of the articles with the details... womensday dot com /relationships/dating-marriage/a56931/groom-vows-to-stepdaughter/
I'm proud to announce that both of my entries in the Pick-A-Prompt Contest got some recognition. The Bed I Made won both the Judges and Public First Place Vote! It also was voted Best Use of Prompt, and got the We Want More award, along with three of the judges' picks! I'm extremely honored and excited to have placed at all, let alone getting the top nod! My other entry, Bittersweet Obsession got the Twist and Turns Award and was the Secret Keepers pick! If you haven't had the chance to check them out, they're posted on my profile.
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