Emma Hope

8th August 2016

Dear Emma,

So now you understand how your father and I became engaged. Can I say most people were surprised when we told them we were getting married and expressed their concerns that it would not last the distance? Well, your father and I have proven all those sceptics wrong, we are still together after 10 years. I am sure you want to hear about our wedding, what little girl doesn't want to hear about her parents wedding? Let's not just go straight into that and instead cover the months leading up to it.

So, after we told the Cullens and Charlie, Edward encouraged me to let Renee know we were getting married. Everyone wanted to know a date for the wedding, so your father decided it would be October 20th. Then things started to happen very quickly for us. My job at the bookstore, in Port Angeles, finished as the owner sold the store and the new owners wanted to renovate it.

Meanwhile, Esme and Carlisle decided to purchase a condo for Edward. When Edward told me the news about his condo I was surprised. I knew the Cullens were well off, but to just buy a condo for their son! That surprised me. I told Edward what had happened to my job at the book store and it was decided that I would move to Seattle.

Over the coming months Edward and I struggled to plan a wedding and live on just one income, since I had not been successful in finding employment. We also struggled on a personal level. Me, being stubborn and independent, didn't want to take anything from Edward, I wanted to, as much as possible, to keep doing everything on my own. Edward had to learn how to handle my independent stubbornness. He was working in a local Jazz club, while I continued to seek out employment options. Finally I found a part- time job in a little antique bookstore that sold first editions of everything from classics to current titles. It wasn't much, but it did allow me to feel I could contribute to the household again. That I wasn't just taking Edwards money, something I did not feel comfortable doing, having him pay for all the bills including my mobile bill, it just didn't feel right to me, I was used to being responsible for everything, if I didn't have the money I just didn't buy it or use it.

All Edward wanted was to take care of me, to support me in any and every way, with his gentle love and encouragement. The fact I had no choice I slowly let Edward knock down my walls I had put around me to protect me. I could finally see that, other than Charlie, there was another man that I could trust to love and protect myself. Slowly I started to feel like I could trust and feel safe again

I loved working at the bookstore and meeting the owner's daughter, Angela Webber, who like me was shy until you got to know her. We fast became best friends and started to do everything together. When I wasn't with Edward I was with Angela. One night I invited Angela and her boyfriend Ben to come to watch Edward play at the Jazz club he worked at. I was a regular there and all the staff knew me. I always sat at the front of the club so that I had a front row seat to Edward's amazing talent.

Angela and Ben met me at the club and we went to my regular table. We spent the night listening to Edward play while quietly talking. Angela inquired as to how the wedding plans were going so we spent the rest of the night talking about it. I asked Angela to be my maid of honor, she squealed with excitement and said yes. I told Angela that we were having the wedding in Forks, it would be small and as simple as possible. We had found a small chapel to take our vows in and we were planning to put a large tent in Charlie's backyard for the reception. Angela and I agreed that tomorrow we would go dress shopping. So, we sat back and watched the rest of Edward's show.

The next day Angela and I hit the stores and spent all day hunting down the right dress for, her and for me. We tried on everything from puffy to a simple black dress for her and finally settled on a simple blue full length dress for her and for myself, I found a simple A -line full length skirt dress with spaghetti straps in an off white colour with simple beading on the bodice. It was a simple but elegant dress and just what I wanted. Angela loved it. We were on such a high having found both our dresses for the big day. The rest of the wedding plans were coming along, Angela helped me book the flowers from a small florist around the corner from the condo, they were simple bouquets with cream roses and baby's breath with blue ribbons tying it all together. Charlie had decided that he was taking care of the reception, he was arranging for Fork's only upscale restaurant, the Lodge, to cater for the reception. All the tables and chairs were borrowed from Charlie's friends and neighbours.

Esme insisted on taking care of the decorations for the reception, because we simply refused their offer to pay for the wedding. We wanted to have as simple event as possible. Edward had chosen to have Jasper as his groomsman to stand up with him.

As time went on Edward and I were getting to know each other better. I was reluctantly letting go of my fears except for one fear that Edward would leave me, that fear wasn't going anywhere until we were married.

The first time I got sick, Edward was so sweet, he took the time off work and made sure I stayed in bed with a box of tissues and cups of teas beside me. Applying Vapour Rub onto my chest every few hours to make sure I could breath, he would go to the store to get the things to make me soup. This was the first time I was totally dependent on Edward and I really did not know what to make of it, because without his care and help I would not have been back at work within a few days. Edward made sure all I did was rest and sleep.

Life, though a challenge living with Edward was not perfect, but it was perfect for us as we worked together to become a strong couple and understand each other's needs and desires. Edward simply wanted to take care of me, while I had to learn to work with Edward instead of against him. I understand we were a couple, not individuals, sharing a home together, that we were building a life together, planning for a family and a future together.

Edward was always the romantic, he would surprise me with picnic lunches in the park on my days off, walks along the pier at night when he was not working. Or just long drives to get a milkshake for no reason at all.

I could never fault Edward's need to make sure I was happy and well taken care of. Edward was also putting my needs above his own, he wanted to make sure I was happy with him. There were so many firsts during that first year we were together. Not only were we planning our wedding, but we were learning about each other.

We would have deep and meaningful conversations about our lives before we met. Edward would gently encourage me to talk about my life with Renee, though it was hard to talk about. I am sure it was hard for Edward to listen to the facts that the woman he loved had been hurt so badly. He would always just listen to whatever I was talking about, he would allow me to get whatever was bothering me off my chest. At times Edward, would ask for more details on something I was talking about, this was always hard to do as the emotions that it would bring up while describing events that had happened in my life were never easy.

As we were approaching our wedding day I became more excited and scared at the same time and I started to do everything I could to push Edward away so that in the long run he could not hurt me, none of it worked, Edward refused to leave my side, always telling me he was going nowhere and that he loved me and wanted a future with me.

Dearest Emma,

You can see some of the challenges your father and I faced in the first 12 months of being together, yes, I was stubborn, I didn't want to be hurt again and knew that if I could push your father away, yes, I would be alone again and it would hurt just not as bad if I married him and then he left. I needed to see that I could trust your father with my heart

Love always Mum

Bella Cullen