08/07/2008 10:27:00
EPOV
"you go in the house, I am going out back to get Emmett to check your car"
Bella retorted with something about new cars not needing check ups.
I assured her that they did. I needed to see Emmett right away. I knew Carlisle was at the hospital, putting in extra time to not feel too guilty for taking the day of the wedding off. Jasper was with Alice picking up Renee, and it left me with Emmett. I was grateful that he was out of the house so we could speak freely without being overheard.
"Emmett, I need to talk to you" I think he could tell from my approach that I looked serious.
"what's up?" I heard a few of Rose's thoughts and knew she was there as well.
I got right to it, "Emeris is here. I heard his thoughts today, he was talking right to me, to my mind, but was at least a mile away from me. I couldn't see him, he only spoke to my mind for a few seconds and then left. Bella thought that I was taking a moment to compose myself during an intimate moment, but I stopped kissing her in the meadow because I heard Emeris."
"I don't know Emeris? I have heard his name when we have discussed the Volturri, but I don't believe he is a powerful member of their coven" Emmett whispered quickly. He and Rose both knew that we were not discussing the Volturri and they game towards me so we could speak quietly.
"he's not, he said he was strictly a messenger, but I think we should take any contact from them as a threat."
"What did he say, or think?" Rose finally spoke.
I told them what he said; 'do not react, do not act any differently continue to kiss your bride. I am here to warn you that you have one month until you must make your mortal beloved mortal no longer. I mean no harm, I am a mere messenger. There is part of our coven that believes you deserve a warning before a check-up on your commitments made earlier this year, and another part that does not. I understand this is sooner then you imagined. Enjoy your sweet Bella, but there will be check ups, and I recommend not going against your former pledge.'
I paused with the most peculiar part "After that my mind when blank, it was as though I did not remember it for another 10 minutes."
"So you and Bella were, um, being intimate when you heard this voice? But you kept on going"
"Yes, and I didn't really recollect what happened until we left the meadow. But it was as clear in my mind like a memory. It must be a disorienting power of some sort. It was beneficial because Bella nor I caught on. I don't want to disrupt our wedding with more immortality talk." I rubbed my forehead. Things have just been going too well.
"Sometimes I black out when I'm with Rose too brother, don't worry, but I thought you two were 'waiting'?" Emmett made quotations with his hands. He was making light of this, but his eyes turned back to me intently.
"we weren't doing that, and we are waiting, but there are other intimacies to be had before the finale." Rose smiled at me and glared at Emmett.
"Your missing the point, this contact is interesting and wary to me. Why are they making contact, why are they warning me? and why are they making it blatantly known there is a divide with regards to respect for our family. I do appreciate the warning and his thoughts were harmless and warm but... I didn't want to rush Bella into this, maybe we would be married for a few months, let her err us, experience normal newlywed things, and change her when she feels ready. No sooner. Now I feel like her humanity has an expiration date."
"Edward, what you are forgetting, regardless of yours, and my protests, this is what Bella wants. She is marrying you on Saturday, you both know what you are getting yourselves into."
"I know Rose, but…" I trailed off as she interrupted me.
"I do also see intrigue into why Emeris would come to your mind, but the delayed reaction is peculiar. Again though, he was definitely giving you the respect that the Volturri should be giving you. He did not have to be forthcoming with the divide within his coven." She trailed off with her thought.
"Exactly my point. My other dilemma is that Bella and I have made a promise no to keep secrets, but we also said as a family to not talk about the Volturri and our pact until after the wedding."
I didn't know what to do, I wanted to enter this marriage with a clean slate, keeping up to my pacts and promises, but I all I really want it to protect her.
"Edward, are you forgetting the inevitable? Do you need a reality check here?" Emmett interrupted my thoughts
"What do you mean?"
"Bella's change is inevitable, she will be one of us. I think sometimes you are the only one that hasn't accepted that yet." He blew me away with his bluntness and truth.
I hadn't accepted it. It was more so for me that we weren't talking about the Volturri until after the wedding. I hated the thought of putting Bella through the tough years of early vampire-hood. I hated that she would miss out on so much. But I had to admit to myself that I loved the idea of forever with her. Despite everything she would lose, I could try to make up for some of those lost experiences.
Alice's car pulled down the drive way pulling in behind where I had parked Bella's new car.
"I better go. Stay out here for a few minutes, I don't want Renee to be overwhelmed with all of us. Thank you both for listening. Please think about what we should do."
I slowly jogged over to greet the car's arrival. I hoped so much that this would be a surprise for Bella. She needed her mother here, and I couldn't wait to see her expression of Renee's early arrival.
Alice stopped and she got out of the car, I opened Renee's door for her. I hadn't seen her since our trip to Florida, but I had spoken to her on the phone. Her response to our engagement was unexpectedly supportive.
"Hi Renee, how was your flight?" I smiled as I opened her door.
"It was great, we had a delayed layover in Dallas. I feel terrible Alice and Jasper were at the airport so long waiting for me." she opened her arms to embrace me. "How is she doing?" she asked me in my ear.
"She's wonderful" I smiled at my future mother-in-law…. She was wonderful. Everything about her was amazing. I thought for a second about how amazing she had been through all of the wedding planning and formalities. I couldn't wait to give her the human experiences she wanted over the next month. How quickly would this month pass?
"Ill get your bags, she's inside with Esme"
"Renee, you don't know how excited she is going to be" Alice exclaimed.
"Alice, can you help me with something quickly with the trunk."
I rounded behind the car, as jasper climbed out of the back seat and started walking with Renee towards the house.
Alice met me behind the car. "what is it?"
"did you see anyone coming? A visitor? perhaps from Italy?"
"no, nothing, why, I have been thinking about seeing your wedding and honeymoon for safety. All looks good. Why?"
"Keep everything to plan for Bella tonight, Ill tell you later, lets get in the house"
but what should I do? I would like the option to know. I despise it when Bella makes decisions like this without me.
Jasper – are you sure he was there? Could you feel or smell his presense? Did alice see anything.