Awww, you guys are so sweet. I love the reviews you give me, they really make my day :)
Anyhoo, the story's not over yet! :D
I am living life one day at a time. If I can get through one day, I can get through the next. It can be quite boring sometimes. Usually I would be at the studio, writing or recording songs, drinking coffee and staring at my P.A. Ah, the days when Edward was just my assistant. It seemed so long ago. Who knew our lives could change so dramatically in the course of a year. A year ago I lived alone. Now I live with my family. Sounds funny when you apply it to me; I never thought I'd have one. At least one that really cared for me, or I them.
I lie on the bed, just for something to do, and stare at the ceiling. Elizabeth, asleep in the cot next to the bed, stirs a little, shaking the crib ever so slightly. This movement catches my attention. I get up and walk to the crib, staring at her adorable little facing and wondering, 'how could this gorgeous little miracle possibly be mine?'
Seeing that she is deeply asleep, and the baby monitor is on and in place, I walk to the kitchen, in the aim to get some much missed coffee. Edward is sitting on the couch, reading the newspaper. I see the gossip section already in the bin. While making my coffee, he comes up and hugs me from behind, resting his cheek on my shoulder blade, which is hard to do, seeing as he's so much taller than me. I turn around to kiss him, but he puts a finger to my lips before I can do so.
"I was wondering…" he says ominously.
"What were you wondering?" I mumble against his finger.
"Do you trust me?" he says, almost teasingly.
"Of course, with my life," I said almost immediately, with no hint of doubt in my tone.
"Then could we go for a drive? Before you ask where, I haven't thought that far ahead," he says, teasing now. I smile.
"Ok… but, um, Elizabeth?" I say to him. How could he forget that we have a 3 week old daughter sleeping upstairs.
"Already taken care of," he assures me. Right on cue, the doorbell rings. Edward opens it, and sure enough, Elizabeth's godmother is standing at the door, with her standard baby-sitting supplies in hand. I nod in understanding. Ah, I get it.
"Hey Alice," I say to her, trying to be casual.
"Hey Bella! So, everything is set, you're going for a err… 'drive', and Elizabeth is asleep! So, off you go!" She pushes Edward towards the door, and me too, since I'm holding Edward's hand. Edward laughs, either at my expression or Alice's pushiness, I'm not too sure. Alice closes the front door in our faces. I give Edward a confused look. He just grins at me. He walks toward the car, me in tow. He's still smiling as we get in.
Ok, yeah, I'm confused. Why would he randomly want to drive somewhere? Boredom? Had he planned this? Looked like it, gathering by Alice's all too convenient appearance. And what had she meant when she put the word 'drive' in inverted commas?
He's still smiling. All through the drive, he would not stop. He must be very excited as to where we're going. I don't recognise the surroundings, but the tinting on the windows is so heavy I can't exactly tell where we are in general anyway.
What I do notice is that we are near a pier. I pier that looks vaguely familiar. There is a parking lot a little way up from it, and here is where we park. We get out, and the wind whips my hair into my face. So much for my perfect hair…
Edward just grins at me as we walk towards the water. Then I notice where we are. I used to have an apartment down here, when I was first starting out as a recording artist. I came here often, as a place to escape. I drew, practiced my singing. It's so quiet out here that no one would hear you, even if you sang your loudest. I recognise the wooden dock, and the place where I knocking into a mysterious stranger one day…
"This is where we met…" I mumble to myself. Of course, he hears me.
"Yes. I'll never forget that day, it changed my life," he says sweetly.
"I remember too. We did the classic bumping into each thing… I dropped my sketch book, and you grabbed it before it could fall of the edge of the pier. Then you started helping me in everyway possible; showing me different sketching techniques, catching me as I almost fell over, you bought me coffee…" I smile at the memory. Coffee eventually became a motif for our relationship. He smiles too. "Then I said you would a good P.A… I didn't think you would take it seriously. But two months later, there you were, applying for the job of my P.A," I tease.
"That day, the day I bumped into you, was the start of my life. Up until that day it had been a life, sure, but I wasn't living it until I met you," he says sweetly, holding my hands. I blush and look down, a habit I always do when someone says something sweet to me. He grabs my chin and forces me to look at him. "I'd rather you were looking at me until I'm finished talking, Bella," he scolds teasingly. He gives a smirk when I grimace.
"I wanted to do this earlier, but my plans were interrupted by our little miracle. I wanted to do things right, in order, but it got a bit out of hand…"
"Edward, what are you-"
"Please, let me finish. I've wanted to ask you, say this to you, for a long time now. I know it's only been a year, but… I'm ready to spend my life with you. Properly." He reaches into his back pocket and produces a small square shaped box. I gasp as he slides down onto one knee, and opens the box, to a brilliant silver ring, with small diamonds right around the circumference of it. I forget how to breath as he says the words that he already knows the answer to.
"Isabella Swan, will you do me the extraordinary honour of marrying me?" I forget how to speak, I forget how to breathe, I forget my name, even though he has just said it. I gasp for air as I try and say that one word. Edward looks concerned as my silence continues.
"Bella are you okay?" he asks with concern, still on one knee, holding the ring up to me. I can only nod. "Are you saying yes to 'are you okay' or are you agreeing to marry me?" I finally manage to find my voice and say:
"Both." He smiles the widest smile I've ever seen on anyone, quickly grabbing the ring from its box and sliding it onto the third finger on my left hand. It fits perfectly. In an almost blinding movement, he picks me off my feet and spins me in a circle, laughing the whole time. I find I am laughing too, for it is quite possibly the happiest moment of my life. He pulls me into a kiss that lasted an immeasurable amount of time. When he finally sets me down, he starts talking again.
"Now, I want to do this as soon as possible… so I was thinking… Vegas?" he suggests, grinning. I stare at him blankly. Did he not know me at all?
"Now, let's see. I'm a pop—well, former pop star, who is rich and famous. I am therefore entitled to a big and lavish wedding, like the one I've been dreaming of since I was ten. Also, I will not deny Alice the chance to plan her baby sister's wedding. I'm sure she can get a wedding together…" Edward pouts, the cutest expression.
"But I want to marry you now," he whines, reminiscent of a child, when they don't get something they want. I laugh.
"I know. But come on, I want the white dress and the flowers and the hundreds of guests and the orchestra and the choir and all the wedding stuff that you dream about when you're kids…" I say, starting to remember all the things I wished I could have in my wedding. I think I made a list when I was eleven. Edward sighs.
"I suppose. That would be fun… would take a little while to plan though…" he reminds me logically.
"I'm aware. Like I said, I'm sure Alice can do it. To make it easier, we could have the wedding in Australia," I suggest.
"That's a good idea…" he mumbles. I can't believe I'm actually talking about planning a wedding. My wedding. I never thought I'd ever be doing it. I grin at the thought. I'm getting married. I'm actually getting married. I start to laugh, and Edward gives me a confused look.
"What's the joke?" he asks teasingly.
"It's not a very good one…" He shrugs. "I was just thinking… I'm getting married. I mean, I'm actually getting married," I exclaim. He chuckles.
"I know," he says, just as excited as I am. I jump into his arms happily, and he holds me tightly.
We walk back to the car, hand in hand. I can't stop smiling, and my cheeks hurt because of it.
I bounded through the door when we got home, anxious to tell Alice the news. I'm pretty sure she knew anyway, but I wanted to announce it to someone. I practically jump across the kitchen.
"Alice, Alice! Guess what?" I ask like a kid on Christmas Day.
"What, Bella?" she queries teasingly, going along with my little game.
"I'm getting married!" I almost squeal, showing Alice the ring on my finger.
"What a lovely ring! It must have cost a fortune!" she says, giving Edward a wink. He smiles.
"How soon can you get a wedding together, Alice?" I ask, serious now.
"Hmmm, I don't know. I already have a dress on hold…" I give her a curious glance. "Well, I knew that Edward would propose, and I was prepared for a potentially very short organisation time. I wouldn't want you to wear something off the rack!" she scoffs in horror.
"Well you better get your dress soon, I wouldn't want my maid of honour wearing something off the rack!" I say with mock disgust. The look on Alice's face was priceless. Almost as hilarious as when I asked her to be Elizabeth's godmother. She jumps up and hugs me enthusiastically. I laugh at the same time as Edward does.
"So, a month?" I ask, when I get my breath back from Alice's bone-crushing hug.
"I guess I can get a wedding together in a month… where do you plan to have it?" I give a sheepish grin.
"Err, Australia…?" My answer turns into a question as I see the frown forming on Alice's face.
"That will make it harder, but hey, it's your wedding," she says, giving in.
My wedding.
So much can happen in one year. In the space of twelve months, I had: gotten together with my love of several years, gone on tour to Australia, gone mad from the paparazzi, had a baby, almost move to Australia and gotten engaged.
A normal person would explode from all that activity.
But not me. I'm not normal at all.
I thought about writing a shotgun wedding when she was pregnant, but I figured this is a lot nicer :D
Thinking of doing a sequel to this when it's finished… opinions? Should I leave sleeping dogs lie, or write a sequel to this enjoyable story?
:)