Where My Heart Lies
Chapter 20: Moving Forward
Edward
Life seems to always throw curve balls when you feel like things are finally settling down. It's been almost a year since the whole suicide happened with Jessica. I have had a few rough days where I felt like things in my life were falling apart, but I had one constant through all of them and that was my best friend. Bella stood by me even when I couldn't stand up for myself and I loved her for that. Today was a special day for us. We were finally getting married, but unlike what everyone else was expecting us to do Bella came up with the idea of us just getting married by the Justice of the Peace. I would do whatever she wanted to do.
"Are you nervous?" Charlie Swan asked me as I helped Carlie with her ribbon while Emmalin put her shoes on. I smiled over at my soon to be father in law and shook my head.
"No, I just want it to go off without any interruptions," I say as he nods his head. The whole reason we were getting married like this was because Bella couldn't agree with the wedding plans my family was trying to make. They were trying to go out of their way to make it this big ordeal where Bella only wanted her family and friends at it.
"Daddy," Carlie says as I look down at her.
"Yeah, sweetie," I say as I look toward the front door.
"Is mommy going to meet us at the court house or will we all be going together?" she asks as I smile. Bella had decided we would go together, but I had decided to get the girls ready while she got dressed. Our daughter still had the pink and purple streaks in their hair from the disastrous Spa day with their Aunt Alice only because Bella decided it would keep them from trying to pull one over on us. Their hair had grown past their shoulders, but wasn't as long as it was when they first came back to Forks.
"Is everyone ready?" Bella questions as she comes down the stairs in a pretty beige knee length dress with a pink sweater covering her arms.
"Do they look alright?" I questioned as I began to feel nervous once again.
"I think you did great with the dresses matching their streaks," she said as I looked toward the girls who had pink and purple dresses on similar to their mother's.
"Edward, you did fine. Let's go before that crazy family of yours questions why you aren't at the Sunday Brunch yet," Charlie says as I smiled at him. I was thankful he was able to get Judge Ford to see us today instead of on a normal business day or it would have been all over Forks before we could tell someone we were married.
As we all headed to the Range Rover I watched Bella and her dad exchange some words before he headed to his car and she got in beside of me. I wanted to ask her what they talked about, but decided to wait for her to tell me. Once we arrived at the Courthouse Charlie quickly escorted in through the police entrance of the building to keep anyone from seeing us. The ceremony was actually nice. The girls blew bubbles as Bella and I exchanged our vows. Our other witness had been Angels Weber who even filmed the little thing so that we could have it.
"Mommy are we going to Grandma and Grandpa's now," Emmalin says as I drive toward my parents house. I knew Bella wasn't really up to going to their house, but we hadn't been to their house in a while. Bella had been busy with work traveling on and off the past several months and I stayed home to be with the girls. There were a few times that she'd be somewhere during the weekend and we would fly to where she was on Friday after work and stay until Sunday evening. It was nice making all these memories with them.
"Hey, what's going on in that head of yours," Bella questions as I pull onto the long road that lead to my parents house.
"I was just thinking of all the little trips we got to share together," I say honestly as I watch her smile grow bigger.
"Yes, we have gotten to go on several family trips," she responses as I lean over slightly to kiss her check before pulling up to the driveway of my parents house. I could tell everyone else was already at the house. She smiled at me as I unfastened my seatbelt and turned in my seat to face her.
"It's not too late for us to turn around and go home. We could pull all the drapes and act as if we aren't home. They'll probably just think we are on one of our little trips," I say as she just laughs at the idea.
"Daddy," Emmalin says as I look back at my little girls before turning back to Bella.
"I know we have had our issues, but Edward it's not just about us anymore. We have to think about our family. I know things have been rough since I returned, but for the sake of our family I think this is the best thing right now," she says giving me a quick peck on the cheek before speaking again, "besides I think it's a little late for that," she half mutters as she points to the front of the house where I could clearly see my parents looking out their large window at us.
Bella
I could tell from the way that the family kept glancing up from their plates toward us something was up. I knew they couldn't possibly know our secret because we were so careful to keep everything under wraps and neither girl has been alone with anyone since we got married.
"Bella, honey we haven't seen you in a long time," Esme says softly as we were ushered into the dining room where the rest of the family were seated as if waiting for us.
"I've been working nonstop trying to meet deadlines," I say as I try to keep my hands from pressing into my dress as I feel an arm wrap around my waist pulling me closer to them.
"Mom, dad, there's no need to grill Bella. We are here right now," Edward says as he brushes his head closer to mine.
"Thank you for inviting us though as usual," I say moving toward our seats I sit down next to Carlie on my left while Edward sits on my right, Emmalin is to his right. The brunch moves forward with everyone taking runs talking and telling about things that were going on. There were moments where I felt like I was an outsider into the conversations. I had to admit that being gone had left me not knowing things, but I hadn't thought I would miss the family like I had after everything that has gone on the past year or so.
"Is that a wedding ring?" I barely hear Alice question as I look toward my hand that I had just placed onto the table.
"Um," I say as Edward just reaches for my hand and takes it into his.
"Right," he mutters as he looks down at his watch, "it took you an hour to notice it," he laughs as he kisses my ring finger.
"Yes," I finally say as I feel Edward squeeze my knee.
"We got married this morning," he says as I hear the overlapping complaining from everyone at the table. I tried not to look around, but when my eye caught Carlisle's smile I started laughing which in turn made everyone stop talking.
"Bella," Edward says questioning me. I just look to his father once more where he still sat with a broad smile on his face.
"Congratulations," he says as he holds up his half empty wine glass. Edward hands me the wine glass that I hadn't touched the whole time. "May Edward and Bella have a marriage based on love and founded in truth? I know the road to where the two of you are right now has been rocky, but you have made it. I hope and pray the two of you will be blessed in all your endeavors as you go from this day forward as husband and wife," he says as I watch him clink his glass to Esme's. Everyone clinked glasses as Edward tapped mine I took a small sip knowing it wouldn't hurt me.
"We have another announcement that is just as great as getting married," Edward says smiling as he pulls me up to stand beside him.
"We are expecting as well," I say before he could. The rest of the afternoon is spent talking about all sorts of things. I sit in the living room with the family as the kids play and I finally felt at home. Carlisle said it best the road to where we are now was rocky, but at least we got here. If I had been told back when I came home to visit my dad that I would be enjoying the family I had longed for I would have laughed. If they had said I would be married to Edward and expecting his child I would have probably fell apart crying knowing that was what my heart had desired since the day I ran.