NOTE: I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THE CHARACTERS MENTIONED BELOW. THEY BELONG TO STEPHENIE MEYER. THE FOLLOWING QUOTE IS SAID BY BELLA SOMEWHERE IN BREAKING DAWN. I DO NOT TAKE CREDIT FOR THOSE WORDS OR THE CHARACTERS THAT SPEAK THEM.
. . . Please Enjoy . . .
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Chapter 2: Bring On The Feathers!
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"Alice" I said bluntly " We have don't have to take the whole store with us into the dressing room the first go around."
"I'm sorry . . . I am going to go overboard," she stated absently. She the perked up from her sorrowful pantomime and leaped towards a gown that I thought was ugly, but she said firmly, on seeing my reaction "I like it. You're trying it on." The gown was a snowy-white, with black faux fur around the neckline, bust line, and the train.
She was right. I tried it on. And I hated it. "Next!" I pronounced before she even got the dress zipped all the way. She shrugged, then sighed and unzipped the gown.
I tried on a peach colored gown with exquisite beading all over it. I hated it. Alice loved it.
I tried on a plain white satin strapless with a plain, normal size, hoop skirt. I liked it a lot. Alice absolutely abhorred it.
She said "Bella, that is far too plain."
"I don't know if you haven't noticed yet, but I'm kind of the spokesperson for the 'Plain-Jane Club of America," I replied, slightly annoyed.
She looked at me as if I belonged in an asylum. "I think it suits me."
She nearly shouted "Next!" as she started unzipping the gown.
I tried on an off-white strapless gown with a too large hoop skirt with scrunched up fabric all around it. I hated it Alice loved it, naturally.
Next I tried on a gown she blindfolded me for. I was extremely nervous. When she removed the blindfold from my eyes I look into the mirror.
My jaw dropped as far as humanly possible. I said with total shock in my voice "Why am I covered in feathers?"
"You're right . . .it is a bit much," she replied nonchalantly.
"A bit?" I asked incredulously.
I thought I had tried on every dress in that boutique.
I actually got to pick some gowns out to try on. I found one. It was a plain, white, silk, straight skirt, with a gently folded neck line going from shoulder to shoulder with tiny spaghetti straps holing it up. This one was it. I was one-hundred percent sure of it. Alice saw my face as I examined myself in the mirror.
She said. "I hope you like this one as much as I do."
"Oh trust me. I do." I said firmly.
Alice helped get out of the gown and put it on the hanger and in the plastic bag while I re-dressed.
She carried the gown to the counter. As we walked over, I thought about the price. Crap. I thought. I hated spending more than necessary. But this gown was gorgeous. Edward would love it. If he were here right this second he would have put both his hands on my shoulders and said "Bella. You look stunning in that gown. Buy it. It is only money." Its only money. Humph well some people can go and spend . . . I picked up the price tag and looked at it as my eyes and jaw opened widely.
Alice looked at me, looking at the tag and rolled her eyes. "Edward said that he didn't care how much you spent, its only money." She said matter-of-factly.
It's only money. That thought whipped through my brain at vampire speeds. Then suddenly I realized it. I wanted to make Edward happy. This gown will make him happy and that will make me happy. Hum. Maybe money can buy happiness . . .
We finally reached the counter and the woman looked curiously at Alice, then at me. I stood there very curious. The employee then shook her head and asked "Did you find everything to your liking today m'am?"
"Yes, thank you." I replied swiftly.
"Credit or Debit?"
I was pulling out the credit card Edward had given me. I told him I would only use it to make wedding purchases, even though he had given it to me to make everyday purchases.
"Credit." I replied bluntly.
She scanned the card, gave me my receipt and Alice and I walked out of the store. I looked over at Alice carrying my wedding gown. Wow! I thought to myself. That's actually mine. I'm really getting married . . . A big smile crept across my face and my eyes were suddenly flooded with tears. Thoughts of Edward came whipping through my mind bringing the tears with them. I pictured us at the altar. Edward looking inhumanly handsome in his tuxedo and me.
We were back at the car. Alice was laying the gown across the backseat, and when she looked up she saw the tears running down my face.
"Everything will look amazing. And so will you." She put her arms around me. "Edward will love everything, so will Charlie and Renee. Everything will be fine." She released me from the hug, but at this point I was already in the car buckled in and she was starting the car. She turned her head and said "Really. I promise. Now . . . I promised Edward I would feed you so what do you want?"
I looked out the window. I had heard her question. She asked me again "Bella, what do you want to eat?"
"Um . . .Chinese?" I said as if asking her opinion.
"What does it matter to me? I don't eat food." She looked at me with a grin.
"I know. But I don't know what I want."
"Okay. Chinese." She said with a quirky chirp in her voice.
She found a Chinese restaurant, we pulled in a parking spot, and made our way to the entrance of the restaurant. On the inside it was crowded with lunch-time traffic. We sat on a couch covered in plastic by the door while we waited for a table to open up.
"Bella?"
"Yeah Alice?"
"Are you afraid?" she asked looking down.
"Of what?"
"Of becoming one of us?"
I looked around for a second, then looked at Alice. She looked at me with wide eyes and a small frown. "No. Well at least I don't think so. I'm afraid of what will happen to Charlie and Renee. I'm not afraid of becoming a vampire. I just hope I can live up to Carlisle's standards and not be as wild as some of the new vampires I have heard of."
"Oh." She said with a semi-surprised tone to her voice.
"'Oh' what's that supposed to - wait a minute what did you see?" I asked almost shouting.
The hostess then came our way and said "Right this way."
I looked at Alice the entire walk to the table, and as a result of that, I bumped into a waiter and almost spilled a whole tray of soup on me. Alice laughed as we sat down at the booth. "The waiter will be with you shortly."
"Thank you." Said Alice.
Right as the hostess turned her back and took her first step I said "What did you see?" emphasizing each word.
"Nothing." She said unconvincingly.
"What kind of nothing? Am I going to be out of control? Will Carlisle have to kill me to save the human population?" I paused. " Who am I going to hurt?" At this I felt the tears coming back to my eyes.
"Bella! You aren't going to hurt anyone. Carlisle is not going to kill you." She said very calmly.
"So am I going to be out of control?"
"No. You're going to be very good from what I can tell. Edward will be there with you every step of the way, as will Carlisle, Esme, Emmett, Jasper and I." She said with a comforting tone.
"Rosalie-"
"Is just jealous of the fact that you get to choose your, um, lifestyle, and cannot believe you are wanting this more than humanity, but she'll get over it, eventually," She said rolling her eyes.
The waiter came over to the table to take our drink orders. Well, my drink order. "What would you ladies like to drink?"
Alice said "Nothing for me."
"I'd like a coke please."
"Okay, I'll be back to take your lunch order and return with your coke shortly." He turned around and scurried off.
"Well let's just hope it doesn't take a turn for the worse."
"Exactly." Replied Alice.
The waiter returned with my coke, and said "Okay. Are you ladies ready to order?"
He looked at Alice and she said, "I've already eaten."
He then looked at me.
"I would like the beef and broccoli with fried rice, egg drop soup and an egg roll."
"Thank you. Your order will be right out." The waiter then took my menu and walked away.
"So . . ." said Alice " I really love your gown"
"Me too. I think it suits me." I said sipping my coke.
"Oh yes. Most definitely. Although the feather one was pretty nice too -"
" No way! I am never putting that thing on again. It was ugly, and tacky, and every other negative adjective there is to describe that, that . . . thing."
Alice smiled and said "Wow. I feel sorry for the gown. It was a little too high-fashion for you anyways."
"A little?" I said sarcastically.
"Okay. A lot." She smiled.
The waiter then returned with my food, and asked Alice again if she wanted anything and she shook her head. The food was excellent. I couldn't remember the last time I had eaten Chinese. Before I came to Forks, I knew that. After I finished the egg roll and soup, the waiter returned with the check. I slid the credit card into the folder and he picked it up and walked away. I continued eating the fried rice and beef and broccoli.
Alice asked me "What food do you want at the wedding?"
"Well, that was random. Um… I don't know. What did you have at yours?"
" Well, I had a really small wedding and since I only invited my… um . . . friends, we didn't serve food. And plus Jasper was still learning our ways and was having enough trouble with being so close to the minister so after the ceremony I threw my bouquet and Jasper threw my guarder, and then we left. But I had been thinking about food for yours. I'm thinking fish. Because everyone does chicken and beef Or we could do a pork tenderloin. Yes! That would be nice. How does pork tenderloin sound?"
"Whatever you say. We need to get the invitations sent out. I'll have to call my mom and ask her who all needs to come, and I'll get Charlie to make me a list of people he wants there. I'll do all that tonight – or tomorrow."
"Well actually Bella, I did all that already." Alice replied looking in the other direction.
"All of it? Geez Alice. Am I going to be able to participate any part of this wedding?"
"Uh Yeah! You're the bride actually." She grinned. "I am only trying to make this easier for you. We need to discuss colors and the rest of the wedding party."
I ate the last bite of rice, " Okay. Let's go plan!"
Alice nearly screamed. "Not on your life! We have so much more shopping to do!"
I rolled my eyes and the waiter returned my card with a receipt and a fortune cookie. I put the card in my purse and then opened the fortune cookie. I read the piece of paper stuffed into the cookie. I read it aloud: "'The fun side of a relationship is quick to come'. Ha ha. Well I guess that says it all. Let's go shopping, buddy!" I jumped up out of the booth and Alice and I strode out of the restaurant.
"Where to now?" I said breaking the brief silence with a bit of enthusiasm.
"Mental Note: Chinese food makes Bella happy." She chuckled as she climbed into the driver's seat and backed out of the parking space.
"Seriously. Where else are we going?" I said with a pleading tone.
"Well, I guess we need to talk about colors and everything else first before we do anything else. So call Edward and see where he is, and if he is not at the house tell him to meet us there in an hour." She turned from me, handing over her cell phone and stared out the windshield.
I dialed Edward's cell phone number, and he answered after the second ring with his honey smooth voice. "Alice? How's everything going? Did you get her something to eat? Did you find everything?"
"Hi," I replied.
"Oh! Hello."His voice was smooth, and then he shot out like a drill sergeant. "You really need your own cell phone. How is everything going? Did you find everything? Did you eat?"
"I'll keep that in mind. Everything is going along nicely. We found a beautiful gown. I ate Chinese food. Happy?"
"Yes." He sound relieved.
"Where are you?"
"At home."
"Good. Stay there. We'll be there in an hour."
"Alright. I love you."
"I love you too. Bye." I pressed the end button and closed the phone.
I had been grinning from ear to ear when Alice said "I'll add 'get Bella a cell phone' to my to-do list."
"No. Edward I can do that. We'll do it tomorrow maybe." I said hoping to lighten Alice's heavy load.
"Okay if you say so. We're almost home." She said while staring out the windshield.
"Really? How much longer?"
"Fifteen minutes."
"What are you thinking about?" I asked looking at her very serious face.
"I was thinking about what color options would suit both you and Edward."
"That's all?" I asked with disbelief.
"Yep," she chirped.
"You shouldn't have to think that hard about the colors. We'll talk about it when we get home. Right?"
"Right. Okay . . . here we go." We pulled into the winding road that is the driveway to the Cullens. Before I knew it, Alice was out of the car with the gown in her hands making her way to the door. I moved my hand over to the handle to open the door when suddenly the door opened. Edward had opened the door and pulled me into his cold chest before I could even blink. He pressed his cold lips to mine and my hands quickly found their way to his bronze hair. He pulled away, smiled, and said, "I missed you."
"I missed you."