Okay Guys. The final chapter. Not a lot of Jake and Bella in this one, but I have almost finished the epilogue and the first outtake, so should hopefully have them up Wednesday and Friday.
Thanks to everyone who reviewed and add me to their alerts, sorry i have been unable to reply to them, unfortuantly i am still having problems in that area. But anyway. Enjoy and let me know what you think. :-P
It was three days after the bonfire. That night had gone off without a hitch. I had come to like Kim and Emily and had even warmed up to Leah a little after my small outburst. The guys had given me a little bit of a hard time after Jake and I had returned back to the beach, but a quick growl from Jake and all was forgotten. Well I doubt they were forgotten, but they at least didn't mention it again while I was there. Either way, it was three days later and today was the day. Today was the day that Angela was getting married. I had been up since seven this morning preparing everything that was needed before heading over to Angela's parents' house where all the girls were getting ready.
Angela was a ball of nerves. Not that I can really blame her. She had already spilt her morning orange juice over her pajamas, puked her breakfast up.. twice and knocked her Mum's favourite vase off a counter; smashing it to pieces. Her Mum had played it off, joking that in some cultures they would break a vase and then more it broke, the more good luck was brought to the couple. I had quickly whisked her off to the upstairs bathroom and ran a hot bubble bath, ordering her to hope in and relax while I got everything ready downstairs. An hour and a half later, all the girls where in their dresses, hair and make-up done and were waiting patiently with a glass of champagne each as Angela's mother and I helped Angela into her dress.
"h-h-how do I look?" Angela asked, turning slightly from the full length mirror towards her mother and me.
"beautiful" her mother whispered, wiping a few stray tears from her eyes as she walked over to her daughter and encased her in a hug. Moving quietly towards the door, I exited the room, giving the two women a little private time before the youngest Weber was to be married. Making my way downstairs, I joined the other girls in the lounge room. Sipping on my own glass of champagne, waiting until the limos arrive to take us down to the local church.
We had taken the short drive to the Fork's community church, using the back entrance to get to one of the back rooms where we would wait until it was time to walk down the aisle. The wedding planner had spent the entire day before making the place look beautiful. The aisle has been decorated white. White calla lilies were bunched together, tied off with thick satin ribbon and lined the inside at the end of each pew, while larger flower arrangements had been placed at the other ends.
Most of the guests had already piled into the small church, making the confined space look as if it was about to explode from the capacity. Eric was waiting, somewhat nervously at the end of the alter. All that was left was for the remainder of the guests to take their seats. As the last few, made their way through the doors, I took one last glance at the altar, before I made my way to the back room where we had hauled Angela up as she waited. She was fiddling with her veil as her Dad looked on helplessly. Noticing me in the door he sent me a silent plea, begging for my help to calm her down.. You need to calm down
"aargh, why won't this stupid thing sit properly" she screamed, fidgeting with the clip in her hair.
"Angie!.." I said rushing towards her "..here, let me" I said as I grabbed the clip from her hair and replaced it in her bun. "Angela. You look beautiful." I reassured her as I turned her to look at me. Her breathing was coming out in hard pants, she was freaking out and it was only going to escalade if I didn't find a way to calm her.. and quick.
"Oh my God, Oh My God, What am I doing? What am I thinking?" she began to rant, pacing back and forth in the tiny confined room. Placing my hands on her arms, holding her in her place I yelled.
"ANGELA.. LOOK AT ME. You need to calm down. Everything is going to be fine. You look beautiful, the church looks beautiful. Everything is perfect. All we need to do now, is get you down that aisle to Eric. Okay?" I said giving her a moment to sink in before repeating myself "Angela, Okay?"
She was looking at me, her breathing more laboured now. Mimicking a woman in labour, I began breathing with her, hoping that it was enough to calm her.
"Bella.." she whispered "am I doing the right thing?" she finished, looking at me with desperate eyes. Pulling her into me for a hug, I asked her.
"Do you love him Ange?" Without hesitance and a quick nod of her head, I continued "then you are doing the right thing. He loves you more than anything in this world, and he is standing up the front of all those people, ready to declare it. So come on. Let's not keep your man waiting any longer." I finished, signalling over her shoulder to her father, he stepped forward holding his arm out for her to take, as her mother walked back in, taking her spot on the opposite side.
"I will see you out there" I joked, winking at her over my shoulder as I made my way to where all the other groomsmen and bridesmaids were lined up, waiting to walk out. Stepping into line with Mike, I took my bouquet from the planner, before turning and taking Mike's outstretched arm.
"Long time, no see Swan" he said with a slick smirk on his face.
"Not Long enough" I replied just as our music began to play, signally for the first couple to make their way down the aisle. We waited patiently as the next couple and the next began their trip down the aisle before it was out turn. Starting our walk down the aisle, I scanned the guest's, seeking the familiar face whose eye's I knew where trained on me and only me. Noticing him a couple of rows in from the front, I couldn't take my eyes off him. He was dressed smartly in black slacks and a button down white shirt that clung a little too tightly to his arms and chest, leaving nothing to the imagination. Stumbling slightly in my heels, Mike grasped my arm tighter.
"Don't make me look like an idiot, Swan" he whispered in my ear as I regained controlled.
"Hard to do something, when you do it so perfectly well all by yourself" I replied, as we reached the altar, going our separate ways to stand with the rest of the bridal party. Angela had originally wanted her Dad to look over the proceedings, but he had declined saying that he wanted to enjoy his daughter's wedding day with her, instead of working.
The guests all stood in unison as the bridal march began to play. Everyone's eyes were on Angela and her parents as they began to walk her down the aisle, a huge smile on all their faces. My eye's, however had made their way to Eric's. He was watching Angela descend down the aisle intently. His eye's full of love and happiness, the smile that played out on his face was enough to rival the ones I was used to from Jake. I wanted this. One day. In the future, near or distant. I wanted a white wedding, with my friends and family. I wanted to walk down the aisle and have him staring back at me with as much love, happiness and intensity as Eric had. I wanted to declare my undying love in front of those that meant everything to us. I turned to watch Angela as she approached the end of the altar but my gaze faltered back to Jake's. He was about the only one who wasn't looking at the bride. A smile played out on his face, turning into a smirk when he noted that I had caught on to the fact that I had just been caught. A slight blush rising on my cheeks at that fact. I couldn't believe that this man was all mine. Regardless of what he turned into, or what he did. I knew right now, in this instant I was madly in love with him, and I couldn't wait until we had a day like this of our own.
"Dearly beloved.." the priest began, as Angela and her parents stopped just before the bridal party. Her eye's not once leaving Eric's. ".. we are gathered here today on the face of this company, to join together Eric Yorkie and Angela Weber in holy matrimony, which is an honourable and solemn estate and therefore is not to be entered into unadvisedly or lightly, but reverently and soberly. Into this estate these two persons present come now to be joined. If anyone can show just cause as to why they may not be lawfully joined together, let them speak now or forever hold their peace." He finished, pausing long enough, before continuing.
"Who gives this woman to be married to this man?" he asked
"We do" both her parents replied in unison, as they turned and kissed her separately on the check, before handing her off to Eric's waiting arms. Eric in turn helped Angela manoeuvred her dress as she climbed the small steps and took her place, facing him in front of the priest.
"Eric," the priest began again addressing him "do you take Angela to be your lawfully wedded wife, to live in the holy estate of matrimony? Will you love, honour, comfort and cherish her from this day forward, forsaking all others, keeping only unto her for as long as you both shall live?
"I do" Eric replied, grabbing Angela's hands. His eyes never leaving hers.
"Angela," the priest continued, turning his attention to her "do you take Eric to be your lawfully wedded husband, to live in the holy estate of matrimony? Will you love, honour, comfort and cherish him from this day forward, forsaking all others, keeping only unto him for as long as you both shall live?
"I do" she answered softly, her smile never faltering.
"Eric and Angela have decided to write their own vows. Eric?" the priest said, urging for Eric to read his vows. Eric released one of Angela's hands, using it to reach inside his coat pocket and pull out a rumpled piece of paper. Taking a steady breath he began to read.
"Angela.. I love that you get cold when its seventy one degree's out. I love that it takes you an hour and a half to order a sandwich. I love that you get a crinkle in your nose when you're looking at me like I'm nuts. I love that after spending the day with you, I can still smell your perfume on my clothes, and I love that you are the last person I want to talk to before I go to sleep at night. I love that you make me want to be a better man. Basically, what I'm trying to say to you is that it all comes down to one thing.. that I love you." He paused. Taking a minute to look up at Angela, he placed his vows back in his coat pocket, reached for her free hand and continued "You are my best friend. Today I give myself to you in marriage. I promise to encourage and inspire you, to laugh with you and to comfort you in times of sorrow and struggle. I promise to love you in good times and in bad, when life seems easy and when it seems hard, when our love is simple and when it is an effort. These promises I give you today and all the days here on out." He finished, speaking from his heart. To an outsider it looked as if these two were the only two in the room. Nobody else mattered in that moment, and to be honest – there wasn't a dry eye in the building.
"Angela?" the priest said. Turning, she handed me her bouquet as I handed her, her vows. Angela has never been one to speak in front of large crowds of any kind, and she had worried that she would forget what she wanted to say. With slightly shaking hands, she began to read.
"It seems, right now that all I've ever done in my life is work my way here to you.." she said pausing to take a deep breath. "The best love is the kind that weakens the soul, that makes us reach for more, that plants fire in our hearts and brings peace to our minds. That's what you have given me. That's what I hope to give you forever." Pausing again, she took another deep breath, calming herself before she held her head higher. Folding her vows she continued on "Eric, from this day forwarded I promise you these things. I will laugh with you in times of joy and comfort you in times of sorrow. I will share your dreams, and support you to achieve your goal. I will listen to you with compassion and understanding and speak to you with encouragement. I promise to never take you for granted and to marvel at your warmth, your wit, your wisdom and laughter, your inability to boil water. I promise to be your best friend for the rest of my life, and to thank the God you're not so sure about, for fooling you into being my husband" she finished with a massive smile. If there was a dry eye in the house before, there sure as hell wasn't after that.
Swiping under my eyes quickly, stopping any tears from ruining my make-up, the celebrant turned to Mike and asked for the bride's ring.
"May this ring be blessed so he who gives it and she who wears it may abide in peace, and continue in love until life's end." He blessed, before handing it to Eric. Eric took Angela's left hand and placed her ring on the tip of her finger.
"With this ring I thee wed. Wear it as a symbol of our love and commitment" he said, sliding the ring the rest of the way down her ring finger.
Turning to face me, the celebrant turned to me asking for the grooms ring.
"May this ring be blessed so she who gives it and he who wears it may abide in peace, and continue in love until life's end." He repeated, handing the ring over to Angela. With shaky hands she took Eric's and placed the ring at the tip.
"With this ring I thee wed. Wear it as a symbol of our love and commitment" she repeated gliding the ring over his finger.
"May this couple be prepared to continue to give, be able to forgive and experience more and more joy with each passing day, with each passing year. Eric and Angela, are now beginning their married life together, we hope that they may have loving assistance from their family, the constant support of friends, and a long life with good health and everlasting love. In so much as Erica and Angela have consented to live forever in wedlock and have this witnessed the same before this company, having given and pledged their troth, each to the other, and having declared the same by the giving and receiving of a ring. I now pronounce that they are husband and wife." The priest said, addressing the guests. Turning to speak to Eric, he calmly said. "You may now seal the promises you have made, by kissing your bride" With a huge smile on his face, Eric closed the distance between him and Angela. Lifting her veil he kissed her.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Mr and Mrs Eric Yorkie" the priest announced, as Eric and Angela finally came up for air.
All the guests stood, applauding the newly married couple as they turned and began to make their way back down the aisle. I was brought out of my haze as Mike stepped forwarded and took my arm within his, leading me back down the aisle behind the happy couple. The smile on our faces where the one and only true time, that we both agreed on something - our two best friends, committing themselves together in the act of marriage. Walking past the pew that held Jacob, I couldn't help but chance a glance. Mike being Mike, of course noticed. Following my gaze he snidely asked "that the new flavour of the month, Swan?" Not really caring for what he said, I just smiled and continued walking down the aisle to the waiting limo. The bridal party was now being shipped off to the various locations for the wedding photos. Climbing into the limo reserved for the groomsmen and bridesmaids l couldn't help but think about how much I wanted to be wrapped up tightly in the bronzed muscly arms of my boyfriend.
-*-The reception-*-
After the bridal party had been taken to the beach and a spot in the forest to have the wedding photos taken, we re-joined the wedding guests at the local function centre. Much like the church, the centre had been decorated with arrangements of white calla lilies and soft white satin table cloths. Angela and Eric made their way through the crowd of congratulating guests, towards the bridal party table, while I scanned the crowd looking for Jake. Spotting him sitting across the room at a table, his gaze was once again on mine, ignoring the helplessly trashy woman that was trying to flaunt her chest in front of him to gain his attention. She thought her luck had changed when he turned and faced her, speaking briefly before getting up and making his way towards me. Reaching me, he pulled me into his body and kissed me hungrily.
"I have wanted to do that, since the moment you began walking down that aisle" he said as we pulled apart for air. "you look beautiful" he whispered in my ear as he lead me towards the dance floor. Grabbing my right hand in his left and placing his right hand on my waist he began to sway us back and forth to the music.
"you scrub up nicely too" I whispered back, leaning in closer to his body, "well at least that's what Miss Huge Boobs, back at your table thinks" I added in jokingly.
"hey now, none of that. You know I only have eyes for you" he said, twirling me, earning a slight giggle, before pulling me back in for a quick kiss "and I'm going to spend the rest of our life together proving it to you" he finished.
Oh yeah. I was definitely head over heels in love with Jacob Black and I couldn't wait to see what our life together brought us.
As I said, not a lot of Jake and Bella, but I promise you i will make up for it in the next chapter. Anyway i hope you guys enjoyed it.