Disclaimer: I don't own them...
Thank you SunflowerFran for making this presentable.
Bella:
The wind rushes out of me ... What just happened?
I clutch my chest; my cell phone rings.
"Hello?"
"Isabelle, it's Carlisle Cullen."
I don't answer. I can't speak.
No.
"We are on our way to the hospital. Edward ... "
My ears are ringing; there's a hand on my arm, and my phone is gone.
I'm standing outside of a room, and I can't remember how I got here or when. My mind and body are not communicating with one another.
"Isabelle," a voice calls out.
I look up at Mr. Masen and my eyes flood with tears.
"He'll be okay sweetheart, but you need to go inside, see for yourself."
I turn back toward the door and take a step into the room.
Oh my God.
He's lying there, and machines are beeping. I cover my mouth with a shaky hand and take a deep breath.
Focus, Bella. Look around.
He is lying there, asleep. A white connector is taped to his finger, but he isn't connected to a ventilator.
There are no bandages or blood. Is it possible that he's truly okay?
I sit in the chair next to his bed and take his hand in mine.
"Baby, I need you to wake up," I whisper. "I have to see for myself that you are okay."
***p***
I feel something tugging on my hand, and I immediately shoot up.
"What?" I ask, worried something is wrong.
I look at Edward and stop.
His eyes are open.
His eyes are open.
"Oh my God," I cry.
"Hey," his voice is raspy, but he's smiling.
"You're awake." I jump up and wrap myself around him.
"Oh! I'm sorry! Did I hurt you?"
"No."
I hardly gave him time to answer before taking his face gently between my hands.
"I love you so much. I was so scared ...," I cry.
His hands pull me close to him. "I'm okay. It's okay."
His hands are running along my back, soothing me.
"We should call the nurse."
"She was already here," his voice is quiet.
"What can I do?"
He swallows, loudly. "My head hurts and I feel nauseous."
I got up and walked into the bathroom. There was a folded towel on the counter, so I ran it under cold water making sure it was soaked through.
I walked back into the room and lay it over his forehead and eyes.
He hummed. "Better?"
I sat next to him and felt his hand slacken, the nurse chose that moment to walk in.
"Hello, nice to see you awake," she smiled, and looked at me. "I just need to check on Mr. Cullen here. He's doing okay though, don't you worry," she winks and walks out of the room.
I settled in for the night because there is no way I'm leaving.
***p***
Edward was a little shaky for a few days, but he seemed to recover quickly. His father made him stay home for the week, and we had at least one extra person at our place all of the time. I loved our families, but I really just wanted him all to myself.
Mr. Masen finally explained what had him so out of sorts.
Lizzie had shown him that we would all be okay, but essentially told him that there was one more trial for us to face.
When Edward was in the hospital, Mr. Masen was a wreck. He felt he should have been able to stop it or warn him. It wasn't until he saw Edward walk out of the hospital that he finally relaxed.
As far as Edward's injury ...
"Edward!" The woman yelled.
"Oh my God, what have you done?"
"Someone call 911!"
"I didn't mean to ... Oh God ..."
Edward blacked out at that point, but he did say that Mr. and Mrs. Robert Dailey were responsible for his concussion.
Mr. Dailey was pissed that Kate was in jail and went after Edward. Unfortunately for him, he pushed Edward, catching him off guard and he fell; smacking his head on the pavement.
Mr. And Mrs. Cullen said they had a heart to heart with the Dailey's and informed them that if there were any more occurrences of foul play by their family against Edward, all hell would break loose, and there would be lawyers involved.
I don't doubt it, either.
Kate and her family would be very smart if they kept their distance.
Right now though, Edward and I are spending the long weekend at the Wild Dunes Resort on Isle of Palms and I have to say, I am loving it.
We are literally less than thirty minutes from the house Emmett and I share, but we used the excuse that we needed to scout out venues for the wedding, just so we could get a couple of days alone.
"What are you thinking so hard about?"
I hum and look at him with a smile. "I'm just happy to be here with you. Alone," I drag the last word out, making him laugh.
"It is nice, isn't it? Come on, let's swim."
***p***
"Oh God...again, again," breathless. I can't think straight when his mouth is...
"Yes, baby, right there ..." I love how his voice sounds when he's like this.
His whole body tenses and he groans. "Fuck."
I really like it when he curses.
"Don't move."
He stands and walks over to the table bringing back a bottle of water.
"Thank you," I whisper, breathless.
Again.
He hums and falls next to me on the bed.
It feels like minutes later when I'm woken by his warm breath on my breasts.
***p***
"Isabella," my mother snaps. "Focus."
I want to roll my eyes, but somehow I refrain. My mother and Esme Cullen are completely out of control and I'm just about done with both of them.
"We are having the wedding at the Masen Estate in May. That's still six months away," I say, a bit sarcastically. "I think we have time."
The stress of this wedding makes me want to elope. I'm not sure this is worth it. There are five hundred names on the preliminary guest list. FIVE HUNDRED!
I don't even know that many people.
I don't even want to think about the cost.
Not to mention, we have a wedding planner!
Why am I here discussing any of this? I gave Laura all of my hopes and dreams for this wedding.
Our mothers are not happy with some of the choices and are now trying to change my mind.
Not happening.
"Isabelle, we have that appointment in thirty. Are you ready?"
Oh, thank the sweet wedding fairies. "Yes!" I grab my bag, kiss each lady on the cheek and run out.
"Rosalie, hurry up," I groan.
She's laughing at my expense but I could give a shit right now.
Our mothers are insane. Rosalie hits the gas and my smile gets bigger the further we go.
***p***
"Honey, I'm home!"
I roll my head from side to side on the table.
"Oh ...," Edward says quietly. "What's wrong baby?"
"Can we run away? Please? You can pick any place you want to go. We don't even have to pack! We'll just buy what we need when we get there."
Edward laughs and pulls me up, into his arms.
"Are the moms at it again?"
"Seriously, I don't think I want to do the huge wedding anymore. They are out of control Edward. I just wanted a nice, simple wedding, in a garden with the people we love around us."
He leads me over to the sofa and sits me down. Then walks back into the kitchen and I hear clinking and a pop, and then he's back with two glasses of wine.
He sits and turns me, so my feet are on his lap.
"What happened?"
"Our guest list jumped from 500 to 525 even though I told them they needed to cut it down to 350; that was the highest number I was willing to give. They've picked a monstrosity of a cake without consulting me, and apparently my colors are going to be blush and sage. Blush and sage! I don't even know what they are thinking. I don't want my wedding to be pink and green?"
I take a deep breath.
"Okay. What colors do you want?"
"Blue, pink would be okay for flowers, I guess. But I want a dark color that will flatter Rosalie's coloring. Can you see her in pink? Oh my God, you should see the bridesmaid dress they chose ... "
Edward is laughing. "Let's go."
"Where? I don't want to."
I know I'm being whiny, but I haven't been this annoyed with my mother since I was in high school.
"We are going to settle this. It is our wedding, not theirs, and your mother just happens to be at my mother's house at this very moment."
"Ugh..."
We get there a lot faster than I'd like, and Edward is making fun of my pouting face the whole time.
He opens the front door without knocking and yells out, "hello!"
Our mothers both walk out of the kitchen with surprised and guilty faces. I frown at the thought of what else they might have done.
Edward must notice because he pulls me into his side.
"Family meeting please … in the living room. Where's dad?"
"I'm here," he smiles and kisses my cheek.
Rosalie and Mr. Masen are right behind him and they smile at me.
"Finally had enough, sweetheart?" Mr. Masen whispers, as he leans in to kiss my cheek.
"Yes."
He laughs, and I can only guess he's here for the showdown.
"All right. Mom, Mrs. Whitlock, do you know what I've been getting home to every night? An upset and crying fiancé, and do you know why my fiancé is upset and crying?"
He pauses, giving them a moment to absorb the question.
They both have the deer in the headlights faces going on.
"No? Well, I will tell you. My fiancé has been feeling ... Bullied; by the two of you," his finger waves between them. "Tonight I walked into our apartment hoping for a nice, quiet evening alone, only to find Isabelle banging her head against the table mumbling about sage and blush and monstrosities. Now, I don't really know what any of that means," he glances at me with a wink.
Sneaky boy.
"But it's making my girl unhappy. This wedding is a once in a lifetime event, and Isabelle will have exactly what she wants down to the color of the lawn, should she choose to paint it. You two ... Momzillas need to back off. You've both had your dream weddings; this is Isabelle's day and everything will be the way she wants it."
My mother is frowning at me, and Esme is looking at Edward.
Carlisle looks amused, while Mr. Masen and Rosalie look like they are having trouble keeping a straight face.
"Edward," Esme says. "I'm sure you're exaggerating. Renee and I haven't been that bad."
Edward raises an eyebrow and Rosalie clears her throat.
"Actually, I think he hit the nail on the head Mama. You and Mrs. Whitlock have been planning like this your wedding. Isabelle doesn't even like pink, and that cake. I hope you haven't actually ordered it because I'm not even sure what to think about it."
"That cake is lovely!"
"Mother, there is a fountain on two separate sides of the cake!" Rosalie laughs.
"Well, what is wrong with that? And it needs to be enough to feed 500!"
"Oh, yeah," Edward taps his lips. "300 is the guest limit. Three. Hundred."
"But ... " both women speak at once.
And Edward holds up three fingers.
"Isabelle has our list of guests, she'll email it to you and you can divide the remaining guests amongst yourselves. Anything that has been ordered without Isabelle's approval is to be cancelled immediately. I know that she has a checklist of items with pictures of what she'd like.
"No more meetings with Laura if Isabelle isn't present. No more pushing ideas. No more making my future wife miserable."
Edward looked at both women with raised eyebrows.
My God, he must be an amazing attorney. I'm so turned on right now. He's still wearing his suit and that raised eyebrow is doing things to my insides.
We have to get out of here, now.
"Okay, thanks everyone for meeting with us; we'll talk more tomorrow."
Edward looks at me surprised, but I pull his hand and him out the door.
"Hey, slow down."
He's laughing, and I push him against the car.
"You looked so damn sexy giving those two the business. I need you naked."
"Shit," he whispers and then kisses me, twisting us and pushing me against the car. I can feel his hardness against my stomach and I moan.
"Get in the car and buckle up, Isabelle. It's gonna be a fast ride home."
I giggle with glee and jump into the car not paying any attention to the people watching us from the Cullen's living room window.
a/n: Hi everyone! Happy Labor Day. I hope you are enjoying the long weekend.
So here it is ... I hope it answers all of your questions. I love Edward at the end of this chapter, just saying. I think there is only one chapter left, maybe a chapter and an epilogue. If there is anything you'd like me to discuss or clarify, please let me know and I will try to work that in.
I tried to reply to everyones reviews and I apologize if I missed any of you. But thank you so much for the support! Polaroid almost hit 900 reviews with the last chapter. :)
Please take a moment to let me know what you think. Have a great week!