I breathed in the deep, familiar scent of rain. It was evening, and I was inside of my truck, trying to relax.
"Bella, it'll go smoothly." Edward murmured. "Don't worry."
"Charlie is going to murder me. Murder you, then me. Then himself."
"I would never let that happen." he responded, smiling slightly. "I would feign being dead, then save you from your maniac of a father."
I rolled my eyes.
This was a truly horrifying moment. I feared what my father's reaction would be to me, his eighteen-year old daughter announcing her marriage out of the blue. Much less, that he didn't know that my husband-to-be, Edward Cullen, was a vampire, as was the rest of his family.
My heart thumped unevenly.
Edward was watching me intently, "What are you thinking?"
"He's going to take this news...in a very unappealing manner."
He cocked his head to the side, "And what makes you think that?"
"I know my dad."
"Come on, I think we're ready. Rather, I am." He winked at me, then vanished out of the car and to my door, opening it.
"Thanks," I breathed.
He walked me to the door at a human pace, while I felt all of my nerves clawing at my insides.
Knocking on the door politely, Edward wiped his face of any emotion. I quickly shoved his hand away from my waist, but he kept his grip firm.
"Edward!" I hissed, "Please, Charlie will have a heart attack if he sees this!"
He rolled his eyes, and kept his hand there.
"Fine," I relented, looking at the floor, and biting my lip.
I heard the door creak open, then Charlie's catch of breath as he saw us.
"Hello, Chief Swan. May we come in?" Edward sounded completely innocent, his eyes brightening.
Charlie continued glaring at the hand.
I cleared my throat, and tugged Edward in, past Charlie, and aiming for the stairs.
"Not so fast, my love." he breathed in my ear, pulling me onto the couch.
"Chief Swan," Edward began, "I was wondering if we could have a word with you. We have an announcement to make."
My father's eyes widened, and he began to glower at Edward as he stomped to the smaller couch. "What. Would. That. Be." he growled, stacatto in rythm.
"Bella and I are very much in love." he said, without shame. I felt all the color rush to my face, and looked away. "We've been together awhile. You see, I love her very much, and my family raised me to do this in the correct manner." I wanted to know if I could have your daughter's hand in marriage. His voice was impeccable, his golden eyes scorching as he spoke, looking unbelievably convincing.
Charlie stopped breathing. His mouth dropped open, his eyes bugging out of his face, which was growing more purple by the minute. "Why do you want to marry her?" his voice was thick with anger.
"I love her." Edward said it gently, then turned my head so I could gaze at him.
"She's not pregnant, is she?" Charlie yelled.
Edward's eyes widened, "Of course not, sir."
Charlie's eyes narrowed. "And, you, Bella, what do you want?"
"I want..." My voice came out as a squeak, "I want to marry Edward."
He looked at me in disbelief, squinting as if to read more in my face. "Bells," he said softly, "you really want this?"
"Yes," I said shakily.
"Like your mother and I? Look where we ended up! And...you're still a little girl." Charlie whispered.
I thought I wouldn't be able to stand the shouting. No, this was extremely worse.
"WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER?" bellowed Charlie, "YOU LEAVE HER WITH ME, BROKEN, AND RETURN, DECIDING THAT YOU WANT HER AGAIN. NOW YOU THINK YOU CAN HAVE HER PERMANENTLY? I DON'T WANT MY BELLS TO GET HURT!"
Edward looked ashamed, "I regret that desicion. I should have never left her. Chief Swan, I thought that it would be best for her to stay away from me at the time. If there was anything I could reverse---"
"YOU THOUGHT YOU WERE TOO GOOD FOR HER!" Charlie continued, bringing his voice to a harsh whisper, "You know what it was like, living with her? She was completely fragile, empty, lifeless. She didn't eat much, she didn't do much, she didn't think much. That period of her life is a blank slate. Because of YOU." His face was wild, slightly satisfied as he saw how Edward crumpled. "And now you want to marry her? Ha!"
"Charlie!" I said, looking at how anguished Edward's face was, and how he flinched, when I reached to cup his face, "Don't do this to him! I love him too!"
The words seemed to shatter the night, breaking the silence, snapping every emotion in the room.
Charlie looked miffed, then stalked upstairs, slamming the door shut.
"Edward..." I began.
"Bella...I'm so sorry." His head was bowed down. "I know I caused you pain."
"I want to marry you, Edward Cullen, so please, cheer up for...your wife."I cringed slightly.
He smiled a bit.
"Please?" I sighed as he looked up at me, "Can I stay at your place? I have a feeling I'm unwelcome here now."
"Of course." Edward said, as if the answer were obvious, "You don't need to ask."
I held his hand, and we rose together, walking to the door and out to the porch.
His bronze hair looked utterly perfect in the darkness of the night, like a halo around his head.
"Bella."
I blinked.
"What. Are. You. Thinking." he said in a low voice, "Before I go insane."
"Um, I was noticing how much you still dazzle me." I said, remembering that night that seemed so long ago.
"And I still don't understand how I dazzle you. It should be the other way around."
I scoffed, walking down the steps with him by my side.
Edward pulled me to a stop. "You still don't know how beautiful you are, outside and in?"
"It doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is that I'm with you." I stood on the tips of my toes to reach his lips.
He placed his hands gently on my shoulders, "Bella, I'm afraid that we have an audience."
"I don't care." I growled, leaning forward and tangling my fingers in his hair.
Edward stopped me again, "It's your father."
"That kills the mood," I mumbled, shrinking away from him.
"Sorry, love." Edward ducked to peck a kiss on my forehead, then leading me to his car. He opened the door for me, then darting to the other side to drive.
"What did Charlie see?" I asked tentatively.
"Enough to think that our relationship is more than emotional."
I groaned, leaning back in my seat.
"Don't worry. He feels upset with himself, and is wondering what he did wrong. Why you chose me."
"Or perhaps, why you chose me."
"Bella, that subject is getting tiring. You know the answer well: I love you." He pursed his lips, then turning to face me. I didn't have to look up to know that we were already at his house.
He took my hand, lightly running his fingers over it, then breathing in my scent deeply.
"I love you, Isabella Swan."
My heart skipped a beat.
"I'll miss that."
Immediately, my cheeks went red.
He chuckled, "That too."
"So…we're getting married anyway?"
"I checked with Alice before, and she said that the outcome of this was positive. So, yes."
I let go of a breath I hadn't noticed that I was holding. "Where is the…wedding going to be? Who's going to be there? And…the honeymoon?"
"Hush, darling, that'll all be taken care of by our wedding planner."
"Which is…?"
"Alice."
"Alice!" I shrieked. "She'll go over the top!"
"I know. You can set her restrictions. Esme will also be controlling her."
"Nice to know you appreciate me." A chiming voice said by my ear.
"Oh, I'm sorry, Alice. You know that I didn't mean it." I gushed. She was at the window, which was scrolled down an inch.
She looked thoughtful for an instant. "Hm. Maybe."
I looked at her.
"Yes, yes, I believe you." Alice smiled, her face brightening. "Can I plan your honeymoon too?"
"How…would you, um, do that?"
"Well, first, I would arrange the place, and the bed, and pack your supplies. You would need lingerie, and other things." She shrugged.
"And morphine." said a gruff voice. Emmett had zoomed to Alice's side.
"Morphine?"
"For the pain." He laughed to himself.
"You're hilarious." I rolled my eyes.
Edward was glaring at both of them.
"What's wrong?" Emmett said.
"Both of you are invading our privacy now."
"Edward, lighten up." Alice said, running a hand through her short hair.
"Yeah, come on." Emmett added.
"I will. If you both, please, leave us in peace."
"Alright." Emmett raised his eyebrows at me.
Alice sighed wistfully, "One more question."
"Shoot." I said.
"What is the limit on the guest list? 200? Please?" she added when she saw my face.
"200." I repeated slowly. "I don't even know 200 people."
"Not exactly people, Bella. Vamps like us too." She winked at me, then flitting away.
"Edward---" I began.
"I'll do damage control, Bella. Just forget about her."
"Okay." I swallowed.
"I wanted to know, Bella, if you were… comfortable with the idea of getting married to me…a vampire…and what is entailed with the honeymoon?" he had placed his long, cold finger on my lips to silence me.
"Of course." I said bluntly.
"Bella…" he breathed, "You're sure?"
"I've never been so sure in my life, Edward." I whispered, staring into his golden eyes.
"As for the honeymoon…" he trailed off.
"I am...so ready for that." I said, looking down.
He laughed silently, shaking the car.
"That's not funny!"
Instead, he smiled my favourite crooked smile, brushing his fingertips over my cheeks as lightly.
"You really want to be...like me?"
"Yes." I said, slightly shakily.
"Bella," said another feminine voice by my ear once again.
Edward sighed deeply, clearly annoyed.
I turned. "Esme. Hi."
"Yes, dear, I was wondering whether you wanted to order in Chinese, or pizza?" she said sweetly.
"Esme," Edward began, "Would you mind giving us a moment of privacy?"
His mother inclined her ear as if she heard something, then shrugged her shoulders inward, in a bashful manner. "I'm so sorry, Edward, I had no idea everyone was invading your space today." She nodded, then went away.
"And the new car?"
"That part I am really not looking forward to."
Edward smiled.
"Edward, Bella, good evening. I was wondering whether you had all the details of the honeymoon sorted out." Carlisle said, patting his hand on my back.
"Carlisle." Edward said in a strangled voice.
"Yes, son?"
"I need some time with Bella alone."
"Oh, alright. Pardon me." Carlisle also zoomed away.
"I doubt that Rosalie would come here..." I said quietly. "That would make everyone."
"She'll learn to appreciate you as the others do, Bella. She's just taking her time." Edward said.
From his window, I saw a figure approach the door, "You're being an idiot." A cold, sharp voice rang. Rosalie.
Immediately, I shrank into my seat.
"Rose, not now."
"Yes, imbecile, just put this conversation off when you know that you having a honeymoon with her is going to kill her, and then you."
"You care about us."
Rosalie flared. "I don't care about her. If you try to off yourself like you did when you thought she was dead, imagine how it would be if you knew you were the murderer." Her lips were pursed angrily, her blonde hair cascading down her back like a roaring waterfall.
"Rose...please." Edward pleaded, looking up at her. "Don't do this. I went over this with Carlise."
"Fine then, Edward, go ahead and kill you and your b---"
Edward had thrust himself through the car door, leaving a gaping hole where the door used to be.
He looked murderous, and was standing in front of Rosalie, clenching and unclenching his fists. "Rose, please do not do this here. Bella can't take that..."
"I know exactly why. She is just your bi---"
Edward raced inside the house, and out came crashing the entire living room set.
Carlisle rushed out, looking flustered. "What's going on?"
Rosalie smirked, "My darling brother is having a fit."
The doctor breathed in, then said, "Everyone, inside the house. It's time for a meeting about family ethics."
Edward shot out of the house again, "Carlisle, Rose called Bella a...to her face, and I can't tolerate that from my sister. Bella is going to fret over that. I'll pay for the furniture, I'm so sorry, but I had a boust of temper." He looked apologetic, but at the same time, he refused to look at Rosalie.
"Dining room table. Now." Carlise repeated firmly, and Esme was by his side, looking sad that her children were fighting.
Emmett had popped out, shaking his head at Rosalie.
Alice looked at me through the window, her eyebrows knitting together in worry.
"Come, Bella." Rosalie hissed, sauntering towards me.
