I'm sorry about the wait! At the last minute I moved across country for work, and it was SUPREMELY last minute. The very last. Everything was a jumbled mess, the movers broke half my stuff…it was awful. HOWEVER, I did finish this story and got halfway through the sequel, and all I have to do it edit the chapters, so YAY! Without further ado…
Chapter 14
EPOV
We almost overslept. As it was, we had time for the quickest shower ever and we hurriedly threw on some clothes and hit the pavement before I could even feed the poor girl. We made it to the Office of the City Clerk at 08:20, ten minutes before they opened, and there were only three people ahead of us. I gripped Bella's hand tightly in mine as she checked and triple checked that we had all of the paper work we needed to get our Marriage License.
The process should go fairly quickly because we'd filled out a portion of the application online and submitted it before we left. An hour later, when Bella filled out the name change section on the back that would legally change her name to Cullen at the conclusion of the ceremony, I had only barely been able to stop from kissing the ever loving shit out of her in front of the bored looking woman who handled our paperwork. After paying, and a short wait, we left with our Marriage License in hand.
We stuck it in the folder with her birth certificate and other information that we'd taken from Charlie's house, and carefully zipped it into her bag. As soon as we left the building, I yanked her out of the path to the doorway and crushed her to me. Bella wrapped her arms around my waist and grinned. "We're getting married." She whispered softly.
My grin was just as corny and just as huge. "We're getting married." I repeated, and finally kissed my fiancée breathless.
"What's next?" Bella asked me as we grabbed a quick breakfast at this tiny café on the bottom floor of an office building. We sat by the window, watching the crush of people as Bella finished her hot chocolate and I drained my second mocha thing.
"I need a wedding band, but first we find you a dress, Beautiful."
That wide grin took over her face again and she wriggled excitedly in her chair. "Are you getting a tux?"
"It depends on what you find, I guess. We should match, shouldn't we?"
She pulled out her phone and her fingers were moving a mile a minute as she searched. I leaned back and watched her, enjoying my frou-frou coffee drink and smiling at the excitement that had washed over her since we got out of the taxi at the City Clerk's office this morning.
"There are a bunch of dress shops about 3 miles over," she muttered to herself. She was a bit Alice-like, getting more and more excited the more she looked. She didn't want me to see her dress, and thought we should separate while we shopped, but there was no way I was leaving her alone in New York City. I agreed to drop her off at a shop and then look around in the nearby stores, but I let it be known that I wasn't comfortable with her leaving the store without me. This wasn't Forks or Port Angeles. She agreed, and we spent the next 4 hours wandering all over the damned place. At the last shop, I left her at the door and jogged across the street to the jewelry shop, armed with a picture of her left hand and the wedding band in my pocket that had come with her ring, hoping to find a similar one for me.
I'd decided on a couple I thought she might like when she called me, and I let her know where I was. Bella showed up 2 minutes later with a long garment bag folded over her arm.
"You found one? Let me see!" I reached for it, but she ducked away from me, laughing.
"Ooooh no, mister. You can wait until the wedding. I want to have at least one surprise for you."
"Bellaaaa." I whined, but she just shook her head.
"Fine. Come look at these." I pointed out the two bands I'd been looking at, and she gasped and pointed to the thicker band on the left that had a row of tiny diamonds on either edge of the band. It didn't really match hers, but hers was antique, and ornate, and the more I looked at the more decorative men's rings, the less I liked them.
The next stop was Nordstrom's to find me a tux. We had no luck on that front, which was a bummer, but we found shoes for the both of us. Bella thought that a specific jacket would look the best with her dress, but we had a hard time finding it, or if we did, the damned thing was too small across the shoulders. Frustrated, Bella and I went back to the hotel just before 2 because she was tired and hungry. I ordered room service for her, and made her promise not to leave the hotel without me. I left again, determined to find the damned tuxedo she liked best.
I called around while I walked from store to store and finally managed to find one in Manhattan. I had them hold it for me, and caught a cab to the shop. On the way, I emailed back and forth with Kate, who needed mine and Bella's full names for the officiate and wanted to know if we wanted to use our own vows, or the traditional ones. Traffic was disgusting, as usual, so I took the bus back after making sure everything fit okay. On the way back, I spotted a pretty ritzy looking flower shop with something I thought Bella would like to have in the window, so I got off the bus, hiked back to the storre and ordered her a surprise and then caught the next bus going back towards the hotel. Like a jackass, I didn't pay attention and I let my phone die, and it was almost 10 before I made it back to the room. If the way she'd jumped me at the door was any indication, I'd scared the shit out of Bella.
"You asshole!" She yelled, whacking me all over my chest and arms. "Do you have any idea how worried I was?"
"Fuck, Bella I'm sorry."
"Don't 'I'm sorry' me!" She punched me this time, in the arm, and no lie, it fucking hurt. "I was just dialing Carlisle because I thought something happened to you. Fucking Jerk."
I watched my tiny girlfriend in shock. She was seriously fucking pissed.
"Baby," I reached for her but she recoiled back.
"No, don't touch me. Just… damn it!" She burst into tears and I grabbed her, dropping the garment bag so my arms were free to drag her close and hold her.
"Bella, I didn't mean to scare you. I'm sorry. My phone died."
"Then buy a charger!" She whacked me again, but then hugged me back. Holy Christ, were these hormones already? Sure my phone died, but it hadn't been dead then entire time, only the last couple of hours. I didn't think she'd be this upset.
"Did you at least find your suit?" She sniffled. I kissed her forehead and set her away from me so I could pick up the garment bag and hang it on the back of the closet door. "I did, come look."
"In a second." She hugged me around the waist again. "I'm sorry I yelled at you."
"It's okay. I left you alone all day and let my phone die without warning you." I was getting one of those Morphie shits ASAP. I wouldn't need it in Forks where I was always in my car with an extra charger if we were out, but better that than scaring her like this again. "But," I drawled, tilting her chin up to face me. "We're getting married tomorrow, so there's absolutely no need to be separated for the rest of this trip, okay?"
"Good." Bella stood on her toes to kiss me beneath my chin. "Let me see your tux."
I earned a couple of lost points back when Bella said I'd somehow managed to find the exact one from her picture, and while I ate the BLT she'd ordered for me before the kitchen closed, she told me what she'd been up to, clever girl. She'd reached out to some YouTubers who were going to be here for the con and talked a couple of beauty vloggers into helping her get ready. One was going to do her makeup and one was going to do her hair, and all of our cameras were going to catch it for all of our channels in some kind of epic mashup that would probably go insane after the wedding went up.
After I finished my sandwich and chugged down a bottle water, I crawled into bed with a smile on my face, knowing that even though tomorrow was going to be hectic as hell, in less than 24 hours, the short little thing curled up against my chest was going to be Mrs. Isabella Marie Cullen.
Bella showered bright and early and by 10 am, my room was full of vloggers, cameras and lights. I snapped a photo of it all, because it was insane.
"Okay, Husband to Be." Danny, the guy who was doing Bella's makeup shooed me away. He was wearing a full face of makeup that looked pretty fucking impressive. "You need to disappear for like 30 minutes so Bella can try on this dress so we can see what we're working with. Goodbye."
"Alright, alright, I can tell when I'm not wanted." I edged around him and leaned over my woman, who was sitting on the edge of the bed in a robe and her hair wrapped in a towel. "See you in a bit baby." I murmured, and kissed her quickly.
"Bye." She grinned, giggling. God, I was so fucking glad she wasn't still pissed at me.
BPOV
As soon as he was gone, Danny and Miranda both turned to me. "Okay girl." Danny turned those shooing fingers on me. "Get in there, I want to see this dress."
He didn't have to tell me twice; I was dying to try the thing on again. After 4 different shops, I'd been worried I wouldn't find a gown I liked that I could walk out of the store with, but this one had apparently been a cancelled order. It was just a little snug, but with a waist cincher underneath, the hourglass silhouette was flawless in the floor length 'dusty rose' mermaid gown. The legs cut in sharply all the way to my knees before flaring out dramatically and ending in a small train. The bodice was covered, absolutely covered in crystals down one half of the sweetheart neckline to the where the dress flared, and the became more loosely packed until the hem where they scattered lightly. They matched to color of the dress perfectly, and the thing shone insanely.
The pink fabric covered nude colored silk, giving the illusion that you could see flesh through the breaks in the crystals, and my favorite part of the dress was the left side where the pink fabric gave way to appliques of the same color. The appliques ran up the side, past the neckline, and around my neck. It was dramatic as all hell, and I'd never wanted any so extravagant for myself as badly in my entire life. Alice was going to have a cow when she saw it. I was hoping Edward would too, but I also knew that he'd laugh at me because I'd managed to find a dress that was both pink and completely blinged out.
I slipped on the peep toe pumps in matching suede and stepped out of the bathroom, feeling only slightly stupid with my wet hair still wrapped up in a towel.
"Biiiiitch." Danny whispered in awe, while Miranda stared at me slack jawed. Both had their cameras pointing right at me.
"Well?" I spun, showing them all sides of the gown. "Do you like it?"
"Like?" Miranda shrieked. "You are snatched for the GODS in this thing! Are you wearing a corset under there?"
"A waist cincher."
"I want your hips!" She whined. "And your ass. Ugh!"
Danny snapped a quick picture and stood off to the side, digging through his makeup case just as someone knocked on the door. I squealed, and ran back into the bathroom, slamming and locking the door in case it was Edward.
I could hear voices, but I paid it no mind, concentrating on the contortionist moves I had to do to get to the invisible zipper that was hidden amongst the rhinestones. I took the ridiculously stiff underwear off, put it and my dress back in it's bag and carried it and my shoes back out to put in the closet.
Both Danny and Miranda had mimosas in their hands when I re-entered the room.
"That husband of yours is a keeper." Miranda nodded to the cart weighed down by every breakfast food the hotel must have had.
"He's a sweetie." I agreed, and yanked the towel off my head. Miranda knocked back the rest of her drink with a grin and rubbed her hands together. "Alright. Let's get started!"
Edward waited a full hour before he came back in the room to find us all giggling and listening to Danny tell us about some guy he met at the convention yesterday while Miranda was working on curling my blow dried hair and setting it into clips. When he noticed the food mostly untouched except for the plate Danny was eating, he grabbed a plate of French Toast, drenched it in syrup, added a couple pieces of bacon and put it in my lap, pecked me on the lips and went into the bathroom to shower.
"You guys are so fucking cute!" Danny groaned, flopping back on the bed. "Any chance he has a gay brother?"
"Sorry." I giggled. "I'll keep an eye out though." We continued to joke around, eating and drinking (I had apple juice), pausing after a while for Miranda to explain something to the camera as she finished clipping my hair into place and sprayed it with massive amounts of I don't know what, and bringing Edward into the fray when he finished his shower. We pretty much goofed off and hung out until 3 pm when Danny needed to start on my makeup. It was insane how fast he moved, and I listened as he explained what he was doing for the camera because I had literally no idea how to wear any of this stuff. Edward stood off to the side, leaning against the desk as he watched, grinning when I made silly faces at him every so often. When my makeup was done, Danny and Miranda both stood on either side of me and Miranda eased the clips for my hair and they 'revealed' my Old Hollywood Glamour look together. My hair cascaded down my shoulders in waves, parted to one side, but then Danny put a hand up, looked at me and down at his phone and said "Girl… uh uh."
"What?" I asked wide eyed, "What is it?"
Danny showed Miranda his phone and said, "We need to pull all that hair up, and show this off."
She looked at the picture and groaned. "How did I forget about neckline?"
"You were too busy being jealous of all that ass." Danny laughed. Edward raised an eyebrow at that, and I just giggled at him while Miranda grabbed handfuls of my hair and begin to twist. A lot of hairspray and a half million hair pins later, she asked for the hair piece I'd bought to match my dress. Danny retrieved it off the dresser and she eased the matching crystal and feather piece into my hair and then handed me a large hand mirror.
"Holy shit!" I exclaimed, and Edward, who knew I didn't swear much, laughed.
"We did good girl!" Danny high fived Miranda over my head and they had me pose for the camera, showing me how to do those awkward poses the make up artists used when filming, and then we were done and every one was rushing to take down cameras and lights. I borrowed Edward's zip up hoodie and he carried both of our garment bags as Danny and Miranda went to drop their equipment off and grab their portable cameras and we all sped walked to the convention center.
I didn't have time for nerves as we went through the speediest rehearsal ever after meeting Kate and the officiate she'd hired, and then I found myself tucked away in the back of the room behind a set of black curtains, swiftly changing and waiting for my cue while Edward set up both of his cameras. I shoved my sweats and boots into the empty garment bag and tucked it beneath the chair as the room filled and everyone waited for the panel to start. Edward would be seated at the table on the stage by then, and while there were no decorations, the lighting had been set up for the party and the room, edged in soft white curtains, wash awash in pinks and purples except for the area in front of the stage where we'd be standing. It was lit in soft gold.
The chairs had been pushed to either side to form a center aisle, leading right up to the table on the stage. I could hear whispers now, as the room filled up and people sat closer to where I was hiding in the back. People wondered where I was, and why the hell Edward was so dressed up. I bit my lip, grinning. I was dying to see him in his tux.
I saw the lighting overhead change a little, and I knew they'd put the spotlight at the top of the aisle, and that was Edward's cue. Seconds later I heard his voice over the sound system.
"Hey guys!" He exclaimed, and people started cheering. When they died down he said "I know this was seriously last minute, but I'd like to thank everybody who showed up, even skipping part of dinner to see Bella and I."
"Where is she?" Someone called, and I tried hard not to laugh.
"She's here," Edward chuckled. "Just hiding out for a bit. We have a surprise today. I know we told you guys you were coming for a panel, and you are, kind of. Just something a little different that what you were all probably expecting."
The crowd started murmuring again, and people started gasping, which meant the officiate had probably come out and taken his place on the stair beside Edward. Soft music started playing and he called to me.
"Bella. You can come out now, Baby."
I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. We were doing this. We were getting married! I parted the curtains and came out onto the aisle amidst gasps, shrieks, and surprised cries of "Oh my God!" but all faded to nothing when I heard Edward's soft "Whoa." Over the mic. There were titters and everyone giggled, and Kate darted in to hand me a bouquet of cream colored roses with rhinestone brooches and pearls dotted throughout and strings of pearls and rhinestones handing draping from the base. I gaped down at it. It was gorgeous! But where… Edward. It had to have been. I looked up and caught his wink, and at the sight of him I quit paying attention to anything but him, standing there waiting for me in his black tuxedo pants and white dinner jacket with black satin lapels.
We locked eyes as I walked slowly to him, and he met me at the bottom stair and grasped my left hand tightly in his.
"You look beautiful." He whispered, but the mic still caught it, and everyone 'awwww'ed. After a moment, the officiate raised his hands for silence, the music faded out, and then he began.
"One and all, we are gathered here today…"