Chapter Forty Eight

Bella

Our wedding, postponed for so long was finally going to happen, Alice had begged me to let her organize it for Christmas and I had to smile, it would be exactly a year since we first decided to get married. Grace was over the moon with the idea of being a bridesmaid and she and Alice were in communication via e-mail for the next few months while Josh took a lot of our time. Unlike Grace he was a terror, into everything and always going missing at bath time and bedtime. I scolded him but he would turn that face to me a picture of innocence and I could see Jasper. Peter and Emmett turned it into a game, playing hide and go seek slightly earlier than his bedtime so he was tracked down ready for bath and bed. Also unlike Grace he never sat quietly and amused himself, constantly vying for attention.

"That boy is going to be a handful"

Charlotte was right, he was already a handful and I dreaded to think what he'd be like once he really found his feet. Grace had decided he should be a page-boy at the wedding and alarm bells started to ring. This wedding sounded as if it were going to become a full-scale operation and the last thing I wanted if there were going to be more than just the family was Josh behind me. I was nervous enough when I could see him but the thought of him unsupervised and following me down some kind of aisle brought me out in a shiver of horror.

Jasper

I knew Bella was getting nervous about Alice's wedding plans so I rang her,

"Jazz calm down., I know what Bella likes and Grace and I have it all under control."

"That's what worries me Alice. How many people have you invited?"

"Not many. There wont be a huge crowd Jazz. Now while I've got you on the phone I need your sizes and Josh's."

"Why?"

"Just give them to Grace and she'll e-mail me. Garrett and I will be with you in a couple of weeks then I'll need help from Peter and Emmett to arrange things."

"Alice I'm warning you, any flashy stuff and you are a dead pixie."

She laughed as she rang off and I couldn't decide whether she was winding us up or being serious but I knew Bella couldn't stand much more of the suspense and the more wound up she got the more Josh felt it and played up. In the end Emmett and Peter took him on a camping holiday to give us a break.

Bella

When Alice arrived I grabbed her before Grace could monopolize her time. I pulled her through into the garden and sat her on the swing seat standing over her so she couldn't escape.

"Alice I want to know what you've planned."

She shook her head and mimed zipping her lips shut.

"I mean it Alice, you're scaring me"

"Don't worry Bella it will be magical, just like a Disney film"

I groaned in fear and exasperation,

"That's what worries me. Which film were you referring to?"

"Bella chill out. Would Grace and I go OTT?"

"You yes, and I think you have enough sway over Grace to get your own way. If you dress me up in a huge white ball gown and have me pulled down the aisle in a pumpkin I swear I will kill you slowly."

"Oh pumpkin...I never thought of that"

I sank down beside her admitting defeat,

"Please Alice, I'm begging you"

She got up and called for Grace before the pair of them disappeared into Grace's room.

Jasper spoke to her as well but I don't think he got any more satisfaction than I did and the way she and Grace started giggling every time they saw my expression really didn't help my nerves. Add to that Josh coming back from his camping trip more feral than civilized and the wedding was becoming a nightmare. I couldn't even sleep to get away from it and the only time I could relax was when Jasper sat with me and flooded me with calm thoughts. As the day drew closer strange parcels started to arrive, Alice or Grace ready to take delivery so I had no idea what they contained but Josh loved the huge empty boxes that appeared from Grace's room with frightening regularity. He made camps by stacking them up and spent the days leading up to Christmas and the wedding, camping out in the yard and shooting arrows at anything that moved, bow and arrow courtesy of his two Uncles.

I finally grabbed the two of them unable to take any more and dragged them into the barn.

"Sit"

They looked at each other and sat like two naughty children on bales of hay.

"New rules for the wedding. No bows and arrows, no toy guns, no swords, no spears, no grenades or smoke bombs. Do you understand?"

They looked at each other and burst out laughing,

"Fuck me Bella, it sounds like you're expecting a war not a wedding."

"No Peter, I'm expecting you to behave"

Emmett sniggered and I stared at him

"And your side kick. Any problems...any at all with Josh during this wedding and I will set fire to your most prized possessions."

"What...? Emmett started but Peter whispered in his ear.

"Oh right.."

Emmett rested his hands over his groin

"We get the picture Bella, Scouts honor, we'll make sure Josh behaves."

"You'd better."

I watched them run back to the house laughing and wondered if I had just made things infinitely worse. But the next few days did show a result, Josh was much calmer and he and his Uncles were to be found down by the creek although I never saw any fishing gear with them and wondered if they were behaving or plotting more mayhem! I asked Jasper to have a word and they assured him of their good behavior and that of Josh for the wedding.

Alice

Poor Bella, she was getting herself into a terrible state about this wedding, she should have known me better. I wouldn't spoil her day but that didn't mean I couldn't wind her up during the lead up. A lot of the huge boxes that arrived were almost empty. I had a friend in London send them just to unnerve her more. The thing that amused both Grace and I most was Jasper's response to all this, he tried grilling Grace but she knew it was coming and we'd planned some non-committal responses for her. If they didn't trust me they should have known that she would never do anything to upset her parents. Even Josh's behavior was mainly a wind up, he was far more responsible than he appeared, just enjoying playing naughty for a week or so.