CHAPTER 02:
WEDDING BELLS ARE NOT ALWAYS THE DEATH MARCH
( A WEEK LATER, FINAL FITTING/ REHEARSAL DINNER)
"Get up, cuppycakes." Emmett sang from outside the door, snickering when he heard the thud of a boot against the door and heard Bella's younger sister saying from the other side, "No."
Alice turned to Rosalie and then said "It looks like we're going to have to break the door down."
"Try her cell phone again." Bella said as Charlie called up the stairs, "Let me guess.. She's not moving."
"She threw a boot at the door, sir, she's awake and alive." Emmett called back as the radio kicked on inside the room and the door opened slowly, revealing a still half asleep and mildly pissed about being woken up brunette.
"I curse you all." she stated as she said "Charlie?"
"Yeah, Coco?"
"Please tell me Sue bought Lucky Charms and milk?"
Charlie checked the pantry and called up the stairs, "Yeah, I'll get a bowl."
"We told you, it was going to be early, sis." Bella said as Courtney muttered, "6 fuckin am though, seriously? For what, the practicing of the death march?"
"Weddings are happy."
"So are dreams, damn it, and I was having a really, really hot one." Courtney said as she sighed and added, "Not a morning person. But I am happy for you guys."
Bella nodded, smiled as they let Courtney get dressed, or attempt to, Bella laughing when she tried to stick both of her legs in one side of her leggings, promptly fell on the floor on her ass, glaring at the mirror.
"Damn it, every single time I wake up early."
"Need help, sis?"
"Nope, I got it." Courtney said as she sprang up and stretched then said "I'd have been up, but one of the regular girls called in sick, I got to fill her slot on air last night.. Finally. I finally got on the damn air."
"I know.. We heard it." Alice giggled as Courtney nodded, went about putting on the little makeup she did bother with.. "So, this rehearsal.. Everyone's going to be there, right?"
"Mhmm."
"Who am I walking with?"
"Jacob said he'd walk down with you." Bella said as she added, "Most of the tribe's gonna be there."
"Cool." Courtney muttered as Alice's eyes flicked around the avant garde decorated room, interested at the native american art, the sketches of wolves on Courtney's walls.
"Did you draw these?"
"Mhmm. I walked around in the woods for a little bit two days ago.. I saw this really, really friendly wolf.. Sat down and sketched the big guy. I sort of based the other 3 off of the one sketch."
"And you made the dream catcher?" Rosalie asked, looking up at it, the beading, the way the braids of thread and beads formed the 'net'.
"Yeah.. It was a thing for summer camp about 4 summers ago." Courtney shrugged as Bella asked, "Seriously? You have a poster of a shirtless guy on my old ceiling?"
"Hey.. He's yummy to look at."
Alice started to point out how the guy really closely resembled Embry Call, but for the moment, she didn't.. As far as she knew, Courtney hadn't met Embry, so she wouldn't know.
A quick glance around the room proved to the other 3 females in it that Courtney apparently had a very set in stone type of guy that she preferred. Tall, muscular, Native American for the most part.
Bella grimaced as she picked up a t shirt and smelled it, holding it out, flicking it at the hamper. "When were you drinking?"
"When I was working last night.. I had a few drinks with some of the guys at the station after, at this new nightclub in town, shot a few games of pool.. Why?"
"And dad didn't have a literal farm?"
Courtney shrugged and said "Didn't surprise me." as she finished brushing her hair, then said "Ready to go." as she waited on the others. She grabbed the plastic lidded bowl and spoon from the kitchen table, gave both her father and Sue Clearwater stiff hugs, and smiled at them, then grabbed her keys. "Charlie, don't forget.. If you have to go into work, sir, the game's recording. I set it to."
"Thanks.. And you.. Don't get into anything, okay?"
"I'm not promising anything, sir." Courtney said with a slight smile as she held her hands up, waved them in 'innocence'.
She got into her car, revved the engine as Alice said "Somehow, I get the feeling she drives like a mad woman."
"She does.. Edward said the day they went to get that car, she topped it out on the way home." Bella said as they got into Alice's car and started towards the dress shop for their final fittings. She was excited, she was going to marry the love of her life in a few days.. Her life, right now, was almost perfect.
"Okay, so we're all in here now, with her behind us.. So I'm gonna ask it.. Any one get the distinct feeling there's more to that wolf she saw than we realize?"
"Thank God.. I was wondering if someone would think that besides me." Bella said as Alice nodded and biting her lip muttered, "It could have a lot to do with the stuff I've been seeing about her and a certain gray wolf slash resident shy guy."
"Embry?"
"Mhmm. Let's just say it's gonna be interesting tonight, when they meet. Just for kicks, Bella.. Let's let her wear her boots with the dress for rehearsal."
"Umm, why?"
"Just to see if what I saw happens." Alice muttered as they parked and waited on Courtney, who pulled up a few seconds behind them and got out, leaning against her car.
"So.. Let's do this. Wonder how much padding I'ma need for the dress." Courtney joked as Bella giggled and said "No.. No toilet paper boobs."
Courtney pouted then said "Balloons.. Filled with chocolate pudding.."
"Why chocolate pudding?" Rosalie asked as she looked at Courtney, brow raised.
"Because, Rosalie, they have the same consistency and texture as the real thing." Courtney joked as the girls looked at one another and Bella said "I am NOT asking how you even know that.."
"All of us weren't blessed with a nice rack, sis.. For those of us not.. We have to adapt.. And that's easier than layering padded bras."
The girls laughed and walked into the dress/tuxedo shop, past the group of guys with their wedding party getting fitted, still talking about Courtney's admitting to stuffing her bra, laughing about it.
The smell filled his nose before he realized what was happening and his head snapped around, alert as he raised his shades and muttered, "Guys.."
"What?"
"What's wrong with you, Embry?"
"I, umm.. I just imprinted.. On someone in this shop."
Paul snickered looking around, seeing a few elderly people, then all of the very taken girls in the Cullen family.. And the tiny brunette with biker boots, a baggy one shouldered shirt, messy fishtail braid and leggings.
"Dude, you better hope it's not one of the leeches."
"Or one of these old ladies." Jared joked as Embry growled and eyed the brunette in the biker boots, licking his lips. "That's her. I mean it's gotta be.."
Across the shop, Courtney looked up, rubbed the back of her neck, turning around because she felt Alice tapping her shoulder, holding the white knee length vintage bridesmaids dress. "No shoes, senorita?"
"You can wear your biker boots." Alice winked as she shoved a reluctant Courtney at the changing rooms. Jokingly, on the way in, Courtney grabbed a long veil from a display nearby, while humming the death march from the Star Wars movies.
Bella palmed her face as she watched, and Alice leaned in, whispered, "Look back at Embry, Bella.. I think we're seeing something major right now."
Bella used the mirror to look back, just as Courtney stepped out, flustered, her arms crossed across her chest, biting her lower lip, with the veil on haphazardly and the biker boots.
Paul elbowed Embry and said "Dude.. Pull your jaw off the floor." as Embry smiled a little and then said "Is she humming the death march?"
"Mhmm.." Jacob said as he laughed, shook his head.
A few moments later, still wearing the dress, Courtney skipwalked over and reached around Embry, grabbing a pair of retro Wayfarers from a display as she gaped at the tag.
"Damnnnn.. So not my new hangover shades." she muttered as she caught eyes with the tall guy standing next to her. "I, ermm, hi?"
"Hi." Embry managed as he raked his hands through his hair and said "Interesting outfit.."
"What, this old thing?"
"No, the boots. You ride?"
"Me? Nah.. Scared shitless of bikes. Like to look at 'em though." Courtney said as she leaned on the counter carefully, looking up at him as she asked, "Have we met before?"
"Not that I'm aware." Embry muttered quietly as he looked down at her, trying to will himself to stay under control at the moment.
"Hmm.."
Jacob cleared his throat and nudged the guys standing nearby. "Look."
"We are, Jake."
She raked her hands through the top of her hair and said quietly, "I should probably go take this off.. Before I rip it or something.." Courtney muttered finally as she gave a slight wink then said "My name's Courtney by the way.. If you're wondering." as she walked off.
She walked past her sister and her sister's soon to be extended family, and into a closed dressing room door. She shook it off and said aloud, "Normally works better if you turn the damn handle, right?"
Bella snickered as Alice prodded Rosalie and said "Pay up. I called it."
Rosalie grumbled but slipped Alice the money owed in their little bet.
Seconds later, Courtney walked out and then asked her sister, "What? What are you looking at me like that for?"
"No reason, sis."
"Can we like, go eat now? I'm starving."
"But you ate cereal."
"Hello, tiny person, huge appetite."
"Sis?"
"Yeah"
"You're still wearing the freaking veil from the mannequin."
"Crap on a cracker.." she muttered as she took it off, sat it on the mannequin's head, and walked out behind her sisters, trying to figure out what happened in the store just then. And why that guy, whom she'd never met before, looked so familiar..
Maybe it was his eyes.