A/N: These ladies made this last chapter of TLC the absolute best it could be: SSHG316, SavageWoman, Irritable Grizzzly, and Nicnicd. I also want to thank Songster51 for catching a major faux pas that I was able to change minutely and still make it work, I think. You be the judge.
Many thanks to my betas, pre-readers, readers and reviewers who have been with me through most of this story. I will give you all a proper thanks when I post the Epilogue (yeah, I changed my mind. LOL). Enjoy!
Trust, Loyalty, Commitment
IN MY ARMS
by Plumb
(excerpt)
Clouds will rage
And storms will race in
But you will be
Safe in my arms.
Rains will pour down
Waves will crash all around
But you will be
Safe in my arms.
TLC - Chapter 37 - Safe In My Arms
Edward officially moved back into the condo after Thanksgiving in preparation for Bella joining him there after their honeymoon. Emmett, Ben, James, and Jasper had offered to help him move Bella's things from her apartment a couple of days before the holiday. Despite the fact that he would be surrounded by select pieces of her furniture, he didn't feel like he was even home, yet. His home was wherever she was, and the past few weeks of frenzied activity in preparation for their wedding made him realize it even more.
Bella was still at her parents' where she'd been since the assault, save for a couple of weekends they'd managed to steal away from both sets of parents before the holidays. The weekend before Thanksgiving, they had taken some time with a hormonal Alice to solidify most of the wedding plans and it had gone so well, they actually managed to have a relaxing weekend with the Whitlocks. On Sunday after church, they got together for a late lunch to go over the details one final time.
"So, who's this fifth couple coming in with the parents and grandparents?" Alice asked, crinkling her nose.
Bella seemed distracted by her salad. "What couple?" Edward asked.
Alice showed him the notebook that she and Bella had been working on diligently all weekend. He read the names, "Nana and Deacon Wilson, Renee and Charlie, Carlisle and Esme, Elizabeth and Ted, Reisa and Jared. Reisa and Jared?" His eyes shot up to Bella's, and she promptly stuffed her mouth with salad again, but Edward wouldn't let her get away with that. "Baby, you know I'm kinda not one of Jared's favorite people, right?"
Realizing she couldn't avoid his questions forever, she rushed to defend her choice. "Sweetie, I know but I thought he and Reisa could stand in for Paul on our special day. I know Reisa would be more than happy to—we've just got to get her to work on Jared."
Edward handed the notebook back across the table to Alice and frowned. "I dunno—"
"Let's just call her later, okay? I figure she has a few weeks to get him to come around."
Jasper, bemused, kept eating his salad as he watched to see how the scenario would play out. Alice impatiently tapped her pen on the notebook page, on the ready to either cross the names out or keep them.
Bella leaned over, cupped his face, and kissed him softly. Edward smiled and shook his head as it dawned on him that he was marrying a force to be reckoned with. Nothing dissuaded her from looking for the good in people.
He caved. "Okay, we can call her tonight."
Bella squealed and clapped her hands looking so much like Alice, Edward and Jasper shared a look. Rather than comment, they dove back into their food. Alice smiled a Mona Lisa smile and kept her cool. Either the pregnancy had calmed her, or she and Bella had briefly exchanged personalities. Edward didn't care. Seeing her happy after all that had transpired, trumped everything else.
He'd learned from Captain Black that the trial probably wouldn't happen until the spring, so they had a few months for her to prepare, but Edward was more concerned that she might not have enough time to prepare for his tentative decision to give his father part of his liver. He'd been wrestling with it for a couple of weeks now, and he was still not sure how to broach the subject with her.
How do you tell your bride-to-be that a few weeks after your honeymoon you wanted to undergo major surgery to give part of a vital organ away? He wasn't afraid that she wouldn't agree to it; he just wasn't sure of the timing, but regardless of his misgivings, he would need to tell her, and soon. Next week he would have to undergo a battery of tests to determine his suitability.
While Bella was seeing her neurologist the week before, he had spoken to Carlisle and asked him to set something up with one of his many colleagues. Of course, Carlisle had been eager to do that, and share everything he knew about the process—that was, after he registered his surprise that Edward was even considering it.
"Your inquiry alone is a testament to how thoroughly you've grasped God's grace. I'm so proud of you, Edward." Carlisle's blue eyes were misty, but he pushed forward. "You would quite possibly be a perfect candidate as a donor. It's a shame. Both your mother and I would have happily done so, if we'd met the criteria."
"Wait...Mom asked to be a donor?"
Carlisle quickly put an end to that line of questioning. "She did ask, but as I said, we're not good candidates. I'm fifty-seven, two years above the age limit, and while your mother is only fifty-four and might have been considered, she's had the breast cancer to contend with and Ted wouldn't hear of her doing it."
"Oh." Edward was shocked over his father's protectiveness toward his mother. He hadn't been particularly self-sacrificing in the past. "So what does the process entail for me?"
"As a young man, you would fare extremely well. Over the years the operation has become even safer for both the donor and the recipient. The incidence of significant complications is minute, and the probability of death is under one percent. You must donate of your own free will, and this will be discussed in a psychological exam. Your blood group must match, and since you're Ted's son, that shouldn't be a problem. The evaluation by the transplant team takes approximately two to three days, and the operation itself involves a liver cutting technique that is safe and practically bloodless. They would take about half of your liver, which has immense reserve and will grow back fairly quickly, usually in two to three weeks."
"If I were to do this, how soon would I have to do it? I mean, I'm getting married in a little over a month."
Carlisle grinned. "Ted's MELD, or model for end-stage liver disease score, is hovering somewhere around a forty-seven. Now, should it get any lower in the next few weeks, I would contend that he might need the transplant to happen in late January, early February at the latest."
"This means I might need to take a leave of absence from the force. How long would this keep me down?"
"After the operation, donors stay in the hospital for five to ten days. Another three to four weeks of recuperation would be required at home, but then you can resume normal activity and return to work six to eight weeks after surgery. Heavy or strenuous physical activity, or sports including lifting weights, can be resumed three months after surgery."
"What about...you know...?" Edward was uncharacteristically shy about asking his uncle about sex with Bella for some unknown reason.
Carlisle quickly put him out of his misery. "Sexual activity can be resumed as soon as the donor feels well enough. There are also no dietary or any other restrictions, and you'll be able to lead a completely normal life with normal liver function without any decrease in the longevity of life or any other long-term consequences."
Edward looked at Bella who was chattering away with Alice. Underneath her makeup, the bruises, though fading, were lingering. Her nightmares continued sporadically, and she had agreed to terminate her lease and stay with her parents until the wedding. He wasn't ready to put anything else on her plate just now.
Since his reconciliation with his father, they had made a point of visiting with his parents as often as they could. Edward found it strange that his parents were cohabitating again, and that it wasn't a war zone. His parents had mellowed quite a bit over the years, and they each seemed to make the most of their present time together, choosing to focus on the holidays and the wedding, rather than Ted's rapidly diminishing time. His parents didn't mention the subject of the transplant again, and Edward was perplexed.
He and Bella split their Thanksgiving holiday between the homes of the three families, much as they'd done on Memorial Day. They had an early brunch at Carlisle and Esme's, a late lunch with Bella's parents, and then dinner with his mom and dad, after which the younger couples partied at Emmett and Rosalie's home. Edward had been concerned that the activities of the day would tire Bella out, so they made sure she got a nap at the condo between lunch and dinner.
The usual suspects had assembled, but this time they included James and Maria, the newest couple to join their circle of friends. They were on the McCarty's deck and the weather was perfect, and it was just cold enough that the mosquitoes had gone on hiatus. Edward was with Emmett in a corner, while Bella talked with Angela and Maria, as Ben and James hovered. Alice and Jasper were snuggled on the porch swing, and Rosalie had gone into the kitchen to get another bottle of wine.
"You were smart to insist on a short engagement, dude," Emmett said. "It gives you no time to get cold feet."
Edward glanced at Bella who was laughing at something Angela said. "When she's that perfect, there's no room for cold feet."
Emmett looked at Bella too. "I'll say, Bro." His gaze lingered over her form just a little too long for Edward's liking. "Hey!" Edward protested with a hiss. "You're such a perv, man. You've only been married six months. Respect the code."
"Code be damned." Emmett took a swig of his beer. "I'm married—not dead. Besides, it's okay to admire the goods as long as you're not handling the merchandise."
"I don't look at Rosalie like that, so I'd appreciate a little control on your part."
"Chill. You're getting married in a month. I'll behave when Rev. Swan pronounces you."
"Stop it, or I'm giving your job to Jasper."
Emmett looked hurt. "Not cool, man. Jasper's only been your cousin-in-law or whatever for a few years. We've had each other's backs since middle school—"
Edward couldn't resist smirking. "Don't get your panties in a wad, Emma."
"Shut the fuck up, Edwina," Emmett shot back.
Rosalie came out of the house carrying a chilled bottle of wine and another beer for her husband. "So, why is that every time you two get together your conversation degenerates to name calling?"
"He started it!" they accused simultaneously.
At some point, Bella came over to Edward and put her arms around his waist from behind him. "Who started what?" she asked.
Edward took her arm. "Em and I were just—"
"Squabbling like the bitches they are," Rosalie chimed in as she topped off his and Bella's wine. "What would they do if they didn't have us?" She let the semi-rhetorical question hang in the air as she drifted over to their other guests, refreshing their drinks.
"I don't even want to entertain that thought," Bella said, but then gave him a playful peck on the lips to soften the blow.
"Neither do I," Edward agreed.
"You got that right," Emmett said with an exaggerated shudder.
Edward looked at Bella, barely able to contain his glee. "I've got a surprise for you."
Bella shook her head. "What now?"
"I think you're gonna like this," Emmett assured her and went to the end of the deck where they had previously set up a couple of stools, music stands, instruments, and an amp.
~888~
Bella allowed Edward to escort her to the deck chair she'd been occupying earlier with the comfy cushions and the warm afghan, attempting not to let her tiredness show. Edward joined Emmett, Jasper, and James, and they each took up their instrument of choice. Edward was on acoustic guitar, James took the bass, Jasper a banjo, and Emmett the cello.
Ben, proudly brandishing a tambourine, gave Angela his sexiest look. "I may not be playing any of the big instruments, but I slap a mean tune on this thing," he said, shaking it for emphasis.
"That's okay, baby," Angela said as she perched on the arm of Bella's chair. "We'll be making the only music that counts on Valentine's Day."
"Why, you little hussy!" Bella stage-whispered to her.
"Don't pretend like you and Edward won't be doing the same thing." Bella's face turned beet red, and Edward chuckled, as their friends all made appropriate catcalls. "Come to think of it, how in the hell did it happen that I get engaged first, but you're beating me to the altar?"
Bella shrugged.
"Blame it on her anxious fiancé," Edward said as he tuned up his guitar.
"You and Maria might want to limit your time with this group," Jasper said to James. "Looks like everyone who joins ends up getting married." James made a cross with two fingers and pushed it into Jasper's face.
"Aye dios mio," Maria said theatrically and crossed herself, but she caught James's eye and smiled coyly at him.
Edward cleared his throat. "The guys and I were talking the other day about how little time we had to go through all the rites of passage before taking that big step, so they planned this little get-together for Bella and me in lieu of an engagement party. Then James had the awesome idea that we should serenade you ladies, so to speak, since we realized that we all play some kind of musical instrument... except Ben."
Ben scowled. "I may not play an instrument," he said, puffing his chest out rather smugly, "but who beat you all at Texas Hold 'em?" He brushed his nails on his shirt as if to polish them, and then looked around rather nonchalantly.
"Shut up and play," Emmett groused.
Rosalie laughed. "Even I beat Em at that game. It's actually kind of hot that your man plays cards so well, Ange," she said, high-fiving Angela.
"How did I let this get so out of hand?" Edward said, looking heavenward, and then strumming a chord to signal everyone to come to order. "Okay, as I was saying before someone began tooting their own horn—" he glared playfully at Ben "—we decided we would sing for the ladies tonight, and I get to begin because I'm marrying this beautiful woman right here on New Year's Day."
He smiled his signature-crooked smile, and Bella knew she had to be practically fluorescent she was blushing so hard.
"This song, 'January Wedding,' is by the Avett Brothers, and I'd swear they wrote it for us if I didn't know that Seth Avett wrote it for his wife, Susan. But I'm borrowing it, and this is for you, Isabella Marie Swan."
When the music began, Bella thought it sounded like something out of O Brother Where Art Thou, and her Edward was rocking the George Clooney part, but the strings blended in this soft little melody that had her wondering when they'd had time to practice. Then Edward's Jeff Buckley-esque voice was serenading her:
She keeps it simple
And I am thankful for her kind of lovin'
'Cause it's simple
No longer do we wonder if we're together
We're way past that
And I've already asked her
So in January we're gettin' married
Despite her best effort, Bella's eyes teared up, and Edward walked over to her with the guitar and pinned his gaze to hers, willing her not to cry. Clearly he was getting emotional, too, as the timbre of his voice changed audibly in the next verse.
She's talkin' to me with her voice
Down so low I barely hear her
But I know what she's sayin'
I understand because my heart and hers are the same
And in January we're gettin' married
Edward nodded to Angela, and she rubbed Bella's back as she wiped her eyes with the backs of her hands.
And I was sick with heartache
And she was sick like Audrey Hepburn when I met her
But we would both surrender
True love is not the kind of thing you should turn down
Don't ever turn it down
Bella couldn't believe how perfect this song was for them. Somehow someone else had lived their story and had catalogued it in a song.
I hope that I don't sound too insane when I say
There is darkness all around us
I don't feel weak but I do need sometimes for her to protect me
And reconnect me to the beauty that I'm missin'
So in January we're gettin' married
And just when she thought it couldn't be any more intimate and personal, it ended with words that wouldn't allow her to keep her cool, and Edward was practically speaking the words as he ended, his voice was so thick with emotion.
No longer does it matter what circumstances we were born in
She knows which birds are singin'
And the names of the trees where they're performin' in the mornin
And in January we're gettin' married
"Come January let's get married," he spoke the final words in her ear as he slung the guitar behind his back and took her into his arms and kissed her tears away.
~888~
Shortly, before Christmas, Edward's father had an episode that put him in the hospital for a couple of days. Carlisle assured Edward that it was routine to perform a paracentesis, which was a procedure to remove some of the excess fluid that had built up in his abdominal cavity.
It worried him that they could conceivably lose his father before he ever returned from his honeymoon, and realized then it was time to let Bella know before he talked to his father.
They were decorating the condo, or more accurately, he was doing all the lifting and climbing while Bella assembled the ornaments. They had finished the tree and were hanging the wreath on the front door when she said something to him and he totally zoned out.
"Did you hear me, baby?" Bella said, her brow furrowed in concern.
He sighed. "I'm sorry, I was thinking about my dad. What did you say?"
"It was nothing. Just the never-ending list of wedding details..."
"It is something. I should have been paying more attention."
"I get it. Your dad is dying, and this hospital scare makes it real." She rubbed his back. "Come on let's have a cup of hot chocolate and talk."
He tried to insist on preparing it, but she nixed that idea. "I'm not an invalid, and last time I checked, I think I remember how to boil water."
His feisty Bella was back, and he chuckled as he threw his hands up in surrender. "Okay...you're right. You're practically one-hundred-percent, and I need to start treating you accordingly."
They sat facing each other at the bar while the water heated, and she took his hand in hers. "He gets out tomorrow, right?"
"Yeah, barring any other complications."
"Have you thought about what will happen if UNOS doesn't find him a liver soon?"
"Yes...Well, actually I've thought about it a great deal…and decided to do something about it," he confessed.
"Meaning?"
"I had myself tested to see if I was a match."
"When?"
"A few days before Thanksgiving."
"And are you?"
"Yes."
She touched his face. "Are you going to do it?"
"I'd like to, but wanted to talk to you about it first."
She raised her other hand to his face, locking eyes with him. "I would do it for Charlie in a heartbeat, so you do what you have to do."
He swallowed the lump in his throat and kissed her hard. "Thank you, baby."
"For what?"
"For understanding."
"Of course I would. I love you, and the last ten years with your parents was stolen from you. If I can be supportive in helping you get that time back, I'm here for you."
"It'll mean I'll be out of commission shortly after we're married."
"You're strong and you'll be better in no time. Plus, I'll truly be able to demonstrate that I will care for you in sickness and in health right away." She smiled. "You just did that for me. Let me do this for you."
He said the only word he could without bawling his freaking eyes out. "Okay."
~888~
New Year's Eve
Bella considered a rehearsal dinner-slash-New Year's Eve party the best idea Alice had ever had. Renee, Elizabeth, and Esme were thrilled to get a chance to participate by co-hosting the events at the Doubletree Hotel downtown, which was only a stone's throw from the condo. The rehearsal dinner was an intimate event held in a private dining room.
Their largest ballroom was transformed for the New Year's Eve party that rivaled a celebration in Times Square. Bella wanted to pinch herself, because it was simply unbelievable. She looked up into the eyes of the gorgeous man who would be her husband within a matter of hours, and smiled.
He leaned down with his mouth next to her ear. "What?"
"I was just thinking we'll be checked into the honeymoon suite at The Betsy in Miami this time tomorrow night."
"Then we'll be off to Seychelles."
"Well, that's great, too, but one thing at a time." Then she whispered to him the part she was most looking forward to, and he laughed out loud and pulled her into his arms.
"I'm looking forward to that as well…and the rest of our lives...after my recovery, that is."
They both turned and looked at Edward Sr. He and Elizabeth were cozy and all smiles at their table in the corner. Bella noticed that they had been acting suspiciously like a couple in love, not two people living together in peaceful coexistence, as Elizabeth had reassured her son. She sounded as if she protested too much to Bella, who had mentioned it to Edward, but he wasn't ready for the truth. Not yet.
When Edward told his parents he was approved to be a donor, Ted was shocked and grateful, but Elizabeth had clutched Ted and together they sobbed as if they had been given a one-way ticket to heaven without the dying part. Edward might be in denial, but Bella knew that when Ted recovered, there would be another wedding.
Edward cupped her face and searched her eyes. "What are you thinking about?"
She smiled and answered him truthfully. "Weddings."
After the countdown to the New Year, Bella was whisked away by Angela and her other bridesmaids to the hotel suites upstairs, while Edward was taken to the condo by Emmett and the guys. Bella's two best friends and sorority sisters from Spelman, Chandra and Toye, rounded out her side of the wedding party. Angela was her maid of honor, Alice and Rosalie her matrons of honor, and Maria, Chandra, and Toye, her bridesmaids.
Emmett was Edward's best man and would stand with Edward at the altar, but would escort Rosalie back down the aisle once the ceremony was over. Seth and Alvin would be escorting Toye and Chandra, respectively. Logistics had been a nightmare for Bella, considering how she wanted to honor all of her friends on their special day, but in the end, she hadn't been able to choose between them, so her three closest local friends all got top spots. Rosalie teased her that she'd "wimped out," but she teased her right back.
"What if I'd just chosen Alice and Angela?"
"I would have been content to let Emmett escort Angela. I'm not that jealous...right?"
"Trust me," Bella said. "It's better this way."
Their day had begun early that morning with the requisite beauty appointments and spa treatments, and after the adrenaline wore off from the New Year's celebration , they were practically catatonic when they got up to the suites, and groaned when Alice suggested "bonding games."
Toye asked, "Do pregnancy hormones give you super-human stamina or something? Ladies, I don't know about the rest of you, but my eyeballs hurt, I'm so tired."
Bella laughed, and when she saw Alice's expression, she laughed more, and then became almost hysterical.
Eventually Rosalie grew concerned. "Bella...what the hell?" She stalked over to her. "If you don't stop this right now I'm going to slap you."
Bella gasped through her giggle fit. "Are you...crazy, Rosalie? You want me...to have your handprint...on my face...when I walk down the aisle...this afternoon?"
Chandra, said, "See, Bella, you're better than I am, girl. Blondie and I would be rolling on this floor if she threatened to slap me, friend or not."
Rosalie glared at Chandra, who just rolled her head and stood her ground. Bella found the presence of mind to step between them. "We're supposed to be having fun together, and I'm sorry but I'm just tired, and—" she giggled again "—and it just feels so good to feel so good."
"Can't we play just one game?" Alice pouted. "Remember the good time we had before Rosalie's wedding?"
Rosalie rolled her eyes and backed off. "I'm not in the mood to wipe the floor with your friend and ruin your wedding, Bella. Let's decide what we're going to do, or I'm going to bed."
"You and what army?" Chandra taunted. Bella put her hands on Chandra's shoulders and whispered, "Rosalie may look like just your average pretty white girl, but she's a police officer. You don't want to go there."
Chandra folded her arms. "I'm still not scared of her."
Toye joined Bella in talking her down. "Be afraid...be very afraid," she said ominously.
"Come on you guys, this is Bella's special night, and the last quality time we'll get to spend time with her until after the honeymoon. We're all tired, but let's at least do one 'bonding game,'" Angela said.
Maria, who'd been quiet up until now, finally spoke up and said, "I know a fun Portuguese drinking game. This way we get a nightcap, we have some laughs, and go to bed, okay?"
"But I can't drink," Alice protested.
"Maybe not alcohol, but you can drink enough juice that the baby will tap-dance on your bladder and make it fun for you, no?"
"Okay, I'm in." Alice grinned.
Maria explained the rules. Basically, a question was posed about sex, and if it was something you had done before, you took a drink. If it was something you hadn't done, you were safe. Figuring hard liquor would guarantee none of them would be coherent the next morning, they used a bottle of wine they'd grabbed off the table at the party, and basically, the person who'd imbibed the most by the end was the winner.
Their intention had been to do one bottle and go to bed, but an hour later, Alice was crossing her legs and squirming uncontrollably, her bladder was so full, and she took off running to the bathroom after declaring the game over. Rosalie, Chandra, and Toye were passed out, Angela was singing "Auld Lange Syne," Maria was cursing everybody out in Portuguese, and Bella was drunk-dialing Edward.
~888~
Bella stood resplendent in her satin and pearl wedding gown, waiting beside her father to enter the church. He was, as her grandfather would have said, about as nervous as a cat in a dog pound. She might have been as nervous as he was if her fiancé had not acted quickly this morning to get everyone back on track.
Edward had sent Gail Williams to the suite to rouse them. She couldn't remember what she'd said to him in the wee hours of the morning that triggered that move, but she was glad he'd done it.
Bella was embarrassed that her most senior volunteer had seen all of them, with the exception of Alice, in varying degrees of hangovers, but it had been exactly what the doctor ordered. Mrs. Williams brought her late husband's hangover remedy, made them all drink it, and then sent them off to the showers. The base was tomato juice, but Bella didn't dare ask what the other ingredients were. It was not a tasty concoction, but it did the trick.
Then Mrs. Williams had hung around and helped them prepare. She was a near-expert at wielding bobby pins, and she helped Alice, Rosalie, and Chandra with their hair while Alice helped Maria, Toye, and Bella. By the time Renee showed up, they were all big fans of the woman who'd single-handedly saved the day.
As the organ music changed, heralding the bride's arrival with the classic wedding march, the guests shuffled to their feet and Charlie said, "Okay, baby girl, this is it. I think I know what your answer is going to be, but I have to ask. Are you sure you want to go through with this?"
"You're going to make this moment a cliché, Dad? Really?" she said, rolling her eyes. "For the record, I want to do this more than anything else in the world. I love Edward, irrevocably."
"I have to say, you couldn't have picked a better one, in my opinion." Bella wasn't sure, but she thought she saw a spark of pride in her father's eyes. At any rate, that statement, coming from him, spoke volumes.
He laced her arm through his, squared his shoulders, and put on his game face as the sanctuary doors swung open. They moved down the aisle so effortlessly, it was as if they were floating. They smiled and nodded to the guests on either side of them. The pews were filled to capacity, even the balcony, from what Bella could see.
Through his smile, Charlie said only loud enough for her to hear, "Be nice if it was like this every Sunday."
Bella didn't answer, because she could only see her groom, his love and adoration reflected in his eyes. She only hoped he could see the same in hers.
When they made it the altar, Charlie asked himself the question, "Who gives this woman...?" since he was both the father of the bride, and the officiator, he and Renee answered together, "We, her parents, do." Charlie placed her hand in Edward's and then took his place in front of them to begin the ceremony.
Having given herself the pep-talk just that morning, she was still struggling to keep her emotions in check as she locked eyes with Edward. He seemed so calm and in control of himself, and his smile anchored her.
"I love you," he whispered as Charlie began the ceremony.
Her heart was filled with so much love for him. "I love you, too. Thanks for everything this morning." She looked over at Rosalie and Chandra, the tallest of the bridesmaids who were standing together at the end and smiling at each other as if they were best friends. The tension between them the night before had been forgotten as they'd bonded over their sexual exploits.
"You're welcome. Thank you for facilitating a miracle." He nodded toward Reisa and Jared, who sat proudly on the groom's side next to his parents. Jared wore a button on his lapel, and Reisa had a button on her corsage of Paul's picture in his Marine dress uniform.
Bella beamed at him. "It was only fitting. He needed to be here for you. And he is...in spirit."
Edward's eyes misted. "I'm so glad I'm marrying you. You are beautiful inside and out—"
They were so caught up in their own little conversation they hadn't realized Charlie was at the point in the ceremony where he was directly addressing them.
He tapped the mic. "Er, Edward, Bella...do you need a moment?" Charlie teased. The congregation laughed, Bella blushed, and Edward apologized profusely.
"Sorry, Rev. Swan...Yes, I do...we do... I mean, no, we don't need a moment, but my answer for all the questions is 'I do.'"
There was laughter again, and then Charlie proceeded with the vows.
In the middle of Charlie's sermonette, Bella took a moment to look around at all their family and friends who mattered to them. If this wasn't the best day ever, she didn't know what was.
~888~
When they arrived at the door of their suite at The Betsy, Edward swept Bella off her feet to carry her over the threshold. The bellman opened the door and placed their luggage on the stand in the closet, before leaving quickly and discreetly after Edward slipped him a tip. Bella kissed him enroute and he used his instinct to find the bed, where he gently settled her onto it.
Later, they would notice the contemporary colonial design boasting a cathedral ceiling and a spectacular view of the Atlantic Ocean, the technology and amenities blending seamlessly with the architecture, grace, and convenience of yesteryear. However, at the moment, they only had eyes for each other. Edward kissed his wife again briefly before sprinting to the door and making a show of taking the "do not disturb" sign from the doorknob and placing it outside before he closed the door again. Bella, kneeling on the bed, began undressing as he approached her.
Edward chuckled. "Anxious, Mrs. Cullen?"
She shot him a "puh-lease" look. "I've been waiting more than ten years for this," she said as she held her right arm out stiffly and dropped her blouse on the floor. She was wearing a plum colored lace bra, deliciously presenting his favorite part of her anatomy.
"Didn't you want to go to dinner first?" he teased. She was shaking her head and pulling him toward her before he could get the words out.
"Whoa!" he said as he toppled onto the bed with her, rolling them both on their sides so he wouldn't crush her.
He kissed her deeply, in a way they hadn't experienced in quite a while, which left them both panting. Edward smoothed her hair back from her face and swooped in to suck her bottom lip into his mouth, then traced her lips gently with his tongue. Her lip-gloss was grape-flavored, and it made his stomach rumble. Bella giggled and nibbled the cleft of his chin, a move that always got him revved up.
"I love you so much," he said, "and our wedding was fantastic, but we never got a chance to really eat anything."
Bella caressed his face as she pouted. "Aww, baby, you're hungry?"
"Yes, and I'm not sure which I'm hungrier for—you or food."
"Tell you what. Let's take a shower, and I'll break out the care package Angela packed from the reception. We'll add the hotel's complimentary fruit and champagne and create our own little feast."
Edward didn't have to be told twice. They unpacked a few necessities, and Bella set the food on the table with the fruit and champagne chilling in the bucket. While she was setting things up in the bathroom, he popped a few hors d'oeuvres and a couple of grapes into his mouth to settle his grumbling stomach, and then put on a little mood music, before quickly joining his bride. Littering the bathroom floor with their clothes, they shed everything, kissing their way to the shower.
The bath in their grand suite contained a spacious walk-in marble shower with a showerhead similar to the one in the condo. Edward turned on the water and adjusted it to a comfortable temperature before they stepped in, still kissing. The surprising spray of the water effectively separated them and he looked at her, never ceasing to be amazed by how beautiful Bella's skin was. His too-pale skin against her perpetual-tan made for a sexy contrast.
He gazed at her hungrily, noting that her eyes were roving over him in a similarly greedy fashion. "You're beautiful, Mrs. Cullen."
Bella wound her arms around him, and he felt her nipples grazing his chest as he embraced her slippery body. "And you're breathtaking, Mr. Cullen."
Using the hotel's luxury bath products, they took turns cleaning and exploring each other's bodies, knowing they had all the time in the world.
Edward delighted in running his hands over her curves, the warm water serving as an excellent lubricant. Bella's hands were busy as well, exploring all his planes and swells. His length was stiff and ready, as it lay heavy against her wet stomach. She wriggled to get closer, and her movement had him hissing as the friction shot from his groin to his extremities. He palmed her breasts as she moaned and dragged her lips from his mouth to his chest, teasing one of his nipples with her tongue. Her touch had him literally teetering on the brink of sensory overload. They needed to get horizontal quickly, before he collapsed.
"Let's get out of here," he groaned, his voice ragged with desire. Grabbing a towel, he draped it around her and then took one for himself. When they were both dry, they dropped the towels and embraced before he danced them over to the bed, their lips and hips locked in step. Blindly, he shoved down the comforter and they dove into the fine linens. Edward was careful to shift the bulk of his weight onto his forearms and knees as he hovered over her, and as he took in her beauty, he was almost overcome with emotion.
Her forehead crinkled. "What's wrong?"
"You're my wife," he said as if convincing himself of it, "and I'm the luckiest man in the world."
She smiled, and he kissed her before she could reply, not holding anything back, and neither did she. Then he pulled back enough to take his time and revel in this, their first time together. He nipped her earlobe, and then strung kisses across her cheek, eventually going back to her delectable full lips.
She kissed him back deeply, hungrily, as she wrapped her arms possessively around his neck and he marveled at how well they molded together; their bodies seemed to be custom-made for one another.
He reveled in the sensations of her warm tongue and the pillow of her breasts as she rolled her hips beneath him, but no matter how much he wanted to take her in that instant, he knew he needed to keep himself in check if he was to prepare her for what was to come. Though her hymen had been broken due to her years of gymnastics, it would still be a painful experience.
His rational side conflicted with his desire, but he was determined to be gentle with her. He trailed his lips over her throat, murmuring disjointed endearments that he hoped declared feelings he couldn't articulate, and the feeling of the leap of her pulse under his lips aroused him like nothing he'd ever experienced before. As he paid attention to her neck, he drew little gasps from her as he eased himself carefully between her thighs. The evidence of how he was making her feel was on her face, making her even more beautiful, and his blood surged. Her skin was unbelievably soft, and he closed his eyes again as he explored her body.
"So beautiful," he said, his voice raw and uncontrolled as he traced the generous curve of her butt that had countless times made him so hard it hurt. This was the moment he'd been waiting for, and it was almost too much. Damn, calm down Cullen, he told himself asthey rocked slowly, groaning as they kissed and rolled, touching everywhere they could find.
Edward had to ease back, afraid he would come that second if they kept this up, and dipped his head, paying attention to first one breast, and then the other, kissing them softly and then blowing on the damp skin in his wake until she shivered. Finally he suckled her in earnest, pulling her deep into his mouth. Bella clutched his shoulders, the sounds she was making very close to driving him insane with need. He felt intensely masculine, the ripples of reaction from her under his mouth amazingly erotic. The waves of her first orgasm vibrated beneath his hands, and he almost lost it.
Somehow he found the strength of will to retreat enough to cool his revved-up libido, moving lower to concentrate on her, leaving him well out of the reach of her mouth and hands that were pushing him too quickly toward orgasm. He kissed and licked from the arch of her feet, up her legs, to the sensitive backs of her knees, to the quivering soft muscle of her narrow thighs. Finally, an exploratory stroke of his finger told him she was ready. Her moans had become increasingly vocal cries of pleasure, and he smiled as he took her in; her head was flung back, and her hair a dark stain of curls against the stark white sheets.
He moved up between her thighs, pressing his eager erection against her. As her moisture covered his tip, he stiffened, but Bella wrapped her legs around his hips and urged him forward. He watched her face as he entered her, until sensation took over and his eyes closed in reflex. Holy... his eyes rolled back in their sockets. The feeling was so overwhelming he had to work to keep himself lucid. He desperately wanted to avoid hurting her, so he stopped. She winced, but pressed him to continue, squeezing him as tightly as she could in her arms. As he slid completely inside, she moaned.
"Nnnh..."
"I'm sorry, baby," he murmured, smoothing her hair back on her forehead where beads of sweat had popped up. She opened her eyes, and it almost killed him to see the pain reflected there, but she wouldn't let go as he tried to pull away.
"It's okay...it's okay, don't stop," she assured him and kissed him even though he could feel her quivering uncontrollably .
His throat grew tight, but he steeled himself to continue and not allow his emotions to get the better of him. "I love you," he said as he withdrew and sunk into her again, going as slowly as he could.
The first time wasn't usually the best experience for a woman, but he'd consoled himself that he'd make it up to her later as he fell into a gentle rhythm, the pain seeming to ease somewhat as she opened her tightly-closed eyes. He kissed her, never missing a beat, their hips falling into a gentle dance as he concentrated on every sensation, committing it all to memory.
Edward had held himself in check for too long, and all-too-quickly he felt the signs of his release. "Never…felt…anything…this…good," he groaned as Bella tightened her legs around his hips. Employing his "Taps" trick, he tried to hold out longer, but it only worked for a few seconds at most. The sensations were all too much. Afterward, he rolled off of her, and immediately used his hand to bring her to orgasm as she cried his name.
Through his orgasmic haze, it occurred to him that he'd never felt this amazing in his life. Sex had never even approached being this powerful with any other woman. He knew right away why it was. This woman held his heart, and quite possibly his very soul.
"That was awesome," Bella murmured against his shoulder, her breath tickling his skin. He smiled involuntarily, happy to have her approval.
He had a brief, horrified moment and leaned back slightly to look into her eyes. "Are you sure, you're okay? I know it hurt."
"I took a couple of ibuprofen before we took our shower. They should be kicking in any moment," she said and snuggled against his chest.
"Good," he said and kissed her temple. "And for the record, making love with you was beyond awesome, just as I knew it would be. Thank you for giving me a gift that I thought I would never be worthy of, and for helping me to see why waiting was the best thing we could ever have done."
With sex off the table, he'd been able to grow to love her without the complications that it brought to relationships, while he'd simultaneously grown to understand more fully the Biblical reasons for waiting. There was a sacredness in the joining of a husband and wife that did not contain the awkwardness, guilt, or predatory leanings that sexual promiscuity had held for him. Their vows had clarified it, and now he could see clearly enough to understand that what he'd just experienced with his wife was physical and spiritual perfection.
"We were both so worth the wait." She raised herself up, kissing him in a way that made him feel stirrings of need he knew she wasn't quite ready to accommodate again so soon.
"I love you, Mr. Cullen."
"I love you, too, Mrs. Cullen."
She smiled impishly at him. "Now, how soon can we do that again?"
It was almost as if she'd read his mind. "We need to give your body a little while to recover, sweetheart."
"We can do some… other things later after we've eaten, right?"
"What do you have in mind, Mrs. Cullen?"
"Surprise me, Mr. Cullen."
Edward laughed and gathered her close into his arms. "Oh, believe me, I will."
From every indication, it looked as if his bride would challenge him emotionally, spiritually, and sexually, and he wasn't complaining. She was his soul mate in every sense of the word.
The year had taught him that adversity and danger could always touch their lives because of his chosen profession, but together they would weather it all. He had learned to be honest with her and not allow his penchant toward overprotection to stifle their relationship. Storms would race in, but as long as he had breath in his body, he would always keep her safe in his arms. This woman had taught him the virtues that mirrored those in his Marine training. While he'd prepared for life with honor, courage, and commitment, he was now embracing a new life of trust, loyalty, and commitment.
~THE END~
~888~
E/N: This is the end of TLC proper, folks. I hope that everything you expected to happen happened and you were happy, even for the things that happened that you didn't expect to happen. At any rate, review and let me know either way.
I'll be posting an Epilogue of the honeymoon on Seychelles and the results of the liver transplant. Also, three fabulous women purchased two additional future outtakes during FGB. Those will also be posted. Hope you enjoy what's going to happen for Copward and his Bella in the future. See you again soon.
Bev
xoxo
MELD – Model for End Stage Liver Disease - a continuous disease severity scale based entirely on objective laboratory values. These scales have been found to be highly predictive of the risk of dying from liver disease for patients waiting on the transplant list. The MELD score incorporates bilirubin, prothrombin time (i.e., INR) and creatinine into an equation, producing a number that ranges from 1 to 40 or more.
UNOS - United Network of Organ Sharing. Patients are prioritized for transplant according to length of time on the waiting list and severity of illness criteria developed by UNOS.
Ascites - The accumulation of fluid in the peritoneal cavity, causing abdominal swelling.
"January Wedding" by the Avett Brothers - http:/www dot youtube dot com/watch?v=Iq4DsqiW2DI
The Doubletree Hotel, Tallahassee - http:/doubletree dot hilton dot com/ en/dt/hotels/meeting_;jsessionid=VW4DYJJ3TD2N4CSGBJF3MQQ?ctyhocn=THLAPDT
The Betsy Hotel - http:/www dot thebetsyhotel dot com/the-betsy/history