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Chapter 201

Here Comes the Bride!


Bella


"They will have run. But only about a mile in that direction," I said, pointing in the direction of Carlisle and Esmé's house.

Rose immediately ran and I laughed.

"I would have rather expected that you would retrieve the two of them," I then reflected in Alice's direction, however.

"I did make that rule, but only for you and Edward. Because it's tradition, and Edward likes traditions. But Leah and Becky have voluntarily chosen to do it, so they can also voluntarily opt out at any time," Alice explained gleefully.

"We did the same thing back then, where we spent the night apart from each other and didn't see each other beforehand, but does anyone actually know where that tradition came from?" asked Sonya as Emily was just getting back from talking on the phone.

Her children had apparently survived the night with their grandparents, she announced with amusement.

"Was that somehow in question?", I dug deeper.

"There are no sweets at all at my parents' house because my father has diabetes and is prone to excessive snacking," she explained in response.

She asked what we were talking about, which brought us back to the topic.

"It was considered a bad omen because the groom would use it to show the evil spirits the way to the bride. That's why bridesmaids used to wear very similar dresses to the bride. Just to confuse the spirits," Orenda explained.

"Carrying the bride over the threshold also has to do with the evil spirits that are said to lurk especially at doorsteps," Esmé added.

"It was the same for us, but we didn't do it that way because of an old custom," Emily shared. "After all, we had been living together for some time, so the wedding didn't change much for us. So we just thought it was nice not to see each other the night before. So there was something really exciting about our reunion before the church, and it was like a little reward for sticking it out."

We chatted some more about old customs and such, while the rest of the ladies slowly came into the kitchen and ate breakfast at length.

Rose, too, came back empty-handed.

Edward had already noticed that his daughters were 'unauthorized' in the house and had forbidden Rose to take them back.

However, she did not say any details about this.

Orenda, Esmé, Rose, and Alice were able to contribute a lot on the topic of wedding customs.

I found it funny that the bride used to have to pay for her own wedding shoes with pennies she had saved up over a long period of time. If she couldn't do that, she was too poor to marry. To sum up.

At some point Becky and Leah came back and had breakfast.

The 'jogging' had to have been exhausting, the way the two of them were going over the food.

We would certainly still tease the truth out of them when they were no longer expecting it.

"And you take good care of Daddy, sweetheart!", I said goodbye to my baby for now.

He nodded quite seriously.

"Do you think he'll go out for cigarettes and not come back?" asked Sue with a laugh.

"Not quite, but sometimes my fiancé gets very strange thoughts. Leaving me, for example. To actually protect me, of course. Only then I don't get anything out of it," I replied. Laughing as well.

"And if he would consider it, this time we would bring him back," Esmé promised me.

"No matter what arguments he would make!", Alice supported this statement.

"So do we!" my big she-wolf agreed.

It calmed me down.

I had actually no concerns that anything would still stand in the way of our wedding, but it reassured me. Finally, Edward's statements that concerned me in terms of absolutely final decisions could in no way be relied upon. After all, we regularly discussed my immortality with each other, whereby we merely agreed that we could not agree.

Then it was time for me to be sent to my bathroom. Alice came after me and helped me into my dress. By my standards it fit perfectly, but Alice wasn't quite satisfied yet.

"This will be my masterpiece!" she said, visibly proud.

"Oh yes," I confirmed, looking at myself in the mirror.

It was a little different than I had once imagined and discussed with Alice, but Alice had changed it just a little. Made it more coherent. It was beautiful.

Then she took it off again. She plied with my dress, as I looked for underwear in a drawer.

"What are you doing?" she asked, completely horrified.

"Underwear?", I asked timidly. What was wrong with that?

"You don't want to put Edward through those old rags on his wedding night," she rumbled.

Um ...

I looked at said rags I was holding.

White lace from Simon Pérèle. Brought by Alice. Unworn. The price tag was even still on it. $59.95. So these were rags. That had not been clear to me.

"If you ask me to organize a wedding, I'll do it. And I'll do it with everything that goes with it!", Alice stated here once plainly and clearly.

With a raised forefinger.

She looked silly. She was too young for such a schoolmasterly gesture.

But I let my choice fall back into the drawer.

Alice pointed to a bag lying on the bed.

I hadn't even realized that she had brought that.

"So what's the actual schedule?", I asked instead.

"The plan provides for you to have all the time in the world. No stress on your wedding day. So you could still have a lovely relaxing bath," she warbled as she tucked my dress away in its accompanying case.

"That sounds good," I sighed, relaxing.

"So, I still have to go see Leah and Becky. Do you want me to send Esmé over to keep you company? Don't want you falling asleep in the bathtub."

"No, no. For one thing, I'm a little too excited to fall asleep, and for another, I'd like to be alone for a bit," I said. So much company in one pile. Already since yesterday and again this afternoon for the rest of the day. I wanted to have a little peace and quiet then. Besides, I didn't want to keep Esmé from doing anything that Alice had told her to do, although she, on the other hand, would forbid me from helping out. I had quite understood that my vampires had had their hands full since Friday evening at the latest.

Alice went into the hallway, and I went into the bathroom.

I turned on the hot water and picked out a bath additive.

I took the expensive one. Edward had brought me from a perfumery, because he thought my usual one did not seem good enough for me.

I used it very sparingly, but today was my wedding day after all. My fingers were also trembling a little with impatience, which is why I poured more into the water than I had intended.

Edward's bathtub was, as you know, what felt like half a swimming pool. In this respect, it took a while until it was full.

So I went downstairs again, took a piece of pineapple from breakfast in the refrigerator and sat with Orenda.

Rosalie was just setting up an entire barbershop in my dining room, which Orenda and I watched with fascination and equanimity.

What she did not have everything?! Combs, brushes, rollers, ribbons, clips, hairpins, tubes, bottles, spray cans. And that was just the hair part. For makeup, she set up just as much on the table. Unbelievable what all there was.

We were so wonderfully engrossed in a conversation when a stark-naked Emma happily jumped out of the guest room. The towel, in which she had originally been wrapped, she pulled decoratively behind her.

Orenda laughed very heartily at the way Esmé shooed our little whirlwind back to the guest room from the kitchen.

Rose then reminded me of my bathtub, and I ran upstairs, startled.

I puffed in offense.

It was still not full. But not much was missing anymore.

I pulled the doors, that had been left open, closed behind me, undressed, and climbed in.

The hot water caressed my limbs, the foam smelled wonderful, there was absolutely relaxing silence. Deeply relaxed. Like yesterday in the sauna. But today Edward would probably not come by without permission. Too bad. The bathtub was so lonely without him. I also felt a little lost in this huge thing. But I enjoyed the quiet moment, pondered about the things that would happen today and as if by itself a smile came to my lips. I felt it, but could not have done anything about it, even if I had wanted to.

Leah stopped by at just the right time.

Just when I was getting bored of this lonely lying around. It was nice to have my daughter to myself again. Just the two of us. The fact that she helped me and kept me company was very moving for me. Something allying between mother and daughter. But it also made me nervous. It meant that the moment of my wedding was getting closer and closer. And Alice wasn't here yet with my dress! What made me more nervous about it, I didn't know.

"Finally!", I sighed with relief when Alice eventually came.

She was already changed and dressed . I was somewhat captivated by the sight of Alice.

She looked so magical. Like a real little elf.

"No stress, Bella! Stress is absolutely taboo for you today! We have all the time in the world!", she fluted down her mantra for today.

She took a deep breath in and out with me and I nodded in agreement.

Probably smiling, as if I were completely high.

Alice let go of me and I hugged myself and spun around. As if on clouds, I staggered to the window, leaned next to it and looked up at the main house.

Somewhere there was my Volvo-driving prince who had given me a glass palace and a little angel.

"Are you excited?" Alice leaned on the other side of the window.

I considered my answer, listening within.

"No ... Funny. I was until just now," I stated in surprise.

"Married life will please you and be very good for Edward," mused Alice.

"But what was supposed to change? We've been living together for months and even had Ced before the wedding," I asked.

"Basically, nothing will change. But the feeling will change. Later, when you say Edward is your husband and it's real right then, you'll feel it. The pure truth in your words. Not a phrase to explain your relationship in simple words, but nothing but the truth," she tried to explain.

"And why will it be good for Edward?"

"Because it will finally put him at rest ... Edward has settled into this existence. Moving every few years and starting over. He did it, but he was never happy with it. He needs permanence. A marriage has a very deep meaning for him. Everything he is about to promise you in front of a man of God, he will keep. Forever. Thus, your wedding ring will be the worldly and symbolic proof for him that he has finally arrived where he always wanted to be."

I smiled at Alice's words.

Not because they amused me, but because she knew her brother all to well. Edward knew very well where his home was. With our children and with me. Neither of us would he ever leave again. I could be so sure of that because I had heard and felt it so many times through our little knob. Plus, he had told me that he no longer made our wedding a top priority after Ced was born. Still, Alice was right. For Edward's perfect happiness, for his peace of mind, he needed this oath before God, sacred to him, to seal his union to us, to his family.

We chatted for some time, standing together so calmly.

I asked how many times she had been married.

Three times she had said yes to Jasper. Always on their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary. At the end of the year it would be time again and she already started planning. A small ceremony, just for the immediate family. Rose and Emmett, on the other hand, married more regularly. Rosalie loved all the hoopla surrounding her. Emmett was quite indifferent to this topic - to Rosalie's chagrin - since they were already married, but for Rosalie he did everything.

There was a knock at the door of my room.

"Sue ... You look stunning. Charlie's going to propose again," I said. This time I probably wouldn't have to convince Charlie that he wasn't too old to get married again. Such doubts would probably not come to him at the sight of her. She really looked very pretty.

"Thank you, Bella ... We brought you something. Something old," she said, holding a wooden box in her hands, which she handed to me.

A little incredulous, I marveled at the contents.

Two heavy silver hair combs that were certainly old, but also equally beautiful. White rhinestones formed floral patterns above the combs.

"They belonged to your grandma Swan. Charlie and Renée always wanted you to have them and give them to Leah later. But since Charlie is banned from the house and Renée isn't here, I'm giving them to you on behalf of your parents," she explained.

"They are beautiful," I noted.

"I hope they fit your outfit. It would mean a lot to Charlie if you wore them," Sue said, turning more to Alice, who was in charge of everything here today.

Very interested, I looked at Alice.

"They fit perfectly," Alice nodded.

Esmé would drive all the ladies up to the house one by one. It was too cold and there was too much snow for a leisurely walk together to the house, which had probably been considered in principle.

Leah and Becky were already gone, but I still saw the others when I went downstairs with Alice and Sue.

All the ladies looked fabulous. Rose, too, had apparently had enough time to get herself ready.

A walking angel.

"You guys look like you're going to a wedding," I chuckled happily.

"Aw shucks," Anna made a throwaway hand gesture in a cheerful green outfit.

"This is our Sunday slouchy look," laughed Emily in an eggplant long dress.

"We always look like this," Rachel commented in an orange combination.

"Really?" asked Emma, quite embarrassed, of the ladies.

She looked quite impressed at each one and then down at herself.

"Why don't we get dressed up like this every Sunday?" she immediately asked her mother.

"But Emma, that was just a joke," Sonya tried to explain.

By all appearances, Emma was not convinced.


Then all the guests were out of the house, and I was alone in Alice and Rosalie's clutches ... hands, I meant, of course. I had a very sinking feeling in my stomach when I was offered the place in front of the dining table. It was a bit frightening to see all these utensils up close.

"How about a sip of champagne to calm you down?" asked Rose as she critically checked my racing heartbeat.

I nodded.

"But just a little sip!", I called after her.

I drank the glass in one go and felt the tingly liquid flow down my throat.

Now I was ready. So for Alice and Rose.

I sat back, closed my eyes, and let them do ... whatever it was they were doing.

Now and then came smaller instructions, such as open your eyes, raise your brows, open your mouth slightly and the like.

I followed well-behaved as I seemed to notice her fingers all over my head.

At some point - I didn't really know how much time had passed - they were apparently done.

They looked contentedly at their work of art, while I only hoped that I recognized myself in the mirror right away.

And Edward too! Not that he would run off in flight to look for his bride.

We went upstairs to the bedroom, where Alice had neatly laid everything out on the bed earlier.

The time had come. I would put on my wedding dress. MY WEDDING DRESS!

Gently, carefully, and reverently silent, Alice and Rose helped me into it.

First, a top that was made entirely of lace. In the back it went up to the neck with a small stand-up collar, in the front a V-neck up to the breasts and with sleeves up to the wrists. Then a hoop petticoat. I had originally wanted to do without such frills, but Alice had convinced me that it would be better with the petticoat, which I understood after a few fittings. For one thing, the dress fell much nicer, and for another, I could move more freely without having to fight with the fabric between my legs. It also didn't have who knows how wide a circumference, so I didn't look like I had escaped from a historical film.

Then the actual dress and I held my breath as I stepped into it and my sisters-in-waiting pulled it on me.

Snow white satin. A very simple cut. That it was strapless was the only refinement to the cut. Tight fitting to the waist, with a slight incorporated corsage to hold my bust and the dress to itself before the heavy fabric dropped gracefully to the floor. It had a playful lacing in the back. Another of Alice's ideas had been to bring back the lace pattern in the dress so it wasn't too subtle because of the cut. I don't even know how she had done it. It looked like she had put the lace in some irregular places, sprayed paint over it and taken the lace fabric away again. So all that was left was the pattern from my top on the satin. And she had sprayed with a white, slightly glittery color, but in some places also with an almost silver color.

Alice surprised me with jewelry.

They weren't new, I knew them too, but I didn't expect them in this house.

It was the necklace Edward had given me at the jeweler's in Portland. The pearl necklace that had the silver relief of a heart as a pendant. So were the earrings. And she now handed me my two engagement rings, without which I had felt kind of naked all along.

Rose helped me into my shoes, which were in front of the bed.

I smiled at the thought of the earlier tradition that I thought was funny a few hours ago. That the bride had to pay for her shoes with pennies saved. It hadn't quite been that way with me, but it had turned out to be a nice afternoon with Sonya and Zoey. I had ordered all sorts of shoes on the internet and then tried them on, with lots of cake, at Sonya's with Zoey. It had been some time. She and David had just moved here, and I hadn't been pregnant yet. We had decided together on the pair that I could walk in most accident free. It was only a small heel, also covered with satin and they had a small heart carved under the ankle, but you could only see it if you looked closely.

"Something new," Rose looked at me meaningfully after rising from my feet again.

"Something old," Alice took the wooden box off the bed, took out Grandma Swan's comb and stuck it in my hairstyle.

"Something borrowed," Rose approached with another box.

A delicate bracelet to which were attached three dainty pendants. A cross, a heart and an anchor. Faith, love, hope.

"Something blue," Alice held out a garter to me.

I chuckled at that.

I wasn't embarrassed or anything. Rather, I was just amused by another custom that just occurred to me. Namely, the newlywed husband usually took it off his wife with his teeth. In front of the assembled guests.

"And that the marriage may also be marked by prosperity, the penny for your shoe," Rose put a small penny in my hand.

"I don't think wealth should will be a problem," I interjected, Edward's bank balance flickering before my eyes. I'd only seen it once, back when he'd ripped me off like that for the kids' college, but I hadn't forgotten that collection of digits. I didn't even know with certainty how to read that number; it was so big.

"Do you really want to risk that?" she teased me.

"Yes!", I clarified.

She laughed and put the penny away again.

"The bracelet is very beautiful, Rose. Thank you for lending it to me," I ran my fingertips over it.

"Edward gave it to me for my first wedding. So I thought it would be fitting if I gave it to you temporarily," Rosalie smiled sentimentally.

I hugged her.

Carefully. Not that I broke anything about myself. Whereby ...

"You don't even know what you look like yet," Alice clapped her hands jitterily next to us, putting my thoughts out of my head.

I had avoided the mirror behind me until now. Now I took a deep breath and turned to it ...

Wow ... In principle, I didn't think I was ugly, but average. But that there - in the mirror - said something completely different. And I even recognized myself. I looked like a princess.

However, I gave Alice a little evil look, which I did not mean seriously.

I was the princess on the way to her coronation! Because I also had something like a crown in my hair. I was generally fascinated by my hairstyle. My crown was a simple modern tiara. A silver hoop decorated with a few pearls and stones. My long hair was partially hanging in this hoop, so my hair didn't seem as long as it actually was. The still slightly reddish mark on my cheek, which Leah had left me, they had been able to cover up without further ado. In contrast, the even more obvious scar on the forehead hidden by the hairstyle.

Rose fetched a mirror from the bathroom so I could see myself from behind as well. At the back of my tiara hung a small playful base of a veil and Grandma Swan's comb sat just above it.

"You have performed a miracle," I marveled.

"The source material was good," Alice rebuffed.

I hugged her gratefully.

Very carefully, I then descended our stairs so that I would not have to turn into the hospital on the way to my wedding. I actually stumbled on the last step, but Rose caught me.

My heart raced for a moment.

That almost turned out to be something.

I wanted to go to the wardrobe to grab a coat.

But Alice wouldn't be Alice if she hadn't considered this cold weather and my outfit and got them under one hat. She held out a new coat to me, which I would definitely only wear today. It would look silly with anything but a wedding dress. White and floor-length, with a plush border at the hem. I felt like Little Red Riding Hood. Only in white.

Alice had already brought Edward's Jaguar earlier, which was right in front of the house. As close to the front door as possible, with a carpet in between so that I wouldn't touch any snow.

Despite the petticoat, I was able to get in the back without any problems.

However, it probably already looked silly how I continued to try to leave everything on me intact. Even when we got out when we arrived in front of Carlisle's house.

Charlie was waiting for us and came to the car. Like a gentleman, he helped me and gave me his arm.

"Where is everyone?", I asked confused when we entered the house. It was much too quiet. I heard nothing and saw no one.

"They're all already in the back of the hall," Alice explained, helping me out of my coat.

She made a few final touches.

"There you go, Bella. You're ready. Let's get a little head start and when you're ready, you just go," she said.

I hugged her very tightly to me again.

"I thank you, Alice. For everything you've done these days!", I said, almost starting to cry. "You too, Rose," I pulled her in. "Thank you so much!"

"It was our honor," Rose whispered.

"And it was fun!" said Alice gleefully. "And no crying!" she threatened with a stern index finger before the two of them made off down the hall.

"Bella. You look incredible," my dad murmured.

The first thing he said.

"Thanks, Dad. The two of them did a really good job."

"I have no idea about such things, but I don't think it's all their doing. You're naturally pretty. Fortunately, you take after your mother, and today you shine from the inside out."

"I think that's the nicest thing you've ever said to me so directly," I smirked.

"Yeah? Maybe. I'm not good at that," he opined sheepishly.

"Neither do I. I must have gotten that from you."

"Are you excited? Nervous? Impatient? ... We can still cancel the whole thing," he asked.

I sensed it was just a joke because otherwise he probably wouldn't know what to say.

"Do you think Alice would let us get away with that?"

"Probably not. But what their revenge for that would look like would be interesting to see. Imaginative, I'm sure," he reflected.

"Then maybe we'd better get going before Alice's holy wrath hits us," I said.

My dad nodded and offered me his arm.

"I think ... it might be that way," he speculated, pointing to the hard-to-miss floral garlands that marked the path across the hallway.

I didn't know what I expected, where the wedding ceremony would take place, but I hadn't thought of the large unused hall in the back of the building. It was so uncomfortable. But that's where the flowers seemed to lead us.

Alice came to meet us again.

"A late guest," she murmured to us.

Charlie and I walked on quietly.

There was still a good stretch of corridor ahead of us. If necessary, we would wait for the straggler or stragglers just beforehand. But he overtook us together with Alice.

"Hey, Mrs. B," I heard hurriedly pass by and smiled at Brandon's appearance.

Then we reached the ballroom, and I heard music.

Many colors I already saw.

Apparently uncomfortable was no longer an accurate description.

But I hardly paid attention to the room when I was then so close that I could have recognized something. I searched for my fiancé with my eyes.

We entered the large hall, while at the same time the music changed a bit.

I saw many people stand up and heard whispering. Then the whispering changed to a pleasant astonishment.

And then I saw Edward.

I froze for a moment, but Charlie pulled me along with him. Just mechanically, I walked around any tables until I was right across from Edward. A seemingly endless corridor separated us from each other.

He looked so ... beautiful. His hair was tousled to perfection. His skin, which was actually almost white, looked warm. The tailored elegant suit flattered his stature. A charming smile on his velvet lips. The only thing missing were his golden eyes. As if he heard my thoughts, he opened them immediately. His gaze became indescribably loving. We smiled at each other across the distance. We were exactly where we wanted to be. What could go wrong now?!

Charlie started moving again beside me and I followed him, but the answer to the question I had just posed in my mind came promptly.

Ced saw too little, in his opinion, and crawled into the middle of the aisle between Edward and me.

Marcus apparently felt something on his leg and staggered. Probably in the knowledge that Ced just crawled off regardless of losses or feet. Marcus lost his balance trying not to step on my baby and tumbled into the corridor. Behind Ced, who did nothing but look at me in amazement.

Marcus lay in my way!, was my first thought.

Carlisle immediately went to Marcus from the other side.

Becky, who had been standing next to Marcus, took a step toward him as much on impulse as Edward, Jake, and Leah did on the podium. A pedestal that I only now really noticed.

But he hadn't done anything to himself, already got up again on his own and went out of the bride's way smiling.

Ced continued not to notice, and I chuckled at our so inattentive baby. Like all the other guests in the meantime.

When I got to Ced, I squatted down with him.

"My little angel. Do you like me today?", I asked him.

He nodded. With his mouth open and his eyes wide.

"And will you let me go to Daddy like this?", I continued to ask.

He nodded again and crawled a little to the side.

Charlie helped me up and we walked the last bit. He stopped with me in front of the elevation.

"So now I have to let you go. My only daughter," he sighed a little, looking at me.

I nodded.

"But I'm leaving you in good hands," he said, giving me a kiss on the cheek.

Then he took my hand from his arm and passed it to Edward, who had come down a step from the balcony.

"I promise, Charlie," Edward vowed.

My dad slapped him paternally on the shoulder, nodding as he did so and 'apparently had something in his eye', so he quickly turned and went to his seat next to Sue. She immediately handed him a handkerchief.

I smiled, touched. A little delayed, I remembered why I was here, and my eyes immediately stayed on Edward.

"Miss Black. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife here and now?" he asked me in a whisper with a dazzling smile, kissing my hand fondly and handing me the flowers.

Roses. That's all I got outside of Edward's gentle eyes.

"Yes, I do!", I muttered back.

"Too soon!" he teased me.

Together, side by side, we walked up the two steps of the podest.

I had linked arms with him, and he was still gently covering my hand with his on his arm. Thus we stood before the clergyman whom I had never seen before in my life.

Strange feeling, I had to say. But he seemed nice and cozy.

I looked back again.

Ced was still sitting more or less in the middle of the aisle.

I made a head movement and he crawled to us.

The priest began with a little speech, whereby Ced had then caught the best seat. He sat on the floor in front of us. One hand held the hem of my dress, the other was around Edward's leg. He listened very attentively to the strange man in front of us, without taking his eyes off him.

It was very beautiful words that he had chosen, and he delivered it with charm and a touch of humor. A speech about love and that it knows no age. That this feeling resides in each of us, but unfortunately far too many are afraid of love because their own feelings do not correspond to the usual views. One hid one's true preferences in order not to offend others and not to have to face any hostility or prejudice. But we would have confessed to each other. We let love take its course. And if we were blessed with such a sweet angel, there could hardly be anything wrong with it.

"May I now ask for the rings with which you wish to seal your union for all to see," the priest then asked.

Edward and I had looked at each other throughout the speech. We had listened, I had also heard his request, to which we had both nodded, but neither of us moved beyond that.

"Dad ... the rings," Leah prodded Edward a little.

She smirked at our inattention.

"Oh, yes ... rings," Edward seemed to remember.

He smiled a touch sheepishly, cleared his throat, turned to his maid of honor and held out a hand.

"I ... don't have one?" stated Leah, shrugging her shoulders and asking.

She looked past me, and I turned to Jake as well.

"Do I want to get married today?" he asked evasively.

I looked at Edward in despair and he looked no different as he ran a hand through his hair in agitation.

This wasn't happening. We were getting married and didn't have any rings?! How could this have happened?

"It looks like we have a very special ring bearer today," the clergyman smirked, gesturing back down the aisle.

Ced sat by the kneeling Jasper.

When had Ced crawled over to him? It didn't matter at the moment, because Ced held a small white pillow between his hands. Tied to it were two rings.

"Well, big guy. Just like we practiced!", Jazz spurred our baby on.

Ced looked at the pillow, then at us, then seemed to examine the aisle, which was very long for him, with his eyes. Ced nodded at Jazz. All serious and focused.

Jasper smiled and put our baby on his own legs.

"No," Edward muttered incredulously as Ced then started to move.

I covered my mouth with my hand in surprise.

Our baby walked all alone towards us. On his little legs. He still looked a little clumsy and untrained and highly focused, but our baby could walk! I was so touched. Our baby brought us the rings!

We squatted down to receive our baby, but he had only made the half way mark. He was still a good meter from the steps when he faltered, his little fingers cramped into the pillow they held and he fell forward lengthwise.

Startled sounds murmured through the hall, and some stood up in alarm.

Ced immediately cried, but Edward was already with him, although he had not been able to prevent the fall.

Leah held me a bit as I also wanted to go to Ced, but I probably would have just tumbled down the two steps excitedly without her anyway.

Carlisle was also already sitting with Ced, but he smiled while my baby sobbed.

Edward picked him up and came to me with him, whereby Ced's head buried itself in the crook of his daddy's neck.

"No harm done, my heart," he spoke soothingly, gently stroking my cheek.

I did not believe him.

So why was my son howling like a castle dog when nothing was hurting him?

"He's ashamed because he fell down," Edward then explained, and I laughed.

As did some of our guests.

That's just like my baby again!

Edward was one step below me, so I was still at eye level with Ced.

If he would look at me.

I cuddled reassuringly through his neck.

"All is well, my darling!", I whispered to him.

The sobbing faltered a bit, but he seemed to want to hide even more with Edward and pushed my hand aside.

"Hey, Ced," Leah then said softly.

She stood behind Edward, seeking out Ced's little hand, and Ced peeked over Edward's shoulder at her a very little bit, too. They looked at each other for a moment. They talked in Ced's way. Jake still joined them, taking a finger as well.

Siblings among themselves, I thought, touched.

Ced rubbed his teary eyes and peeked at me despondently.

I smiled.

"We're proud of you for doing such a great job!", I assured him. That had apparently been the right answer.

He looked to his daddy, who nodded affirmatively and gave him a kiss on the forehead.

"Shall we continue?" he asked our son after a moment.

He nodded. Still embarrassed.

So we regrouped on the podium, this time with Ced on Edward's arm, from which he would not get off, and the priest smiled at the little unplanned break.

"He really is a little angel," he commented.

"Yes, that's him," I confirmed.

Then the priest continued.

He asked me if I wanted to take this man as my lawful husband.

"Yes. I do," I looked Edward in the eyes.

Edward was asked the same thing.

"Yes, I do," he replied.

Jake took Ced and Leah held out the pillow with the rings. Our little son then fumbled awkwardly down one of them.

"Take it easy, little man!" the clergyman commented as Ced's little fingers became frantic.

Ced smiled, but then he got one off the pillow.

The smaller of the two.

"Isabella Marie Black. With this ring, I take you to be my wife. I promise to love and honor you. In good days and in bad. In sickness and in health. In poverty and in wealth. As long as we both shall live. So help me God," Edward said in his velvety voice, slipping the ring over my finger.

He breathed another kiss over it, which now sat under his mother's engagement ring.

Ced fumbled anew, but this time apparently knew how to do it.

"Edward Anthony Cull ...", I was nudged from the side, and someone cleared their throat audibly, "... Stone", I then remembered to say.

Edward smiled mischievously.

"With this ring, I take you to be my husband. I promise to love and honor you. In good days and in bad. In health and in sickness. In poverty and in wealth. As long as we both shall live. So help me God," I vowed, looking my husband in the eye and slipping the ring over his finger.

I stroked over it with the hand where my ring was.

Only now did I notice what the rings really looked like in the first place. Plain. Simple rings that had only a light golden appearance. Exactly these I would have chosen. My engagement rings were already very ornate, so an equally ornate wedding band would not have matched them. And for Edward, a man, I thought such a simple one was also more fitting.

While I was looking so dreamily at our married hands, the priest was talking something. I heard his voice, but I did not listen. My eyes wandered, lost in thought. Over our hands, the rings, the collar of Edward's jacket, the rose attached to it, up to his eyes.

"I love you!", I whispered.

"I love you, my wife!" he murmured just as dreamily, and we kissed.

It was as if we were all alone, floating on a cloud, gentle and soulful. And never ending. All my love flowed into this incredible kiss. I felt his, too. Heard his. Heard so much all at once that I felt a little dizzy.

But the kiss found no end.

I just let myself fall into his thoughts and gave him mine. I was almost overwhelmed by this moment. Edward was mine and no one would ever change that. I don't know exactly how it happened, but at some point we detached from each other. It could well have been the enthusiastic applause. Or by the happy, touched giggles of our three children right next to us.

They hugged us directly and congratulated us.

Other guests also wanted to join us, but the clergyman cleared his throat.

"Excuse me, but we are not quite finished yet. It is unusual, but I'm afraid I must insist that you sign the marriage certificate immediately," he said with a strange undertone and stepped aside, gesturing to a small narrow table behind him.

We shrugged our shoulders.

I had never experienced it like that before, and I had been to a few weddings, but okay.

Behind us, the whispering about what this meant began immediately. One sat down apparently again.

My husband and I walked toward the table.

The marriage certificate. I had already signed it a few times as maid of honor. But never as a bride, I smiled in anticipation.

"There are also a few details missing," the priest pointed to the corresponding fields.

Led name in marriage. Both with me and with Edward.

I chewed on my lower lip.

"We haven't even talked about that yet," Edward reflected.

"Fill in what your feeling tells you. I am your wife, and you are my husband. No matter what our names are," I said.

"What if I fill in Kunigunde and Agamemnon in?" he asked mischievously.

"Then I'll divorce you right back!", I stuck my tongue out at him.

He kissed me, but then wrote something in the appropriate boxes.

Isabella Marie Black and Edward Anthony Black.

He had already signed.

A tear rolled out of my eye, so my signature looked pretty shaky. The children also signed while I hugged my husband.

My husband. How that sounded!

"Sweet of you, Mr. Black."

"What's in a name, Mrs. Black," he gently kissed my lips.

The priest looked at the document and nodded with satisfaction.

"There. Now that you are married according to all the laws in force, it is a special pleasure for me to do one more thing, although it is not actually one of my duties," the priest said mysteriously. "May I ask you to take your seats once again. Also the witnesses please," he asked politely.

So we lined up again, as we did at the beginning.

Edward handed Ced to Marcus and I glanced over my shoulder. Towards Alice. She just looked ahead quietly, but Jasper winked at me encouragingly.

"I have one more question to ask you," he looked at all of us, but his gaze lingered on Edward. "Mr. Edward Black," the priest began, making a dramatic pause.

Worked. With me in any case. But apparently also with Edward, who suddenly squeezed my hand very tightly and looked quite ... shocked. Could also be overwhelmed. I was not sure.

"Is it your free will ...," he looked at a note in his jacket, "... the children present here ... Leah Renée Black and ... Jacob William Black ... to accept them as your own children? ... To protect and guard them. To educate and reprimand them when necessary? To be a father to them whenever you need a father?", I listened to the man very carefully to understand what else he wanted after our actual marriage and shivered a little when I understood.

The adoption of my children. I had completely forgotten about that.

"What?" asked Leah in surprise, as if she hadn't heard right.

"Can you repeat that again?" asked Jake, quite distraught.

"Yes! I do!", on the other hand, Edward said clearly.

Jake's and Leah's heads immediately flew to him while Edward held onto my hand.

"Provided they're okay with it!" he followed up a bit nervously.

I squeezed his hand encouragingly as I waited anxiously for my twins' reaction.

They had known nothing about it. We hadn't told them anything about it because the prospects of it happening were so extremely poor. In this respect, we had not asked them for their opinion on this. What to talk about if it was not possible in the first place. The disappointment would have been great, but I didn't know what they thought about it. They knew their biological father only from other people's memories, but they were proud to be his children. Children of the Quileute chief. Perhaps, even though their father was no longer alive, they would not want to disappoint or disown him by choosing another just like that. On the other hand, they loved Edward as if he were their father.

The twins looked at each other but did not move.

I felt Edward's disappointment as the pressure of his hand around my own weakened.

He hung his head and squinted his eyes.

A small sound came from Leah, which made Edward look up. Leah cried as she nodded vigorously. But Jake looked only slightly different. He swallowed his tears seemingly, but nodded as well. Tentatively, though.

I took a step back as the three of them fell into each other's arms. I let a few tears of joy fall as I looked at my happy family.

"Um ... someone else here wants to be adopted," Marcus interjected to the moved crowd.

Ced looked all angry on his arm.

"I don't have to adopt you. You're already mine," Edward stated conciliatorily, twirling Ced happily through the air.

"May I please," the priest opined after an appropriate moment.

We had to sign the adoption documents.

I, as the birth mother, ceded half of the custody. Since the children were over sixteen years old, they also had to sign that they agreed. And Edward thus now officially took over half the responsibility for our two predators.

The clergyman now congratulated us all, expressed his joy for such a happy family, and apologized if his second act had been a bit bumpy. Performing an adoption had been his first time.

"It was all perfect," I praised and thanked, though.

Then they all approached us one after the other.

Congratulated, hugged, kissed, cuddled. In the process, no one left out Ced.

Purely for form's sake, so the baby didn't get mad again.

In doing so, I greeted many for the first time that weekend.

Virtually all the men. Carlisle and my new brothers-in-law. The Native Americans. David and his sons. The Latham family was there. I got to know the Denalis. Becky's grandmother.

Meanwhile, the benches were moved aside, and a large open area was created.

I swallowed dryly as music kicked in louder after all the guests were greeted and congratulated us.

"Mrs. Black. May I have this dance?" purred Edward charmingly.

"Mr. Black. I would be honored!" I replied and he escorted me to the center of the open space.

Edward led me as always great over the parquet, so that I forgot as always completely that I was not actually made for dancing. He smiled incessantly stunning while doing so.

"You look happy," I commented.

"Probably because I am," he laughed.

He twirled me happily through the air that I struggled for breath, but put me back on my feet and continued to dance, matching the music, as if nothing had happened.

However, I was still a little behind the beat. I snuggled up to my husband while he was responsible for the further beat.

People applauded softly when the music faded away.

From somewhere a huge cake had appeared, which now seemed to be waiting for us between the round tables.

Our guests stood around it invitingly.

Except for Orenda. She was already sitting at one of the tables, but looked very happy and relaxed. And Billy, of course.

Everyone had champagne glasses in their hands, which were then also handed to us by Carlisle. Expectantly they looked forward to us.

"We thank you all for coming here!" Edward began solemnly to say. "It is one of the most important days of our existence and you are here to celebrate this day with us. To see our love climb the final step. It was a long way until we were allowed to arrive here together. For a long time we thought we would never see this day, almost choked on our grief, and yet here we are. In the midst of our family and friends."

"Alice," I took the floor. "You did so many things for us without us knowing. You have outdone yourself and given us this beautiful day. Thank you, Alice! But I also want to thank the rest of you. Alice must have put you guys through quite a bit of work, while we just got to be happy. We thank you for all that you did. And I don't even want to know exactly what it was. We can't even make it up to you. Thank you!", I said.

"To the bride and groom!", Jasper raised his glass, which many others then repeated.

I knew what that meant.

He did not want to respond directly to our thanks, because it had been natural for our family. Rose, Alice, and Esmé had already tried to explain this to me enough since yesterday.

Edward and I clinked our glasses together and drank.

My vampire actually drank a small sip.

"Not that you're getting drunk," I teased him.

"I already am," he smiled back. "From you."

Esmé then handed us a knife so that we could cut the cake.

"Surely no one is hungry yet," Edward reflected with a grin.

"Oh, come on. What makes you think that?!" grumbled Jake.

"Wolves!" mumbled Edward, rolling his eyes.

"They say whoever has their hand on top when it comes to cutting wears the pants in marriage," I heard Orenda explain softly.

Edward looked at me, we intertwined our fingers and put the knife in the middle.

We were partners. Equal partners.

It was also customary for the bride and groom to feed each other with the first bite.

It surprised me that Edward seemed to want to implement this custom. He held out a fork to me and himself already started to spear a piece of cake on another one. I took very little on the fork for the vampire of us. He ate and swallowed it smiling.

"You're inexperienced when it comes to food," I teased, licking a tiny bit of cream filling from the corner of his mouth.

"You just didn't feed me properly!" he complained.

It was our job to distribute the pieces of cake, so we brought each 'human' a piece to their place.

People had already spread out at the tables. They were all prepared for up to six people and beautifully set and decorated.

On the tables there were little bells spread, but I didn't know why. But it was explained to us immediately. Whenever a little bell rang, the bride and groom had to kiss. To check if we understood, the bells rang all over the room. And Edward and I kissed. A game that we would definitely enjoy.

One table in particular stood out and my flowers lay already there.

I guess that was our table. We sat down with Jake, Becky, Leah, and Marcus, with Ced sitting on Edward's lap and being fed cake. Cutlery was still much too awkward for our little angel. We had sat the priest at our table with us so he wouldn't notice that many of the guests were eating nothing. David's children had been positioned mostly with their backs to the rest of the guests. Brandon was again talking shop with Emmett about some computer games, which is why he sat between our vampires and chewed something for them.

The twins asked what the adoption would actually mean for them now.

"Well. I may now officially ground you and send you to bed. Cut your allowance. Take away your cars again. Send you to a boarding school far, far away. Switzerland or something..." mused Edward, teasingly.

"Um ... Mom!" hooked Jake promptly.

"Right he is!", however, I merely confirmed.

"Then we want our mom back!" determined Leah.

"Too late," Edward raised his ring in evidence. "She's mine and I'm never giving she back!" he kissed me.

"And I'll never let you go again!", I retorted.

A little bell rang.

Ced clapped enthusiastically that we must have understood the rules for the little bell.

After the cake, the priest said goodbye.

We accompanied him to the door and thanked him for the beautiful words and that, although he had never seen us before, he had married us.

It was actually intended that one had various conversations with the bride and groom in advance. Practical things, like that he discussed the general flow and the like. But also so that he got to know the bride and groom to find the right words for the ceremony. Alice had taken him completely by surprise, however, and he hadn't been able to say anything at all other than that he was ready for this surprise wedding ceremony. He also thought it was quite original.

The atmosphere was great.

It changed depending on what was on at the time, but overall it was cheerful.

Sentimental moments came when someone gave a little speech.

Charlie, for example, embarrassingly recalled my childhood. Jake and Leah demanded legal assistance from Jasper as they spoke. If one really wanted to send them to boarding school, they wanted to know where they could get the adoption reversed. But they had been very happy with their dad so far and would certainly continue to be so. He had seen them through many a bad hour, with Edward promising to continue to do so if necessary. Carlisle emphasized how happy he was to finally see Edward unreservedly happy after all this time. It had taken a very long time. One avoided giving more specific time frames. David's children were listening, after all. Billy said something. Told something about my Jacob and that he would probably be very happy to see me and his children here today like this. Emma also took the podium. She announced that it had been a lot of fun yesterday, that I looked like a queen, that Edward looked like a great prince and that the cake was delicious.

There were funny things.

They played little games with us.

The classic was there, the marriage quiz, but in a modified form.

We sat back to back on two chairs, each holding one of my shoes and one of Edward's shoes. At the same time, three vases stood on a small table next to us. One was a tall glass vase. It was engraved with our names and today's date. Next to it, two smaller ones filled with sand. For me there was pale red sand, for Edward sky blue.

We were asked questions, which we had to answer by means of the respective shoe without any arrangements.

First question: Which of us misplaced his cell phone more often?

I lifted my shoe. Edward did likewise.

Since I was the right answer, I got to pour a little of my sand into the big vase.

More questions follow and we were pretty much in agreement on most of them. Gradually, the vase was filled with sand according to the answer. A beautiful pattern was created.

"Who's tougher on the kids?" asked Jasper next.

I lifted up Edward's shoe.

General laughter followed.

Edward was of a different opinion and had lifted my shoe.

I disputed that.

Our twins were consulted, but they could not agree either. Jake said that Edward was stricter. Leah, on the other hand, that I had more to complain about. So Ced was the deciding force. He peeked rather indecisive, and we both tried to explain our respective opinions to him matter-of-factly. He then pointed to his daddy. I gave my son a kiss on the cheek while Edward put some of his sand in the vase.

"Who has the bigger thick skull?" raised Alice the next question.

Immediately I lifted Edward's shoe, but one was already laughing.

Again, we disagreed.

We discussed this loudly to the general amusement. Until I demanded a divorce.

"Bella, then!" merely stated Alice.

I snorted disdainfully and dumped some of my sand into the large vase.

Several little bells rang, and I forgot what a divorce was.

"This makes it unnecessary to ask who is the worse loser!" commented Jasper.

"Who fell in love with the other first?" came the next question directly.

I lifted my shoe and Edward lifted his.

I turned sideways to him, but facing away from the guests, which he followed suit.

"You were going to kill me in bio," I whispered teasingly.

"Yes, but I couldn't. You've been confusing me since I saw you in the cafeteria," he recalled, holding my hand as he did so.

"Confused is not in love."

"Yes, I was already trapped by you. I just didn't know what it meant. Because I didn't know that feeling until then," he explained softly.

"That time when our eyes met in the cafeteria, it changed something in me. You changed me," I recalled.

"Maybe we should rephrase the question," Alice reflected. "Who knew first that it was love?" she now asked.

I smiled as I looked at Edward again.

I really still knew when I became aware of it in its full implications.

"It was on a weekend. Jacob told me the legends, which, on the one hand, he assumed were not true, and on the other hand, he did not know that it was forbidden to tell them to outsiders. As a result, I dreamed of you, but also of wolves, and I realized what you had to be. I was startled out from the dream, but couldn't go back to sleep, even though it was still early. So I got dressed, had breakfast and at some point went into the forest. I needed air. As I did so, I thought and realized one thing: I didn't care what you were."

Edward shook his head with a smile, put an arm around my shoulders over the back of the chair, pulled me a little closer to him and kissed me on the temple.

"You pulled the CD player with the headphones off the nightstand by sitting up so jerkily," he whispered.

I looked at him with wide eyes.

"That night, I was with you for the first time. That very night, while watching you sleep for the first time and listening to you dream, I understood my sensations. I was in your room when you woke up from that dream. I was sitting in the rocking chair. Actually, you should have seen me, the light was on, but you were probably still too busy with your confusing dream. You looked at your clock and spun around again, groaning. Charlie was already gone fishing, so I silently escaped through the door instead of the window I had come through. You probably would have heard the creak then, after all."

"My window? But it never creaked. I remember that because it surprised me when I opened it for the first time," I thought I remembered.

"It creaked ... Only I oiled the hinges the following night. I came every night from then on to hear you say my name," he now admitted for the first time.

I was kind of overwhelmed by this information. It had been so long ago. Almost exactly twenty years.

I snuggled up to my husband as far as the backs of the chairs would allow.

"Tie!" stated Jasper behind us.

We put our last bits of sand into the vase together so that the colors blended.

It had become a very beautiful pattern.

Alice took my flower arrangement of the three roses and stuck them right through all the sand. They fit in perfectly in terms of length.

That's why they were artificial flowers, I thought at once. So that this vase remained just the same as a reminder to us, without the flowers would fade and dry.

There was a lot of dancing, to constantly changing music.

My son had even asked me personally to dance. Jake, not Ced. Although, with Ced, I also danced across the parquet.

I held his hands and he hopped on his newly discovered little legs.

Somehow I danced with all the men in the meantime. Even with Brandon I tried it, but it really felt right only with Edward.

So right in the sense that you would have recognized what I was doing as dancing.

Edward also led one lady after another across the dance floor.

He had even started teaching his daughters to dance, even though it was our wedding. However, everyone meant to have to give him advice on this.

Brandon said goodbye late in the afternoon.

No one knew where he was, since no one knew about our wedding. In this respect, he soon had to show up by his girlfriend.

"It's no secret that we got married," Edward commented as we walked Brandon down the hall to the front door.

I nodded.

"We just wouldn't be able to explain to anyone if it came up that Ced is our son. You see how fast he's growing," I said, pointing to our baby Brandon was currently carrying.

The two of them were getting along. Better said, if that was Jake's best friend, it was Ced's too. They were brothers after all and shared everything. Parents or grandparents, for example. Or even Becky.

"So you can go ahead and tell us where you were for the afternoon. Your mother will know tomorrow anyway, when she learns that Jake and Leah now have another legal guardian. I am already very curious about Cathlyn's face," Edward laughed gleefully.

"Me too," I agreed. "It was nice having you here, Brandon," I hugged him lightly and picked my baby back up in my arms.

Edward and Bran shook hands.

"Oh, I forgot something else. Wait!" Bran said and ran outside to his car.

He returned with a small gift.

"The whole group sincerely congratulates you, even if they don't know it yet!" he handed it to us.

"But Bran," I put in.

"Nothing there, Mrs. B. I know Alice has banned gifts, but that doesn't mean we play along with that!" he interrupted me.

"Thank you. Also to the other two. Lisa and Jason," I said.

He nodded, Edward thanked him too and he walked back to his car.

Three of us waved after him.

Then we went to take care of our baby first.

He was thirsty. Bloody thirst.

Since all the guests were in the back of the house in the ballroom, Edward got a bottle from upstairs, and we sat down in the living room.

Our baby admired us while we did it.

How my hair looked today, the lace on my shoulders and arms, Edward's handsome suit, our rings.

We went back and a very slow song was playing.

Pretty much all the couples were cuddling on the dance floor. David and Sonya looked very much in love. Garrett and Kate. Rose and Emmett. And all the others. Jake and Becky had probably forgotten in the meantime that they were actually dancing. They were just kissing without really moving.

Emma asked Ced to dance when she saw us coming back.

It looked really cute. Ced kept plopping down on his butt, but each time he got back up.

My gaze roamed around the room.

Ciara and Billy seemed kind of strange. They were both smiling so goofily. David's three boys were apparently listening to a story that Tanya and Irina were telling. Orenda had a 'Long Island Iced Tea' in front of her and was also smiling rather oddly.

"Where's Leah?", I noticed who was missing.

"And Marcus?" stated Edward.

He seemed to be concentrating.

"Leah has been crying and Marcus is comforting her," he said sorrowfully.

"Because of Nanuk," I muttered.

He nodded.

"Maybe it wasn't so good after all," I reflected. "I mean we've already gotten married now. It must cut her deeply to have had that already on her mind when Ced made the connection between them."

"Yes, perhaps," Edward merely whispered. "But Marcus always manages to cheer up our princess," he said after a moment, gesturing to one of the French windows.

There, the two just snuck back in and Leah even smiled. A little tentatively, but it was a smile. She obviously didn't want to let her crying show. Edward provided cheerful music. Also that she would remain so for the rest of the celebration.

Alice had also thought of keeping the children busy. Therefore, the next thing was a game for them.

David's four children and Ced. They had to bring balloons from one side of the room to the other. Without hands. Otherwise, it would be easy. It was delightful to watch the kids do it and Edward's camera flashed almost in continuous mode.

Daniel tried it with two balloons between his legs. Deacon tried tucking one under his chin. Ced had learned about the static attraction of hair and used it to move each one to the other side. Emma and he teamed up, so they had a fair chance against the bigger ones, too. Luces eventually won, but they all got some of his candy.

Then we had a wonderful dinner.

It was set up as a buffet and the children were nicely fooled about the food intake of the vampires present. It was set up in an adjoining room, together with some bar tables, while the children were allowed to eat at the table in the hall. So it gave them the impression that all the guests were eating, but that some of them were staying in the other room, because there was a constant back and forth and used plates were distributed everywhere.

Edward then fed me 'Mousse au Chocolat'.

I couldn't decide which tasted better. This dessert or his lips. But in combination it was unbeatable without a doubt.

I went to one of the bathrooms. I took one that was not in the immediate vicinity, as I wanted a bit of peace and quiet.

Just a moment to let my impressions of today sink in. I guess my senses were a little overstimulated. The beautiful decorations, the fun games, the music all the time, all the people, my dress, Edward's suit, my beautiful children, our huge family. The ring on my finger.

I came out of the bathroom after a rather awkward act - because of my dress - when I saw David leaning against the wall opposite.

"You look stunning, Bella!" he stated.

"Thank you," I said, a little embarrassed.

He took me by the hand, and we chatted walking.

"So you guys made it. How does that make you feel?" he asked cheerfully.

"Happy. Just happy!"

"It shows on your face. Him too," he laughed.

"I actually would have liked a small celebration, but now that I'm experiencing it ... it's just right. I'm actually missing a few people."

"Zoey. Eric and Angela. And of course Renée and Phil," he came up with those people on his own.

"Yes. With them, it would be perfect. Do you actually know Angela?"

"Virtually ... She used to be here, but it was a few years ago. Deacon was only a few weeks old then," he recalled.

"That's right. You bent her ears about how great it would be to be a father ...," I remembered.

Angela had just been pregnant then, but not for long, and David's talk about being a parent had pretty much backfired. He had talked a lot about how little sleep he would get since then because the kids were now taking turns waking up at night. Or how often Sonya would have to wash because the kids made everything dirty. Especially at mealtimes. Pampers, making the apartment safe, children screaming without further explanation of what the child wanted and so on. All the things you could look forward to.

"Say, where are we going anyway?", I then asked when I noticed that we were not on our way back to the party, but had reached the front door.

"Didn't you notice?" he asked in response.

I shrugged my shoulders ignorantly.

"I just kidnapped the bride (1)!" he clarified.

"Oh ...", I merely made in surprise.

He held out my white coat and I slipped into it.

I wasn't sure what to do or how to respond.

"And I have an accomplice," he purred, as Jake suddenly stood with us as well.

Grinning.

"And where are you taking me?"

"To where Dad will think you are last," Jake said, lifting me up in his arms.

David opened the front door, and we went out into the now dark cold, but David stayed behind.

We did not move away from the house. A narrow path ran around the building before the garden, or the area began. Over it Jake carried me around the house. We had been walking for a few minutes. Under normal circumstances, I probably would have been a little cold by now, but my son was, after all, quite warm-blooded by nature. I asked if that was why he had been chosen to do this.

"No. Because your smell gets lost under mine for Dad. We don't want to make it too easy for him," Jake chuckled.

"And how do you like the idea that he's legally your dad now, too?"

"It depends!"

"On what?"

"What it means about boarding school!" clarified Jake.

But he certainly knew that Edward would not send his children away voluntarily under any circumstances.

After some time we had gone around more than half of the house and entered it through the French doors in the banquet hall.

Edward was not there.

"He's looking for you!", David explained to me. "And as your official kidnapper, you're mine for the time being!" he threatened, pulling me imperiously against him.

"And what does my captor want?"

"A kiss?!"

"From Edward? You'll have to negotiate that with him," I teased him.

I danced with David as long as I was his prisoner.

It took Edward some time to get back. He looked quite desperate at first. Then he apparently grasped the situation.

"You stole my bride!" he playfully scowled at David.

A little bell rang somewhere, and Edward wanted to come up to me, as the rule said, but David put his arms around me possessively.

"Bella is mine right now," David stated.

Another little bell.

David winked at me and kissed me.

As usual between us. Our closed lips touched gently. A silent greeting.

"That's MY wife!", Edward became a touch more threatening.

"But you lost her!"

"You know what?!" said Edward. He smiled bittersweetly. "Keep her!"

"What?!", I interjected.

"If he wants you so badly!" shrugged Edward. "I'll take Sonya then," he purred and went to her.

On the way he took Emma in his arms.

"And your smooch ball!" added Edward.

He sat down with Sonya and gave her a kiss on the cheek, put Emma demonstratively on his lap and looked winning.

"It seems I'm having a baby too!" he acted happily surprised as he gently placed a hand on Sonya's belly.

Ced crawled to him, looking all confused.

"You are my brother now!", Emma made it very clear here.

This apparently confused Ced even more. He made a brooding-funny face and looked around for help from his real siblings.

But they also just shrugged their shoulders ignorantly.

"And you put up with that from your husband!", Shanti asked me, amused and indignant.

"Edward ... Anthony ... Black ...!", I said clearly and walked towards him with commanding steps.

Edward's eyes flashed in my direction, but I couldn't tell why.

He rose and sat Emma in his chair.

I was just about to start explaining marriage to him. That he would have married me and not Sonya. That he would have his own family. That he had sworn to love and honor me. But I didn't really get around to it.

When a few little bells were heard, Edward imperiously pulled me into his arms and kissed me so stunningly that I was completely in his arms. I 'woke up' from this state of devotion and love when I heard something metallic rattling.

Very close.

I opened my eyes ...

Handcuffs. Around Edwards and my wrist. Behind them a grinning Emmett.

"So you don't lose each other again!"


(1) The 'kidnapping of the bride' is a custom that exists in Europe (especially in the Alpine countries). Friends kidnap the bride from the party and take her to another pub - usually no more than a village away - and have a round of drinks. The groom follows and has to redeem the bride by paying for the drinks. It should not take too long so that the bride and groom are not away from the party for long.


Thanks for reading!