Well...look who is back! I wanted to close the story with a nice finish so here is the short sequal to Riptide...Tideline! Tideline means when two currents converge which I thought was perfect for Edward and Bella's engagement and new life together. This story will be short, but hopefully all loose ends will be answered! Thank you for your support. Remember all characters are human!
Twilight is not owned by me.
Shades of moss green in velvet and chiffon lined the aisles with sprays of beautiful eucalyptus and white flowers I couldn't name. It almost distracted me from the numerous faces peering back at me. Taking a deep breath, I stepped carefully down the aisle taking extra caution due to the nude satin heels Alice insisted I wear. Quickly scanning the crowd, I saw a couple of familiar faces, including Elizabeth Platt, Edward's stern grandmother. Her face was neutral with a twinge of frigidity as she made eye contact with me. I tried to muster a smile and was successful as the six-piece orchestra played.
I was only looking for one pair of eyes, the olive green eyes with the flecks of amber. Our eyes finally met and the nerves which bubbled up in my stomach all but ceased. His crooked smile pierced my heart and a wave of calm flowed over me. I barely noticed the men standing next to him.
I continued taking careful steps, staying steady and staring at Edward to keep me calm. I finally made it to the end of the aisle and I took my place next to Rosalie. I looked towards the back of the church along with the crowd as the orchestra's tune turned into the classic wedding march. The double doors opened and there was Alice, an immaculate vision in her bright white wedding dress, hugging her father's arm.
Her dress was a-line with a subtle sweetheart neckline. The bodice had lace appliques around the waist while the skirt was a delicate tulle which almost appeared as if she was floating gracefully. The dress had short flutter sleeves in the same tulle. Alice's hair was tied up in a perfect updo with curls framing her delicate features. Alice's smile was beaming from ear to ear.
I glanced at Jasper, standing at the front alongside Emmett, Edward, and Jasper's best man, Peter, who he had met in the police academy. Jasper had a silly grin on his face as he saw his bride walk towards him. Edward and Emmett also stared at their sister as she descended the aisle with their father. It was so sweet how they stared at their sister.
I glanced at the front row and I saw Esme enamored at the sight of her daughter walking down the aisle with her husband. We had waited so long for this day to happen.
The past couple of months had passed by quickly as Clear Lake was being repaired and returned to its former glory after Hurricane Aro. It was utterly amazing how so much could change in such a short amount of time. It had only been 2 months since the hurricane which wreaked havoc on so many lives in our beloved town. Construction on my house had just begun and Edward was there for every moment as we knew it would be our future home together.
Esme had outdone herself with the floor plans with her debut as an architect. Edward and I've been engaged for 2 months and have already started working on the wedding plans. Although our engagement was quick, we knew we wanted to marry within the next year or so. It was so strange to meet somebody with such a deep connection and grow so close together in such a short amount of time.
Alice was finally at the front of the church now and with a closer view, I could see remnants of tears in her eyes which sparkled only adding to her beauty. Carlisle gave Jasper a firm handshake and a clap on the back as he placed Alice's hand in his. Alice and Jasper were truly a perfect couple together and I could not be any happier standing by their side on their big day. The ceremony seemed to pass in a blur, but not too fast as it was a Catholic mass wedding. Before we knew it, Alice Cullen and Jasper Hale were now Mr. and Mrs. Jasper and Alice Hale!
After countless pictures, the bridal party was released to the reception which was held at Clear Lake's elite country club. Shades of green, olive, and eucalyptus were throughout the reception venue with the same white flowers and other varieties. All of Alice's hard work in meticulous planning had paid off. Everything was breathtaking, floor to ceiling.
Edward and I walked hand in hand and found a waiter carrying some kind of lobster appetizer.
"Thank you," I told the waiter, I hadn't realized how hungry I was.
"Leave it to Alice to have such foofoo appetizers" Edward chuckled as another waiter passed with what looked to be a caviar dish."
"Well, what do you want to serve at our wedding?" I wondered.
"Something delicious. And I want to make sure I get some of it too, Jasper and Alice are still taking photos."
"I hope they aren't hungry," I frowned.
"I'm sure Alice planned for that, she is an amazing planner."
More and more guests filtered through the glass double doors.
"Oh, there's Nana. I better go see if she needs help finding her seat." Edward said as he slipped the last bite of appetizer in his mouth. "How's my tie?" he asked, pulling slightly at his neck.
"Here," I pulled it gently into place. "I'll go with you, if you think that's okay."
"Of course," he smirked. "You're my fiance." He grabbed my hand and we began towards Nana Platt. Her hair was pulled back away from her face, expertly configured into an elegant bun. She wore a light brown tweed jacket over a navy shift dress, all reeking of money. A thin string of pearls sparkled around her neck. She was also surrounded by a few other women of her age, looking just as dignified as her.
"Nana," Edward forced a smile, "Do you need any help finding your table?"
"Oh, my dear Edward," She smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Agnes, Sarah, Francesca, this is my handsome grandson. Isn't he so handsome?" She said, placing her palm on Edward's cheek.
"Oh yes," one of the women agreed, "He certainly has grown up." She flashed Edward a smile and then placed her eyes on me. She looked at me from the ground up and her smile faltered for the briefest second.
"Nana, you remember my fiance, Bella," Edward put his arm around my waist.
"It's nice to see you again, Ms. Platt," I said, putting on a brave face. These women certainly seemed to be judging me literally from the ground up.
"Yes, of course." She pursed her lips slightly.
"Let us help you to your table," Edward briefly glanced at me, but I still held my smile.
"He's such a sweetheart," said another woman.
Edward let go of my waist, but not before squeezing me slightly in reassurance. He offered Nana his arm which she gladly took and walked alongside Edward. Nana's gaggle of geese followed closely and I felt their eyes pierce my back.
"I believe all of you are sitting here, at table three," Edward said smoothly.
"Thank you, my dear boy."
"Of course, now I believe as the brother of the bride and groomsmen I am obligated to greet some more guests." Nana nodded and patted his arm.
"Go ahead, Edward." She smiled again at him in approval and glanced at her friends boastingly.
I continued to put on a brave smile as I nodded at Nana in goodbye. Edward placed his arm around my waist again and ushered me towards a family of honey-blondes, assuming this was Jasper's family. As soon as our backs were turned, I managed to hear whispering coming from the gaggle. Taking a deep breath, I glanced at Edward and smiled as we walked towards Jasper's family.
The reception went amazingly smoothly with no hiccups due to Alice's fastidious planning. It was finally over and my feet ached from my heels. We said a loving goodbye to the happy couple. They were both headed to their honeymoon in Italy.
I was back in the studio, working on a new piece. A canvas sat in front of me with a palette of colors beside me. With a steady hand, I dipped my brush into the deep blue paint, the color of the ocean on a bright summer day. As I applied the paint to the canvas, I imagined the rhythmic waves crashing against the shore. The paint strokes mimicked the repetive motion of the waves.
With each stroke, I attempted to bring the scene to life - the distant horizon, the foamy waves, and the seagulls circling in the sky. The salty breeze seemed to caress my cheeks as I carefully blended hues of blue and green to capture the essence of the sea. Lost in my art, I felt a sense of peace and tranquility, as if the viewer was transported to the shoreline.
My brush paused as my thoughts drifted to Edward. I sighed happily. I truly was happy, despite an eventful summer. My mother and I had ceased contact, she would send me a text once a week but I've learned to ignore them. My dad and I would talk on the phone weekly, he was even planning to visit soon to see my studio and gallery. I hadn't heard from or about James which settled my nerves.
The only thing that fueled any anxiety was the house being built. Edward and I knew we were to live there once we were married so we made all decisions together. Well, he mostly trusted my opinion. We have yet to have any disagreement on any design plans.
Edward had been my rock through everything, especially during the cleanup of the old house. I managed to keep some of the hardwood flooring to create a piece with. For now, they were bundled in the corner until I had the inspiration to use them.
School had started again with the new Mrs. Cheney teaching second grade. Bree had gone back to school for her senior year and spent her weekends at the gallery. Clear Lake was settling down from a busy tourist summer which was cut short by the hurricane. I sold the most amount of paintings this summer and had many clients looking for new pieces as the fabulously wealthy rebuilt their massive beach houses on Mansion Row as called by the locals.
Wedding planning was not even causing me a lot of stress at the moment. We finally set a date for early spring. Bubbles of happiness erupted in my stomach as I thought about our wedding. I was just so incredibly...happy!
My phone pinged which brought me from my musings. It was Edward. Since I was living with Carlisle and Esme in one of their guest rooms for the moment, we had been spending a lot of time together. Edward frequented on almost a daily basis and we usually shared a meal all together.
Want to go out to dinner tonight? It read.
Sounds fun I replied.
Now I had even more to look forward to tonight.
We decided to go to our favorite Italian restaurant for our dinner date. As we walked into the cozy, dimly lit restaurant, the aroma of garlic and basil immediately made my stomach grumble with anticipation. Edward held my hand as we were led to our favorite corner table by the window overlooking the sea. The soft glow of the candle on our table created a romantic ambiance, and I couldn't help but admire the twinkle in Edward's eyes as he looked at me.
"So, how was your day today? Get a lot done?" He asked, toying with my fingers from across the table.
"Yes, I actually did. I did some paperwork in the morning, but spent the afternoon in the studio."
"Sounds like a productive day." He smiled.
"Yes," I agreed. "I got some orders of some ornaments which need to be painted soon."
"Do the snowbirds come down for the winter?" His fingers gently traced the lines on my palm.
"Christmas and winter are not nearly as busy as the summer, but there is a winter crowd I would say. We will see how busy we get this winter, because of Aro."
"That's true. Some places are being rebuilt slower than others."
We both ordered our favorite dishes and shared a bottle of rich red wine. The conversation flowed effortlessly, filled with laughter, sweet nothings, and plans for the weekend together. As we savored each bite of the delicious food and enjoyed each other's company, time seemed to stand still.
The restaurant had a live guitarist that evening, and the soft melodies filled the air. I felt so deeply connected to Edward, and it was as if nothing else mattered in that perfect, fleeting moment.
"It was nice to have dinner by ourselves for a change," Edward said as we stood up from the table.
"I do enjoy dinner with your parents, but yes, it was nice to just be with you." I grabbed his arm as we walked out of the restaurant. We got into his silver shiny volvo and he drove me home.
The car pulled up to the curb alongside the expansive Cullen abode. Ever the gentlemen, Edward opened my car door and a gentle breeze flowed through the air. It was still warm, but much cooler than the heat of the summer.
"Follow me?" He questioned, taking my hand in his.
"Anywhere, Edward."
He led me to our future house, where they had just finished pouring the foundation.
"This is the front door that opens to the living room and kitchen," he started. Then he took his phone flashlight out and pointed it towards the center of the foundation. "This will be the living room where we will cuddle on the couch and watch movies." He took us further inside and moved to the left. "This will be the kitchen where you will make delicious meals and where I will attempt to cook for us." I giggled and smiled.
"You're a better cook than you give yourself credit for, I promise," I rolled my eyes playfully. Now I pulled him towards a space to the right of the space where the front door would be. "This will be your study where I will peek in and bother you when you're working too late."
"You could never bother me, Bella." He chuckled into the dark.
"This is where our bedroom will be, where we will wake up next to each other and never have to say goodbye at night."
"I can't wait for that," He breathed into my hair. "I hate saying goodbye to you." He took us to another area of the soon-to-be-house. "Here's where the stairs will be, leading up to the other two bedrooms upstairs with the loft. You have to use your imagination better to picture the upstairs."
"Oh, I can recall the 3D model your mom showed us." The upstairs would lead into a small open area with two bedrooms. He brought me into the middle of tha foundation now.
"This will be our home, I can't wait to make it our home." Even in the darkness, I could see his eyes shining.