A/N: Thank you very much for reading and reviewing. I'm really glad you all enjoyed the wedding.
This chapter is the day of the wedding in Carlisle's POV, and it doesn't get much farther than the wedding. It might be a little repetitive, but I hope it's not too boring. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, these characters, or the song lyrics.
Song for chapter: Endless Love by Lionel Richie and Dianna Ross
Two hearts,
Two hearts that beat as one
Our lives have just begun
Carlisle POV
My alarm went off early. Too early, especially for a Saturday. But it didn't matter. Nothing as trivial as the amount of sleep I got compared with the fact that it was my wedding day. Today was the day that Esme Anne Platt would become my wife. Together, we would be Mr. and Mrs. Carlisle Cullen. Mrs. Esme Cullen. It sounded incredible as it ran through my sleep fogged brain. All of our years of waiting culminated in this day, and I could care less what time it began.
I stumbled out of bed and quietly headed to the door to unlock it before going into the kitchen to put on a pot of coffee. Four women were due to be barging into our apartment any minute, and I wanted to make it as pain free as I could for Emmett and I at least. He didn't deserve to be woken up by someone banging on the door, and I was headed back to bed for at least a few more restful minutes before the day officially began.
As soon as I lay back down, I heard the door open. I could tell the ladies were trying to be quiet, but their rather loud whispers still created noise. They passed by my open door and I waved to them. I was wished a good morning, and then they followed Carmen the rest of the way down the hallway to Esme's room to wake her from her hopefully peaceful slumber.
I had a feeling that she didn't sleep that well which was based solely on the fact that I didn't sleep well. Excitement liked to interfere with sleep, but that was okay with me. I knew Esme was probably okay with it also. A lack of sleep wouldn't make getting out of bed any easier, but it was a special day and if excitement could keep us awake during the night, it could keep us awake all day as well.
A few minutes later, a sleepy but beautiful Esme trudged her way toward our bathroom. As she passed the bed, she glanced it me with a look of longing mixed a hint of jealousy. I smiled to myself while she dressed in the bathroom, making more noise than usual because of her state of consciousness. When she was finished in the bathroom, she immediately climbed into bed with me and cuddled to my side. We were able to spend a couple of precious minutes together before she had to get back up to avoid any more forceful actions from our morning visitors.
I promised Esme that we could spend as much time as she wanted cuddling together later, and I meant it. If she wanted to spend our entire honeymoon lying beside each other and nothing else, I would be more than okay with it. It didn't matter to me what we did as long as we did it together and she was happy.
After Esme and the other women left for a morning full of pampering, I was still feeling like being lazy for a little while longer. I knew Emmett would probably be waking up soon, so to prevent myself from having to get up again, I went into his room and lifted him out of his crib. I carried him to my room and got back in bed with him cradled to my side. Emmett still retained the ability to sleep through just about anything so he continued to sleep soundly even after I moved him.
A little while later, he started to wake up. I kissed his head gently, and then stayed still to let him wake on his own. I watched as his eyes slowly opened and when he saw me, he smiled. As I looked at him, I was totally in awe. The feeling I had inside whenever I was around Emmett never lessened. If anything, it grew stronger every day. Being a parent was more fulfilling than I ever imagined it would be. Just knowing that I, along with Esme, was responsible for this life was incredible. Watching him learn and grow more each day was a wonderful experience, one that I wouldn't trade for the world.
Emmett rolled toward me even more and gripped my t-shirt tightly in one of his hands. He had definitely been clingier this week, probably due to the arrival of Kate and her brood. He was so jealous of attention I gave or any time I spent with my nieces and nephew, but honestly, I didn't want to change it. In his own way, Emmett was claiming me; showing that I was his and he was mine which had been my hope since the day I met him. So much had changed since that day, and all of it had been for the better.
I knew my coffee was probably getting cold, but I didn't rush getting out of bed. I wanted to sear the feeling of holding Emmett into my brain. After today, Esme and I would be gone until Wednesday. She didn't know how long our honeymoon was going to be, but I knew to keep it fairly short. Neither one of us wanted to be away from Emmett, and we would still have another two and a half weeks together at home before I had to go back to work.
I finally dragged both of us into the kitchen, fixing myself a cup of coffee and some milk for Emmett. I planned on going out for breakfast, so that left a few minutes for playtime.
I carried Emmett into his room, but he didn't show much interest in his toys like he normally did. I sat down in the floor and decided to try reading The Rabbits' Wedding to him again. I wasn't sure how much he had heard last night since he fell asleep sometime during the story.
Emmett sat and listened very attentively to the book. I tried to point out parts I felt were important about what a wedding was, but the only thing he seemed to like was all the bunnies. At the rate we were going, Emmett was going to be thinking that weddings were all about bunnies…and cake. Those were the only two things that decided to stick in his brain, but that was probably enough. As long as none of the events scared him and he didn't act out too much, everything would be fine.
Once I finished the book, I dressed Emmett in a white onesie and a little pair of Nike shorts and shoes. He would be uncomfortably dressed later which made the comfort very important now.
After he was dressed, we went back to my room where I changed into a clean t-shirt and my own pair of shorts. I tied my shoes quickly, grabbed a pre-packed diaper bag, and then we headed toward the door.
Right before walking out the door, I remembered the suitcases that were there waiting for me to load them into the car. I wasn't sure how to actually accomplish that while watching Emmett. I didn't want to leave him in the apartment by himself and leaving him in the car didn't sound any more appealing. After thinking for a few seconds, I decided to just have Emmett follow me to the car and back. It would take longer, but it was better than the alternatives.
After two trips from the apartment to the car, we were finally on our way to breakfast. I drove to McDonalds and we ate a quick meal inside. The food wasn't nearly as good as what I was used to Esme cooking in the morning, but it served its purpose. Once we were finished eating, we headed to my aunt and uncle's house.
When I found out the ladies were spending the morning together, I immediately asked what the men had planned. Eleazar and Garrett were planning on spending the morning lounging around the house watching the kids with the television tuned to college football pregame shows. To me, that sounded like a perfect way to relax before the wedding, so I accepted their invitation to join them.
I pulled into the driveway and then went around to the other side of the car so I could unload Emmett and his things for the week. Eleazar met us at the door and took Emmett's bag. I carried Emmett into the den with me, and as soon as I put him down, he ran off to play trains with Riley.
I sat down on the couch next to Garrett. He was feeding Jane a bottle while Corin sat next to him sulking with her bottom lip poked out dramatically.
"What's the matter?" I asked him.
"Miss Sassy here is upset about not being able to go to the "booty-shop" with her Mommy, Nana, and Aunt Esme," he explained while rolling his eyes. "I already told her that she isn't old enough and this was grown-up time."
"But Daddy!" she whined, sitting up on her knees. "I'm a whole hand now. And I know how to play booty-shop. Mommy lets me. Now I'm stuck with those icky boys."
I had to laugh at the way she wrinkled her nose when she called the boys icky.
"Corrie, why don't you play with me?" I suggested. Emmett was in his own little world with Riley so I figured I was safe for a few minutes to try to cheer my niece up.
"Really, Uncle Carwisle?" she asked. Her frown was now replaced with a hopeful smile. I nodded and she jumped off the couch to run to the other side of the room where the board games were kept.
"So I guess 'Dad' has rubbed off on you, too," Garrett said as he sat Jane up and patted her back lightly to help her get any gas out.
"What do you mean?" I asked as I slid down into the floor to get comfortable for the upcoming game.
"You called her 'Corrie.' E likes to add the –ie to names, if you haven't already noticed. Katie, Ezzie, Janie, Corrie. I think the men are the only safe ones, but Riley's name already fits with his pattern. Just be prepared when you have more kids. You might want to go ahead and name them something that he doesn't have to change anything."
I laughed and thanked him for his advice. Corin then returned with her game of choice, and we played a couple of rounds of Hi Ho! Cherry-O. After we were finished, she was in a much better mood and went to play with the boys she had called "icky" just a few minutes before.
We let the kids play by themselves while we continued to watch TV. The TV wasn't necessary for our entertainment, though. Jane's cheerful babbling was enough to catch our attention, and it was also enjoyable watching her standing up while holding on to whatever she could get her hands on.
Around midmorning, Emmett came back into the den rubbing his eyes. As soon as he made it to the couch, he climbed into my lap and rested his head against me. I took it as a sign that he was ready for a nap, so I stood up with him and headed to the kitchen to fix him a cup of milk. When I returned to the den, Eleazar was sitting where I had been on the couch. He nodded his head toward the recliner, silently offering me his spot. I smiled in thanks and sat down to rock my sleepy boy. It didn't take long for him to fall asleep while being cradled in my arms, but I continued rocking him, just enjoying the feeling of closeness.
Little Jane had also fallen asleep in her father's arms so Garrett took her to lay her in her bed. He returned dragging Corin behind him. He explained that Riley had gone to sleep while lying in the middle of the playroom floor, and he had placed him in bed after Jane. Corin was obviously close to sleep herself, but she was vehemently refusing to lie down. Garrett placed her on the couch next to him, and it seemed like as soon as she cuddled up to his side, she was out like a light.
As I sat rocking with Emmett during the unofficial nap time, I couldn't help but feel I was now in a club of sorts. I was finally a father just like the other two men in the room with me. I grew up with Eleazar as a father-figure so I observed his actions, and I had also watched Garrett in the past with his children. I had never been jealous of them per se, but there was always a longing in my heart that I thought might never be filled. Now as I held my son in my arms, I was the same as them. I had now experienced the unconditional love of a child, and it truly was one of the greatest things in the world.
We finally had to wake everyone up so we could feed them before Eleazar, Emmett, and I had to go over to the church. Lunch was composed of simple sandwiches and crackers since we didn't want to risk any major clean-up before the wedding. As the kids finished eating, I took a quick shower and shaved. I made sure my hair was presentable and then went back to join the others. After making sure we had everything we needed, we headed out the door, leaving Garrett to attempt to start dressing the kids before Kate returned.
When we arrived at the church, Eleazar led us to a room on the opposite side of the church from where Esme was going to be getting ready. Eleazar went to the bathroom to change, and I made sure Emmett had a fresh diaper. I didn't want to dress him too soon since I knew his little tux was not going to be very comfortable for him to wear. I let Emmett run around the room until Eleazar returned, hoping that if he used up energy now, he would stay still during the ceremony.
Eleazar returned after a few minutes, and he watched Emmett for me while I took my own turn in the bathroom. I quickly dressed, somehow thinking in my mind that the fast I got dressed, the faster the ceremony would start even though I knew we still had a little while to go. I looked in the mirror to fix the purple silk tie, wanting to make sure the knot was perfect.
As I took in my reflection, I noticed that my face looked different somehow. The expression of apathy and slight depression I wore only four short months ago was long gone and had been replaced with one of great happiness and contentment. But today, something was different. The happiness had escalated to nothing short of profound ecstasy and contentment was only the tip of the iceberg of how I felt about getting to spend the rest of my life with Esme.
Once I was dressed to my best abilities, I returned to the room to begin the task of dressing Emmett. He was cooperative for the most part, and didn't even whine too much after he was fully dressed. The only think he wasn't too fond of was wearing shoes, but he didn't have time to try to pull them off before a knock was heard at the door, effectively distracting him.
Eleazar opened it, and Carmen entered. She looked as lovely as always in her purple dress and her dark hair curled and twisted up off of her neck.
"How's everyone doing in here?" she asked as she crossed the room to embrace me lightly in her arms.
"So far so good," I answered cheerfully. "Just ready for the ceremony to begin."
We parted and I noticed her eyes and nose were a little red like she had been crying.
"Is something wrong?" I asked in a panicked voice.
"No, no," she asserted, shaking her head with a smile. "Everything is fine. I just had a moment earlier. I promise nothing is wrong."
I let out the breath I didn't know I was holding. It was just so easy for me to jump to the conclusion that something was wrong with Esme, and I was very relieved that that wasn't the case.
"Carlisle, please don't worry," she said, patting my arm. "Esme is fine, and this wedding is going to go without a hitch. You only have a few more minutes to wait before your forever begins."
And with her words, the smile was back on my face. "Thank you, Carmen. And by the way, you look beautiful."
She shook her head and waved me off. "This is nothing. You haven't seen Esme yet."
My smile widened until it almost wouldn't fit on my face, and she winked at me.
"Now, I came here with another purpose besides checking on you. I know Esme will appreciate seeing Emmett if I can steal him from you, please."
Emmett had sat down in the floor and was playing with a few of his toys. I scooped him up and handed him over to Carmen.
"Nana is going to take you to see Mommy, okay buddy?"
His face lit up when I said the magic word of "Mommy," almost like he just now remembered that he hadn't seen her all day.
"Mommy, Mommy, Mommy!" he chanted while bouncing in Carmen's arms.
"Alright, hold your horses," she laughed and placed him back on the floor. Emmett was practically dragging her out the door, and I chucked as they left while wishing I could go with them.
Patience, I reminded myself. It will be worth it to see her when she walks through the doors.
"Do you mind if I head over to see her, too?" Eleazar asked a few minutes later.
"No. That's fine. You go ahead. I'll just be waiting here wishing I was you," I said teasingly.
"Okay, son," he chuckled, clapping me lightly on the shoulder. "I'll be right back. We have somewhere to be pretty soon."
While Eleazar was gone, I paced the floor, not knowing what else to do. Sitting down wasn't an option because I couldn't stay still. I was too excited to do anything but keep busy. Pacing wasn't helping much, so to keep myself busy, I gathered our things back up to make it easier for whoever would be taking them back to the house.
After what seemed like hours more than minutes, Eleazar returned with Emmett in tow. I took Emmett from him, and he grabbed his Bible and another smaller book which contained the vows he would read for us to repeat.
"Are you ready?" he asked me with a smirk.
"You know your question is ridiculous, don't you? We wanted you to go ahead and make it official last night," I responded.
"I know," he laughed. "But the look on your face when anyone asks you that question is great entertainment. Seriously though, I know you don't have any doubts, but I won't apologize for making you wait. This will be one of the best days of your life. Trust me. I've been through it."
I did trust him as well as everyone else who had told me the same thing. I knew this day would be wonderful, and I hoped it would be everything Esme wanted it to be. My day would be perfect as long as she was happy.
We walked toward the sanctuary together, and when we got there, one of the doors was open. The organist was playing, and I could see that the ushers had just seated the last of the guests. Peter was waiting for us by the door. I shook his hand, and he pulled me closer to him to pat me on the back.
"So are you nervous?" he asked me.
I shook my head. "Not at all. I've never been more ready for something in all my life."
"That's what I figured. I have the ring right here," he said and patted his pocket.
I smiled. "Thank you for doing this, Peter. It means a lot that we've had both your and Charlotte's support through everything."
"You never have to thank us for being your friends. You two would do the same for us. Now, I'm going to go sit down. I'll see you up there."
After Peter went to sit down, we had only a few moments before our turn. I shifted Emmett in my arms so he was comfortable on my hip. I didn't trust him to walk the whole way without getting distracted so carrying him was the best option. Eleazar nodded to me, and I knew it was then our turn.
I couldn't wipe the grin off of my face as we walked to the front of the church together. The guests "aww"ed when they saw Emmett, but he didn't want to have anything to do with them. He hid his face on my shoulder the whole time I was walking, and I patted his back in comfort. As social as he was with people he knew, he really did not like people who seemed like strangers or large crowds.
When we made it to the front, I glanced around the church. The flowers everywhere were absolutely beautiful. Everything was so simple, yet so…Esme. I had a feeling that her dream wedding hadn't changed that much over the years. If we had gotten married before, it probably would have looked like this as well, and that was okay with me because this was perfect.
The church was almost full of our guests. Even though it was a relatively small church, having it full meant so much to me. I felt truly blessed to have so many people that cared about us and wanted to show their support.
I felt like we had been waiting for hours, but Carmen finally came to sit in her seat which I knew was the cue for the music to change and for Esme to make her entrance. I placed Emmett down, and he immediately got as close to me as he could and grabbed onto my pant leg. I placed my hand on his head, slowly running it through his hair, silently praying that he wouldn't cry.
The organist changed the song she was playing, as planned, and I shifted my gaze to the door in the back where the door was now completely closed. As soon as the door opened, all thoughts of anything other than Esme left my mind. I barely noticed that everyone stood up, but I definitely noticed her.
She looked absolutely breathtaking in her ivory dress. I always knew that she was my angel, and she looked even more like it today. The dress appeared to fit perfectly, and I knew she did a great job choosing it. It was simple, not needing extra frills to make it beautiful, which was very similar to how I viewed her. Her hair suited her perfectly as well, and the small amount of make-up she was wearing was a wonderful compliment to her glowing countenance.
My love for her felt almost overwhelming as I watched her walk toward me, getting closer every second. Her smile was beautiful, almost stretching from ear to ear, and I was sure my smile looked very much like hers. I wanted to will time to speed up, but even though I couldn't, it didn't take that much longer for her to make it to the front.
After handing her flowers to Carmen, she joined her hands with mine and everything felt right again. I had missed her in the six hours we were apart, and now, she was the only thing I could see. Aliens could have landed and abducted every guest, but I doubt I would have noticed at all.
It vaguely registered that Eleazar was speaking, but I didn't hear anything. Thankfully, I was brought out of my Esme haze by Emmett running over to sit with Carmen. He crawled into her lap and snuggled close while drinking the cup of juice she offered him. I could tell he was still nervous about having this many people staring at him, so I was glad Carmen was there to help comfort him more than I could at the moment.
That was perfect timing since it was time for the vows. Had Emmett not distracted me, I probably would have been very embarrassed with all the guests knowing that I wasn't paying attention at my own wedding. I was paying attention, though, to someone much more important than the actual ceremony.
I listened very carefully to what Eleazar was saying even though I probably knew the vows by heart now. My voice only broke once. Something about the line "I, Carlisle, take you, Esme, to be my wedded wife" caused a huge lump to form in my throat. Maybe it was saying her name and "wife" in the same sentence. I did that often, but this was somehow different. This wasn't exactly private which made it mean so much more.
Esme squeezed my hands in comfort, silently giving me the strength I needed to continue. I meant everything I said to her with my whole heart. I would always be anything she needed whether she needed her friend, her partner, or her love. I would always stay beside her no matter the circumstances that came our way. I also promised to give her everything I felt she deserved: unconditional love, support, respect, as well as to be cherished.
When it was her turn, I knew she was also speaking from her heart, and when she started crying, I offered her the same support she had given me. Through her tears, I understood everything, and even if I hadn't, her eyes spoke it all.
Once our vows were complete, Peter handed me her ring. I placed it on her finger as soon as Eleazar let me, and she did the same to me. My smile grew more, knowing which part came next.
Eleazar told that I could kiss my bride, and I felt like I might jump up and down with the happiness I felt. My lips silently formed the words "I love you," and when Esme returned them, my feelings only grew. I gently held her face in my hands, cherishing her just like I promised to. I slowly brought my lips to hers, and I heard her sigh against me.
I knew how she felt. This was home: my lips against hers. This was where we belonged, and even though we had just kissed a few hours before, this one was different. This one kiss made all those promises we made official. We were now man and wife in God's eyes, and as soon as we finished signing the papers, we would be man and wife in the eyes of the law as well.
This kiss was over too soon for my liking, but we were in front of a crowd of people. There would be plenty of time later to discover exactly how long we could kiss before having to breathe. We rested our foreheads together while staring into each other's eyes, into each other's souls. Her smile showed just how happy she was, and I hoped mine did as well.
Eleazar announced us to everyone, and we had to turn away from each other to face them. I held her hand tightly as we walked back down the aisle. I could tell our guests were happy for us as well just from their teary smiles as they watched us. As soon as we were clear of everyone's view, Esme attached me with another kiss, and I couldn't resist lifting her off the ground and spinning with her. We shared a laugh with relief finally washing over us. It was over now. We were married, and it felt so much better than I had ever imagined.
Charlotte was the first person to exit the sanctuary, and she passed Emmett to me before embracing Esme. As I observed their moment together, I was very glad that Esme had found a friend. She had been basically alone when she came back to Seattle, only having Maggie and Ben for friends. But the people who had previously been my friends had welcomed her with opened arms, and we could now call them our friends.
We quickly greeted all the guests as they came by, not taking much time since we would see them all again at the reception. Emmett was not very happy with having to stay in my arms and receive all of the attention, but I quietly shushed him and bounced him in my arms a little. That seemed to calm him long enough for us to finish talking to everyone before heading back for pictures.
After taking many pictures, we were finally able to leave and have a few moments of peace together while driving back to Carmen and Eleazar's house. It was nice to have quiet for a few minutes for us to talk. The wedding had been everything Esme had wanted and more which of course more than satisfied me.
She made me promise not to get cake on her dress, but I wouldn't have dreamt of it. I knew the dress would be something she would save. There was no way I would ruin it with cake. We had already perfected feeding one another, anyway, and we had always remained nice to each other except for the one time with grapes at the park.
When we arrived at Carmen and Eleazar's, we didn't even bother making an entrance. The guests were already mingling together since they mostly all knew each other, so we just decided to go with the flow and join them. It was misting slightly outside which wasn't the most desirable weather, but it was still better than a downpour. The tents we had set up the day before did an excellent job of shielding us from the weather while still letting in the natural light.
We were able to spend extra time with the people we wanted including: Maggie and Ben, Peter and Charlotte, and Kate and Garrett. The kids were all running around entertaining themselves, always under the watchful eye of an adult. Corin had to show Esme her princess dress she was wearing, and she also claimed that they matched. Esme quickly agreed with the assessment which pleased Corin greatly before she ran off again to play.
It was soon time for cake. Everyone lined up to watch us, and pictures were taking of us taking turns, carefully feeding each other. Neither one of us wasted a crumb, and we came out of the event in the same state we entered- completely stain-free. Esme grinned widely at me as I pulled her away from the group so we could have a bit of privacy. I kissed her deeply, and our tongues danced together, tasting the left over flavor of the cake in each other's mouths. I heard her quiet moan of pleasure, muffled by my mouth, and I knew it was time to stop for the moment.
"So when does the honeymoon start?" she whispered with her head resting against my chest, breathless from our kiss.
"Not too much longer, sweetheart," I promised and kissed the top of her head.
She nodded and I knew we were both eager to start our vacation together.
We continued spending time with our friends during the rest of the reception. It seemed more like a causal gathering than a wedding reception based on how relaxed everyone was. There was loud laughter all around, and I was glad everyone was having a good time. I made sure Emmett got the cake he wanted, and he ate a whole piece by himself. I chuckled to myself when I thought about how difficult it might be for Carmen to get him to sleep after all the sugar.
The time quickly arrived for Esme and me to change so we could leave for the airport. Charlotte went with Esme to help her change while I went into a separate bedroom to remove my tux. It didn't take me long to change into a comfortable pair of khaki pants and a button down shirt. While I waited for Esme to change, I went out to the car to remove Emmett's car seat so it could be left with Carmen and Eleazar.
When I returned to the house, Esme was waiting in the living room. She was wearing a long flowing dress and a matching cardigan. I smiled and nodded my approval to Charlotte, knowing that she probably picked it out. The dress appeared like it would be comfortable during our short flight as well as the rest of the evening.
"Are you ready to go?" I asked her as I wrapped my arms around her waist.
She nodded, but had a sad look in her eyes.
"We have to tell Emmett 'goodbye,'" she said softly. That explained the sadness that had appeared.
I didn't really want to leave him either, but I selfishly wanted to have Esme to myself. We would still have plenty of time to spend with Emmett when we returned, but we needed this time with just us.
Carmen came into the room with Emmett since she knew we were about to leave. We both hugged and kissed him and told him that we would see him soon. Thankfully, he didn't seem fazed at all by us leaving. The only thing he could think about was going back to playing. Knowing that he wasn't upset made it easier for us to leave.
We told everyone "thank you" for coming, and then we walked out to the car with Carmen and Eleazar.
"Call if anything happens," Esme said as Carmen hugged her. "Any time of day, if Emmett needs us, just call."
"You worry too much, silly girl," Carmen said with a laugh. "We'll be fine. I promise I will call if something happens."
I then received a hug from my aunt, followed by one from my uncle. After the final goodbye was said, we were able to get back into the car and head to the airport.
As I drove, Esme kept her eyes focused out the window. I brought her hand that I was holding up to my mouth and blew a raspberry on the top of it. She giggled and turned to smile at me, and I was glad I got the reaction I was going for.
"Emmett will be fine, Esme. Carmen promised and I'm promising, too. Kate and Garrett aren't leaving until Monday, so he will be distracted by Riley for at least another day. We will be home soon after that, so I don't see him having much time to be upset."
Her faces brightened slightly at my explanation.
"You never did tell me when we're coming back," she said thoughtfully, now caressing my hand in both of hers.
"Wednesday," I answered. "We'll be home in five short days."
The rest of the drive was spent in comfortable silence, and I knew it was mostly because Esme was tired from having to wake up so early after having a sleepless night.
We arrived at the airport and I parked in the garage where it would stay until we returned. I unloaded our bags and wheeled both of our suitcases inside with Esme walking beside me.
We checked-in and handed over our bags. After we received our boarding passes, we headed through security.
"San Francisco?" Esme asked when she finally saw where our flight was headed.
"Not exactly. That's where our flight is going, but we're not staying there. Where we're going is about 25 miles outside of San Francisco. Is that okay?" I asked, slightly nervous.
"Of course," she answered with a smile. "I've never been that far south before. I'm sure it will be wonderful."
Our first class seats were very comfortable, exactly how I hoped they'd be when I booked the flight. We sat as close as we could to each other with the arm rest in the way. Esme placed her head against my shoulder and was able to sleep through our two and a half hour flight. She looked so peaceful while she napped, and her little sighs made me smile. The prospect of now being able to go to sleep and wake up beside her was incredible to think about.
I finally had to wake her up right before our flight landed. The short nap had removed the slight fatigued look from her face, and she now looked well rested once more.
After we disembarked the plane, we headed to the baggage claim. We were very glad to find that both of suitcases had made it. We then made our way to the rental car company with which I had secured us a car. After loading our luggage in the trunk, we both got in the car. I had printed off directions, but the car came with a GPS which made things much easier as I drove toward Half Moon Bay.
Thirty minutes later, Esme gasped beside me, and I smiled at her reaction. We were pulling into the drive of the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Half Moon Bay. The hotel was situated on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean. There was just enough natural light in the sky to see the breathtaking view, which had obviously done its job since Esme hadn't spoken yet.
"Carlisle," she finally rasped out. "This is beautiful. Is this where we're staying?"
"Mmhmm," I answered. "Is that alright?"
"Oh, this is more than alright!" she said excitedly, overcoming her initial shock.
We pulled up to the front, and a valet took the car to park it and bring in our luggage. I took Esme's hand in mine and we walked to the front desk to check in. I had reserved a suite for us, and I was very excited to see exactly what it had to offer.
After receiving the key, we headed to our room. I opened the door and then scooped Esme into my arms and carried her bridal-style into the room. She laughed as we explored the room together.
It was definitely better than I imagined. There was a sitting area complete with a fireplace, and it was separated from the bedroom by a set of double doors. The bedroom contained a king-sized bed as well as a flat-screen TV and a DVD player. A bathroom connected to the bedroom which had a separate tub and shower. The suite was also had a half bath and a fabulous view of the courtyard.
"Wow," Esme whispered once we were finished exploring. "This is wonderful."
I sat down with her in my lap on the couch, still holding her close. "I'm glad you like it so far," I said and kissed her neck. "You did an excellent job on the wedding, so I hope this trip can meet the standard you set."
She turned her head to face me and leaned in closer. "It already has," she whispered against my lips.
We kissed softly on the couch for a couple of minutes before we were interrupted by both our luggage being brought to us and our stomachs growling. I took the suitcases into the bedroom, and we freshened up slightly before going to one of the dining areas to eat dinner.
I didn't realize how hungry I was until the food was placed in front of me. The finger foods from the reception had helped tide me over, but they didn't compare to the delicious food they served at the hotel. Esme agreed that it was a very good meal, and we both ate our fill before heading back to the room.
I was a little nervous as we walked down the hallway. Whenever we got back to the room, we were going to enter uncharted territory; somewhere we had never gone before. I wanted this day to end perfectly as to match the perfect day we had had so far. If the perfect day ended with us falling asleep beside each other, I would be more than happy with that. I would never pressure Esme into anything she didn't want, and I prayed that she would trust me completely. I knew that we could experience another element of our relationship that would bond us even further than we already were. I also had to show my trust in her and listen to whatever she had to say. It was all up to her now, and all I could do was support her as the night went on.
A/N: I know that I said this chapter would contain the rest of the night, but the chapter was already so long. I also broke it off here because the next part really needs to be in Esme's POV.
I have a long weekend, so i should be able to get some writing done which means the update could possible come before next weekend.
If not, definitely by next Saturday. I know everyone is probably waiting to find out what is going to happen next, and I promise not to make you wait too long! :)
Also, there are a couple of pictures of the hotel on my profile if you want to know what it looks like.