7,308Indelible
A/N: The previous chapters were set in April to July, 2013, culminating in Edward's return to Forks and proposal to Bella on the evening of Sunday, July 21.
Chapter 49: Summer of Change (Epilogue 1)
Life is all about change. It's often gradual and almost imperceptible, occurring over time, but it can also happen quickly and deliberately, through decision and effort. Occasionally, though, life changes in an instant, sending you off on a trajectory you never imagined.
The day Dad passed was the hardest day of my life. The following week, I was absolutely stunned when Edward unexpectedly appeared at his funeral. But today, I'm celebrating life, because everything changed after Edward reentered mine.
Monday, July 22…
I awake with a start, certain I'm late for work. But the arm around me and warm body at my back remind me I took the day off to celebrate because Edward is finally here, spooning me in our bed, in our house. As of last night, it's official: we live here together. And we're official too. I lift my hand, looking at the engagement ring he put there last night. It's absolutely dazzling. Like he is.
There's a slow stretch and a yawn behind me. Edward's hand finds mine and tugs, coaxing me to turn over. I snort a soft laugh when I do. His eyes are still closed as if he's thoroughly exhausted, and I know I'm partly to blame for that. And though his crazy bed-head hair might have been a mutual effort, it's likely more my doing than his. But my favorite accomplishment is the state of his mouth. It's stretched in a wide, beatific smile. Much like my own.
"Mmm…I just had the best dream…" he murmurs, voice rough from sleep.
"Oh?" I smile at his still-closed eyes and charmingly sleepy smile. "Care to share?"
"I asked you to marry me, and you said yes." He sighs happily.
Stifling a laugh, I reach up to pry one of his eyes open. Wiggling the fingers of my left hand in front of him, I flash him my ring and a grin.
He jerks his head back, blinking. "Whoa…! It's a dream come true!" His exaggerated look of astonishment makes me giggle, and he chuckles, proud of himself. I fell right into that one.
"You're so freaking cheesy!" I laugh, though I secretly agree with his pronouncement. Then I shriek as he lunges for my neck, grinning hugely and clearly not as exhausted as I'd thought.
Our commotion must tell Fitz we're finally available to start the day. Graciously, he spent the night in his doggy-bed, hopefully turning a blind eye and a deaf ear to our amorous activities. Now, he pads his over, nails clicking on the hardwood floor. The bed jostles and dips as he jumps up behind Edward to say good morning.
With an abrupt gasp, Edward yanks his head back from my neck, simultaneously thrusting his hips—and erection—forward, into my pelvis. With a grimace, he reaches for his lower back, and I think Fitz must have inadvertently scratched him.
"Oh, gosh! Edward, are you okay?"
With a nod, he grabs the sheet, tugging it up to his waist. "I'm fine. I just took a direct hit—a cold, wet, dog nose to the naked butt cheek."
"Oh!" I laugh. "Sorry about that."
He shrugs and rolls over, eyeing Fitz, who is standing there, wagging, and looking generally pleased with himself. "Didn't anyone teach you anything about personal boundaries?" Edward asks, reaching up to pet and scratch Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy.
"At least he waited until you were awake," I point out, running a hand through my tangled hair as I sit up. "He's probably been crossing all four legs for the past hour, waiting to go out and pee, but he let us sleep in like a good boy." Fitz wags. He knows I'm saying good things about him.
"Who needs to go potty outside?" I ask, addressing Fitz directly. With a bark, he hops off the bed to potty-dance in the doorway.
"I'll take him," Edward says, climbing out of bed.
"Are you sure?" I ask, but he's already pulling on his boxers.
"Positive. You stay put. I'll be back." His crooked smile tells me those boxers will be coming right back off when he returns, so I respond with a salacious smile of my own.
"C'mon, Fitz. Potty outside," Edward says, hustling Fitz out the door.
As they click and thump their way downstairs, I call out, "Edward? When Fitz comes back in, would you give him-"
"A chicken cookie? I will. I remember."
I smile at this brand new version of daily life. Then, flinging back the covers, I dart off to the bathroom to make myself presentable for the return of Mr. Sexy Fiancé.
Our post-proposal love-bubble continues throughout the day. We stay home and keep to ourselves, marveling at that ring on my finger, making love, and making plans. In the evening, we phone our families to share the news.
"Hi, Bella! Did Edward make it to Forks today? Or was that yesterday?"
"Hi, Mom. It was yesterday. He's right here." The phone is on speaker, so I hope Mom behaves.
"Hello, Renee," Edward says.
"Hi, Edward! How was your trip?"
"It was great. Long, but no problems."
"Good! So how's it going? What have you two been up to?"
Edward shoots me a naughty, satisfied grin. I reach out to pinch him as my cheeks heat, and he bats my hand away with a laugh. Yeah, we're not telling Mom what we've been up to for much of the past twenty-four hours.
"Is Phil home?" I ask Mom instead.
"Oh. You called to talk to him?" Now she sounds dejected.
"No, Mom. We want to speak to both of you. Together."
"Oh!" Her voice brightens. "Hang on. Phil…?! Bella's on the phone! With Edward! Hurry!" With each excited utterance, her voice climbs in pitch. I think she has guessed why we're making this call.
"Hey, Bella-girl! Hello, Edward!" Phil greets as their phone switches to speaker.
We barely greet him before Mom cuts in impatiently, "So? Are you calling to tell us you're…"
"We're engaged!" I blurt before Mom can beat me to the punchline.
"I knew it!" she shrieks. "Oh, how wonderful!" I sink my face into my hand at the sound of her clapping, and as Edward doubles over with laughter, I jab him in the side where he's ticklish.
"Congratulations!" Phil says, chuckling—undoubtedly at Mom's antics.
We spend the next ten minutes answering Mom's questions, deflecting when necessary. With Phil's help when necessary. He's awesome about keeping a lid on her.
Edward phones his parents next. They knew of his plans, and he's certain they're anxious for the outcome.
"Hi, Edward!" It's Esme. "Dad's here too…"
"Hello, son," Carlisle interjects, on speaker like us.
"Hi, Mom, Dad. I've got Bella here with me…"
"HI, Esme. Hi, Carlisle," I say on cue.
Carlisle greets me, but all we hear from Esme is an emotional, "Ohh…!"
"Just a moment," Carlisle says. There's shuffling, then it sounds like Esme is blowing her nose. I look at Edward in alarm, but he's just sitting there, shaking with silent laughter.
"So, yeah," he chuckles, shining, happy eyes on mine as he speaks into his phone. "As Mom must have guessed, Bella said yes."
"Well, congratulations!" Carlisle says warmly.
"Oh, you two…!" Esme still sounds choked up. "You have no idea how happy we are for you!"
We thank them. "We're pretty happy for us too," Edward adds, smiling at me, smiling at him.
"You have every right to be! Have you told Masey yet?" Esme asks.
"No, we just got off the phone with Bella's mom and step-dad before we called you. Masen's next."
"Well, we won't keep you. You just let us know where and when, and we'll be at that wedding with bells on!"
"Okay, Mom," Edward laughs, shaking his head. I'm grinning. Our mothers are more similar than I'd thought.
"If there's anything you need, anything we can do, don't hesitate to ask," Carlisle says.
"Thanks, Dad. We'll keep you both posted."
Finally, Edward contacts Masen.
"Hey, Dad," Masen greets, picking up Edward's call.
"Hi, Mase. How's it going?"
"Fine. Did Bella say yes?" I stifle a laugh at Masen's unbridled curiosity.
"She did, as a matter of fact."
"Awesome! Congrats! Is she there?"
"Yes, I'm here," I pipe up. "Hi, Masen!"
"Hey, Bella! I just hope you know what you're doing, marrying my old man."
I chuckle, visualizing his teasing grin—a near replica of his father's. "I think I know what I'm getting myself into," I assure him. "Either way, I'm up for the challenge." I wink at Edward, and we both smile at the sound of his son's laughter.
"So, when's the big day?"
"We're thinking November," Edward says. "Once the remodel is done, and our things are moved in, Bella and I can just focus on us."
"Sounds like a good plan," Masen agrees.
*I*
It really was a good plan. But plans sometimes change.
Perhaps my conversation with Angela the next morning should have tipped me off. But it didn't.
*I*
Tuesday, July 23…
I leave Edward to settle in while I head off to work. Eager to share the news with Angela, I stop by the Cup and Saucer first.
Her eyes twinkle as I step up to the counter. She knew Edward was due to arrive on Sunday, and I've been missing in action since then.
"Hey, Swan! I couldn't help noticing you didn't make it to bowling last night."
"Nope." I grin. "Edward and I were…busy."
"I'll bet!" she laughs.
She's about to start my usual latte, but I interrupt. "Wait…can I get one of these herbal teas instead? My stomach has been a little jumpy, and the last thing I need is caffeine."
"Sure," she says, eyeing me as she switches things up. "So, everything's good? With you and Edward?"
"Unbelievably good." I smile, stuffing my ring-bearing hand deeper into my pocket. I'm dying to tell her the news, but I don't want to be center stage when I do, and the shop is bustling with the morning crowd.
"Can I steal you away for a moment and talk to you privately?" I ask as she hands me my tea.
Her expression teeters between curiosity and concern with my cryptic request, but she just nods. "Of course."
She leads me through the kitchen then. "So, what's going on?" she quietly asks when we get to her tiny office at the back.
"This…" I tell her, pulling my hand from my pocket to display my ring. Her eyes widen, and she grabs my hand, gawking from the ring to me.
"Oh my god! Bella! Oh my god!" Her smile is a mile wide. She hugs me, shrieking additional oh-my-gods in my ear. She's the best kind of best friend, as excited for me as she would be for herself. "Tell me everything!" she prompts.
So I do. I tell her how Edward asked me to marry him on the front porch two nights ago.
"How romantic," she sighs afterwards. "It's sweetly old-fashioned that he wanted to propose before moving in." I smile, nodding. I'd thought the same.
"I'm so happy for both of you," she says, hugging me once more.
"Thank you. I couldn't wait to tell you."
She beams at me. Then she exhales a little laugh, shaking her head.
"What?"
"Honestly, when you ordered an herbal tea, and then asked if we could talk privately, I was sure you were going to tell me you're pregnant! Engaged didn't even enter my mind!"
*I*
I'd just laughed.
A few days later, I was rethinking my laughter, rethinking her comment.
*I*
Friday, July 26…
I'm a bundle of nerves by the time I get home from work. I need to talk to Edward, and I'm worried what he'll think. But when I open the door, a mouth-watering aroma leads me to the kitchen, completely distracting me from my own thoughts.
"What all this?" I blink, looking from Edward—stirring a pan on the stovetop—over to the clutter by the sink.
He turns, setting a large spoon aside. "I thought I'd surprise you and make dinner. And…hello."
I smile sheepishly as he moves in for a proper greeting. "Sorry. Hello." After a hug and lingering kiss, I look back at his culinary efforts. "Thank you. This is so nice. You even made the sauce and meatballs from scratch?"
He nods and shrugs. "I may have a few culinary surprises up my sleeve." I smile, but his words remind me…
"Um…I may have a surprise of my own."
"Oh, yeah? What's that?" His crooked grin does nothing to soothe the renewed jitters in my stomach.
"Remember you said we should wait until we were settled with your move and the house, and then think it over and decide together if we wanted to maybe…have a child?"
"Yeah…?" His smile is still there, his face so open. He has no idea where this is going.
"I think I'm pregnant."
His smile slips, and my eyes begin filling with tears.
"My period is three days late, and it's never that late, but I swear I didn't miss any birth control pills. I think I must have thrown up a pill, or else it went right through me when I was sick in Chicago. And I never thought about needing any back-up that night…" As my tears brim over, he pulls me into his embrace.
"Shh… It's okay," he soothes. But I'm not sure that's true. I worry what's going through his mind.
"I don't want you to think I did this on purpose. I wasn't trying to trap you into anything."
He pulls back, his eyes searching mine as he shakes his head, frowning. "I don't think that. Why would you say that?"
I'm unwilling to admit I'd gotten that impression of his ex—of Masen's mother. Maybe I'm wrong.
"Because we were supposed to discuss this and agree upon this before it happened!" I remind him instead as fresh tears escape. He reaches up, brushing them away, and I can see he's gathering his thoughts.
"Well, things don't always go according to plan," he says gently, cupping my face in his hands. "But trust me, Bella, I would be happy either way. I told you that in Chicago, and I meant it. But I want you to be happy, too. Is this something…you'd want? To have a baby with me?" Something about the earnest look on his face and tone of his voice make my heart melt all over again for him and long for this tiny potential person of ours—a little us.
"I do. I mean, I was already thinking about it. Before this happened," I admit. The smile that blooms on his face is almost boyishly sweet.
"Well, I've been thinking about it too. Whether it's now or at some point in the future, I'm all in." I can see he's sincere. He's not just saying it. This is something he wants too.
"I bought a pregnancy test on my way home," I tell him. Reaching into my purse on the kitchen counter, I pull out a small pink box. "So, I guess… I'll go do this and then…we'll know."
He nods, moving to shut off the stove burners. "Okay. I'm coming with you."
"You're not coming in the bathroom while I pee!" I blurt, aghast.
He shakes his head, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth as he takes my hand. "I'll wait until you're done, but we'll find out together, okay?"
"Okay."
Minutes later, I've done my part, washed up, and allowed Edward entry into the bathroom while we wait for the results.
"You nervous?" he asks, looping his arms around me.
"Yeah." Snaking my arms around his waist, I relax into him, resting my cheek against his chest, gazing at our reflection in the mirror. "Are you?"
He kisses the top of my head. "Yeah, but I think that's normal for everyone." He turns his head, smiling at me in the mirror, making baby-eyes at me. Before, I was worrying how he'd feel if it turned out I was pregnant. Now, I'm worrying how we'll both feel if I'm not.
"You know…either way, we'll be okay," he murmurs as if reading my mind. He presses another kiss to my temple, stroking my back with his fingertips. "I'm not opposed to working at getting you pregnant if need be." I pull my head back to look up at him as his sexy little half-smile slides into place.
"You're such a man!" I laugh.
"Yeah, I can't help that," he chuckles, gazing at me with affection. "But I'm your man, so you're stuck with me, and we'll figure everything out together, no matter what."
I nod. We are a team. For everything to come.
The timer on his phone rings, and I take a deep breath. It's the moment of truth.
He keeps an arm around me as I pick up the little stick, bringing it close for us both to see.
Two pink lines.
They blur as tears fill my eyes. "I'm pregnant," I croak.
Suddenly, I'm bawling, and Edward's arms surround me, hugging me, rocking me. He sits, pulling me down to his lap. I can't stop crying. And because he's blurry now too, I can't tell if he's panicking about my ugly-crying.
"I'm happy!" I wail for clarification's sake, and he exhales a soft chuckle.
"I know, love. Me too." His voice is soft and thick with emotion as he hands me a wad of toilet paper. Wiping away my tears, I can see his smiling eyes are wet too.
"We're pregnant!" I laugh-cry as I blow my nose.
"We are," he agrees, his smile a mile wide. "I love you," he says, placing his big, warm hand low on my belly, right over our tiny person-to-be. "Both of you."
I suck a stuttered breath through quivering lips, hearing his words and the emotion behind them. But I feel it too—a sudden fierce love for this tiny someone of ours.
"We love you," I tell Edward, grasping his hand and squeezing it. We share a deep yet tender kiss, holding each other tight.
"You okay?" Edward asks afterwards, once I've taken a deep breath and released a long exhale.
"Yeah." I smile. "I am. Happy, wrung out, but relieved. This is such a big thing, but like you said, we'll figure it all out together." He smiles affectionately, nodding in agreement. "Just promise me one thing, Edward…"
"Of course. Anything." His expression and tone are instantly serious.
"We can't ever tell this child we celebrated this moment together on the toilet."
He barks a loud laugh. "No, we won't. I promise."
Smoothing my hair back, he asks, "Are you hungry?"
"Starving. I only picked at my lunch today."
He smiles sympathetically, snaking his hand beneath my hair to rub the back of my neck. "Well, it just so happens, I'm prepared to feed you—both of you."
I laugh as he helps me up from his lap. "So, that's how it is now? I'm plural?" I smile at his reflection above the sink as I turn on the faucet to wash my face.
He chuckles, beaming back at me in the mirror. "That's how it is."
"In that case, we'll take you up on dinner."
*I*
A second home pregnancy test the following morning yielded the same results, and two days later, a visit to the Forks Medical Center confirmed it: the necklace I'd bought in Chicago, with its tiny replica of Millennium Park's "Bean" sculpture, wasn't the only souvenir I'd brought back from my trip. I'd returned home with our very own little made-in-Chicago bean as well.
That same evening, we changed our wedding plans.
*I*
Monday, July 29…
As we climb into bed I turn to Edward. "You know, I've been thinking… I'd rather not get married this fall." Seeing his look of apprehension, I quickly explain. "We talked about getting married in November when the work on the house is done, but by then I'll be in the middle of my pregnancy, and I…" I sigh, knowing this is going to sound trivial. "I really don't want to marry you wearing a maternity dress."
"Oh." His expression relaxes. "Okay." Then his eyes go all twinkly. "In that case, I won't wear one." I giggle, smacking his chest, and he laughs, grabbing my hand.
"Edward, you know what I mean!" I laugh. "I want to feel pretty for you, and 'maternity dress' just doesn't scream 'pretty' to me."
"Bella, you could wear a burlap sack and you'd still be lovely to me. But I get it. So, what are you thinking?"
"Maybe we just wait until after the baby comes and get married next spring?"
"Okay." He nods, reaching for my hand. "Or we could do it in the summer."
"Yeah, next summer's fine too."
"I mean this summer."
"It's already this summer!"
"I know. But if we do something small and low-key like we decided, I can't imagine it would take too long to put together."
"But we'll be in the middle of a huge remodel!"
He shrugs. "But we're not doing it ourselves, and we're not getting married at the house. We'll have to stay elsewhere part of the time anyway, and a honeymoon would be an excellent excuse to escape the construction for a few days."
I chew at my lip, mulling it over. We did talk about having a small, simple wedding. And we weren't thinking of an extended honeymoon to any sort of exotic location. Not after our trips to Seattle, San Diego, and Chicago this past month, and especially not with an expensive remodel in the works. But a few days away somewhere in the midst of the mess would be nice. And after all, we are anxious to begin our married life together…
Edward squeezes my hand, and my eyes flit back to his. "Why wait?" he asks. "We can manage it together. This month or the next—marry me." His eyes are persuasive and promising, filled with love, anticipation, and a little spark of adventure. It's so hard to say no to this man.
So I don't.
"Okay," I agree with a giddy little laugh, reaching up and pulling him down to me.
*I*
We managed it in just five weeks, on the seventh of September.
"Lucky number seven," Edward had observed when we lucked out and everything fell into place for a small wedding on that date. "And you'll even be my child bride," he'd added, noting it would be a week before my fortieth birthday, with him already forty.
"More like your with-child bride," I'd pointed out.
"Even better," he'd said, with a smug little grin. "Who doesn't love a two-for-one deal?"
*I*
Saturday, September 7…
I'm at the Kalaloch Lodge, getting ready in the same oceanview room where Edward and I will spend the night. Tomorrow, we're off to Orcas Island for a brief honeymoon and much needed respite from the construction zone that is our home.
"You're positively glowing, Swan," Angela says, adjusting the portrait collar of my knee-length ivory dress. My eyes flit to hers. Edward and I haven't told anyone our little secret about our little secret except for Masen, who has been sworn to secrecy. Still, I wonder if Angela suspects.
"You're looking lovely yourself in that little lavender number," I reply honestly. And a tad evasively.
"This old thing?" She waves her hand dismissively, and I laugh. We shopped for our dresses together in Port Angeles a few weeks ago. Just like we once did for prom. And later, for our respective weddings.
"I promise, this is the last time we're doing this," I tell her as she pins a few flowers into my upswept hair. We've already been each other's wedding attendants, but here she is again, assisting me for my round two.
She smiles, her eyes kind and perceptive as they meet mine in the mirror. "Well, let's not be too hasty. I'll give Ben another sixteen years' trial run, and then we'll see where things stand with him. But Edward is definitely a keeper." I laugh. She's such a sweet nut.
"But since you brought that up…" she says after a moment. "The other day, I was thinking I might finally have to quit calling you Swan. I could never bring myself to call you Black back in the day because it seemed so… I don't know, gloomy?" She shrugs. "But Cullen is kind of…hot." Her eyes twinkle and she smirks shamelessly.
"Isn't he though?" I fan myself, and we both dissolve into schoolgirl giggles.
"Don't tell Ben I said that."
I make a zipping motion across my lips.
She helps me with my corsage next. I decided against carrying a cumbersome bouquet and chose a wrist corsage of white roses, freesia, and lavender instead. Once it's securely in place, I slip into my nude-toned pumps, and then Angela steps back to check the finished look.
"You're absolutely stunning, Bella."
"Thank you, Angela. For everything." I give her a hug, and then she glances at the bedside clock.
"It's time. Are you ready?"
"More than ready."
We head for the lobby, where Edward is waiting with our guests. I follow a few paces behind Angela on the stairway, and faces turn to look up and smile. I'm smiling too, but I'm focused on my husband-to-be. He wears a suit like nobody's business, but he looks particularly dazzling today. His lips part when he sees me, and my face warms as his smoldering gaze travels the length of me. His best man son, standing at his side and giving his striking father a run for his money, leans in to say something. Edward nods and smiles at Masen's words, though his eyes never leave mine. As I approach the final step, he strides forward to take my hand.
"Happy Wedding Day, my gorgeous bride," he murmurs, making my smile and blush deepen.
"Happy Wedding Day yourself, my handsome groom." He chuckles, beaming at my words or at my blush. It's hard to tell which.
I exchange hugs and hellos with our friends and their families, including the Demetris, Edward and Masen's neighbors from Chicago, who decided this occasion warranted an impromptu family vacation. I linger a bit longer with our family members: my sweet, dapper stepson-to-be and his girlfriend, Bree, my almost-in-laws, Esme and Carlisle, and my own mom and step-dad, Phil.
"Okay?" Edward asks gently, offering me his arm afterwards.
"Yeah. So far so good." I smile and give his bicep a reassuring squeeze, knowing he's enquiring about more than my readiness to proceed. I've promised myself I won't dwell on Dad not being here, but Edward knows this happy occasion is bittersweet for me in that respect. It's only been five months since Dad passed, and with the added bonus of pregnancy hormones coursing through me, my emotions are especially close to the surface today. But Edward is prepared. Patting my hand, he gives me a covert little I've-got-you wink. We both know the pockets of his pants and jacket are all stuffed with tissues.
He looks up to address everyone. "Alright, let's get this show on the road," he says, eliciting grins and a few chuckles. "If you'll all please follow us."
We head out of the lodge and into the late afternoon sun. The sound of breaking waves increases as we follow a walkway out to a hilltop gazebo, overlooking the Kalaloch Creek where it spills into the Pacific.
Our wedding is smaller and simpler than either of our first go-arounds. No church or music, just a small gathering of our loved ones, with Angela and Masen at our sides as Edward and I face our friend, Pastor Ben Cheney.
"Welcome, friends and family," Ben says, smiling warmly. "Six months ago, who could have predicted this joyous occasion would be on our calendars for today? Yet here we all are, celebrating the love between Edward and Bella. For them, the extraordinary has happened. They met and fell in love, and after lives spent apart, they met again and rekindled that love. Today they join their lives together in marriage."
I sneak a peek at Edward, and we both smile.
Ben talks about what makes a good marriage. More than romance and marrying the right person, it means being the right partner and helping each other to grow individually and as a couple. He tells us how important the little things are; like holding hands, remembering to say 'I love you', voicing appreciation, demonstrating gratitude, standing together in the face of challenge, and having the capacity to forgive and forget. Then he reads a bible passage, reinforcing his own words of wisdom.
When it's time for our vows, Edward and I turn to face each other, taking each other's hands. He gives mine a squeeze and I smile, squeezing back.
Although we've written our own vows, I could barely get mine down on paper without floating away in a river of tears. Looking into the eyes of my beloved and delivering my vows verbally and comprehensibly, all while dealing with hormonal flux, thinking of our new little life to come, and simultaneously missing Dad… That would be risking a deluge. So, Edward suggested we have Ben lead us through traditional vows, and later tonight, Edward and I will cuddle up and share our own vows privately. With a box of tissues handy between us. And I can ugly-cry to my heart's content.
I seriously love this man.
And I manage to make it through the vows and I-do's with only a slightly croaky voice and minimal tears.
And several supportive hand-squeezes and encouraging smiles from Edward.
And a single tissue.
When it's time to for our wedding rings, Masen steps forward, reaching into his right pants pocket.
And then his left.
"Hang on," he says, moving on to his jacket pockets.
"Seriously, Mase?" Edward murmurs. His heart must be stuttering in his chest.
With a triumphant grin, Masen finally withdraws the rings from his left jacket pocket. Edward sags with relief, and Masen says, "I told you I had them a dozen times, Dad. I just couldn't remember which pocket I put them in."
Edward sighs. I stifle a snort of laughter. The crowd behind us snickers, and I look over my shoulder and smile at them.
Ben leads us through the ring ceremony then, and Edward and I promise to have and to hold each other, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, in joy and in sorrow, and love each other for as long as we both shall live.
Which requires the passing of one more tissue my way.
"Always remember to treat each other with respect," Ben advises us then. "And remind yourselves often of what brought you here today. Your marriage deserves all the tenderness, gentleness, and kindness you can give it. Sharing responsibility for the quality of your life together will ensure that it is filled with happiness."
We nod, agreeing with his words of advice.
Then, with a big smile, Ben says, "Edward and Bella, by the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Edward, you may kiss your bride, and Bella, you may kiss your groom."
"Make it a good one!" Nettie Goff's voice rings out.
"I second that!" Mom blurts, and everyone chuckles.
"To a long and happy life together," Edward murmurs, and we kiss, making it a good one and sealing our promises to each other. Everyone is clapping as we pull apart, and I can see Edward has finally given himself over to his own emotions. His eyes are misty with tears of joy. Like mine.
"I love you so much," I tell him as we dab at our own and each other's tears—to the accompaniment of a collective "Aw…" from the crowd.
"Ladies and gentlemen..." Ben says as Edward and I turn to face them all, and I tuck my arm through his. "It is my honor and great pleasure to introduce to you…Mr. and Mrs. Edward Cullen!"
We get a standing ovation, complete with a few whistles, hoots, and hollers—mostly from the lady bowlers in the group. Edward and I hold onto each other, laughing and filled with happiness, as we are beset by congratulating, hand-shaking, hugging, and kissing friends and family.
*I*
That evening, after everyone has had dinner and wedding cake at the same Oceanview Restaurant where Edward and I had our second first date, Edward stands to address our guests.
"Bella and I want to thank you all for being a part of our wedding day and helping to make it so special and memorable for us.
"We also want to invite you to join us upstairs in the bar shortly, for some after-dinner drinks, music, and dancing.
"And finally…" he pauses to look at me, and I smile, giving him the go-ahead; we planned on this after all. "Finally, Bella and I wanted to let you all know that sometime around April first, we will be expanding the Cullen family. And no, that's not an April Fool's joke—we're expecting."
Their reaction is priceless. There's a collective gasp of surprise, several shrieks of excitement from the women, and some manlier congratulatory whoops. Clapping quickly turns into our second standing ovation of the day. Then there's swarming, hugging, hand-shaking, kissing, and crying—and this time, I'm not the only one.
"I've got plenty of tissues to go around!" Edward announces, laughing as he begins pulling them from his pockets for me and Mom, Esme, Angela, Shelly Cope, Renata Demetri...
I'm laughing too as I dab at my eyes, watching him. He's the absolute best. And he's mine. After all this time.
A/N: I hope you liked it and will let me know. One more epilogue chapter coming up. Thanks for reading and returning after all this time. xo