Chapter 24 Tease

In the Doghouse Outtake

We left Carlisle and Esme's room around eleven o'clock, about a half hour after Alexis fell asleep. I couldn't get over the fact that Renee was in Washington, she was staying in the same hotel and I drove in a car with her. Yes, I listened but I didn't respond to any of her questions.

In the past, I remember imagining how I'd handle the situation and it was nothing like what happened. There was more screaming and I'd stomp off like a petulant child. I guess the way I actually handled things showed that I'd grown over the past ten years or maybe the hurt was slowly starting to fade away? I didn't know, but I did know that there were a lot of words that still needed to be said.

I also needed to talk to Edward about the secret he kept from me for too many months. I wanted to discuss the issue with him more at the house but with Charlie, Phil and Renee in the same vicinity, it wasn't possible. And the more time I had to think about the day's events the more I realized I let him off too easily. My nerves and stress over the conversation and meeting with Renee pushed all the anger towards Edward to the back burner.

Once back in our room, I washed my face, put on my pajamas and sat on the sofa next to the roaring fire, enjoying the heat radiating from it. As usual, I felt his presence in the room before I actually saw him, the electricity crackling around us.

He took a seat next to me, draping his arm over the back cushions and stared; I pulled my knees up to my chest, curling my feet under my bottom and sighed. We sat in silence for a few minutes. He must have known the conversation was coming because he kept running his left hand through his locks, dropping it to his lap and then doing it again.

"Okay, you've been quiet for the majority of the night which means something is on your mind and you're upset. Talk to me," he requested.

"You're right. You know me too well, at least I like to think so. After today, I'm not as sure."

 He sighed as he took my hand and pulled me into his lap.

"Don't say that, Bella," he responded, the hurt evident in his voice.

"I know you meant well, you always do when you do things like this, but why do you always think you know what's best for me? Don't you think that I know that? I mean did you even consider my feelings when you planned this surprise? Because I think it was really inconsiderate of you to spring them on me at the house, knowing I couldn't go anywhere."

"It's not like…" he started but I placed my hand over his mouth to stop him.

"Let me finish." I slowly dropped my hand to my lap, sliding it between my legs. "I know I'm no angel when it comes to keeping secrets from you. I kept the one about James for a long time, but I thought after that situation," I swallowed, trying not to bring up those images. "We promised each other that we'd always be honest. No more surprises that would make one of us angry. And, Edward, you pissed me off today. You've known for two months that she was coming and you never thought once to tell your fiancé? All those times I kept complaining about some random number calling me, you didn't think to mention 'Oh, Bella, that could be your mom calling. By the way, I invited her to the wedding'? None of that crossed your mind?" I questioned, my voice rising.

"It did…everytime."

"Then why didn't you say something? I'm about to become your wife. It's not good to start our new life off like this."

"Because she still had the option to back out and believe me she thought about it plenty. At least twice a week I'd get a phone call from her telling me they were coming and then they weren't coming. Renee tried to come up with any excuse. She was scared, scared of how'd you react, scared she'd ruin your wedding, scared too much time had passed. I didn't tell you because I didn't want to get your hopes up."

"And what made you think I'd be disappointed? I haven't mentioned her once through this whole process," I asked, still baffled.

"You miss her. You haven't mentioned her once that's true, but I saw you."

I searched his eyes, hoping they'd tell me what he was talking about, but I got nothing. I looked at him, confused.

"It was in January, you'd picked up your dress that day and I'd just come home from work. I was calling for you, but you didn't answer. I found you in the office looking at a photo album and your back was to me. I watched you swipe your cheek and then sniffle. I left you to be after I witnessed that. The wheels in my mind started moving because I knew that album. I'd seen it once before when we were unpacking. I asked you about it after examining it briefly and you quickly took it from me, shoving it on the shelf. It was photos of your time with your mom."

My eyes widened as Edward continued to tell his story. I remembered that night- I was feeling a little down after picking up my dress. Having Esme by my side, Esme who was very maternal towards me, really did make me wish Renee were there. She always talked about going dress shopping with me. Her wedding to Phil was simple, justice of the peace, similar to her wedding with Charlie; they originally wanted to go to Mexico but they were in a hurry because Phil had to get to a game. She did wear a simple, gorgeous white gown though. She'd mention that she'd have to wait until my wedding to look at dresses. When I got home, I had the urge to look at the one photo album I kept of Renee and me. I thought I felt his presence but when I turned around there was no one in the doorway, though I did hear the piano playing a couple minutes later.

"I thought I felt you there. I came and found you at the piano."

"You did and we ended up making love. You were very needy that night."

"I was. I needed you to make up for the emptiness I felt that night. Wait a minute," I shook my head, clearing my thoughts.

How did we go from me being hurt and looking for answers to me confessing my need for my mother and needing him to fill that void?

"No, no, this is not how this conversation is supposed to go," I huffed, placing my hand on my hip. "You're supposed to be groveling and begging for my forgiveness. You're supposed to be in the doghouse."

"Put me in the doghouse, Bella," he shrugged with a small smirk. "You're the one who ends up relenting first anyway. I find it sexy that you want me that much."

I closed my eyes to avoid being sucked into him. I needed to refocus. I scooted off his lap to the other side of the sofa, needing the space.

"Okay, let's get back on track here. How did you go from photo album/piano lovemaking night to sending her a letter and flying her here?"

"Charlie. He wanted to know how everything was going so I told him and I may have brought up the photo album. He said he wasn't surprised you miss her. He then proceeded to explain how he'd wished that the two of you would make up, how you'd never forgive yourself if you got married and she wasn't there." I listened intently as he talked and picked at the imaginary fuzz on the sofa. "She hurt you, I know that. You told me and I can see it everytime you cry when you talk about her, but those tears prove that you're not over it. And the only way to do that is to hash it out."

"Edward, you may have a point, but…"

"Ah, ah, let me finish. You had your turn, now it's mine," he eyed me. I rolled my eyes and shut my mouth.
"You can try talking about it with Gianna, but until you hear the other side of the story you can't get past it. And you might as well do it while you can. Do you really want to deal with this, years down the road, when she pops up unannounced?"

"Oh, you mean like today?"

"Well, it wasn't unannounced for all of us, just you," he mentioned, smiling crookedly.

"That's not funny, Edward," I chided.

"Charlie and Sue convinced me to do it. I was scared, I've seen your wrath. By the way you need to stop hanging out with Rose, she's rubbing off on you too much."

I held back a snort and shook my head instead. Why is that we can't ever have a serious conversation without throwing in jokes here and there? Or getting distracted?

"But then I sat down and started writing, telling her about me. The more I wrote, the more I realized I wanted to tell her about you, about us and I wanted her here to share this moment with us. She's a part of you, Bella, whether you like it or not. Is there really so much damage done that you could never forgive her?"

I looked down at my lap and thought about his question.

As pissed and hurt as I've been by Renee, there is a part of me that still wants her in my life or at least deal with this issue. Most people would say fuck her, but I couldn't. I know, too, that this is not the week to forgive and forget because too much time has passed to have it to be all kittens and rainbows in just a couple of days.

I was getting married in five days. I couldn't be worrying about all this stuff. In the grand scheme of things, the only thing that mattered this week was Edward and I. I'd finally found the man I loved more than anything and we were going to spend the rest of our lives together. If things between Renee and I were ever supposed to be mended, then the pieces would eventually all fall into place. Until that happened, I could tolerate her for the sake of Edward and Alexis, as well as my family and friends.
As for Edward tonight…

"You're still in the doghouse. I hope you know that," I glared.

"Yeah," he sighed, rubbing his face. "Is there a time frame on this punishment?"

"You'll just have to wait and see," I smirked, standing up and swaying my hips as I walked away. I giggled when I heard him groan behind me.

This is going to be fun.

An Unexpected (Bad) Surprise

The month of March flew by and before I knew it, April had arrived and we were picking up everything we needed to take to the Salish Lodge. We decided that we were going to spend the week of the wedding there, driving up late Monday night instead of constantly being on the phone making final arrangements. It was also a way for us to relax and enjoy time with our family doing various things such as hiking, horseback riding, canoeing and spa time. I was so overwhelmed with everything that the nerves hadn't even set in, even though there was nothing to be nervous about.

I was on my way home after picking up Edward's ring when I got a strange feeling in the pit of my stomach. The strange feeling quickly turned into worry when I remembered that I hadn't been able to get a hold of Edward all day, each call going straight to voicemail. He was supposed to be at home packing, so I didn't understand why he wasn't answering his cell or the house phone that was rarely used. Alexis was supposed to be with him so I didn't understand why she wouldn't answer the phone either.

I breathed a sigh of relief when Ben Harper's 'Forever' rang out of my purse just as I was pulling into the driveway. I put the car in park before digging through my oversized purse to find my phone, pressing the answer button then put it to my ear.

"Edward," I breathed a sigh of relief. "Where have you been? I've tried calling you all day, but you haven't answered."

"Hey, Bella. Yeah, sorry about that. I've been dealing with some last minute things. Are you at home yet?" His voice sounded off, as if he was hiding something.

"Uh, yeah, I'm sitting in front of the house," I replied, hitting the garage door opener and noticing that his car was sitting there. "I'll be inside in a just a second to see you."

"I'm not there," he croaked.

"Where are you?" I asked, getting out of the car and closing the door behind me.

"I'm with your dad."

"My dad? Why is he in Seattle? Shouldn't he be in Forks packing?" I questioned, confused.

"We'll explain everything when we get to the house. We're about twenty minutes away. Can you make sure there's beer in the fridge?"

"Edward, you're worrying me. Is everything okay?"

"Everything's going to be fine," he said with conviction, but I couldn't help but think it was more for him than me.

"Alright, I'll see you soon."

"I love you, Bella."

"I love you, too. Bye."

I ended the call, placing my purse and phone on the counter. I exhaled a gush of air as I looked around the house- the poster board for the seating chart laid on the table amongst scattered RSVP cards to the wedding and various Sharpie colors. We'd finalized the chart a couple weeks ago, but we had to make some last minute changes because of some late arrivals. A stack of CDs sat next to my laptop, which was on the bar with iPod hooked up to it. Edward and I had yet to pick our song so we thought listening to wedding CDs would help us find something...we were wrong. My coffee cup and plate from breakfast still sat in the sink and Alexis' leftover food remained on the coffee table in the TV room. It looked as if Edward left the house in a rush. I sighed as I moved to start cleaning, but first I made sure there was beer in the fridge as he asked.

I had just finished straightening the table when I heard the front door open and close. I heard numerous voices- one being Edward's, then my father's, another male's and lastly a high-pitched nervous one.

"Bella?" Edward called.

"I'm in the kitchen," I answered.

I heard the sounds of his footsteps as he approached and they weren't the eager ones that I was used to hearing whenever we had been separated for the majority of the day; these were cautious and slow. I grabbed a beer from the fridge for him, twisting the top off, knowing that I'd drive if needed; I turned around just as he walked in the room.

"Here," I said, handing him the bottle. "On the phone, it sounded like you could use this."

"Yeah, thanks."  He smiled weakly, taking the bottle out of my hand and chugging the cold liquid.

I ran my hand up and down the side of his arm, trying to ease his worry. "What is it, Edward? You seem stressed about something."

He wrapped his free arm around my lower back then pressed his lips softly to mine; he then placed the beer on the counter as we pulled apart.

"So, I did something that I think will make you angry," he mentioned, running his left hand through his hair.

My brow furrowed as I looked at him confused and curious.

"I did it with the support of your dad and Sue," he continued.

I nodded my head for him to proceed, staying quiet.

"You know how you keep getting those phone calls from that random number?"

"Yeah," I replied, slowly.

"Well, I know who it is," he breathed.

"Who?"

"It's your mom. The reason she's been calling you is because I sent her an invitation. She's coming to the wedding and she's been trying to muster up the courage to talk to you, but she's finding it hard. With the invite, I included a letter explaining how we met, how we fell in love and how I think you'd regret getting married without her there to see you. I know you say you won't, but I see it your eyes. There's a hint of sadness. So, I took it upon myself to extend that olive branch."

I stood there trying to take in what Edward had just said. He went behind my back and sent Renee an invitation to our wedding? He reached out to a woman who he has never met, a woman I told him I wanted nothing to do with? He was right; I was angry and felt betrayed.

"I even flew them here which is why I was with your dad today. We had to pick them up from the airport and they're currently sitting in the living room, waiting."

I could feel my breaths quicken as the anger continued to build and my hands fisted at my sides. I shook my head and bit down on my lip to keep myself from lashing out at him. He crossed the line. He had no right to take it upon himself to mend a broken relationship.

"Say something, please," he pleaded, taking a hold of my hands.

The tears prickled in the corner of my eyes and my leg began to shake. I was on the verge of bursting and I didn't want to do it where everyone could hear me, so I walked away to go outside on the balcony. I slammed the door behind me and paced between the table and the bench, mumbling various expletives as I did so. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Edward and Charlie watching me as they talked and gestured; I could only assume they were arguing over who was going to come calm me down.

How could he do this? And the week of our wedding of all times. I thought I got him to understand all the pain Renee put me through. I didn't want to have all those memories and feelings bombarding me, especially this week. The week that was supposed to be one of the happiest of my life.

I wanted to get away from the house, but knew that was childish and I had grown past doing that; I just needed time to think. When I started to feel weak from all the short breaths, I took a seat on the bench gripping the edge of the wood so tight that my knuckles turned white and dropped my head between my shoulders. I heard the door fly open and felt Edward's presence kneeling before me.

"Take deep breaths, Bella," he ordered, pulling my right hand up and checking my pulse. "Calm down. You're having one of your attacks."

"I'm so pissed at you right now," I growled, trying to calm down.

"I know and I'm sorry. I should've told you what I was doing," he apologized, hooking his finger under my chin and lifting it.

"You're so in the wrong. I can't believe you sprung this on me the day we're supposed to be leaving for the lodge. How long have you known she was coming?"

"A couple months," he muttered.

"A couple months?!" I exclaimed, surprised.

"I knew if I told you sooner that you would revoke the offer. She deserves to see you walk down the aisle, Bella."

"Just because she gave birth to me doesn't give her that right, Edward. And who are you to decide that?"

"I am the man who loves you and wants to see you happy. I am the man who makes you face your fears, even if you hate me for it. I think it's time for you to bury the hatchet with your mom so that we can start our life together without this burden constantly weighing on your heart. I know you say it's in the past, but it's not, baby. I know all this wedding planning is bringing up those thoughts and feelings, and part of you has to feel that your mom should be here. Please, just talk to her, hear her out."

"These are the surprises that I hate, Edward. And too many of these ruin all the good ones."

"She wanted to show up the day before the wedding and I thought that would be too much for you to handle. Plus, I was scared that you'd be so pissed at me that you would change your mind about marrying me."  He smiled sheepishly.

I cupped his face before covering his lips with mine for a slow, but passionate kiss.

"I may be mad at you right now," I mumbled against his lips. "But there is nothing that you could do to make me change my mind. I love you with all my heart because you know when to kick my stubborn ass and make me face reality. You're stuck with me, Dr. Cullen."

His sheepish smile turned into a huge fucking grin causing me to smile right with him, his arms encompassed my body and I relaxed into his embrace.

"Edward, Bells, I don't mean to interrupt, but I have to get going," Charlie said, clearing his throat.

"Erm, right," I nervously said, sitting up straight. "I'll see you tomorrow, Dad."

He closed the distance between us and Edward sat up to take a seat next to me, resting his hand on my knee.

"They're inside still, waiting. I can send them out here if you think it will be easier."

"I rather talk to her without Phil," I honestly said.

"Okay, I'll go inside to entertain him," Edward added.

"Thanks."

I stood up to hug my father goodbye. He whispered 'Please try to forgive her, Bella. Let it go,' to me and I watched he and Edward retreat inside.

Within five minutes, Renee stepped out onto the balcony and my body tensed at the sight of her. Her brown hair, which generally hit a few inches below her shoulders, was shorter and lighter; she had a little more meat on her bones and she looked younger than I remembered her ever being. That Florida sun must really be some sort of fountain of youth. Her eyes looked sad, though.

"Bella."  She smiled.

"Renee," I responded coldly.

"You're gorgeous. The picture Edward sent me didn't do you justice," she mentioned, taking a couple steps closer.

He sent her a picture of our family? Jackass.

"Why are you here?" I asked, getting straight to the point.

"I'm not here under any false pretenses. Edward made it perfectly clear that you didn't know anything about the invite. But, Bella, I couldn't turn down an opportunity to see my only child get married."

"Only child? I'm surprised you just openly admitted that you have one," I quipped.

She looked shocked that those words had left my mouth, but she didn't let my anger deter her.

"I made a lot of mistakes with you and for that I'm truly sorry, Bella," she apologized as she straightened her back and looked me in the eyes. "I just don't understand why your father can accept my apologies, but you can't."

"My father is older and has had more time to deal with it. You left him and strung me along for twelve years. He didn't get better until Sue came into his life. He always held out hope that you'd return," I explained before pausing for a few minutes. "You know, I always referred to you as Hurricane Renee. People knew you were coming, they were able to prepare, but no amount of stocking up could brace them for the destruction you left."

"I'm sorry I carted you around the southwest. I'm sorry that you were forced to grow up because I couldn't. I get it, I screwed up, but there is no need for you to say those hurtful words," she said as a stream of tears trailed down her cheeks.

"Hurtful words? They are just words, they are nothing compared to the emotional turmoil you put me through. I was never good enough for you, nothing I ever did made you proud," I shot back, my voice rising. "Why didn't you leave me with him? It's obvious you didn't want to be a mom."

"Is that what you think? You're the most precious thing to me, Bella," she cried softly, inching closer to me.

Charlie's words resonated in my head, 'Please forgive her, Bella. Let it go.'

"Then how could you just let me go?" I asked, throwing my hand in the air and dropping it to my side as I shook my head in disbelief.

"Originally, you were supposed to just stay with Charlie until we got settled some place, but then you started making friends and really enjoying your life. I couldn't make you start it all over again."

We stood inches apart just staring at the other, my arms crossed over my chest while Renee's twitched at her sides.

"Everything I did was for you. I wanted you to have better than what I had."

"I didn't need all those gifts. I just needed you to be my mom."  I shrugged. "I needed to know that you loved me."

"Well, you certainly didn't have any problem taking those gifts that you say you didn't need," she argued, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Okay, well the car, I needed. The Beast was definitely dead and Alice and Jacob were getting tired of carting me around. So that I appreciate, but the purses and the shoes...they weren't for me and you'd know that if you knew me," I confessed as the tears trickled down my face. "But you don't and that was your choice. You had plenty of opportunities, even after you moved away, but it became all about you and Phil. I didn't exist anymore. So, you can come to the wedding because Edward invited you, but you won't be there as my mother." I sniffled and licked my dry lips. "You'll just be another guest there because you haven't been my mother in years. I'm sorry, I have to go finish packing."

I walked towards the door, avoiding her body and opened it; I looked back briefly to see her shoulders hunched and her face in the palms of her hands, crying. I found Edward and Phil sitting on the couch drinking beers and they looked up at the sounds of my sniffles.

"What happened, Bella?" he asked, immediately getting up to comfort me. He pulled me into his chest and I welcomed his compassion.

"I can't do it, Edward. I just can't forgive her yet. I'm sorry," I muttered into his shirt.

"I'll go check on Renee," Phil mentioned, setting his beer on the coaster and standing up. "And, Bella, I know it's going to take time. You two haven't talked in years, but it's a good first step in the right direction."

I lifted my head to stare at the man who changed my life. I never hated him, in fact, I always liked Phil; he was good for Renee, calmed her down and he was always nice to me. After I moved to Forks, those last two years of high school, Phil always sent me a card for every holiday and he'd add twenty dollars to treat myself. The card was signed by both Phil and Renee but based on the signature; I knew she had taken no part. It made me smile and feel good to know that at least one of them cared about me. I wished it had been Renee, but beggars can't be choosers. I gave him a weak smile as he patted my back in a fatherly manner.

As he walked outside, I buried my face back in Edward's consoling arms.

"Let's go upstairs," Edward suggested.

I followed him to our room where our suitcases sat open on the bed. I instantly walked to mine to finish folding the clothes.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked, standing next to me and rubbing my back.

"Not really, but I know I should."  I sighed, placing a shirt on the pile. "She seems genuinely sorry, but there's too much damage for it all to be corrected in one sitting. Maybe with time, I can forgive her, but today is not that day."

"I'm proud of you," he said softly.

"Why? Nothing was resolved," I said angrily, starting to throw articles of clothing into the bag.

Edward huffed before grasping my waist and tugging my body towards his; I kept my hands at my side as I gazed up at him.

"Because you tried. I really thought you were going to make this difficult."

"Me, make things difficult."  I gasped, placing my hand on my chest and taking offense. After a couple of seconds I laughed. He knows me too well.

"I just hope there won't be any drama. This week is about us."

"I don't plan on starting any fights," I said honestly. "I informed her that she'll be a guest at the party, but I will not recognize her as my mother."

"Will you allow her to take part in the week's activities?"

I thought about it for a moment, realizing that I'd forgotten about our plans with this bombshell.

"Does that mean they're driving with us?" I inquired, even though I could see the answer on his guilty face.

"I'm sorry, everyone else has already left. I could call for a rental car?"

Though that sounded very appealing, I didn't want to put Phil out; he was an innocent bystander in all of this, much like Edward.

"No, I can sit in a car with her. Besides, I can avoid interaction because I'll be driving."  I smiled. "And, yes, they can join us this week. I'm sure Charlie would appreciate it."

"I appreciate it," he added, moving his hand to cup my face.

I smiled sadly, wishing I could offer him a happier ending, but I had to stay true to myself. I averted my eyes and bit my cheek feeling another onslaught of tears.

"Stop beating yourself up, Bella," he lectured. "You're trying and that's what matters to me."

"I'm not, I promise. I'm just...thank you for not pushing me to forgive and forget. You understand me which proves you're my other half."  I smiled, a genuine one, and held onto his forearms.

He chuckled softly as he dipped his head to lightly touch my lips, so lightly that I wouldn't have known it happened had my eyes not been open. I pleaded with my eyes for more and he obliged, covering my mouth and tightening his grip on my head. I whimpered from the passion and love I felt oozing off him in this one kiss. We kept it simple, no tongue, and just little nips here and there. We broke apart after a few minutes, smiling blissfully.

"If we didn't have some place to be, I'd stay here all night kissing you. You're lips are so delectable," he mentioned with a smirk.

My smile grew as I felt the heat on my cheeks. His compliments still make me blush.

"Gorgeous." I shook my head turning back to the task at hand - packing. "Remember, your honeymoon bag has already been packed by Alice."

"Speaking of our honeymoon," I started, waggling my brows. "Where are we going?"

"You'll find out in six days."

"You can't give me any hints?" I pouted.

"Only that it's on your list."

My list. Edward had asked me to make a list of places around the world that I wanted to visit. The list was a full page now, having added more almost every day thanks to the damn Travel Channel.

"Do you know how many places are on there?" I inquired, turning my body enough to look at him.

"Yes, I do. Which is why that was your hint."  He smirked.

I shook my head and moved to finish packing. He kissed the top of my head and gave my sides a slight squeeze before taking his luggage to the car. Folding the rest of the clothes, I got a warm, tingling feeling when I placed the newly bought lingerie on top. I had to sit on top of the suitcase in order to get it to zip up, bringing a little of everything because the weather was supposed to be all over the place.

I carried the bag downstairs, huffing and puffing the whole way from the weight. Edward met me at the bottom wearing a playful smile and his arms crossed over his chest.

"I would've helped if you had asked," he chuckled.

"I got it."

"Stubborn," he tsked, grabbing it and leading the way out to the garage.

He slid the bag into the back of the car, placing it next to his. Edward joined Renee and Phil in the car and started it, while I ran back inside to make sure we grabbed everything. Once I was sure we hadn't forgotten anything, I ran back out to the garage and locked the door behind me. I settled in the driver's seat, buckling up as Edward's worried eyes watched. I turned to him letting the excitement show in my face and he leaned across the center console, pecking my lips before I backed out of the garage.

The drive was long. It had begun to pour, which slowed us down, but we found out what Renee and Phil had been up to over the past couple of years. They'd moved to Tampa because Phil had gotten a job as one of the Tampa Bay Rays' coaches and Renee worked with the team as well, in their public relations department. They were much happier there than in Jacksonville; with a little home near a lake, less than ten minutes away from the beach. They invited us to visit and Edward told them we'd work something out. I kept my mouth shut.

It was around nine o'clock by the time we made it to the lodge. We were about an hour late for dinner, so after checking in, we said goodbye to Phil and Renee then went to our room. We dropped off our luggage then headed to Carlisle's and Esme's suite to see Alexis, ordering room service and eating while watching a movie with her. We enjoyed the last bit of quiet and calm we would most likely find before the craziness that the rest of the week would bring...as a family. It always came back to the three of us.

The sun was shining on Tuesday so we decided to take a hike at Snoqualmie Falls Park. I introduced Alexis to Renee and Phil at breakfast that morning; she didn't warm up to them as quickly as she did with Charlie and Sue, but Renee didn't give up. She walked with Alexis on the nature trail, pointing out various plants along the way. It was kind of endearing to watch, remembering those few precious moments when Renee actually was a mother to me.

She's trying, I guess.

Alexis would randomly give me an apprehensive look and I'd try to give her an encouraging one each time. I don't think it always worked out that way, though.

The observation deck was full, but once we squeezed pass the crowd, the view made the adventure worth it. I slid my arms around Edward's body as I settled into his side and his hand ran up and down my back.

"I can't wait to be your wife!" I spoke loud enough for only him to hear. The roar from the waterfall made it nearly impossible to hear anything.

"You don't know how happy that makes me," he replied, pulling me closer.

I gazed into his eyes and he dropped his head to capture my lips. They conformed to mine and we both got lost in each other, forgetting there were people all around us.

"They're getting married!" I heard Renee comment.

"Ah, how wonderful. They look to be very much in love."

I felt Edward smile and I knew he heard it, too. We parted and looked over at Renee, who waved sheepishly.

"Did you know the Snoqualmie Indians believed the falls to be a spiritual place?" she yelled to Alexis. "And it's the most famous waterfall in this state!"

"How do you know that?" I asked surprised.

"Well, Phil and I did some research on the area before we flew out here. We weren't sure what the plan was."  She shrugged. "I'm glad you guys did this. It's a great way to join the two families."

"It was all Mamma's idea," Alexis beamed, grabbing my hand.

On Wednesday, it was raining a little bit, but we didn't let Mother Nature ruin our plan to go rafting. It wasn't white water rafting by any means; we were getting married in three days, and we weren't crazy. We decided to take the leisure package so we could observe the scenery and the wildlife along the river. We hadn't gotten enough of those two things yet. We all looked silly in our orange life vests and Esme had a field day taking photos of all of us acting like goof balls. The trip included a picnic lunch where we saw plenty of forest animals, which the kids loved.

On the way back, we had a slight mishap- Alexis wanted to go in a raft with Renee and myself...what Alexis wants, Alexis gets. So, Renee and I were paddling and talking when I noticed Alexis leaning a little too far over the raft to look at the fishes. I tried to pull her back, but I ended up slipping and pushing both of us overboard into the water.

"Bella!" Renee yelled, jumping in after us.

I'm sure on any normal day the river was cold, but add the rain in the mix and it was freezing. Alexis panicked the moment she hit the water and started splashing. My first instinct was to make sure she was safe, so I held her above me as she unknowingly pushed me under even with the life jacket. I felt strong arms lift me out of the water and pull me into a raft as I coughed up water. The moment I had a towel around me, I felt another pair of arms wrap around my shivering body. I looked around to see I was sandwiched in between Edward, Renee and Alexis, who was crying and sitting in my lap, teeth chattering.

"Baby, are you okay?" Renee asked, worried.

I nodded my head and waited until the coughing subsided to answer her properly.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm more worried about Lexi. How are you, baby girl?"

Alexis shook her head and hid in the crook of my neck as she continued to whimper. Edward and I worked together to take off her life jacket so we could wrap another towel around her. I then rubbed my cold hands over her colder arms, trying to create some sort of warmth for her; Edward followed my movements, which I think helped.

"I can't believe you fell over. I saw it happen in slow motion and there was nothing I could do except paddle as fast as I could over to you. I was going to jump in, but Charlie yelled at me to stay in the raft." He placed loving kisses on both of our heads.

"Do you have any of those heat blankets in your first aid kit?" Renee inquired.

The tour guide searched through the backpack and pulled out one, handing it to her; she opened it up and placed it on top of us, bundling it around our bodies. Alexis calmed down a few minutes after she started to warm up.

I turned my head to see everyone staring at us with concerned expressions on their faces. I offered them all a small smile to let them know we were okay and then I replayed that moment in my head, giggling softly which turned into an all out laugh.

We fell into the freezing cold water. Only that shit could happen to me.

Everyone looked at me as if I was crazy.

"I'm sorry," I laughed, waving my hand in the air, trying to calm myself. "But how often does that actually happen? We were on the leisure tour."

Edward and Renee joined in my laughing and eventually everyone else did too.

"It's very rare," the guide added.

"See," I pointed. "And you, Renee, you jumped in after us. How are you not freezing like us?"

"Well, I guess my adrenaline is masking it all. Plus, right now my focus is all on you. I can't have you getting sick before your wedding."

I smiled when she threw Phil's jacket around my shoulders.

"Thank you," I said gratefully.

"Anytime," she said, placing a kiss on my hand and then patting it. I thought she was going to let it go, but she held on; the added warmth was nice.

"Let's get you back to the lodge so I can warm you up," Edward whispered in my ear, huskily.

"Mm, a nice warm bath sounds lovely," I hummed.

"My thoughts exactly," he asserted.

For the rest of the ride, I tried my best to focus on anything but how heavy my wet jeans felt on my legs, my socks squishing around in my shoes as I tried to bend my toes and my long sleeve shirt sticking to me; I was miserable.

I'd never been so happy to see a dock in my life. We were exhausted and soaked, but it was an experience we'd never forget.

And it was another good experience with Renee.

Thursday, we separated men and women; Alice had an idea to make it an all day bachelor and bachelorette parties. The ladies decided to spend the morning at the spa while the men went to play golf. After the spa, we went to downtown Snoqualmie and walked in and out of the unique shops. We ate lunch at one of the cafes and finished the trip with a stop at the candy shop with an old-fashioned lunch counter. That was Alexis' favorite part. While we were downtown, we walked past a brewery and Alice decided that we'd be spending our night there.

"Hey, beautiful," Edward greeted as he walked into the bathroom. He stopped right behind me, placing his hands on my hips and resting his head against my shoulder. "Your legs look fucking hot in those shoes."

I ran my hand through his hair, massaging his scalp a little bit before going back to applying my make-up.

"Hi, baby, thanks. How was your day golfing?"

We hadn't seen each other since morning and Alice stole my cell phone so I wasn't able to send him any text messages.

"It was good though my back hurts a little. It's been too long since I've been on the green. I'm hoping a hot shower will help loosen the muscles." His hand grazed my ass when he walked by me to turn on the shower.

"I wish I could help you out with a little massage," I offered, scrunching my nose. "But I'm supposed to be meeting the girls downstairs in ten minutes."

"Where are you going tonight?"

"I'm not allowed to say. Alice doesn't want you guys to go there. She wants to make sure we have separate parties..." I trailed off.

I lost my train of thought when he pulled his polo shirt over his head. I get to spend the rest of my life watching him do that. I smiled from my thought and continued watching him undress. When he was naked and about to step in the shower, I stopped him. I suddenly had this need for him.

"I thought you had to be downstairs," he said with a groan when my hand wrapped around his length.

"They can wait. It's my party so I can be late if I want to." I smirked, running my other hand over his chest, my fingers sliding into the little hairs. His nipples hardened under my fingertips. "Right now, I need my fiancé," I purred.

"Mm, and he needs you," he growled.

Edward lifted me up, forcing me to release him and spun us around to press me against the wall as I wrapped my legs and arms around him. His lips met mine with a hunger and I could feel him grow against me, reveling in the feeling of his body against mine. The kiss was deep and wet; his tongue danced fiercely with mine. He pulled his mouth from mine and peppered hot kisses down my neck and along my collarbone.

He was making me crazy.

I pushed my hips into him letting him know that I wanted more. His hand glided up my thigh and under my dress to my panties, pulling them down quickly when I dropped my legs for a brief moment. Edward buried himself inside me the second my body encompassed his again; he found a rhythm easily, quickly moving with a new passion.

"Fuck, your heels are digging into my ass," he grunted.

"Sorry."  I grimaced.

"No, it's hot. I was picturing something like this when I saw you tonight."

My head thumped back against the wall with the force of his thrusts. My nails dug into the back of his neck as he moved, bringing me closer and closer to my orgasm.

"Shit, Edward."

"You always feel so good around me," he panted.

Edward went deeper and faster the closer we both got to the edge. He dropped his head to my chest and he sucked on the décolletage that was peaking out of my dress. His warm tongue on my skin sent a fire straight to my stomach.

"You're close, baby, I can feel it."

"Yes, so close. Don't stop, Edward."

"Never. We get to do this the rest of our lives."

We stopped talking; the only noise in the room our heated breaths, as we worked to get to our release. Edward grabbed my ass, squeezing the cheeks roughly.

"Come on, Bella, I can't hold out much longer," he grunted.

He pushed me against the wall and my hair fell around my face. I rested my forehead against his shoulder praying that the muscles in my stomach would release soon; the tightening was becoming unbearable.

I tried to slip my hand between us, but Edward's body was too close and he wasn't willing to move away. I lifted my head and found nothing but love in his eyes. I pulled his face to mine and kissed him hoping that the distraction would help and it did. Before I knew it, I was moaning into Edward's mouth, my legs tightening around his waist. My release brought on his, and I felt him explode in several hot bursts as his hips jerked rhythmically against mine.

We stood, panting heavily with our bodies locked together, his weight keeping me pressed against the wall and my legs seemingly locked in place. He brushed my sweaty hair away from my face, and I smiled at him.

"Thank you."

"The pleasure was all mine. I'm just glad you wore a dress. Jeans would have made this a little more difficult."

"I think I may need to shower before going downstairs," I mentioned, glancing at myself in the mirror.

"I can help you with that."  He smirked as his hands immediately moved to rid me of my dress. "By the way, you may want to get used to this because these quickies will most likely become popular when we have kids."

"Ha, that right there could have just created one," I teased, stepping into the shower.

"Let's hope not, I at least want to do that right," he said, following me.

I met the girls downstairs twenty-five minutes late; they all gave me a knowing look when I showed up with my hair wet and curly. I shrugged, making them laugh as we headed out the door.

The night started simple, ordering appetizers and a round of beers. Alice made a rule that we'd all order a different beer each time so that we'd be able to taste them all.

We were handed the first round and Renee made a toast.

"Tonight is all about Bella," she started, raising her glass. "Thank you for letting me be here. I hope that when you and Edward are old and gray, you'll look back upon your life and the moments that will stand out the most, the moments when you have really lived, will be the moments when you have done things in the spirit of love. You don't know how overjoyed I am that you have found someone worthy of you and your love. I wish you nothing but the best in your future with Edward and Alexis."

"And remember...romance is about the little things," Rosalie added, before whispering across the table to me. "Like a blow job here or there."

I snorted at her off the wall comment. Luckily, I hadn't taken a sip yet, otherwise it'd be all over the table.

"To Bella," Alice added, clinking her glass with Renee's.

"To Bella," everyone else joined in.

It was an interesting evening to say the least- this was apparently the first time Leah and Rosalie had been able to go out without the kids. Rosalie hired a nanny for the trip; Leah and I took it upon ourselves to abuse the poor woman by giving her Alexis and William to watch on top of Rosalie's three kids for the night. She'd be paid nicely.

They were three sheets to the wind after three beers and it was hilarious listening to them give me baby advice. I had informed the ladies that I had stopped taking my birth control after I got my last period, which ended a couple of days ago, because Edward and I wanted to start a family right away. There was no point in waiting to have us time when we had Alexis. Moreover, she was encouraging us to give her a little brother or sister.

I was feeling quite an amazing buzz after four beers. We must have been a sight to see with all of us leaning on each other, laughing at anything and everything, even things that weren't funny. At one point, Esme spit out water on Renee, Alice and I, and then apologized profusely.

We still had an hour before the bar closed and Leah was ordering another round for us. The moment she fell out of her chair, I knew it was the right time to text Edward.

Whereo rawre you? xo B

It didn't take long for him to respond.

At the hotel bar. You? BTW still thinking about the bathroom. xo E

I blushed reading his last statement and bit my lip as my body started to tingle from the memory.

Mm, me too ;) I hit send then quickly typed- Toyo. Con gent me?

LOL Where are you?

I handed my phone to Renee and asked her to type downtown brewery for me since I seemed incapable of doing so; she was the least drunk out of all of us.

LOL oh, baby. You're so drunk.

Please :(

Don't give me the lip.

:(

Haha. I'll grab Jazz and dad. Be there in ten?

Love you. B

Love you, too.

Thank God those last words were auto saved into my phone. I'm going to look at these tomorrow and think 'what the fuck'.  I tucked my phone back in my purse and rested my elbows on the table.

"I can't express enough, Bella, how proud I am of you," Renee said softly, throwing her arm over my shoulders and pulling me into her side, nearly causing me to fall over.

"Thank you." I smiled sheepishly.

"You are going to be an amazing mother, much better than I ever was. I watched you yesterday with Alexis, how you put her needs before your own."  She shook her head. "I hope you'll let me be a part of the little ones' lives."

"You may have to make more trips out to Seattle."

Where the hell did that come from? Oh, the power of alcohol.

"Oh, thank you, Bella," she squealed, hugging me.

"And you did have your moments. Times weren't always bad growing up with you, the good doesn't outweigh the bad, but I still have some memories that make me smile. The one I remember the most I told Edward about on our third date. Remember the dance recital?"

Renee looked up for a brief moment and then started laughing.

"I remember that. You were so embarrassed after it was all over, but Bella, you were a great little ballerina even if you did knock all the other girls down. I used a whole roll of film that night. You were precious up on that stage."

"That's a complete lie and you know it," I giggled, holding onto the table for support.

Whoever thought of putting barstool style tables in a brewery wasn't very smart. You get people like us in here who want to try all the beers thus getting drunk and tipsy.

I looked at Renee and I could feel the broken piece of my heart slowly start to mend. She's not the same woman she was.

Our reminiscing was put on hold when I heard the girls introduce themselves to a table of young men next to us, mentioning my name and bride in the same sentence. I shook my head in fear of the plan forming in their heads.

"She's getting married on Saturday!" Alice yelled, trying to stand up in her seat. Both Rosalie and Leah had to hold onto her hands otherwise she would have fallen. "All eligible men gather around and pucker up to give the bride-to-be a kiss!"

Oh God, shoot me now. I tried to hide my face in the palms of my hands as my face heated up, but Sue pulled them away.

A line of about fifteen men stood next to me.

Where is Edward? I thought looking around.

"On the count of three, you'll each kiss her on the cheek! One, two, three," Alice counted off with her fingers.

I felt warm lips, dry lips, wet lips, and sloppy ones, which made me cringe as did the ones with smelly breaths. I was nearly finished when a flash of bronze caught my eye. Edward's eyes twinkled as he waited his turn at the end of the line. The room watched as Edward moved in and I turned my head just in time to capture his lips. I threw my arms around his neck, holding him close to me as he lifted me out of my seat. I stifled a giggle when I heard a couple of the guys ask who the lucky son of a bitch was, complaining about not getting a kiss like that. Alice grumbled in the background about Edward ruining our fun.

We separated and Edward announced to the room that he was the lucky son of a bitch who would be marrying me on Saturday. I let the giggle, which was waiting to explode, free and rested my head on his shoulder.

"Come on, ladies, say good night to the lovely people of Snoqualmie," Carlisle ordered as he held Esme up.

"Bye! Thank you for being so generous!" they all yelled in unison.

Jasper had to carry Alice out while Carlisle took Esme first then came back for Rosalie; I asked Edward to help Leah out the door and Renee and I guided Sue to the waiting car. Once back to the hotel, the men made sure we all made it to our rooms safely before turning in themselves. As we layed in bed, I asked Edward where Jacob and Emmett were. Apparently, they had the same idea as their wives...to get plastered.

"Okay, Isabella," Minister Stefan started. It's Bella. I sighed. How many times do I have to tell you? "Once Alice walks down, I'll ask the congregation to stand as you make your way out the door and around the row of chairs for Edward to see you for the first time in your dress, which I hope will be white like the one you're wearing tonight. You'll proceed down the aisle with your father next to you and end here."

The white folded chairs were all set up; some of them had ribbons while others didn't. I hope they'll have this finish by tomorrow night. The iron arch was at the end of the aisle, but it was still bare. The balcony, at that point, didn't look as if it'd be ready in time. My breaths quickened as the stress built.

"It will all come together, Bells. Trust that they know what they're doing," Charlie reassured me, patting the hand that was now squeezing his bicep.

"Sorry, Dad. It just looks so bare."

"They have twenty-four hours to turn this into your dream wedding. I don't think they'll let you down. And remember that the majority of this place is going to be donned with flowers and they have to stay refrigerated."

"You're right. Thanks," I smiled.

"Anytime, sweetheart."

Charlie and I followed the minister's instructions precisely. Edward stepped forward to meet us as instructed and shook Charlie's hand before taking mine, turning us towards the minister. He gave us a brief summary of the vows he'd be reciting to us, at which point we'd be lighting the unity candle followed by the official announcement of husband and wife. We then walked back down the aisle with everyone following behind us.
"Do we need to go through that again?" he asked.

My stomach growled at that moment, causing Edward to laugh and tell him 'no', as we had already been rehearsing for nearly an hour. We said goodbye and headed to The Cliffside Room where an employee was waiting.

We sat at a long rectangular table with a white tablecloth and a copper color runner and matching plates. There were four small bowls with fresh cut white roses on top with little votive candles surrounding it. In the middle of the table was a tall vase with twisted branches. It was simple yet elegant; Esme and Carlisle had done a wonderful job planning this with the lodge. The room had a small balcony that had an amazing view of the Snoqualmie River and the Valley below, which Alexis and I checked out. Jacob joined us and quietly asked how I was doing with Renee being there.

"I'm slowly becoming okay with it," I smiled, taking his hand.

Jacob knew my issues with Renee all too well; he was the one who forced me to talk about my feelings and anger towards her when I'd moved to Forks. Even though I never got over it, the talks with him really helped.

"I'm glad you're trying to put it behind you, Bells."

I gave him a quick hug and kiss before the three of us walked back inside.

 We sat around the table, Edward to my right as Alexis took the seat to my left. It was cute to watch her immediately take her napkin and lay it in her lap. We were given the option to order one of four dishes- roast range-fed chicken, garden fresh tossed penne, sweet mustard glazed salmon filet or chef attended roast top round of beef. Edward and I chose different dishes so we could have a taste of our two favorites.

The conversations flowed smoothly through the appetizers and then the main course; before we ordered dessert, Carlisle cleared his throat to get everyone's attention.

"I want to thank you all for being here tonight and all this week for that matter. Esme and I want to thank Charlie and Sue and Renee and Phil for allowing us to organize this dinner for Edward and Bella."

I looked to my parents, watching all four of them nod and smile at Carlisle and Esme.

"You know, Edward has never had any trouble with the ladies. It's always come easy for him."

"Oh, God, here it comes," Edward groaned, dropping his head into the palm of his hand.

I giggled as I grasped his hand and rested it on my lap.

"That was until Bella. She threw him for quite a loop. He didn't think a woman like you would ever give him the time of day considering his circumstances, plus, he figured you had a boyfriend. It's sad to think it took Emmett and Rosalie to get him to see the truth. I always thought you were smart, son, but when it came to Bella, you were quite slow. Your own mother was helping you."

I guffawed as I remembered the day Esme dropped Alexis off and had to explain to me why Edward had not called the weekend after we kissed for the first time. Then later that day, Rosalie forced him to ask me out.  Edward released my hand and squeezed my thigh for laughing at him, making me jump slightly. I turned my head to glare at him and his face held my favorite smirk, which caused any tiny bit of anger I felt to melt away. I leaned towards him, puckering my lips, as he met me halfway for a chaste kiss. Once we pulled apart, he draped his left arm around the back of my chair and pulled it closer to his so that they were touching. I scooted closer to him, getting comfortable in the spot that was made just for me.

"But eventually you were able to take control of your life again and all of us sitting here tonight are proof of that. So Bella, I want to thank you for helping Edward get his life back. You don't know how much it means to us to see Edward truly happy again. And we cannot forget how you've become a wonderful mother to Alexis."

Alexis stood from her chair, sitting on the edge of mine and I kissed the top of her head as I wrapped my free arm around her.

"We better be seeing some kids from you two," Esme commented. "I want more grandbabies."

"I have to agree with Esme," Sue and Renee added in unison.
 
Edward and I had accepted the fact that we were going to be humiliated all night, so we laughed at our mothers.

"Alright, I've rambled enough, so in closing, a toast to the bride and groom," Carlisle finished, raising his glass in the air.

"To Edward and Bella," everyone said, following Carlisle.

We took a sip and before we sat our glasses down, my father was standing and clearing his throat.

"I was going to save this for tomorrow, but I'd rather say it among Edward and Bella's family. Thank you, Carlisle and Esme, for taking my daughter in and treating her as one of your own from the very beginning. As a protective father, you don't know how much that means to me. I've never liked her being in that big city, living by herself, but she's just too damn stubborn."

"Don't I know it," Edward mumbled.

"Hey, you hush now," I scolded as the room laughed.

"Anyway, the first time Bella told me about Edward, I nearly had a heart attack. She thought it was because she told me about Alexis at the same time, but in all truths, it was because I knew from the look in her eyes that she had found the one. She had found the man that she was going to marry. Immediately, I didn't like you, Edward. You had taken my daughter away and I hadn't even met you."

Listening to my father talk about Edward and I brought tears to my eyes. It wasn't easy for Charlie to talk about his feelings to one person, yet here he was telling a whole group of people.

"You made it really difficult for me to hate you, Edward, even more so when I met Alexis," he shook his head.

"I couldn't ask for a better man to be marrying my daughter. So, again, to Edward and Bella and we'll add Alexis in there too."

We all cheered again and thankfully, that was the last speech. I don't think my make-up could take anymore tears; all happy ones, of course. I wiped them away as the waiter passed out the dessert.

Once we finished, we all thanked Carlisle and Esme again before saying good night. Edward walked me back to our room where we had to say goodbye; Alice was forcing us to stick with tradition so we couldn't spend the night together. I hope she realizes that I don't sleep as well without Edward.

"Just think, baby, by this time tomorrow, we'll be flying to our honeymoon," I beamed, gliding my hands around his neck.

"Mm, dreams of you and me in a villa along..." he started, his eyes closed, imagining.

"Keep going," I coaxed, biting my lip. I'm gonna get it out of him. Finally.

"Haha, yeah right. I've kept it this long, I'm not going to give it up, Bella. You'll just have to wait until tomorrow. Believe me, it will be worth it," he promised, resting his hands on my sides.

"Alright, alright. Have fun sleeping with Jasper," I teased.

"Ugh, don't remind me. I wish it were you. I can't believe Alice is making us do this," he complained.

"I know, but before you know it, I'll be walking down the aisle to you to be your wife," I said, inching closer to his lips.

"She's right, Loverboy," Alice interrupted causing us both to sigh, resting our foreheads against each other's.

"Now, I've given you both enough time to say goodbye, so go."

She stopped right next to us with her hands on her hips.

"You suck, Alice," I mumbled.

"I love you, Bella. I'll see you tomorrow at our wedding."

"Love you, too. 'Night."

He pressed his smooth lips to mine for a simple, but long kiss. We parted when Alice started tugging on my arm.

"Come on you two, you'll see each other in eighteen hours. Now, Bella needs to get some rest. We have an early morning with hair and make-up and everything else. Say good night, Edward," Alice sang, pulling me away.

Edward sighed before kissing me one more time.

"The next time I kiss you will be as your husband. How does that sound?" he asked.

"Mm, wonderful. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Bye, love. Sleep well."