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Chapter 6: Loose Ends

The walk back to our house was silent. I tried to read Edward’s eyes but failed because the sun had vanished from view leaving only faint pink and purple whiffs of cloud in its place. The remainder of the afternoon consisted of secret conversations and Edward’s head nodding in either agreement or his throat erupting low growls of discontent. I just sat there unmoving by his side and soaked up the tranquil atmosphere that Jasper had created. I found myself thinking about the wedding that was now only a day away. In my unnaturally peaceful mind, I began to think about the dress and the flowers and even the vows. Edward and I had not planned on reciting our own vows but maybe it would be something he would like to do. I wonder what I would say. I was never good at public speaking let alone expressing my deepest feelings in front of a crowd of people. Edward’s cool voice pulled me out of my reverie. We were back in the bedroom. The pale light from the moon danced temptingly off his pallid skin as he sat gracefully on the edge of the bed.

“Bella.” He said pulling me down to his side.
I looked into his eyes; they were warm and gentle. I couldn’t manage and audible response so I nodded my head. The serenity was beginning to leave me and I desperately tried to cling to it. My hands began to shake uncontrollably in my lap as Jane’s face popped into my head. I saw her standing menacingly over Edward’s tortured body wriggling in pain on the floor. Edward had noticed my trembling hands and took them firmly in his grasp.
“Shh Bella. Everything is going to be fine.” He lulled.
A sudden wave of shock rushed through me. “How can you say that?”- I shot up from beside him- “Nothing ever seems to go right, and it’s all because of me.” My fear was over taken by anger, not at him, but at myself for being...human. I knew I couldn’t help being mortal and it was silly and childish, but I also couldn’t stop blaming myself for being the cause of his family’s troubles.
“No, Bella, no.” He crooned, “This is not because of you. If anything it is all my doing, not yours.” He pulled me onto his lap and ran his fingers softly through my tangled hair. I was too tired to argue, and knew that if I did, he would somehow find a way to be right. As long as I knew the truth, that is all that mattered.

The weight of today’s events was catching up with me; so much had happened today. My eyelids were suddenly heavy with exhaustion but I didn’t want to sleep.
“Edward.” I said in a desperate attempt to stay awake.
“Hmmm?” He replied absentmindedly. His eyes were locked on the moon but his fingers still played aimlessly with my hair.
“They’re coming aren’t they?” I couldn’t bring myself to say their name. I knew it was silly, but somehow, I felt that if I said it, they would suddenly appear. As if they were being summoned.
He was silent for a moment wondering the best way to break the news to me.
“Yes.” He confirmed. “But we don’t know when. The Volturi” – I let out and involuntary shudder- “have only decided to pay us a visit, but they have not set a date. Alice can only tell us that they’re planning to come and that is all.”
“So, that’s good news?” I managed to choke out warily.
“It can be.” He murmured.
If they didn’t come for two days, the day after the wedding, then it was good news. But if they had it in their plans to come tomorrow or worse - I couldn’t bring myself to think it - it would be bad news. All we had to do now was to wait it out, relying on Alice to warn us if things had changed.

Edward took my face between his icy hands and gazed intently into my eyes.
“Bella, nothing will ruin this day for you, not again.” He vowed. Then he touched his lips lightly to my forehead.
“I know.” I whispered and buried my face in his chest. I breathed in his sweet scent refusing to exhale. We sat there for and immeasurable amount of time. Every now and again I would let out a shiver due to his cold body against mine, but when he asked if I wanted a blanket I refused. I didn’t want any more barriers between us than we already had. My breathing became steady and I could feel myself drifting off to unconsciousness. “Would you like to sleep?” His voice startled me even though it shouldn’t have. “No” I said anxiously shaking my head. His body shook with silent laughter.
“Of course not. Can I at least let you lie down?”
“Mhmm” I couldn’t seem to find words in my tired mind.
Another shake of laughter erupted from him as he carefully lifted me from his lap and set me down on the bed. He lay down at my side and wrapped his stone arms around me. I tried to suppress the shudder of the sudden cold that surrounded me, but failed. Edward had noticed and, despite my drowsy struggles, he tucked a thick quilt between our bodies. I groaned in frustration but eventually gave up. The moon cast strange shadows on the wall and the howling wind sent the trees in a raging war outside the house. Raindrops began to trickle noisily down the windows. The steady patter of the rain on the roof was like a soothing lullaby that caused my eyelids to droop.

But I was still not entirely ready to sleep. I began to replay today’s events in my head. The unbearable Jacob incident felt like a million years ago. However, I could still hear his anguish filled howl ring in my ears and see his pain scorched eyes watch me as I escaped. And even though he did not know where I was, I still felt scared that he would somehow find me and ruin my wedding once again. I grimaced in the dark at this thought and forgot for a second that Edward would be able to see.
“What is it?” I could feel his eyes searching my face.
“It’s nothing” I replied, hoping that answer would satisfy him. It didn’t.
“Bella.” His voice was condescending, like he had just caught a child doing something they knew they shouldn’t.
I let out low sigh. “Jacob”
A snarl of rage roared deep in his throat at the mention of his name. I regretted saying it immediately.
“What about him” He growled the last word. Against my better judgment, I decided to proceed.
“I just don’t want anything to go wrong, that’s all.” I admitted and touched my hand to his stone face. It relaxed under my fingertips.
“Bella” He whispered. But that was all he said. And somehow it was enough to reassure me.
He brushed his cool lips against my cheek and down my jaw line. He picked up my hand and traced my fingers with his cool tongue but stopped when he met my ring. I could feel him toying with it. This gesture brought back the thoughts that filled my head in the latter afternoon, when I was under Jasper’s serene care. The dress and all the other preparations had already been taken care of. Alice, Esme and Rosalie would be dressed in their red gowns. And like before, the wedding would be held in the backyard of the Cullen’s house -the new house, of course. The only people that were invited were Charlie and Renee; that was all I wanted. Everything was to go as planned and all the loose ends had been tackled. And I finally felt at ease. The vows were a separate matter.

“Edward.”
He looked up at me and the moonlight reflected a glimmer of golden honey in his eyes.
“Yes?”
“What do you think of us reciting our own vows?” I suggested, removing my eyes from his
“I think that would be nice.”
“Really?”
“Of course.” He touched his lips to mine ever so softly.

“I think it’s time you go to sleep now, Bella. You’ve had a long day.” He whispered in my ear. I shook my head in disagreement. But sleep was overtaking me and I was loosing the battle with my heavy eyelids.
“Sleep now my Bella, my only love. You will soon have all eternity to be awake. Sleep my bride.”
His silk voice overpowered the little will I had left. I wiggled closer to him, pulling away the quilt that separated us until I found his cold chest where I finally drifted off to sleep.