to locate Jasper； who had been dispatched to pick up my mother and her husband； Phil； from their hotel。
Downstairs； I could faintly hear the door opening and closing over and over。 Voices began to float up to
us。
Alice made me stand so that she could ease the dress over my hair and makeup。 My knees shook so
badly as she fastened the long line of pearl buttons up my back that the satin quivered in little wavelets
down to the floor。
〃Deep breaths； Bella7Alice said。 〃And try to lower your heart rate。 You're going to sweat off your new
face。〃
I gave her the best sarcastic expression I could manage。 〃I'll get right on that。〃
〃I have to get dressed now。 Can you hold yourself together for two minutes？〃
〃Urn。。。 maybe？〃
She rolled her eyes and darted out the door。
I concentrated on my breathing； counting each movement of my lungs； and stared at the patterns that the
bathroom light made on the shiny fabric of my skirt。 I was afraid to look in the mirror—afraid the image
of myself in the wedding dress would send me over the edge into a fullscale panic attack。
Alice was back before I had taken two hundred breaths； in a dress that flowed down her slender body
like a silvery waterfall。
〃Alice—wow。〃
〃It's nothing。 No one will be looking at me today。 Not while you're in the room。〃
〃Har har。〃
〃Now； are you in control of yourself； or do I have to bring Jasper up here？〃
〃They're back？ Is my mom here？〃
〃She just walked in the door。 She's on her way up。〃
Renee had flown in two days ago； and I'd spent every minute I could with her—every minute that I
could pry her away from Esme and the decorations； in other words。 As far as I could tell； she was having
more fun with this than a kid locked inside Disneyland overnight。 In a way； I felt almost as cheated as
Charlie。 All that wasted terror over her reaction。。。
〃Oh； Bella！〃 she squealed now； gushing before she was all the way through the door。 〃Oh； honey； you're
so beautiful！ Oh； I'm going to cry！ Alice； you're amazing！ You and Esme should go into business as
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wedding planners。 Where did you find this dress？ It's gorgeous！ So graceful； so elegant。 Bella； you look
like you just stepped out of an Austen movie。〃 My mother's voice sounded a little distance away； and
everything in the room was slightly blurry。 〃Such a creative idea； designing the theme around Bella's ring。
So romantic！ To think it's been in Edward's family since the eighteen hundreds！〃
Alice and I exchanged a brief conspiratorial look。 My mom was off on the dress style by more than a
hundred years。 The wedding wasn't actually centered around the ring； but around Edward himself。
There was a loud； gruff throatclearing in the doorway。
〃Renee； Esme said it's time you got settled down there；〃 Charlie said。
〃Well； Charlie； don't you look dashing！〃 Renee said in a tone that was almost shocked。 That might have
explained the crustiness of Charlie's answer。
〃Alice got to me。〃
〃Is it really time already？〃 Renee said to herself； sounding almost as nervous as I felt。 〃This has all gone
so fast。 I feel dizzy。〃
That made two of us。
〃Give me a hug before I go down7Renee insisted。 〃Carefully now； don't tear anything。〃
My mother squeezed me gently around the waist； then wheeled for the door； only to plete the spin
and face me again。
〃Oh goodness； I almost forgot！ Charlie； Where's the box？〃
My dad rummaged in his pockets for a minute and then produced a small white box； which he handed to
Renee。 Renee lifted the lid and held it out to me。
〃Something blue；〃 she said。
〃Something old； too。 They were your Grandma Swan's；〃 Charlie added。 〃We had a jeweler replace the
paste stones with sapphires。〃
Inside the box were two heavy silver hair bs。 Dark blue sapphires were clustered into intricate floral
shapes atop the teeth。
My throat got all thick。 〃Mom； Dad。。。 you shouldn't have。〃
〃Alice wouldn't let us do anything else；〃 Renee said。 〃Every time we tried； she all but ripped our throats
out。〃
A hysterical giggle burst through my lips。
Alice stepped up and quickly slid both bs into my hair under the edge of the thick braids。 〃That's
something old and something blue；〃 Alice mused； taking a few steps back to admire me。 〃And your dress
is new。。。 so here—〃
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She flicked something at me。 I held my hands out automatically； and the filmy white garter landed in my
palms。
〃That's mine and I want it back；〃 Alice told me。
I blushed。
〃There；〃 Alice said with satisfaction。 〃A little color—that's all you needed。 You are officially perfect。〃
With a little selfcongratulatory smile； she turned to my parents。 〃Renee； you need to get downstairs。〃
〃Yes； ma'am。〃 Renee blew me a kiss and hurried out the door。
〃Charlie； would you grab the flowers； please？〃
While Charlie was out of the room； Alice hooked the garter out of my hands and then ducked under my
skirt。 I gasped and tottered as her cold hand caught my ankle； she yanked the garter into place。
She was back on her feet before Charlie returned with the two frothy white bouquets。 The scent of roses
and orange blossom and freesia enveloped me in a soft mist。
Rosalie—the best musician in the family next to Edward—began playing the piano downstairs。
Pachelbel's Canon。 I began hyperventilating。
〃Easy； Bells；〃 Charlie said。 He turned to Alice nervously。 〃She looks a little sick。 Do you think she's
going to make it？〃
His voice sounded far away。 I couldn't feel my legs。
〃She'd better。〃
Alice stood right in front of me； on her tiptoes to better stare me in the eye； and gripped my wrists in her
hard
hands。
〃Focus； Bella。 Edward is waiting for you down there。〃
1 took a deep breath； willing myself into posure。
The music slowly morphed into a new song。 Charlie nudged me。 〃Bells； we're up to bat。〃
〃Bella？〃 Alice asked； still holding my gaze。
〃Yes；〃 I squeaked。 〃Edward。 Okay。〃 I let her pull me from the room； with Charlie tagging along at my
elbow。
The music was louder in the hall。 It floated up the stairs along with the fragrance of a million flowers。 I
concentrated on the idea of Edward waiting below to get my feet to shuffle forward。
The music was familiar； Wagner's traditional march surrounded by a flood of embellishments。
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〃It's my turn；〃 Alice chimed。 〃Count to five and follow me。〃 She began a slow； graceful dance down the
staircase。 I should have realized that having Alice as my only bridesmaid was a mistake。 I would look that
much more uncoordinated ing behind her。
A sudden fanfare trilled through the soaring music。 I recognized my cue。
〃Don't let me fall； Dad；〃 I whispered。 Charlie pulled my hand through his arm and then grasped it tightly。
One step ata time； I told myself as we began to descend to the slow tempo of the march。 I didn't lift my
eyes until my feet were safely on the flat ground； though I could hear the murmurs and rustling of the
audience as I came into view。 Blood flooded my cheeks at the sound； of course I could be counted on to
be the blushing bride。
As soon as my feet were past the treacherous stairs； I was looking for him。 For a brief second； I was
distracted by the profusion of white blossoms that hung in garlands from everything in the room that
wasn't alive； dripping with long lines of white gossamer ribbons。 But I tore my eyes from the bowery
canopy and searched across the rows of satindraped chairs—blushing more deeply as I took in the
crowd of faces all focused on me—until I found him at last； standing before an arch overflowing with
more flowers； more gossamer。
I was barely conscious that Carlisle stood by his side； and Angela's father behind them both。 I didn't see
my mother where she must have been sitting in the front row； or my new family； or any of the guests
—they would have to wait till later。
All I really saw was Edward's face； it filled my vision and overwhelmed my mind。 His eyes were a
buttery； burning gold； his perfect face was almost severe with the depth of his emotion。 And then； as he
met my awed gaze； he broke into a breathtaking smile of exultation。
Suddenly； it was only the pressure of Charlie's hand on mine that kept me from sprinting headlong down
the aisle。
The march was too slow as I struggled to pace my steps to its rhythm。 Mercifully； the aisle was very
short。 And then； at last； at last； I was there。 Edward held out his hand。 Charlie took my hand and； in a
symbol as old as the world； placed it in Edward's。 I touched the cool miracle of his skin； and I was home。
Our vows were the simple； traditional words that had been spoken a million times； though never by a
couple quite like us。 We'd asked Mr。 Weber to make only one small change。 He obligingly traded the
line 〃till death do us
part〃 for the more appropriate 〃as long as we both shall live。〃
I