Sacrificial Lamb Chapter 8
BPOV
A month was not a long time to plan a wedding. I figured giving Alice a month to get everything together would limit the circus sideshow she would happily have planned given plenty of time. Of course, as with most things vampire, I was completely wrong. If I’d have given her a day she still would have pulled it together. Alice was a force of nature.
She whirled in and out of my house like the Tasmanian Devil; running in and spouting something so quickly it was almost always unintelligible and taking off before we could even comprehend what she was saying. Even Edward had a hard time deciphering what she was telling us. Charlie was living in absolute terror; a 4 foot 10 inch little ball of energy reducing him to child having a nightmare. She came at him with a tape measure almost daily and was constantly throwing tuxes at him to try on. When she went for the straight pins I thought he might faint dead away; instead he turned the color of a tomato and looked up like he was asking for divine intervention.
I never would have thought I would handle my impending wedding with more calm than my father but then I knew what I was getting myself into. Turning everything over to her made my life easier and though I had to suffer daily by getting basted into a wedding dress, I did so gladly because it was all I had to do. Or so I thought.
“Bellaaaaa,” oh no, it was her wheedling tone. “Why aren’t you dressed yet?”
I glanced down at my jeans and blue button down top. “I appear to be dressed, Alice.”
“But you’re not dressed right!”
What does that mean? My shirt is buttoned properly; there are no unsightly holes in my jeans. I didn’t know if I wanted to ask. “Dressed right for what?”
“Do you pay no attention to anything I say? Why am I the only one who is on top of things when it comes to this wedding?” She began raging around the room, stomping her little feet and wearing thunderclouds on her face. “I told you two days ago that we had to go into Port Angeles for food and cake tasting for the wedding. We have to leave in half an hour and that’s barely enough time to get you presentable. Fortunately I foresaw this issue and I brought you something to wear.” She thrust a cream colored skirt and top at me.
“Hold on! We agreed that you would plan the wedding and I would just have to show up. Every day you poke and prod me and I don’t complain. Now you’re backing out of the deal?”
If her face could suffuse with color, it would have. “Backing out of the deal!” She shrieked at me. I was afraid glass would start shattering if she didn’t rein it in a bit. “Bella, I have spent day and night orchestrating this wedding. I’ve picked out flowers and photographers and decorations. I’ve designed invitations and dresses. I have done all of this in less than a week’s time and you think I’m not doing enough?”
“Of course I don’t think that, Alice.” Alright, I was being unreasonable and I knew it. But seriously, I didn’t want to make decisions. I don’t know anything about weddings.
She calmed a little at my words and nodded to herself. Clearly we were right on track with her vision of this incident. “Well, Bella, there are some things I just can’t do alone. I can design a menu for you but I sure can’t tell if the caterer makes the food correctly or not. You’re the bride and the human, so clearly you need to be the one to weigh in.”
She was right, of course. Having a vampire pick out the food was probably not the wisest idea. Maybe we could offer our guests a wide array of choices from mountain lion to deer. I giggled at the image of that buffet line. “You’re right,” I acquiesced. I suppose if I had to actually participate in the wedding planning, at least I got the job of food tasting. That wasn’t so bad.
Alice clapped her hands in glee. “Go get dressed and we’ll hit the road. It’ll also be a good time to do some shopping!”
I cringed at that word. “Alice, we’re not shopping. I don’t need anything…”
“Yes you do, you need a present for Edward.”
A what? I had to buy him a present? What for? And what in the heck was I going to get him? He had everything already. “What for, Alice? His birthday already passed and you guys don’t celebrate those.”
She looked at me like I was missing a few brain cells, which admittedly I probably was with all the concussions and contusions I’d suffered in my lifetime. “It is customary for the bride and the groom to exchange some sort of gift for the wedding, Bella.” I groaned. Dear Lord, he was going to buy me another present? He was probably going to drape me in more diamonds.
Alice rolled her eyes at my reaction. “If you’re going to be a Cullen, you’re going to have to get over this aversion to presents. Cullen men and women are gift givers. We have plenty of money. Now stop procrastinating and get dressed.”
I stomped into the bedroom and yanked off my shirt and jeans and replaced them with Alice’s more acceptable ensemble. A quick survey in the mirror showed that the cream color went well with my eyes and hair. Why did she always have to be right? I quickly brushed my hair and turned to face her. “Do I pass inspection, General?” My sarcasm didn’t faze her in the slightest and she nodded.
The car ride was relatively peaceful. Alice babbled on about the various color schemes she’d chosen and decorative ideas. I just nodded and murmured agreement in order to keep the peace.
“There is just one thing, Bella…” Her tone went from bright to hesitant and my guard instantly went back up.
“What?” Did I really even want to know?
“Well, it’s about the wedding party.” What wedding party? Alice was the maid of honor and sole bridesmaid, unless Rose wanted in on it, which I highly doubted.
“What about it?” I so did not want to know the answer to this.
“Well, it’s just that Edward is going to have Carlisle, Emmett and Jasper stand up for him and you only have me right now.” She looked as if this was a catastrophe of epic proportions.
“Yeah, so?” I didn’t get it, really I didn’t. What did it matter if we were unbalanced? We always had been. Look at him and look at me.
“Bella, it won’t look right in pictures and stuff if there are all of them and only you and me.”
“Fine, then, have Esme and Rose as bridesmaids too. Or my mom.”
“Ugh, we are not having your mother up there; the mother of the bride comes down on her own and sits right up front.”
“Well, Esme and Rose make three, so we’re set.” I knew what she was going to say before she said it.
“Rose isn’t really…”
“Alright, I know, Rose doesn’t approve of me, but surely she’d be willing to stand up next to the whole family on her brother’s wedding day.” She couldn’t hate me that much, could she?
Alice heaved a breath. “We could probably make her do it but when you make Rosalie do something, she doesn’t really do it gracefully. I honestly think it’d be better to just let her be a guest.”
She had a point; I’d rather not have to deal with a scowling Rose in every photo. “Okay, then, you and Esme. I could ask Angela to be a bridesmaid I suppose.” Angela had always been a friend, that wouldn’t be too weird.
Alice actually squealed with delight. “Yes, Angela will work; I can already see she’ll say yes. But you see, that’s not enough.”
“What do you mean, you and Esme and Angela. Emmett, Jasper and Carlisle. That’s three and three. It works just fine.”
“Esme, as mother of the groom, will also be seated with the guests, plus she has a lot of other jobs. It just wouldn’t do, Bella.” Alice was getting all worked up again.
“But Carlisle is going to be standing up there; he’s the father of the groom. You are really making this much more complicated than it needs to be.” This was so irritating. Here I was, making more bridal decisions and getting shot down. I knew this would happen.
“That’s different, Bella, he’s a man. Fathers do nothing but pay for the wedding.”
“Fine! Then we’ll have two girls and three guys. You can walk up with Jasper and Emmett. I do not care!” I’d had it and we weren’t even to Port Angeles yet.
“Bella that just won’t work. I have everything mapped out in my head and we require another female to make things look right.” She was stubborn and she was going to get her way, so why was I bothering?
“Alright, Alice, you go ahead and find this mysterious third female to even out the numbers then. It really doesn’t matter to me.” I couldn’t stop my flashing to my best friend, or former best friend I guess. I almost smiled at the thought of the look on Jake’s face if I asked him to be my maid of honor. Had things been different, he would have laughed himself silly over it and done it just for fun. If I weren’t marrying his enemy and he weren’t in love with me himself, that is. I sighed. Why did everything have to be so difficult?
Alice jolted me right out of my incoming depression with the next words out of her mouth. “Okay then, we’ll ask Jessica.”
“Jessica? Jessica Stanley? Why exactly would I be asking Jessica Stanley to be in my wedding?” She had to be talking about some other Jessica.
“Because she used to be your friend and you guys were friendly with one another at graduation.”
“Alice, she was never really my friend. I mean, we hung out some but she was always jealous of Mike’s ridiculous interest in me and she was even more jealous that Edward fell in love with me.”
“Bella, she’ll say yes and she was on the guest list anyway. Why not? She’ll be fine. Just think about how envious she’ll be watching you marry Edward.” That was kind of a nice image, Jess forced to stand at the altar and watch me become Mrs. Cullen.
Oh, why not? I suppose it was marginally better than having Rose scowl at everyone or worse, having someone I’d never met like Tanya standing up there. That’s probably who she’d stick me with if I protested. “Fine, we’ll ask Jess.”
Alice smiled. “Good, that’s done. Call them both and ask them. Tell them I’ll be in touch for fittings.”
I grumbled but made the calls on my newly acquired cell phone. Angela, as always, was accommodating and sweet. She said she’d be happy to and expressed excitement over the news that Edward and I were getting married. Jessica, of course, was another story.
“Um, hi, Bella, how’s your summer going?” She sounded surprised to hear from me. No more surprised than I was to be calling her, of course.
“It’s great, Jess. Actually, that’s sort of what I’m calling you about.”
“Oh?” She sounded curious.
“Yeah, well, Edward asked me to marry him and I said yes and we’re doing it this summer. August 8th to be exact.” Silence. Dead silence.
Just when I was starting to wonder if she’d passed out, she cleared her throat. “Bella, that’s fantastic. I’m so happy for you.” She sounded anything but.
“Thanks.” I wasn’t going to push her on that front. “Anyway, I was wondering if you’d consider being a bridesmaid.” Despite what Alice said, she was going to say no. Why would she say yes when she sounded like she was swallowing a lemon during her congratulations?
“Um, sure, I’d be honored.” Some excitement was starting to creep into her voice at least. I’m sure it was for the wrong reasons but at least she’d said yes and I didn’t have to think about it anymore.
“Great, thanks Jess! Alice will get in touch with you in a day or two on all the details. Bye!” I hung up the phone and heaved a sigh of relief. I can’t believe Jessica Stanley is going to be in my wedding party. On the bright side, she irritated Edward even more than she did me, so he’d be unhappy about it himself.
I turned to glare at Alice. “There, it’s done. I’ll now have one jealous, harpy bridesmaid. I hope you’re happy.”
“Trust me, Bella, it’ll all work out just fine.” She tapped the side of her all knowing head. “She’s going to bring Mike and the two of them will stew in jealousy the whole night. It’ll be fun!” Trust Alice to find tormenting my former friends to be fun.
All the bridal party discussion had distracted me and we were already in Port Angeles when I refocused on my surroundings. Alice pulled up in front of a pretty brick building bearing the sign Catherine’s Catering. “We’re here!” She danced out of the car and waited for me. I emerged a lot less willingly. “Come on, Bella, it’ll be fun!” She took my arm and led me into the building. Alice and her ideas of fun were going to kill me.
Upon entering I was immediately swamped with incredible scents. Alice didn’t appear too impressed; she wrinkled up her nose in distaste. Human food doesn’t smell as pleasant to vampires. A slightly plump lady came up to us. “You must be Alice and Isabella, I’m Catherine Daniels, owner and head chef.” She was all beaming smiles and good will.
“I’m Bella.”
“The bride! Wonderful, dear, I hope you’re hungry!” She led us into a room that was set as a formal dining room with a huge rose centerpiece.
“We like to make it look like a possible wedding reception when we have you test, just so you’ll get a feel visually as well.” That made sense I suppose. Seconds after I was seated a waiter appeared and placed a plate of carved roast beef and baby carrots and potatoes in front of Alice and me. I took a bite and nearly moaned in pleasure. Yes, I had a feeling the roast beef would make the cut. Alice fidgeted next to me.
“Well, I can tell that Bella likes it. What do you think Alice?” Catherine had been watching me so she didn’t see that Alice hadn’t tried a thing.
“It’s wonderful,” she lied with a small grin. “I think we’ll definitely want this, don’t you, Bella?”
“Oh yes, it’s incredible.”
The beef magically disappeared and was replaced by some sort of chicken in a cream sauce. I decided if I was going to have to submit to Alice’s wedding torture, I was going to have a little fun with her while I did it. “You first, Alice!” She shot me a ferocious glare before Catherine turned to her to watch her eat and react. She swallowed hard and slowly raised her fork to her tiny pursed mouth. She put the chicken in and closed her lips. I’ve never seen anybody chew so slowly. She swallowed hesitantly and managed a shaky smile.
“It’s also really good. I think the beef is better.” I chuckled and took a bite as well. She was right, the beef was better, not that she’d tasted it.
“Very nice. I still prefer the beef but it might make the list as a secondary choice.”
And so it went, for nearly two hours I tasted food and cakes. Whenever I started to feel trapped and annoyed I would make Alice swallow a bite of food. She wasn’t happy. I’m very glad she’s already made progress on my dress or I’d likely be wearing a hoop skirt and layers upon layers of fabric. When we emerged from the store she dashed around a corner and rid herself of all the food she’d been forced to sample over that time. I started to feel bad for torturing her.
“Alice, I’m sorry.”
“Not yet, Bella, but you will be.” Yes, angering The Wedding Nazi was probably not my best move.
“Come on, I had to give you a little bit of a hard time, you’ve been driving me crazy for days.”
She looked at me then with those little hurt eyes I could not resist. “I haven’t been trying to hurt you, Bella; I’m trying to give you a perfect wedding day that you’ll remember forever. And you’re going to have forever, so you really should want it to be special.”
“You’re right. I hate being the center of attention and I’m taking it out on you. I really am glad you’re taking care of things, even if I don’t always say so.”
“You’re forgiven, Bella, for now.” Great, now I’d have to worry and wonder when she was going to exact her revenge.
“Alice, can we just go home? I’m stuffed. I don’t think I can move, let alone be dragged from shop to shop right now.” I would beg her if I had to.
She assessed me for a minute. “You don’t look too good, but you’re not green, so I think it’ll be okay if we just go to one shop. You’re lucky it’s only one; I should take you into every shop on this block and the next. But it’ll only take you a few minutes to find what you need.” She grabbed my hand and dragged me into Old Time Antiques. Well, at least it wasn’t a clothing store.
The inside of the store was a veritable treasure trove of antiques. Tea pots and furniture and elegant silver pieces spread throughout the store. What in the world would I find for Edward here? Alice went over to a display of swords and paraphernalia from the Civil War. I imagined she could find a great gift for Jasper. Leaving her to that, I wandered past some old fashioned quilts and stopped at the glass jewelry cases. An older lady with salt and pepper hair and horned rimmed glasses came over and asked if she could show me anything. I started to demure when a pocket watch caught my eye.
“Can I see that watch, please?” I don’t know what drew me to it. It looked really old but so did everything in here.
“Of course, dear.” She took out the gold timepiece. “I’m afraid it doesn’t actually tell time anymore, but it’s still a beautiful piece.” It really was. The gold was polished to a high shine but there were some scratches on it that made it all the more distinctive.
“Can you tell me when it’s from?”
She smiled. “Usually I can’t but this one happens to have the date engraved on the back of it. “November 18th, 1918”. I jolted. 1918, the year that Edward became a vampire? The act that led him to me? Could there be a more perfect gift?
I couldn’t hide the triumphant smile that came over my face. “Do you do engraving here?”
“Yes, dear, we do. What would you like it to say?”
The words just came to me. “Time stands still.” It worked because the watch didn’t work, that’s what she’d think but it also worked for so much more. Time did stand still for Edward and soon would for me as well.
“I can have it done for you in half an hour if you want to look around some more.” I nodded and headed over to where Alice was pawing through some clothes.
“I’m going to go walk for a bit while she engraves the watch I found Edward. I’ll be back shortly.” Alice just grunted and continued her shopping. I knew that was as much acknowledgement as I’d get so I went out and strolled in the direction of the book store. It brought a smile to my face remembering that night a year and a half ago when Edward had saved me for the second time. It was the night that I told him I knew what he was and it didn’t matter to me. I remembered his disbelief when I told him I didn’t care that he was a vampire. In my wildest dreams I never had imagined I’d be here today buying him a wedding present. My life was nothing if not interesting.
I walked past several boutiques and gift stores but I really wasn’t in the mood to go in to them. A familiar car caught my eye and I stopped. There, parked in front of Hank’s Automotive, was a vintage VW Rabbit. I’d spent many days watching Jake work on that car in his garage. Before I could decide if I should go in or run quickly in the other direction, the door crashed open and out popped Jacob with his usual exuberance. He called something back to Hank about letting him know when the part came back and turned to head to his car. I knew the instant he saw me because he came to a standstill. All the light that had been in his face died out as he looked at me.
“Jake, I…”
His jaw locked and he brushed past me without a word. I watched helplessly as he slammed his car door and peeled out. I felt the tears welling up again as I remembered my brief fantasy in the car about Jacob being my maid of honor. Those happier joking times were long past.
“Bella,” Alice said softly from behind me. “Your watch is done. Let’s get it and go home.” Yes, suddenly home was where I wanted to be. Actually, I wanted to be with Edward.
I fought back the tears and asked Alice where he was. “Car shopping!” she informed me brightly. I groaned.
“Wedding present number one, I guess.”
She giggled. “I can take you to him if you want.”
I shuddered at the very idea of car shopping with Edward. “No, let’s just go home. I’ve endured enough for the day.” She hooked her arm in mine and led me back into the shop.
[…] Sacrificial Lamb Chapter 8 […]
Okay, I didn’t see Jessica as a bridesmaid coming! Awesome. I know you aren’t particularly going for humor in this fic, but I do hope she makes the wedding entertaining. I don’t want her to mess it up or anything, but jealous Jessica could be a lot of fun.
I loved the watch idea!! So perfect! I also loved Jake’s response to Bella. I was actually surprised to see him show up again. Will he be at the wedding? I wanted to smack him when he showed up in Breaking Dawn. Curious to see if you have him acting like an ass. Great chapter!
Hee, I have no idea why I decided to make Jess a bridesmaid, I just needed more bodies around and other than Angela she was the only girl that Bella ever spent any time with. The next few chapters are littered with humor, actually. I didn’t know I could do humor but I seem to be doing alright with it and having a lot of fun. Teaser for the next chapter: Edward and Carlisle’s sex discussion! hehe Something to look forward to!
Jake WILL NOT be showing up at the wedding. No wolves in attendance actually, not even Billy due to awkwardness. I decided to let Bella see Jake momentarily just to drive home how he should be there to stand up beside her as her best friend but they can’t. Just a reminder that she’s had to give up something very important to her.
I’m glad you loved the watch! I hope you like Edward’s present to Bella too! I think it’s pretty sweet if I do say so myself!
The Jessica thing was a bit of a surprise for more people you’d think. But it’s nice to be surprised every once and a while. And Edward’s gift is almost as good as Rosalie’s. I can’t wait to see both put in good use…
I’m sorry, I don’t really have anything new to say since I’m avoiding just sitting down and writing. Did I say writing smut is difficult? I’d forgotten just how true that statement is.
It was actually a surprise to me as well. I was just writing and out it came. Initially I planned to force Rose into the wedding but I’m not really ready to deal with her in depth yet. I just think Jessica needs to suffer a little bit for all her jealousy. What better way than to watch her marry the gorgeous man that Jessica had such a crush on? 🙂
Hee, yeah, I’m still a chapter away from the sexin and I’m procrastinating myself. Reading a fic, big surprise. hehe I’ll write soon though! Gotta get those two kids wed!
OH! So sad for Jake! So sad… Makes me me hate your Bella, just a little (though not as much as I hated Stephenie Meyer’s Bella at times!).
I do love the interactions between Alice and Bella, you’ve really captured Alice’s enthusiasm! And Bella’s reluctance!
Oh yay! You’re catching up! It’s okay to hate Bella a little, she did cause all the trouble. I’m at least having her acknowledge that.
I am having a lot of fun writing Alice. Chapter 13 is written in Alice’s point of view and allowed me to go deeper into her love for Bella and Edward and desire to see them happy. She’s not just The Wedding Nazi, but she’s a fun one. Glad you like!