more。 Of course； this revelation was sure to end that effort immediately。
〃Hey； kids。 What's up？〃
〃We'd like to talk to you；〃 Edward said； so serene。 〃We have some good news。〃
Charlie's expression went from strained friendliness to black suspicion in a second。
〃Good news？〃 Charlie growled； looking straight at me。
〃Have a seat； Dad。〃
He raised one eyebrow； stared at me for five seconds； then stomped to the recliner and sat down on the
very edge； his back ramrod straight。
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〃Don't get worked up； Dad；〃 I said after a moment of loaded silence。 〃Everything's okay。〃
Edward grimaced； and I knew it was in objection to the word okay。 He probably would have used
something more like wonderful or perfect or glorious。
〃Sure it is； Bella； sure it is。 If everything is so great； then why are you sweating bullets？〃
〃I'm not sweating；〃 I lied。
I leaned away from his fierce scowl； cringing into Edward； and instinctively wiped the back of my right
hand across my forehead to remove the evidence。
〃You're pregnant！〃 Charlie exploded。 〃You're pregnant； aren't you？〃
Though the question was clearly meant for me； he was glaring at Edward now； and I could have sworn I
saw his hand twitch toward the gun。
〃No！ Of course I'm not！〃 I wanted to elbow Edward in the ribs； but I knew that move would only give
me a bruise。 I'd told Edward that people would immediately jump to this conclusion！ What other
possible reason would sane people have for getting married at eighteen？ （His answer then had made me
roll my eyes。 Love。 Right。）
Charlie's glower lightened a shade。 It was usually pretty clear on my face when I was telling the truth；
and he believed me now。 〃Oh。 Sorry。〃
〃Apology accepted。〃
There was a long pause。 After a moment； I realized everyone was waiting for me to say something。 I
looked up at Edward； panicstricken。 There was no way I was going to get the words out。
He smiled at me and then squared his shoulders and turned to my father。
〃Charlie； I realize that I've gone about this out of order。 Traditionally； I should have asked you first。 I
mean no disrespect； but since Bella has already said yes and I don't want to diminish her choice in the
matter； instead of asking you for her hand； I'm asking you for your blessing。 We're getting married；
Charlie。 I love her more than anything in the world； more than my own life； and—by some miracle—she
loves me that way； too。 Will you give us your blessing？〃
He sounded so sure； so calm。 For just an instant； listening to the absolute confidence in his voice； I
experienced a rare moment of insight； i could see； fleetingly； the way the world looked to him。 For the
length of one heartbeat； this news made perfect sense。
And then I caught sight of the expression on Charlie's face； his eyes now locked on the ring。
I held my breath while his skin changed colors—fair to red； red to purple； purple to blue。 I started to get
up—I'm
not sure what I planned to do； maybe use the Heimlich maneuver to make sure he wasn't choking—but
Edward squeezed my hand and murmured 〃Give him a minute〃 so low that only I could hear。
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The silence was much longer this time。 Then； gradually； shade by shade； Charlie's color returned to
normal。 His lips pursed； and his eyebrows furrowed； I recognized his 〃deep in thought〃 expression。 He
studied the two of us for a long moment； and I felt Edward relax at my side。
〃Guess I'm not that surprised；〃 Charlie grumbled。 〃Knew I'd have to deal with something like this soon
enough。〃
I exhaled。
〃You sure about this？〃 Charlie demanded； glaring at me。
〃I'm one hundred percent sure about Edward；〃 I told him without missing a beat。
〃Getting married； though？ What's the rush？〃 He eyed me suspiciously again。
The rush was due to the fact that I was getting closer to nieen every stinking day； while Edward
stayed frozen in all his seventeenyearold perfection； as he had for over niy years。 Not that this fact
necessitated marriage in my book； but the wedding was required due to the delicate and tangled
promise Edward and I had made to finally get to this point； the brink of my transformation from
mortal to immortal。
These weren't things I could explain to Charlie。
〃We're going away to Dartmouth together in the fall； Charlie；〃 Edward reminded him。 〃I'd like to do that；
well； the right way。 It's how I was raised。〃 He shrugged。
He wasn't exaggerating； they'd been big on oldfashioned morals during World War I。
Charlie's mouth twisted to the side。 Looking for an angle to argue from。 But what could he say？ I'd
prefer you live in sin first？ He was a dad； his hands were tied。
〃Knew this was ing；〃 he muttered to himself； frowning。 Then； suddenly； his face went perfectly
smooth and blank。
〃Dad？〃 I asked anxiously。 I glanced at Edward； but I couldn't read his face； either； as he watched
Charlie。
〃Ha！〃 Charlie exploded。 I jumped in my seat。 〃Ha； ha； ha！〃
I stared incredulously as Charlie doubled over in laughter； his whole body shook with it。
I looked at Edward for a translation； but Edward had his lips pressed tightly together； like he was trying
to hold back laughter himself。
〃Okay； fine；〃 Charlie choked out。 〃Get married。〃 Another roll of laughter shook through him。 〃But。。。〃
〃But what？〃 I demanded。
〃But you have to tell your mom！ I'm not saying one word to Renee！ That's all yours！〃 He busted into
loud guffaws。
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I paused with my hand on the doorknob； smiling。 Sure； at the time； Charlie's words had terrified me。 The
ultimate doom： telling Renee。 Early marriage was higher up on her blacklist than boiling live puppies。
Who could have foreseen her response？ Not me。 Certainly not Charlie。 Maybe Alice； but I hadn't
thought to ask her。
〃Well； Bella；〃 Renee had said after I'd choked and stuttered out the impossible words： Worn； I'm
marrying Edward。 Tm a little miffed that you waited so long to tell me。 Plane tickets only get more
expensive。 Oooh；〃 she'd fretted。 〃Do you think Phil's cast will be off by then？ It will spoil the pictures if
he's not in a tux—〃
〃Back up a second； Mom。〃 I'd gasped。 〃What do you mean； waited so long？ I just got enen 。 。 。〃—I'd
been unable to force out the word engaged—〃things settled； you know； today。〃
〃Today？ Really？ That is a surprise。 I assumed 。。。〃
〃What did you assume？ When did you assume？〃
〃Well； when you came to visit me in April； it looked like things were pretty much sewn up； if you know
what I mean。 You're not very hard to read； sweetie。 But I didn't say anything because I knew it wouldn't
do any good。 You're exactly like Charlie。〃 She'd sighed； resigned。 〃Once you make up your mind； there
is no reasoning with you。 Of course； exactly like Charlie； you stick by your decisions； too。〃
And then she'd said the last thing that I'd ever expected to hear from my mother。
〃You're not making my mistakes； Bella。 You sound like you're scared silly； and I'm guessing it's because
you're afraid of me。〃 She'd giggled。 〃Of what I'm going to think。 And I know I've said a lot of things
about marriage and stupidity—and I'm not taking them back—but you need to realize that those things
specifically applied to me。 You're a pletely different person than I am。 You make your own kinds of
mistakes； and I'm sure you'll have your share of regrets in life。 But mitment was never your problem；
sweetie。 You have a better chance of making this work than most fortyyearolds I know。〃 Renee had
laughed again。 〃My little middleaged child。 Luckily； you seem to have found another old soul。〃
〃You're not。。。 mad？ You don't think I'm making a humongous mistake？〃
〃Well； sure； I wish you'd wait a few more years。 I mean； do I look old enough to be a motherinlaw to
you？ Don't answer that。 But this isn't about me。 This is about you。 Are you happy？〃
〃I don't know。 I'm having an outofbody experience right now。〃
Renee had chuckled。 〃Does he make you happy； Bella？〃
〃Yes； but—〃
〃Are you ever going to want anyone else？〃
〃No； but—〃
〃But what？〃
〃But aren't you going to say that I sound exactly like every other infatuated teenager since the dawn of
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time？〃
〃You've never been a teenager； sweetie。 You know what's best for you。〃
For the last few weeks； Renee had unexpectedly immersed herself in wedding plans。 She'd spent hours
every day on the phone with Edward's mother； Esme—no worries about the inlaws getting along。
Renee adored Esme； but then； I doubted anyone could help responding that way to my lovable
almostmotherinlaw。
It let me right off the hook。 Edward's family and my family were taking care of the nuptials together
without my having to do or know or think too hard about any of it。
Charlie was furious； of course； but the sweet part was that he wasn't furious at me。 Renee was the
traitor。 He'd counted on her to play the heavy。 What could he do now； when his ultimate threat—telling
Mom—had turned out to be utterly empty？ He had nothing； and he knew it。 So he moped around the
house； muttering things about not being able to trust anyone in this world___
〃Dad？〃 I called as I pushed open the front door。 〃I'm home。〃
〃Hold on； Bells； stay right there。〃
〃Huh？〃 I asked； pausing automatically。
〃Gimme a second。 Ouch； you got me； Alice。〃
Alice？
〃Sorry； Charlie；〃 Alice's trilling voice responded。 〃How's that？〃
〃I'm bleeding on it。〃
〃You're fine。 Didn't break the skin—trust me。〃
〃What's going on？〃 I demanded； hesitating in the doorway。
〃Thirty seconds； please； Bella；〃 Alice told me。 〃Your patience will be rewarded。〃
〃Humph；〃 Charlie added。
I tapped my foot； counting each beat。 Before I got to thirty； Alice said； 〃Okay； Bella； e in！〃
Moving with caution； I rounded the little corner into our livi