Epilogue

August 2016

19 years old

Wedding Ceremony

"You just gotta ignite the light
And let it shine
Just own the night
Like the Fourth of July

Cause baby you're a firework
Come on show 'em what you're worth
Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh!"
As you shoot across the sky-y-y"

Dad kissed me on the cheek as he exchanged my hand and gave it to Edward. I smiled with pride through my veil as he stood regally in his tux adorned with a single fuchsia flower.

"Nice song you walked down the aisle to," he whispered.

"I thought you might appreciate a little Katy Perry," I snickered back.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today in the presence of God to celebrate the union of Edward Cullen and Bella Swan. As they stand before family and friends to unite their soul as one, we consecrate their loyalty and love through the mutual connection that they share. The couple has chosen to say their own vows. Bella?"

Alice leaned forward to take my bouquet and hand me the symmetrical butterfly I had written my words on.

"Edward, in kindergarten, the teacher taught us a math lesson on symmetry. I don't quite remember the entire thing, but I recalled you stopped me from using pink paint. In my mind, I was mad. I kept thinking, 'Why is this chunky little boy bossing me around?'"

The audience laughed as Edward smirked at me.

"We painted these ridiculous butterflies that were supposed to be the same. But there were slight differences; a bit of darker blue here, a hint of red there. They weren't symmetrical, not exactly. So I wasn't certain of it. I couldn't actually consider that I deserved the honor of having a soulmate. But I do in you. That symmetry? It's a reflection of us, and it's real. So, Edward, because of you, because of your love, I now believe."

Edward swallowed as his emerald eyes glowed with affection toward me.

"Edward?"

He shifted slightly and began to speak with no paper, just words from his heart.

"Bella, we were five years old when I pushed you on the playground. We were 10 when I knocked you over with a football. At 12, I pushed you off your bike and ran away. At 16, I tripped you on the bleachers until you hit the ground."

I looked at Edward's grinning face as water welled up in my eyes.

"I've been trying to make you fall for me ever since. You once told me you figured out the amount of seconds in any given day. Bella, as I've learned, we don't have that kind of time. There's so little of it. Those 86,400 seconds? That's not enough to count the billions of stars in existence. No matter how hard I try, there'll be this infinite period where I stop and think I should've tried harder. I should have counted more.

"That possibility doesn't exist for me. I've spent each second surviving disguising it as living.

"I don't want to be that type of man, that type of husband for you. I've watched you, Bella. I've watched you stretch your arms as far as they could reach ‒ pointing, naming, and counting each individual speck in the sky. You figured eventually ‒ someday ‒ I would see the beauty in the sky as you do. And I have. Because of you, I'll never fall to the captivity of darkness.

"86,400 seconds isn't enough time to count the stars.

"But, Bella, it's more than enough time to give you my heart and soul…

"It's more than enough to live versus survive …

"It's more than enough to tell you I love you every single day…

"So, my Bella, for people like us…

"86,400 seconds is plenty."

Reception Dinner

"I now present to you Mr. and Mrs. Edward Cullen!"

Jasper's voice boomed from the DJ station underneath the reception tent as our friends and family clapped as we walked down the center aisle.

I kissed my husband, holding our hands in the air as we walked to the center table.

Mom and Dad kissed both of us on our cheeks as we took our seats.

"Damn, this wedding looks expensive. How much was it?" Mike the Scalper examined each fork, trying to stuff them into his tux.

"Cut it out, Scalper! I'll kick you out of here!" I threatened.

"Did someone call a bodyguard?" Emmett appeared out of the crowd, looming over our table. He spoke into his a wired microphone. "Code Red. We have a Code Red at the groom's table. Please stand by for back-up."

"Em, is anybody actually on the other end of that?" Edward asked, raising his eyebrow.

"Well, no…" Emmett hung his head in shame.

"That's okay, baby. But one day there will be, and you'll all be sorry!" Rosalie replied, sticking up for him.

"Hey, I actually know a guy if you're interested in the bodyguard business," Jacob said.

I nodded in agreement. "He's a stalker. I'm sure he does."

"Can it, twinkle toes!" Jacob grinned.

I laughed as a wait staff served us our food. Edward kept peeking at me and smiling, a full glow on his face.

"What are you looking at, Cullen?"

"Oh, just my beautiful wife."

"The flattery ends here, doesn't it?" I joked.

"Nope. More and more for years to come. You'll never get rid of me now."

"I think you have more than one stalker," Tanya warned.

"This chicken is skinless," I complained, cutting into the meat. "Ugh."

"Would you rather have bear meat?" Jess asked.

"No, smart aleck. There's just nothing on it."

"This is why Mrs. Swan should have catered," Alice said, picking at her food.

"That's okay," Edward snickered. "I like it bare."

"Edward!" Mom and Dad stared at their son-in-law, shaking their head.

Honeymoon Night

"Wait, no, scoot a little to the left."

"You're squishing my boobs."

"Is that better?"

"No. This is awkward."

"Let me try again."

"I don't think that's the correct hole."

"Oops. Sorry."

This was nothing like the romantic movies I once saw. The man gently lays the woman on the bed, slowly kisses her until clothes fly off, and then they make love until the morning.

Nope, we weren't even close.

Rosalie and Tanya had bought me some lingerie from Whores 'R' Us, which I'm sure Rosalie had gotten a discount for. Edward had gotten it tangled, my head was trapped for two minutes, and I think my panties were on backwards.

Now, he was squishing me with his body weight. Literally, I couldn't breathe. We were both naked, limbs were everywhere, Edward's sweat was dripping all over me, and Stevie Wonder was singing away in the background.

I'm pretty sure even he wouldn't have wanted to see this.

"I think we're trying too hard," I said, pulling a rose petal out of the crack of my ass.

"I was trying to make it romantic," Edward replied. There he was, in all of his naked glory, and I couldn't even enjoy it.

"I know," I muttered, sighing. The resort house we were staying at was absolutely beautiful. Right on the beach in Maui, the beach was just outside of our window. The waves crashed in the distance, and the moonlight glowed through the open doors.

My parents had gone above and beyond to make sure their daughter lost her virginity with style.

"It's stuffy in here. Let's go for a walk."

"Now?" I asked, gesturing my unclothed body.

"Here," Edward tossed me a complimentary white robe, which matched his that I tied around my waist.

He grasped my hand as we headed outdoors, feeling the gritty sand between my toes.

"Ya know, one day we'll look back at this and laugh," Edward stated.

"When? When will that be? Five years from now? Ten years? When Mom and Dad ask us where the grandkids are, and we tell them we couldn't figure out which hole to put it into to?"

"You're being awfully bitter about this, wife!"

"Don't you use that tone with me, husband!"

We stared at each other, huffing.

Then the rain started; heavy drops of water that soaked us in less than a minute, seeping through the thick cotton.

Finally, Edward cracked first.

I don't know if it was the ridiculousness of the situation or the fact that we just had our first married fight, but we laughed.

We laughed and giggled and squealed until we ran for cover under the nearest palm tree.

Edward sat behind me, wrapping me in his arms. "You think we should go back inside?"

"Nah." I shook my head, feeling the cold rain against my skin. "This is perfect."

"I think so, too," he whispered.

Edward kissed my collarbone thoroughly, his mouth moving softly as he slid down my robe. A new urge moved through me, and I turned around, wriggling out of the soaked fabric. His mouth moved across my body, teasing and tasting each fraction of skin. I pressed him for more, digging my nails into his back with want.

There was no uncomfortableness now, no awkward poses or staged flowers ‒ just us and our nerves quivering from every little reaction.

His lips seems to leave a trail that only he knew the direction of. Finally, they landed on my breast, and with it, a new wave of knots formed in my stomach. I tightened my grasp on him as he sucked on my nipple.

I was and wasn't ready for it. I gasped from the sensation, tilting my hips so that he spread more evenly on top of me. I shuddered with each rasp of tongue that slid across my skin. It became cold as he abandoned one for the other. The heat shocked me, radiating with need and urgency.

"Please," I begged. He didn't reply. Instead, he just left my nerves tingling. His mouth moved upward to meet my lips, crushing them with his warmth.

"You're beautiful," he murmured against my mouth.

"I know." I was in such a daze the words had escaped, making absolutely no sense to his compliment.

Edward chuckled, grasping my hips. He opened them to adjust himself where I had anticipated him the most.

It was a devastatingly painful angle to have him right there and not to have him at all. I wanted to hold onto this moment forever. I wanted to remember how I gave myself fully to him, how I had waited all of this time to give him the rest of me.

"I love you," he whispered hoarsely.

"I lov-"

I couldn't get the words out, not at that moment as he slid into me. But it was everything. That action was my love for him, our love toward each other. It was our ultimate devotion of everything we were just so we could be exactly where we are.

His erection slowly filled me, pressing barrier by barrier. The sensation stung, burned almost, but it took away the hollowness that had always needed him. I gasped against the pressure, clawing at his bare skin as I reveled in the new movement.

My breath became ragged, edging on the brink of hysterics.

"Is this-" Edward tried to speak, but I nodded to answer him.

"Are you-"

I shushed him with a finger to his lips. I didn't mind the robe that was bunching up beneath us. Or his foot that was digging into my leg.

It was slightly awkward.

It was us.

I urged him to thrust, to keep going, to not stop. He gradually built up a rhythm, moving deliberately slow for my benefit.

I molded my lips around his, twisting my tongue in his mouth. He got the hint. His movements sped, bit by bit, surging until he plunged with reckless abandon. The drive in my body was too much.

I didn't even register what he was doing as he pulled out, sending a chilled air between us. He rocked back inside of me again, over and over, building a dam that was sure to break.

His eyes squeezed shut as he reached a frantic point of no return. His body shook against mine, trembling my soul to the very core. It was beautiful to watch, to see him give to me all that he had. After a few reckless breaths, he rocked his head against my shoulder, panting.

Gradually he rose up.

"Bella, I'm so sorry. You didn't even get a chance to- I couldn't-"

I grabbed him in my arms, having him lay against me so we could just be. I shushed his apologies with the cover of my hand.

"It was perfect."

.

.

.

"Now we're doing naughty things under palm trees, Bella?"

"Eh, the willow had its time. It was a natural progression."

"You're not gonna get 'board' with it, are you?"

"I never 'wood.'"

.

.

.

"I love you, Bella. Please don't ever 'leaf' me."

"We're done here, Cullen. The moment has passed."

.

.

.

"You really need to 'branch' out."

"Seriously? Stop it."

.

.

.

"You think we could do it again, or am I 'barking' up the wrong tree?"

.

.

.

"Bella, where are you going? I'm 'saw'rry!"

March 2027

30 years old

"Baby, I can't find my blue tie! Where's my blue tie?"

"Ryland, put your shoes on right now! No, not your cowboy boots! What did I just sa-"

"Bella, my tie! Nevermind, I found it!"

"Mommy, I don't wanna."

"Sweetie, I think you burned the bacon."

My eye seemed to twitch a lot these days. This constant spasm that traveled from my brain to my eye was going to be the death of me. I could feel it.

"Ryland, you heard your mother. Put your shoes on right now and come eat."

"Okay, Daddy."

Why? Why couldn't I do that? My kid was a total brat; green eyes and chubby cheeks all wrapped up in boogers and horror.

"Here, Bella, let me help." Edward took the fork out of my hand, easily sliding our breakfast meal onto plates. I breathed deeply and took a seat at the kitchen table.

"I'm going to burst. I can feel it. She's plowing her way out with a carriage and horses."

Edward kissed my pregnant belly and grinned. "That's 'cause she our princess. Only a few more weeks to go. You'll make it."

"Easy for you to say," I snorted. "She's gonna be huge."

"Hey, I don't want to hear any complaining from you. Harder, Edward… Go faster… Now look what you've done."

I giggled. "It was in the heat of passion. I can't be held liable for my actions."

Edward settled Ryland into his chair and ruffled his hair. "Are you going to behave yourself at Grandma and Pop's house?"

"I pwomise, Daddy." His wide eyes looked up in complete innocence.

Lies. All lies. He'd already been kicked out of three daycares. No facility within a hundred miles would take him.

Edward winked at me and sat to eat his breakfast. I tried not to inhale any of the scents as I downed an extra glass of orange juice.

"Do you have a lot of appointments today?"

"I'm pretty much packed," Edward explained. "My last one ends at four, though, so I should be home in time for dinner."

"Oh! I forgot I have a faculty meeting. Can you pick up something instead?"

"Sure thing, baby." Edward wiped his mouth just as the horn beeped outside. "That's for you, Ryland. I gotta go, honey. Have a great day. Don't let those kids torture you today."

I grimaced. "I'll try not to."

He kissed me on the lips, grabbed his briefcase, and followed Ryland out the door.

I sighed, wondering how in the world my life had gotten so beautifully complicated.

After Edward and I had graduated from Berkeley (barely, thanks to Professor Yorkie), I was hired as a kindergarten teacher at Forks Elementary. I had no idea what I'd gotten myself into. The kids were rotten the first year, a little sweeter the second, and then back to rotten the third. I'd pulled more gum out of hair than I was willing to admit.

Edward, on the other hand, had become a speech pathologist, helping children in schools with their language development. Eventually, with the money Esme had left him, he'd opened his own speech facility, working primarily with psychologists on patients who suffered from traumatic stress.

I was so proud of him. When I thought back to all that he'd experienced, he'd certainly turned his life around.

It wasn't always an easy road, though. At anniversary of his family's death each year, we'd light candles, visit the grave site, and cry as if it had just happened. He'd visited Billy's grave last year. Two minutes and that was that. A few kicks to the stone and he was over it. I never saw him visit again.

Carlisle's letters eventually stopped coming. I was grateful. Edward didn't need any more painful reminders. It was bad enough Mr. Garrett had gotten out a few years back. He'd stayed in Forks for a year before the town ran him out. Last I heard, he was living in seclusion in Oregon.

College graduation was probably the hardest. Edward had this fear police were going to interrupt and tell him my parents were dead, especially since they were late to the stadium. Turns out, they had gotten stuck in traffic, but until he saw their faces, he refused to put on his cap and gown.

But we'd had good times, too. Like when we bought a house next to a friendly old man and woman named Mr. and Mrs. Cope. Somehow, they were still living. I was pretty sure Mr. Cope had died last week on the front porch, but then he'd snorted, waved at me, and fell back asleep.

I was 26 when we'd finally gotten pregnant with Ryland. It took much longer than expected, and we'd even come to the conclusion that we'd adopt. Then one day, I threw up after eating a popsicle.

Good day for me, bad day for my delicious dessert.

Most of my friends who had dated in high school had broken up. Mike the Scalper opened up an exclusive club that charged ridiculous prices. Emmett was working as his main bodyguard, in charge of an entire team. Rosalie and Tanya went into business together, an 'on-the-go' salon that traveled to their customers. Jasper had moved to Hollywood to break into the music business, and Alice… Well, Alice…

Alice was my boss. Principal Brandon the kids called her. I used a lot of sick days.

Oh, I forgot about Stalker. Jacob had married Tanya a few years after Edward and I had tied the knot, and had a daughter Ryland's age. He was a private detective now.

Stalking people for a living.

He was useful, I guess, especially since they lived right across the street.

I glanced at my phone and slowly stood up as the pain stretched through my back.

I was going to be late. Again.

Oh, well. Those little terrors could function on their own.

"Those kids are awfully quiet."

Jacob looked around our backyard suspiciously. "Ava! Ava, where are you?"

"Oh, Stalker, let them play. Sit down." I tried to get him to take a seat, but he stood on the patio, glancing for our children.

"Did you hear that?" Even Edward set his glass on the table and stood up. Tanya and I shrugged, and followed the men as they searched for the kids.

Then we heard it around the side of the house.

Giggling.

Not the cute giggling. No, it was the naughty, I'm-doing-something-bad giggling.

Jacob pressed a finger to his lips, making sure we all remained quiet as we tiptoed through the grass.

"Highew. Wift it highew!"

"Lift what higher, young man?" Jacob's brown complexion turned red as he stormed to Ryland and Ava who were hiding behind the oak tree.

I gasped, Tanya stood in shock, and Edward chuckled.

Little innocent Ava had her shirt pulled up to her neck as Ryland grinned with a wide smile.

Ava saw all of our faces, and her bottom lip trembled. It was the beginning of a full breakdown. She wailed and scurried to hide under the table as Jacob kneeled in front of Ryland.

"What are you doing to my daughter?"

"Nuffin." Ryland squirmed but stood his ground.

"Then what were you looking at?"

Ryland grinned, held his hands to his mouth, and whispered with a loud voice that all children tended to do.

"Boobies!"

Ryland snickered and ran away, climbing up the ladder to his tree house with immaculate speed.

Edward was laughing his ass off now, knee slaps and everything.

"Who does that remind you of?" he said, wrapping a strong arm around my waist.

"He gets that from you, does he?" Jacob shook his head, but I saw he was fighting off a grin.

"They're only four years old! It's only going to get worse!" Tanya looked worriedly at her only child.

Edward, with all of his strength, picked me up and twirled me around. I squealed, embracing the man that I loved.

"Nope," Cullen stated, kissing me on the lips. "It only gets better."

Love you guise! Thanks for reading!