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He froze。 Then he lifted his face from mine and glared at his favorite sister。 〃You're awfully small to be so
hugelyirritating。〃
〃I didn't pick out the perfect goingaway dress to have it wasted；〃 she snapped back； taking my hand。
〃e with me； Bella。〃
I tugged against her hold； stretching up on my toes to kiss him one more time。 She jerked my arm
impatiently； hauling me away from him。 There were a few chuckles from the watching guests。 I gave up
then and let her lead me into the empty house。
She looked annoyed。
〃Sorry； Alice；〃 I apologized。
〃I don't blame you； Bella。〃 She sighed。 〃You don't seem to be able help yourself。〃
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I giggled at her martyred expression； and she scowled。
〃Thank you； Alice。 It was the most beautiful wedding anyone ever had；〃 I told her earnestly。 〃Everything
was exactly right。 You're the best； smartest； most talented sister in the whole world。〃
That thawed her out； she smiled a huge smile。 〃I'm glad you liked it。〃
Renee and Esme were waiting upstairs。 The three of them quickly had me out of my dress and into
Alice's deep blue goingaway ensemble。 I was grateful when someone pulled the pins out of my hair and
let it fall loose down my back； wavy from the braids； saving me from a hairpin headache later。 My
mother's tears streamed without a break the entire time。
〃I'll call you when I know where I'm going；〃 I promised as I hugged her goodbye。 I knew the
honeymoon secret was probably driving her crazy； my mother hated secrets； unless she was in on them。
〃I'll tell you as soon as she's safely away；〃 Alice outdid me； smirking at my wounded expression。 How
unfair； for me to be the last to know。
〃You have to visit me and Phil very； very soon。 It's your turn to go south—see the sun for once；〃 Renee
said。
〃It didn't rain today；〃 I reminded her； avoiding her request
〃A miracle。〃
〃Everything's ready；〃 Alice said。 〃Your suitcases are in the car—Jasper's bringing it around。〃 She pulled
me back toward the stairs with Renee following； still halfway embracing me。
〃I love you； Mom；〃 I whispered as we descended。 Tm so glad you have Phil。 Take care of each other。〃
〃I love you； too； Bella； honey。〃
〃Goodbye； Mom。 I love you；〃 I said again； my throat thick。
Edward was waiting at the bottom of the stairs。 I took his outstretched hand but leaned away； scanning
the little crowd that was waiting to see us off。
〃Dad？〃 I asked； my eyes searching。
〃Over here；〃 Edward murmured。 He pulled me through the guests； they made a pathway for us。 We
found Charlie leaning awkwardly against the wall behind everyone else； looking a little like he was hiding。
The red rims around his eyes explained why。
〃Oh； Dad！〃
I hugged him around the waist； tears streaming again—I was crying so much tonight。 He patted my
back。
〃There； now。 You don't want to miss your plane。〃
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It was hard to talk about love with Charlie—we were so much alike； always reverting to trivial things to
avoid embarrassing emotional displays。 But this was no time for being selfconscious。
〃I love you forever； Dad；〃 I told him。 〃Don't forget that。〃
〃You； too； Bells。 Always have； always will。〃
I kissed his cheek at the same time that he kissed mine。
〃Call me；〃 he said。
〃Soon；〃 I promised； knowing this was all I could promise。 Just a phone call。 My father and my mother
could not be allowed to see me again； I would be too different； and much； much too dangerous。
〃Go on； then；〃 he said gruffly。 〃Don't want to be late。〃
The guests made another aisle for us。 Edward pulled me close to his side as we made our escape。
〃Are you ready？〃 he asked。
〃I am；〃 I said； and I knew that it was true。
Everyone applauded when Edward kissed me on the doorstep。 Then he rushed me to the car as the rice
storm began。 Most of it went wide； but someone； probably Emmett； threw with uncanny precision； and I
caught a lot of the ricochets off Edward's back。
The car was decorated with more flowers that trailed in streamers along its length； and long gossamer
ribbons that were tied to a dozen shoes—designer shoes that looked brandnew—dangling behind the
bumper。
Edward shielded me from the rice while I climbed in； and then he was in and we were speeding away as
I waved out the window and called 〃I love you〃 to the porch； where my families waved back。
The last image I registered was one of my parents。 Phil had both arms wrapped tenderly around Renee。
She had one arm tight around his waist but had her free hand reached out to hold Charlie's。 So many
different kinds of love； harmonious in this one moment。 It seemed a very hopeful picture to me。
Edward squeezed my hand。
〃I love you；〃 he said。
I leaned my head against his arm。 'That's why we're here；〃 I quoted him。
He kissed my hair。
As we turned onto the black highway and Edward really hit the accelerator； I heard a noise over the
purr of the engine； ing from the forest behind us。 If I could hear it； then he certainly could。 But he said
nothing as the sound slowly faded in the distance。 I said nothing； either。
The piercing； heartbroken howling grew fainter and then disappeared entirely。
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5。 ISLE ESME
〃Houston？〃 I asked； raising my eyebrows when we reached the gate in Seattle。
〃Just a stop along the way；〃 Edward assured me with a grin。
It felt like I'd barely fallen asleep when he woke me。 I was groggy as he pulled me through the terminals；
struggling to remember how to open my eyes after every blink。 It took me a few minutes to catch up with
what was going on when we stopped at the international counter to check in for our next flight。
〃Rio de Janeiro？〃 I asked with slightly more trepidation。
〃Another stop；〃 he told me。
The flight to South America was long but fortable in the wide firstclass seat； with Edward's arms
cradled around me。 I slept myself out and awoke unusually alert as we circled toward the airport with the
light of the setting sun slanting through the plane's windows。
We didn't stay in the airport to connect with another flight as I'd expected。 Instead we took a taxi
through the dark； teeming； living streets of Rio。 Unable to understand a word of Edward's Portuguese
instructions to the driver； I guessed that we were off to find a hotel before the next leg of our journey。 A
sharp twinge of something very close to stage fright twisted in the pit of my stomach as I considered that。
The taxi continued through the swarming crowds until they thinned somewhat； and we appeared to be
nearing the extreme western edge of the city； heading into the ocean。
We stopped at the docks。
Edward led the way down the long line of white yachts moored in the nightblackened water。 The boat
he stopped at was smaller than the others； sleeker； obviously built for speed instead of space。 Still
luxurious； though； and more graceful than the rest。 He leaped in lightly； despite the heavy bags he carried。
He dropped those on the deck and turned to help me carefully over the edge。
I watched in silence while he prepared the boat for departure； surprised at how skilled and fortable
he seemed； because he'd never mentioned an interest in boating before。 But then again； he was good at
just about everything。
As we headed due east into the open ocean； I reviewed basic geography in my head。 As far as I could
remember； there wasn't much east of Brazil。。。 until you got to Africa。
But Edward sped forward while the lights of Rio faded and ultimately disappeared behind us。 On his
face was a familiar exhilarated smile； the one produced by any form of speed。 The boat plunged through
the waves and I was showered with sea spray。
Finally the curiosity I'd suppressed so long got the best of me。
〃Are we going much farther？〃 I asked。
It wasn't like him to forget that I was human； but I wondered if he planned for us to live o