〃Since　when　is　the　bride　not　allowed　to　see　the　decorations？〃　I　protested。
  〃Since　she　put　me　in　charge。　I　want　you　to　get　the　full　impact　coming　down　the　stairs。〃
  She　clapped　her　hand　over　my　eyes　before　she　let　me　inside　the　kitchen。　I　was　immediately　assailed　by
  the　scent。
  〃What　is　that？〃　I　wondered　as　she　guided　me　into　the　house。
  〃Is　it　too　much？〃　Alice's　voice　was　abruptly　worried。　〃You're　the　first　human　in　here；　I　hope　I　got　it
  right。〃
  〃it　smells　wonderful！〃　I　assured　her—almost　intoxicating；　but　not　at　all　overwhelming；　the　balance　of　the
  different　fragrances　was　subtle　and　flawless。　〃Orange　blossoms。。。　lilac。。。　and　something　else—am　I　right？〃
  〃Very　good；　Bella。　You　only　missed　the　freesia　and　the　roses。〃
  She　didn't　uncover　my　eyes　until　we　were　in　her　oversized　bathroom。　I　stared　at　the　long　counter；
  covered　in　all　the　paraphernalia　of　a　beauty　salon；　and　began　to　feel　my　sleepless　night。
  〃Is　this　really　necessary？　I'm　going　to　look　plain　next　to　him　no　matter　what。〃
  She　pushed　me　down　into　a　low　pink　chair。　〃No　one　will　dare　to　call　you　plain　when　I'm　through　with
  you。〃
  〃Only　because　they're　afraid　you'll　suck　their　blood；〃　I　muttered。　I　leaned　back　in　the　chair　and　closed
  my　eyes；　hoping　I'd　be　able　to　nap　through　it。　I　did　drift　in　and　out　a　little　bit　while　she　masked；　buffed；
  and　polished　every　surface　of　my　body。
  It　was　after　lunchtime　when　Rosalie　glided　past　the　bathroom　door　in　a　shimmery　silver　gown　with　her
  golden　hair　piled　up　in　a　soft　crown　on　top　of　her　head。　She　was　so　beautiful　it　made　me　want　to　cry。
  What　was　even　the　point　of　dressing　up　with　Rosalie　around？
  〃They're　back；〃　Rosalie　said；　and　immediately　my　childish　fit　of　despair　passed。　Edward　was　home。
  〃Keep　him　out　of　here！〃
  〃He　won't　cross　you　today；〃　Rosalie　reassured　her。　〃He　values　his　life　too　much。　Esme's　got　them
  finishing　things　up　out　back。　Do　you　want　some　help？　I　could　do　her　hair。〃
  My　jaw　fell　open。　I　floundered　around　in　my　head；　trying　to　remember　how　to　close　it。
  I　had　never　been　Rosalie's　favorite　person　in　the　world。　Then；　making　things　even　more　strained　between
  us；　she　was　personally　offended　by　the　choice　I　was　making　now。　Though　she　had　her　impossible　beauty；
  her　loving　family；　and　her　soul　mate　in　Emmett；　she　would　have　traded　it　all　to　be　human。　And　here　I　was；
  callously　throwing　away　everything　she　wanted　in　life　like　it　was　garbage。　It　didn't　exactly　warm　her　to
  me。
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  〃Sure；〃　Alice　said　easily。　〃You　can　start　braiding。　I　want　it　intricate。　The　veil　goes　here；　underneath。〃　Her
  hands　started　combing　through　my　hair；　hefting　it；　twisting　it；　illustrating　in　detail　what　she　wanted。　When
  she　was　done；　Rosalie's　hands　replaced　hers；　shaping　my　hair　with　a　feather…light　touch。　Alice　moved
  back　to　my　face。
  Once　Rosalie　received　Alice's　commendation　on　my　hair；　she　was　sent　off　to　retrieve　my　dress　and　then
  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；　Bella/7Alice　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　full…scale　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　throat…clearing　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　down/7Renee　insisted。　〃Carefully　now；　don't　tear　anything。〃
  My　mother　squeezed　me　gently　around　the　waist；　then　wheeled　for　the　door；　only　to　complete　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　combs。　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　combs　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　self…congratulatory　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　ey