As　if　in　response　to　that　thought；　Seth　leaned　toward　Edward；　arms　extended。　Edward　returned　the　hug
  with　his　free　arm。
  I　saw　Sue　shudder　delicately。
  〃It's　good　to　see　things　work　out　for　you；　man；〃　Seth　said。　〃I'm　happy　for　you。〃
  〃Thank　you；　Seth。　That　means　a　lot　to　me。〃　Edward　pulled　away　from　Seth　and　looked　at　Sue　and　Billy。
  〃Thank　you；　as　well。　For　letting　Seth　come。　For　supporting　Bella　today。〃
  〃You're　welcome；〃　Billy　said　in　his　deep；　gravelly　voice；　and　I　was　surprised　at　the　optimism　in　his　tone。
  Perhaps　a　stronger　truce　was　on　the　horizon。
  A　bit　of　a　line　was　forming；　so　Seth　waved　goodbye　and　wheeled　Billy　toward　the　food。　Sue　kept　one
  hand　on　each　of　them。
  Angela　and　Ben　were　the　next　to　claim　us；　followed　by　Angela's　parents　and　then　Mike　and　Jessica
  —who　were；　to　my　surprise；　holding　hands。　I　hadn't　heard　that　they　were　together　again。　That　was　nice。
  Behind　my　human　friends　were　my　new　cousins…in…law；　the　Denali　vampire　clan。　I　realized　I　was　holding
  my　breath　as　the　vampire　in　front—Tanya；　I　assumed　from　the　strawberry　tint　in　her　blond
  curls—reached　out　to　embrace　Edward。　Next　to　her；　three　other　vampires　with　golden　eyes　stared　at　me
  with　open　curiosity。　One　woman　had　long；　pale　blond　hair；　straight　as　corn　silk。　The　other　woman　and
  the　man　beside　her　were　both　black…haired；　with　a　hint　of　an　olive　tone　to　their　chalky　complexions。
  And　they　were　all　four　so　beautiful　that　it　made　my　stomach　hurt。
  Tanya　was　still　holding　Edward。
  〃Ah；　Edward；〃　she　said。　〃I've　missed　you。〃
  Edward　chuckled　and　deftly　maneuvered　out　of　the　hug；　placing　his　hand　lightly　on　her　shoulder　and
  stepping　back；　as　if　to　get　a　better　look　at　her。　〃It's　been　too　long；　Tanya。　You　look　well。〃
  〃So　do　you。〃
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  〃Let　me　introduce　you　to　my　wife。〃　It　was　the　first　time　Edward　had　said　that　word　since　it　was　officially
  true；　he　seemed　like　he　would　explode　with　satisfaction　saying　it　now。　The　Denalis　all　laughed　lightly　in
  response。　〃Tanya；　this　is　my　Bella。〃
  Tanya　was　every　bit　as　lovely　as　my　worst　nightmares　had　predicted。　She　eyed　me　with　a　look　that　was
  much　more　speculative　than　it　was　resigned；　and　then　reached　out　to　take　my　hand。
  〃Welcome　to　the　family；　Bella。〃　She　smiled；　a　little　rueful。　〃We　consider　ourselves　Carlisle's　extended
  family；　and　I　am　sorry　about　the；　er；　recent　incident　when　we　did　not　behave　as　such。　We　should　have
  met　you　sooner。　Can
  you　forgive　us？〃
  〃Of　course；〃　I　said　breathlessly。　〃It's　so　nice　to　meet　you。〃
  〃The　Cullens　are　all　evened　up　in　numbers　now。　Perhaps　it　will　be　our　turn　next；　eh；　Kate？〃　She　grinned
  at　the　blonde。
  〃Keep　the　dream　alive；〃　Kate　said　with　a　roll　of　her　golden　eyes。　She　took　my　hand　from　Tanya's　and
  squeezed　it　gently。　〃Welcome；　Bella。〃
  The　dark…haired　woman　put　her　hand　on　top　of　Kate's。　〃I'm　Carmen；　this　is　Eleazar。　We're　all　so　very
  pleased　to　finally　meet　you。〃
  〃M…me；　too；〃　I　stuttered。
  Tanya　glanced　at　the　people　waiting　behind　her—Charlie's　deputy；　Mark；　and　his　wife。　Their　eyes　were
  huge　as　they　took　in　the　Denali　clan。
  〃We'll　get　to　know　each　other　later。　We'll　have　eons　of　time　for　that！〃　Tanya　laughed　as　she　and　her
  family　moved　on。
  All　the　standard　traditions　were　kept。　I　was　blinded　by　flashbulbs　as　we　held　the　knife　over　a　spectacular
  cake—too　grand；　I　thought；　for　our　relatively　intimate　group　of　friends　and　family。　We　took　turns　shoving
  cake　in　each　other's　faces；　Edward　manfully　swallowed　his　portion　as　I　watched　in　disbelief。　I　threw　my
  bouquet　with　atypical　skill；　right　into　Angela's　surprised　hands。　Emmett　and　Jasper　howled　with　laughter
  at　my　blush　while　Edward　removed　my　borrowed　garter—which　I'd　shimmied　down　nearly　to　my
  ankle—　verycarefully　with　his　teeth。　With　a　quick　wink　at　me；　he　shot　it　straight　into　Mike　Newton's
  face。
  And　when　the　music　started；　Edward　pulled　me　into　his　arms　for　the　customary　first　dance；　I　went
  willingly；　despite　my　fear　of　dancing—especially　dancing　in　front　of　an　audience—just　happy　to　have　him
  holding　me。　He　did　all　the　work；　and　I　twirled　effortlessly　under　the　glow　of　a　canopy　of　lights　and　the
  bright　flashes　from　the　cameras。
  〃Enjoying　the　party；　Mrs。　Cullen？〃　he　whispered　in　my　ear。
  I　laughed。　〃That　will　take　a　while　to　get　used　to。〃
  〃We　have　a　while；〃　he　reminded　me；　his　voice　exultant；　and　he　leaned　down　to　kiss　me　while　we　danced。
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  Cameras　clicked　feverishly。
  The　music　changed；　and　Charlie　tapped　on　Edward's　shoulder。
  It　wasn't　nearly　as　easy　to　dance　with　Charlie。　He　was　no　better　at　it　than　I　was；　so　we　moved　safely
  from　side　to　side　in　a　tiny　square　formation。　Edward　and　Esme　spun　around　us　like　Fred　Astaire　and
  Ginger　Rogers。
  〃I'm　going　to　miss　you　at　home；　Bella。　I'm　already　lonely。〃
  I　spoke　through　a　tight　throat；　trying　to　make　a　joke　of　it。　〃I　feel　just　horrible；　leaving　you　to　cook　for
  yourself—it's　practically　criminal　negligence。　You　could　arrest　me。〃
  He　grinned。　〃I　suppose　I'll　survive　the　food。　Just　call　me　whenever　you　can。〃
  〃I　promise。〃
  It　seemed　like　I　danced　with　everyone。　It　was　good　to　see　all　my　old　friends；　but　I　really　wanted　to　be
  with　Edward
  more　than　anything　else。　I　was　happy　when　he　finally　cut　in；　just　half　a　minute　after　a　new　dance　started。
  〃Still　not　that　fond　of　Mike；　eh？〃　I　commented　as　Edward　whirled　me　away　from　him。
  〃Not　when　I　have　to　listen　to　his　thoughts。　He's　lucky　I　didn't　kick　him　out。　Or　worse。〃
  〃Yeah；　right。〃
  〃Have　you　had　a　chance　to　look　at　yourself？〃
  〃Urn。　No；　I　guess　not。　Why？〃
  〃Then　I　suppose　you　don't　realize　how　utterly；　heart…breakingly　beautiful　you　are　tonight。　I'm　not
  surprised　Mike's　having　difficulty　with　improper　thoughts　about　a　married　woman。　I　am　disappointed　that
  Alice　didn't　make　sure　you　were　forced　to　look　in　a　mirror。〃
  〃You　are　very　biased；　you　know。〃
  He　sighed　and　then　paused　and　turned　me　around　to　face　the　house。　The　wall　of　glass　reflected　the　party
  back　like　a　long　mirror。　Edward　pointed　to　the　couple　in　the　mirror　directly　across　from　us。
  〃Biased；　am　I？〃
  I　caught　just　a　glimpse　of　Edward's　reflection—a　perfect　duplicate　of　his　perfect　face—with　a
  dark…haired　beauty　at　his　side。　Her　skin　was　cream　and　roses；　her　eyes　were　huge　with　excitement　and
  framed　with　thick　lashes。　The　narrow　sheath　of　the　shimmering　white　dress　flared　out　subtly　at　the　train
  almost　like　an　inverted　calla　lily；　cut　so　skillfully　that　her　body　looked　elegant　and　graceful—while　it　was
  motionless；　at　least。
  Before　I　could　blink　and　make　the　beauty　turn　back　into　me；　Edward　suddenly　stiffened　and　turned
  automatically　in　the　other　direction；　as　if　someone　had　called　his　name。
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  〃Oh！〃　he　said。　His　brow　furrowed　for　an　instant　and　then　smoothed　out　just　as　quickly。
  Suddenly；　he　was　smiling　a　brilliant　smile。
  〃What　is　it？〃　I　asked。
  〃A　surprise　wedding　gift。〃
  〃Huh？〃
  He　didn't　answer；　he　just　started　dancing　again；　spinning　me　the　opposite　way　we'd　been　headed　before；
  away　from　the　lights　and　then　into　the　deep　swath　of　night　that　ringed　the　luminous　dance　floor。
  He　didn't　pause　until　we　reached　the　dark　side　of　one　of　the　huge　cedars。　Then　Edward　looked　straight
  into　the　blackest　shadow。
  〃Thank　you；〃　Edward　said　to　the　darkness。　〃This　is　very。。。　kind　of　you。〃
  〃Kind　is　my　middle　name；〃　a　husky　familiar　voice　answered　from　the　black　night。　〃Can　i　cut　in？〃
  My　hand　flew　up　to　my　throat；　and　if　Edward　hadn't　been　holding　me　I　would　have　collapsed。
  〃Jacob！〃　I　choked　as　soon　as　I　could　breathe。　〃Jacob！〃
  〃Hey　there；　Bells。〃
  I　stumbled　toward　the　sound　of　his　voice。　Edward　kept　his　grip　under　my　elbow　until　another　set　of
  strong　hands　caught　me　in　the　darkness。　The　heat　from　Jacob's　skin　burned　right　through　the　thin　satin
  dress　as　he　pulled　me
  close。　He　made　no　effort　to　dance；　he　just　hugged　me　while　I　buried　my　face　in　his　chest。　He　leaned
  down　to　press　his　cheek　to　the　top　of　my　head。
  〃Rosalie　won't　forgive　me　if　she　doesn't　get　her　official　turn　on　the　dance　floor；〃　Edward　murmured；　and
  I　knew　he　was　leaving　us；　giving　me　a　gift　of　his　own—this　moment　with　Jacob。
  〃Oh；　Jacob。〃　I　was　crying　now；　I　couldn't　get　the　words　out　clearly。　〃Thank　you。〃
  〃Stop　blubbering；Bella。　You'll　ruin　your　dress。　It's　just　me。〃
  〃Just？　Oh；　Jake！　Everything　is　perfect　now。〃
  Hesnorted。　〃Yeah—the　party　can　start。　The　best　man　finally　made　it。〃
  〃Now　everyone　I　love　is　here。〃
  I　felthis　lips　brush　my　hair。　〃SorryI'm　late；　honey。〃
  〃I'm　just　so　happy　you　cam