Chapter 23

~Chapter Twenty-Three~

EPOV

We didn’t even bother with driving ourselves to the courthouse.

We grabbed our bags and took a cab, knowing we were headed straight to the airport afterwards, enjoying each other in the back of it until the driver told us to stop.

She was a pretty young thing, but I think we may have distracted her somewhat.

I didn’t care though, it was our wedding day.

And we could do what the hell we liked.

“Get that smirk off your face, Edward, it’s a long flight and I don’t want you to combust over the Atlantic,” Jasper laughed as we pulled up to the courthouse.

“Oh you have got to be shitting me!?” Jasper cried out through hysterics as I looked out of the window.

“Holy shit,” I gasped out loudly and even the cab driver joined in as we looked to the doors of the courthouse.

There was Emmett, in a bridesmaid outfit, blonde wig with makeup and matching shoes. He even had a tiara resting in the top of the wig.

“Damn...” Was he actually wearing a bra with stuffing in it? “My brother has boobs,” I hissed as Jasper grabbed his side, he was laughing so hard.

 “Is he a relative?” the driver asked through her giggles as she got out of the cab to get our bags.

“I don’t know whether to laugh at him or kill him,” Jasper said as I smirked and watched Emmett as he started waving at us with a large bouquet of roses in his hand.

“That… man, is my brother,” I chuckled as we got out of the cab and took our bags from the driver.

I went to pay her, but she waved us off.

“Call it a wedding gift, and a thank-you for the laughs that oaf just gave me,” she smiled kindly as she got back into the cab.

Even with the door shut, we could still hear her laughing as she drove off.

“Someone had to be a spokesperson and see you two off in fashion,” Emmett said when we reached him as he grinned and gave us a twirl, nearly keeling over in his high heels.

“Really Emmett, a bridesmaid?” Jasper was finding it hard to keep a straight face, causing it to go almost red. Trust me, I was finding this shit funny as hell too; I had just come to expect the unexpected with him.

“No, matron of honor, I’m a married… person,” he stuttered.

“Well, I can hardly call you a married man with you in a dress, Bugs.” I couldn’t help it; I hugged him fiercely through my laughs, and then got a little serious.

“I appreciate all your help, man,” I said as I pulled away from him.

“So, who’s ready for a little ‘I do’ moment?” he asked as he started to skip, yes, I said skip, up the steps of the courthouse.

“He was dropped as a baby. We didn’t think it did too much damage because he bounced, but I think this is a delayed reaction,” I said to a passerby as he stared at us.

He gave us a strange look as we laughed harder, linked hands and did the only thing we could.  We skipped after Emmett.

We soon calmed down when the enormity of what we were doing hit home.

We signed the relevant paperwork, paid the fees and waited our turn.  A clerk came out and asked if we had any musical request for the ceremony and we couldn’t come up with anything on the spot, so we told him to just surprise us.

I was turning into a nervous wreck.

Not because of what we were doing, I was totally on board with that, but I had never lived with anyone but my family.

I would have to share things. Ask for his opinion. Everything would be split down the middle. Hmmm... split...

Again, I was totally on board for that, but it would be one hell of an adjustment.

One that I was looking forward to.

“Mr. Cullen and Mr. Whitlock, please,” a man in a suit asked as he came out of the far end door.

“This is us,” I said with a beaming smile to Jasper.

Emmett jumped up, and staggered again in his shoes, and we all walked over to the man.

“I swear I had nothing to do with it,” I laughed at the look on his face as he took in Emmett’s appearance.

“Whatever takes his fancy I suppose, but I’ve seen it all, so it doesn’t bother me,” he said kindly as he held the door open for us.

“I can handle the shoes, but it’s the thong that’s killing me,” Emmett griped as he walked through. We all just stood there and glared at him as he continued to wobble on his feet.

Just as we got situated and were waiting for the Justice of the Peace, the doors flew open and in walked Rose, looking absolutely stunning in a pink gown that matched Emmett’s.

“You lot are such idiots, two witnesses, you need two and why the hell are you getting this jerk to witness anyway?” she huffed as she walked with pure perfection towards us, hitching her thumb over her shoulder at my brother.

“Emmett, there was a reason God gave you a dick and not a vagina,” she hissed as she stood next to Jasper, who had stood up to welcome her. “No offense to either one of you,” she elaborated as she turned to Jasper and I with a smile.

“Hi, Rose, none taken,” he said, even though he hadn’t even met her yet.

“Hi Jasper, nice to finally meet you. Edward is a selfish prick and kept you all to himself,” she whispered quietly, but loud enough for me to hear as she planted a kiss on his cheek.

“Nice to see you, too,” Emmett grumbled as he tried to take his wife’s hand.

“Nah-ah, I am not your wife while you’re in that get-up.” She glared at him and it made us all laugh, even the Justice of the Peace, who we hadn’t even noticed had walked into the room.

“How about we get you tied?” he asked as we all nodded.

He welcomed us and went over a few things before it was time to say our vows. As we all took our places, the intensity of the atmosphere lightened up as Elton John’s voice suddenly boomed out, filling the space around us.

Spring is here, the sky is blue

Birds will sing as if they knew

Today's the day, we'll say I do

And we'll never be lonely any more

“Simeon, turn that down!” shouted the Justice of the Peace as he looked at us apologetically and we just laughed.

Because we're going to the chapel

And we're gonna to get married

Going to the chapel

And we're gonna get married

Gee I really love you

And we're gonna get married

Going to the chapel of love

Simeon found the volume control and the song faded into the background as we proceeded.

Bells will ring, the sun will shine

I will be hers, and she'll be mine

We'll love until the end of time

And we'll never be lonely any more

“If you would like to face each other and hold hands,” he smiled as we did as he said.

I gasped as I saw the intensity of love in Jasper’s eyes.

“I love you,” I whispered gently, making him smile wider.

“Now, Mr. Cullen, I have a card here of your chosen vows,” he held out the card and I smiled as I read and re-read them silently, then finally aloud.

“I, Edward Anthony Cullen, ask you, Jasper Marion Whitlock, to be my husband, as my friend and my love. On this day I affirm the relationship we have enjoyed, looking to the future to deepen and strengthen it. I will be yours in plenty and in want, in sickness and in health, in failure and in triumph. Together we will dream, will stumble and restore each other, we will share all things, serving each other and our fellow humanity. I will cherish and respect you, comfort and encourage you, be open with you, and stay with you as long as we both shall live, both freed and bound by our love.” I choked up at the end, but I didn’t care.

All I cared about was that Jasper was standing in front of me, smiling gently and gripping my hands.

“Thank-you, Edward. That was lovely. Now it’s your turn Mr. Whitlock,” the man said as he showed Jasper the same card.

He gave a little cough to clear his throat before he started reciting the vows.

“I, Jasper Marion Whitlock, ask you, Edward Anthony Cullen, to be my husband, as my friend and my love. On this day I affirm the relationship we have enjoyed, looking to the future to deepen and strengthen it. I will be yours in plenty and in want, in sickness and in health, in failure and in triumph. Together we will dream, will stumble and restore each other, we will share all things, serving each other and our fellow humanity. I will cherish and respect you, comfort and encourage you, be open with you, and stay with you as long as we both shall live, both freed and bound by our love,” his gentle voice carried through the room and by the end, you could hear a pin drop.

The Justice of the Peace smiled warmly at us as Rose gave him our rings which I had gotten from Mr. Brandon this morning as well. He laid them on his book before looking at the pair of us.

“Your gift to each other for your wedding today has been your wedding rings. The wedding ring is a symbol of the vows taken here today…a circle of wholeness perfect in form. The unending circle of a ring is a sign of fidelity, the pledged faithfulness of a couple to each other. These rings mark the beginning of an unending journey together, filled with wonder and surprises, laughter and tears, celebration and joy. May these rings glow in the warmth and happiness of you both today.” He smiled as he handed out the book and we each took each other’s rings.

Ever so slowly, we slid the platinum rings on and I was hit by the strong emotions of our connection.

“There may be times filled with happiness, sorrow, tears or laughter, whatever it may be, remember love has given you wings; your journey begins today; Edward and Jasper, if there is anything you remember of this marriage ceremony, remember the love that brought you here today, it is only love which can make your marriage a glorious union, and it is by love that your marriage will endure.

Edward and Jasper, as you have consented together in lawful wedlock and thereto have pledged your faith to each other, and have declared the same by joining hands and the giving and receiving of rings, an exchanged your first gifts as a married couple, and by the powers vested in me as a Justice of the Peace for the State of Washington, I pronounce you are now married! If you wish to seal this marriage with a kiss, you may now do so.” He chuckled as I pulled Jasper to me and kissed him…. Hard.

~(*)~

JPOV

“I cannot believe your middle name is Marion,” Emmett laughed yet again as we sipped champagne in one of the bars at the airport.

“Oh shut up, Emmett Engelbert Cullen,” Edward laughed as I tossed him over a packet of peanuts.

“Engelbert, really?” I laughed harder than I had before.

“Uh-huh, mom had a thing for a singer, Engelbert Humperdinck, so he got called that. I suppose it was better than mom’s favorite song by him. If Emmett was a girl, they were going to call him Delilah,” Edward laughed as Emmett scowled at him.

We all had a good laugh at Emmett’s expense, but we had to go through security, so we calmed down and said goodbye to them.

Three weeks. Three glorious weeks in the sun, sand and sex with Edward and I couldn’t bloody wait to be honest.

Okay, so we’d have to go through the hell of getting through the airport and also a thirteen hour flight.

The airport I could deal with, but a thirteen hour flight without touching, palming or fucking Edward was not something I was looking forward to, not one bit.

But hey, this was our honeymoon, well, it would be once my business was taken care of, so it was every man for himself and if we could get in a little lovin’ time, we would.

I’d make bloody sure of it.

In the short time that we’d officially been together, a day hadn’t gone by when either one of us hadn’t pleasured the other, and I wasn’t going to let an airplane stop that.

~The End~

(Until Greece) hehehe