12. Alliances

     Edward placed me back on the bed and went to open the door. I looked out the window, realizing it was morning. The grey Alaskan daylight was flowing softly through the window. I looked in the mirror, and was horrified at my condition. A night of crying hadn’t left me in the best physical condition. Without thinking or waiting to see who was at the door, I ducked into the bathroom off our room, and jumped into the shower. Kate had apparently anticipated my hygienic needs, and had supplied the bathroom with fragrant soaps lotions and creams. I used a sinfully aromatic shampoo and rinse, and scrubbed away the night’s tears. As I was washing, I observed the wedding night bruises on my body, relieved that though it had only been a little over 24 hours, they were already beginning to fade. I put on a luxurious bathrobe, and wrapped my wet hair in a towel. I poked my head out of the bathroom to see if we had company. I was thrilled to see Alice sitting on the bed waiting for me.

“Alice!” I cried flinging myself on the bed next to her.

She hugged me and said “So I guess I’m forgiven for the wedding huh?”

Fading or not the bruises were still painful enough that I winced.

Alice noticed my reaction, and it was then that she scrutinized my knees and wrists; the only bruised areas of my body that were visible, and gasped. “Oh Bella, are you alright?!” I turned beet red, and looked away. I didn’t know if I was ready to talk about this with anyone other than Edward.

Alice got up visibly angry and began pacing around the room. Finally she hissed “How could he be so reckless, what was he thinking! Men!” She fumed “They have no self discipline at all! He’s supposed to be a gentleman for crying out loud! Just wait until I talk to him!”

“No Alice, please don’t do that!” I finally cried.

She looked shocked. “Bella, look what he did to you, don’t you realize what could have happened?! I know you love Edward and would suffer anything for him, but this is too much, and it’s too dangerous. You really have to wait now until you’re changed! I can’t believe he let you talk him into this, or that I was so cavalier about it.”