It was a beautiful April day with a cool breeze and warm sun that Emma and Jacob married. Her dress was that of an angel's and Alice's dress was a beautiful pale purple. All the flowers in the garden where they married were in full bloom and stray petals and leaves flew in the breezes.
The ceremony was more beautiful than Rachel's and Alice, a bridesmaid, tried had not to shed tears. She was so happy for Jacob and Emma, but yet she knew she would not see so much of her closest sister. This wedding made Alice look forward even more to her own someday.
Edward was there, standing tall and looking so handsome. Alice clutched her bouquet and glanced at him constantly. He smiled a bit every time he caught her eye.
Afterwards, cake was served and soon Jacob and Emma left. They were going to Maine for their honeymoon and would not return for a week. Emma had already packed up her things, still leaving the hope chest for Alice. When Alice married, she would take it with her.
The days passed after the wedding and Alice began sewing vigerously for her hope chest. Soon Summer came and with it Alice turned 17. On her birthday, Edward wrote her mother a letter of permission to marry her. Her mother quickly agreed, knowing the Edward was a wonderful young man. No date was set however.
As the days passed, Alice decided to have an Autumn wedding. But Mother was not enthusiastic about her youngest daughter marrying so young, so she suggested Alice wait until the following Autumn. Alice reluctantly agreed, and Edward informed her that he agreed with her mother.
Roger and May soon announced their engagement with excitement. They decided they would marry in May, in honor of May's name, they said. Both Edward and Alice thought this was a funny reason to marry at a certain time, but said nothing of it to the happy couple.
On Christmas Eve of that year, Rachel announced that she was with child. Both her and Thomas were thrilled as they passed out brightly wrapped gifts. Alice's gift was a quilt for her hope chest. From Jacob and Emma were a set of store bought pillows! And from Mother, sheets and pillowcases. A tablecloth from May and from James was a small wooden table, which he had made himself. From Will was a tiny cradle, which he had also made with the help of James.
Edward spent Christmas day with the family and he placed his arm around Alice and smiled when Will presented the cradle. She smiled back as Edward handed her a tiny black box. She opened it and inside was a golden ring with a tiny red ruby in the middle of it.
"An engagement ring!" he said happily as he placed it on her finger with care. "I'm just sorry you had to wait so long for it."
Everyone in the room smiled along with Alice as she gazed down at her beautiful new ring. Oh, how it shimmered! There she was with so many people close to her, next to her future husband. And she knew that she was happy.
The year passed quicker than she thought it would. In no time May came and the marriage of Roger and May occured. It was a beautiful wedding, though hardly comparable to Rachel or Emma's. Summer returned and Alice turned 18. On September 14th, Rebecca Elladora Black was born. Rachel was overjoyed to be a mother, as was Thomas to be a father. Everyone adored holding little Becca for hours at a time, but the arms of her mother were still her favorite.
On October 19th, Edward and Alice married. Though Autumn leaves were falling from the trees above, the wedding was, Alice decided, even more beautiful than Rachel and Emma's had been. Alice's dress was white, long and flowing with a low, beaded off the shoulder neckline. Her hair was curled and pinned up around a crown of dainty white flowers, attached to a sheer veil. On her left finger was the beautiful ruby engagement ring, shining bright in the sunlight.
As Alice walked up the red carpeted aisle, holding her white flowered bouquet, she knew that the life ahead would be wonderful. Challenging and sometimes troubling, yes, but with Edward by her side, it would all work out.
When she reached the end, Edward, in his fine black suit, took her hands. As they said their vowes, they looked into each others eyes. It may have seemed to be an unlikely match, but it turned out to be the most likely one at all.