Her Voice ✿ Emmett Cullen

Chapter 43

If anyone asked Lyra her opinion, the speeches were the best part of the entire wedding reception. When Emmett stood up to begin his speech, Lyra couldn't help but snicker to herself at what was about to unfold. "Excuse me. Is this on? Hello? Umm, I'd like to propose a toast. To my new sister. Bella, I hope you've gotten enough sleep these last eighteen years. 'Cause you won't be getting any more for a while." Emmett grinned cheekily.

The crowd was tense and awkward but the supernatural members of it all chuckled to themselves, knowing what Emmett really meant. Lyra snorted and giggled quietly to herself before burying her face into Jasper's shoulder when her papa sent her a look, chastising his daughter.

Once she had composed herself, Lyra sent her dads an apologetic look as she took a sip of champagne. The wolfshifter rolled his eyes at his daughter before taking a sip of his own champagne. Emmett immediately fist bumped Lyra when he sat down and she gave him an approving nod for the utter inappropriateness of his speech.

As the speeches continued, they just kept getting more and more entertaining for Lyra to listen to. She was sure that she was the only one enjoying them this much. When Jessica stood up, she had to stop herself from laughing immediately. She knew Jessica well enough to know how this was going to go.

"Well, Bella was just like everybody else, totally mesmerized by Edward. Or 'The Hair,' as I call him. And then, suddenly, Edward is all about Bella. Even though she's not the captain of the volleyball team." A few members of the audience chuckled along with Jessica while Lyra was covering her mouth with her hand and biting her lip to stop herself from bursting out laughing. Lyra remembered the jealous conversation from the first day Bella met Jessica, making this even funnier. "I'm just kidding. I'm just kidding. Or the president of the student council."

Alice went next and Lyra took another sip of champagne to try and calm herself. "Now that you're my sister," Alice began, "You'll have to get over your aversion to fashion. Skirts, heels, handbags... I mean, I'm happy for you two and all, but I'm happier to have Bella as a sister. Partly because I'll have another person to dress up aside from my beautiful Lyra." Alice sent a flirtatious smile at the copper-haired girl as the crowd laughed. Lyra blew a kiss to Alice, causing Emmett to elbow her as Jasper laughed at their antics.

When Charlie stood up, she once again began to smile. "Edward will be a good husband." He said, "I know this because I'm a cop. I know things. Like how to hunt somebody to the ends of the Earth. And I know how to use a gun." Throughout the duration of the speech, Lyra and the Quileutes that came to the wedding were almost beside themselves with laughter, knowing that what he said was true. He would hunt down Edward. The problem was, as they all knew, he was a vampire and was bulletproof.

When Renee stood up and started singing the lullaby that she used to sing when Bella was little, Lyra couldn't help but cringe at the second hand embarrassment she felt. She felt bad for Bella, knowing that the brunette was completely embarrassed by her mother. She shared a look with Bella, who was screaming for help internally and Lyra merely sent her a look of pity.

Esme's toast was rather sweet, "I'd like to thank Renee and Charlie for bringing such a wonderful person into the world and into our lives. We will cherish and protect her forever."

Lyra was next to stand up. She made her way towards the stage, her heels clicking loudly as she climbed the steps. She stopped in front of the microphone and took a deep breath before she began her speech. "Hi." She said with a grin, causing a series of chuckles through the room, "I'd like to believe that over the past year and a half Bella and I have grown very close. I have watched as the relationship between Edward and Bella grew into what it is now. And, as much as I hate to say it, I think that Bella and Edward are meant for each other." She said with an eye roll, and although she wasn't kidding, many in the audience did and laughed, "Anyone who knows me, knows that Edward and I have had our differences from time to time, but I trust that he will take care of Bella."