tough | b.swan

20 - After: Part Seven

Embry takes a deep breath, playing with the cuff of his jacket. "Do I look okay?"

"Jesus christ Embry, yes!" Quil snaps as Jasper helps him with his tie. They're all pretty useless with anything practical.

Carlisle laughs and pats the kids shoulder. "Yes, son, you look good. Scrub up well. Shall we get going?"

Embry nods and runs his fingers through his hair one last time before walking away from the mirror. The brothers already ready cheer as he comes out. "He's doing it!"

He rolls his eyes. Sam smiles. "Beat me to it, kid, congrats."

"Easy to beat you Sammy." Embry winks.

Jacob smiles. "You got the rings?"

Embrys face drops. "You had them!!!"

Jacob laughs and pulls the box out. "I got em I got em."

Embry snatches the box. "Carlisle will watch these until its time, I don't trust you."

Carlisle smiles as he takes the box. "Sure thing. Come on, Alice will go mad if we don't stick to her schedule."

Embry, Jasper and Jake climb in Carlisle's Mercedes as the others sort amongst themselves; SETH, Quil and Paul actually volunteer to go in the jeep with Emmett while the others sort their own rides.

"Any advice? You've been married 100 years or so, right?" Embry asks Carlisle as they drive, his hands rubbing on his thighs.

Carlisle smiles and glances over. "I sure have. The one rule to remember is she's always right."

"But-"

"No, no. Always." Jasper says, patting Embrys shoulder over the seat. "That's it."

Embry laughs a little. "Okay then, sound advice."

Carlisle smiles. "The other thing is compromise. Don't let things come between you, there is always a solution that can be found or an agreement that can be made."

"Do you and Esme ever argue?" Embry asks. He can't imagine it, but he is curious.

"Never argue. Disagree, sure, but I don't think we've ever argued." Carlisle says.

He looks at Jasper. "You?"

"All the time, but it's always fun. If it turns hateful, then we know we've gone too far and we always make it up to one and other." Jasper says softly. "Never get that mad - you can't always undo what has been done."

Embry nods and exhales slowly. "I think we're gonna be okay. What we've been through already... We can handle anything."

Carlisle smiles small. "Hows she doing?"

Jake is confused, but watches and listens silently. Embry smiles. "Better. We passed the harder parts before we came home and she seems pretty okay now. It's just... Hard."

"Esme still thinks of her son and she barely knew him." Carlisle says softly.

"Wait, what?" Jacob says, sitting forward in his seat.

Embry looks over. "Blake and I should have had a baby... But things didn't work out." He shrugs gently. "Don't tell."

"You told Drac over me?" Jacob says, hurt.

Embry rolls his eyes. "He helped us out, Jake, it wasn't exactly me confiding in him. Chill, you'll be the first to know if anything else happens. Now cheer up, I'm getting married!"

Carlisle parks up and looks at Embry as Jake and Jasper climb out. "You ready, son?"

Embry smiles. "More than ever."