“You are the most beautiful bride I have ever seen,” the Doctor says, helping me out, understanding exactly how I feel.
My sister is getting married today.My strong, beautiful sister.She’s marrying Ian O’Connor, one of my best friends and teammates.
She’s my family.She’s everything I have.
It all happened very suddenly.After the baby was born, Ian couldn’t wait any longer; he wanted to give her a family.I think he wanted that for himself, too.They were two lost souls who found each other, and my niece — who, by the way, shares my name — completed their family of three.
Now my sister finally has a chance at a real future after a life of fear, suffering, and loss.She’s going to get everything she deserves, and if that idiot O’Connor doesn’t make her happy, I’ll kill him with my bare hands.
“You look great,” Riley says, stroking my face.
“As always,” I reply, trying to play it down because the emotion is so overwhelming that I have to let it out somehow.Otherwise, it will crush me.
“We’re a bit late,” she says, biting her lip.
“The wait will be worth it,” the Doctor says, smiling at her.
He always seems to have the right words.
“Oh, you’re so right,” Chris interjects.
“I hope O’Connor realises how lucky he is,” the Doctor says again.
“I hope so,” Riley replies excitedly.
“I assure you he knows,” I comment.
“Thank you, Jamie.”
I shrug as the Doctor’s eyes settle on me, making me uncomfortable.
“All right, let’s not waste any more time.I’m here for little Jamie,” he says.
“What?”I ask, looking at him.
Chris hands my niece over to the Doctor.“He offered to look after Jamie during the ceremony.”
“And you trust the first person who comes along like that?”I ask my sister instinctively.
“The Doctor is family,” Riley says.
I shake my head, puffing out my cheeks, as he takes my niece with him.He lifts her and gently settles her head on his shoulder.He looks at her and smiles, and an enormous weight crushes my chest.
“Martin?”Riley calls him by name.No one ever does; to us, he’s just the Doctor.But I like the way it sounds on my sister’s lips.“Can you tell Ian that I’m on my way and that I’m looking forward to spending my whole life with him?”
Her words are like a splinter, scratching deeper and deeper, leaving an indelible, painful mark inside me.It feels as if they could tear my chest open and prove to the world that there is still something left inside.
Chapter3
Jamie
“Ready?”I ask Riley, who is clinging to me.
She nods but doesn’t look at me; her nails dig into my arm.
“It’ll be fine,” I say.
“Do you promise?”She finally looks up at me with her wonderful, sparkling eyes, and my heart clenches so tightly in my chest I fear it might disappear.
