The street was lined with cars as the bridal party came out. Cheers and claps were all around Amy and her grand mothers. She was looking forward to today, to getting to see her grand parents show there love for one another. It was strange, normally you didn't get to go to your grand parents weddings but she had been to both. Getting in the car, Liz smiled at her.
"I can not believe today has co me at last." she said to them. This had been all she had wanted for such a long time. She knew she was doing the right thing. She had not a seed of doubt about reclaiming the name Mrs Macdonald. It was in the way she still got butterflies when she thought of her husband. In just an hour she and jam were going to be man and wife again. Nothing could seem sweeter in those moments.

That day was hers.
-
Jim and his twins sons were at the registry office already waiting Liz's arrival It was the most nervous Jim had been in all his life. Even more so than the trail or there other marriages.
What if she realised this was the man who had done awful things to her. What if she remembered the night of the army reunion?
He wasn't proud of what he had done to her that night. He had not been any sort of man. He had been weak and he was repulsive by his actions when he thought about them.
But finally after what seemed a life time of waiting, guests where arriving. He could put those thoughts to the back of his head.
Eileen and Jason went in and the Platts did, as well as Audrey. Sean Tully and a few of the other factory girls went in when a most welcomed friendly face came in to his sight.
"I am glad to see you lass." He said as he kissed Frankie's cheek in a friendly manor of greeting.
Her heart did a summer sort.
He was a good man. He was one of the few good men left of the street. How was she meant to let him go through with this.
"Jim I need to talk to –"
"you alright Frank love?" a voice said from behind her. It was Danny. "You wanna come sit with me?"
"yeah, yeah." She said to him tiredly as she turned to the groom "good luck." She said to him and Jim got a bad feeling.
She had had some thing to tell him but now the moment was gone.
"Can we get ready please," said the registrar distracting him from hid thoughts. "The bride is here."
"Absolutely." said Jim he had been waiting for this for so long.
Liz walked down the isle in a pink suit, which was rather dignified, and she looked classy for once. She felt right. Natural. Amy had her little white dress on and as always looked as pretty as a picture.
Steve also walked with his mother though, as he was going to be giving her away, or as it was, back to his father as Andy got the job of best man this time.
"You've got the rings?" Jim said out the side of his month to his son.
"For the fourth time, yes. Foucs on mum!"
Honestly though. How was he able to do any thing else but focus on Elizabeth when she looked so stunning.
As soon as she got to his side Liz slipped her hand in to Jim's.
The registrar got up and the service begun.
"Today we have gathered here, to watch the joining of James and Elizabeth. Marriage is the basis of society. It strengthens love, and enriches community. James and Elizabeth are about to enter this was of life, but before they do I am required to ask if any one knows if any reason why they should not be joined?" she said to the community.
This was the part Liz had been dreading, what if some one knew, then what?
Frankie felt her heart race. What was she to do? Tell him for it was unfair to let him to in to the marriage not knowing or let them be happy.
They looked so happy when they were together.
But little did she know it was not required of her to do any thing, for some one else was going too. Some one who had not been invited today. Some one who had come on the soul purpose to destroy the day for them.
It was Vernon.
"I do." He said as he came in.
Liz shook her head. He couldn't do this to her. Please god not today.
Going up to the now less than happy couple he looked at the bride.
"I know." He said simply.
"Excuse me, what do you know?" asked the registrar.
"I know that this woman is pregnant. And there is a chance the I am the father." He said.
There was a muttering that went through the crowd...
Frankie kept her eyes on Jim. You could see his soul in his eyes. His heart was broken.
"No, no that cant be right." Protested Jim. "Elizabeth tell him his wrong. Tell me he is wrong. Please," He said to her, but the tears in her eyes were proof enough of what Vernon had said to them.
"Oh my god." He said to her.
"Please don't, Jim, we need to talk. I am so sorry. It was a mistake, its you that I love not him. We can still go through with this."
"How I am meant to believe a word you say?" he asked as he turned away from her and walked out the room, her wails behind him.
But suddenly as she cried out he knew it was not in upet but pain.
Turning back he saw her hunched on the floor, cfutching her stomach.
The baby…
0
When he had heard her crying for him Jim had wanted to leave Liz. Say she deserved it if they lost the baby now. It was gods pay back on what she had done to him. But he couldn't.
For the first time since he had been out of jail that day his temper had flared and he was not proud of that. He never was.
Sitting in the waiting room of the hospital still in his suit his sons stay by him anxious for news of there mother.
"Dad." He heard Andy say.
"Aye lad?" he asked.
"I am really sorry over the way today turned out." He said.
"So am I." he nodded.
"What are you going to do now?" asked Steven.
Jim shrugged. He had know idea. It wasn't just the marriage he had lost .
All the dreams and the fantasy's that had gone along with it. Maybe he should have known it was too like a fairy tale to go right.
Him and his princess Elizabeth in their own little castle with a baby in the crib. No he had been a fool for thinking it was all going to be ok.
It was then as he mourned what he had lost the doctor entered to talk to them… there was a chance he was the baby's dad and he cared for it. He wanted to be there for it still. And deep down, for her too.
"Mr MacDonald I have some news for you your wife," he begun and Jim cringed. They were not man and wife but he did not point it out. He was more concerned over the wellbeing of the child.
"I am pleased to tell you that the baby is well and although Elizabeth is tired she will recover." He said to them.
Jim sighed in relief. "Good, good." He said as he got up and so did his sons only when they got out of the visitors rooms where as the twins headed up to see there mum Jim headed for the exit.
"I can't face her after today I just – I can't." He told them. Jim knew he was being weak but he had no heart to go in there, he was so anger deep down.
And as long as they were going to be ok that was ok with him. They could leave it for a bit.
-
Liz had never been so disappointed as she saw it was just her sons who came to see her.
"Where's you dad boys?" they asked.
"He was here, he was the one who brought you in remember?" asked Andy and she nodded. "But he has to get his head clear mum. You know why. What he doesn't understand as well as us is why? Mum why did you have to go with him?" she asked angrily.
They were so nearly a family again. And that was that was gone.
Liz shook her head as tears silently roiled on to her cheeks. She wished she had but she didn't.
-
Jim was by the canal, walking he had a bottle of scotch in his hand.
He as no longer looking handsome like he had that morning in the registry office. His tie was off, his shirt was untucked ands his face was tear stained.
As he sat down the bench he opened the bottle. When he had brought it he had had every intention of getting to wreck to walk home.
But he couldn't. he didn't want to go back to that self pitting man he had been when he had gone inside. He had changed so much,.
He was a man worthy of respect t now.
Why would he want to go back.
"Hey stranger." He heard a feminine voice say. It was Frankie. "I'm sorry Jim." she said to him.
"Aye me too love." He replied.