Monday, 9th January 2023 – Part Three

Jamie smiled after his mother climbed out of the car and sat back down. He tugged off his suit jacket, undid the tie and shirt – pulling it off before shrugging the jacket back on. He left the shirt and tie behind in the car knowing they were getting back to the hotel the same way.

Georgie cocked an eyebrow at him.

"Fashun," Jamie smirked and climbed out of the car. "First time Roy and I had a proper conversation, we were at a charity gala for Rebecca. I was a prick to him because he deserved it the grumpy twat. But I was dressed like this. Different suit, mind, because of what he did to my body – I had to have custom made pants." Georgie nodded, she knew this; she'd gone with him. "Feels right to marry him without a shirt."

Georgie reached out and pressed her fingers to the necklace around his neck – one that matched one of hers.

"I've bought Katie one," Jamie told her. "Give it to her when she's a little older…when it's the right time."

Georgie reached forward and pressed a kiss to his cheek. "When it's the right time."

Jamie nodded. He walked over to Simon who was holding Katie. "Want to walk with me down the aisle, my beautiful baby sister?"

"Aren't we all walking together?" Georgie asked.

Jamie nodded. "Yeah, but I haven't asked Katie-bean yet. You ready, baby?"

Katie looked at him without expression. He knew she was excited though.

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Roy stood off to the side of the church and clenched every part of his body, watching the clock tick down to 10am. He really hoped Jamie wasn't fucking late…he couldn't take another second.

"He's coming," Ruth told him.

"Of course he's fucking coming."

Ruth looked at Phoebe who rolled her eyes like a proper Kent.

"He loves you to distraction," Ruth said. "He's going to be here and he's in this forever." Roy paused and looked at her, she never talked about forever in relationships – not even before Tom.

"I can't believe you didn't know you were dating," Phoebe said with a huff.

"I fucking knew I was dating him – he didn't know I was dating him, and I thought he was just passing time with me while I was working with Dr Sharon and coming to terms with the fact I'm gay and not bisexual like I always thought."

"Did you not see how he looked at you?" Ruth asked. "Honestly, have you ever looked at a photo of the two of you?"

Roy rolled his eyes. "I had some shit going on."

"And two emotions at once was just too hard?"

"Fucking hell," Roy muttered.

Phoebe reached out and grabbed Roy's hands, making him bend at the waist so he was the right height to look her in the eyes. "Uncle Roy, I know this is going to cost me at least a tenner but you don't need to worry, Jamie is really fucking in love with you and you are loveable because I love you and Mummy loves you and one day you're going to realise that you don't need to change to be loved."

Roy's eyes blew wide.

"She's right," Ruth said. "While I think therapy and dealing with the shit you went through with mum and dad and as a kid in Sunderland and the…well lots of stuff really. Yeah, while I think that is great you need to remember something…you are amazing, Roy, you've always been amazing and I love you. Of course, Jamie does too and that man is never ever letting you go. He's coming in minutes and he's going to spend the rest of his life bragging about landing you even if you piss him off some days."

"I'm not worried," Roy told her, but Ruth could see his shoulders soften.

There was a knock on the door, the signal that Jamie had arrived and they could both exit at ten exactly. Roy watched the clock, standing before the doors, Phoebe's hand holding his while Ruth's was tucked into his elbow.

"I give it a year before that man demands to have your baby," Ruth whispered in his ear as she reached out and pushed the door open.

Roy froze at the words but then his eyes caught on Jamie, standing on the other side of the church. He was standing between Georgie and Simon with Katie in his arms but Roy only saw the smile on his face and the stupid hint of chest where he wasn't wearing a shirt. Fucking muppet.

Roy stepped forward, not aware or caring if Ruth and Phoebe were walking with him; only knowing he needed to get to Jamie.

Jamie matched him step for step, eyes never leaving Roy's. When they finally met in the middle, Georgie took Katie out of Jamie's arms and Roy immediately took the younger man's hands.

The priest began talking and Roy tried to pay attention, but Jamie looked at him with love, looked like he had never been happier, looked like Roy's heart with stupid hair, a wide grin, and no fucking shirt at his wedding. Roy didn't even care, he just wanted to get to the part where he said 'I do', just wanted to kiss Jamie as his husband. He wanted to start their life together in a house in Richmond, with a holiday home in Spain, and a future with chickens and children and fucking grandchildren who would learn to play football with their granddads. He couldn't fucking wait until Jamie called him grandad for real because it would mean they had had a life together, were having a life together – long and happy as much as possible but together even when things were hard.

Roy repeated his vows, watched the shape of Jamie's lips as the other man did too. Grasped out an 'I do' past a throat rough with emotion and tears just waiting to fall.

"I pronounce you husband and husband, you may now kiss."

Roy yanked Jamie forward, preparing for Jamie to be off balance and prepared to take the impact, sealing his lips over his husband's.

They pulled apart when Phoebe's body collided with them, hands on Roy's back. Georgie pulling him immediately into a hug. Roy thanked her…he wasn't even sure what specifically for, but she smiled and handed him Katie as Simon clapped him on the shoulder.

"She's your sister too, now," Georgie told him.

Roy looked down at her and smiled. "Hello, beautiful."

"That means you're Uncle Jamie," Phoebe said, jumping on Jamie and hugging him tightly.

"I am, Fifi," Jamie said, biting at his lip and making sure he didn't cry.

"And," Phoebe squealed. "I have a little cousin…or…Aunty?"

"She can be whatever you like," Georgie told her. "And she's going to love her Phoebe."

Phoebe beamed and went back to Roy's side so she could watch the baby. Ruth took her place next to Jamie.

"He was so fucking nervous," Ruth told Jamie, pressing a kiss to his cheek. "Pacing around like a fucking tiger, and do I have a video to show you later."

"Of what?"

"Of him telling Phoebe about the type of person she should wait for," Ruth told him with a smirk and another kiss.

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