'It won't be the same without you'
Tuesday 28th July 2009
As I dropped my husband, Ray, off at the airport, it felt like my heart was breaking. 'I can't believe I won't be at my own sister's wedding,' I gulped. 'It won't be the same without you,' Ray, 54, nodded. I felt gutted. He was going to give my big sister, Julie, 46, away, and I wasn't going to be there to see it. Why? She was getting married in Bicester, Oxfordshire, and we'd lived 9,000 miles away in Perth since emigrating there 15 years ago.
I'd visited Julie a year earlier, when our mum, Myra, 83, had died. We'd lost our dad, Ted, back in 1995, so she'd asked Ray to give her away when she married her partner of four years, Robin, 48. But there was no way we could afford two £2,500 tickets. So now, in May, after dropping Ray at the airport, I felt thoroughly depressed. I only had one sister. How could I let her get married without me? I couldn't.
The next morning, as soon as Ray had landed in the UK, I was on the phone. 'I just can't miss the wedding,' I babbled. 'I'll use our savings and put the rest on the credit card.' 'OK,' he agreed. 'But Julie doesn't think you're coming. Let's keep it that way…'
A week later, with the wedding just days away, I flew to Heathrow airport, where Ray picked me up. 'I've arranged for you to stay with some friends,' he said, as we drove back to Bicester. 'There's no chance Julie will see you there.'
That night, I was out like a light. But next morning, my stomach was in knots. 'I can't just turn up at the wedding,' I decided. 'It will be too emotional.' 'Well, Julie's having drinks at an Indian restaurant tonight,' Ray said. 'Why don't you go to that?' 'Great idea,' I smiled.
Ray was staying at Julie's house, so later that evening, I met him outside Shakil's restaurant in Bicester. Heart racing, I took a deep breath and in we went. Julie looked straight at me. 'Hello stranger,' I grinned. 'J-Jane?' Julie stammered, looking completely shocked. 'I-Is that really you?' I nodded as I pushed my way towards her. As she stood up, her eyes were brimming with tears. 'I'm so glad you're here,' she gulped, flinging her arms around me. 'Me too, sis,' I cried.
Goodness only knows what the rest of the diners thought. But after a good cry, we had a fantastic evening. 'Now you're here, there's only one person missing,' Julie said sadly at the end of the night. 'Mum,' I replied. She nodded. 'We'll have to have a great time for her,' I said. And we definitely did.
Julie and Robin married the next day at Garth Park in Bicester, and I could hardly see them exchange vows as I was crying so much. They were tears of pride, and of relief. I wouldn't have missed my sister's wedding for the world.