Riverside Series by Heather Mar-Gerrison

I didn’t blame my parents’ death for my bad behaviour. Oh, I’m sure some do-gooding psychiatrist would be able to lay the blame at someone else’s door – but the truth was – I just enjoyed being bad. It made me feel better for a while. It was just when Will looked at me with disappointment in his eyes and almost a look of disgust that I felt bad about myself. That hurt… Tomas Fletcher

Our story starts on 27th November 2011 – possibly the worst day of my life. It was the day my parents died, leaving me to fend for myself – oh and my four brothers…Yes, there were five of us – Tatum, my older brother, me, then Tomas and finally the twins, Trey and Toby.I can almost see you rolling your eyes at our names – and believe me, I’ve done the same on many an occasion... moreOur story starts on 27th November 2011 – possibly the worst day of my life. It was the day my parents died, leaving me to fend for myself – oh and my four brothers…Yes, there were five of us – Tatum, my older brother, me, then Tomas and finally the twins, Trey and Toby.I can almost see you rolling your eyes at our names – and believe me, I’ve done the same on many an occasion. I adored my parents but imagination clearly wasn’t their strong point…Anyway… like I’ve already said, they died, tragically in a car accident, leaving us with a very healthy bank balance and a great little business to run – but with absolutely no idea how to go about it – being only eighteen and all that… So, I had four brothers, three to bring up – on my own – as they were all younger than me and all three of them were full of testosterone with no idea what to do with all those raging hormones. Now I had to get creative… Now I had to become Mum… less

I got in my battered old VW Golf. I loved this old car and I missed it when I was away on an operation. I sat in the seat, my mind going at a million miles an hour. I could hear my dad’s voice in my head, “Now then, Tate – you might be seventeen and think that you’re king of the road – but you’ve got to consider other drivers too you know – you’re not the best driver the world has ever seen, no matter how much you think you are... moreI got in my battered old VW Golf. I loved this old car and I missed it when I was away on an operation. I sat in the seat, my mind going at a million miles an hour. I could hear my dad’s voice in my head, “Now then, Tate – you might be seventeen and think that you’re king of the road – but you’ve got to consider other drivers too you know – you’re not the best driver the world has ever seen, no matter how much you think you are.” I couldn’t help myself smiling at the memory but my eyes had filled with tears at the same time. Dad had always been really careful and considerate – so how the hell had they managed to end up killed in a road traffic accident? I sighed miserably. No doubt True would fill me in on all the details when I got home. less

I stared at True. “A letter from my mother?” My insides felt all wobbly and I was starting to lose feeling in my legs. I pulled out a chair and flopped down. Nausea threatened to have me running for the sink but I tried my best to stay calm. She nodded, biting her lip. “I didn’t know whether to tell you or not…” I swallowed. “It’s fine,” I lied, “I can handle it – give it here.” She passed me the envelope and I took it with slightly shaky fingers. This was surreal... moreI stared at True. “A letter from my mother?” My insides felt all wobbly and I was starting to lose feeling in my legs. I pulled out a chair and flopped down. Nausea threatened to have me running for the sink but I tried my best to stay calm. She nodded, biting her lip. “I didn’t know whether to tell you or not…” I swallowed. “It’s fine,” I lied, “I can handle it – give it here.” She passed me the envelope and I took it with slightly shaky fingers. This was surreal. She’d never been able to write in all the time I’d known her – she lived only for the skunk and the sex… I shivered. She’d sold me to anyone for her next fix – and had enjoyed the whole sordid show too – I guess she could argue that she wasn’t fully aware but I’m not sure I would agree. In my opinion she just wasn’t quite right in the head… “What does it say?” True asked quietly. I shook my head, “Nothing much – just that she reckons she’s clean now and wants me to meet her and that she has a wonderful new boyfriend – how has she got a new boyfriend when she’s spent the last two years inside?” True sighed and shook her head, “I have no idea – he must be one of those weird people that writes to the inmates.” “Freak,” I muttered. “Freak’s right.” She agreed, “Are you okay?” I looked up into her beautiful face, all concerned for me and not in any way other than that of a sister who cared about me. This was my family – the Fletchers. They were the ones who had given me their surname to give me a new start in life and to make me less easy to find. Mum’s letter had come to me via the prison service. She didn’t know where to find me. I could just ignore this letter and never see her again… less

Tomas and Will's wedding...I couldn’t wait to marry Will. Seriously, I could not wait. He was the love of my whole life and I couldn’t imagine being with anyone else – not ever.We had a really great relationship but there was one thing I regretted not telling him when we first got together and that was the small fact that I was named on my best friend’s daughter’s birth certificate… I know, right…True and Sawyer's wedding... Will and Tomas have the honour of arranging the stag do.. moreTomas and Will's wedding...I couldn’t wait to marry Will. Seriously, I could not wait. He was the love of my whole life and I couldn’t imagine being with anyone else – not ever.We had a really great relationship but there was one thing I regretted not telling him when we first got together and that was the small fact that I was named on my best friend’s daughter’s birth certificate… I know, right…True and Sawyer's wedding... Will and Tomas have the honour of arranging the stag do...“You want me to do what?” I looked at my soon-to-be brother-in-law as if he’d just grown a second head. Seriously it was the most ridiculous idea I had ever heard.He grinned at me, “Oh, come on, Sawyer,” he pleaded, “– she’ll absolutely love it and you know it.”I bit my lip. It was tempting – I couldn’t deny it – but to dance around in skimpy shorts and a mask on – followed by a private lap dance… well, it was a little bit on the sordid side, wasn’t it? Tate and Maddie's weddingIs being held in Cannes on the beach, with all the family...“Do you think we should have all gone on separate flights?” Trey asked, chewing his lip worriedly, “I mean – you know – just in case?”Tom rubbed his head affectionately, “No, mate.” He said, “If we’re all gonna die – better to all go together than be left behind mourning the loss of everyone else.”Well, I guess he had a point, morbid as it was, “We’re not going to die, Trey.” I said, “We’re going to Cannes and we’re going to have the best time – and then we’re coming back home and living happily ever after.”Tom snorted, “Yeah, right.” He chortled, “It’s only when you marry them that you realise Prince Charming snores like a rhino and farts all night in his sleep.”Sam and Luca's weddingWith a little more help from Dylan... bit my lip looking up at him worriedly. “What if I have another really dark episode?”He just smiled at me and shrugged, “We’ll deal with it – like your therapist said, without the darkness, the stars can’t shine...”I smiled, “You are the most perfect person in the whole world – do you know that?”He grinned and nodded, “Of course I know that – and that’s why you love me.” He joked.“Damned right.” I agreed, “So, can I book the minister or officiant or whatever they’re called.”He nodded, “Of course you can, babe.” He said, “and you can choose the date too – when were you thinking?”Toby & Robyn's and Clarissa & Trey's weddingA fabulous wedding arranged by the flamboyant wedding planner, Dylan...At last the day had arrived. Our wedding day. I was so excited I hadn’t been able to sleep a wink the night before – and Trey had been just as bad. We’d spent half the night whispering and giggling with each other the way we used to do when we were kids.We were therefore a little bleary eyed at breakfast, which was stressing out our wedding planner, Dylan, no end.“Oh, my God!” he shrieked when we stumbled into the kitchen, scratching our chests, farting (that was Trey, not me) and yawning. “What the hell happened? You went to bed looking beautiful last night!”I shrugged, “Couldn’t sleep.” I said with another yawn, “So we talked all night.”He shook his head, “Well,” he huffed, “It’s a good job I have excellent make up skills.”Come and join us for the six weddings of the year... until the next time... less