Chapter 3

Something like regret crossed Spencer's face, and he caught my arm.

"Don't take it the wrong way, Rosie. We had hundreds of guests coming, including people Marcus works with. Jocelyn only agreed to stand in for you.

"Since you're here, we can run the ceremony again."

Nathaniel stepped in front of me.

I looked at him, not understanding.

"You told me to wait at the hospital until you came for me. Why did you tell everyone I refused to come?"

Marcus and Spencer both turned toward him.

Nathaniel went pale. "I lied. Jocelyn wanted a wedding of her own, and you owe her..."

"Enough."

I cut him off and looked at Spencer through burning eyes. "And she told you she wanted to wear a wedding dress, so you gave her mine. Is that it?"

Spencer looked at the floor and said nothing.

I turned to Marcus.

"Jocelyn wanted a birthday nobody interrupted, so you had someone run me down. Is that it?"

This time Marcus looked away.

I laughed until the tears ran down my face.

"Why not just tell them to kill me? Then every debt you invented would finally be paid."

Marcus sighed and put a hand on my shoulder.

"Rosie, the ceremony's already started. Let them finish, and we'll call it square. Your brothers promise we'll make it up to you twice over. Once today's over, you won't owe her a thing."

I threw his hand off. "I never owed her anything. She took what was mine."

A palm cracked across my face.

I stared at my mother, not believing it.

"Rosalie, how can you talk about her like that?

"When I went traveling with my friends, every other woman had a daughter with her. Jocelyn came because you wouldn't.

"When I found out your father was having an affair and I needed my daughter, Jocelyn was the one who sat up with me all night."

I held my cheek and started to laugh.

"Traveling? I wanted to go. You were afraid I'd have an episode, so you picked her.

"And Dad's affair? I'm the one who spent night after night pulling together the records that got your property back. She cried with you a few times, and that wiped out everything I did?

"You keep saying I owe her. Didn't I pay her tuition? Didn't I bring her into this house? What exactly do I owe?"

Miles and Jocelyn came hurrying toward us.

Jocelyn was crying before they even reached me.

"Rosalie, I'm sorry. I was selfish, and I caused all of this. I only wanted one thing for myself. I'll give it all back and get out of your life."

She reached for the fastenings of the gown.

Miles pulled her into his arms and looked at me with plain disappointment.

"Rosalie, it's one ceremony. What's the point of humiliating her like this?

"When Marcus was dying, Jocelyn knelt through an all-night vigil at St. Brigid's and brought home a blessed medal, and he pulled through.

"When Spencer was facing that plagiarism suit, she talked a classmate's father into taking the case. Gerald Voss, the best attorney in the state. He cleared Spencer's name.

"When Nathaniel caught that virus and was unconscious for a week, she stayed outside his room and didn't sleep.

"When I was trapped in that fire, she risked her life and dragged me out.

"Those were things you should have done for the people who love you. She did them in your place. You can ignore what she's given us. We can't.

"All we wanted was to give her one thing back. How is that wrong?

"After the ceremony, you and I will still sign the license. So today, please, just try to understand."

I stared at him.

I had done every one of those things. How had Jocelyn become the person they remembered?