Sister, Sister¹

Ceremony

Ivy stands in the bridal dressing room, smoothing down her dress as April, Meredith, and Cristina move around her. Fixing the dress and her hair and makeup and making sure she's okay. She smiles at herself in the mirror.

"I can't believe I'm about to get married! I'm so happy," Ivy gives them all a teary smile.

"Hey, we all knew this would happen. I mean, we made bets on when you and Pretty Boy would get together. I'm still mad I lost," Cristina complains.

"You bet on Jackson and I?" Ivy turns to them.

The bridesmaids all share looks, "Um, no? Maybe."

April laughs, "Yes we did, and I won!"

Ivys jaw drops, "You all betted on my relationship? Even you, April?"

Said girl nod, "Yeah, sorry. Oh, well, let's get some finishing touches done and you married."

"Fine, I'll ignore the bet. I just need to relax and hope nothing goes wrong," Ivy takes a breath.

"Everything will be fine! I mean, Derek is here to walk you down the aisle, Jacksons head over heels in love with you, and your family is here. Where is your mom and sisters?" Meredith asks.

At that moment, the Shepherd women walk into the dressing room with Catherine following behind them, "Oh, Ivy, my dear! You look absolutely amazing. Oh, my son will just faint when he sees you."

Kathleen tilts her head to the side, "Ives, didn't you want a sleeveless dress? We always talked about how a sleeveless dress is classic and it will help with the baby fat."

Ivy sinks into herself, "Um, I used to but with the burn on my arm, a sleeveless dress just...it's right for me."

Nancy shrugs, "I guess, but Kathleen's right. The waist of your dress is a little tight and maybe the lace on the arms reveals the burns a little to much if you're trying to hide it."

"Oh, um, I-I-I guess you're right," Ivy looks down at the dress, feeling self conscious.

"No, none of that is true! Ivy is a beautiful woman with nothing wrong with her. The fact that you all, her own family, are bringing her down on her wedding day! It's disgusting!" Catherine shouts at them.

"Who are you to tell me how to talk to my daughter? You have no right to come in here and control how we speak to our family!" Carolyn yells right back.

Ivy calls out, "Okay, enough! Catherine, thank you for sticking up for but you don't need to. Can you and the girls give me a moment with my mother and sisters?"

They nod before leaving Ivy alone with her family, "What is wrong with you three? The only people in this family who have shown me none stop support since I was born are Amy and Derek! Mom, I shouldn't even call you that because you left Derek, a 12 year old, to raise me because you gave up on me. Kathleen and Nancy, stop with the little degrading comments! I realize I still have some baby fat but I just gave birth to twins a month ago. Liz, you have to choose a side and stick with it. Not jump back and forth when it suits you. You all have treated me like crap my entire life! I get it, I was unplanned and probably unwanted. But you didn't need to make me feel like it or try and ruin my wedding day! Do you know how hard I worked to be seen as something other than Derek's shadow in this family! I-I-I-I became a double board certified surgeon, a-a mother, I'm literally about to become a wife, I'm a hospital owner. I've been shot, in a coma, in a plane crash, and saw my best friend get shot but did any of you check on me? No! Only after you heard Derek may lose his hand did you care if I was okay. If this is how you're going to be all day, then I don't want you here. So choose. Either treat me like a person, like you want me as a family member. Or leave. And never contact me again cause I am done feeling like crap whenever I talk to you."