I CAUGHT MY SISTER WITH MY MISTER!

I loved having my sister back in my life. But then she got a bit too close for comfort... By Laura Walker, 34

I fiddled anxiously with the purple fascinator I’d slipped into my blond bob. 

‘What do you think? Do I look alright?’ I asked my partner Gary.

He adjusted his tie and replied: ‘You look great, stop stressing.’

We were off to a family wedding and I was feeling unusually nervous about making a good impression.

After all, it was a side of the family I didn’t know that well.

My dad had left my mum when I was only tiny and I grew up without him in my life. I didn’t even see him after I was three.

Then, when I got to 18 I decided it was about time to build some bridges.

I got back in touch with my father and discovered he’d gone on to have another three girls after leaving my mum.

It was strange discovering I had sisters I’d never even met. We were reintroduced and we all got on alright. But, we didn’t really keep in touch.

Over the years I’d always thought about my sisters and so a few years ago we reunited again. This time, we were all a bit older and quickly realised we had a lot in common.

Carly* even invited me, Gary and our daughter Ava to her wedding, where my other half sister, Sarah, was going to be a bridesmaid.

So, I smoothed my black and white patterned dress and took a deep breath to settle my nerves.

It was the first time we’d been along to a family occasion so to me it was a big deal. A couple of hours later, I could barely even remember why I’d been nervous.

Guests were cooing over little Ava, while Gary had introduced himself to Sarah and they were chatting away.

It felt like we were finally all part of one family, for the first time. That meant a lot to me.

Money was tight but I hoped it wouldn’t be long until I tied the knot with Gary, and we could have a big get-together again.

After the wedding, I kept in touch with my sisters. Carly was busy settling into married life but I met up with Sarah a few times for a coffee and a catch up.

Then in 2014, a few weeks after the wedding, Sarah phoned me.

‘I’m having a bit of a hard time,’ she said. ‘I need somewhere to stay for a few days.’

‘There’s not much room here,’ I said. Me, Gary and Ava were already squashed into my mum’s home with my stepdad and my niece.

‘Please, I’m desperate,’ Sarah said.

I knew she wouldn’t ask unless she had nowhere else to turn. And, I could hardly see my own sister out on the streets.

So, after clearing it with my mum, I told Sarah we’d make room for her for a couple of nights.

She turned up on the doorstep with just a bag of clothes. She looked really upset but I vowed to cheer her up.

Within a day or two she was smiling again and I was enjoying having her around. It was nice to have someone to catch up on the soaps with, while having a girly gossip. Some nights all three of us would squeeze onto the bed to watch telly together.

Soon, days turned into weeks and Sarah showed no signs of wanting to leave. She even got a job in town.

‘All I need now is a new boyfriend,’ she said. ‘I’ve always had a thing for bus drivers.’

If a bus driver was what she wanted, she was in the right place. My Gary was a bus driver and I was sure he had some single colleagues.

So, on her days off Sarah started going into work with Gary.

I’m on the bus again, she’d text me with a silly photo, while I was at work.

Far from being jealous that she got to spend time with my fiance, it actually made me laugh.

Then, one morning Sarah and I were having a cigarette on the doorstep together. At the very same time, both our mobile phones chimed with their text message tones.

I opened up my message and said: ‘That’s weird. Mine’s from Gary.’

He always text me to say hello when he’d left early for work.

Good morning sexy bum, he’d written.

Sarah blushed and said: ‘Mine’s from my secret lover.’

Then, she locked her phone so I couldn’t see the message and hurried back inside.

Something niggled at the back of my mind. What were the chances of Sarah getting a flirty message from a mystery man at exactly the same time as Gary text me?

And, come to think of it, this was the first I’d heard of this new romance.

After that, Sarah seemed a bit awkward around me. I tried to ask her about the new boyfriend and what the message had said, but she clammed up.

It didn’t stack up and I began to think the unthinkable. But it didn’t make sense that Gary would be texting Sarah too. After all, I didn’t even think he had her number.

A few days later it was still playing on my mind. I hadn’t mentioned anything to Gary as he’d think I was going mad.

But, when Gary nipped out of the car to pick up a prescription from the doctors surgery, I couldn’t resist.

Hands shaking, I picked up his phone and quickly started scrolling through the messages. Within seconds I felt relieved. There were no messages between him and Sarah at all.

But then I noticed a message thread between him and a bloke called Tony. I’d never heard him mention a Tony, so I clicked the message to check it out.

With horror, I realised he’d been sending sexy texts. And, the more I read, the more certain I was that they’d been going to Sarah.

Gary had obviously saved her number under a fake name to throw me off the scent. I checked the number with my phone and there was no doubt.

I can’t believe we were all lying on the bed the other night watching Eastenders and Laura had no idea I was touching you, he had typed.

And, there in black and white was the answer to why Sarah’s phone had gone off at the same time as mine.

Good morning sexy bum, I read. The cheating idiot had sent the same message to us both.

As Gary got back to the car, I replaced the phone and plastered on a smile.

Inside, I didn’t know whether I wanted to scream with rage or cry with devastation. I couldn’t believe the pair of them had been carrying on behind my back.

But by the time we got home, I was fired up to have it out with Gary.

I shut the bedroom door behind us and said: ‘How do you explain all this? I’ve seen the messages so don’t you dare deny it.’

I exploded while Gary was lost for words.

‘I’m sorry, I don’t know what I was thinking,’ he said.

‘You need to leave now. Both of you,’ I said.

Sarah was lurking downstairs, realising that she’d been caught out. I scooped up all of their stuff and threw it down the stairs. Then my mum helped me to bundle it into bin bags and put it in the porch.

I didn’t even bother speaking to Sarah. I had nothing to say to her. Tears welled in my eyes as they both jumped into Gary’s Land Rover and left together.

I heard that they were together for a month or so before they broke up anyway. And people told me they’d even seen the two of them flirting at Carly’s wedding.

Gary’s only seen Ava a few times since. And Sarah has apologised over and over again. I want to move on but our relationship will never be the same.

I’ve heard of sisters doing it for themselves but I never expected Sarah to help herself to my fiance. I can’t believe I invited my sister into my home, and she left with my man.

Gary said: “You can write as much as you like as long as it doesn’t implicate me. I don’t want anything put about me, you’re only getting one side of the story.”

Sarah said: “I couldn't really tell you how it happened. All I know is Gary stated he wasn't happy and wanted to get out of the relationship, but didn't want leave until after 

Christmas as he wouldn't get a Christmas present. So he started texting me. That's all it was was, texting. Then Laura found out. I never wanted to pursue anything, I just 

didn't want him using my sister. It was never anything serious between us, it lasted a couple of weeks. Then I left him just before Christmas so he got nothing [Christmas presents] 

anyway. I didn't want to be with him and I didn't want my sister to be used either. I regret everything I did. I regret destroying their relationship. In fact, if I could erase that 

part of my life I would. But everyone makes mistakes and Gary Joseph Lawes was a huge mistake. I've apologised to Laura and her mum so many times. I know sometimes 

sorry doesn't cut it but I will be sorry for the rest of my life. In the couple of weeks with Gary, if you'd call it a relationship, he was back and forth to Laura. Me and Laura 

were both victims of the stupid little games he was playing and we both fell in his trap. Now me and Laura are talking again and I want everyone to know that.”

*Names have been changed.