The Blind Date

Chapter 17: Possessive Brother

Major Time Skip...

Jared's POV

We had come back from Texas and guess who Maxine brought home? That's right. Henry. I'm not going to lie, I hated all the attention she gave him. I feel bad. The kid never did anything to me. In fact, he's tried getting close to me. I just push him away. He sleeps in the guest room, so at least he hasn't taken my room. Max hasn't decided if she's keeping him. She says for now, she's fostering him as a brother. Only, not legally fostering him. How does that work? We had been home for a week and Henry was getting on Maxine's good side. I went over there a lot, because I miss having my sister at home. Henry drew a picture and gave it to Max. Robbie hasn't been staying over, which I think is weird since they were sleeping together in Texas. I don't know if Max and Robbie are having problems, or if it's just that they don't want to live together, but it's not really my business.

Henry: Here, Max.

Max took the drawing, smiled, and showed me. It was a drawing in all green crayon of a house with three stick people. One said Mac, instead of Max, one said Henry, and one said Jawed. Yeah. Not Jared. Jawed.

Max: Thank you, Henry. That's a very nice drawing.

Me: Yeah. OK. I better get to the studio. Max, can you give me a ride?

Max: Sure. I gotta go there anyway. Come on Henry.

Henry: Jawed.

Me: Uh...yeah?

Henry: Max showed me the TV show you're on. You're name is Henry too!

Me: Uh...yeah. Kinda.

Max: I got my keys. Let's go.

Max drove me to the studio, where she led Henry around, holding his hand the whole time. I just stuck to talking to the cast. I saw Max playing with Henry and I groaned, crossing my arms over my chest. Robbie pulled me aside.

Robbie: You alright?

Me: Peachy.

Robbie: Obviously not. I mean..."peachy"? That had sarcasm written all over it.

Me: Why is that kid still here? Shouldn't he be in an orphanage?

Robbie: Max wants to give him a good home. She doesn't want him to be stuck in an orphanage.

Me: Yeah, well, what makes her think it's a good idea to take in some helpless kid we don't even know?

Robbie: You and your parents. Think about it. Max was a helpless kid you didn't even know.

Me: But...she saved me from being hit my a car. Thanks to Henry, Macy's wrist is broken.

Robbie: Come on, Jared. You're being a little possessive. Max likes helping people. You and your parents gave her a chance at better life. Now Max wants to do the same for Henry. It's not like she's forgetting about you. Henry could never replace you. Max loves you way to much to let a stranger replace you.

Me: But...I'm her little brother. Not him.

Robbie: You know that, I know that, and Max knows that. That doesn't mean that Max won't...help him. You're 14 already. Almost 15. You don't depend on her as much as you used to. I think Max likes having someone that depends on her, because she wants to make up for the time she spent depending on others. Henry needs someone like her.

Me: I just don't want to lose my sister.

Robbie: That's never going to happen. Just give Henry a chance. Maybe he'll grow on you.

Me: Fine. I guess he hasn't done anything to me. I've been meaning to ask you something. Are you and Max having problems? You haven't been staying at her house, which is weird since you-

Robbie: Yeah, yeah, yeah. We were sleeping together in Texas. But I'm not going to move in or anything. Plus, I've been kinda busy. Filming for my scenes has been kinda early lately, so I've been sleeping in my trailer.

Me: So...you two are OK? You better not have hurt my sister.

Robbie: Chill! No, we're fine. No problems. Wait...does she think there are problems?!

Me: No, no. Just my...curiosity.

Robbie: OK, good.

Henry: Wobbie! Jawed!

I cringed at the sound of that voice. Henry caught up to us.

Robbie: Hey, Henry.

Henry: Hi. Max asked me to find you both. She says she needs you RIGHT NOW!

Robbie: Why? What's wrong?

Henry: I don't know. She just talk to the diwector and then she told me to come get you.

Robbie: Where is she?

Henry: She said to bring you to...to...Jawed's trailer!

We started walking to my trailer and when we got inside, we saw Max freaking out about something. She was pulling on her hair and mumbling. She had papers spread out like she had just thrown them there.

Me: Maxi?

Robbie: What's wrong?

Max: What's wrong? What's wrong is that the head costume designer, or whatever you call her, just quit. And the director just put me in charge of designing the costume for the first Lost Girl that will be joining the show in a month. A month, Robbie! And Lisa...

Lisa is the girl that quit.

Max: ...won't let the creators use her costume design. I have to come up with an entirely new, entirely amazing, costume for an entirely new, entirely amazing character in one month! What am I supposed to do!?

Robbie: First, you calm down. Everything will be OK.

Max: I've never done anything like this. I don't design clothes. I have no idea what I'm going to do.

She sounded so upset. It kinda made me upset. No. It really made me upset. I sat next to her.

Me: Calm down, Maxi. You're going to do great.

She sighed. Then Henry sat in her lap.

Henry: Don't be sad, Max. You gonna do a great job.

Me: Thanks, Henry. That makes me feel better.

What? I literally said the same thing and you ignored me? I looked at Robbie with a look that said "See what I'm talking about?" He gestured for me to calm down. I took a deep breath and stood up.

Me: Good luck with that. I'll see you guys later.

I walked out. So much for Henry not replacing me. Since when does anyone make her feel better than I did?