Loving Jemima

14. Bunk beds

Matty

We waited for them to bring Jem back from her head scan, I was mortified at what I had done, even if it was an accident. The punch was meant for max not Jem, she's so tiny and frail I think I caused some kind of damage.
"I can't believe you didn't tell her that I didn't do this Matty, are you that fucking angry with me!" Max was distraught after they wheeled her away. "I love her Matty! I love her so fucking much it hurts sometimes, watching her and not being able to be with her, it's fucking torture. Do you have any idea how hard this has been for me! I can't believe she thinks I did this" he had now started to cry while Tom comforted him. "I can't loose her Tom, what if he's done permanent damage what if she.."
"Come on max she's not going to die mate! Calm down." Tom tried to soothe him

"I know I know I just can't stand seeing her in pain it fucking kills me." I sat listening to max bawling his eyes out over my sister realising he must actually really love her, that this wasn't some quick hook up. However I knew max, very well, he'd get bored in two weeks time and I'd be picking up the pieces. "We'd just started her eating again, what if she doesn't remember and we have to start again!"
"Then we start again, it's not our first rodeo is it max! It's only been a day mate, she's got you now, any idiot can see how happy she was this morning, in fact anytime she's with you."
"She's my soulmate" he sobbed, I glared at him. "What if she doesn't remember that Tom!" Milo and Ed poked their head around the door and Tom told them to come in explaining where Jem was.

Ed and milo were helping Tom calm max down, none of them barely even looking at me, presumably they were mad at me, as they should be.
"Can you believe this jackass was gonna tell her I did this to her!" Max sobbed on Ed's shoulder
"Matty!" Ed gasped "tell me you bloody didn't" he snapped, discreetly massaging Max's jerking shoulder for him.
"No I didn't!"
"You didn't tell her otherwise though did you" Tom scolded me "she left here thinking this was all Max's fault! She was screaming at him! Kicking him away from her, she was bloody petrified of him! She kicked him in the ribs that are already black and blue from your bloody fists."
"It is his fault, he fucked my little sister! Behind my back! He's supposed to be my little brother! My best fucking friend! You betrayed me max, you fucked her like one of your cheap slappers didn't you!" I said angrily

"Don't talk about her like that!" Max snapped at me "she's not a piece of fucking meat! She's not a bloody slapper Matty! I didn't fuck her!"
"Oh I'm sorry max, what did you do then huh 'make love to her' is that what you told her to get her to sleep with you? You manipulated my traumatised baby sister into your bed to fuck her! You know what she's been through! You sick bastard! You know what I've been through and you still go behind my back to get your leg over! I trusted you with her max, I don't trust easily, you just pissed all over our friendship like it was nothing to you. After I've been there for you, stuck up for you, I got arrested for you you little twerp! How do you repay me? Huh? By fucking my abused baby sister!"
"Matty! Come on it's max you know he wouldn't take advantage!" Milo tried to reason with me
"She loves me too Matty! And I tried ok, I kept away, I tried, we both tried!"
"Did you make her break up with William?" I pointed my finger at him aggressively
"No! Of course I didn't! I only found out they broke up after you told us I swear! And before you ask no, I didn't sleep with her while she was with him! We kissed a couple of times but that's it!"
"You did What!...how long has this been going on for! You've gone from its only been a week to kissing her when she was dating someone else! Get your damn story straight you muppet!"
"Just leave me alone Matty, I can't even look at you right now. How much longer are they going to be for Christ sake! She don't like being on her own."

"I'll go ask ok mate, just stay calm, you know it's best for Em if everyone's calm, let's face it boys we all love that girl to death, so I'll be damned if I let you two stubborn mules make this any worse for her. Matty she's gonna find out you did this eventually, accident or not, you'd better start thinking about the fact it's going to be worse coming from somebody else, and you are NOT telling her max did this!" Ed made his authrative speech and left, max and I glared at each other.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell her it wasn't you ok, I was out of line" I sighed and max nodded at me, I looked at his distraught battered face again feeling guilty, I needed to talk to my sister find out what was really going on, make sure this wasn't one sided, make sure she hadn't been manipulated again.