Loving Jemima

57. Code emu

"Matty, she's doing great. Yes she hasn't bonded with him yet but she is so over protective. If she'd completely rejected him then she wouldn't be. I know you boys mean well but you need to include her not shield her. Look where it got max shielding him for so long. He's twenty one and only just now learning how to do things for himself and live in the real world. This will be the making of him, you mark my words. He was already so much better with Jemima, now he's a dad I can already see him stepping up, he's asking for help and advice rather than hiding away or letting his mum or you boys do it for him. He's still desperately trying to prove himself to you Matty. I think he sees this as an opportunity to do so. Eric is a great motivation for him. He wants to be a good dad and boyfriend and he's really trying."
"I know. I'm proud of him, we all are."

"I've been impressed. He knows what his boy likes that's for sure. Caught him looking at baby safety tips this morning. He's putting bumpers on everything apparently. Think he twitched and nearly knocked little mans leg on the corner of the table. Ralph said about corner bumpers and he was straight on the internet before he forgot. For max that's impressive. Normally he'd write it down and forget. He was talking about baby proofing the whole house." Ed praised
"Yep....great, paps Ed. Text Laura to warn her, she's meeting us there mum. You remember the drill, head down if there's loads of flashes, stick close. Should have bought jack"
"Just don't react to whatever stupid questions they'll be yelling at you Matt. I know it's hard and you want to defend her and him but let's just keep it positive." Ed patted my shoulder.

By the time we'd picked up the parcels we needed, done some of our own shopping and grabbed some lunch, there was a full blown frenzy of paps and fans. I was glad I didn't push for max and Jem to come, both of them would have freaked out if Eric had been with us and Jem couldn't handle the way the fans descended on us. I drove up to the house, cursing that we'd been followed, Ed running down to tie the broken pedestrian gate shut with a rope saying we'd use the larger car one that was still working, until we could get it fixed. I took a moment to calm down before getting out. Thankful Jackie's car wasn't here anymore. i definitely wasn't in the mood for biting my tongue.

"We're back" I called out "where are they? Sleeping again? I should get her iron rechecked make sure it's going back up."
"Mate, it's not been a good afternoon. It all kicked off after you left." Milo shook his head, taking shopping bags off me "she's barricaded herself in her room, Max is sat on the landing."
"Why did you not ring me to come back!" I complained "max?" I ascended the stairs several at a time "oh max what happened?" I sat next to him, pulling him onto my shoulder while he cried.
"My mum and I got into a huge fight and then that bastard resurfaced Matty" he handed me his phone "I fucking hate him."
"Who? Felix! Max you know this is bullshit! Why you reading this stuff? Your mum kick off about it?"
"She'd already left in a huff that I'm not coming home for the weekend, thank god. I can't do anything right."

"Matty? What's happened?" Sandra ran up the stairs
"Felix, her ex, his band mates are all over social media claiming Eric is Felix's and not max's"
"You know that's nonsense darling" Sandra rubbed Max's leg
"I know but she's really upset Sandra. I know it's not true. I think it triggered something. Bloody peter sent her the link, bloody idiot. It's trending Matty! It's all over the place. It's going to set my mum off about paternity tests again!"
"Shush, Jemima doesn't know she asked as far as I'm aware, I'll speak to her, milo said you had a barney. Let's focus on Jemima, stick a pin it for now max." Sandra comforted him

"Jem, Sis?" I knocked on the door "let me in"
"No thank you" she hummed calmly, I pressed my ear to the door listening to her humming contently
"I know right" max looked at me worriedly "she was crying her eyes out now she's just, humming. I think midnight blue. I think it's that song she really likes from our first album. Eric likes that one."
"You heard him?" I asked concerned
"No but I'm not sure you'd hear him squeaking from out here. You can't hear him at night can you."
"No, only when he's really kicking off or you're walking him to the bathroom or downstairs. Well this is new" I ruffled my hair thinking "Jem? You know it's all bullshit. Max doesn't believe it, me and the boys don't, mum and dad don't. We're the only people that count Jem and we all know it's complete bullshit."
"Yep bullshit"
"Then let me in."
"No thank you"
"Emmy let me in so can give you a cuddle. Please." Max rubbed his hand sadly on his door "I love you, please come out."
"No thank you. He's safe in here."
"He's safe out here too, can I come in then?"
"No thank you."