It's All About You

February 7th 2014

February 7th 2014

"Have you found a flat yet?" Jim asked Meri. They were in the living room, on their laptops.

"Not since you asked last night, no. And I said: how was your meeting?" Meri replied. Jim rolled his eyes and put his laptop on the coffee table.

"Meri, don't change the subject. Why haven't you found a flat?" Jim asked. "Have you even been looking?"

"I just haven't. It's not a big deal," Meri insisted. She too put her laptop on the coffee table.

"It is a big deal. Tan and I are moving in a couple of weeks and there isn't enough space for you," Jim said.

"There's like two spare rooms, Jim," Meri argued.

"Yeah, spare rooms. Not a room for you to stay in permanently. I told you all of this months ago," Jim said. He was getting fed up with his sister.

"I don't see why you care. Why can't I stay there permanently? It's not like I don't pay my way," Meri argued. She didn't want to move away from her brother. He had raised her since she was twelve and she didn't think she could live by herself.

"You're twenty-years-old Meredith –" Jim started.

"So? Tan lived at her house until she was twenty-two!" Meri interrupted.

"But she wasn't intruding on her brother and his fiancé," Jim said calmly. "You need to leave, Meredith,"

"Tan doesn't even have a brother! She was living with her parents," Meri argued.

"Exactly Meredith – her parents, who raised her and wanted to support her," Jim tried.

"Are you saying you don't want to support me?" Meri snapped.

"I'm saying you don't need support Meredith. You have millions of subscribers and millions of pounds. You need to start being more independent," Jim said.

"Why? What's it to you?" Meri argued.

"As much as I love you, Meredith, I don't want you living with me and Tan for much longer, especially since we're getting married soon," Jim told her gently. He was staying calm to try not to get Meri angry. It wasn't working.

"Fine! I'll just leave now then!" Meri shouted.

"No, I didn't mean –" Jim started. But Meri stormed to her bedroom and started throwing her things in a suitcase. Jim followed her up to her room. "Meredith, stop being ridiculous," he tried.

"I'm not being ridiculous James. You're kicking me out, that's fine. I don't care. See you in another fucking life, brother!" she said, trying to stay calm. But she ended up shouting the last sentence – which was a quote from her favourite show, Lost.

"Meredith –" Jim soothed, trying to get her to see sense. "You know I didn't mean you had to leave now. Just that you have to find your own place," he tried.

"Oh fuck off, Jim. You're kicking me out, I get it! I'm just trying to make it easier for you!" Meri yelled. She carried her suitcase downstairs, grabbed her phone and her coat and then left.

Jim ran his hand through his hair. That had not gone according to plan. He had just wanted to push her to start looking for a flat of her own. He tried calling her but obviously she didn't pick up.

...

"Oi!" Caspar shouted at Joe as he paused the game of Fifa just as he was about to score a goal.

"Someone's at the door," Joe explained. He went to answer it and was surprised to see his girlfriend there. "Meri? What are you doing here? Why have you got a suitcase?"