Finding Jemima

Love

JEMIMA

"Morning beautiful" I heard a voice say across the room, I slowly opened my eyes to see max sitting on his beanbag in fresh clothes.

"Morning drumsticks" I yawned stretching my arms then flinching at my sore arm.  I can't believe I actually slept last night.

"You ok? let me see" max hurried over to check my bandages, he left then came back with fresh ones and antiseptic cream, he very gently applied the cream to my wounds then redressed the cuts. When he was done he kissed them gently. "Better?"

"Thanks"

"You got a few hours sleep in the end, how you feeling?"

"I feel....like my heads running at a hundred miles an hour, I keep hearing him in my head max"

"Who...Steve?"

I nodded sadly. "It's like when I close my eyes I start reliving everything, every little detail, it makes me feel sick to my stomach, sometimes it does actually make me physically sick."

"It's understandable it's playing on your mind, Matty's been on the phone again this morning already chasing things up, he's got this"

"But what if he's already here in Australia?"

"Then he's got to get through us first, through me!"

"I know, I'm being stupid" I smiled at him briefly

"Your not, your being...your being...an abuse survivor who's scared their tormentors coming back" His words made me uncomfortable, and he could tell.  "I'm sorry, that was a bit blunt". I stood up and went to head out of the room. "Williams downstairs" max said looking down at the ground.

"You didn't tell him!"

"I haven't spoken to him, he's with Matty and the boys. I didn't want to wake you."

"Shit" I said turning on my heels to go get changed into something half decent.  After doing a super quick freshen up in the bathroom I pulled out fresh underwear and a long sleeved thigh length lace dress Sandra had given me, that flowed perfectly to hide my frame and a pair of leggings, quickly changing putting on extra bands and beads to hide my bandage, then pulling my hair into a pony tail.  I turned around to see max standing in the door way watching me, I must have forgotten to shut the door in my hurry to get ready.

"How long have you been standing there!" I gasped

"You're making yourself look special for him" he ignored my question

"What no, it covers my scars and it's just comfortable."

"So are sweatpants" he snarked, I rolled my eyes at him and I went to walk past him when he grabbed my arm gently stopping me. "Em, wait I..."

"What is it drumsticks?"

"Be careful"

"About what?"

"This William kid, he's not..."

"Come on drumsticks you can chaperone if you like, you know he's only a year younger than you it's funny when you call him a kid."  I pecked his cheek with a quick kiss, he rolled his eyes at me and followed me downstairs.

"Jemima" William stood up to great me "your brothers said you were sleeping, I decided to wait, I hope that's ok"

"Sure, that's fine, sorry, didn't sleep well. I was....still sleeping" I said awkwardly, he walked over and lent in automatically and gave me a quick soft kiss on the lips, my eyes widen as I looked at the boys who didn't look impressed.