7th Floor West | JF

Chapter 5

"Megan!" I heard Patrick yell, and I turned around and looked at him. "Jimmy wants to see you." I nodded and walked down the hallway to the executive offices, and I knocked on Jimmy's door. "Come in." He said, and I entered the room and shut the door behind me.

"Sit down, Meg." He said, and he had a serious expression on his face. I sat down in front of his desk, and he got up, went around to the front of his desk and jumped up on it, sitting on it. "What's up?" I asked curiously. "Everyone on the crew has to get an annual physical and psychological doctor's appointment-" My face flushed, and Jimmy noticed. "Is there anything you want to tell me?"

Was he already on to me? How could he tell so easily? I replied as confidently as I could, "No." Jimmy nodded and replied, "Okay, that's all I wanted."

•

Jimmy's POV

I sat down at my desk as the doctor came into my office. He said he had something to tell me about one of my crew members. He shut the door behind him, and he sat down with his clipboard and looked up at me. "One of your workers is struggling with something and could use as much support and encouragement as she could get..." He paused. "Normally I wouldn't be allowed to tell you this, as it would be a breach of privacy, but since it's one of your relatives..."

Megan.. He trailed off, and I asked worriedly, "What's wrong?" He sighed and replied, "She's been diagnosed with major depression and severe anxiety."

What...!?

"What was the cause?" I asked the doctor. I was kinda mad that Meg hadn't told me this. We were close enough that she could tell me this, and we would talk about it. "We're still looking into that, but like I said, she could use some support and encouragement right now." The doctor got up to leave, and as he left, I said, "Thank you for coming to me with this." He nodded and left.

That's why her face flushed when I told her about the physical... But why didn't she want me to know? We're so close, why wouldn't she tell me?

•

Megan's POV

I drove myself back to Jimmy's house, and I listened to Z100 the whole way back. I knew that if I rode with Jimmy, he would ask me how my physical went, and I would probably crack. Since it wasn't a long drive back, I arrived at the house and pulled my car in front of the house-

Only to see Jimmy's parked in the driveway.

How did he beat me home!? Maybe if I went out to get dinner or go shopping, he would forget. As I was about to turn my car back on, my phone went off.

Don't move that car. Come inside. We need to talk.

It was Jimmy. I took a deep breath and took my car keys out of the ignition, and I grabbed my purse and walked up towards the house. As I got my key out to unlock the door, I was greeted by Nancy and Winnie.

"Hey Winnie!" I said, smiling as I picked up my niece. She was the most adorable child I'd ever seen, and I loved playing with her. She clung to me as I hugged her and swung her around, and I put her back down. I hugged Nancy and smiled, and I tried to go into the kitchen to get something to eat to delay talking to Jimmy, but Nancy stopped me. "Meg, Jimmy really needs to talk to you." I took a deep breath and replied, "Okay..." She said to me, "He's up in your room waiting for you." I sighed and began the long ascension up the stairs. I turned left down the hallway, and I walked towards my room. As I got to the door, I took a deep breath and slowly pushed it open. It's hinges squeaked, and I heard shuffling.

I saw Jimmy sitting on my bed, looking out the window. "Close the door and come over here, Meg." I did as I was told, and I sat next to Jimmy on my bed. He inhaled deeply, and he bluntly asked, "Why didn't you tell me?"

My face flushed of all its color, and my hands became sweaty and clammy. "W-What?" I asked nervously. Jimmy continued looking outside as he said, "Your depression and anxiety... Why didn't you tell me about it?" I cringed at the two words he had used. I stayed silent, not knowing what to say. "Megan." He said sternly, and I could tell by his tone that he was getting impatient. I began to shift around uncomfortably, and Jimmy repeated himself, this time turning to me.

"Megan Samantha Fallon."

Jimmy never used my middle name, and I mean never. I looked up at him and said, "Nobody knows but my doctors. I didn't want anyone to know." My voice was very solemn and quiet. "Why?" He asked me. "I could help you through it." I sighed. "Jimmy, I'm sorry to say this, but no you couldn't. This isn't a funk I get in sometimes. This is me. Just leave me alone with it please." Jimmy took a deep breath and exhaled. "No, I can't leave you alone with it. I'm here to help." I got up and walked over to the window.

"You don't understand. Do you know how it feels to be depressed? Not sad, but actually, clinically depressed? Do you know what it's like hating yourself? Feeling hopeless and meaningless all the time?" I took a deep breath and added, "No, I don't think you do."

"Just give me a chance to help." He pleaded in a much softer, caring tone.

I looked up at him and said courageously, "I'm sorry... I can't, Jimmy. This is my battle and I have to win it by myself."

I walked out of my room and back downstairs, and I started my car. I wanted to head back into the city, wanting to get away from my family for a little while, but I saw Jimmy open the door to the house and run outside to my car. He knocked on the door to my car, and I sighed and unlocked it. I knew he wouldn't let this go until I talked to him.

"Here, let's switch sides." Jimmy said, and we switched so that he was driving my car and I was in the passenger side. He started the car and began driving, and I asked him, "Where are we going?" He replied, "We're just gonna take a little ride, okay?"

After a few minutes of silence, I spoke up. "I'm sorry, Jimmy." He looked over at me as he stopped at a stop sign. "For what, pal?" I twiddled my thumbs and replied, "For keeping this from you. I just don't want anyone to think of me differently." Jimmy responded to me by saying, "Meg, you think I'd think of you differently? If you do, you're completely wrong." He turned a corner, and we headed back towards home. "But I'm a freak... Nobody likes me..." Jimmy looked me in the eye and said, "If you think that, you're so wrong. I don't like you, I love you. You're my little sister, and I love you so much. Nancy loves you. Winnie loves you. Gary loves you." I smirked as he brought his dog into the conversation. We started getting closer to home, and Jimmy said, "I'm here to help you Meg. I always will be." I smiled and replied, "Thank you, Jimmy... You're the best big brother ever."

We pulled into the driveway, and Jimmy and I went back into the house. I was attacked at the door by Gary, and I laughed as she began to lick me. Her tail was wagging excitedly, and she was jumping on me. "See?" Jimmy remarked, laughing. I began playing with Gary as Nancy and Jimmy sat on the couch watching TV.

I couldn't have a better brother.