Keeping Jemima

Please dont leave me

Jemima

I woke up in the hospital to the sound of monitors beeping, my vision blurry and pain shooting over my body. I fluttered my eyes open to see Matty sitting by my bed.
"Hey Jem, you're awake! hi baby sis, I'm here, Matty's here, that's it open your eyes" he said teary eyed
"What happened?"
"You were in an accident kiddo, I huge truck hit the car, flipped it over...several times!"
"Where's Jack, Oh my god milo, max!"
"Ok stay calm, jacks fine broken arm and some bruises. Milo broke a leg and he's had some stitches in his head but he's going to be ok. Both were discharged after one night. They had a slight concussion but they're already over it sis."
"Max?" I asked again after Matty left him off the list. Matty looked at Tom and Ed and they stared at each other for a while nobody talking.
"No no no no no, not max, please not my max."
"No kiddo no"
"Where's max?" I sobbed "I want my max"

"It's ok Jem, he was hurt the worst ok the truck hit his side of the car, he was in direct line of the impact along with the driver. he covered you with his body to lessen the blow so he took the full force."
"No no no no no please is he dead Matty tell me is max dead, no no no no"
"Hey hey come on calm down" he sat up on my bed stroking my hair "he's hurt badly Jem ok I'm not going to lie to you, they've sedated him so he's not awake, but he's going to be ok, he had multiple internal injuries that are already healing nicely, he has some swelling around the brain but they said they're hopeful it will settle down soon ok, he just needs rest."
"Hopeful! Brain!" I gasped, I sat up wincing at the pain pulling out wires from my arms making them beep wildly, nurses came rushing in trying to stop me "no, get off me, no, don't touch me."
"Jem calm down, you need these right now ok"
"No I want max, Matty please I need max, I want my max" I sobbed into my brother.

After a while of me continually pulling out wires and drips Matty convinced the staff to let me go and see max, a nurse wheeled me in a wheelchair insisting I take the drips with me. I knew I needed the pain relief and what ever else they were pumping into me as my body ached all over, my cracked ribs and broken ankle sent pain waves over my body with every bump but I didn't care I needed to make sure max was ok. They wheeled me in then left us, I sat watching him not moving, machines beeping everywhere.

"He looks like he's sleeping" I said outloud to the room
"He kind of is Jem"
"Like you were, you've been in here for two weeks" Ed rubbed my hand
"Why am I awake but max isn't?"
"I don't know I think he hit his head harder than you maybe, his side of the car was completely crushed and the roof dented in, they had to cut both of you out because you were stuck. your ribs are your worst injury now I think, max had some internal bleeding."

I rubbed his hand with my thumb and sat in my chair just looking at him. "It should have been me" I mumbled "not my max" I started to sob again. Matty comforted me the best he could without hurting me. I tried to get out of the chair so I could sit in the chair next to him.
"No jem, you have to go back to your room"
"I'm not leaving him!" I declaired "I don't care what they say I'm not leaving him, he wouldn't leave me, so I'm not leaving him!"
"Em one of us can stay with him ok, he won't be on his own."
"No" I protested hobbling into the chair "I'm not fucking leaving!" I shouted angrily, the boys sighed knowing they would have a fight on their hands if they tried so they fetched a stern looking matron who demanded I return.  I agreed but insisted I wanted to be alone with Max before I did, so everyone left and went outside.

I hopped painfully up onto the bed so I was closer and whispered to him while I fiddled with his even more unruly than usual hair.
"Hey max, it's me, it's your Emmy." I whispered trying to smile through the tears rolling down my face "please wake up max, I need you, I can't do this with out you max, I can't do life without you. I help you and you help me, we had a deal remember? I need you." I heard a clearing of a throat and turned to face it regretting it instantly, holding my ribs in pain as soon as I did.