Right There with You

by R. J. Sable

  “On what date did this occur?”

  “Friday the sixteenth of November,” I replied quietly. I didn't need to think about the date, it had been burnt into my memory forever.

  “Last month?” she asked.

  “Yes.”

  “Why didn't you report it at the time?”

  “I was scared,” I mumbled. “He didn't succeed in the end and I just wanted to put it behind me.”

  “If you were scared, surely that's more reason to report it?” she asked.

  I shifted awkwardly in my seat and glanced up at Ian, his face remained impassive.

  “He was trying to blackmail me,” I started. “He said he'd tell my brothers things about my boyfriend if I didn't do whatever he wanted.” That was true, I figured. I wasn't lying.

  “Your boyfriend, Jason Reed?”

  I nodded, glancing up at her face but unable to read her expression.

  “What sort of things?” Cunnings cut in.

  I shook my head. Not sure how to honestly explain myself without making either Jason or my brothers look bad.

  “We need to know the full story, Miss Carter,” Falkner added.

  I took a sip of my tea, needing a second to think. I couldn’t mention the video. It didn’t exist any more and there was no point Ian hearing about it now.

  “My brothers are… somewhat protective,” I winced as I shot an apologetic glance at Ian. “There are things about Jason, about me and Jason together, that I was scared they might not like.” I took a deep breath as I was considering my words. I hadn't lied; everything I'd said had been true. “Duff was threatening to tell my brothers.”

  “This took place in Leeds?” Cunnings asked.

  I nodded and they took down the address.

  “But Mr Duffner knew you and your family before this?”

  “He went to school with my youngest brother, Jake,” I nodded. “I've known him since I was two.”

  “Have you and Mr Duffner ever had any kind of relationship?” Cunnings asked.

  “No,” I shook my head insistently. “I've always hated him. He used to pick on me quite a bit at school.” I blushed, thinking how childish I sounded.

  “But nothing that would have lead Mr Duffner to believe there was something more between you?”

  “He tried to kiss me once when I was fifteen and I pushed him off and ran away,” I admitted. I saw Ian look at me with shock on his face but he kept quiet.

  “Have you had any interaction with him this year before the incident in Leeds?”

  “I went out in town once with him and my brother and another of his friends a few weeks before.”

  “Did anything happen between you that night?”

  I frowned, why does that matter? “I don't understand why you're asking me this.”

  “Please, Miss Carter, we need to get a full picture of everything that's happened and that includes establishing the sort of relationship that exists between the two of you.”

  “Fine,” I nodded. I really didn't want to spend any more time dwelling on Duff but I wanted to get the whole episode over and done with. “He was a bit hands on all night. He kept trying to put his hands on me and I kept trying to push them off but he just sort of joked it off.”

  “Why do you think he did that?” Cunnings asked.

  “He's best friends with Jake, I guess he thought he had some sort of right. I didn't cause a scene about it, I didn't want to cause problems between him and my brother,” I frowned guiltily. “I told him I didn't want it though but he just kept pinching me really hard whenever I pushed him off.”

  “Why didn't your brother say anything if his best friend was touching you inappropriately?”

  “I'm not sure,” I cringed. “I don't think he realised how uncomfortable I was. Besides, he's used to me and Duff bickering. He probably just thought it was how it used to be when we were kids.”

  “Could Mr Duffner have thought the same?” He asked.

  I frowned. Why is he asking me that? Duff never tried to rape me when I was a kid. He never tried to force himself on me like that.

  “Why are you trying to defend him?” I cried out, anger rising in my chest. “He tried to rape me!”

  “We're not defending him, Miss Carter,” Falkner stepped in. “In cases like this, the person accused often argues that they were fed mixed signals from the victim.”

  “It's not like that!” How could they think I'd led him on? They think I asked for him to do that to me. “He tied me to the bed, you think I asked him to do that to me?” I cried out in frustration, wincing as I saw the anger cross Ian's face.

  “Why don't you tell us what happened that night?” Falkner wisely tried changing tact, sensing my growing anger.

  “Are you sure you want to hear this, Ian?” I looked up at him, tears already escaping down my cheek.

  He nodded impassively and squeezed my shoulder gently. I took a deep breath and talked them through what had happened that night. I kept all emotion out of my voice, contented with the guise that if I conveyed no emotion, then my emotions couldn't affect me.

  The officers sat relatively quietly as I told them everything, only interrupting when they needed clarification. Ian's grasp on my shoulder tightened almost painfully the further into the retelling I got. In the end, I was forced to ease his fingers off me gently. He winced apologetically and removed his hand completely.

  I finished by describing the events of that evening, leaving out the picture message which I knew would now be curiously absent from Duff's phone. They took Adam's name and contact information, saying they'd need a statement from him as well.

  They talked to Jake before they left and he looked thoroughly thunderous as he left the lounge and joined me and my large cup of tea in the kitchen.

  I stared gloomily into my tea and breathed a sigh of relief as I heard the door shut behind them. I was glad it was over and done with. I was sure there'd be some sort of feedback but for now it was over and I was free to put it all behind once more.

  The rest of my brothers joined me around the island either sitting or standing.

  “Come on, Ben, let's give these guys some space,” Elise guided Ben out the room.

  Ben looked at me cautiously and I nodded at him with a small smile. My brothers needed to talk to me and I appreciated him and Elise giving us some privacy.

  I looked at my brothers apprehensively, none of them seemed to want to look at me and Jake still looked completely furious.

  “I'm sorry, Jelly,” Ian began. “I'm glad Jason's okay.”

  No thanks to you. I bit back my retort and accepted his apology. I don't think Ian had ever said those words to me before, at least not without sarcasm.

  “He's obviously doing a better job of looking after you than we are right now and for that we owe him.”

  I looked up at Ian and saw how vulnerable he looked. That was something entirely new for me to see. Ian didn’t do vulnerable, he never had.

  “I'm sorry we never stepped in between you and Duff,” Craig said awkwardly.

  He'd been witness to a lot of crap the one year we'd been at school together. He'd pulled Duff off of me every now and then, but usually not until it risked drawing the attention of the teachers or getting completely out of hand. I shrugged, I wasn't going to pretend it hadn’t hurt but I appreciated the apology.

  “This sounds awful now,” Ian started, clearing his throat. “But I think we all thought you and Duff were going to end up together at some point.”

  My jaw dropped and I openly gawked at him. The others nodded their agreement guiltily. Don't they know me at all?

  “Don't look at us like that, we thought he was just being like that with you because he couldn't express his feelings for you. You should have seen the way Karl and Elise were before they got together. Obviously, if we'd known...”

  “It doesn't matter now, I just want to forget all about this,” I pleaded with them. I sighed inwardly at the awkward atmosphere when none of them respon
ded. “Sorry I ruined your party,” I apologised.

  They all shrugged guiltily.

  “Did I ruin your chances with the beautiful twins?” I asked Rick and Danny.

  “Of course not,” Danny grinned.

  “The dance moves sealed the deal,” Rick added.

  I rolled my eyes at them and was surprised when nobody complained. I frowned at them all. “Nobody wants to reprimand me?” I grinned.

  Usually, I'd be grateful for them letting me off an eye rolling but I didn't want them treating me differently because they pitied me. I rolled my eyes again to test the waters. Karl and Ian grimaced but still didn't comment.

  “Should I swear a few times as well or are you going to cut it out?”

  “Maybe we should have started treating you differently a while ago,” Ian frowned.

  “I don't want too much to change,” I pouted. “I still love you all.”

  Craig wrapped his arms around me and pulled me under his chin.

  “You know we love you too,” he whispered so only I could hear him.

  I nodded and hugged him back. I yawned as he released me and looked up at the clock. It was almost three in the morning. I couldn't believe everyone was still up.

  “Bed time, I think,” Ian announced.

  I think my brothers all sighed with relief to be spared the awkwardness in the room. Karl and Elise were going to stay the night so they were sleeping in Karl's old room.

  “Ben can sleep in my room,” I said. “Can I crash in yours, Craig?”

  He nodded and lifted me up on his back and carried me up to his room. He put me down on his bed but I got up and moved over to his sofa.

  “You have the bed, I sleep fine on your sofa.”

  “Not a chance,” he said flatly.

  “Craig, you're like twice the size of the sofa and I fit on it comfortably,” I sighed as he moved to pull me off.

  “Jelly, I'm not arguing about this,” he frowned.

  “Good, now shut up and get into bed before I kick your ass,” I grinned.

  He gave me a warning glare but I could tell he was trying to hold back a laugh.

  “There's the big brother I know and love,” I teased, wrapping my arms around his waist.

  He sighed and threw his cover and one of his cushions at me. He pulled open one of his drawers and grabbed a t-shirt, which he aimed at my head.

  “Turn around,” I grinned.

  He did as I told him, covering his eyes with an over-exaggerated flourish as I quickly pulled my jeans, blouse, and bra off and slipped his t-shirt over my head. I pulled the duvet over me and gave him the go-ahead to open his eyes. He quickly pulled off his jeans and shirt and hopped onto his now bare bed. I took the blanket off the back of the sofa and chucked it at him.

  “Cheers,” he chuckled. “Sleep tight, sis.”

  “Sleep tight.”

  ***

  Sunday, 16th December 2012

  “Wake up!” I bounced up and down on Craig's bed. I'd spent a good five minutes poking him and whispering for him to wake up but either he'd ignored me or was in a pretty deep sleep. It was after seven and I wanted to go to the hospital and see Jason and I wanted Craig to come with me in case there was any medical mumbo jumbo I needed to understand.

  “Jelly,” Craig moaned. “You're way too awake!”

  “Sorry,” I giggled, still bouncing.

  He turned around and whacked me with his pillow. I threw it back at him and he grumbled as he sat up in bed.

  “Go make me a coffee then, I'll be down in a bit.”

  I beamed at him and hopped off his bed, grabbing a pair of his jogging bottoms and pulling them on as I made my way down the three flights of stairs.

  “You let us sleep in,” I grinned at Ian as I went to fill the coffee pot.

  “Standard post-party rules,” he shrugged.

  “I'd hardly call it a party,” I frowned.

  “Kegs and a DJ. That's pretty much the definition of a party.”

  I rolled my eyes and actually grinned when Ian bent forwards over the island and flicked the back of my arm.

  “Thanks,” I laughed, rubbing the sore spot with one hand.

  He raised his eyebrow at me but kept quiet. I handed him a cup of coffee and started rooting around in the cupboard for some cereal.

  “Jake's turn to make breakfast,” Karl grunted without looking up from the paper he was reading.

  I looked over at Jake. He didn't look at me but walked over to where I was standing and reached into the cupboard, grabbing a pack of bran flakes and shoving them at me roughly. I took it and frowned at him. He went back to his own breakfast and I sighed and poured myself a bowl of bran flakes and made two peanut butter and banana sandwiches ready for Craig. They were his favourite, he was the one that started making them for me.

  “Cheers, Jelly,” he grinned as he came into the kitchen, still wearing only his boxers, and I handed him his coffee and breakfast.

  “Morning,” Ben beamed from behind him.

  “Morning,” I answered, giving him a hug and a cup of coffee.

  He helped himself to some cereal and sat next to me on the island.

  “We can go see Jason as soon as soon as I'm dressed and we can convince Craig to put some trousers on.” I fluttered my eyelashes sweetly at Craig.

  “I'm on shift soon anyway, you two can give me a lift.”

  “Why wasn't your alarm set if you were working this morning?” I asked him.

  “It was,” he grinned. “It was meant to go off around now but some insistent little gremlin wouldn't stop jumping around like a nut job.”

  “Sorry,” I pouted apologetically.

  He shook his head at me but grinned anyway. “Shouldn't you go put something less 'mine' on?” He cocked his head at me.

  He had a point. I nipped up to my room and threw on some clothes. We were at the hospital at nine sharp. Craig's shift was meant to start at nine so he and his scrubs disappeared instantly but he said he'd be up to check on Jason as soon as he got a chance.

  “Jason!” I grinned as I saw him sat up in bed.

  I pulled Ben by the hand and dragged him over to Jason's bedside at a full on sprint. I stopped myself just in time to remember not to throw myself at him. He's just undergone surgery, Jamie, use some self-restraint. I noticed the police officers stood next to him, looking rather stern.

  “Hey, little squirrel,” he grinned, pulling me into a gentle hug. “Benji!”

  Ben hugged his brother and we sat down on the seats next to him.

  “You're sure you don't want to press charges, Mr Reed?” The older officer asked.

  “I'm sure,” Jason nodded.

  The officers both looked frustrated but they reluctantly left the room. I looked at Jason questioningly but he didn't comment on the exchange.

  “Food sucks,” Jason moaned, playing with the soggy corn flakes in front of him.

  “I'll make you pancakes if you come home,” I grinned.

  “Working on it, it's all up to this guy.” He pointed to the man in the white coat behind us and grinned broadly.

  “Mr Reed,” he smiled. “How are you feeling?”

  “Fine,” Jason shrugged.

  I saw him wince slightly and doubted the doctor had missed it.

  “Really?” The doctor smiled. “Don't worry there's bound to be some soreness, you've got a couple of cracked ribs.”

  “Nothing I can't handle,” Jason smiled.

  “You must be Craig's sister?” The doctor addressed me, holding out his hand. “Dr Browning.”

  “Jamie-Lea,” I shook his hand.

  “I paged Craig so he has an excuse to come up here,” he smiled kindly.

  “Thanks,” I nodded gratefully.

  “I'm just going to check on a few of your tests and then I'll be back to let you know the plan,” he nodded to Jason.

  I watched him walk away, admiring his white coat and thinking it'd be quite nice to see Craig wearing one soon.

 
“You're not pressing charges?” Ben asked Jason.

  I turned to look at the two of them. Ben was frowning and Jason looked at me guiltily.

  “No.” Jason shook his head.

  “He hospitalised you, Jason,” Ben looked irritated. “He could have killed you.”

  “It was a fluke, Ben,” Jason sighed. “I've taken plenty of blows and it's never happened before.

  “Jason, I'd understand if you wanted to press charges,” I said quietly, my eyes on my hands.

  In reality, it would be a horrible situation but I could hardly blame Jason if he'd wanted to. Not after what Ian had done to him.

  “Jamie, you do realise that if Ian had a criminal record it could mean the end of his career.”

  I shook my head, wide-eyed. I hadn't thought of that. “Thank you,” I nodded appreciatively.

  “Alright, Jason,” Craig nodded as he followed Dr Browning to Jason's bedside. “The hospital gown suits you.”

  “I thought so too,” Jason grinned.

  “Everything looks fine,” Dr Browning said as he leafed through Jason's test results before handing them to Craig.

  “Take it easy for a while, I'd recommend no exercise or strenuous activity for at least a week.”

  “A week?” I asked incredulously. What exactly counts as strenuous activity? I blushed as everyone eyed me curiously

  “We don't want his spleen to start bleeding again,” he smiled kindly. “And he needs time for his ribs to heal.”

  “Least I have an excuse not to run any more assault courses,” he smiled wickedly and I pouted guiltily in response.

  “Craig, can you sort his discharge papers out?”

  Craig nodded and disappeared to the nurses' desk. He was back in no time to cut off Jason's hospital bracelet.

  “I'll see you all tonight,” Craig nodded before giving me a quick hug and leaving us to it.

  I handed Jason the bag of clean clothes I'd brought for him and he smiled appreciatively.

  “Mind giving me a hand?” He smiled.

  Ben took his cue and went to wait in the hall.

  “I'd never miss a chance to see you starkers,” I grinned at him.

  “Perv,” he mouthed.

  “Takes one to know one,” I countered with a smile.

  I helped him put his clothes on and we walked slowly out to the car. Ben seemed in much better spirits now that he was reunited with his brother outside of the sterile environment.