CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FOURTEEN

I followed mom and Mrs. Stan into the open area in front the lake unware that Jamie was there, by herself.

Anger started boiling at this stubborn girl, always putting herself in harms way but mom's words as she approaches Jamie instantly stops me, from making myself known to them.

As I listen my heart ached for not realizing all that Jamie endured as a child. She never shared her past and I understand now, why it was so easy for her to push me away. She kept thinking I would leave.

She went through her own pain after the shooting and up until now, I never heard her complain. I often wondered why mom and dad hovered over Jamie the way that they did when I came home from the hospital and now I know. Now I understand.

Mrs, Stan gives her a tray with the dinner she missed because she fell asleep in Jerome's room so I had to bring her back to our room where she belongs, but right now I need to have a talk with her brother, because I need for him to tell me what Jamie suffered at the hands of his mother and I know that he knows.

Wiping any trace of tears from my eyes I strolled into the kitchen and grabbed a six pack, because I am about to have a heart to heart conversation with my brother-in-law which would be incomplete without beers.

Jerome's door was closed, so I just did one rap and pushed the door open in to time to see a bare chested Jerome, struggling to sit up from his comfortable position of lying with his hands folded under his head, staring at the ceiling.

Staring at me confused, I ignored his questioning look and walked over to the other end of his bed and gave him a beer. His confused look turned to glee as he adjusted his sitting position before opening the beer.

I took one for myself, placing the balance on the floor.

Opening my can, I lifted it Jerome, "to the moment of truths." I said and his eyes narrowed in confusion once again, "drink up" I said, chugging down my entire can in one gulp without making a mess. "Still got it" I chuckle, watching Jerome do the same.

Frowning, "your sister knows that you're a pro at that" I asked, taking two more cans from the package.

Chuckling, he shook his head, "and you're not going to tell her, because you gave me this" he nods taking the second drink from me.

Without beating around the bush, "I need to how your mother treated Jamie" I told him, because he knows that his mother is not Jamie's.

There he goes all confused again, chugging down his beer, "you got more for me." He asks looking hopeful.

I reached down to get his last half and after opening it, he started talking without taking a sip.

"For as long as I ca remember, mom was horrible to Jamie" Jerome started and I already got angry and the conversation has just started.

"Mom didn't personally tell me anything in the beginning, but Jess knew. It's as if she always knew" he says with thoughtful, faraway look.

Frowning he turns to me, "Jamie came home form school on a particular day and Jess was running ahead of Jamie. Jamie kept begging her to stop, but Jess didn't listen and she fell and bruised her knee and elbow on the sidewalk but she didn't cry then." Jerome, leaned back looking straight ahead now.

"When we walk through the door, Jess was normal smiling and happy, because Jamie had already dried her knees and elbows, but her uniform was a mess. Mom got angry and went to hit Jess, when she stopped mom by saying that it was Jamie's fault. When mom asked her to explain, Jess lied and said Jamie pushed her. I intervened and said it was a lie and mom ordered Jess and I to our room." Jerome, paused blinking his eyes rapidly.

"I asked Jess why she lied and she said it doesn't matter because Jamie wasn't our sister. I was shocked, but Jess went on to say that Jamie's mom died long long ago. I told her that she still shouldn't have lied, but she wasn't bothered. The thing is though that Jess was just about ten or eleven and mom had already taught her to hate Jamie."

Jerome stops and shakes his head, then takes large gulps of his last beer.

I had to prompt him to continue because he seemed lost in his thoughts.

"The next morning when Jamie didn't come to breakfast, I sneaked into her room and cried, because my beautiful sixteen year old sister, was beaten just as I was on the day when you rescued me and I had to lie to grams and tell her that Jamie already left and in the evening I had to lie again and say that she went liming with her school friends." Jerome says sadly as I tightened my grip on the beer can squeezing the life out of it.

Jerome went on to tell me all that he actually saw Jamie go through, which is why he helped her when she got jobs because it fed them and sent them to school.

I was shocked to hear all of this, but another thing I understand now, is why Jerome stayed with Jamie and not his sister.

By the time I got to our bedroom, Jamie was already in bed with her back turned to me. I took a quick shower, before joining her like I have been doing for the past four nights, because I cannot bear being away from her.

I've been trying to save her from having to deal with the pressure of what I am doing right now, not understanding that she's so much stronger than I could ever be.

"I love you Jamie!"