Learning To Trust Again

Deep down she knew Jake wasn’t anything like Mark. As her mother had said, he was a good man who’d made a mistake, but he didn’t lie to hurt her. However after finally seeing Mark for what he was she’d made a promise to herself not accept that sort of disrespect or excuse it from anyone. She couldn’t forgive Jake and keep that promise. So she’d built up walls to keep him out. But when Todd accused Jake of lying out of spite or for personal gain, she couldn’t continue. His unjustified accusations had forced her to make a stand and recognise what was really important. She couldn’t just let her brother’s lie stand without saying something or she’d be guilty of the same thing, because she knew Jake wasn’t like that.

‘Jake wouldn’t do that’ she muttered.

But Todd wasn’t finished and as Rebecca tried to sort through her thoughts he continued with his attack.  ‘Shut up’ he said.

This brought Rebecca’s head up and as she looked at her little brother, he glared back at her, his features already distorted from the beating, appeared now to be that of a stranger.

 He roared ‘you can get out too and if you continue to stick up for him’ giving Jake a scathing look before turning his gaze back on her he added ‘don’t bother coming back.’

‘Todd, you don’t mean that’ Rebecca said nearly in tears at the unfairness of his attack. Turning as she heard her parents return she said to her father ‘Dad, please speak to him. He thinks Jake arrested Jemma for no reason. He won’t listen to us.’

‘You arrested Jemma?’ Brian asked in surprise looking at Jake.

Jake nodded.

But before explanations could be made Todd sat up and screamed ‘no.’

Then grabbing his ribs as his injuries made themselves known he added through clenched teeth ‘I don’t want to hear anymore about it and if you are just going to keep repeating those ridiculous accusations then you can all get out, got it?’ Lowering himself back down to the bed Todd closed his eyes and grimaced as a searing pain travelled across his rib cage.

‘Okay son, take it easy’ Brian replied putting a calming hand on his shoulder, trying to appease him.

Brenda walked over to the other side of her son’s bed, worried at how worked up he was about this. She looked at Brian ‘I think we need to discuss this later.’

 Brian nodded and turned to their daughter. With pain in his eyes he said ‘maybe you and Jake should just go honey, this isn’t doing Todd any good. He needs rest so he can heal. We’ll sort this out later.’

But as Rebecca just stared at her father, her eyes wide in disbelief and making no attempt to move. He gave her a pleading look and said ‘please Becs, just go. I’ll call you later.’

Shaking her head and glaring at her father and then her mother who returned her look with a silent plea for understanding, Rebecca spun around and walked out without another word. Looking at Rebecca’s parents with sympathy for a minute, Jake said ‘don’t worry, I’ll talk to her’ and followed her out.