Page 58 of Loving Jemima

Because she loved Ellie like Jasper loved Rosie and the only way she was ever going to be able to prove that was by telling the truth.

“Jasp?”

“Yeah?”

The words tumbled out of her so quickly that it was impossible to put them back. “I think I’m in love.”

His eyes opened in surprise and then his lips curved into a grin. “No kidding? It’s about time. You’d better bring him to dinner so he can be vetted by the fam.”

Deep breath. Deep, deep breath. “He’s a she.”

For a minute she wasn’t sure that Jasper had even heard. Was sure that she was going to have to say it all again.

“You’ve probably already met her,” she went on, babbling, trying to fill the space. “Ellie Baker? The party planner? The one Pa hired for the big anniversary event?”

He dropped her hand like it was molten metal and pushed his chair away from her with a screech of plastic on linoleum and stood up, his face red and the vein in his forehead throbbing.

“You… you…” He struggled for words. “You… you dirty little… You… get away from me.”

“Jasper,” she said reasonably. After all, it had to be a shock.

“No, get out, go, now.”

“Jasper, for God’s sake, let’s talk about this like adults.”

He came closer to her now, his eyes narrow, practically spitting in her face with anger and she knew that she’d made a mistake. “You disgust me, you pervert, you…” He couldn’t find the words again, but this time Jem was sure that he was going to hit her. She took a step back, then another, but he kept coming closer and her heart was pounding and there was pure anger in his eyes.

“Hey, what’s all this then?”

They both turned to see Rolly, a bunch of flowers in his hands, at the end of the corridor.

“Jem?” Rolly said, dropping the flowers.

“You,” said Jasper. “You did this.”

“Did what?” Rolly asked, dismay on his round face.

“This, made her like this, made her…”

Jem’s mouth was dry with fear. “Made me gay,” she said, saying the words for the first time out loud and trembling with the bigness of them.

Rolly lifted an eyebrow. “Let me get this straight. You’re accusing me, a homosexual man, of… of forcing your sister to become a lesbian?”

Jasper looked from one to the other, his face furious. “You’re twisting my words.” He balled his fists up.

“Steady on there,” Rolly said, moving to Jem’s side. “There’s no need for violence.”

“I ought to thrash the both of you,” Jasper hissed.

Jem let Rolly’s arm pull her closer, let him start to walk her backward, away from Jasper, away from his anger, his boiling hatred. But Jasper began to follow them, to match them step forstep.

“Mr. Darlington?”

All three turned to see a nurse coming out of a side room.

“Mr. Darlington, you can see your wife now.”

Jasper glared at Rolly and Jem. “I’ll deal with you two later,” he said, before turning and following the nurse into the room.