My Un-'Cool' Half-Brother

Thursday

**Rosie's POV**
I woke up and heard the phone by my bed ringing. Jack groaned and took his arms from round my waist as I sat up.

"Tell whoever it is to fuck off. Then, we can get laid." He mumbled, waking up slightly.

"Jack, behave," I answered the phone. "Hello?"

"I'm sorry to ring so early, Rosie, but I need to drop Emma off somewhere, Ellie's just been in a car crash." Jake sounded as if he was crying, which he probably was.

"Of course, sweetie. What happened? What time is it?" I was wide awake and getting out of bed. Jack looked at me, as if to say what the fuck's going on?

"It's 1am. Ellie was out with her friends."

"OK. Thanks."

"I'll bring her over now. Thank you so much."

"No problem. We'll look after her however long you need."

I hung up and carried on getting dressed.

"What's going on? Why aren't I getting laid?" Jack pouted and got out of bed.

"It was Jake. Ellie's been in a car crash. He's bringing Emma over, because he doesn't want her to go to the hospital. It might upset her too much."

"Oh my God." Jack got up and started getting dressed as well. I went through to the bathroom and washed my face. I brushed my teeth and combed my hair. I ran downstairs just as I heard the car pulling up.

I answered the door. Emma flew into my arms. I hugged her tightly. I heard Jack come down the stairs behind me.

"Um, sweetie, why don't you go in the living room with Jack?" Jake choked, tears streaming down his face.

Emma stumbled into the living room, Jack close behind her.

"Do you know how she is?"

"No. I just got a call from the hospital saying Ellie had been in a crash and it was urgent that I get there immediately."

"You'd better go then."

"Yeah. Thanks for taking Emma."

"Anytime." I smiled as Jake walked back to his car.

"If you need anything, call us!" I called as he drove off. He gave me a thumbs up and drove round the corner.

I walked into the living room and hugged Emma tightly.

"Don't worry, sweetie, your Mom will be fine."

"Your Mom wasn't."

"Well, we're not talking about my Mom, are we?"

"We are now."

"You're so much like your grandfather young lady." I smiled as I ruffled her hair. "Do you want to go upstairs and get some sleep?"

"No thanks, I can't sleep."

"Do you want a drink, something to eat?"

"Um, could I have a glass of water?"

"Of course." Jack went into the kitchen and came out several minutes later with a glass of water and two cups of coffee. I heard a wail that indicated one of the twins had woken up. I got up and went upstairs.

Jimmy was wailing, his face red and his hands balled into fists. I picked him up and hugged him.

"Sweetie, what's wrong?" I whispered.

"I ha' bad dweam. 'Bowt Ungle Teddy."

"Really? Tell Mommy."

"He be mean to oo and Daddy. Make oo cwy." I heard a wail from the other cot. I smiled weakly. "Don't worry, sweetie. Uncle Eddie's lovely, he'd never be mean to Mommy, Daddy, you or Frankie. Or anyone else."

I sat him in his cot and handed him Bobby, his teddy bear. I picked up Frankie.

"What's wrong Frankie?"

"I no find Mr Willy."

I suppressed a giggle. "I'm sure Mr Whirly is here somewhere." I knelt down and looked under the cots. Sure enough, Mr Whirly was lying under Frankie's cot. I picked him up and put her and Mr Whirly back into the cot. She fell asleep almost immediately.

I looked over to Jimmy. He yawned.

"Wuv oo, Mommy."

"I love you, Jimmy." I walked out and went downstairs. Jack was hugging Emma, who was crying, weakly.

"They're fine. Jimmy had a bad dream and Frankie lost Mr Whirly."

"Oh. I think Emma's nearly asleep."

Five minutes later, the sobbing had completely stopped and Emma was asleep. Jack carried her into the guest bedroom and tucked her into bed. We went back to our room and got into bed.

I could see light spreading through the sky outside. Jack looped his arms around my waist and pulled me close to him. We fell asleep very quickly.

Nobody woke until past ten o' clock the next morning. I got up and dressed and took Jimmy and Frankie downstairs to have breakfast. I called Eddie and told him we couldn't go out due to an emergency.

He seemed unusually upset, but I hung up as Emma walked downstairs, rubbing her eyes and yawning.

"How are you?"

"I'm OK. Has Dad called?" Emma asked anxiously.

"No. I might ring him later. Jack said he might go to the hospital later."

"Can I go?"

"Emma, your Dad doesn't want you there because he thinks it'll upset you. Trust me when I say, it's not nice."

Emma sighed and sat down. "Alright. I'm just really worried about Mom."

A tear trickled down her cheek. Frankie toddled over and hugged her. "Don' cwy, be happy. Like Mr Willy."

Emma looked confused, but started giggling abruptly, as did I. Jimmy and Frankie looked confused, then they started giggling too. Jack walked into the kitchen and stopped.

"Whoa. Some people are on a sugar high already."