Chapter 8. Opening up
"Sam, I really can't believe you are doing this! Why don't you tell someone about it? You are better than I am at telling people stuff." May yelled as Sam walked through their bedroom door.
"You never told anyone about it so why should I?" Sam screamed back as she was about to shut the door.
"What on earth are you girls shouting about?" Peter said, walking up the stairs.
"Nothing." Sam snapped and slammed the door.
"I'm getting your nan. She won't take this. She'll get it out of you."
"Well done May. Now look what you've done." Sam cried as she flung herself on the bed.
Trina pushed the door open quietly before going and sitting on the end of Sam's bed. She put her arm across her granddaughter's shoulders.
"Tell me what's going on Sam. May, you go downstairs and make some tea."
"Why should I go nan? This has all started because of me. It's all my fault!"
"May! Get downstairs now! I will be down to deal with you in a bit. Don't you dare come back up here!"
May ran from the room and slammed the door behind her. She ran down the stairs and hid behind the sofa.
"Come on Sam. Tell me what's going on." Trina said, her voice calmed down.
"I don't want to." Sam mumbled into her pillow.
"Sam, tell me what's going on." Trina said, becoming more stern.
"Do I have to nan?"
"Yes."
"Ok." Sam paused for a couple of minutes so she could build up the guts to say what she knew she needed to say. "May told me the night I came home. It had been happening to her for a month, since she had started high school. It was this sixth former. When she told me, I said she couldn't let him do it to her. So I took her place."
The silence was unbearable. Trina didn't know what to say. Poor Sam having only just recovered from an assault and having to go through with it all again just so she could protect her little sister.
"Sam. I... I really don't know what to say. How could you be so stupid? Why didn't you tell me or your granddad or anyone? What did you think we would do to you? There's no way that I'm letting you or May out of my sight until you are eighteen. From now, you will not be allowed over friends, you won't be going to and coming home from school without myself or your granddad, you won't be doing anything without supervision."
"But nan-"
"No! Absolutely no! Forget it. You, young lady, consider yourself officially under house arrest for the next five years nearly. May has the next seven years to look forward to."
"That's not fair! It's not my fault! I was doing it to protect her! Why are you always so horrible to me? It's like you don't even care how hurt I am both physically and emotionally."
"Oh god! Sam, I'm sorry. I completely forgot about that aspect. I just got caught up with you not telling us and it made me angry. Will you let me take a look to make sure you're alright?"
"No. Why should I?"
"I'll take you to the hospital then. Let them admit you for another week."
"Fine. You win. Just don't make me stay in for the next five years. I'll take up to a year but nothing beyond that. I really don't want to go back to hospital!" Sam cried into her nan's shoulder.
"Ok. A year it is. May should, in theory, get longer than you for not telling us while you were in hospital. I can't believe how silly you girls can be. I'll make sure you're alright first but I think we need a talk with granddad as well, don't you?"
Sam nodded her head then hugged her nan.
"Thanks nan. I love you."
"I love you too Sam. Just lay down for me. Then we'll go downstairs for a talk."
"Ok." Sam laid down on the bed and let her nan give her a quick check over.
"Everything appears fine love. Just rest over the weekend, ok? let's go downstairs and talk with granddad and May."
Trina took Sam's hand and led her down the stairs before sitting on the sofa and calling for Peter and May.
