I am vaguely aware that mom and Christian are talking as they enter the living room. Christian must have gone straight to get her.

'Mom, he's in a really bad way. Elena said some awful things to him and you know how insecure he is at the best of times.'

'She must have spoken to him before she saw you and Ana.'

'I think so, he knows about the affair. Mom she said that you were going to give him away because you didn't want him here as a constant reminder.'

'But that's not true; there was never any question about him going elsewhere. We already considered him family before the accident'

'I know mom, but he's hurting from what she said.'

'Oh god, what has she done.'

They come over to me now. I look at them both, wide eyed. I don't want them near me.

'Darling boy.' Mom starts to say and comes to hug me. I pull away.

'No mom.' I say. She looks at Christian; I can see I've hurt her.

'Matt' Christian says 'What Elena told you about mom and dad giving you away isn't true. We've talked about this before, without you here this family would have gone to pieces with all the grief. You helped us all by being here. We all love you so much.'

'I'm hurting.' I whisper

'We all are darling.' Mom says gently 'Elena was out to turn this family upside down tonight, I don't know why. Maybe even after all these years she's still jealous about the friendship I had with your mommy, at school she was always trying to split us up.'

'You went to school together?' Christian says totally shocked

'Yes, I thought you knew.' Mom says. 'Matt, please let me hug you.'

I look at her and slowly nod my head. As she hugs me tightly I just sit there not able to hug her back. I hear Christian say 'Oh, thank god for that.'

Mom pulls away slightly and looks at me. 'Darling, you're cold. Tell me what is wrong with you?'

'My throat still hurts like nothing I've felt before. My head aches, my eyes hurts. Sometimes I'm too hot and then too cold and I'm so tired that I want to go back to sleep now.'

'I'll go and get my bag, you need checking out.' mom says.

As she leaves the room Christian smirks at me. I glare at him before saying 'Don't laugh it's not funny and you can go out while she looks at me.'

'Oh no I'm staying, this will be the best entertainment I've had for a while and Elliot will think it's hilarious.'

'You must lead a pretty boring life then.' I mutter. He's still laughing at me when mom walks back in.

'Take your t-shirt off and I'll listen to your heart and chest.' Mom says. I look at Christian; he's still smirking at me. I slowly peel my top off. I know there are three marks on my shoulders, one just above my right hip and one by my left nipple, there could be a couple more that I've forgotten about. Christian raises his eyebrows at me and then touches his shirt by his nipple.

I mouth the words 'Fuck off' silently at him.

'Matthew Grey' mom shouts, making me jump 'I saw that, no swearing. I expected better from you.'

'Sorry mom.'

'Are all these marks what I think they are?' she asks.

'Yes mom' I reply glancing at Christian who shakes his head at me.

'Is that why you wouldn't let me look at you earlier?'

'Yes mom' I reply again.

'Open wide; I need to look in your mouth.' I do as I'm told so that she can look. 'You are one sick boy, that throat is very sore.'

'Yes mom' I say smiling at her.

'Don't try the cute smile look. It won't work; you should have let me look at you earlier. Turn around.' Again I do as I'm told and she touches the left hand side of my back just below my shoulder blade.

'Arghh mom, that hurts.'

'I thought it might.'

'Do you know what's wrong with me?'

'Yes. Darling boy you've got glandular fever.' Mom says.

'The kissing disease' Christian says smiling at me. 'You won't be able to swap spit with Hannah for a few weeks.'

'Christian please' Mom says. 'Matt when did you last kiss Hannah?'

'Yesterday morning.'

'Ok, I'll check her out tomorrow just to make sure but Christian is right you won't be able to kiss her for a while.' Mom says gently ruffling my hair; I flinch not wanting any affection from anyone. Mom notices but doesn't make an issue of it, she just looks at Christian worriedly. 'Right you need to go to bed, Christian can you help him upstairs. I'll bring a drink and some painkillers.'

Christian follows me carrying the duvet and then makes the bed whilst I use the bathroom and change into some pyjama bottoms. As I climb under the duvet he sits on the side of the bed.

'Matt, mom's pretty pissed with me tonight because she found out about me and Elena. She was hurting enough from that but what Elena did to you as well has really shocked her. I know you're hurting but so is mom. You've always been the most affectionate out of me, Elliot and Mia and even I noticed that you didn't hug her back earlier and you flinched when she touched you. Please Matt, forget what Elena said to you and don't turn away from mom. She loves you so much, always has done and always will.'

'I'll try' I whisper.

Mom enters the room. She hands me a drink and two pills. 'Here take these; they'll help to relieve the symptoms.'

'Thanks mom.' I say and do as I'm told. 'Can I sleep now?'

'Yes darling you can sleep, if you wake feeling any worse come and wake me.'

'OK' I say closing my eyes as Christian and mom stand there together and he places an arm round her shoulder drawing her into a hug.

'He'll come round mom. She certainly knew how to bring him down to a low point.' Christian says.

'I know darling, he always been so easy with his affection and he didn't want to know me tonight. I feel like I've lost him.'

'Oh mom, he's just hurting and with being so sick he's all over the place. He's been trying to hide all day how ill he is because he was too embarrassed for you to check him out.'

'I'll be having words with Hannah'

'No mom, it's only been a couple of weeks, they're young and in love. I think she might be his one and only.'

'I think you might be right. I knew when I saw you with Ana that she was the one and I can feel the same with these two even though they're so young.'

'I wish I'd been lucky enough to find Ana when I was eighteen.'

'Come on, he's fast asleep now let's leave him and go to bed.'

When I wake the sun is blazing into my room. Someone has opened the blinds and the windows slightly to let in the fresh air. There's a glass of fresh orange juice on the side which is still cold along with two more painkillers. I take them and drink the juice, the cold feels good against the soreness from my throat. I drag on some sweat pants and a t-shirt and picking up the gift box I got for Christian's birthday I make my way downstairs.

Everyone is sat round the table in the kitchen as I stand in the doorway. They don't notice me as they eat and talk.

'Mom was Matt really still asleep?' Mia asks.

'Yes Mia, he's probably going to be sleeping a lot over the next few weeks. He'll wake when he's ready and when he's hungry. Though his throat looked so bad last night that I don't know when he'll eat properly again. He should have let me check him out sooner.' Mom replies.

'Serves him right for getting up to no good with Hannah.' Elliot pipes up.

'Elliot, your brother doesn't need your teasing at the moment.' Mom admonishes him.

'Sorry mom but it's true and if he hadn't got stroppy and embarrassed you could have checked him out earlier in the day. How many love bites did you reckon he had Christian?'

I step into the kitchen before Christian gets a chance to reply. Everyone turns to look at me. There is nowhere for me to sit as Ethan is still here and all the chairs are taken.

'Morning darling boy' mom says and smiles at me. 'I thought you'd still be sleeping, do you want anything to eat.'

'No mom, it doesn't matter, I'm not hungry.' I say looking round awkwardly at everyone. I turn and head back out to the family room.

'Matt.' Mom calls.

'I'll go to him.' I hear dad say. 'You lot carry on and finish eating.'

I sit at the piano and begin to play. I sense that dad has entered the room and as I look up he is stood leaning on the piano watching me. He waits until I finish the sad tune.

'If you don't want to eat come and sit with us and have some juice.' Dad says.

'Dad, there was nowhere for me to sit.' I say sadly.

'And after everything that happened last night you felt like there was no room for you and we'd excluded you.'

'Yes.' I whisper.

'Matt, don't do this to yourself. You are ill, mom checked on you and you were sleeping so she left you to rest. We didn't do this to hurt you more. Come back with me and we'll get another chair. Is that the gift for Christian?'

'Yes, do you think he'll like it?'

'He'll love it but he'll be shocked. Are you sure that's what you want to give him?' dad asks and I nod. I stand and dad puts an arm round my shoulder as we walk back into the kitchen together. Christian grabs another chair and places it next to mom. I sit next to her; Christian is on my other side.

'Here' I say handing him the box. 'This is for your birthday; sorry I forgot to give it to you yesterday'

'Thanks little bro' he says, shaking the box gently. He opens the lid and takes out the gift card. He reads it and smiles looking slightly puzzled.

'To Christian. Happy Birthday. This meant a lot to someone special, hope it means a lot to you to. Love always Matt x

He takes out a small toy car. Everyone is now looking puzzled apart from dad who knows about this gift. Christian looks at me, he knows as he reaches inside the box for the key.

'Matt' he whispers 'This is too much'

'No, you are that special to me' I whisper back. 'It's still in the garage. I'll take you there later.'

'Thank you. I don't know what else to say. Do you want first drive?' he asks smiling.

'I heard you drove it thirteen years ago so that's hardly a fair question.' I say and he laughs.

'Fair point well made.'

Mom is smiling at the pair of us; everyone wants to know about the car. I take mom's hand in mine and give it a squeeze. She pulls me towards her and hugs me and I hug her back.

'Oh darling boy, I love you.'

'I know mom, I love you too.' I reply as she gently kisses my forehead.