HOME AND AWAY

Chapter 5

Brax had been moping since he had returned from the beach and it didn't go unnoticed by Heath, who had been sat on the sofa waiting for Bianca to get home from work. "What's eating you?" He asked as Brax sat down at the kitchen table and placed his head in his hands.

"I've just realised that whilst I was trying to protect you all from dad, I still didn't do enough to give you all a childhood." Brax sighed,

"Don't do that mate." Heath turned off the tv and faced the eldest Braxton. "You .stopped dad from killing us, you did more than enough for us at the expense of your own life. You're still doing it now!"

"But Casey barely remembers being a kid and just look at Summer. I thought taking her to Richard's would be the best chance of her having a normal childhood. And whilst I took Casey to the beach when dad went off on one, I left you to cop it." Brax was getting increasingly angry with himself and Heath knew it.

"Enough." Heath said firmly, "Don't forget the fair share of beatings you received from dad and you compromised your education so that you could scrape together some money for bills when mum blew it all at the pokies. You did the job of 10 men all on your own, I could have help. I should have helped." Heath shook his head and Brax went to argue when Casey and Summer came through the door chatting happily.

Brax's anger melted away as he saw the siblings bonding and Heath curse Brax for neglecting himself so readily. "How was your day at school kiddo?" Brax asked happily.
"Aww Brax, I didn't know you cared." Casey smirked causing Summer to giggle.

"Not you, you muppet." Brax growled playfully as he watched Casey disappear towards his room, laughing to himself.

"It was ok." Summer said, "Although I think I might need to save up to get a jacket instead of taking Casey's when I'm cold."

"We'll get you one tomorrow." Brax said.

"Or I could call Bianca and see if she can bring one home with her?" Heath added and without waiting, called his fiancé.

"Thanks, I'll pay you back as soon as I can." Summer smiled gratefully.

"You and I need to talk about this." Brax said seriously and Summer felt a sense of dread in her stomach, she knew this wouldn't last. Brax directed his sister to the kitchen table as Heath looked on cautiously, unsure of what was about to be said.

"Now I'm only going to say this once" Brax looked Summer straight in the eyes, causing her to hold her breath and fight to be strong. "You will not have to pay for anything in this house until you have a job which is not for a long time because your only 11."

Brax smiled and so did Heath as Summer took in her bated breath. Summer looked at Brax in disbelief and then Heath, who merely nodded to confirm that Brax wasn't lying. "Okay I'll pay you back for that." She said laughing unable to make any louder sound.
Did you really think that we would make you pay your own way?"
Heath asked his sister seriously, trying to hold her glance but Summer would not look up. "Come on pup, look at me please"
Summer looked up slowly at her brothers, she couldn't quite believe what had happened. Just a few days ago she was searching through supermarket bins for food and now she was here living with the brothers she barely recognised following her uncles suicide.

"I'm sorry." She began slowly, "Everything has happened so suddenly, it's hard to keep up."

"We know kiddo, but we're here to help you through it all. You've just got to let us." Brax said tentatively, reaching out for his sister's hand. As Summer took it, she felt herself being pulled into Brax's strong arms and in that moment she felt her emotional wall crumble and she wept.

Brax felt Summer's legs begin to give way and carefully guided her down onto the floor, where he held her close as she continued to weep. Heath watched the eldest and youngest together on the floor and felt something tug at his own heartstrings. He wished that he could be the one comforting her but he knew that Brax needed this, he needed to comfort her now after so many years of being absent.

Heath heard the click of Bianca's high-heels as she came towards their home; not wanting to disturb Brax and Summer, he quickly went to meet her outside. With a quick kiss and placing a hand on her belly, he guided her away from the house and towards the diner. As the pair walked, Heath explained that Summer had completely grumbled in Brax's arms and he thought they needed some space. Bianca nodded and smiled at the thoughtfulness her husband was showing of late and continued to the diner whilst commenting that Gina had explained how intelligent Summer was. how intelligent Summer was.
"What do you mean she's more intelligent than we know?" Heath asked as he and Bianca sat down.

"At her last school, she had been accelerated a year." Bianca explained what Gina had told her. "When Gina saw her and Brax this morning, Summer down played it and chose not to continue in the year above. It looks like she didn't want to make things uncomfortable for Casey."

" Wow, a smart Braxton." Heath was in awe. "I know she wants to go to medical school. If I hadn't heard mum give birth to her, I wouldn't believe that she was one of us." Heath shook his head.

"Oh she's definitely a Braxton." Bianca laughed, even more when Heath looked up at her puzzled with coffee around his mouth.

"I've only known her a couple of days and you can already see that she's got parts of all of you in her. She's got Casey's innocence, Brax's selflessness and your, well she's got your good looks." Bianca laughed as Heath grinned and puffed out his chest as if he were a proud peacock.

"Brax overheard Casey and Summer talking on the pier earlier. He blames himself for neither of them having a childhood." Heath sighed as he explained what had happened this afternoon. "It's not his fault, he did the best he could for us. He saved us, made sure we had a roof over our heads and that we stayed out of trouble."
Bianca raised an eyebrow at her husband, she knew he had a criminal record. "My record could have been a lot more detailed if it weren't for Brax." Heath sighed, knowing what had confused Bianca. "No matter what, Brax sacrificed his life and education for us; he shouldn't feel so guilty. I get why he does though, there's something Summer isn't quite telling us about living with Richard.""I'm sure she'll tell you in her own time Heath. Don't forget, she's having to get to know you all over again. But there is one thing we can do," Bianca paused for a moment, "We can make sure that she makes the best of her teenage years here in Summer Bay."