The Long lost Braxton
Chapter 1
A bashed up old Ute pulled into the drive of the Braxton family home in Mangrove River. Cheryl Braxton slammed the door of the driver's side and walked up to the house. She turned back to look at the 15 year old girl standing nervously by the Ute.
"Well don't just stand there bring the bags inside!"
Cheryl slammed through the house and grabbed the packet of fags off the table and lit one. The girl stood in the door way clutching a tattered sports bag in one hand and a rucksack over the other shoulder. She twisted a strand of hair nervously and looked around her.
"Don't look too disappointed." Said Cheryl sarcastically. The girl stood and said nothing.
"Put your bags down! Make yourself comfortable but don't bother unpacking; you ain't staying here that's for sure."
The girl looked up worriedly.
"Where am I staying then?"
"I'll get to that in a minute when he gets here." She said mocking the girl slightly. The girl dropped her bags on the floor with a thunk.
"Don't look so sulky, you should be grateful I even asked you to come here."
"Well where else was I gonna go?" the girl asked moodily.
"A soddin' kids' home; and you'll still be going there if you don't drop that attitude missy!"
Cheryl turned back to the sink with her fag and the girl pulled a face behind her back.
A voice down the hall made her jump.
"Hello? Mum? You in here?"
"In the kitchen you useless idiot."
Darryl Braxton strolled into the kitchen and stopped when he saw the girl standing by the table. He looked at his Mum and pointed with his thumb.
"Who's this?"
"Darryl, meet Kara. Kara this is Brax, remember the one I was telling you about. He's the half decent one, he'll look after ya."
"Okay." Brax walked towards his Mum. "I'll rephrase. What is she doin' in your kitchen?"
Cheryl grinned smugly.
"She." She nodded at Kara. "Is your sister." Cheryl grinned mockingly at him.
"What?"
"She's your sister. I left her with your Dad because I had three tyrannical boys to worry about and I couldn't be bothered with a sulky girl. And I was right about the sulkiness."
"But why's she here?" asked Brax
"Her Dad, or rather your Dad didn't want her any more. So he dumped her at the pub and told Sharni to give her to me when I next turned up! The bloody cheek! I was tempted to leave the kid where she was."
"Well you're lucky you didn't 'cos you would have had to answer to me."
Cheryl grinned.
"I'm glad you're so protective of the little cow. Cos she's gonna be living with you!"
"Now hang on. What about Heath and Casey?"
"You know I can hear you." Said Kara from behind him. Brax turned round.
"Look I'm sorry kid, but I need to run this past my brothers first."
"Run what by me?" Heath appeared in the doorway. He looked at Kara then at Brax and pointed with his thumb.
"Who's this?"
Kara smirked at the similarities between her brothers' actions.
"What, you think I'm funny do you?" Heath faced her off and Kara squared up to him.
Brax put a hand on Heath's shoulder. A look of comprehension flickered across Heath and Kara's faces.
"Clam down Heath she's-"
"Kara." Finished Heath.
"Hang on, you know her?"
"We meet again." Smirked Kara
"Yeah I've seen her wondering around in Mangrove River. She used to hang around with some of the younger guys before she sort of disappeared." Heath looked at Brax as if this was common knowledge.
"Yeah that was about when your Dad left Mangrove River altogether." Said Cheryl.
Heath now looked confused. He raised and eye brow at Brax.
"Care to share?"
"Kara's our sister Heath."
Heath looked back at the kid in front of him then back at Brax.
"Don't be stupid." He laughed.
Brax noticed Kara deflate slightly.
"Nup, according to Mum she is. Apparently Dad decided he didn't want her anymore, not that he wanted anything to do with us anyway." He turned to his Mum. "And I suppose that having her was where you disappeared to when you left us on our own with the idiots from next door was it.
"He didn't want me either!" butted in Kara looking hurt. "He never wanted me, he only took me to keep her quiet." She nodded at Cheryl.
"Er a little bit more respect please!" shouted Cheryl while pouring herself a drink.
"Why's she here all of a sudden then?" demanded Heath.
"She's gonna live with you two and Casey."
"The hell she is! We don't even know her."
"I think that's why she needs to live with you really." Cheryl couldn't keep the smugness out of her voice as she sipped her dink.
"This is stupid." He kicked the table. "As if we don't have enough to worry about as it is!"
Brax looked at the disappointment in Kara's face.
"Heath, pack it in. She's living with us. End of." Brax looked at his watch." I have a stock take at Angelo's in five so we need to get going." He looked at Kara.
"You'll be fine with us kid." Then muttered under his breath. "I can hardly leave you here."
"This is ridiculous." Muttered Heath. Brax smiled slightly at Kara then picked up the sports back.
"Anything breakable in here?" Kara shook her head.
Brax threw it at Heath.
"Make yourself useful. Carry that."
Heath looked narrowly at Brax then his Mum before storming out the door.
Kara picked up the rucksack and slung it over her shoulder. She turned nervously to Cheryl.
"Bye Mum."
Brax turned to look at his Mum who lifted her glass and smiled at Brax.
"See ya."
Brax shook his head in disgust at his Mum; he put his arm behind Kara's shoulder and led her out the door.