Hey readers! This is a new story written by MelBelle94 and I, we hope you like it.
Darryl Braxton stumbled threw the front door of his house, his eyes half closed with exhaustion. As he went to throw his jacket over the arm of the couch he was taken back by two purple suitcases standing in the middle of the living room.
Turning slightly to his right Brax saw Tegan standing against the kitchen counter, tears were streaming down her cheeks as she looked at him with sad eyes.
"You can't leave!" Brax said straight out as he looked at his partner in shock, the exhaustion he was feeling all but fading away.
"Brax I can't handle this and you know it." Tegan told her partner weakly.
"What about the kids?" Brax asked. "They need you! I need you!"
"I am not good to them when I am like this." Tegan said with a sad smile as she took a step closer to him. "You don't love me Brax, if it wasn't for the kids we wouldn't be together. I need time, I love them but I am not coping I have to go."
"I do love you!" Brax protested but Tegan shook her head.
"You love the teenage girl I was, I love you but I know you don't feel the same. Don't make this any harder then it has to be," Tegan murmured as she leaned up and brushed her lips against Brax's. "I'll write to them, tell them I love them. Tell them I'm sorry because I am" Tegan said as she picked up her suitcases. "I love you Brax"
Brax went to call out after her, he went to stop her but it was to late. He could only watch as Tegan gave him one last sad smile as she walked out the door slamming it shut behind her.
Brax sunk down on the couch resting his head in his hands, it wasn't long before his oldest daughter joined him a mug in her hands which she passed to him.
"Dad, what happened?" Twelve year-old Darcy Amanda Braxton asked quietly.
Brax turned to Darcy with a sad smile, how could he tell her? How could he tell any of them?
A part of him understood why Tegan was gone and he could sympathise with that part but he didn't have to like it.
"Dad?" Darcy pressed as she raised her eyebrow, Brax sighed.
"You know your mum hasn't been well right?"
"She's okay isn't she?" Darcy asked quickly, the panic rose quickly within her but Brax put a hand on her knee to calm her.
"Listen Darce, your mum loves you very much but since Chase was born she's been acting different. She isn't coping very well. She's gone away but she might come back some day"
"You mean she left?" Darcy asked, her face crinked in confusion. "Why?"
"Darce, I trust you" Brax told his daughter as he took a sip of the coffee. "What I say to you, you can not tell your younger siblings" Darcy quickly nodded, wondering what he was going to tell her.
"What is it?"
"Your mum has post natal depression"
"What's that?" Darcy asked slightly confused.
"It's complicated Darce, but she just wasn't coping well. This...having so many children and especially the little ones demanding her attention was just to much. She needs time to get herself better"
"Will we ever see her again?" Darcy asked as she went to wipe her tears away.
"I don't know baby" Brax said as he put an arm around his eldest daughter. "I don't know."
^..^
Charlie Buckton sat beaide her daughters hospital bed, tears running down her cheeks as she looked at the eleven year old. The bruises covering her body were horrific, the bright pink cast on her right arm and left leg were enough to make Charlie cringe.
Knowing Emily Anne had surived the car crash that claimed the life of her husband was overwhelming. She didn't know what to feel, how to feel. She felt numb. She had lost her husband to a drunk driver and her daughter was badly injured.
"Please wake up soon" Charlie said quietly as her oldest daughter, fifteen year old Ruby Marie Buckton placed a shaking hand on her mum's shoulder. "We need you"
"Mum you need to sleep, eat, shower. You need to do something" Ruby pleaded but Charlie shook her head, she couldn't bring herself to leave Emily's side.
"I can't leave her"
"You have to, you have to go home. What about everyone else? They need to know. I'll wait with Emily"
"I can't go home Ruby, you don't understand"
"I don't understand? I loved Roman to mum!" Ruby exclaimed. "You need to tell the other kids, it's their dad that died, they deserve to know"
Charlie sobbed. "How can I tell them their father is dead? How can I?"
"Mum, you'll find a way. You need to be strong for them now" Ruby said softly as she ran a hand threw her mums hair in a soothing manner. "Go home, I'll wait with Emily"
"Okay Rubes" Charlie stood up, her knees nearly caving out beneath her.
"Are you okay?" Ruby asked concerned but Charlie nodded as she leaned over to kiss Emily.
"I'll be right back baby, I love you" Charlie murmured as she turned to Ruby. "Call me if anything changes?"
"I promise mum, I love you." Ruby said softly as she pulled Charlie into a soft hug.
"I love you too sweetie, I love you so much."
^..^
Charlie sat out the front of her house staring out the wind shield of her car. The tears were streaming down her cheeks, she'd been sitting and staring for twenty minutes unable to bring herself to go inside.
She didn't know how she would explain to her children that their father wouldn't be coming home. She knew most of them wouldn't understand they were to young, too little to understand, to comprehend the meaning of death.
Charlie used her hands to try and brush away the tears but they didn't stop flowing. Looking back out thw windsheild Charlie saw eight year old Lucas Aden standing on the porch staring at the car impatiently, Charlie knew she couldn't stall any longer as she watched her son bounce up and down on his heels.
Stepping out of the car, Charlie quickly tried to dry her eyes with the back of her hand as she headed up the stairs of the large and spacious home that she had bought with Roman. Lucas immediately threw his arms around his mum.
"You're home!"
"Of course I am sweetheart." Charlie told her son as she wrapped her arms around him. Lucas looked up at Charlie expecantly.
"Where's Dad?" The young boy asked.
"Where's Emily?" Nicole asked and Charlie frowned as she moved inside the front door properly and looked at everyone sitting in the living room looking at her expectantly.
Her eyes flashed to fifteen year old Nicole who was holding five month old Mia. Charlie cringed knowing her baby would never know her father. That upset her more than anything, the thought of her child never knowing her father would haunt her for the rest of her life. Charlie didn't want that for any of her kids. Drew David, the second youngest Buckton, who was two years old, would at least have some memories of his dad. Mia wouldn't.
"Let's sit down," Charlie said as she took a seat next to 9 year old Joey Michael.
"What's doing on?" Nicole asked. "Where's Dad and Emily?"
"That's what I need to talk to you kids about," Charlie said as she picked up a baby toy and turned it over in her hands. "Your Dad and sister were in an accident."
"An accident?" 6-year-old Brock Aaron asked his mother, looking up at her with wide eyes.
"Yes sweetheart, a car accident. Emily's in the hospital at the moment, Ruby is with her."
"What about Dad?" Joey asked and Charlie felt the tears rushing to her eyes once more.
"Charlie, where's my dad?" Nicole asked, panic seeping into her body as she leaned forward and looked at the woman who had been her mother figure, her arms tightening around baby Mia.
"I'm so sorry." Charlie murmured and Nicole broke down into sobs, barely keeping a grip on Mia as her body racked with grief.
"Why are you sorry mummy?" 4 year old Edward James asked.
"Your Dad isn't coming back," Charlie barely managed to get out as the tears overcame her. "It's just us now." Drew climbed into her lap and wrapped his tiny arms around Charlie, causing her to cry even more.
"Why isn't he coming back mummy?" Lucas asked and Charlie glanced over at him through the tears in her eyes.
"Because sweetheart your daddy...well honey he...your father died." Charlie said softly, hearing a strangled cry from Nicole, Charlie wasn't surprised when she left the room.
"I want my daddy" Edward sobbed.
"So do I baby, so do I." Charlie muttered as she tried to hug all her children, unable to fit them all on her lap no matter how hard they tried.
Ages of the children in chapter 1:
Brax's kids:
Darcy Amanda Braxton- 12
Jade Elizabeth Braxton (twin with Jack)- 11
Jack Daniel Braxton (twin with Jade)- 11
Taylah Michelle Braxton- 9
Cassie Rose Braxton- 7
Samantha Louise Braxton- 6
Chase Darryl Braxton- 2
Charlie's kids:
Ruby Marie Buckton- 15
Nicole Andrea Franklin- 15
Emily Anne Buckton- 11
Joey Michael Buckton- 9
Lucas Aden Buckton- 8
Brock Aaron Buckton- 6
Edward James Buckton- 4
Drew David Buckton- 2
Mia Grace Buckton- Five months
We hope you like it, please let us know in a review!