I came in from work slamming the door behind me. No one was home. Good. I couldn't deal with anymore problems not now after Natalie. She meant the world to me after Charlie she made me feel safe and comforted she lifted the guilt while it lasted. I couldn't bear the responsibility of my brothers anymore; it would be pleasant just to be alone. I threw my keys onto the side and sat down at the table rifling through the mail. I wasn't really paying attention to what the letters said, I was looking at my phone, until I noticed a formal white letter addressed to Heath. I didn't really think anything by it until I saw the return address: our lawyers. I dropped my phone and hurriedly opened the envelope. I would have to be the one to deal with the case anyway, pay the bail money etc. What had he done? As soon as I read the first line I sat in guilty reminiscence until in the confusion of my head cleared to the only resolution I could think of and with that through firmly in my mind charged out of the house.

I saw Heath sitting on the fence overlooking the sea. Clouds began to gather above the bay. He saw me come towards him holding up the letter in my hand.

'Heya Brax what's up'?

He looked surprised as I pushed him off the fence and onto the grass below. He looked up at me startled.

'What was that for?'

'What's this?'

'Nothing, I don't have time to go through it now.' he said looking away from my stern gaze to the ground.

'No we will go through this now!'

'Brax please?' He looked like he didn't want to talk. This was typical Heath. He would bottle things up until they got out of his control and then dump them on me; not this time, not when it concerned dad.

'No, no. We're not playing happy families with this dog. How could you do this?'

'Because he's family.' he exclaimed getting to his feet.

'Family, do you not remember who raised you?'

'Yer, I remember, but he's still our dad.'

'Dad, He was never a dad to you not ever.'

'And you were?'

'I was more of a dad to you and Case than he ever was.'

'Because we never gave him a second chance.'

'A second chance I can't listen to this.'

'Well you were the one that wanted to talk.' He looked away as if ashamed by what he had said. He should have been; I grabbed him with my fist by the scruff of his shirt.

'I do, but about an explanation that makes sense this, this is bull shit.' He pulled away scowling and we stood in silence breathing heavily in the heat of the moment both thinking about what to say. His face sank into a thoughtful stare. He looked up.

'Did you ever think that if dad is inside where joss could be?'

'Is that what this is about?' I had suspected this at the house when I first saw the letter; I didn't want to talk about it but kept quiet hoping Heath wouldn't go into too much depth.

'Well did you not even consider it?' He kept persisting. The memories flooded back I didn't want them there I had buried them alone time ago. They were too painful. I flipped.

'Where do you think she is heath? Huh. His face shortly filled with hope and longing suddenly darkened at my sharp words. 'We haven't heard anything from her in six years. Dad was arrested for man slaughter. She's dead Heath.' Realising how I must have sounded I sank back into my thoughts and then putting my rage to rest: 'She's dead.'

'How do you know that? We got nothing from the lawyer to even suggest that he killed her even if she's dead…?'

'But we haven't heard anything from her either.'

I could see he was getting the way he was getting frustrated at the way I was challenging his every thought.

'And why might that be huh Brax?'

'No don't go into this now.' He was seeing through me.

'No, no you wanted to talk about this.'

'I wanted to talk about dad not this we are not bringing up joss not now'

'And why not? The only reason we don't talk about her is because you feel too guilty about what happened to want to remember.'

But why was this relevant? What had dad said or done to bring this up?

'So why are you bringing this up now? Why not three years ago when dad got in touch. Why do you want him out now?'

He screwed up his face in an attempt not to answer me but forced himself to calm down. He knew he would need my help eventually.

'Because he said something about her.'

'So he said he'd tell you if you got him out? Am I right, Heath?' The old man was playing us; he had to be 'Heath am I right?'

'Yes!' I could not believe this, he hadn't changed a bit. 'Brax, wouldn't you do the same if you thought she was alive.'

'It's been six years.'

'So she'd be fifteen, that's old enough to remember, that's old enough Brax for her to want to get to know us again, to come home.'

He was being played with false hope 'Old enough to get in contact with us herself.'

'Just because she's not got in contact with us doesn't mean anything we don't know her situation or if she can get in touch.'

Heath had won. I quickly changed the subject.

'I don't want you even go back and see the old man, he's not worth the effort.'

'But Brax what about Joss…'

'What about her Heath? Even if she was alive there would be nothing we can do.'

'You can't tell me what to do anymore, Brax, I'm not dependant on you anymore.'

'No I can't but I won't be any part of this. If you want to waste your time then fine, go ahead I won't stop you but I won't be around to help when it blows up in your face.'

I through the letter open at his feet and giving him one last disappointed look I stalked home in the oncoming rain.