Thanks all for your review and comments glad you all like this one, and to the reviewer about his name, in Ireland we spell it with one R…enjoy.
After the night in the caravan park Brax and Heath stood up on the strip watching Casey on the water….Heath was anyway. Brax was too interested in watching Charlie and Jack further down, he shook his head as Jack pulled Charlie into him and both laughed.
Heath looked down too "sorry mate," he said and clapped him on the back.
"What did I think would happen after nearly five years, of course she'd move on," he grumbled.
"I don't know he doesn't really look boyfriend material," Heath said trying to make him feel better.
Brax scoffed "what do you call that then! They're wrapped around one another… look he's just kissed her head!" he yelled.
"All I'm saying is he doesn't look like her boyfriend," Heath said again.
They both looked behind them when someone chuckled "what's so funny?" Brax snapped.
"You're like a dog drooling over a bone," Bianca said and stepped closer "and that's not her boyfriend," she said and walked on.
"Hey Bianca!" Brax called "who is it then?" he asked.
Bianca looked down on Charlie and Jack and smiled Brax really did look cut up seeing them together-and Charlie had been moping over him too, she did say last night once everything was settled with Daryl she hoped that they could focus on them. If she said the wrong thing here he could leave again and Charlie couldn't handle that "…her brother," she said and walked on.
"Hey wait!" Heath called and jogged over to her "has she a bloke?"
"No," she replied "but she has got brothers and her dad so be warned- you mess with her they will take you down…I will too."
"How many we talking here?" Brax asked wanting to find out a bit more about her, he was feeling a little better knowing she was still single he still had a chance-hoped he had a chance.
"Seven," Bianca replied she chuckled at the look on both their faces "I'm kidding she's three- they're all cops so be careful," she chuckled "now if you'll excuse me I gotta get to work," she said and walked off.
"You're looking well today!" Heath called after her.
Bianca turned and started to walk backwards "I always do," she said and turned around.
"What?" Heath chuckled when Brax raised an eyebrow "just seeing what would happen, all we need is Sam and that Hayley chick then were back in party mode," he said and walked off "come on mate boards were brought for a reason!" he yelled and ran off with his.
Brax looked down at Charlie and smiled she was single she hadn't moved on, grabbing his board he followed Heath.
…..
Charlie sat on the hood of her car with a coffee and Jack beside her "so you never did tell me what happened last night," Jack said cautiously.
Charlie sighed heavily and looked out at Brax on the water with his brothers "he's buying Angelo's…Angelo confirmed it for me, he's signing it over today."
"So he's sticking around?" Jack asked.
Charlie nodded "Leah told me he's just rented Roo's house off her-he told me too so yeah I guess so."
Jack nodded again "and Dar?" he asked.
Charlie shrugged "I don't know yet-I mean I will tell him about him, but how can you just dump that on someone…where do I start?"
Jack shrugged "I don't know Charlz, maybe meet up and have a proper chat with him then see how you feel about telling him… I'll assume he told you why he never made contact?"
Charlie nodded "yeah remember we drove up and the house was burned out?" Jack nodded "he said his mum had moved the week before they went up coast and he forgot about it when he gave me the address."
"Okay," Jack said slowly "what about your number you gave it to him didn't you?"
Charlie nodded "yeah I did he said his mate in the back of the car puked on everything-my number being among it all, so he just threw it all out the window and he never realised until they were home."
"And do you believe him?" Jack asked.
Charlie thought for a moment "I don't know I think I do it could happen right?" she asked "B threw up in the car on the way home too so it's easily done."
Jack stood up as their brother Peter approached them "yeah it could have… alright mate," he said loudly so Charlie would know not to say anything else "what are you doing out here?"
Peter sat beside Charlie and took her coffee from her "I got a lift down and now I have to go back to the station," he said and took a sip before handing it back to her.
"So you assumed we'd give you a lift?" Charlie teased.
Peter nodded "I know you love me," he chuckled.
Charlie giggled and stood up "I love you that much that I'm gonna let you finish this," she said and handed him her coffee.
"World's best sister," Peter chuckled and walked around to the passenger side "Jack you're in the back!" he called.
"It's my car Pete you get in the back!" he yelled back.
"It's Charlie's car!" Peter called sticking his head out the window.
"Yeah and I'm her partner!" Jack yelled.
"Shut up or you can both walk-Jack in the back," Charlie said and pulled her phone from her pocket as it beeped, she smiled at the message 'hey Charlie Brax (Daryl) here, can we meet when you finish work and talk properly I still have a few things I need to explain' replying she smiled again and climbed into the car.
Brax sat on the sand watching her he thought he could make out a smile before she climbed into her car, as his phone beeped in his hand he glanced at her car as it pulled away before opening the message 'I know who you are meet me at the south end of the pier at 5.15 I have to drop Jack home first' smiling to himself he put his phone away trying to hide his excitement.
Sighing happily he stood up and dried himself off in fifteen minutes he had to meet Angelo things were starting to look up.
….
Charlie arrived back at the station and toward her office she took Jack by the arm and led him into her office "later Pete!" she called and closed her door.
"What's up with you?" Jack chuckled.
"Brax text me to meet him later I said yes I'm so nervous," Charlie replied and started to pace "I feel like I'm gonna blurt out Daryl before I even say hello, I can't keep this from him Jack no matter what has happened no matter if he's sticking around or not he has a right to know he has a son."
Jack nodded "he does, if you feel like that then just say before we talk about anything else I have something I need to say first…or something like that." he said and stood up "look Charlz," he said grabbing her shoulders "you said you wanted nothing more in the world than for Daryl to see his dad, you barely knew the guy but you made up stories for our Dar just so he wouldn't feel he didn't care about him."
"But what if he doesn't want to know?" she asked.
"Then that's his loss, he'll never see him- he'll know about him you've done your bit…don't worry about it if he's as mad about you as the girls told me he'll want to know him…and you too."
Charlie scoffed "I won't be going on a date with him anytime soon Daryl comes first," she said and sat down. She sighed heavily "I'll just see what happens when I get there and take it from there."
Jack nodded "baby steps," he said and walked to the door "don't wreak your head thinking about it for the rest of the day put it to the back of your mind," he said and slipped out of the office.
"Jack!" she called and waited for him to look back "not a word to dad Dan or Pete….especially Dan."
Jack smiled "not a word," he said and closed her door.
Charlie sighed again and thought back to the day she told her dad and brothers she was pregnant. Jack and Peter were in shock-they all were but they got over it, Dan being her most over protective and oldest brother took it the worst, asked her how she could be so stupid, demanded she got rid of it, he wouldn't speak to her for nearly three weeks after. If he knew Brax was here he'd flip altogether and kill him she didn't need that right now.
Brax walked out of the bathroom in the motel room they had booked into for the day and looked over as Heath spoke "where are you going with clothes on?" he asked.
Brax chuckled "I do tend to wear clothes a lot," he said and grabbed his keys.
Heath scoffed "I meant why the trousers and the shirt you normally wear shorts."
"I'm going to meet Charlie," he replied and opened the door "don't know when I'll be back."
"Brax wait!" Casey called "what are you gonna say to her?"
Brax shrugged "we'll see when I get there I still have to explain why I didn't try harder to find her."
Heath scoffed "mate you all but tore Australia apart looking for her, it doesn't help when you only know a chick's first name."
Casey nodded in agreement "you did all you could Brax, she'll understand that…go see her," he smiled and walked off.
…..
Over at Charlie's dad's house Tony sat on the sofa with Daryl watching a movie-the same movie he always asked for. When he didn't laugh at part he always laughed at Tony looked down "you okay mate?" he asked "you're being very quiet."
Daryl looked up at him "do you know my daddy granddad?" he asked.
Tony sighed Charlie had already pre-warned him he had started asking about his dad "sure buddy why?" he asked he hated lying but it was for the best.
"Does he look like me?"
"He sure does," Tony nodded.
"Why can't he come see me-he's never seen me…does he not want to?" Daryl asked sadly.
Tony smiled sadly "of course he wants to see you buddy but mummy's already told you he's far far away doing his surfing, he'll be home as soon as he can…do you want ice-cream?" Tony asked hoping to take his mind off it.
Daryl nodded "chocolate chip?" he asked.
Tony chuckled and stood up "of course mummy would kill me if I didn't have that," he said and lifted him into his arms "I have a nice big bowl for you since you were very good in school today," he said and placed him on the counter.
"Granddad?" Daryl asked "can I go see my daddy….since he can't come see me?"
Tony shot around to face him this was a new question "uh," he said and sighed in relief when the front door opened.
"Uncle Danny!" Daryl squealed when Dan appeared in the kitchen.
"Hey monkey," he said and lifted him off the counter "being good for granddad?" he asked swinging him around.
Daryl giggled "we talks about my daddy," he said when Dan sat him back down.
Dan looked over at Tony "he wants to know why he can't come see him," Tony said.
Dan nodded and turned back to him "you know why buddy, he's off making you lots of money so you can buy cool things he'll be home when he can…how about we take that ice-cream and finish watching monsters INC," he said and picked him up again smiling quickly at Tony as he walked into the living room.
When Brax arrived Charlie was pacing the beach waiting "hey," he said when he got closer.
Charlie stopped and looked up at him "hey," she replied and sat on the sand "I finished early couldn't concentrate," she said she'd been talking to her dad now she knew she couldn't wait to tell him about Daryl it had to be now.
"Yeah I couldn't tell you what Angelo had me sign," he chuckled and sat beside her.
"So it's yours now?" she asked.
"Next week it will be legally-when the paper go through," he replied. "Charlie," he said turning to face her "I'm sorry I didn't try harder to find you, I even went back up coast to see was there anyone there that remembered you- that you'd made friends with, I called every Charlie in the phone book, I went through every Charlie on Facebook and twitter."
Charlie nodded "I sent out a bench warrant for you," she giggled.
Brax laughed "you did not?"
"I did," she giggled "some poor bloke from Reefton lakes got tackled and dragged down to my station."
Brax chuckled happy to know she went as far as he did "so what now…where do we go from here?"
Charlie sighed heavily "I don't know Brax a lot of things have changed since we last saw one another everything is different now-I'm different now."
Brax nodded "how about we start off as friends?" he asked.
Charlie stood she shook her head she couldn't do it to him it wasn't fair "there's something I need to tell you before we make any sort of agreement."
Brax sighed this is where she told him she wasn't interested anymore "what is it?" he asked standing up.
Charlie started to pace she didn't know what to say she wished she had Jack or someone here to start her off. She turned back to him "a few weeks after we got home I started to feel sick," Brax nodded "so I did a test," she said slowly and looked at him.
Brax's eyebrows shot up "w-what did it say?" he asked nervously.
Charlie sighed and looked at the ground "I was pregnant…you have a son Brax," she said looking back up at him "I'm sorry," she whispered when he stared back at her in horror.
Brax stared at her he felt like the life had been kicked out of him, he couldn't believe what she had just said-that this was happening "I'm a daddy?" he asked after a few minutes.
Charlie nodded and bit her lip "yeah," she said and sunk into the sand she felt so bad at the emotions running across his face-knowing she caused it all.
Brax dropped down beside her "I'm a daddy…I have a son," he said and looked over at her "have you got a picture of him?"
Charlie nodded and reached into her pocket pulling out her purse she took out a photo of him and Ruby on his third birthday both covered in cake "that's my favourite picture," she said not knowing what else to say.
Brax smiled as he looked down at the image of a mini him there was no way he could deny him, he ran his finger over the face as his eyes welled with tears "he looks so like me," he sniffed.
Charlie wiped her own face as tears dropped she wanted this moment for as long as she could remember "I know he does that's why I called him Daryl," she sniffed.
Brax looked over at her "you called him after me?"
Charlie nodded "I did…that way he had a part of you too," she said and wiped her face again.
Brax looked down at the photo and smiled "he's beautiful Charlie…he's got your eyes and your nose," he chuckled.
Charlie giggled "he has your smile- you're laugh…even that face you pull when you're confused."
"How old is he-when's his birthday?" Brax asked feeling his heart swell with pride.
"Twenty-second of May," she replied "he'll be five this year."
Brax turned to her and slipped his hand into hers "I'm sorry you had to do it all alone, if I had have known about him I'd have been here the second you told me."
"No ones to blame," she said and squeezed his hand "we just didn't organise properly, I should have given you Bianca or Hayley's number too just in case."
Brax looked down at the photo "can I meet him?" he asked.
"Now?" Charlie asked wide eyed.
Brax nodded "yeah now."
Charlie bit her lip this way too soon she expected him to storm off or yell or take some time-certainly not this "don't you wanna let it sink in for a few days get used to the idea?"
Brax shook his head and stood up again "I wanna meet my son I've already missed enough I don't wanna miss anymore."
Charlie sighed "he's just a baby Brax you need to be really sure about this you can't meet him and freak out then never come back again, he's always asked about you and I've had stories to keep him going, it'd break his heart if you never came back again."
Brax pulled her into a hug "I am not going anywhere Charlie…not ever," he said and pulled back "you have just given me the most amazing thing in the world I am not gonna walk away from that."
"So you're not mad?" she asked looking up at him.
Brax nodded "I'm mad at myself for not being here, mad that you had to do everything yourself-buy everything yourself."
Charlie stepped closer to him "like I said it's no one's fault if there was a way for me to let you know I would have…I tried everything," she mumbled.
Brax nodded and stepped closer to her "I've a lot of making up to do," he said and slipped his hand onto her waist, lowering his head he kissed her-relieved when she kissed him back he just couldn't help himself- but now wasn't the time for them, "I never stopped thinking about you Charlie-not for one second but," he said and stepped back "this changes everything we can't worry about us right now."
Charlie nodded "you're right Daryl comes first, whatever is going on between us doesn't matter."
"I'm here for you I won't forget that," Brax said.
Charlie smiled quickly she had a nagging feeling not to let him see Daryl today "so what are your plans for the rest of the day?" she asked.
"Nothing," Brax replied "after I saw you we were heading back up to the city."
Charlie nodded she tilted her head to the side "don't take this the wrong way," she said and stepped closer to him "go home take some time, let it sink in, tell your family about him…you can take the picture," she added.
Brax sighed she was right he needed to let his brothers know they were uncles-his mum a nan but he wanted to see him now "alright but I'll be calling you later and I will be back first thing tomorrow."
Charlie nodded "and you can see him then-spend the day at mine with him."
Brax nodded he leaned in and kissed her on the cheek "I'll see you later," he said and walked off.
"Hey Brax!" Charlie called after him "…I'm sorry about the way things worked out."
Brax smiled "I'm back now," he winked at her "later beautiful," he said and walked off.
Charlie looked after him and shook her head she was amazed at how well he'd taken it and he wanted to meet him right away, she sighed in relief it was like a massive massive weight had been taken off her chest, walking slowly she pulled out her phone she needed to talk to the girls.
Brax arrived back to the motel to see Heath and Casey sat outside the room "I take it by that smile things went well?" Heath asked holding out a beer.
Brax took it from him and dropped into a seat beside him "we talked," he nodded "she told me something big though."
Casey's face dropped "she's married?" he asked winching-turning to a frown when Brax smiled wider.
"Nope," Brax said "I have a son-you clowns are uncles," he said happily.
Both Heath and Casey choked on their drinks "what!" Heath yelled horrified.
Brax chuckled "she has a four year old boy- he's mine."
"Wow," was all Casey could say-beer still dripping from his chin.
"So what now?" Heath asked "did you see him or what- does he know about you?"
Brax shook his head "we decided it be best I let it sink in and let you lot know before we moved down," Brax said and stood up "and yes he knows all about me and you three," he said and walked by them into the room "we better head home now before my phone explodes with the amount of calls and messages I'm getting from Kyle."
Casey scrambled off his seat and followed him "what did she say?" he asked "I mean did she look for you too?"
Brax smiled as he thought back to their conversation "yeah she did-sent out a bench warrant for me and all," he chuckled "but me and Charlie are on hold now, I'm focusing on getting to know my son and making up the last four years."
Casey nodded that's all he thought to do, he frowned as he remembered cops knocking on their door maybe three years ago looking for Brax and Heath saying he never heard of him- wow they could have met again sooner...he wouldn't be telling Brax that though he valued his life. He shook his head and closed the door behind him and followed his brothers to the car.
…..
Charlie sat on her sofa with her feet pulled up under her she smiled as she thought about how well he took it she felt butterflies as she thought about Daryl seeing his dad. She looked towards the door as it opened and he skipped in with Ruby "hey guys!" she called.
"Mummyyy!" Daryl yelled happily and ran at her.
"Hey buddy," she laughed and picked him up "were you a good boy for granddad?"
"Yep," he nodded "Danny watches monsters INC with me and helped me eat my ice-cream."
Charlie chuckled "helped you eat it did he?" she asked and pulled him closer to her, closing her eyes she sighed happily tomorrow couldn't come quick enough.
Ruby watched her from the doorway and frowned she was acting weird "uh mum, everything okay?" she asked walking to her.
Charlie opened her eyes and looked up at her "yeah everything's great," she smiled and looked down at Daryl "it's bedtime buddy," she said and stood up "I need to speak with you when he's settled."
Ruby nodded trying to think if she did something wrong "uh okay I'll be here," she said and sat down on the sofa "night buddy I love ya!" she called.
"Night Rwuby loves you too!" he called back "mummy can I watch Cars?" he asked.
Charlie giggled he watched that film at least ten times a day "when I get you into your pjs you can," she said and walked into his room.
Fifteen minutes later Charlie came back down to the living room and sat beside Ruby. Ruby had been watching tv, she sat up and turned it off "what's up mum?" she asked turning her body to face her.
Charlie began to get nervous after Ruby she had to tell her dad and brothers then the girls "um I need to talk to you about something important."
"Okay," Ruby nodded "uh talk," she giggled when Charlie didn't say anything
Charlie chuckled "sorry I just don't know how to start this so I'm just gonna come out with it…I met up with Daryl's dad today," she said quickly. She looked over at Ruby who stared back wide eyed.
Ruby nodded slowly "after all this time you just met up with him?" she asked confused she knew all her mother had been through from the start.
Charlie sighed "I didn't just meet up with him, I ran into him in Angelo's last night we swapped numbers and then I met with him today. He turned up here yesterday to have a look at Angelo's-he wants to buy it…has bought it, he's moving here within the next week."
"So you want him to know about Daryl?" Ruby asked slowly.
Charlie nodded "I do sweetie you all know I want nothing more, I just want to know how you felt about it…do you think I'm doing the right thing?" she asked nervously.
Ruby at back and thought about it, after a few minutes she sat forward "I'm not letting him near my brother until I am sure he is sticking around and is gonna be a dad."
Charlie nodded "I wouldn't be telling him if I thought he wasn't going to stick around," she said and scooted closer to her "I've already told him about Daryl he wanted to come see him then- but I said no he needed some time, so he's gone back to the city…he'll be back tomorrow," she added when Ruby raised an eyebrow.
Ruby stood up "I'll believe that when I see it," she said and walked to the stairs she wasn't going to get herself all excited for Daryl if this was gonna fall through "I know you're trying to do the right thing here mum but who's to say this is the right thing?
"What do you mean?" Charlie frowned.
"I mean what if he doesn't come back-are you gonna spend another five years looking for him-lying to Daryl day after day?"
Charlie sighed and stood up "look Rubes," she said and walked over to her "I know it's always been just us three but having Brax around is not gonna change that."
"That's not what I'm worried about," Ruby replied "I'm worried about my four year old brother that is dying to meet his dad, what if Brax's meets him once and then he doesn't want to know…how are you gonna fix that?"
Charlie shook her head "he won't it's different this time, he's sticking around he was happy about it he can't wait to meet him."
"Like I said, I'll believe it when I see it-I hope you know what you're doing here mum…night!" she called and took the rest of the stairs.
Charlie watched her go and sighed heavily walking to the sofa she dropped into it praying things would go right for once.
Brax and his brothers had made it home he'd left them all in the living room after telling Kyle about Daryl. He now lay on his bed looking at the photo of Daryl and Ruby, although he looked like him there was a lot of Ruby in him too-which meant a bit of Charlie too. Smiling he ran his hand over the picture again he couldn't wait to get back down there, looking down at his phone he picked it up. Typing in her number that he had memorised he sat back as it rang "hey," he said when she answered.
"Hey," she replied "you made it back okay then?"
"Yeah," he replied "home and all now…how's Daryl?" he asked.
"Good he's in bed now he has school in the morning."
Brax's eyes went wide "he's in school already?"
"Yeah…started yesterday actually," Charlie replied.
Brax sighed another thing he's missing out on "what time does he finish?"
"One," Charlie replied "what time do you think you'll get here at tomorrow?" she asked to fill the silence.
"Well I was gonna come down about nine or so but I can hang on until he's home," Brax replied.
"Okay," Charlie said slowly she could hear the disappointment in his voice "or you could just come down then and hang out here with me and we can collect him together," she suggested.
Brax smiled widely "yeah I'd like that…I want to get him something what does he like?"
"Brax you don't need to get him anything he just wants to meet you."
Brax chuckled "he's my son I've missed out on a lot with him you can't stop me."
Charlie giggled "alright then… he likes cars, toy story, Thomas the tank engine, bob the builder, fireman Sam-all stuff like that."
"Okay toy story and Sam I know… who are the others?" he chuckled.
Charlie giggled "get with the times daddy it's all he talks about, I think me and you are gonna have to watch Cars when you get here he loves that film you'll have to know things about it."
Brax chuckled "fine I'll watch it…how are you?" he asked.
"Yeah I'm okay just a lot on my mind…I told Ruby about it."
"And how'd she take it?"
"I don't really know she kept saying stuff she has me confused."
"Like what?" Brax asked.
"Like if you didn't come back would I spend another five years looking for you and she hoped I knew what I was doing…she's just worried for Daryl he talks about you all the time, he'll be really excited to know you're coming."
Brax sighed "Charlie I promise you now I will be back in the morning and every day after that, I'm not going anywhere-ever I found you and I'm not losing you again."
Charlie bit her lip "I know and I believe you… I think it's getting to her that she never got to meet her dad."
"That is totally different," Brax said quickly "she doesn't need him in her life-she's better off without him."
"I know she is but she still doesn't know why she never saw him, I told her he moved away before he knew about her," Charlie said.
"So stick to that she doesn't need to know."
Charlie sighed again "yeah you're right…how'd your family take it?" she asked.
"They were a bit shocked…apart from Kyle he was jumping around like a lunatic-wanted to come down with me tomorrow," he chuckled.
Charlie giggled "that's good… they all want to see him?" she asked cautiously.
Brax nodded although she couldn't see him "yeah, Casey and Kyle have already arranged to go out early in the morning and get him something and Heath…well you know Heath acts like nothing gets to him."
Charlie chuckled "yeah I remember his lame wave to Bianca when we were going home up coast...has he said anything about her?"
Brax chuckled "not really I think he's afraid to, he said it was a bit of fun but he still has photos in his room of her.
Charlie giggled "so he might like her as much as we like each other?"
Brax groaned "Charlie this is gonna be so hard how am I supposed to not be with you?"
Charlie bit her lip she wanted him too "we'll just have to deal with it….Daryl will keep you busy he has a list of things he wants do to with you."
Brax chuckled "I'm looking forward to that," his smiled widened when he heard Daryl call her "is that him?" he asked.
"Yeah," Charlie smiled "hold on a sec…yes baby!" she called back.
"Cars is over can I watch it again!" he yelled.
Charlie giggled "told you he likes cars….no sweetie you have to go asleep now."
"Charlie go sort him out," Brax said "I'll call you in the morning before I leave."
"Who are you on the phone to?" Daryl asked before she could reply.
Charlie bit her lip she couldn't say her family or friends he always took the phone to say hello "uh do you want to talk to him?" she asked slowly.
Brax swallowed the lump in his throat "it's up to you," he said shakily.
Charlie looked over at Daryl and thought for a moment "it's daddy do you want to say he…"
"Daddy!" Daryl yelled happily and ran for the phone "daddy?" he said grabbing the phone off her.
"Hey buddy," Brax smiled as his eyes filled with tears.
"It's my daddy mummy! My daddy!" he said excitedly "daddy when are you coming home?" he asked.
Brax bit his lip he didn't know what Charlie had told him "soon buddy real soon…you being a good boy for mummy?" he asked.
"Yes I always a good boy, are you finished on your surf trip?" he asked.
Brax chuckled "yeah buddy all done now."
"Good so you'll be here you won't go away again?" Daryl asked.
Brax felt his chest tighten he had missed so much "no buddy I'll be home for good I'm not going away again."
"Yay!" he squealed "mummy did you hear that?"
"I did baby now say goodnight to daddy you have to go to bed," Charlie said.
"Night daddy I can't wait for you to come home I loves you!" he yelled.
Brax let a tear roll down this cheek "I love you too buddy…get to bed for mummy," he said wiping his face.
"Bye!" Daryl said and handed the phone back to Charlie.
"Go on up to your room I'll be up in a sec," Charlie said and waited for him to go up the stairs "Brax?" she said.
"Yeah I'm still here," he sniffed.
Charlie bit her lip again he sounded so upset "so how did you find that?"
"The best feeling in the world…I've missed out on so much Charlie," he said his voice cracking.
Charlie looked up and blinked a few times as her eyes filled with tear "I didn't want it to be this way Brax," she whimpered "I wanted you here from the time I found out," she sniffed and caught a tear as it fell "I'm so sorry."
"Hey," Brax said softly he didn't want to upset her "don't cry...I'm sorry okay I should have tried harder to find you, I should have been there."
"Don't blame yourself Brax we're both in this."
Brax sighed he hated this "I'll let you go…I'll call you in the morning and Charlie-I will be down on the morning," he said seriously.
Charlie smiled into the phone "I know you will and I'll be here waiting."
"You know maybe me and you being alone for hours is not such a good idea," he chuckled.
Charlie giggled "why can't resist me?" she teased.
Brax smiled now she was in a better mood "oh I think you know I can't."
Charlie giggled and blushed "I'm sure we can control ourselves for a few hours, if it makes you feel better I can get my dad to sit in between us."
"Uh no, that won't be necessary," he chuckled.
Charlie giggled again "good because I don't want anyone here but you," she smiled.
"What about Ruby where will she be?" he asked.
"She'll be in school," Charlie replied.
"Right," Brax said slowly "go on I'll let you go, I'll talk to you in the morning."
"Okay, I'll be up from half seven so call whenever…night Brax-bye," Charlie replied.
"I will, night Charlie," he said and hung up. Sighing happily he placed the phone down and lay back he was even more excited about tomorrow now he's spoken to him.
…..
Charlie walked up to Daryl's room and opened the door "Daryl get into bed," she said when she found him jumping on his bed.
"I too excited mummy, my daddy is coming home soon!" he yelled and continued to bounce around.
Charlie walked over and picked him up "I know baby," she said and sat down placing him on her lap "but we don't know when yet so please don't be getting yourself all excited, you still have to go to school tomorrow and you need a good night's sleep for that."
Daryl sulked "fine," he muttered and climbed off her and into the bed.
Charlie stood up and fixed the covers over him "night sweetie I love ya," she said and kissed him.
"Night mummy I loves you too," he said and snuggled into the covers "hey mummy," he called before Charlie made it to the door "will daddy be sleeping with you when he gets home?"
Charlie's eyes went wide where does he get these questions "the more you talk the less time you have to sleep baby," she said and walked out of the room-no way was she answering that.
Walking to her own room she looked back as Ruby's door opened "night sweetie," she smiled and went into her own room.
"Hey mum," Ruby said walking into the room behind her "I'm sorry about the way I reacted," she said and sat on the bed. "I should have known you'd think about it before you said anything…I'm real happy for Daryl-and you," she said placing her hand over hers "so are you and Brax gonna make a go of things?"
Charlie sighed "I don't know Rubes right now we're just focusing on Daryl…we'll see what happens down the road I'm just happy to have him here at all."
Ruby stood up again "you deserve to be happy mum…night," she said and walked back out of the room.
Charlie lay back on her bed and looked up at the ceiling smiling at what was to come she closed her eyes and let out a happy sigh for once she didn't go to bed wondering where he was or what he was doing-this time she knew.