Chapter Fourteen

"Bennet? Kyle Bennet?" A male voice caused Kyle to turn around. It took him a moment to recognise the blonde man.

"Jacob Frasier? Mate, what are you doing here?" Kyle questioned his old friend from high school.

Pulling his old friend into a 'man' hug the blonde explained. "I've been doing security for the airport for the past few years. Are you back in the city? Last I heard you were with your old man."

Kyle nodded. "Yeah, I did. We've just come back for a visit, heading back home today actually."

"Jacob?" Phoebe appeared with her mother beside her. Casey was awake in the older woman's arms while Phoebe carried an empty baby carrier.

"Phoebe?" Jacob couldn't hide the surprise in his voice, he hadn't seen her in almost 4 years, having only kept in contact for a year after Kyle left. "Did you guys get back together? Oh woah, you've got a kid?" He noticed the baby.

"No." Phoebe shook her head. "We're not. And we don't." She pointed to Casey. Fran was trying to hold in a small chuckle, Jacob hadn't been the only one to assume the child was Kyle and Phoebe's during their stay.

"Yeah, no." Kyle agreed. "It's uh, complicated."

"Right-O. Where are you living now dude?" Jacob accepted Kyle's answer.

"Summer Bay?" Kyle wondered if anyone in Melbourne had ever heard of the small town. "It's a few hours away from Sydney."

Phoebe didn't want to interrupt the two catching up but it was nearing time for them to board the plane. "I don't want to interrupt but Kyle, if we want to catch our flight we've got to go now."

"Right, I'll leave you guys to it. Well next time you're in town we've got to grab a beer." Kyle nodded.

"Sounds good. And if you're ever around Sydney. Give us a call."

Jacob nodded and bid the group goodbye. "It was lovely to see you both and to meet this little one," Fran grinned at Casey.

"It was great to see you too Ms Nicholson. Look after yourself, yeah?" Kyle smiled gratefully at the woman as he took Casey in his arms. Really not looking forward to the flight because it didn't seem like Casey had any intentions of falling asleep prior to take-off.

"Yes, Mum. You can't go ending up in hospital again, alright?" Phoebe pulled her mother into a hug.

Fran sighed, "Not even to get another visit from you?"

Phoebe pulled away, an unamused look on her face. "Not funny mum."

"Oh stop it, you. I'll be fine." Fran lightly smacked her daughter's arm. "And you Kyle, don't let her worry about me at all."

Kyle grinned. "I'm not sure that'll be easy."

"This is the final boarding call for Virgin Australia flight VA8735 Melbourne to Sydney. Please proceed to gate 3. This is the final boarding call for Virgin Australia flight VA8735 Melbourne to Sydney. Please proceed to gate 3." The announcement came over the speaker.

"That's us." Kyle quickly picked up his bag. Placing it on top of the suitcase in order to be able to wheel them both while holding Casey.

"Alright. Bye mum. I'll talk to you soon." Phoebe kissed her mother's cheek. "Bye mum."

"Have a safe flight." Fran called after them as they headed towards their gate. Waiting until they made their way out onto the tarmac before leaving the airport. It had been lovely to see how happy Kyle made Phoebe, even if they were just friends.

Mid-way through their flight Kyle told Phoebe, "When we land, I'm taking Casey to see Brax straight away."

"As soon as we get back? Won't you be too tired?"

Kyle shrugged. "Brax wants to see his son, and we'd have to wait until next week otherwise."

"Kyle, Brax shouldn't be dictating what you do every day. I get that he wants to see Casey, but he can't just expect you to drop everything to go see him whenever he wants." Phoebe didn't want to upset Kyle but he didn't seem to understand her point.

"He's Casey's dad. He deserves to see his child as much as possible." Kyle was holding Casey, who, after spending the entire take-off crying, was finally asleep.

Phoebe nodded. "I get that, Kyle I do. But can you really spend the next eighteen years taking Casey to the prison every week."

Kyle shot her a look, clearly unimpressed with her comment. "What other choice do I have? Casey deserves to know his dad."

"I'm not saying he doesn't. But Kyle, Brax doesn't get to call the shots. You do. And you need to make the decisions based on what's best for Casey and for you, not Brax."

Kyle shook his head. "Brax is what's best for him. Phoebe I'm just trying to give him that." Deciding she didn't want the rest of their plane ride to be tense, Phoebe decided to drop the topic. "Alright."

"Do you want to come with us? Or wait? Or do you want to head back earlier?" Kyle asked her.

Phoebe shrugged. "I might just hang around?"

"Alright." Kyle nodded and shut his eyes, clearly not interested in speaking to her.

"I'll see you back here in an hour?" Kyle asked. Phoebe nodded, after picking the car up as soon as they landed they'd decided that Phoebe was going to stay in town while Kyle took Casey to the jail. Waving her goodbye, Kyle made his way toward the jail, through security and into the indoor visitors area.

"Brax." Kyle greeted his brother with a handshake. "How've you been?"

Brax shrugged. "Can't complain. How's everything with you?"

"Good. We just got back from Melbourne, not sure the little guy enjoys flying all that much."

Brax chuckled as he reached into the pram, pulling his son into his arms. "Thanks for bringing him in."

"Of course." Kyle nodded.

"Uh why'd you go down to Melbourne?" Brax couldn't remember whether or not Kyle had mentioned the reason for their trip.

"Phoebe's mum was in hospital. So I went down with her."

Brax nodded. "I didn't think you guys were together anymore?" Kyle shook his head.

"We're not. I just went for moral support."

Good. Kyle wouldn't have time to care for Casey if he got back together with Phoebe. The woman had also taken up a large amount of his brother's attention. "Right-o. Probably a good thing."

Kyle raised his eyebrows. "What's good?"

"Well you've got a lot on your plate with; Casey, the restaurant and the gym. She'd take up too much of your time." Brax spoke, his gaze focused on Casey. Unaware of the confusion falling over Kyle's face.

"Yeah. You're probably right." Kyle muttered. He had to focus on Casey, anything else was an unnecessary distraction. "Uh Andy's been taking care of the gym, it's going really well."

"Good." Brax nodded, the two spent the next hour discussing the business. When it came time for Kyle and Casey to leave, Brax reluctantly placed Casey, who'd fallen asleep, back in the pram.

"I guess we'll see you next week?" Kyle spoke, Brax nodded. "Yep. Won't be going anywhere."

Kyle chuckled lightly. After saying their goodbyes Kyle exited the prison, unaware that Brax was standing still, silently watching him leave.

It wasn't right. The whole situation was messed up. How much longer was he supposed to go, only seeing his child for an hour every week?

He hated feeling angry at his brother, but his resentment towards Kyle was growing. Why was it that Kyle got to be with Casey, when he couldn't? It wasn't fair.

"Are you going to tell me how it went?" Phoebe asked quietly, they'd been driving nearly five minutes and Kyle was yet to say anything.

"Fine." Kyle kept his eyes on the road.

"Kyle." Phoebe rolled her eyes.

Kyle sighed. "It was weird." But it was always weird, Kyle was hoping that, given time the visits would become less awkward.

"Weird, how?" Phoebe pried.

Kyle shrugged his shoulders slightly. "Well Phoebe, once a week I take his kid into a jail, stumble through a conversation for an hour and then say, 'Well Brax, time for me to take your son and get back to my life. See you next week, same time? Same place? Okay see ya. Have a nice time."

Phoebe sighed, it wasn't difficult to tell that the situation was frustrating for Kyle. Before she had the chance to respond her phone rang. Quickly answering, in the hope that the loud ringtone didn't wake the sleeping child, Phoebe spoke. "Hello?"

Her eyes widened as the woman on the other end spoke. "Really? I don't even have my website updated at the moment. Are you serious?

"No. No. I'm interested. How long is it for?" Kyle glanced at Phoebe who grinning from ear to ear as she spoke into the phone.

"No way! And they want me?"

Kyle chuckled softly at Phoebe's excitement, causing Phoebe to glance at him. "Thankyou so much. That's incredible. Could you give me a day to decide? I've just got a few things to sort out."

"That soon? Wow. Yeah of course. I will let you know by this time tomorrow. Thankyou you so much."

"What's that about?" Kyle asked as soon as she hung up.

Phoebe couldn't hide her smile. "The Jezabels want me to be their supporting act on their Australian tour."

"Woah. Again? Phoebe, that's great." It really, really was. Kyle really was happy for her.

Phoebe nodded. "Yeah, it is. They saw my older website, before Nieve and had me shortlisted. Apparently their first act, had to drop out and now they want me."

Kyle raised his eyebrows. "How soon do they want you?"

"I'd have to leave within the next few days." Phoebe spoke, excitement clearly in her voice. This was her chance.

"That soon?" Kyle asked. Was she really going to leave, after everything? "Wow. Are you going to take it?"

Phoebe thought the answer was obvious, of course she was. . But there was something in the way Kyle spoke that made her stop and think. Did he not want her to go?

"Um..."