FrankElza: Thank you for the review and for checking this chapter over. I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter. I think she will be torn as well, she can't rely on him forever. You'll see if Ricky takes him up on his offer in this chapter.
Abuse.
Chapter 25.
It's a weekend and Brax is on his shift, he's in the kitchen, washing the pots and pans, while another worker is serving the meals. He's left Heath in charge of Casey and wonders what mischief the two would be getting up too. Knowing Heath he'll probably be in his bedroom, while Casey is playing in the living room.
The worker, Jordan, is struggling, with the meals, so Brax takes them off him, helping him carry the orders through to the hungry diners, The orders are for table 4. His eyes widen slightly as he sees who's sitting behind it, Ricky.
"Hey. " Ricky smiles, as he places her meal down.
"Hey, are you on your own?" He asks.
"No, Phoebe's in the bathroom, why?" She replies.
"I just wanted to ask you something. "
"You can. "
"Brax. " Jordan calls him over.
"I have to go. Meet me at mine after my shift. "
"Sure, when do you finish?"
"Half an hour. "
"OK. " Ricky answers, just as Phoebe sits down and the two enjoy their meals.
"So, she's your girlfriend then?" Jordan asks Brax.
"Who?"
"Dude, I saw you talking to her. "
"She's a mate. "
"She's hot. "
Brax slams him against the wall. "Don't talk about her like that. "
"Whoa man I was joking. " Jordan laughs about Brax's insecurities over Ricky.
"Yeah, well, I meant it. " Brax says.
Phoebe and Ricky have finished their meals, Brax goes out to collect them. "Enjoy ladies?"
"It was good. " Phoebe answers, paying up, and leaving Brax a tip. The two girls leave the restaurant, just as Brax's shift ends. He heads home first to check on his brothers. As he puts the key in to the door, he hears screaming, and pulls the keys out of the lock and rushes in to the living room, only to find Casey and Heath playing fighting on the floor.
"You scared me, then, Heath. "
"Sorry mate. "
"Don't matter, " He rubs his head, he's tired, but he's got one thing to sort out first. "I'll be back in a bit, " He says as he starts walking in to his room, pulls o a clean shirt, and shorts. He picks up his wallet, phone, shoving them both in to his back pocket and putting his keys in to his shirt pocket.
He's arranged to meet Ricky at the juice bar. She's sat at one of the stools, waiting for him.
"I wanted to ask you something. "
"What?" She asks.
"Come on, " He tells her.
Curiously, she follows him.
He again shows her the empty flat.
"Brax, what are we doing here?" She says.
"Ricky, I want you to move in, "
"What?" She asks, unsure if she's heard him right.
"I want you to move in, to have somewhere to call home. "
"I can't. "
"You can't stay at Phoebe's forever either. " Brax points out.
"I know. " She tells him.
"Why not move in?"
"You'll want something from me, Andrew did. "
"I don't want anything from you, Rcky "
She sighs. "Can I think about it?"
"Yep, " Brax tells her. "All I want is for you to feel safe. "
"And " He adds, pointing to her bump.
Ricky rubs her bump, she only has a few months until she gives birth and it would be nice to have a place to call her own, and she couldn't afford anything on her own.
Brax suddenly takes her hands. "I love you, but I don't want to pressure you. "
"I know, " She replies. She leaves the house, heading to Phoebe's where she finds the younger girl, practicing on her guitar. "Hey Pheebs, " She says, sitting down.
Phoebe stops strumming. "Everything alright?"
"Brax has asked me to move in"
"Are you going too?"
"I don't know. " Ricky wraps a strand of hair around her finger thoughtfully. She feels conflicted: One half of her is telling her it'll be nice to have somewhere to call her own, but the other half of her is telling her that eventually Brax will want something from her. She opens to her laptop and searched flats, similar to what Brax has shown her, she eventually finds something: she looks more closer. It's a 2 bedroomed apartment and it's just within her price range, she remembers the money her mum had just thrown at her, with that, she should have enough. Does she book a viewing or take Brax up on his offer? Or is she strong enough to take the first step of independence for her and her unborn baby?
She just doesn't know. She grabs her phone, sending out a text.
"Brax, seen this flat, I like, will you come with me?"
"I will. " He replies.
Ricky heads to bed then, her mind full of potential possibilities, not just for her future, but her unborn baby's as well. She rests a hand on her bump.
Thanks for reading.
Next chapter: Ricky and Brax head to the flat viewing.