I had planned to update last week. This took longer to write than usual although it was easy to write. Enjoy.
Charlie held her friends hand."Oh Bianca. That is bad. Whatdoes Sid have planned for you?"
"He wants to put me on some drugs but I am frightened that it will harm the baby."
"If they are drugs that help with your blood pressure they wouldn't give them to you if they were bad for the baby. How is Heath with it all?"
"He is not very happy. I think he feels I am shutting him out. Irene says I should let him in and support me. I don't know what to do." Bianca paused to have a drink of water. "He put the cot up for me the other day and we hadn't asked him. I think he overheard April asking John if he would do it."
"It could be he will be there for you if you let him. The one thing the Braxton brothers are hot on is family loyalty. See how it goes. You are going to have to work together when the baby arrives." Charlie looked at her watch. "I promised Sid that I would not stay too long. I will come back tomorrow. I am not working tomorrow so unless I am helping Brax all day I will be back." Charlie hugged Bianca goodbye and left.
Charlie drove back to the bay and to the surf club. She went in and upstairs into Angelo's. Brax was busy behind the bar. He had not told her why he was working so many long shifts only that Liam was busy doing something. She walked up to the bar and sat down in her usual seat. She waited until Brax had poured the round of drinks that had just been ordered before she spoke.
"Can I have an Orange Juice please?" She watched as Brax turned round and grinned at her.
"Is there a reason you asking for a juice?"
"Don't get any funny ideas Braxton. I am driving remember." Charlie grinned at her boyfriend. She watched as Brax poured her the drink and placed it down in front of her.
"Bianca's not too good. I said to her to maybe let Heath support her a bit. Did you know he put the cot up for her last week?"
"No I didn't. Do you want something to eat?"
"Yes please. Can I have my usual? Where is Liam?"
"Liam is doing a job for me. I will go and give the chief your order and we will go and sit down at a table. It is about time I had break." Brax turned and went into the kitchen to place their order. Charlie walked across Angelo's and found a seat near the bar. Brax came out of the kitchen and joined Charlie at the table. He put a bottle of beer on the table and sat down next to Charlie.
"How is Bianca?"
"She is on bed rest for high blood pressure. They are worried in case it turns into pre-eclampsia. They might have to deliver the baby early." Charlie took a drink of her juice. "She was talking about Heath and letting him into her life. I didn't want to get that involved but I suggested that she tries letting him a little bit to begin with."
"Thank you Charlie." Brax leant over and kissed her. Brax broke away as Heath walked into the restaurant. He walked over to the bar and got a beer and joined his brother and Charlie. He took a swig of his beer.
"What do you think about Bianca?" Heath asked Charlie.
"I think she is in the best place for now. We just have to keep our fingers crossed the bed rest and medication works. I shall go and see her tomorrow in the afternoon as I am only working in the morning." When the food arrived Heath left the couple to eat in peace.
Casey was walking along the beach carrying his school bag. He heard a voice behind him calling his name. It was his first day back after four days suspension. He had his first mediation session this morning followed by his first counselling session in the afternoon.
"Casey." It was Sasha. She caught up with him. "Are you looking forward to seeing Natalie?"
Casey pulled a face at her. "She helped me with how I felt after Stu and what happened. You will like her." They continued their walk to school. Casey was not looking forward to either the mediation or the seeing the school counsellor.
Casey's mediation session went as well as he expected. Mr Townsend was his normal self. He was aggressive and confrontational. Casey did his best to apologise but Townsend didn't appear to be interested. The only thing he would agree to was more mediation. His attitude was he couldn't care less. Gina was disgusted at his attitude even though she couldn't let him see it. She knew Casey was a good kid and had put a lot of hard work into retaking his final year at school. At lunchtime Casey spent his break with Sasha. She asked him how the mediation went and how much she liked the new school counsellor.
After the lunch break Casey sat outside an office at school. He was waiting for the first counselling session. While he was waiting he was reading one of the books from one of the lessons he was due to miss today. He did not want to do this. The one thing he knew was that his family had never been hot on talking to each other. Not about feelings anyway.
Suddenly he heard his name being called. "Casey Braxton." Casey looked up to see a scrawny woman in front of him. She had mousey blond hair. Casey looked at her. A before last year Casey would have said that she would be an ideal woman for Brax to hook up with but not anymore. Casey got up and followed her into her office. The office was a mess. Her things were in piles on the floor and her desk.
"I'm sorry. I have only just started in the last few days and I am just starting to get myself straight in here." She smiled at Casey as she indicated he should sit down.
"Now Casey would you like to tell me about yourself and your family."
Casey stared at her for a moment. He thought to himself how do I explain about my family?
Before he could speak Natalie asked the first question. "Do you have any brothers?"
"I have two brothers. I live with them in Summer Bay. My mum lives in Mangrove River."
"What about your dad?"
Casey stared at her. He did not know what to say. His dad was in prison for armed robbery and he had not seen him since he was about seven. He took a deep breath and spoke. "My dad is in prison. My older brother Brax is more like my dad. He raised me."
Natalie listened to Casey. His older brother sounded interesting perhaps someone she should get to know. Perhaps he might be someone she could hook up with before she moved onto her next job. Someone she could have a bit of fun with and have no ties to.
"From your record I see you spent some time in juvvie. How do you feel about that?"
Casey nodded at her. He did not want to think about it too much. He had hated it and it had made him determined to do well at school this year.
"I hated it. I don't want to talk about it."
"It might help you to talk about it. It might explain why you lashed out at Mr Townsend."
"I know why I did it. He was rude about my brother and Charlie. It wasn't nice what he said about them."
Natalie listened to what Casey was saying. She wondered who Charlie was. "Would you like to tell me what he said?"
"No." Casey answered. He spoke in a tone of voice that sounded to her that he was not going to tell.
"What do you like to do in your spare time?"
"I surf and I work at my brother's restaurant as a delivery boy."
"I couldn't surf to save my life. I prefer to run." Natalie paused. "I think that is all for today." She consulted her diary on the desk. "I have made you another appointment for two days' time. I have made it for longer so we can talk properly. Goodbye Casey. See you next time."
Casey picked up his bags and got out of her office as fast as he can. As he walked down the corridor towards his next lesson he thought about Natalie. His first thought was that she seemed interested in Brax. She would be in for a shock. Casey had never seen Brax behave with a woman like he did with Charlie. That is why he could not say what Mr Townsend had said about Charlie. He knew Brax would kill him.
Charlie had called into Angelo's after being at the hospital to see Bianca. She had to have more tests because of her high blood pressure. While she was there Heath had reacted angrily to the lack of news and he had stormed off. She thought he might be drowning his sorrows at the restaurant. He wasn't there but Brax was.
Charlie walked up the table where Brax was sat doing paperwork. Brax looked up just as she approached.
"Hey Charlie. How is Bianca?"
Charlie sat down before she replied. "She is not doing too well. She had more tests to do with her high blood pressure but Heath was not too pleased at the lack of information. He walked out. I thought he would be here."
"I haven't seen him since this morning. What is going to happen to Bianca?"
"She might have to have a C-section and have the baby delivered early."
"Is it that bad?"
"No it will save her and the baby's life. It means that Bianca will have to rest a lot more after the op. She won't be able to do so much after the baby is born."
Brax grinned at her. "Heath will have to step up then won't he?"
"I am going back to the hospital to support April and Irene. I am off to get some food for them from the diner. I will be back later."
"Charlie when all this is settled maybe we could go away somewhere." Brax smiled at Charlie. "We'll take two surfboards with us. Maybe you can have your surf lesson."
"We'll see," Was all Charlie said. She leant over and kissed Brax before she got up and left. Brax decided to go home and check on his brother as well as change for tonight. He'd been busy unloading a delivery to day and felt he wanted to freshen up.
When he got back to the house he found Heath sat on the settee looking distinctly sorry for himself and drinking. Brax threw his car keys on the table.
"I thought you would be at the hospital supporting Bianca?"
"Nup. They don't want me there. I'm only in the way."
"How do you know Heath?" Brax stared at his brother. "Jeez, you are just like dad. Hit the bottle at the first sign of trouble."
Heath stood up quickly. "Fine, I will go down the hospital now."
"You can't go down there drunk." Brax stared at his younger brother and shook his head. He turned on his heel and left him standing in the middle of the living area.
Charlie got home later on. She had gone back to the hospital before going to eat at Angelo's. She walked in to find Heath slumped on the settee. In front of him were several bottles of beer and one of bourbon. She went into the kitchen and made two drinks a hot chocolate for her and a coffee for Heath.
She put the coffee mug down on the table in front of Heath.
"What is that for Buckton?" He asked.
"It might help with all the grog you have drunk tonight." Charlie paused as she sat down in the chair. "Bianca was asleep when I left. I think she was wondering where you were."
Heath grunted at first then he spoke. "Brax tell you to get in my ear did he?"
"No he didn't. We had other things to talk about." Charlie sat quietly knowing that Heath might just talk.
"Did you know Bianca asked me today that if it is a choice between saving her or the baby I have to save the baby."
"No I did not." Looking at Heath in front of her she now realised why he had left the hospital today. He was scared. Heath was scared of having to make the decision to save a baby over Bianca.
"Heath how do you think Ruby would have felt if she had to turn off the life support last year after I had been shot? She would have felt the same way you do know." Charlie paused to look at Heath again. "If it was me there in that hospital I would tell Brax the exact same thing to save the baby."
Heaths head whipped round at Charlie's comment. "Are you pregnant Buckton?"
Charlie smiled at Heath. "No I am not Heath. But you never know sometime in the future who knows.
I hope you enjoyed that. I did not think Casey would tell Natalie straight away. Natalie is intrigued by Brax but she will not break them up.
