Brisbane
"How's your hangover this morning?" Kyle asks his brothers.
"I'm fine, can't say the same for Heath or Casey." Brax smirks. "How are you three fairing?"
"I do not miss the feeling of a hangover." Kyle smiles. "We were thinking about going down to the restaurant across the street for breakfast, should we wait for Heath and Casey?" He asks.
"You go ahead, I'll meet you down there with them." Brax says.
"Great, see you in a minute." Tyler says, walking off with his triplets. "So how do you rate the trip so far?"
"It's been really good. We can all hang out without there being differences or clashes, it's nice." Kyle says.
"Yeah, I totally agree. We haven't done anything like this before without something going wrong. I feel like we're really bonding as brothers, like we've always known about each other." Lucas says. "I don't feel like we're new to the family, it's great."
"I was thinking the same. Last night, me and Casey hung out more and he was really chill with me. Do you think that this trip was more than just Brax's stag weekend?" Tyler asks.
"Like a trip for us as brothers?" Lucas asks as they walk out of the hotel, crossing the road at the pedestrian crossing.
"Yeah. Something for us to get to know each other more, and be ourselves without feeling like we're interrupting anything." Tyler says.
"Okay, I get that now. Yeah, I guess so. Here, it's no one's home, we don't need to be careful about what we do or say because it's not permanent. Back home, I don't think we would have gotten this. Something would have caused there to be tension and for people to hold back." Lucas says as they stop outside the restaurant. "But this is a family trip. In a few days, Brax is going to be getting married and starting his new life with Ricky properly and Heath and Bianca are expecting a baby in months to come. That's going to be us one day with the people we love."
"Does it not scare you?" Kyle asks. "The thought of everything changing with a decision like marriage or a baby?"
"Definitely." Tyler nods. "For me, it would mean growing up. If I was ever told I had a kid on the way, I'd freak out big time. I would never be ready for a moment like that until I had no choice. Don't get me wrong, I'd love my own family one day, but it would take the baby being born until I'd know I'm ready."
"Why wouldn't you be sure before the baby came?" Lucas asks.
"Come on Luc, you've seen me trying to look after us. What makes you think I'd ever be able to look after a kid of my own?" Tyler asks.
"You'd have someone helping you. And you'd have plenty of people around for support, plus the groups you could go to before the baby is born to help you feel ready." Lucas says.
"It's still a scary thought having a kid. For the first couple years of their lives, they would rely on you to look after them. It would be up to you to feed them, change their nappies, get them into a sleeping routine. It's a huge commitment." Kyle says.
"I think it would be worth it in the end." Lucas says.
"Yeah, it would be. Imagine all the things you could teach them, like footy or surfing. I'd love that one day." Tyler smiles.
"Oi, what happened to getting us a table?"
"Heath, can you not be so loud!" Casey complains.
"Sorry, we got distracted." Lucas grins as they all head inside.
"With what?" Brax asks.
"Just life." Tyler says as they grab a table by the windows. "How're we going to spend our last night here?"
"No more alcohol." Casey says. "How about we catch a film or something that doesn't take a lot of energy?"
"I thought you would have learnt from your last hangover." Kyle laughs.
"I drank water before I went to bed, but it hasn't helped." Casey says. "I should have stuck to being sober with you three."
"The offer was there, you chose not to accept it." Tyler smirks.
"Well we're not the only ones suffering. Apparently the girls went a bit overboard on their hens night." Heath smirks. "Irene and Bianca filled us in this morning because Ricky was still asleep after a heavy night."
"Should Bianca have even gone?" Tyler asks.
"Why shouldn't she have gone? She's the maid of honour." Kyle says.
"Yeah but what if she was knocked over or something in the club? Wouldn't it have hurt the baby?" Tyler asks.
"Nah, she was fine. Irene stayed with her, and Marilyn said she'd keep watch for me as well. You've still got a lot to learn about the community of Summer Bay." Heath smiles.
"I figured that much." Tyler says.
"Before we do anything else, can we all have a serious talk?" Brax asks, them all nodding. "I just wanted to say that you're all a huge part of this wedding, I don't want there to be any hard feelings about me choosing Heath to be my best man."
"Why would there be hard feelings?" Lucas asks. "I think Heath is the best one for it."
"Yeah, and it saves us from embarrassing ourselves during the best man's speech." Casey says. "We're chill with it, you don't need to worry about that."
"I know, I just don't want anyone feeling left out. And just because I'm going to be married in a few days, it doesn't mean anything has to change. I'm always going to be around if you need anything."
"We know, but it's time we stopped relying on you for things. We're adults now, we have to start dealing with things ourselves." Casey says. "Things are different now, we can't keep getting you to fix our lives."
"I know, but I still would if you needed help." Brax says, not wanting things to change a huge deal.
"We know that, and we will. But you're starting the next chapter of your life and you don't need us getting in the way of that." Kyle says.
"I don't want to hear that, especially from you. Just because I'm getting married, it doesn't have to change anything." Brax firmly says.
"But it's going to whether you realise it or not." Kyle says. "And I think I do have a right to say it now I'm feeling a lot better." He says, smiling at his brother's face.
"Alright baby bro, you keep believing that." Brax says, them all laughing apart from Kyle.
"Don't call me that, I'm not even the youngest!" Kyle complains.
"You're the youngest triplet, and the second youngest brother, so yeah you are the baby bro along with Casey." Heath laughs.
"Don't drag me into this, I've not done anything to you!" Casey says.
"Just think, you two could have been the page boys if I let Ricky have her way." Brax jokes.
"Even Ricky isn't that harsh, plus we're way too old for that." Kyle shakes his head.
"Your age wouldn't have stopped her. She's gotten her own way on a lot of this wedding, so don't put anything past her. I was expecting this to be a small wedding, that definitely isn't happening now." Brax says.
"Would Emily have still come if Ricky didn't let us have plus ones?" Kyle asks, lightly smirking at his brothers.
"Would you have given me a choice in letting her come to my wedding?" Brax asks.
"Nope." Kyle grins. "You're going to love having her there, you're like her new best friend." He laughs.
"Cut that out. I've let go of the issues I had with her haven't I?" Brax says.
"Yeah, but you said that the first time and was still being cold towards her. Or is this because of Ricky making you be nice because she knows I love Emily a lot?" Kyle asks.
"No, Ricky had nothing to do with it, much." Brax says.
"She so did!" Heath laughs. "Not much is different in that respect is it bro? We all knew you wouldn't be the one to wear the trousers in your marriage."
"Shut it or I'll make Casey the best man." Brax glares.
"It's fine, Heath's already finished his speech, so there's no point changing now." Casey says, grinning at Heath cause they all knew he hadn't finished it apart from Brax.
"Yeah." Heath mutters, just as Brax's phone goes off.
"Hey Rick, what's up?" Brax asks. "Woah, calm down. What's going on?"
"Brax?" Casey frowns.
"Why do we need to come back today? Has something happened?" Brax asks. "Rick? Ricky?" He frowns, glancing at his phone as she hangs up on him.
"What's happened?" Kyle asks.
"I don't know, but Ricky's in a state and says we have to get back to the Bay. She hung up before I could find out more." Brax says.
"Then let's go." Heath says as they all stand up to leave.