Hi everyone, so the final chapter is finally here! Thank you to all of you who have continued reading this story since I started uploading it and a huge thanks to everyone who has taken time out of their day to review! I do have another story which I am nearing the point of finishing off as well, so keep your eyes open for that, and I'll be uploading more one shots very soon! Thanks again for reading and reviewing :)
Braxton House - the Garden
"I can't believe I'm back here again. It's been a very long time since I was at a Braxton bbq." Emily says, leaning in to kiss Kyle.
"Just don't think about going anywhere or Brax will ban you from setting foot in the Bay again." Kyle jokes, getting a glare from his eldest brother.
"Well he wouldn't have to worry about that because you're stuck with me for life now." Emily smiles while Ricky goes inside to check on Henry, as he was asleep in the cot inside, alongside Rocco, who was sleeping a lot less now.
"Glad to hear it." Kyle smiles. "Looks like some others are stuck together for life as well." He says, glancing at Casey and Denny one side of them, and Lucas and Blake the other side.
"I think if I was to leave Lucas, there would be a riot on my hands, and I'd lose my best mate." Blake says.
"Didn't think we were best mates anymore considering you ditch me for Lucas all the time." Kyle raises an eyebrow.
"Oh, we're not. Lucas is my favourite now, he knows me better." Blake smirks, Kyle shaking his head. "Aw come on mate, we'll always be best mates. It's just a tiny bit weird now because, in the words of Heath, you're a clone of Lucas."
"Ha, I knew it would catch on!" Heath laughs.
"That has not caught on and it's so annoying! Why don't you call Tyler our clone?" Kyle moans.
"Because Tyler actually goes to the gym to work out so is bigger built, and it's also his job. You only set foot in the gym when you absolutely have to. I don't even see Lucas in the gym much either." Heath says.
"I prefer to get my workouts in when running." Lucas says as he drinks some of his beer.
"Running is hardly a workout in the gym." Tyler scoffs.
"No but it's still a good way to keep healthy." Lucas says.
"Anyway, the food is ready now, everyone come sit down." Brax says as he puts the food on the table, just as Ricky walked back out to join them.
"I forgot what I was missing out on here." Emily says as they all tuck in.
"Well get used to this, it's going to happen a lot more now." Kyle says.
"I think that's more of an excuse for them to get drunk more." Ricky says to the girls, them all agreeing with her.
"I can't even drink!" Kyle shakes his head. "I doubt one beer would even hurt but someone likes to be in control of that." He says, glancing at Brax, who stares back at him.
"I offered you a beer the other week and you said no." Brax says.
"Because I thought you were testing me to see if I would take it." Kyle says. "But I'll happily have one now." He says, about to grab one from the crate his triplets picked up from Angelo's, Brax getting to it first.
"You can have one and that's it. I don't want it to mess with your meds." Brax firmly says.
"Yes, it will just be one. I know you and probably the girls will make sure of that." Kyle rolls his eyes, managing to get one from the crate.
"Of course we will." Ricky smiles as Kyle takes a sip of his beer.
They all then sat around eating for a while, all of them enjoying this time more than expected. They were expecting it to be like any other family bbq they had, but this one was different. They were all together in great relationships and felt like they had come a long way in life. And although Tyler wasn't in a relationship, he was still just as happy. He didn't want a girlfriend yet, not when he now had a family he cared about more than he ever thought he would.
"After we're finished eating, I want some family photos." Ricky says, getting a groan from all of the brothers.
"Well I think that sounds like a great idea." Bianca says, whacking Heath on the chest.
"Yeah, it will be something for us to look back at in the future." Emily says, shaking her head at Kyle and Lucas.
"And it's not like there's tons of family photos around the place, so having some taken today won't do any harm." Denny says.
"I'm starting to think this wasn't just a spur of the moment thought." Tyler says, Brax agreeing with him.
"This was a set up. That's why none of you were willing to help us boys out this morning, wasn't it?" Brax asks.
"Now I don't know what you are on about." Ricky says, grinning at her husband's face. "We just think it will be something nice for us to do. And you never know, if you're good I might let you boys out for a surf later." She says, trying not to laugh.
"It's like being a kid again!" Lucas mutters.
"And what about me, what do I get for taking part?" Kyle asks.
"A cuddle with your two favourite nephews." Bianca smiles. "Unless you'd like to join your brothers and Blake for a surf."
"Choose the surf." Blake mutters to him.
"Nah, surfing it is." Kyle says, grinning at the girls faces as he knew it wouldn't just be cuddles with Rocco and Henry if they got their own way.
"Sweet, that means you're willing to let us teach you to surf." Heath grins.
"No, it really doesn't!" Kyle quickly shakes his head.
"Come on, Kyle, it will be fine with all of us there for you." Lucas says, although he understood if Kyle didn't want to take it up after what he'd be told by him in the past.
"Yeah, it's meant to be fairly calm tonight, so perfect waves for a newbie." Brax says.
"Fine, but only so I get out of whatever the girls had planned for me." Kyle says, not hating the idea of surfing anymore, not like he used to.
"And how do you know we had anything planned?" Denny asks.
"Because I've been tricked by you all before and then had to basically be a personal slave while you all had a girly time." Kyle rolls his eyes, knowing by the glances they exchanged that he was right to think they were up to something.
"Okay, well if you think going for a surf is going to be better than spending time with your baby nephews, who will be very grown up before we know it, then sure, go ahead." Ricky says.
"I will."
"That's fine. Now let's get those photos done." Ricky says, heading inside to get her camera and to see if Henry was awake from his nap yet, Bianca also heading inside to get Rocco.
"So you're seriously going to take up surfing with us?" Casey asks his brother.
"I don't know yet. I'll give it a try but I'm not making any promises. I can't be the only guy in this family that doesn't surf, or I'll never get out of being a bartender or babysitter for the girls when they have their time." Kyle says, getting a smirk from them all.
"It's not like we want to use your bartending skills for personal gain, but your cocktails are so good!" Emily says.
"Your mojitos are to die for and I don't know why you don't serve them more at Angelo's, they'd be a hit!" Denny adds.
"I don't think Brax would be impressed if I started changing his drinks menu around." Kyle says as Ricky and Bianca walk back out, shooing the boys out of their seats.
"Can't we just run now?" Casey whispers to his brothers.
"And be murdered when we get home? No chance!" Heath says.
"Maybe we can get one photo taken, then we'll make a getaway." Tyler says.
"Nah, we'd still be killed." Brax says, knowing Ricky wasn't going to let them out of it so easily.
"Boys, come on. You do want to go surfing before it gets dark, don't you?" Ricky asks.
"It's not going to get dark for hours yet." Lucas frowns.
"Well if you don't all get over here for some family photos, then it will be dark before you know it." Bianca says.
"Okay, we're coming." Lucas says, all of his brothers and Blake staring at him.
"Why do you always give in to things so easily?" Blake laughs.
"Huh?" Lucas frowns, shaking his head in confusion before they all head over to where the girls were waiting.
It didn't take long before the girls got photos that they liked, the boys getting bored within the first minute of attempting it. As soon as Ricky said she'd got them, the boys were out of there, grabbing Kyle a spare surfboard before heading off. They had a good time together, and Kyle surfed a lot better than any of them were expecting. He'd even taken it up more permanently than he was expecting, going out most mornings with his brothers. They felt like a true family now and nothing ever got in the way of that. They were happy with their lives, something that was looking very bleak at times, but they got there.