Heres the next chapter, thank you so much for the kind comments, it really means a lot! I will update again tomorrow :) X
After taking a day off Brax had no choice but to go to work the day after, even though Casey was still very poorly. After trying and failing to get hold of his mum to see if she could take him for the day he thought about asking Heath. However, he was still concerned for Casey's health and feared his 15 year old brother may not be responsible enough to look after him all day- that and Heath was meant to be surfing with the boys all day as the weather hadn't been great so he hadn't gotten to go out all week. Therefore, Brax felt himself taking Ricky up on the offer of helping out, even though he didn't much like relying on other people.
"Thanks Ric, I owe you big time," Brax smiled at his friend, fussing around a sleeping Casey, "He's still not keeping anything down and when hes not asleep its not pretty. But just try make him have little sips of water and if he gets any worse you call me!" Brax rambled. Ricky giggled grabbing herself a bottle of water from the fridge, she had been part of the Braxton family since Brax could remember, they had been close friends for ages.
"I got it, Brax!" She exclaimed shoving him out the door, "We'll see ya later."
"Okay, okay. Bye and remember call me if…" Before he could finish Ricky shut the door rolling her eyes at how protective he was.
She sat next to a sleeping Casey on the sofa, turning on the TV, turning the volume down so not to disturb Casey. After watching day time television for half hour or so Casey stirred. At first he didn't realise where he was until suddenly the familiar taste of vomit at the back of his mouth, Ricky acted quickly holding the bucket out as he vomited uncontrollably into it. She rubbed his back, feeling concerned, she saw him as a little brother. Once he'd stopped Ricky held out a glass of water, telling him to take a small sip as he started gulping the cold liquid down causing him to be a little bit sick again. Once she had cleaned him up they both settled down onto the sofa, Casey snuggled into her side under a blanket. "How are you feeling?" Ricky asked, stroking the boys hair gently off his forehead. Casey smiled weakly "fine" he smiled, giggling slightly at the face Ricky pulled, he sighed, "I dont feel very well, but i am fine" she told him, being surprisingly brave for a very ill 8 year old boy, he really was turning out to be tough like his older brothers.
"Right, what should we watch?" Ricky asked Casey, "And we are not watching anything like Ben-10 or transformers, because I may die of boredom and you my friend are likely to fall asleep!" she said tickling his sides slightly, making him squirm. "Stop Ricky! I'll be sick!" he giggled, feeling slightly dizzy. "Alright, but when you're better you're getting it!" she smiled.
They settled on spongebob square pants, not Rickys first choice but she was a push over to his puppy dog eyes. As she expected he fell asleep five minutes into the show. Only to wake up 20 minutes later, vomiting all over his pyjama top, tired and embarrassed Casey cried this time. "Hey bud, stop its fine, lets get you cleaned up!" she soothed holding him close, being careful not to get herself dirty. Once he'd calmed down she cleaned him up and decided to settle him up in bed thinking he may be a bit more comfortable. She sat back downstairs, chewing her lip slightly with concern, she'd never seen anyone this ill, so pale and fragile, but it was not just that that was playing on her mind.
As usual with any Saturday work for Brax was non stop, it never seemed to slow down, luckily he got off early though. He headed down to the beach to see if Heath wanted a lift home. He frowned slightly, rolling his eyes when he saw Heath and the boys play fighting and causing a bit of a scene, some of the older boys drinking. "Heath!" he called also acknowledging the other boys in the process, "You want a lift". Heath looked up and shook his head "Nah, gunna stay down here, theres a bit of a party going on, wont be late" he shouted back to Brax. Brax nodded turning back to his car "Fine. No drinking and don't be too late" he got in the car but before doing so he shouted to Heath, "and be quiet when you get in, I'm exhausted and your brother isn't well". Heath nodded before turning back to his friends and grabbing a beer.
When Brax got in Ricky was watching television and Casey was up in bed. "Hey" Ricky smiled, facing her friend, "work okay?" Brax nodded sitting next to her heavily after grabbing them both a beer.
"How was Case?" he asked opening his beer and taking a long slow gulp. Ricky did the same, turning to face Brax. "He wasn't great to be honest with ya. Still not keeping anything down, have you considered taking him to see a doctor? Its just… I noticed some bruising on his back when I took his top off…" she giggled and slapped Brax playfully as he raised his eyebrow in a jokey way, "as in, he was sick down it so to get him changed, dont be gross, and stop and listen to be, its serious!" she said suddenly being all sensible, which worried Brax, "Its just, you dont get bruises there easily, and I was thinking it could be something more serious…. and even if its not hes probably super dehydrated" she finished, taking a deep breath and a long swig of her beer.
Brax nodded, "I know, its just, I'm scared you know" Ricky nodded in agreement, stroking his arm trying to reassure him. "Yeah, its probably just nothing. Just to be on the safe side?" Brax smiled. "I agree, tomorrow morning before work I will take him to see a doctor" Ricky smiled, satisfied.
The two friends had a couple more beers each before Ricky said she had to leave, "aw come on stay a bit longer," he winked. She laughed lightly, they had hooked up a few times in the past, but where only good friends, although it could sometimes get flirty. "I dont think so, not tonight. I'm covered in your brothers sick and im all gross."
"Not possible" he laughed. Ricky playfully punched him in the arm smiling before giving him a kiss on the cheek and leaving. Brax finished his beer thinking about what he'd do if it was something actually something serious. It was only when he heard Casey moving around upstairs he made a move off the sofa.