I do not own Summerland. I do own Teresa Coleman and this plot.

XoCaliBabiox: Thanks for the review!! Addictive, 'eh? Nice to know... lol! Keeps you reading any way:D

Candace Storms: Hey! Don't mention it! I like your story! Really!! And thanks so much for putting mine on yours:) Really means a lot and I appreciate it! And thanks for the review, glad you like it and don't want a thing changed:D About your suggestion, See, I'd totally use it, cause it's really good, but I've already written everything, including the chapter before the last and so... Well, I'm just gonna hope you like what I did with it!

froggy2045: Thank you:)

ChrissyD: Yes, brave and fed up! Lol! Thanks for the review!

kbg17223: Thank you!!! And about the plan... you'll see! I just hope y'all like what I did... (It's already written up...) Sorry this wasn't as ASAP as you were hoping, I'm sure, but hopefully it was quick enough:) LOL! I'd freak too! And I got your contact info, so hopefully we'll be on at the same time soon so we can IM! I'll send you an email later today (hopefully I'll have time) and then we can start talking :D TWICE!?!? Oooh!!! You're so mean... I haven't seen him ONCE. He NEVER, and I do mean NEVER comes anywhere NEAR me!! It makes me sooooo mad... Anywayz, hope you enjoy the next ch!

Sweet-Romantic: Is he? He, he... you'll have to read to find out! Hope you like what I did with it... Laterz! Oh and thanks so much for the review and for reading:)

SoMuch4MyHappyEnding: Hey, gosh, you change your name a lot! Lol! Had to USE my BRAIN to figure out who you were.. lol! Anyway, thanks so much for the review(s):D I'm so glad you're lovin' this story!! In answer to your Q; yes, Nikki will be in it soon. Ahhh!!! I saw that!! And I sent a friends request so just waiting for him to get on now.. lol! You have myspace? Cool! Look me up! Hope you like this chapter:D

P.S. To ALL my readers/reviewers; if any of y'all wanna talk to me sometime, like if you have myspace or just wanna email, please do! I'd really love to talk to all of you! You're all so wonderful and sweet! Thank you so much. :)

Chapter XXV

Questions

"Oh... my... God..." Those were the first words that Ava could manage to get out of her mouth after Bradin had finished telling her everything that had happened since the first time Jerry molested him.

"Ha, ha... yeah... that's pretty much the reaction I get from everyone when they hear that..." Bradin murmured.

After a minute Ava finally seemed to find her voice, "You've told-"she stopped short realizing he must have told Jay that morning, "I mean... who else have you told, Bradin?"

"Nikki knows... I told Teresa and Jay..." Bradin still did not look at his aunt. He was, in short, ashamed.

"I see... Oh Bradin!" Ava threw her arms around her nephew as the horror of what he'd been through really began to set in with her.

Bradin said nothing but accepted the embrace by putting her arms around her as well. When, after a full minute, Ava didn't let go, Bradin pulled back. There were tears in his aunt's eyes and she looked worried.

Being the caring guy that he was, Bradin wiped the tears off her cheeks with his thumb saying softly, "Hey, what's the matter?"

"Oh, Bradin! You... you had to go... oh, and I didn't know it! I should have known! I should have paid more attention to-"

"Whoa there, this isn't your fault! You had no clue. Now, don't start blaming yourself-"

"No, Karen left you three to me and I should have-"

"Please? Please, don't blame yourself, Aunt Ava," Bradin requested of his aunt, "You really had no way of knowing I'd been molested... I didn't even live with you when it happened."

Breathing in and trying her best to smile Ava said, "You're right, Bradin... you're right."

"There, see! You can smile!" Bradin smiled. No matter how much she didn't want to she couldn't help but smile when Bradin did.

"Bradin Westerly, how do you do that!?" Ava exclaimed laughing.

Bradin laughed too, "Do what? I have no idea what you're talking about!"

"Oh sure... never mind!" Ava still laughed. After a minute they both sobered. "So... he beat you the other day... and... that's why you were so weak when you and Teresa came home isn't!?" It had just clicked n Ava's head that that must be what had happened.

"Yeah... that's why I was like that... I hurt really bad and almost passed out..."

"Wait! A whole day later?" Ava was beginning to realize that her nephew must have been beaten pretty bad.

Looking down Bradin mumbled, "Yeah... he... well, he beat me... really bad."

"I-"

"Do you wanna see?" Bradin questioned his aunt, "Cause that's really the only way you'll get an idea of just how bad it was."

"Okay..."

"Are you sure? It's not pretty." Bradin warned.

"I'm sure."

Bradin looked skeptical but took off his shirt anyway and stood while his aunt's gasp bounced off the walls of Jay's silent shop.

"Oh, my-"

"Don't say that again, Aunt Ava... I've gotten pretty damn tired of people going 'oh my god' to me!" Bradin laughed, interrupting her exclamation, teasing his aunt, as he put his shirt back on.

"Oh... Okay... how 'bout, 'oh my dear Lord?'" Ava was trying to be joke back... but this was no joke.

"That'll work." Bradin winked.

Ava was astounded at how nonchalant he was being about the whole thing. She realized he was must be doing that for her benefit. Because she couldn't deny how upset she'd seen him that morning while he was telling Jay and she'd walked in.

"Bradin... what are you gonna... do about it?"

"Uh... maybe you could just talk to Jay... like I told you when I started the story... I really hate talking about it..." Bradin looked down at the fascinating, plain-white tiles of Jay's surf shop.

"I'm sorry, that's fine.." Ava stared behind her nephew, not really seeing anything.

"Okay, now it's my turn!" Bradin grinned mischievously at his aunt.

"Okay... what is it you wanted to ask me?" Ava raised one eyebrow as she looked up and noticed the teen's look.

"If you and Johnny 'you know whated' last night," Bradin made air quotes when he said, "you know whated."

"Bradin!" Ava turned deep red in spite of herself.

"Then you did!" Bradin smiled, obviously pleased that he'd gotten it right.

"I never said that."

Bradin grinned, but said nothing which made Ava turn redder and Bradin burst out laughing.

"Bradin Westerly!" Ava tried hard to keep her composure but couldn't.

Bradin finally sobered and said, "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone!"

Ava stayed red and looked away.

Bradin chuckled and headed into the back of the shop, shaking his head.

Ava tried to stop her blushing, and keep from laughing, as she wondered how Bradin had known... He really was quite smart... "Ah, oh well... some things just can't be kept secret..." She laughed to herself as Jay came out of the back of the shop.

"So, he told you?" he asked, coming up to Ava, apparently unaware of Bradin's question or her embarrassment.

Instantly sobered, Ava said, "Yeah... My God, I just can't believe all that's happened to him... and he's what? 16? Dear God... that's just wrong..."

"I know... and I completely agree but... it has and nothing's gonna change that. Now, getting rid of the bastard and moving on is the next step." Jay said solemnly.

Ava nodded in agreement. Just then Bradin emerged from the back. "Hey, I'm gonna hang out at the beach a while, okay?"

"Um... are you sure," Ava began but Jay stopped her saying, "Go ahead, Mate, I'll see ya, later!"

"Alright, later!" Bradin walked past Jay and his aunt, giving her a kiss on the cheek, and out the front door. Jay followed him and turned his sign so that the "Closed" side faced him.

"We can still talk, till somebody come in here, that is," Jay said, turning to his house mate.

Ava nodded, "Yeah... So what are we gonna do?"

"Um... I think we'd better go back and discuss it with, at least, Johnny, if not Susannah too." Jay said.

"Really? I would have thought you wouldn't say that..."

"Well, I just think that Johnny's more of the father of us..."

"Really!?" Ava raised her eyebrows, "But you and Bradin always seem to be together... and he talks to you, not Johnny."

"Yeah, but he listens to Johnny. When Johnny man says something Bradin hears it!" Jay stated matter-of-factly.

"I guess you're right... I mean, he listens to you to but..."

"He looks up to Johnny, he really does whether anyone but me notices it or not." Jay said.

"You're right, Jay... I really never realized that till just now... But you're right." Ava agreed.

"Yeah, well..." Jay said, picking up his clipboard and starting to take down inventory. "So we talk to Johnny tonight?"

"Sounds like a plan," Ava agreed.

"Or we could go talk to him now, he's off today, isn't he?" Jay asked.

"Yeah, but aren't you working here?" Ava asked, a little puzzled.

"Yeah, but I think I can get somebody to hold down the fort for a little while." Jay said throwing his head in the direction of the front door.

Ding!

"Hey, Baby!" Erica Spalding walked into the small store, dressed in a denim mini-skirt and light green blouse.

"Hey," Jay said, giving her a quick kiss, "Um... Baby, you think you could do me a favor and watch the store for me while I run home for a little while?"

"Uh... sure, I don't see why not, but what do you need to go home for?" Erica asked, taking the clipboard Jay was handing her.

Jay glanced at Ava who stood, motionless. "It's a long story, Baby... later, okay?"

Erica nodded, she could tell Jay didn't want to talk about it now, whatever it was. "Well, I'll hold up here for you as long as you need!" She quickly changed the subject.

"Thanks! I owe you one!" Jay said, kissing Erica and following Ava out the front door as Erica called after him, "Don't mention it!"

There it is, sorry so short, but the next one will be longer! Now if you liked it, disliked it or can't decide, lol, REVIEW:D

Anna Christie AKA SecondStarToTheRight15