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Chapter 2 – Pretty boy.
2 WEEKS LATER….
She missed all the little things. Like him driving with his hand resting on her knee and the way they'd share a big gooey ice cream. But she especially missed the hot nights in those motel rooms when he was all around her, the taste, and the scent and the feel of him. And she'd fall asleep in his arms, with the sound of his heartbeat being the last thing she heard before going to sleep.
She ached with longing.
Her feet padded across the off white tiles that covered the flooring across the whole apartment. Her feet had begun to ache lately, but at least the mornings were getting easier. She'd managed to stop crying at the thought of him being there to help her, to comfort her. But she never stopped thinking about it, not for a second. It was the simple things she longed for, like someone to hold her hair back in the mornings, someone to massage her back after a long day, someone to rub her newly swollen feet.
She had gotten used to her daily routine.
Wake up. Breakfast. Work. Dinner. Bed.
That routine happened everyday. She kept her personal business to herself, no change to how she previously acted really.
She lived in Sydney, sea view, close to the beach, great career.
What more could a woman want eh?
But Charlie wasn't just any ordinary woman.
She was one mere hour from summer bay, one hour from her life. Her home. But she never went back, she couldn't. As far as she was concerned she was safe, her daughter was safe, Brax was safe. That was all that mattered.
Brax.
She thought about him each second she was awake, he was always in the forefront of her mind. Some things never change.
It didn't feel like it had been a year. It didn't feel like it had been a day. She could still remember the sensation of being in his arms, feeling close to him. She wondered now if it would feel any different.
She didn't think so.
She'd lost track of her life now, where the days went, she couldn't tell you what happened yesterday, she couldn't even say if she made it to work yesterday.
She had good days and she had bad days. Everyone does, but not like Charlie Buckton.
Her bad days were those filled with consuming thoughts about what could have been, what would have been and what should have been. Sometime's she'd just lie in bed and dream about Brax, dream about Ruby.
Love had nearly killed her once, yet it was the one thing keeping her sane.
She was hanging on by a thread.
She'd seen Ruby 3 days ago, crossing the street in Sydney with April on a shopping trip. Her own daughter and she couldn't acknowledge her; she found her instinct was to run to her. But she couldn't. She wasn't allowed.
To the residents of Summer Bay, she was dead.
Merely a ghost.
The thread snapped.
…..
"Yep, Casey, I will try." Brax insisted as he spoke to Casey down the phone, getting frustrated with his brother's impatience "Yeah Case I know you do ok?" Brax boomed, sweeping the table with his hands in an angered motion. "Yep, you look after yourself mate." Brax sighed down the phone "Will do." He said swiftly, hanging up on his younger brother and holding his head in his hands.
Case had been in prison for a month now. He was in there for armed robbery, really it was all Danny's doing but Case took the fall, and paid for it, 10 years with chance of bail after 6. Brax hadn't spoken to Danny since. Shouted at him in anger yes, beat him to a pulp yes, but have a calm conversation with him, no. Heath on the other hand was Daddy's favourite boy, getting him to realize the truth was proving difficult; getting him to talk to Casey was impossible. He'd insisted he was going to live the family orientated life with Rocco and Bianca, no thug in jail was going to be part of it, yet he hung out with his father.
"Oi Heath, get out here!" Brax barked, slamming the phone down on the table.
"Geez what's going on?" Heath questioned, wanting to know the reasoning behind Brax's current outburst.
"I need you to do something." Brax demanded, Heath looked at him confused
"Depends what it is." He said smartly, he wasn't going to be pushed around even if Brax was riled up.
"Nah, that wasn't asking, it was an order. Go see Casey." Brax stated firmly
"So that's why you called me is it?" Heath shook his head in disbelief. Barx scoffed at his brother's attitude towards their younger sibling.
"Yeah well he wants to see ya, ok this is stuffing him up in the head." Brax pleaded, the anger had faded; now he was begging with frustration.
"Well he'll have to suck it up then won't he?" Heath concluded, walking to the fridge and picking up two beers, throwing one at Brax.
"Heath-" Brax started
"Just for a second there I thought you might ask about my life." Heath boomed, cutting in to Brax's path of thought
"What?"
Heath rolled his eyes in disbelief, Brax had once again forgotten about everything else in the world apart from pretty boy Casey "Rocco came home from hospital today. You remember? Your nephew? But you don't give a rats, not whilst Casey's in jail having a cry." Heath boomed, chucking his beer bottle across the room and watching it shatter to the floor with the full brunt of his anger
"Oi easy, easy! Alright, you gonna tell me what's going on?" Brax yelled, holding his hand out in front of him with his palm flat in a calming motion
"Nothing." Heath replied, quickly, too quickly for it to be the truth.
Brax looked at him for a minute before shaking his head "Nup, common, lets go for a walk." He said, chucking a coat at Heath before opening the door, Heath trawling out first.
…
Brax stilled as they arrived on the beach on the warm summers day, the breeze blowing softly along the shore, the calm, serenity being penetrated by the two brothers. Brax sighed heavily as he watched Heath stare angrily out onto the horizon.
"Right mate, whatever happens between us, I'm your brother alright, you can always come to me." Brax started, his eyes flickering towards Heath as he noticed he'd got his attention.
"Yeah I know alright" Heath muttered, darting his eyes back out to shore
"And I'm not gonna judge you." Brax continued, nudging Heaths shoulder gently
Heath rolled his eyes and turned to face him "Yes I got it."
Brax relaxed, knowing he had Heath's full attention he carried on "And of course I'm interested in what's going on in your life mate, especially with the little fella. How is he anyway?" Brax asked
Heath crossed his arms and kicked at the sand "He's fine. Everything else is just messed up." He grunted
Brax frowned. "What you mean you and Bianca? Did you have a fight or something because that stuff is easily fixed." He tried to explain, stopping when he saw Heath shake his head adamantly.
"Nah, nah it's not that." Heath mumbled
"Well what is it then!" Brax yelled impatiently, raising his eyebrows at Heath to answer
Heath turned to face him angrily "Don't you ever wonder how Case could lie about Dad setting up the armed robbery?" he asked, pointing at Brax
Brax scoffed, taken aback by Heaths sheer stupidity "What you reckon dad wasn't involved? Heath the guys a dog, he always was, still is." He boomed
"So we're different then." Heath concluded, slumping down onto the soft, fine little clumps of sand. Brax sighed and sat down next to his brother, drawing patterns into the sand
"Look Heath you're pretty lucky me and Case didn't turn a blind eye every time you stuffed up and ended up in a jail cell." Brax said honestly, turning his attention back to his distressed and angered brother.
"You're kidding right? You want me to make him feel good about this." Heath shouted in disbelief, Brax huffed before arguing back again.
"Nah mate, I'm not asking you to make him feel better, I'm telling you not to make this worse." He said seriously, looking Heath dead on in the eyes.
"Whatever mother, sure." Heath said sarcastically, Brax however took it seriously
"Well why don't you go ask Case then, settle it. We're all he's got mate, you and me…you just remember that."
….
Casey looked up as the iron gates creaked open in the outdoor visitors court. He cracked a faint smile as he saw Heath trudging through the gates, Heath silently cursing beneath his breath as the gates squeaked shut. They came to a standstill metres from each other.
"Right, you've been begging for weeks, so here I am…what can I do for ya?" Heath asked, standing a few feet from his brother who stood cuffed in green prisoners uniform. The colour suited him, Heath thought.
"How's dad?" Casey asked, ignoring Heaths cocky remark. Heath visibly tensed up throughout his whole core.
Heath scoffed and shook his head, still keeping his arms crossed defensively over his body "If you think I'm here for a mothers meeting you can think again Case." He spat venomously.
"You know I thought when you came here today, we were cool." Casey admitted
Heath shrugged his shoulders "Then you thought wrong." Heath said honestly
Casey took a deep breath "I need your help with something."
"My help?" Heath asked, pointing to himself.
"Yeah, for some stupid reason you're the only one that can help." Casey revealed
"How'd you figure that?" Heath grunted, making eye contact with Casey for the first time.
"Do Dad and Brax speak?" Casey asked, tilting his head to the side in curiosity.
"Nope." Heath said quickly
"There's your answer." Casey concluded, scuffing the ground with the bottom of his worn down shoe.
"Look Case as much as I'm loving this, quit the riddles and cut to the chase." Heath barked impatiently, tapping his foot on the rugged gravel floor
"I've spoken to Jake Pirovic." Casey said, sliding into the seat by the wooden picket table.
"Then you're dumber than you look." Heath scoffed, stepping forward slightly, he saw Casey smile weakly. Sighing he dropped his arms to his sides and sat opposite him
Casey smirked "Apparently we look pretty similar Heath." Casey smiled Half-heartedly
"Well aren't you blessed." Heath smirked sarcastically "So what, you and Pirovic are buddies now then? Keeping each other warm at night that's real sweet Case real sweet, and you thought I was pissed at you…I'm just the calm before the storm, the minute Brax gets wind of you talking to Jake you're toast." Heath grinned slyly, leaning back on the wooden chair and taking in his little brothers distressed exterior.
"Heath will you just shut up." Casey growled impatiently
"Why should I?" Heath bellowed, thumping his fist down on the table.
"Because I'm not the one who's gonna be sleeping alone on a cold winters night if you don't shut up. Brax is." Casey yelled through gritted teeth, leaning angrily across the table. Casey noticed Heaths demeanor changed slightly, his facial muscles released and a confused look etched over his face.
"Alright keep your hair on golden boy, what's that supposed to mean?" Heath asked, leaning forward and rapping his knuckles on the table impatiently.
"Have you seen much of dad lately?"
"What's that got to do with it?"
"You're gonna do something for me." Case said matter of factly.
"Really, go figure Case. When did you get so demanding?" Heath teased before his face grew serious again. "Nah, I haven't seen much of dad lately, he keeps doing one of his disappearing acts. Road trips he calls them." He shrugged
"Yeah he's good at that isn't he." Casey said, narrowing his eyes and shaking his head in disbelief. Jake really had been telling the truth the whole time.
"That's one thing we agree on." Heath said nonchalantly
"He's been going to Sydney." Casey said certainly, causing Heaths head to shoot up curiously.
"How would you know?"
"Jake." Casey admitted confidently.
"What the hell has he got to do with it?" Heath boomed angrily
"I've got Jake to trust me." Casey said in a softer voice so none of the guards would feel the conversation was getting too heated to continue.
"What do you want a medal or something Case? The guy is pretty dumb." Heath said through gritted teeth, trying to control his anger
"Well he's outsmarting you and Brax." Casey said in a hushed voice, earning a worried glance from Heath "For months." Casey saw the colour drain out of Heath's cheeks slightly and his eyebrows rise back in shock; Heath hadn't been prepared for that. What the hell was his little brother talking about?
"Case seriously, no games, what the hell are you talking about?" Heath asked; he was more worried about the outcome of this conversation than he would care to admit.
"Jake after someone." Casey said, his eyes darting around anxiously to make sure none of the guards were paying attention with a roaming ear.
"Who's the someone Case?" Heath asked, unable to prepare himself for the news Casey was about to break to him. Casey hesitated, talking about Charlie was a no go between the three of them, and she was a difficult topic to approach.
"Charlie, Charlie Buckton." At those words Heath could have sworn his heart stopped, he never liked the woman, but her death had torn Brax apart. The thought she could be alive still sent anger pulsing through his veins, how could she be alive and be happy to let Brax suffer? Even Heath knew she loved Brax too much for that.
His tone changed instantly "I hate to break it to you Case but news flash, Buckton's dead, long gone." Heath said adamantly, squeezing the ridge of his nose with his fingers and squeezing his eyes shut, trying to comprehend and piece together what Casey was telling him but failing miserably.
"According to Jake she's not." Casey said certainly, meeting Heaths worried eyes.
"And you seriously trust that dog?" Heath asked disgustedly, leaning forward and clasping his hands together in a fist.
Casey sighed, leaning forward too, resting his palms on the table next to Heaths "Yeah, actually this time I do." Casey said "I've been in his little circle since I arrived here Heath and you know what, I don't regret it for a second." Casey admitted, his words stung Heath, even if Charlie was alive, mixing with Jake was fraternizing with the enemy. It was betrayal.
"If you are that sick in the head Case then excuse me but I reckon you're just doing this to get to Brax. Has Pirovic sent out orders now? For you to get to him?" Heath questioned furiously, grinding his teeth together in a bid to keep his temper in check. Casey watched nervously as Heaths fists visibly shook with rage. He understood his anger, they'd watch Brax slowly slip into oblivion for 6 months and it was all for nothing.
"If I wanted to piss Brax off, don't you think I would have invited him along?" Casey replied smartly, trying to keep his own frustration in check.
"Mate, Charlie's dead. Jake pulled the trigger remember? You, Brax and Ruby found her lying there in a pool of her own blood, and she never uttered a word again, or did that fact just slip your mind?" Heath said, trying to convince himself more than anyone else that she wasn't alive, that she couldn't be. She had to be dead.
"Jake has a hit out on her, he let it slip." Casey saw Heaths fists tighten further and his jaw clench tightly
"I don't believe this." Heath growled adamantly.
"She's in witness protection Heath, and she's on her own, with hit men after her." Casey pleaded, trying to get his brother to realize it was true.
"Well what do you want me to do, run a search party for a ghost!" Heath boomed, flailing his arms in the air
"You don't have to, I already found her." Casey said quietly
"Geez Einstein you've got this sorted haven't you, you really believe it?" Heath said skeptically, frowning at Casey.
"Yeah, yeah I do Heath, and I need you to find her. Fast." Casey said quickly
"I don't owe you any favours Case." Heath muttered, leaning away from his brother,
"Nah but you owe Brax, Heath, do it for Brax." Casey pleaded; he began to see Heaths face soften as he contemplated the idea in his head for a moment.
"Where is she?" Heath finally asked.
"Sydney." Casey replied instantly "Jake's hit man hasn't had much success in finding her yet, he's heading back out this weekend." A deafening silence followed, you could hear a pin drop, Heath could swear his ears were bleeding from the revelation. He must have heard that wrong.
"This weekend…that's when dad's next road trip is…" Heath said, struggling to control the quiver in his voice. "…You said he's been going to Sydney…" Heath muttered, his throat dried up and his words were constricted.
"Bingo, we have a winner. You got it Heath." Casey clapped sarcastically.
"Nah, no way." Heath said in denial, shaking his head viciously
"Dad's the hit man."
Dun, Dun, Duuuunnnn! I hope you enjoyed that! I know some things are a mystery at the moment, I don't know if anyone picked up something odd about Charlie at the beginning (Hint Hint!) but it will all become clear soon! Please review, it keeps me motivated!