Chapter 6

Appreciate your lovely reviews, Thanks This is my next chapter, hope you enjoy it and thanks again for your reviews..Sandy:)

Brax's POV

I didn't sleep well at all last night my head was all over the place. Yesterday, was so special for Ricky and I, the birth of our beautiful little boy was so magical, something I have never experienced before, it was so natural, so wonderful.

But then reading that letter last night that the kid wrote has put my head in a spin, I feel so disheartened to think I have lost out in 13 years of his life, to think my life has gone on and if he is my kid that he has been growing up in the city not very far away from here.

Flashback

I watched her walking towards me on the beach as I sat with my mates, where we spent most of our days hanging instead of attending school.

She was stunning, sexy, on that particular day she was wearing her school uniform, her pleated skirt rolled up at the waist to bring it up above her knees showing of her long legs, white shirt with a tie, she strolled over to us on the golden sand with her bare feet her long hair blowing in the breeze her beautiful smile.

She called herself, "The forbidden fruit", the one the river boy shouldn't touch, me of course.

But we were so in love, she brought out a different side to me.

Her parents never approved of our relationship, and for my parents they couldn't care less but that made our relationship more interesting as we wanted to prove to everyone that we were made for each other, we were for keeps. My mates thought I was mad of course, fooling myself thinking things would last.

End of flashback

Nathalie broke my heart in two that day she rang me telling me her parents were sending her away to a boarding school, I went to an all time low, boozing and parting for days on end to block the pain. Now I feel that pain all over again, that dull aching pain going through my entire body.

If this kid is mine, I don't even know how Ricky will react, she was so looking forward to us starting our own family, this will change everything if he is my kid, what if Ricky doesn't accept him? My head feels like it is going to explode….

Just then a knock came to my door, I opened it and was greeted by John Palmer. "We just wanted to send our heartiest congratulations to Ricky and your self on the birth of your baby" said John.

"If there is anything, we can do to help, just give us a shout" he said before he left.

"Please, please dad, can I stay at home today from school?" said Darcy to Heath, I want to go and see Ricky and the little baby.

"Uncle Brax, will you talk to my dad" said Darcy, tell him one day off from school won't do any damage, please.

Brax just stood up at the kitchen sink with a cup in his hand, he seemed to be miles away.

"Darcy, if you go to school" said Heath I promise you I will collect you from school myself and take you straight to the hospital, I promise and I wont brake it.

"Ok, fine" said Darcy but you better not be late or I won't speak to you for a week and that's my promise and I won't brake it either she said with a smile.

"Why don't you check in to see if Bianca is ready yet" said Heath, I need to have a quick word with your Uncle Brax.

As once as Darcy had left, Heath walked towards Brax who was still standing by the sink.

"How is everything going mate?" asked Heath as he stood in front of Brax.

"Great" said Brax with a vague smile, I must get ready to go see Ricky and my kid I promised her I would be in early and he walked away towards the bedroom leaving Heath standing there.

Brax finally arrived at the hospital and entered the room. Ricky was sleeping peacefully in bed, he walked over to baby Braxton who was wriggling away in the cot. Brax picked him up and went over by the window and sat on the chair.

He smiled down at the little boy who was almost asleep in his arms. He must have dosed off to sleep for a while also, as when he woke, baby Braxton was still sound asleep in his arms and Ricky was now sitting up in the bed smiling at her two beautiful boys.

"Am I sleeping long?" said Brax as he straightened up on the chair "Bout half hour or so" said Ricky with a smile.

"I though you were having an early one last night" asked Ricky or did Heath and Kyle drag you out on the beer to wet the baby's head?.

"No I didn't go anywhere, was probably still hyped up after yesterday" said Brax I didn't sleep great.

"Anyway, how did you and baby Braxton get through the night" asked Brax. Hannah was great, she took him out for a while so I could get some sleep, other than that he wasn't too bad, just woke every couple of hours for a feed.

"I have been thinking" said Ricky we can't keep calling him baby Braxton, what do you think of Matthew? "Matthew Braxton, sounds good" said Brax so Matthew it is I guess.

Kyle and Phoebe were the first to arrive during visiting hours. "Where is the little man" shouted Phoebe as she entered the room with Kyle.

"Flat out sleeping on his daddy's arms" said Ricky, he is right comfortable there.

Ricky thought Brax was a bit quite in himself, looked like he was miles away at times.

"I could do with a bit of fresh air and stretch my legs" said Ricky, could you too look after baby Matthew for a little while smiling over at Kyle and Phoebe

"Great" said Phoebe, now I can get to hold him if daddy releases him as she held out her two hands to Brax to take the baby.

"So you decided on a name yet?" asked Kyle

"Matthew" replied Ricky that was my granddads name, I thought it would be different.

"I thought he might be named Darryl Braxton Junior" said Klye, "Matthew Braxton" sounds good.

Ricky and Brax strolled down the long corridor and headed out towards the gardens, it was bright and sunny.

"Is everything Ok with you babe" asked Ricky, you seem quite in yourself, you know you can tell me anything.

Deep down Brax wanted to reveal everything to Ricky about the letter, the long lost son that may be his that he knew nothing about. But he didn't think it was fair on her especially after what she had gone through the previous day to blurt out all of this especially until he knew for definite he was the kid's dad.

"I am just a bit tired at the moment, can't wait for you and Matthew to come home" said Brax, the house is so quite, I miss you as he pulled her in for a big hug.

"I will walk you back to the room as I need to pop in on the restaurant for a bit, but I will be back this evening. "Heath has promised to bring in Darcy after school" said Brax so you will have plenty company.

After Brax has said goodbye to Ricky and baby Matthew he headed down to the reception and enquired about how he could get a paternity test done, he also made contact with Pippa Fletcher who informed him the results should be back within a week and she would make contact with him either way.

Three days later Ricky and Matthew were both released from hospital, Brax was so proud walking out from the hospital carrying his little boy in his car seat. When they arrived back at the house, Ricky was looking forward to just relaxing and settling herself and Matthew in but unfortunately that wasn't going to happen. Heath, Bianca, Darcy, Kyle, Phoebe and Cheryl were all waiting inside to welcome them home.

Things didn't go as well as Ricky had hoped regarding motherhood, Matthew was very unsettled, cried a lot which began to take its toll on Ricky even though Brax was there as much as he could to help out.

Ricky's POV

I looked forward to mother hood during my whole pregnancy, couldn't wait! But it wasn't what I expected, I felt tired all the time, just longed to stay in bed. I wasn't happy with how I looked, couldn't even look in the mirror.

Times I did get the opportunity to go for a surf, I would just sit on the beach with my surf board laid beside me on the sand. I put it down to the "Baby Blues" and hoped in time it would pass over.

I felt Brax was holding something back from me also, and this of course didn't help either. I wished he could be honest with me, but I suppose I was holding how I was feeling from him also.

Casey's POV

It was almost nearly two weeks since I sent the letter to Darryl Braxton, I didn't hear back from him or Ms Pippa Fletcher so I presumed there was no connection to me, or he just didn't want to know, or couldn't be bothered. I just wanted to stay in bed all day and shut out the world. Finally, I broke I couldn't take it anymore.

We were seated at the table for lunch, it was a Saturday afternoon. This new kid had arrived at the foster care during the week. He turned up late for his lunch, and Mr. Fisher started with his usual punishment. I couldn't take it any more, it just came out.

"Stop it, stop hitting him" I shouted at Mr. Fisher. Just because we don't have any families of our own doesn't give you the right to discipline us like this. It was not our fault we were born into this world with no one to care for us.

Before I realized it Mr. Fisher had yanked me up from my seat and grabbed me by my wrist, "do you want to take the beating on his behalf" said Mr. Fisher seems you think you have the right to tell me how to run my home.

I stood there without saying a word, he held my wrist so tight and started to beat me down on my hand with that leather strap he kept going until the blood ran out, he then grabbed my other writs and repeated it again, kept hitting me until I fell to my knees, tears streaming down my face.

Mrs. Fisher had to come in and stop her husband from beating me. I got to my feet, turned and ran to my bed room. I shut the door behind me and sat on the floor beside my bed holding my hands trying to relieve the pain penetrating through them.

I had enough, I opened the drawer and pulled out a small container, they were pain relief my mum had. I looked at my mum's photo the tears kept flowing I couldn't stop them. One by one I started to take them, I couldn't feel the pain any longer, I was Free.

Mrs Fisher went up to Casey's room a few minutes after the incident that involved her husband, she felt very bad what had happened considering Casey was left in their care. She knocked on the door and when she received no answer she slowly opened it in, "O my god, No, please no" she said as Casey was lying on the bed with the empty container beside him, his mums' photo he still held in his hand, blood starting to stain it. He was unconscious. Someone, please call emergency, please hurry up!

It took 20 minutes before Casey got to the hospital, "He is critical" exclaimed the doctor to the social worker Pippa Fletcher who had just arrived. "He seems to have taken some strong prescribed medication here" as he held up the empty carton that the ambulance crew had retrieved from his bed when they arrived at the scene. "I will have to pump his stomach" but cant' give any guarantees at this stage he will make it? "If there is any next of kin, I would suggest you make contact with them" the doctor added before continuing to treat Casey.

Brax POV

It was Saturday evening, we had a function at the restaurant so I decided to work for it, giving Ricky some space, Bianca had promised to keep an eye on her and Matthew. It felt like Ricky was shutting herself out from me everyday since she came back from the hospital. Heath was at the bar, he had popped in for a quick drink after work before heading home. My phone started to ring, so I moved outside to answer it, away from the noise of the restaurant.

"Hello" said Brax

"Mr Braxton" I am Pippa Fletcher, the Social Worker

Brax paused for a minute and took a deep breath...

"You have the results then I take it" exclaimed Brax

"Yes, Mr Braxton, and yes you are Casey's biological dad" Pippa added, but unfortunately I don't like being the bearer of bad new.

"Let me guess" said Brax, the kid knows I am his dad but has decided he doesn't need me in his life, well tough luck he is thirteen he is in no position to make that decision.

"If only it was that simple" exclaimed Ms Fletcher with a sigh, Casey your son is in hospital I'm afraid he took an overdose earlier today, he is critical Mr. Braxton.

"Mr. Braxton, Mr. Braxton are you still there" asked Ms. Fletcher

Heath had arrived out at that stage, and saw Brax stood there holding the phone but saying nothing.

"What's going on mate" asked Heath, but when he got no answer and noticed there was someone on the other end of the phone still he took the phone from Brax.

When Heath completed the conversation with Ms Fletcher he turned over to Brax who was standing by the balcony his two hands gripped to the railing. "Brax, mate, you need to stay strong now" said Heath

"How can I" replied Brax, my son might die, I just found out he is my kid to be told two seconds later he is critical in hospital.

"He is going to pull through mate, stay strong" exclaimed Heath and I promise you we will both be by his bed side when he comes round. We will head to the city now, the roads will be quite we will be there in no time., but first, you need to tell Ricky, tell her the truth no lies mate.