BRAX'S POV:

I downed a glass of whisky and went to pour myself another one when a hand stopped me…

"Drinking your troubles away isn't gonna help. I should know" Heath informed me

"Don't pretend like you know what we're going through" I scoffed

"So Bianca and I didn't lose a son?" he questioned "remember Rocco? Your nephew?"

"Of course I do, but it's completely different" I admitted

"How is it? You and Ricky lost your baby, Bianca and I lost ours" he replied

"You got to meet yours, got to spend time with him and bond. Ricky and I didn't" I sighed

"And you think drinking is gonna just help the pain disappear?" he inquired

"It will, for a while at least" I informed him

"And then what?" he questioned "what're you gonna do when you wake up tomorrow morning with a stinking hangover?"

"Go for a surf to clear my head, and then start again" I admitted

"Fine, do what you want" he sighed "but just remember you've got a girlfriend and a little boy who looks up to you like a Dad and who loves you. Think about them, yeah?"

I sighed heavily and ran my hands over my face… "How did you cope?"

"It's a case of having to" he informed me "either that or give up, and I realised giving up isn't an option"

"What do I do?" I questioned

"Go home and be with Ricky, spend some time with her. When Bianca and I got things back on track, we went away for a few days to the coast, didn't we? Maybe that's what you and Ricky need?" he suggested "some time away to get your heads clear"

"We can't just disappear. We've got commitments" I admitted

"Such as?" he inquired, raising an eyebrow at me

"This place, Jacob" I informed him

"Kyle can look after this place, and Bianca, me, Casey and Tamara can look after Jacob" he replied "stop making excuses and go"

RICKY'S POV:

"I thought you were at the restaurant?" I asked as Brax walked in the door later that afternoon

"I was, but I thought I'd come and spend some time with you" he admitted

"What for?" I questioned, raising an eyebrow at him

"Heath gave me some advice" he informed me "and I've taken it on board"

"About everything that's happened?" I inquired

He nodded his head, signalling yes… "What do you say to getting away for a few days?"

"We can't" I sighed "we've got commitments"

"Which Heath has promised me will be taken care of" he informed me "we need this, Ricky"

"Are you worried?" I questioned

"Worried? What about?" he asked

"Us? Me and you? Breaking up?" I inquired

"No, of course not" he replied "but I think this'll do us good"

"If you think it will, then I trust you and your judgement. Let's do it" I informed him

Smiling at me warmly, he kissed me softly… "Go and pack our things, and I'll get Jacob from school"