Chapter 10: Wet nappies and dirty laundry

(Heath 2 years old, Brax 7)

Heath woke up crying in the middle of the night, his nappy was soaked and because the family was so poor they couldn't afford quality nappies so the urine had leaked all over the crib sheets. Danny stormed in, tired after a night out with his drunken mates.

"What are you bloody cryin' about?" He smelt the strong scent of urine and noticed Heath wet the crib. "You filthy boy! You are going to learn to control your bladder, sit there, and get back to sleep!"

"I wet." Heath cried, he didn't know how to talk well but he knew the basic things to say.

"Shut your whingin' and do what you're told!" Danny yelled before he walked out of the room and slammed the door, causing more cries from Heath.

Brax had woken up after hearing his brother's crying and crept into the room, he could smell the urine.

"Ssh Heath." Brax stood up on the crib to reach his brother. Brax didn't know how to change a nappy so he couldn't help there. Brax hopped off the crib and soon came back with fresh sheets. Reaching into the crib he removed the soiled sheets and replaced them with the clean ones.

"Here bud. I can't change you but this should help." Brax stayed with Heath until he calmed down and fell back to sleep. Brax took Heath's dirty sheets into the laundry.

"I've seen Mum do this before." Brax put the sheets into the machine and started the wash, yawning and returning back to bed, he was tired from being up for so long.

A short while later a loud rumble was heard, waking both Brax and his parents. Brax stood outside his door as he watched his parents rant. The machine had jammed and there was suds and mess all over the floor. Seeing a worried Brax down the hall, Danny stormed towards Brax.

"You brat! You think you can just play with anything! Money doesn't grow on trees!"

Brax ran from Danny and slammed his bedroom door, only to have it burst open shortly after.

"Come here!" Danny grabbed Brax's upper arm and pulled him out of the room towards the laundry.

"Look at this mess! You're lucky you didn't break the machine! Clean up this mess now! I don't want to see you back in bed until ever last bit is clean!"

Danny threw Brax onto the floor, causing Brax to whimper. Cheryl and Danny headed back to bed leaving Brax sitting on the floor and crying, he only wanted to help his brother not get into so much trouble. He was tired and wanted to go to sleep but knew he could not risk leaving a mess, so he got to cleaning. Brax finally finished as the sun was rising, he laid down on the floor and fell asleep. It was 7:30am when Brax was awoken by heavy footsteps behind him.

"Get up!" Danny swiftly pulled Brax to his feet. "Get into the kitchen for breakfast!" Danny shoved him. Brax ran off and sat down at the kitchen table looking at his cereal, he had tears escaping his eyes, he tried to toughen up, but it was just too hard.

Later in the day Brax was playing with Heath and noticed Heath whining and scratching at his legs and nappy. Brax looked and saw Heath had sores all around his upper thighs. Brax grew worried. "Wait here. I'll be back." He smiled at Heath as he stood up to walk into the living room to approach his parents.

"Mum? Dad?" He asked cautiously. They looked at him. "Um, I saw…Heath has sores on his legs and private area." "So what do you want me to do about it?" Danny replied.

"He...he...It's hurting him. Can't you help him" Danny stood up, towering over Brax.

"Don't you tell me how to look after your brother." "I...I wasn't" Brax stuttered, afraid Danny was going to hit him but instead walked past him and checked over Heath.

"Its urine marks, he'll get over it, he has to learn the consequences of wetting is bed."

Each day became worse, the sores became redder, and Heath screamed and scratched more. Brax couldn't take seeing his baby brother hurt. Walking home from school he passed a pharmacy, he walked in looking around. The lady at the counter approached him.

"Are you alright hon? Where are your parents?" "Um, my Mum is at home with my baby brother and she wanted me to get some cream to help wet sores." Brax spoke cautiously, hoping the lady would believe his lie.

"What do you mean hon?" "My baby brother wets himself and has sores, but I can't remember what cream Mum told me to buy." "Never mind, I will get it for you." The lady left and soon returned and gave Brax a tube of cream.

"Here you go hon, just take this up to the counter to be served." "Thank you." Brax waited until the lady was out of sight, glancing around, he rushed out of the store. "Hey kid get back here!" One worker shouted, quickly following behind Brax. Brax continued to run as fast as he could, until he was far enough away, then slowed down to a walk. He hoped he wouldn't get caught, he knew stealing was wrong but he had to help his baby brother. He hid the cream in his school bag and went inside his house.

Later that evening Heath was screaming and scratching from his sores, "Darryl, deal with your brother I'm tired." Cheryl groaned.

Brax wandered into his brother's room and picked Heath up. "Sshh, it'll be okay. I got some stuff for you." Brax carried Heath into his room and got the cream out, "this should help you bud."

Brax applied the cream to Heath's sores and Heath smiled at his big brother with relief. "There. Is that better?" Brax asked as he playfully tickled Heath, resulting in giggles. Their fun was short lived when heavy footsteps approached followed by the door bursting open

"What are my two boys doing?" Danny slurred, obviously drunk again. Danny noticed the cream on the floor and on Heath's legs he bent down to pick it up, Brax startled, he had forgotten about the cream on the floor.

"What's this?" Danny bellowed, waving the product in Brax's face which had the look of fright. "I asked you a question Darryl!"

"I...um..." "Did you steal money from us to buy this crap? You think we're rich boy?"

"No...No...Hon...est Dad." "Then where did this come from?" "I…I...Took it." Brax mumbled.

"What?" "H...Heath needed something for his sores, they were hurting him Dad." "So you thought you'd take it upon yourself to help yourself to this store?" Danny grabbed Brax off the floor and hit him several times over his arms.

"Please Dad, I won't ever steal again." Brax pleaded. Danny stopped and pulled Brax closer to his face glaring at him he sneers, "You think this is about the stealing? You have no idea what goes on in this business. I just don't want you causing trouble!"

Brax looked at his father as tears fell from his eyes. "Man up! You'll never amount to anything!" Danny shoved Brax on the floor, making him fall face first in front of Heath, then left.

"Baz?" Heath asked and reached out to his brother. Brax calmed himself and pulled his baby brother into his lap. "It's alright." He whispered, as lone tears continued to fall.