Chapter 17: Not another baby

After a rough day at the Bennett household, Danny arrived home to Cheryl who had a gutful of Brax and Heath's behavior, because she had had to deal with them on her own for too long while Danny had been out visiting Kyle.

"Where the bloody hell have you been all day? Your two boys have been driving me crazy all day. You're never home to deal with them!"

"I'm busy alright! What do you want me to do?" Danny yelled back.

"Knock some sense into them will ya!"

Annoyed at all the arguing Danny stormed down to Brax's room to find the two boys.

"I hear you both been causing trouble for your mother."

Before either boy could answer Danny walked up to them and punched both of them in the arm.

"If I hear any more about this happening you know what will happen." He warned before leaving.

Brax rubbed his arm and moved over to Heath, who appeared surprised. "You alright mate?" Heath nodded sadly.

Danny joined Cheryl in the lounge room drinking alcohol.

"Those two won't bother you any more with their antics if they know what's good for them."

"How am I to raise them when you're not here?" Danny put his arm around her.

"Let's not worry about that now hey, why don't we ah…" Cheryl got what Danny was implying and for the first night in months the two spent the night together, little did they know it would lead to another member of the family.

Two weeks later Cheryl announced that she was going to be having another baby, she of course was pleased but only to get her hands on more money from the government agency, not because she really wanted another child. Danny of course was not, he was through all the drama with a baby.

As Cheryl's abdomen grew, Brax became more excited to know he was getting another baby brother or sister, Heath was confused and wondered what it would mean for him. Closer to her due date, Brax was assisting his mother when Heath approached him.

"Brax? When this new baby comes along, does that mean I won't be your younger brother anymore?" He asked sadly.

Brax smiled, "No mate, you'll always be my younger brother. It just means you won't be the youngest in the family anymore and you will be a big brother too, like me."

Brax and Heath played on the front lawn while Cheryl laid on the couch and groaned at the pain in her back from her pregnancy. Danny emerged from the bedroom, towards his wife.

"Urg, go and get me some more of me heartburn meds will ya. This bloody baby kept me up all night with its kicking and it's doing my head in." Danny grunted and saw there was no more medication left.

"We ain't got any more." "Well go and get me some and take those two with you, I need me rest… Urg, I can't wait for this damn baby to be out." Cheryl groaned.

Danny grabbed his wallet and headed into the front yard.

"Heath, Darryl. Come on, ya mother needs rest and I need ta get some meds."

"Can't we just stay here Dad?" Brax asked.

"No. Now move."

Heath and Brax put down what they were playing with and followed their father into the car. Danny got what he needed and started to drive back home, he had a huge craving for a beer, but knew he couldn't go to the pub with Brax and Heath in the car. In the backseat, Heath and Brax were whispering about the weather and how it would be nice to go to the beach. Danny looked at them through the mirror, "what are you two gas-bagging about?"

"Ah nothing Dad." Brax replied. Danny gripped the steering wheel.

"I ain't stupid Darryl. Answer me." He demanded, turning to glare at them.

"We…we were just saying how nice it would be to go to the beach today…but we understand you and Mum are too busy…"

Danny considered the thought. The beach was right around the corner from a pub. He could let the boys go to the beach whilst he had a drink.

"Nonsense Darryl. You know I always want what's best for my boys." Heath and Brax exchanged a confused glance.

"I'll take ya to the beach." "Wow, ah…thanks Dad." Brax replied.

Danny pulled up at the beach. "Alright you two, behave yourselves and I'll be back to pick you up in half an hour, no longer."

"Dad, are you not coming?"

"Darryl you are old enough to go on ya own, you don't need me holdin' ya hand do ya?"

"No Dad."

"Just keep an eye on your brother and no longer than half an hour, understand? If I have to come lookin' for ya…"

"I promise Dad, half an hour. Thanks."

Brax shoved Heath out the door and shut it behind him. Danny quickly drove off, upon seeing his sons running down the beach. Heath and Brax were splashing in the water when Heath asked, "Brax, can I watch you surf?"

Brax smiled. "Sure mate."

Brax quickly ran up the sand to borrow a board.

"Stay back from the waves though okay? I don't want you near the water without me."

"Okay."

Brax took off into the surf, when he arrived back Heath asked, "Can I have a turn, please?"

"Sorry mate, you're too young. I'll teach you next year."

Heath hung his shoulders, "okay."

"I'm gonna go out there again. You okay to play in the sand here." "Yeah."

Brax smiled at Heath and ran back out into the water, while Brax was surfing he could see his brother in the distance, falling into the flow of the waves, he took his eyes off the sand and focused on the surf. Meanwhile Heath wanted to find some shells for his castles and wandered off down the beach, leaving his shirt that he had taken off on the sand.

Brax ran back onto the sand, he stopped abruptly when he didn't see sight of his brother. Glancing around Brax began to panic, there was no trace of Heath anywhere. Brax threw the surfboard down and noticed his brother's shirt floating near the water's edge.

"No. Heath!"

Brax ran and picked up the shirt and looked out to sea, searching. Brax tossed the shirt on the sand and dived into the water. After several attempts to locate his brother in the water and with no success, Brax really started to panic. He ran back onto the sand and raced across the beach.

"Heath! Heath! Where are you? Heath!"

Brax didn't know what to do, he was supposed to be looking after his brother and he was now lost and not only that but his father would kill him. Brax hung his shoulders and was startled when he heard a yell from the top of the beach, "Darryl!" Brax gulped and slowly approached his father.

"'urry up, we're going… Where's ya brother?" Danny asked.

Brax swallowed and kept his eyes away from his father. "I'm talkin' to you. I ain't got all day. I told you to keep an eye on 'im."

"I…uh...Dad I know…Heath…he…he um just went to the bathroom."

"Urg! Well hurry up an' go get 'im!" Danny barked.

Brax quickly ran back down towards the sand, what was he going to do now? He had just lied to his father, now what would happen when he returned without Heath? Brax sat down on the sand and ran his hand through his hair, as his eyes started to fill with tears.

"Brax, what you doing?" Brax turned to the sound of the voice and saw his younger brother standing before him. Brax wiped his eyes and scrambled up the sand and raced over towards Heath and grabbed his arms tightly, causing Heath to drop some of the shells in his hands.

"Where were you?" Brax bellowed, surprising Heath.

"I…I went to get…" Heath tried to whisper, but was cut off. "I told you to stay there in one spot, where I could see you!" Brax pointed. "I thought….I thought you were out there Heath." Brax pointed to the water.

"I wasn't. You said not to." Heath whispered, his eyes becoming glassy. "I only wanted some shells for my castles." Heath continued.

Brax lent down close to Heath's face, gazing directly into his eyes and gently shook him, "don't you ever run off on me like that again. You understand?" Brax yelled.

A lone tear slipped down Heath's face, he doesn't answer. "Heath! Do you understand?" Brax yelled louder. Heath nodded. "Sorry," he whispered.

Brax pulled his brother into a tight hug. "I'm so glad you're okay. You had me really scared mate." Heath wrapped his arms around Brax, returning the hug.

The brothers released, "hey we have to get back. Dad's waiting." Brax tapped his brother. Heath put his shirt back on and followed Brax up the sand.

"Are you gonna tell?" Brax turned to Heath "huh?"

"Are you gonna tell Dad that I ran off?" Brax smiled at Heath and wrapped his arm around his shoulder, "you know I won't mate."

"Thanks Brax."

Heath and Brax approached Danny. "You two took ya time."

Heath looked to Brax for an answer. "Ah…Sorry Dad, the line to the bathroom was really long and it took Heath ages to get in." Danny grunted.

"'urry up then, we gotta get these meds back to ya mother."

The boys followed their father into the car and the three headed home. Upon walking into the house, Cheryl was still laying on the couch, a hand resting on her head.

"You took ya time." Danny handed her the meds.

"I took the boys to the beach, so they wouldn't get in our hair later."

Cheryl groaned and looked at her sons standing at the foot of the couch, "How are you feeling Mum?" Brax asked.

"Urg, the smell. I can't stand that salty beach smell. Both of you get for a wash. I don't want that smell in my house." Cheryl sat up ready to gag.

Brax shrugged and pulled Heath towards the bathroom. "Hey you have the first shower. I'll have mine after you." Brax said as he continued down to his bedroom, leaving Heath to head into the bathroom.