AUTHORS NOTE:

This is the final chapter with just Heath and Brax, Casey is born in the next chapter. Chaos is set to arise as Brax struggles with two younger brothers and Heath struggles to accept his new brother. Sweet stuff coming up real soon. :)

Enjoy and please don't forget to review and let me know how you're still finding this story.

Chapter 18: Sneaking around

(Heath 7, Brax 12)

It was Monday afternoon and Brax waited for his little brother at the front gate, after their final class for the day. He saw Heath run towards him with a smile.

"Brax! Brax!"

"Easy mate, slow down." Brax laughed as Heath abruptly stopped in front of him.

"Look!"

Heath waved a sheet of paper in front of his brother. Brax took the paper from his brother. Heath kept pointing to the pictures as Brax was trying to read it. It was a poster for the new animal park that had just opened in the next town.

"Our teacher said we can go to this place on Friday. I can't wait to go. See all those animals!"

"Yeah mate I see."

Brax read the sheet further the entry cost was $30.

"Did your teacher say you had to pay?" Heath thought. "I think so." Brax sighed.

"Heath I don't know about this. You know Mum and Dad can't afford things like this." Heath slumped.

"Can't I still ask them?" "No!" Brax snapped.

Not meaning to upset his brother but he remembered what happened to him last time he asked to go on an excursion.

"Brax please. I'd really like to go." Heath pleaded.

"I'll see what I can do okay mate, but for now we have to get home. Come on." Heath nodded and followed his brother home.

Brax didn't want to disappoint his brother but he knew their parents wouldn't allow Heath to go nor would they pay $30. When Cheryl and Danny had gone out to get groceries, leaving Brax and Heath alone, Brax took the opportunity to sneak into their bedroom and retrieve the wallet of money. Heath appeared in the doorway, watching his brother searching the room.

"What are you doing?" "Nothing. Can you just watch out for Mum and Dad and shout if you see them coming."

"Why?"

"Heath please."

"Okay." Heath wandered back into the living room and took guard. Brax snuck out thirty dollars, and replaced the wallet and raced out of the room.

Brax met Heath in the living room and handed him the money.

"Here. This is for your excursion. Don't lose it." Heath looked at him confused.

"Where did you get this?"

"Never mind."

"Is that what you were looking for in Mum and Dad's room?"

"Yes. Okay, I took it, just don't say anything."

"How come they have money in there? I thought you said they didn't have money?"

Brax sighed he wasn't in the mood for his younger brother's innocent questions.

"Do you want to go to the animal park or not?" "Yes…but…"

"Well don't ask questions and don't say a word." "I won't... Thanks Brax."

"You're welcome mate. Have fun ay?" Heath smiled at Brax and stuffed the money into his pocket.

When Friday came Heath managed to go on his excursion, he was not due back until 4pm, so Brax had to cover for him at home. Brax helped set the table as his mother was lying in bed, and Danny was wandering through the house.

"Where's Heath? Did he not come home with you?" He asked Brax in a grumpy tone.

"Ah, no Dad, he had to stay behind and get some extra work done for school."

"Humph. Since when does that boy ever care about school work. All I ever here is his complainin' about it."

"Um…Yeah…Well his teacher said if he didn't do well on his next homework task, he would get detention and you know Heath Dad, he wouldn't want to miss out on playing with his friends at lunch." Brax quickly lied.

"Humph. Well he better be home before dinner. Otherwise he'll be answering to me. I need his help around here with your mother pregnant and all."

Danny then walked out to check on his wife. Heath came through the door and saw Brax setting the table and ran over to him.

"Brax! Guess what?" "Shh, Heath. Dad might come out at any moment. What?"

"I got to see lots of really cool animals and even pat them." He whispered. Brax smiled at him.

"My favorite was this one that was all rough and had really sharp teeth…A… Cro…Um…Cro…" Heath couldn't remember the name. "A crocodile?" "Yeah that's it." Heath smiled.

"There ya are Heath. Did you get that lousy school work you needed?" Heath looked at Brax confused and saw him quietly nod. "Um yeah Dad."

"Good. Now you can help your brother with dinner. I'm going out for a quick drink. Ya mother's asleep, so don't go waking her up." "Yes Dad." The boys replied.

When Danny closed the door, the two boys laughed at each other and Brax gave his brother a light shove.

"I'm glad you had a good time mate."

"I owe it all to you. If you hadn't gotten that money I wouldn't have been able to go."

"Write me an IOU." Brax laughed and threw the dish towel at Heath, causing him to giggle. Brax grabbed Heath around the shoulders and hugged him, laughing.

"Shh, we can't wake Mum remember." Brax whispered, smiling. Letting his brother go and continuing to fix up some dinner.