Chapter 26: Brax's panic
It was Saturday morning and Heath groaned. He was to go to the dentist to get his teeth checked after complaining about pain for a few days. He did not want to go and have some stranger look at his mouth.
"I ain't arguing with you Heath. Ya going and that's final!" Cheryl told him.
Casey sat in his highchair while Brax fed him his breakfast after Cheryl told him to take over so she could get Heath organized. Danny came out of the bedroom, groaning. He had been out drinking all night and was tired. "What's going on out here?"
"Nothing Dad." Brax replied. "I wasn't askin' you."
Danny walked up to Heath. "You better not be being difficult for ya mother. We're only taking ya to this stupid dentist to quit ya complainin'."
"No Dad." "Good. Cause I don't want to have to drag you down there after teaching ya a lesson on doin' as ya told."
Cheryl shoved Heath towards the door. "We ain't got all day."
"Good luck mate." Brax yelled.
Danny walked over to his remaining sons. "He's eaten enough. Clean up this mess Darryl. I'm going back to bed."
Danny pulled Casey out of his high chair and put him on the floor, then proceeded to walk back to his bedroom.
Brax carried Casey to the living room and sat down with him ready to play with his toy action figures with him. Casey pointed to a toy across the room.
"You want that one?" Brax asked, receiving a smile.
Brax turned his back for only a few seconds, but just enough time for Casey to have picked up one of his toys and stick it inside his mouth. This was a constant habit Casey had at this time, putting things in his mouth. Part of the toy snapped off as Casey chewed on it, causing the young toddler to swallow. Brax turned back to see Casey gagging and looking distressed. Brax quickly ran to him.
"Casey what's wrong?"
Casey shook and flailed his arms around and struggled to breathe. Brax had never seen something like this before and had no idea what to do and it scared him. Brax ran to his parent's bedroom and shoved his father.
"Dad! Dad!"
"Arg! This better be good Darryl."
"Dad please. Something's wrong with Casey. Dad!"
Brax gave his father a hard shove, knowing it might get him in trouble later but he didn't care, he had Casey to worry about.
"Arg!" Danny got up and followed Brax out to the living room. Brax knelt next to Casey again and could see his lips turn a shade of blue.
"Casey!" Brax yelled. Danny groaned and walked over to his boys.
"The kid's choking. He just needs a good whack. Move Darryl."
Brax looked on in panic as he saw his father pick his baby brother up, rested him against his arm, and raised his hand.
"No Dad, don't! Please don't hit Casey. It was my fault. I should have been watching him." Brax pleaded.
"Oh shut it Darryl. You want the brat to stop choking don't ya?" "Yes."
"Well let me do what I have to do and quit interrupting."
Even though Danny wasn't taking the best approach to stop Casey's choking at least he had some way to help. Danny hit Casey in between his shoulders.
"Dad please stop!" Brax shouted.
Danny glared at Brax and continued. After no response Danny hit him again, this time the force made Casey spit out the broken toy. Danny put Casey who was shaking and crying back down on the floor. Brax ran up to him and hugged him.
Danny pushed Brax out of the way. "Don't baby him he shouldn't have done something so stupid."
Danny gripped his youngest son's arm. "Nuisance child!" He grunted.
Brax looked up at his father, he didn't know whether to thank him or keep his mouth shut.
"Make sure you bloody watch him this time. I ain't comin' out again!" Danny told Brax and stormed back to his room to go back to sleep.
Brax cuddled Casey until he calmed. "I'm sorry Case. You gave me such a fright." Casey held onto his brother's shirt and gave a weak smile.
When Cheryl and Heath returned home, Brax could hear Cheryl lecturing Heath as they came towards the door.
"Ya had nothing to fuss about did ya? All that whinging for nothing." Heath rolled his eyes as they walked through the door.
"Hey mate, how'd it go?"
"Just had to get a filling in a tooth, but the dentist gave me a sticker afterwards."
"That's great mate." "How was everything here?"
Not wanting to mention about Casey's accident Brax simply replied, "fine," and smiled at his younger brother, vowing to find out all the first aid he could to make sure nothing like that ever happened again.