AUTHORS NOTE:
Kyle doesn't appear again for a few chapters now, in which his saga to prove his toughness to his father continues.
This is a long chapter and is the chapter I hinted how Danny's violence turns nasty for one of his boys.
Enjoy and thanks for reading :)
Chapter 39: Broken bones and open truths
(Heath 12, Casey 5, Brax 16)
Danny had gone out again for the morning and Cheryl still hadn't returned from going out the previous night. Brax had gotten a call from work asking him to come in briefly to discuss a work matter, knowing it would leave Heath and Casey alone and safe, Brax agreed. Brax turned to his brothers and spoke.
"I have to go into work again, but I won't be long. If you need anything just call."
"Alright." Heath replied. "Okay Brax." Casey smiled.
Brax ruffled Casey's hair and walked out of the house. It didn't take long before Danny pulled up outside in his car. Heath heard the car and quickly grabbed Casey, pulling him into Heath's room, just like Brax had always told him to do. "Stay in your room and keep quiet."
"Heath what are we doing?"
"Quiet Case. Dad's home and Brax told us to not to get under his feet as he's been in a bad moody lately."
However that was putting it lightly, Danny had been coming home more abusive than ever, and neither of the boys had to do much to cause him to hit them. It was mostly because he was drinking more and dealing with the stress of visiting Kyle.
Heath heard his father storm through the front door cursing and yelling. Heath held Casey close, he knew he had to keep them both safe while Brax wasn't there to do so, but he secretly wished Brax was there now, he would be strong enough to protect them.
Heath then heard him stumble followed by a very angry yell. "Those bloody kids! I've told 'em before not to leave their toys lyin' around!"
The house was a mess as the boys didn't have time to clean up before their father came in. The boys felt Danny's footstep storm down towards the rooms.
"Where are ya, ya little brats? I wanna talk to ya."
"Heath." Casey whimpered. "Shush, Dad will hear you."
Danny burst open Heath's bedroom door. "There ya are, hiding from your old man huh?" Danny looked at Casey.
"I thought I've told ya, not ta leave ya toys lyin' around! Ya think I wanna come home to trip over, ya ungrateful brat! I'll teach ya. Come 'ere!" Casey held onto Heath not moving.
"Ya think you can protect that brat Heath? You aint got the guts. Ya both soft. Now come 'ere Casey!" Danny yelled and grabbed Casey's wrist hard, pulling him out of Heath's grasp. Casey whined as Danny tightened his grip on his wrist and started pulling him towards the doorway of the room.
"Ya gonna learn to do as ya told!" Casey began to cry and Danny jerked him. "Quite ya whingin'!"
Heath frightened at the state that Danny was in and what he might do to Casey, ran at him trying to pull Casey away from him.
"Dad please don't do this! Whatever it is, Casey didn't mean it! Please Dad!" Heath begged.
"Ah look at that. Tryin' to be strong like ya brother hey? Ya pathetic Heath!" Danny shoved Heath backwards, causing him to stumble and fall.
"Heath!" Casey cried out. Danny slapped Casey's arm. "I told ya ta stop ya whingin'! Now I won't tell ya again!" Casey fell silent but remained sobbing.
Heath was taken aback by how rough Danny was getting with Casey and Casey's desperate plea for help. Heath got up and tried to pull Casey from Danny's hands again, fighting against him the best he could. Becoming annoyed, Danny let go of Casey, but to stop him running off he shoved him to the floor and grabbed his second son.
Filling with rage, Danny towered over Heath. "How dare you try to fight ya old man! I'll teach ya your place in this family!"
With that Danny threw Heath down roughly and picked up a cricket bat from the corner of the room. Heath cowered at what his father was going to do. "Dad I'm sorry."
"What did I tell ya? Weak, that's what you are."
Heath tried to move away but Danny stopped him, placing his heavy foot on his chest, he couldn't escape what was about to happen. He watched in fear as Danny raised the bat, before swinging it down forcefully, hitting Heath's lower left arm.
Heath screamed out an agonizing cry as a loud snap was heard. Heath immediately began to cry and held his arm. Casey listened in horror as he saw his older brother get hurt, sobbing uncontrollably. Danny released his leg off Heath and glared at him.
"Just remember who you're dealin' with my boy."
Casey tried to crawl away but was swiftly picked up around the waist by Danny who carried him out to his car and shoved him in and after getting in himself took off down the road.
After composing himself Heath knew he had to contact Brax. Heath struggled to get up and walk to the phone. Brax felt his phone ring in his pocket and pulled it out to answer. A concerned expression fell on his face when he saw the home number pop up on the screen. "Hello."
Brax could hear heavy breathing and sobbing. "Brax."
"Heath? What's wrong?" Heath heavily sobbed. "I tried to stop him."
"Heath what happened?" Silence.
"Heath!"
"Brax it hurts."
"I will be there soon okay, hang in there Heath."
"Please hurry Brax. He took Casey." As soon as Heath said those words, Brax's stomach turned. What had Danny done to Casey, let alone how Heath sounded?
"Where did he take Casey?" No answer.
"Heath?" Heath screamed in pain and cried, dropping the phone.
Brax heard Heath in the background moaning. Brax quickly hung up his phone and excused himself from work and raced home. Brax rushed inside to see Heath holding his arm, rolling on the ground and crying, the phone still off the hook. Brax ran full speed over to him.
"Heath." Brax placed the phone back on the hook and gathered his younger brother in his arms, gently rocking him.
"Hey, I'm here now. It's okay."
"It hurts, it hurts." Heath screamed and struggled restlessly.
Brax gently moved Heath's hand and saw his left arm was swollen and he had a nasty dark red bruise. Brax tried taking Heath's arm, but he pulled away.
"Hey it's okay. I just want to check it."
Heath let Brax take his arm and by the look of Heath's arm, Brax was certain it could have a possible break and he needed to get Heath to hospital as soon as possible. Brax got up, but was pulled back down.
"Please don't go."
"I'll be back. I'm just going to get something for your arm."
When Brax returned he had some padding and a sheet. Carefully he placed padding around Heath's arm and wrapped it together with the sheet. As Brax was doing this Heath spoke.
"It's all my fault. I really did try to stop Dad from taking Casey, but he…"
"Heath what happened?"
"Dad came home and was angry at Casey for having his toys around on the floor, I think. He came into my room and grabbed Casey from my arms. I tried pulling Casey away and fighting with Dad, but then…"
Brax rubbed his shoulder. "How did he hurt you Heath?"
"He…He hit me with the cricket bat."
Brax was shocked, never had his Dad been this violent. "And have you any idea where Dad took Casey?" Heath shook his head.
"I'm sorry Brax." Brax held Heath's head up."Hey you have nothing to be sorry about."
"But I couldn't protect Casey and now Dad's taken him somewhere. Dad's right I am weak." Heath sobbed.
"Heath, listen to me. I am so proud of you for standing up to Dad to protect Casey. That took a lot of guts. Don't you forget that, and Casey would be grateful you tried protecting him too."
"But what good is it, Dad's taken him."
"I'll find him okay. But for now let's get you to a hospital."
While on the way to the hospital Brax worried about Casey and wrecked his brain wondering where Danny may have taken him. At the hospital, Brax rushed Heath inside.
"My brother has a suspected broken arm. I need someone to see him."
"Alright I'm going to have to get you to take a seat. Now are you over 18 to sign for your brother's consent for treatment." Brax shook his head.
"But no-one else is around."
"I'm sorry, but for legal reasons we need these forms to be signed by a legal guardian or a person over eighteen." Brax sighed and gave the nurse his home number.
It felt like Danny had been driving for ages before he finally pulled over at a rocky lookout with a lake. Casey had no idea where his father had taken him and wished he had his brothers there to protect him. Danny got out and pulled Casey out of the car. Once they reached some of the rocks, Danny pushed Casey down, causing him to fall onto the hard rock beneath him. Danny forced Casey to lie on the rocks and gripped his shirt.
"You listen and you listen, good brat. I have had enough of your antics in my house and if it wasn't for the extra money we get for ya, you'd have been shipped off by now. You were a mistake Casey Braxton, an accident that should never have happened and I suggest you toughen up and stop acting like a baby or you will never see this family again. Ya understand?"
Casey looked at his father with tears in his eyes. Danny punched Casey's upper arm, causing Casey to scream. "Yes Daddy." Casey whimpered.
Glaring at his youngest son, Danny grabbed Casey and dragged him back to the car. Danny pinned Casey against the car and placed his strong hand around Casey's neck.
"Be grateful I aint leavin' ya out here. If I have to remind ya again about your stupid toys around the house and doin' as ya told, I'll bring you back out here and leave ya and I promise ya that Darryl or no-one else will come for ya." Danny threatened.
This scared the life out of Casey, not that Danny ever intended in doing that, he would never give up controlling his kids like that, but the emotional blackmail worked wonders on his youngest son.
Danny released Casey and as Casey was about to get into the car, Danny pushed him back against the car, this time resting his hand on Casey's back. Danny lent down and whispered in Casey's ear.
"You don't say a word of this to anyone, ya understand? Otherwise you won't wanna know what will happen."
Casey didn't answer and so Danny took this as a sign of disrespect to him. Hardening his grip on Casey's back, Danny gave him a hard shove and whacked his thigh even harder. Casey screamed and started to cry harder as he crumpled against the car.
"Understand?" Danny repeated in a threatening tone. "Yes Daddy. Yes." Casey whined.
"Arg! Stop being such a baby!" Danny grabbed Casey and threw him into the passenger seat and slammed the door behind him.
Danny got into the car and grunted at Casey's crying. "Cut the cryin' will ya! I ain't listenin' to that all the way home!"
Scared at disobeying his father after what he just told him, Casey slowly stopped his crying and managed to keep it to a quiet hitched sob as he sat sadly in the passenger seat.
When Danny arrive back home with Casey, he noticed Heath was gone and figured he must have told Brax what happened. To save his skin he had to get to them in time before either of them told on him. Danny was about to go back out of the house when the phone rang. "Hello."
"Hello Mr Braxton. This is Naomi from the hospital. We have two of your sons here, that have just arrived and the youngest seems to have sustained a broken arm, but we need parental permission to treat him, so if you could please come down to the hospital and fill out the form required for treatment."
Danny grunted, at least he knew where to look for his boys. "Yeah I'll be there soon." Danny hung up the phone and grabbed Casey by the upper arm. "Let's go, we have to sort out your brothers."
Danny walked into the waiting room of the hospital and approached the front desk. "Yeah, I'm here to sign some papers for me son Heath Braxton."
"Ah, yes, here, just fill these out and we can start on treatment." Danny filled out the paper and wandered into the next room where Brax and Heath waited, Casey followed closely behind.
Brax and Heath looked up when they saw their father glaring at them. Brax saw Casey and a wave of relief rushed over him. Casey took sight of Brax and went to run over to him but was swiftly pulled back by Danny.
"Oi! Be'ave yourself! Need I have ta give ya reminder of our discussion?" Danny threatened and gripped Casey's wrist tight until he reached his other two sons then he released his youngest.
As soon as Casey was free he climbed onto Brax's lap and cuddled into his chest. Brax gave him a massive bear hug and kissed the top of his head. "I'm so glad you're safe." Brax whispered.
Casey stared at Heath who still showed he was in a lot of pain but noticing his younger brother staring at him worried, Heath managed a smile.
"You okay Case?" Casey nodded and Brax looked over Casey's shoulder to see his face and knew by his expression he wasn't okay.
Danny saw the doctor approach and decided it was the right time to cover his tracks.
"Honestly boys I don't know how you get yourselves into this mess." Heath and Brax swapped a glance.
"Heath Braxton?" Danny looked at the doctor. "They're always getting themselves into fights and accidents. Getting all bruised up." Danny shook his head and shot his sons a 'you better not say anything look'.
The doctor glanced over at Heath's form. "Right, Heath Braxton if you could follow me please, and we can take a look at that arm of yours. Mr Braxton you can accompany your son if you wish."
"Can't Brax come with me?" Heath asked. He did not want his father near him after what had happened.
"I'm sorry Heath. Only a legal guardian can come in with you."
"Heath's a big boy, he can go by himself."
The doctor started to walk off and Heath followed. Danny stood up and gripped Heath's good arm.
"Just remember boy say nothin'. You don't want to have another discussion about this again so soon do ya?" He warned. "No Dad."
"That's my boy. Get on with ya." Danny smirked and tapped Heath's face. Heath then left to get his arm radiographed and treated.
While Danny had been talking to Heath, Brax whispered to Casey, "Did Dad hurt you Case?" Casey didn't reply and shook his head briefly.
"Where did he take you?" Casey shrugged. "Come on Case, you can tell me."
Casey shook his head and shifted on his brother's lap. Brax noticed a mark forming on Casey's wrist where Danny had grabbed him and he gently touched it, only to have Casey pull away. Casey looked up at his brother.
"I'm tired." He whispered. "Hey, rest on me yeah?" Brax encouraged Casey to lie against his chest and gently rubbed his back making Casey fall asleep not long after.
Danny came back and sat down next to Brax and saw his oldest son glaring at him. "Don't look at me like that Darryl"
"You broke his arm." Brax said through gritted teeth, not loud enough for anyone else to hear.
"So what? Who are you to tell me how to treat my kids? Last time I checked Darryl, you're still a kid, so I suggest you better watch what you say."
"What, or else you'll break my arm too?" Brax whispered.
"No, I'll deal with your brothers in a way that'll make you never see either of them again." Danny threatened and made a cutting his throat action.
Brax kept quiet at that, he didn't fully understand what his father was implying but he did not want to find out.
"So do we have an understanding Darryl? You don't mention a word of this to anyone. Otherwise you don't wanna know what I'll do." Brax nodded silently as he held his baby brother close in his arms, he did not want to jeopardize anything that would take his brothers away from him.
Heath eventually walked out with a cast on his arm and a sling and the doctor approached Danny. "Your son sustained a closed fracture to his lower arm. We have provided him with some pain relief and put the arm in a cast. Heath needs to rest his arm for 6 weeks for the bone to fully repair itself. If he still experiences pain, just provide the normal pain relief medication and the swelling and bruising will go down over a couple of weeks. If you have any concerns bring him back and we will check it out for you."
The doctor turned to Heath. "No more rough skateboarding tricks with your mates huh? I bet you learned your lesson from that." Heath nodded.
Danny realized when they asked Heath how it happened he must have told them it happened due to a skateboarding accident, but it was no surprise, as his boys knew never to tell others of what happened at home, for they knew they would receive a severe beating if their secret on what Danny done to them was ever found out.
Danny glared at his boys. "Come on let's get out of here!" He grunted. "Get up Darryl and stop babying that brat will ya!" Danny gave Casey a hard shove, waking him up.
Brax stood up angry at his father and placed Casey on the floor. Brax let Casey rub his eyes before he was about to take his hand but Danny grabbed it first and pulled Casey to start walking. Casey looked up at Brax frightened and Danny moved behind Heath and gave him a shove.
"Move it you two, you've both caused enough trouble for one day!"
"Dad!" Brax exclaimed shocked at the treatment of his brothers after what happened. Danny turned to glare at Brax.
"You got somethin' to say Darryl?" He threatened. "No Dad."
"Good. Let's keep it that way. Now move." Danny pushed Casey and Heath towards his car and Brax followed behind.
When they arrived home, Cheryl was inside waiting. "Where have you all been?" She noticed the cast on Heath's arm. "What happened to you?"
Heath didn't dare open his mouth to answer, until he was roughly shoved by Danny.
"Ya Mum asked you a question! Tell her the truth!" Looking down Heath replied, "My arm's broken."
Danny poked Heath again. "And what was the reason you got the broken arm?"
Heath sighed. "I tried to fight Dad..."
Cheryl laughed. "You stupid boy."
Heath felt hurt and without thinking added, "I only did it to protect Casey!"
Heath felt a hard punch hit him on the back of his shoulder, knocking him to the ground and making him fall on his injured arm. Heath let out a loud scream.
"Dad! How could you do that to Heath? Haven't you hurt him enough?" Brax yelled in his father's face.
"Ah, forgotten our little chat so soon have we Darryl? Maybe we do need to implement the idea. Starting with the little one." Danny smirked.
"Stop threatening us!" Brax was taken aback by his determination to stand against his father, but truth be told he was still terrified at what he could do, but seeing how violently he hurt his brothers made his blood boil.
Danny forcefully punched Brax in the cheek and gripped him on the back of the neck.
"You don't talk to me that way Darryl. Just remember your brother's lives are on the line."
Danny punched Brax again, this time in the abdomen causing Brax to double over. Brax could see Casey watching all the fighting.
"Casey go to your room!" He yelled, wanting to protect him from seeing all this. Casey went to run off but was grabbed back by Danny and tossed to the floor.
"You don't listen to Darryl! You answer to me! Now clean up your toys you left here since this morning, before I give ya a beating!" Casey rushed off to tidy up his toys.
"Arg! All the yelling is doing my head in." Cheryl groaned and walked out into the kitchen to grab a beer. "I'll join ya. I've had enough of these boys." Danny followed Cheryl into the kitchen.
Brax rushed over to Heath. "You alright mate?" Heath slowly nodded as he grimaced in pain and shivered from the shock. Brax helped him up and rubbed his back. "Go wait in my room hey, I'll be in soon."
Heath walked to Brax's room and waited. Brax went over to Casey, who struggled to pack away his toys as his eyes were fuzzed over with tears and helped him finish. Casey turned to Brax and latched onto his neck, crying.
"Hey, it's okay." Brax picked up Casey and headed down to his room, where Heath sat rested on his bed. Brax kept both boys in his room for the night so the three could avoid Danny and Cheryl as much as possible.