Chapter 44: Sensing a change
Casey lay awake in bed all night, every time he tried to go to sleep, he kept thinking about his brother. He had made Brax sick and was convinced Brax was mad at him and that was why he wasn't telling him that he was going to die, he wanted him to suffer. Casey's eyes began to water as he lay scared in his bed. He didn't want Brax to die. Casey got out of bed, he needed comfort. Too scared to approach Brax, Casey crept into Heath's room and gently poked Heath.
"Ah! Geez Case. What are you doing?" Heath startled.
"I…I can't sleep." Heath groaned.
He was about to ask Casey why he wasn't waking up Brax with this, but remembered he had to help his brother and let him rest. Sitting up he looked to Casey.
"Did you have a nightmare?" Casey shrugged. "Do you wanna talk about it?" Heath asked groggy, not really in the mood to listen to Casey talk, he just wanted to go back to bed.
Casey shook his head. "Can I stay with you for awhile?" Heath groaned. "Alright."
Heath opened his blanket to allow his little brother to snuggle in beside him. Heath turned around and went back to sleep. Casey found Heath to be different than Brax. Brax would always wrap his arms around him and make him feel safe, but this would just have to do. Eventually finding comfort next to his brother Casey fell asleep.
The next morning Heath woke early, which was unusual for him and he decided he would help Brax out by making breakfast. Casey watched his brother in the kitchen.
"Why are you doing that?" Casey got more suspicious that Heath was doing Brax's job, it was definite that he was going to die.
"I felt like it okay?" Heath snapped back as he cracked some eggs into a bowl, dropping some of the shell in as well. This can't be too hard, I've watched Brax make eggs heaps of times. Heath placed the pan on the stove.
Brax woke to the smell of smoke and burnt food, quickly getting up he raced into the kitchen to see utter chaos. There was smoke coming from the top of the stove where Heath had burnt the eggs and toast that could pass as carbon blocks sat on the bench. The kitchen was a mess and Heath was yelling at Casey to stay out of his way.
Brax rushed over and took the hot pan off the stove and put it in the sink. Looking exhausted at his brothers, Brax gasped. "What is going on here?"
Heath felt terrible that he had done more harm than good. "I just wanted to help and make breakfast."
"Heath you don't know anything about this stuff. You made it ten times worse! I mean look at this mess!" Brax snapped, harsher than he expected too.
Heath sat down at the table. "I'm sorry Brax. I only wanted to help." Brax sighed upon seeing his brother's defeated face.
"Ah mate. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have snapped at you like that. I appreciate your help, but please leave the cooking to me ay?" Heath nodded. "Now I'll fix us up some breakfast. Casey what do you want? Sandy fruits or chocolate crunchies?"
"I'm not hungry." Casey mumbled.
"I know Heath's cooking may have turned you off." Brax joked. "Hey." Heath defended. "But you need to eat something." Brax continued, smiling at his brother.
Casey was playing with his placemat since Brax had come into the room. "I said I'm not hungry! I don't want your stupid breakfast!"
Casey got up off his chair and ran out of the room. "Casey?" Brax called. Heath shrugged.
"Did you say something to upset him?" Heath was shocked.
"What? Me? I haven't done anything to him. Besides the little guy's been acting weird."
"Weird how?"
"Last night he came into my room and woke me up because he couldn't sleep and then he spent the night in my room."
"Why didn't he wake me up? Why didn't you?" Brax questioned. Heath shrugged again.
"I didn't because I thought you could do with the rest." Brax sighed and turned to where Casey had run off.
"Did you want me to sort him out and get him back here?" Heath asked but Brax only shook his head.
"Nah mate. I'll just make him something to eat later. Thanks though." Heath nodded.
Brax was too unwell to pick a battle with Casey over breakfast right now. He set a bowl of cereal down for Heath and himself.
"I'm sorry about all the mess. I was only trying to make things easier for you."
"Don't worry about it mate." Brax replied as he ate a spoonful of his cereal.
Casey played with his toys in the lounge room. "Heath! Play!" Casey yelled.
Brax wandered out towards his brother, Heath following. "Hey mate. Can I play with you?"
Brax sat down and went to pick up one of Casey's toys, only to have Casey snatch it back.
"No! I don't want you to play. I want Heath to play with me!"
Brax was a little surprised. Casey loved it when Brax played with his toys with him. Heath glanced at his brother and shrugged and sat down on the floor to play with Casey for awhile.
When it was time for bed, Brax placed his hand on Casey. "Come on Case, time for bed."
"No! I want Heath! Heath!"
Heath who had gone to his bedroom for some quiet time came out at the shout of his name. Casey ran to him and hugged him.
"Can you tuck me in and read me a story?" Heath looked to Brax who seemed a little hurt and confused.
"Brax always does that Case. Besides I'm no good at reading stories"
"I don't care. I don't want Brax to. I want you to." Casey whined.
"Casey is something wrong?" Brax asked him. "Did I do something to upset you?" Casey ignored him.
"Casey please talk to me. If I've upset you in any way I want to know." Brax pleaded.
"Leave me alone!" Casey shouted.
Heath tapped him on his arm. "Don't speak to Brax that way!" He scolded. Casey looked up at his brother and ran to his room. "It's alright Heath."
Brax walked to Casey's room and saw Casey lying on his bed on his stomach with his face snuggled into his pillow. Brax sat down on the bed.
"You wanna tell me what that was all about?" Brax asked sternly. Casey sat up.
"Go away!" "Casey you stop talking to me like that and tell me what's bothering you. I am not leaving till you talk to me." Brax stood his ground.
Casey glared at his brother annoyed. "I don't wanna talk to you! I want you to go away!"
Casey shoved Brax on the leg. Brax didn't move. Casey became more frustrated, he didn't want his big brother there. It was only hurting him more, if he got close to him it would only hurt him worse than if he pretended he didn't care about his brother.
Casey began to shove on Brax's leg continuously. "Go away! Go away!"
"Casey stop it!" Brax ordered and tried to push Casey back, but being so sore, he didn't have as much strength as he used to.
Casey lunged at Brax, flailing his arms around. Heath heard the yelling and went to Casey's room. Brax managed to wrap his arms around Casey who continued to struggle.
"Don't touch me!"
"Casey calm down!" Brax could feel himself leading up to another violent coughing attack.
"I don't want you near me! I hate you! I want Heath!"
Brax lost his grip. Stunned and hurt by Casey's reaction. Casey was still yelling and Brax raised his eyebrows at Heath to help him out. Brax groaned in pain, doubling over and ran to the bathroom to cough up more blood. Heath watched as his brother left and grabbed hold of Casey and pinned him down on the bed.
"Stop your tantrum right now!" Heath yelled, frightening Casey. "That's no way to treat Brax after all he does for you!"
Casey grabbed onto his brother only for Heath to push him off. "I wanted you." He whined.
"Too bad! Get into bed Casey. Now!"
"Are you gonna read me a story?" "No." Heath replied annoyed and walked out, turning the light off and closing the door.
"Heath…" Casey whined feeling scared and alone. Heath ignored Casey and walked towards the bathroom, knocking on the door.
"Brax? Brax are you okay?" Brax slowly opened the door, looking washed out. "Yeah, fine mate." Brax coughed again.
Brax walked back into the lounge room. "What have I done?"
"What do you mean?"
"Why would Casey all of a sudden act this way towards me and tell me he hates me?" Brax repeated the words, feeling hurt. "This isn't like him." Heath shrugged.
Brax heard Casey crying in his room. "Heath, did you just leave him in there unsettled?"
"I was worried about you." Brax sighed. "Mate you don't have to be. I'm okay."
Heath sat down next to Brax. "How can you be so sure? I don't want you to get worse. Please be careful Brax."
"I'm trying mate. Go and settle Casey and go to bed okay." Heath gave a weak smile and stood up, heading towards Casey's room.