AUTHOR'S NOTE:
Unfortunately I couldn't come up with another good chapter for Kyle :(
So Kyle fans will have to wait a bit for some good chapters later on with lots of Kyle. Sorry.
I wasn't overly happy with this chapter it's mainly a fill in. So hope you all enjoy anyway.
Hint: Some more good news comes for the boys but will the drama be short-lived?
Chapter 66: Cheryl leaves
Brax had been getting tired of Cheryl always coming home plastered on alcohol and blowing all the money that he made to support the family on the pokies. When Brax wasn't at home she would taunt his brothers, especially preying on Casey's emotional state, Heath would often just ignore her and walk away but Casey couldn't do that, he was too young to get away from her and often had to deal with the harsh slaps and verbal abuse.
Brax was often in arguments with Cheryl over having the bills on the verge of being cut off and knew he had to do something about it. Brax had saved up enough money on the side to send Cheryl to a rehabilitation clinic a few hours away from them. Brax snapped the cash down on the living room table in front of Cheryl's face.
"Urg. What's this Darryl? Money to support ya mother's poor drink deprived body?"
Brax grunted. "No. It's money for you so you can go to a rehab place and stop wasting all my money on the pokies and alcohol!"
Cheryl sat up alerted. "What are ya bloody talkin' about? I ain't going to no reha' place."
"Yeah Mum, you are. I'm sick of working my butt off to make something for this family and all you do is take my money and spend it on alcohol and pokies! I'm not jeopardizing Heath and Casey's life anymore with your useless addictions."
Cheryl stood up to face her eldest son. "I can't believe you would sell out ya own mother like that Darryl. Maybe ya do take after Danny after all, a little bit of shifty behavior in ya."
The comment riled Brax up, he was nothing like Danny. "I'm nothing like Dad! Now you can take yourself to this place or I can drive you there tomorrow."
Cheryl huffed and snatched the money on the table. "I know when I'm not wanted."
"Mum?" Cheryl dragged herself into her room and packed her bag. "Mum what are you doing?"
"No son of mine is gonna send me away to be locked up in some loony bin for people with addictions. I'm outta here."
"Where are you going to go?"
"What do you care Darryl? Just a minute ago you wanted to ship me away."
"Yeah, to a place that would help you."
"I don't need any help!" Cheryl snapped.
"What am I going to tell Heath and Casey? That their Mum just decided to leave and not give a stuff about them or say goodbye?"
"Not my problem Darryl."
"Nah, it seems none of us never were. Right Mum?" Brax snapped.
Cheryl shrugged and walked out the door. "See ya Darryl, hope this makes your life easier now."
Brax sighed and ran his hands through his hair. "Mum! Mum!" Cheryl ignored Brax and kept walking.
When Heath and Casey arrived home from school they saw Brax sitting on the couch.
"Brax?" Heath asked.
"Hey mate. Hey Case. Can you both come and sit down for a sec. There's something I need to tell you."
Heath placed his hand on Casey's shoulder and guided him over to the couch. "What's up Brax?" Heath asked and Brax sighed.
"I gave Mum some money today to go to a rehab place a few hours from here but she wasn't too happy about the idea..."
"What are you saying?" Heath questioned.
"I mean Mum choose to leave us instead. She refused to go to rehab and get help for her addictions."
"What does that mean?"
"It means it's just us three now." Brax explained.
Casey cast his eyes downwards, even though Cheryl was as nasty to Casey as Danny sometimes, Casey still felt a sick feeling in his stomach that another person in his family had gone.
"Case you okay?" Brax asked. Casey slowly nodded.
"It'll be alright." Heath hugged Casey around the shoulder, "Cheer up Case, it'll be a good thing. At least you won't have Mum breathing down your neck anymore."
Casey hung his shoulders. "I know but why does everyone have to leave?"
Brax stood up and hugged Casey, "Ah Case, everyone's not leaving. Heath and I are still here and we're not going anywhere."