BRAX'S POV:

I arrived at Mum's and walked in through the back door, finding her sat at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee… "Thinking about how to spend the money you stole from Bianca?"

"What?" she questioned

"You heard" I informed her "if you needed money so desperately, why didn't you just come to me?"

"I don't know what you're talking about, Darryl" she admitted

"Cut the crap" I proclaimed "Bianca saw you taking some money from her purse and I want to know why you did it!"

"It's a pride thing" she informed me "I couldn't come to you because you're my son. I'm the Mum, I'm meant to be the one who manages my finances well and you're the one who's meant to be out spending money like it's going out of style"

"But you're not" I replied "Mum, you could've come to me"

"I couldn't, Darryl" she sighed "do you know how disappointed I am in myself for doing what I did?"

"You shouldn't have done it in the first place then" I informed her "Mum, why do you have to go and blow every single chance I give you?"

"Don't say that, love, please" she begged

"I can't trust you, Mum, and if I can't trust you, I can't trust you to be around my family" I admitted "it kills me to say this but you need to stay away"

"Darryl…" she began

"No, Mum. Nothing you say is going to change my mind" I informed her "I need to go"

RICKY'S POV:

Brax arrived back at the house as evening fell on the Bay. Making my way into the living room as he leant against the now shut front door, he opened his arms to me and I walked into them, wrapping mine around his waist… "I'm sorry"

"You've got nothing to be sorry for" he replied, kissing the top of my head as we embraced

"I'm sorry about your Mum, I'm sorry that she let you down again" I admitted "I'm sorry she managed to get inside your head and make you trust her again. I'm just sorry, Brax"

"Stop apologising, please" he begged

"Sorry" I replied, pursing my lips together as he pulled away from me, raising an eyebrow at me

"Where's Case?" he questioned

"In bed" I informed him "I couldn't keep him up any longer, I'm sorry. He was falling asleep on the sofa"

"It's fine" he assured me "I'm gonna go and check on him and then go to bed myself. You coming?"

"I'll be through when I've done this" I replied, motioning to the mess in the kitchen

"Can you not leave it till morning? Please, Ric" he begged

I exhaled a breath and nodded my head, signalling yes, letting him take my hands and lead me into the bedroom…