CASEY'S POV:
Ricky, myself, Aaron and Caitilyn were sat at the kitchen table the next morning when the front door opened and Heath walked in. Swallowing a lump in my throat, I glanced at Ricky…
"Go easy on him, yeah, Heath?" she suggested "He's done the right thing."
"The right thing?" he questioned "The right thing would've been dobbing on whoever else was involved in the first place, Case, you know that."
"I'm sorry, okay?" I inquired "I was forced into it and if I hadn't of been there, I would've got a beating."
He sighed heavily and ran his hands over his face… "You've told the police everything, haven't you?"
I nodded my head, signalling yes…
"Good," he replied "Ric, what are you gonna tell Brax?"
"What are you gonna tell Brax about what?" his voice inquired
"Daddy!" Aaron proclaimed, climbing down from the table and hurrying over to him, Caitilyn doing the same. Taking them in his arms, he walked into the house and set them down at the table again…
"What do I need to know?" he questioned
"Can we go outside?" Ricky asked, raising an eyebrow at him
"Ric, I'll do it." I informed her
"Are you sure?" she inquired, raising an eyebrow at me
I nodded my head, signalling yes… "Brax, can we?"
"Sure." he replied, following me from the room and out into the backyard
BRAX'S POV:
"What's going on, Case?" I asked
"I've been lying to you…" he informed me
"Lying to me about what?" I inquired, raising an eyebrow at him
"I know who beat me up," he admitted "it was Ben, as in the Ben who came to the restaurant when we were setting up for Caitilyn's party."
"Why didn't you tell me from the beginning?" I questioned
He shrugged his shoulders… "I was scared of what would happen to me if the police found out."
"Well they're about to." I informed him, reaching into my pocket to pull out my phone
"They already do, which leads me onto the next thing…" he admitted, inhaling and exhaling a breath "last night I was arrested for breaking and entering, at Angelo's."
"What?" I inquired
"I can explain," he assured me "you know I told you he was planning on robbing somewhere? Well that somewhere was Angelo's. He wanted me there for the alarm codes and to tell him where the petty cash was kept. So the police would be called, I punched in the wrong alarm code and told him that you'd changed it without me knowing, then when they heard the sirens, they bolted. I tried to get out in time but I wasn't fast enough. I'm sorry I've let you down, Brax."
"You've not let me down, Case." I informed him "I'm disappointed, yeah, but I understand."
"You do?" he questioned
He nodded his head, signalling yes… "So the police know everything, right?"
"Right." he replied
"And what have they said to you?" I inquired
"They brought Ben in for questioning when I was released. I assume they'll let me know what's happening when they do." he informed me
"Right," I stated "well for now, until we know what's happening, I want you to stay in and focus on your schoolwork, okay?"
He nodded his head, signalling yes… "You've got it."
"Good," I replied "now get inside and finish your breakfast."
RICKY'S POV:
Casey made his way back inside and as I was clearing Aaron and Katie's plates, I saw Brax sat on one of the sun lounger chairs… "Case, can you keep an eye on Aaron and Katie for me please?"
He nodded his head, signalling yes. Smiling at him warmly, I made my way out to Brax, running my hand across his back as I reached him and sat down next to him…
"Hey." he greeted me
"Hey, yourself," I mirrored "what are you doing out here?"
"Thinking," he admitted "thinking about how Case got himself into such a mess and I didn't know anything about it."
"He got himself into a mess he thought he could get himself out of," informed him "but in the end he couldn't. What did you say to him?"
"I'm disappointed in him, but ultimately I understand. He was pressured into doing it, and at the end of the day, he's not a bad kid. We've raised him well, and he wouldn't do it intentionally, not off his own back." he replied
I smiled at him warmly as he turned to look at me… "What?"
"Just thinking about how much I love you" he admitted "and how far you've come, how far we've come."
I moved from my sun lounger and over to him, sitting down on his knee… "I love you."
"I love you too." he mirrored, pressing his lips against mine gently
So Brax knows about Casey's situation and isn't too angry about it, understanding that Casey was peer pressured into it. What next?