HOME AND AWAY

Chapter 10

It was 3am and Brax was sat on the sofa in the dark. His siblings had long since retired to their rooms and he now sat with his head in his hands. Summer had made her excuses pretty early on and retreated into her room, rejecting any offer of food claiming that she wasn't feeling great. After all, who could blame her? The kid was finally settling down in Summer Bay and then their estranged criminal father turns up, triggering memories long forgotten.

Now the truth had been revealed about Richard and Brax honestly didn't know what to do next. He was angry at Richard for putting his sister through that, angry at his mother for rejecting Richard's pleads for her to come back and angry at himself for not going to see her more often. But in the same breath, he was glad that she had said that she had some good memories and that it wasn't all abuse. In fact, Summer didn't even seem to acknowledge it as abuse, maybe that was a good sign?

Or was it denial as to what had happened? There was still more to his sister's story and he desperately wanted to get to the bottom of it. Brax took in a deep breath and leant back on the sofa, he allowed his head to roll back over the top and he jumped when he saw his little sister standing in the doorway, albeit upside down to him.

"Sorry." She muttered when she saw him jump.

"No, no it's fine." Brax said, he sat up and turned to face her. "You ok kiddo?"

"Couldn't sleep." Summer said, still hovering in the doorway. "Bad dream."

"Want to tell me about it?" Brax patted the seat next to him on the sofa and reached to put the lamp on.

"Dad." Was all Summer could manage to say and Brax nodded.

As Summer walked towards the sofa, Brax saw some of the scars on her back where her camisole did not cover; it was the first time he had seen them. Like Bianca had said earlier, they matched some of Heath's and therefore his too. Summer caught him staring and instead of looking away like she had done previously, she simply took off her camisole and showed her back to her brother.

Brax couldn't believe it, his sister stood in front of him in her bra, showing him her scars. Brax didn't know what to say, all he could do was stare for a minute before saying, "Thank you." Brax didn't know exactly what he was thanking her for, maybe it was for her honesty and openness or maybe for answering a question he didn't want to ask himself.

"Well now you've seen them, I'm hoping you'll stare less." Summer said simply as she put her top back on and sat next to him..
"I'm sorry that we made you tell us about Richard." Brax blurted out suddenly and Summer blinked at him.

"You didn't make me do anything." She said looking at her eldest brother, "A series of circumstances led to me revealing the truth sooner rather than later. You would have found out eventually, especially if you tried to teach me to surf." Summer winked at her brother slightly but it didn't lift his sombre mood.

"I'm serious Darryl, or Brax, whatever they call you." Summer continued, "I'll allow you to ask all the questions you want tonight and then we have to drop it."

Once more Brax looked at his sister, she reminded of himself when he was 10. That made him sad, she was wise and mature beyond her years just like he had been; she'd had more of a childhood than Brax but still not enough. "Do you wish that I hadn't left you there, at Richard's?" He asked and watched as his sister pondered for a moment.

"Yes and no." she replied, "Yes because I missed out on growing up with my brothers and no because I would have had to live with mums hatred."

"What can I do to make it up to you? Richard should never have hurt you like that and you shouldn't have to bear those scars." Brax sighed, emotion taking over his composure.