HOME AND AWAY

Chapter 14

Casey, Summer, Bianca and Rocco were all at home by the end of the week. Casey and Summer's injuries had mostly healed, they were still a bit sore but were able to get around just fine without pain medication now.

Rocco was getting stronger by the day and was the centre of attention back at home, April and Irene had flocked around him the second he had come home which allowed Bianca to have some rest. Brax had offered Kyle a room at theirs so that they could get to know each other better and it had been gratefully received.

A month after the attack, Summer and Casey were summoned to court as witnesses in Danny's assault trial by letter and it had set them all on edge. Although Casey had planned to get Danny sent back to prison, he wasn't sure if it was going to be permanent or not.

"I can't do it ." Summer was hyperventilating as she read the letter.

"It's ok, we'll all be there beside you." Casey was with her that morning, they had planned on going to the beach but now it looked like that was going to abandoned.

"Why did everything have to change?" Summer asked no one in particular.

"What's changed kiddo?" Heath asked walking in with Rocco in his arms.

"Everything." Summer sighed and sat down on the sofa, defeated.

"You're going to have to give me some more info Summer." Heath said seriously, raising an eyebrow as he watched his younger sister.

"So much has changed this year." Summer started quietly, Casey sat down next to Summer and placed his arm comfortingly around her.

"Would you rather things hadn't?" Heath asked bravely, he wasn't sure whether he wanted to know the answer. He didn't know how he would feel if his little sister admitted that she would rather she hadn't come to live with them.

"Yes and no." Summer said softly. "Don't get me wrong, I love being here with you guys. I really do!" Summer wasn't sure if she was going to be able to say what she was thinking without hurting Heath. She rubbed awkwardly at her wrists when her scars lay, but Casey grabbed her hands and placed them in his to prevent her hurting herself.

"I just... things were," Summer paused as she tried to find the perfect word. "simpler. They were simpler with Richard." She finally said, her voice only just above a whisper.

"Yes, I'm sure being beaten by Richard and bullied was so much simpler than being here with your brothers." Heath said angrily, which was enough to cause Rocco to begin to whinge.

Casey saw this and stood up to relieve Heath of Rocco. "It's not as simple as that and you know it Heath." Casey said boldly, "I'll take Rocco next door and you two should talk this over."

"Well?" Heath demanded, but his voice was softer this time.

"It's hard to explain. In the few months that I've been here, I've had to get to know my estranged brothers, made friends, been confronted with a much guarded secret, had painful memories resurface and been put in hospital by our father." Summer listed bitterly but watching Heath's reaction carefully.

"At least at Richard's, there were less variables. If he was in a bad mood, it was going to be rough but if he was in a good mood, then happy days!" Summer continued before Heath had chance to speak. "At least with Richard, I knew that I didn't directly cause it. But here, with what happened with Dad, I did that. It was my fault." Summer placed her head in her hands and began to cry silently.

As he watched his sister, Heath realised how much his words must have hurt her and how much guilt she was carrying with her. It wasn't fair for her to blame herself for the actions of their mongrel of a father. "Shhhh pup," Heath said as he sat next to her and pulled her into him.