1 Childhood Friend + 5 Overly Protective Brothers = TROUBLE!!!

Chapter 8

Brody's POV

When I asked Brett how they were doing, I didn't think I'd hear the response I did. I of course had to ask Brett about it, especially when Alex stormed off.

"What did she mean?" I ask. I looked at his face, and I have never seen Brett look so sad. What has happened over these past ten years? He rubs his face with both of his hands and sighs/groans.

"It's been a tough ten years for us Brody. Once we moved, Mathew....," he sighs and corrects himself, "Pa started to work hard on the resorts. It was like he was putting all of his grief in work. He'd leave early in the mornings and didn't come home until really late. We never saw him. He'd be gone when we got up for school and home when we were all asleep. After six months this one time when he came home and I woke up and went to go talk to him. We fought. I told him how much we missed seeing him and questioned whether or not he loved us anymore. He didn't say anything. Then I started yelling at him. We got into a big yelling match and woke everyone up. Alex came running down. And when she saw Pa, she ran towards him. He... he... he pushed her away. She fell into a chair and hit her head on the edge of the table. We were all shocked at what had just happened. But we quickly snapped out of it and went to check on her. It broke her shoulder and she had to have surgery. She was only six." I just stared in disbelief. How in the world did this happen? I never thought that their father would do anything like that. He use to be so caring and loving. Then something hit me.

"What, what about Alex's swimming career? I mean I know she was only six, but she was such a good swimmer." The pained look on Brett's face told me it wasn't good.

"She couldn't swim after that. She hasn't gone swimming since the day she was released from the hospital." I had no idea how much the Dare children went through. I look over to the swing where Alex went and saw her sitting in Travis's lap. I knew she was crying. The only time Travis had her both in his lap and stroking her hair, was when she was crying. Just like what their mother use to do.