Just thought I'd post another chapter since I'm going to be away for a few days. I'm taking off to the coast, although I won't have a hot senior constable by my side ... unfortunately :(

I'll write a few more while I am away, hopefully. Enjoy!

Chapter 3

Joey opened the front door. She could hear the sound of the tv in the living room blaring. On no, she thought. Brett's been drinking ... perfect ... that's all I need! His ability to hear always seemed to diminish after several glasses of whiskey and some beers, and Joey liked to have a set of headphones or earplugs stashed in her bedside cabinet to help drown out the noises. She hoped Brett had already drank himself unconscious.

She peered into the living room. He was lying on the sofa, beer in his hand - his eyes half-closed. She tip-toed across the hallway and into her room, shutting the door tight.

"Joey is that you?"

"Damn", Joey mumbled under her breath. The kraken had awoken.

"I'm tired, Brett ... I'm going to bed", she shouted, knowing full well that her answer would not appease him.

Normally he didn't care where Joey went to, or what she did – but when he was intoxicated it was an entirely different matter. The bedroom door flung open. Brett steadied himself against the door frame. The room was spinning from drinking one too many whiskeys.

"Where the bloody hell have you been for the past three days?"

Joey sighed. "I told you ... I was going away for a few days ... and now I'm home again. JUST LEAVE IT! It's none of your business."

"None of my business?" The sudden anger was audible in his voice. "Well, let me tell you something sis ... this is my house ... and as long as you are living here it IS my business."

Joey turned away from him and opened her bag. She lifted out a bottle of whiskey and turned back to face him. "Brought you something", she said half-heartedly as she threw it towards him. Brett managed to catch it. He didn't deserve any kind of gift but Joey figured that if it would shut him up until morning, it was worth it. Tomorrow he wouldn't care where she had been.

He tried to focus on the label but couldn't, so he decided to take it into the living room for a closer inspection.

Works like a charm, Joey thought to herself. She had used that same trick many few times before. It never failed.

She sat down on her cold, empty bed - her shoulders hunched forward. Thoughts of Charlie flooded her mind and she found herself smiling. She missed her already and they had only just parted. I wonder if Ruby is home tonight. Will she tell her? I'm so worried about her.

She lay on top of her bed and opened the bedside cabinet to find her headphones. She reckoned she'd probably need to use them all night.

--------x--------

One hour later. Joey awoke. Something had startled her. She took off her headphones and listened. She could hear thudding noises coming from the bathroom. Oh for god sakes, Brett ... go to sleep, she thought. She really did wish he wasn't her flesh and blood sometimes.

The time on her mobile phone said 8:45 p.m. Just as she was about to set it back down it vibrated. A message – from Charlie. She clicked on 'OK' to open it. Her stomach leaped. She read the words ...

'I told her. She was ok about it. She is happy for us. I miss u – C'

Joey smiled to herself. She was relieved. Deep down she knew that Ruby would be supportive of them. She hit the 'REPLY' button to compose her response ...

'I'm proud of u. Are u ok? I miss u too – J' She hit the 'SEND' button.

She had been worried about Charlie and Ruby. She didn't want to be the cause of any strife between them, but Charlie's messaged had been good news. Her phone vibrated again. Another message ...

'I'm ok. Feel better now that she knows. I love u. See u tomorrow – C'

Joey's heart warmed on reading the words. She started her response ...

'Sweet dreams. I love u too. See u tomorrow – J' She pressed the 'SEND' button.

Joey felt she could sleep better now, knowing that everything went well with Ruby. Brett could stomp around the house all he wanted – she would neither hear nor care.

--------x--------

It was morning. Charlie stirred and stretched her arm out to touch Joey, quickly realising she wasn't with her. It made her a little sad. She had dreamt all night about their time together, and coming home. She dreamt that she told Ruby about their relationship. Ruby had been shocked and then all of a sudden she looked at Charlie with an evil grin. She reached up and pulled a mask off her face to reveal her true identity – Colleen! What a nightmare!

The more Charlie thought about the dream the more it made her smile. So silly ... and weird, she thought!

There was a knock at the door. Ruby entered.

"Are you okay, Charlz?"

Charlie smiled at her, pleased at her sister's concern for her wellbeing. "Yes ... thanks. I'm getting up now. Want some breakfast?"

"I've eaten already ... but there's coffee in the pot if you want some." Ruby turned to walk away.

"Rubes?"

She turned back to look at Charlie.

"Thanks ... for last night. It really meant a lot to me."

"You're my sister, Charlie ... so whatever it is that floats your boat ... I'm okay with it." She grinned mischievously.

Charlie blushed, then giggled at her sister's cheekiness. She felt lucky to have her as a sibling. The mention of boats got her thinking about Joey and she wondered what she was doing. She hoped that her brother hadn't given her a hard time. Sometimes she wanted to arrest him and lock him in jail – then throw away the key - then bury the jail under a thousand tonnes of cement.

--------x--------

Joey awoke. She remembered her brother's drunken stupor the night before and she tried to guess what room she would find him unconscious in. Would it be the living room again, or the bathroom. Sometimes he fell asleep sitting on the toilet.

She sat up in her bed and rubbed her eyes. The time was 8:13. She hadn't been able to take the headphones off until around 4 am - when Brett had finally fallen asleep. She got up and made her way to the bathroom. The shower needed cleaning. Brett was never any good at keeping a bathroom tidy. She looked at the tiled wall and it reminded her of the bathroom at the beach house – and the shower she had taken with Charlie. She smiled to herself as she remembered Charlie's strong fingers pressing against the back of her hands, her other hand caressing her body. Wow, she thought.

Her plan for the day was to get washed and dressed, have breakfast, and then travel to see her friend that she had known from a few years back. She needed him to help her organise a surprise birthday gift for Charlie, and she knew just the right gift for her. Charlie's turned twenty-seven in exactly six days, and she wanted it to be a special occasion – something that she would never forget.

--------x--------

The utility belt felt heavy around her waist. It had been a few days since Charlie had worn it and she had forgotten how much it weighed. She fumbled with the buckle as she stood looking at herself in the mirror. All she had to do was get through one day of work, and then she could see Joey again. She guessed that the paperwork would be piled higher than Mt. Everest on her desk by now, and she wasn't looking forward to dealing with it all, but if she could concentrate on it all day, the time would go past quickly, or so she hoped. She looked at herself one last time in the mirror before leaving the house.

--------x--------

It was 2:30 p.m. Joey had asked to borrow her brother's car earlier that day and surprisingly he said yes. She decided he must have remembered the gift from the night before and wanted to do something for her in return. It wasn't like him to be nice to anyone, not even his own family.

She found herself now sitting in the office of Dr. Stephen Corbett. Her plans were well under way.

"It's been great to see you again, Joey. How long has it been ... two years?"

"Yeah ... just over two ... thanks again Steve. I really appreciate you doing this." She smiled warmly.

"Well it's the least I can do for the girl who made me feel so welcome on our boat trip. You really took care of me. I don't have very good sea legs."

"Yeah I remember ... the projectile vomiting over the starboard bow ... mostly."

He laughed aloud. "Please ... don't remind me."

Dr. Corbett had been assigned a two month trip on the trawler Joey worked on. His job at the time with the University of Sydney was to research the impact of drag net fishing on the local environment - an area where Joey worked regularly. They had become good friends and had learned a lot from each other. He was an expert zoologist, and now his new job had put him in a position to help one of his dearest friends, and he was more than happy to oblige.

"So anyway ... just bring your friend here next Wednesday at around 10:30 a.m. Everything will be ready for your arrival"

"Thanks Steve ... I really appreciate it ... but just so you know ... she's not my friend. She's my girlfriend. We're together."

Steve smiled broadly. "Ah ... so ... you've finally met the woman of your dreams, then?"

Joey grinned. "Yes, I have!"

"And you really want something special for her?"

"Yes ... absolutely"

He sat back in his chair and stroked his chin, pondering.

"Well in that case ... I think I can arrange something even better for her."

He began to explain, and as his words resounded in her head, she became more and more excited about her gift.

To be continued ...