Chapter Four

The wake was full of tension. Charlie had been floating around, generally looking lost. She had made polite conversation with each person who had come to pay their respects, including a woman called Judy Soothers, an old colleague of Ross's, who had been a big part of their lives when Charlie had been a child.

Detective Robert Robertson, who had returned to Summer Bay to investigate the murder of Penn Graham and subsequently put Alf Stewart, the heart of the town, behind bars pending trial, turned up but only Charlie and Leah were receptive. Morag, Alf's sister, pretty much threw him out and the tension had led Ruby to lay into Charlie.

"You're very brave, Charlie," Joey said gently, perching on a chair beside her ex-girlfriend.

"Really?" the police officer replied. "I don't feel it."

"You've done really well to cope today," Joey insisted, laying her hand atop Charlie's. "Your Dad would be proud."

Charlie sighed and shook her head.

"I'm not making anyone proud," she said. "My whole life is just one mistake after another."

"Don't be so hard on yourself," Joey told her. "I'm sure that's not true."

Charlie turned to look at her, tears filling her eyes.

"How can you of all people say that?" she wondered.

"Because I know that for the most part, you always try your best and that's important."

Charlie was touched by Joey's faith in her, especially after the way she'd broken her heart. She took hold of Joey's hand properly and they sat in silence together for a while, unaware that Angelo had never taken his eyes off them.

It had been a long day. Morag had left the wake to visit Alf and begin to try and free him from the charges of a crime he hadn't committed. Then she had taken herself off alone to grieve for her husband. She felt cheated that they had had such a short time together, especially as for most of it, he had been suffering from Alzheimer's, before a cold had developed into pneumonia and killed him.

"Is it okay if I head out?" Charlie asked Angelo.

Most of the guests had dispersed, although Joey and Aden had hung back with Leah and Irene to clear up.

"Uh… yeah, I guess so," Angelo said, having paused stacking the dishwasher.

He looked at her and sighed, wanting nothing more than to comfort her, and perhaps find out exactly why Joey was back and how long she would stay.

"I can help if…"

He considered saying he wanted her to. While he had finally accepted that their relationship had been doomed from the start, he still loved her and there was a part of him that always would. He had found the day difficult, wanting to be the person she turned to. But the only person she seemed to have relied on at all was Joey. And that made him jealous.

"It's fine," he decided. "Unless you wanted to stay and… talk?"

Charlie shook her head.

"I'm all talked out," she said. "More than anything, I just want to sleep."

He nodded, relieved that at least she wouldn't be talking to Joey instead of him.

"Thanks for everything," she said politely but tiredly.

Having thanked and said goodbye to Leah and Irene, she turned and approached Joey, asking if she and Aden were ready to leave. Angelo's jealousy returned.

Ruby sat back at the water's edge with Romeo and Indi. Heartbroken over losing the only father figure she had ever known and angry with Charlie for not providing an opportunity to see him before it was too late, she had left the wake with her friends. Even her secret crush on Romeo wasn't playing on her mind anymore. Not for now at least.

"What do you want to do now?" Romeo asked gently as they watched their floating candles drift away.

"I need to make up with Charlie," Ruby decided. "Life's too short to let people slip away from you."

Charlie sat in the back of the car suddenly unable to move. Joey undid her seatbelt and peered around her seat to the broken woman behind her. Charlie had asked for a lift home but suddenly, she didn't seem to want to move.

"Are you okay?" Joey asked softly, knowing that it was a very stupid question.

Her father had just died. Of course she wasn't okay.

"Yeah, I just… don't want to go home after all," the police officer realised.

"Where would you like to go?" Aden asked, also turning around.

"I… don't know," Charlie said. "Sorry. I'll leave you to it…"

"We're not in a hurry," Joey told her. "We can do whatever you like."

"I don't know what I want to do though," Charlie said, sounding helpless.

"Then why don't we drive around for a bit?" Aden suggested. "Like Joey said, we don't have plans. We're just pitching a tent and camping overnight. There's no hurry or pressure or anything."

Charlie nodded, sinking back into her seat.

"Thank you," she said quietly.

Aden started the car.

Next time… Ruby catches up with Charlie, Joey and Aden…