Sorry for disappearing on you. I was hoping to update on Monday before I left for London but I didn't manage it. But I am home now and will be posting three updates to catch myself up. Here is Monday's installment. I hope you like it and thank you all for your support and feedback. Love, IJKS xxx

Chapter Nine

"I mean, this is crazy!" Angelo drunkenly exclaimed. "Charlie is not a lesbian. I think I, of all people, would know if she was! What the hell is she playing at?"

Most of the Surf Club was listening. Marilyn and Nicole had come to sit with him and Alf had his rapt attention.

"Well, she and Joey were together before," Nicole said delicately.

"For like a second! Then Charlie realised that she liked men and the whole thing was mistake. She cheated on Joey with Hugo because she was that unsatisfied!" Angelo argued.

"Um... I don't think that's how it was," said Nicole.

"Did Charlie say that to you?" Marilyn asked.

"Not exactly," Angelo said more quietly. "But she did say it was over and that she was glad she was with me now."

"But Angelo, you and Charlie haven't been an item for a few weeks now," Alf pointed out. "It's not like she's cheated on you."

"Charlie and I are meant to be together," Angelo insisted. "I love her."

"But if she doesn't love you..." Marilyn said.

He glared at her and she shrank back.

"She loves me," he said. "She's just struggling to accept it. The truth is that she's never loved anyone the way she loves me. But she doesn't know how to handle it. She's going to have this dumb fling and then she'll get over it and end up back with me. Charlie and I will be back together by the end of the week. I promise you."

The others looked sceptical.

"This is just a phase. Let's just hope for her sake that I'm patient enough to wait around for her," he said.

Images of Charlie and Joey together flooded his brain. He was disgusted. Rubbing his temples, he just about managed to resist the urge to charge over there and have it out with his ex-girlfriend and woman she was sleeping with.

"Angelo," Nicole said awkwardly. "I know you don't want to hear this... and I know you really love Charlie and I for one think you make an awesome couple but... you weren't around when Charlie and Joey were together. They were really in love."

"Then why did she sleep with Hugo?" the cop demanded.

"She was afraid of being called gay but... according to Ruby, she was really in love with her."

Angelo shook his head.

"Charlie isn't gay," he said firmly.

"Maybe she's bisexual," Marilyn suggested. "That means that things with you were real. And things with Joey are real. I'm not helping, am I?"

"Not really," Angelo said unhappily.

He ordered another beer. Alf wondered if it was a good idea but handed it over anyway.

"What are we all gossiping about?" Ruby asked, appearing behind them with Xavier in tow.

"Um..." Nicole struggled.

"Your bitch of a sister. Or mother. Or whatever the hell she's meant to be," Angelo snapped.

"Hey!" Ruby protested. "Don't you dare talk about Charlie that way!"

"Why not?" Angelo asked. "She is a bitch."

"What's happened?" Ruby asked.

"It looks like Charlie's seeing someone else," Marilyn said quietly.

Ruby frowned. She puzzled over who it could be. Charlie certainly hadn't mentioned anything. She'd been pretty firm about things ended with Angelo but she hadn't given her any indication that she was interested in someone new.

"Who?" she asked.

"Joey!" Angelo bellowed.

"Jo... Joey? As in Joey, Joey? Her ex-girlfriend?" Ruby asked.

"The very one. Don't act like you didn't see it coming."

"Joey doesn't even live here anymore," Ruby pointed out.

"She's back," Angelo said. "And last time I saw her, she was kissing Charlie in a state of undress."

Ruby turned away and pulled her phone out. Xavier followed her out of the Surf Club and waited for her to call Charlie. Inside, Angelo swallowed the rest of his beer.

"I'm sure I heard them arguing though," he added. "So maybe it'll last even less time than I think. She'll come crawling back. I know she will. Charlie and I are meant to be together. I'm perfect for her."


"Hey, Rubes, I was going to call you," Charlie said when she picked up the phone. "Do you want to go out for dinner tonight?"

"Are you seeing Joey?" Ruby asked, getting straight to the point.

At her desk, Charlie swallowed.

"Yes," she finally said.

"Charlie! How did this happen? When did she come back? How long have you been back together? Are you happy? Is she happy? Has she forgiven you? How did Angelo find out?"

Ruby reeled off questions until Charlie laughed and interrupted her.

"Can we take you for dinner and tell you all about it?" she asked.

Ruby grinned and squeezed Xavier's hand.

"Oh my God! You're already a 'we'! Charlie, this is so cute!"

Charlie giggled and playfully told her to shut up.

"But... I mean this is for real, right? You love each other? You're going to make it work this time?"

"Yes," Charlie assured her. "This is the real deal."

"Then I would love to come to dinner. Can Xavier come?"

"Sure," Charlie said. "I'll pick you both up from Irene's at seven, okay? We can go into Yabbie Creek. I presume Angelo's already started bad mouthing me."

"Pretty much," Ruby said unhappily. "But don't let it get to you, okay? Don't let anyone ruin this."


Joey was glad when Charlie picked her up before Brett got home. She knew the gossip would reach her brother at some point soon but she would rather not face the music yet. The chances were that if Joey was out and proud and dating again, and especially dating Charlie, Brett would flip and throw her out. She hadn't quite figured out where she would go but she'd decided to cross that bridge when she came to it and not let it spoil her evening. She sat in the passenger seat of the car she knew very well, Joey leant across and kissed Charlie hello. It was meant to be a peck but it immediately developed and they happily got carried away. Finally parting, Charlie started the engine again and they set off to pick Ruby and Xavier up.


"Seriously, Alf, why is she doing this to me?" Angelo asked. "I love her. We've got so much history together. Why is she running around with this girl instead? What's so special about her? I mean, Charlie broke up with me because she had commitment problems. I was happy to wait for her to get over them. And now, what? She's suddenly over it and wants to spend her life with this chick? And if she doesn't, then what the hell is she putting me through this for?"

He sighed and suddenly realised he'd posed a lot of questions and not actually given Alf any space to answer them. He waited. Alf leant on the bar and sighed thoughtfully.

"I don't think anyone can help who they fall in love with," he said seriously. "I wish it was you. And to be honest, I'm sure Charlie wishes it was you. Right now, you've got everything going for you. And when she was with Joey before, she was in a real panic about it. But if Joey's the one, well then I think you just have to man up and support her."

"I'll never support her in this," Angelo declared. "I am going to do whatever it takes to get her back and get this Joey girl out of our lives."