Part 10

Joey found her breath caught as she stared at the girl standing a few feet in front of her, the school uniform didn't hide the fact that she was growing into a very beautiful young woman. And her eyes sparkled much in the same way her older sister's did when she was amused by something and it brought the same level of comfort it did when she saw it in Charlie's eyes.

"No one told me you were home!" Ruby said walking straight over and pulling her into a hug.

Home. Joey felt her eyes sting as she tighten her own hold. She'd missed this, missed the sense of family staying in Leah's house had given her during those few short weeks. She blinked to hold back the tears as she eased out of the hold.

"Well, with welcomes like these, I should take off more often." She teased.

Ruby tapped her lightly on the arm, "Don't even joke about that! You have no idea what it's been like with you gone."

Joey wasn't sure she wanted to know, but so far it had been a warm reception, but she'd yet to encounter the older Buckton. Charlie held the power to really turn Summer Bay into her home and not just a place she had spent a few bad months in before moving on.

She licked her lips, "How have you been? You look great by the way."

Ruby was equally pleased and embarrassed by the comment, "Thank you." She took Joey by the hand and moved them off over to one of the larger tables in the corner. She scooted in across from Joey and watch her shift her gaze nervously to the door and then over to Aden who was still stood talking to Irene and Leah. "I'm good, how about you?" She asked looking her over again. "Your hair's a little shorter, I like it." She told her with a smile.

It was only a few inches shorter, falling just below her shoulders, but she liked it this length because it meant she could leave it down more often.

"So Aden?" Ruby found her eyes drifting back to him, he looked a lot different to the Aden that had left and it wasn't just the facial hair. "How did that happen?"

Joey smirked not sure what exactly Ruby was asking so she asked a question of her own, "Not having lunch with Xavier?"

Ruby waved her hand dismissively but kept her eyes on Aden. "Does he know Belle's dating someone?" She asked, leaving out the who part and the bit about them living together.

"No!" Joey replied wondering if perhaps that was the topic of conversation across the room. But she knew from talking to Aden that he wasn't looking to rekindle that relationship, he'd even said that they might not be able to be friends for a while. "But I don't think Aden will mind too much, he'll be happy that she's moved on more than anything."

That got Ruby's attention. "You sure? He'd dated Belle for a while, can't be that easy to hear that his ex has already moved in with a new guy."

Joey dropped her head down. That was the one thing she dreaded hearing about Charlie, she didn't want the older woman to have moved on, but especially not with a man. All that would do was prove how little she'd meant to Charlie, show that it was all a mistake, that her feelings had never been real.

Joey couldn't take that, it was hard enough to deal with Charlie cheating on her in some moment of alcohol induced need to show the world she was still straight.

"Hey Ruby." Aden greeted her as he sat down beside Joey, casually draping his arm over her shoulders and shifting closer.

Ruby smiled charmingly at him as she rested her chin on her raised fist. "Nice fuzz."

Aden chuckled and scratched at the growth.

"And the hair, suits you." She continued.

"Thanks." He replied, then caught Joey's expression and tilted his head closer to her, "Everything okay?"

Joey nodded but Aden wasn't convinced and gave Ruby a questioning look wondering what they had been talking about before he arrived.

Joey sighed and dropped her hand down to Aden's thigh and gave it a squeeze, she appreciated his concern but she didn't want to bring Charlie into the conversation, not unless someone else did it first.

"Ruby was just mentioning that Belle was seeing someone." She told him.

Aden nodded having just been told that much by Irene. He shook his head, "Little weird having Angelo back in town but if she's happy..." He trailed off with a shrug. It wasn't for him to say what a jerk Angelo was, if Belle wanted to go back to the guy it had nothing to do with him.

"Angelo?" That wasn't a name Joey was familiar with.

Ruby cut in, "Yeah he works with Charlie, he's pretty cool, and not bad to look at either." She said with a smirk.

Joey giggled as she noticed Aden was put out by the comment. She patted his leg, "She didn't mean it like that, I sure Ruby thinks you're just as hot, right Ruby?"

Ruby blinked and then she blushed.

"Now I know being gay kinda rules my opinion out but Ruby counts." Joey continued enjoying Ruby's embarrassment. "Is Aden better looking than Angelo?"

Ruby opened her mouth then closed it again, stunned that Joey was being this mean to her. Standing she pointed across to Leah, "I'm just going to go..." Die? Faint? "Order lunch."

Joey and Aden both watched her move away with grins on their faces, it wasn't often that Ruby Buckton was left speechless.

"That was a little mean." Aden said now it was just the two of them.

Joey nodded in agreement. "Maybe a little. But I got the impression Xavier isn't in the picture any more."

"Never got to know him much but from what I heard he was a bit of a trouble maker, maybe it's best she's shot of him." Aden replied.

Joey agreed, especially if he was anything like his older brother.

"You really okay about Belle?" She asked knowing she'd get an honest answer now it was just them.

Aden pursed his lips, he'd never liked Angelo, they'd had too many run-in's to get past not to mention he'd gone after Belle while she'd been dating him the first time. It hadn't been his proudest moment but then again, he hadn't cared enough to worry about how Angelo had felt, and the copper had gotten his revenge back then for it.

If Belle wanted to take him back after all of that, it was on her.

"Yeah." He answered. "He's not a friend but sounds from Irene that they're happy." It also sounded like they'd rushed into living together pretty quickly but he didn't have it in him to mind, he'd moved on and now so had she. But he still doubted they would ever be friends again, too much had happened between them for that. It was the lies he couldn't forgive, not her addiction, and he hoped she understood that.

"Well then, as long as everyone's happy." She replied with a hint of sarcasm.

Aden grinned and put his arm back around her. "Not everyone, at least not yet." He told her. "Charlie is still single by the way, just in case you were wondering." It had been the first thing he'd asked Leah the minute Ruby had dragged Joey over here.

"Yeah?" Joey tried to sound uninterested but couldn't control her smile at the news.

Aden laughed at her but he was also relieved that Charlie wasn't with anyone, it meant that she might still be waiting for Joey to get back and was willing to try and work past their problems.

"Here you go guys." Leah interrupted them as she placed their food onto the table just as Ruby returned with her meal.

"Thank you Leah." Joey said with a smile.

"No problem, actually I was thinking, do you, both of you, want to come over tonight?" Leah asked looking from Joey to Aden. "Have a kind of welcome back dinner, VJ would love to see you."

Joey swallowed, dinner at Leah's house would mean coming face to face with Charlie. Was she ready for that?

"That's a great idea! How about it Joey?" Ruby asked staring hopefully at the other girl.

Aden cut in to give Joey a little more time to think about it. "I'm in, can't turn down free food from the best cook in the Bay." He replied giving Leah a very charming smile that showed off most of his pearly whites.

Leah shook her head at him and then glanced at Joey.

They all looked at Joey waiting for her reaction.

"Sure," Joey said taking a deep breath as she tried to calm her nerves at the idea. "On one condition... someone has to let Charlie know I'm coming over." She wouldn't just turn up without the other woman knowing she was going to be there, but it would also give Charlie the chance to not hang around if she didn't want to see her.

"No problem." Ruby said quickly as she resumed her lunch. "I'll call her during my free this afternoon."

Leah was happy with that as well. "That's settled then. Come by after six... everyone should be home by then." She waited for a nod of agreement then headed back into the kitchen leaving them to eat their lunch.

"This is going to be so cool!" Ruby mumbled.

Joey picked up a fry from her plate, chewing on it slowly. It was definitely going to be something alright but the question was what?

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Aden watched Joey bite her lower lip as they walked towards Leah's.

"Maybe this wasn't such a good idea." He said to her. "I just thought... you want to see her right?"

Joey nodded then frowned. "Yeah I do, it's just, everyone is going to be there. I just think it's going to be a little on the awkward side. I mean what am I supposed to say to her, how's work? Meet anyone while I've been away crying my heart out over you cheating on me with some dickhead!"

Aden chuckled.

"Maybe that shouldn't be the first thing you say to her." He advised her. "Try something simpler like... nice to see you again, still gay?"

Joey smacked him. "Not funny!"

Actually Aden thought it was. He knew how much Joey wanted to work things out with Charlie and tonight should let them see each other without actually having it be all about them and their relationship. He was hoping that by the end of the meal and a couple of glasses of wine they might arrange to see each other again.

Just the two of them next time.

"Come on, too late now to back out." He said pulling her along as the reached the house.

Joey tightened her grip on Aden and took a deep breath as the came around to the kitchen.

"Hey, anyone in?" Aden asked but he could already see Leah at the stove.

Leah turned and walked over to give both of them a hug. "Glad you could make it guys, everything's about ready but go on in and sit down." She said ushering them into the living room.

"Anything we can help with?" Joey asked hesitating in the doorway but Leah scowled at her until she raised her hands and left the kitchen. "Just asking." She muttered and slowly followed Aden.

The large patio table had been brought into the house and set up. Joey was a little take aback by the effort Leah had gone to. But what she noticed most was the lack of Charlie in the room. Aden was stood leaning over the back of the couch as Ruby and VJ fought it out in some computer game.

"Joey!" VJ happily gave up the chance to beat Ruby as he spotted his card buddy entering the room, jumping up he quickly crossed over and gave her a hug.

Joey grinned and ruffled his hair as he let go. "Nice to see you again, how's soccer going?"

"It's okay." He told her with a shrug. "Are you staying here again like last time? Mum says you might."

She heard giggling coming from Aden and Ruby but she tried to ignore them as VJ waited for her answer. "Actually I live with Aden now." She explained.

That confused VJ. "Don't you like Charlie anymore? Mum said you liked girls, Aden's a boy." He pointed out to her.

This time she smiled at him.

"Short stuff," Aden called over from where he was trying to get the better of Ruby in the game having taken over from VJ. "She still likes girls, and she still likes Charlie, she just lives in an apartment with me." He tried to explain for him.

VJ looked a little doubtful but at Joey's nod he let it go and walked back over to see who was winning, Aden or Ruby.

Joey waited, watching her friends get engrossed with the battle going on, before slipping back into the kitchen.

"Everything okay in there? Want a glass of wine?" Leah asked as she gave the vegetables a poke to see if they were done yet.

Joey walked further into the room enjoying the smell, she'd missed Leah's cooking. "No thanks and yeah, everything's fine in there." She replied as Leah turned back to her cooking.

Joey leaned against the outside doorframe. "Charlie not home yet?" She asked, wonder where the older women was since she wasn't with Ruby and VJ.

Leah frowned and glanced at her watch, not having paid too much attention to the time while she had been getting the food ready. She should have been home an hour ago. "I'm not sure, she might have just got held up at work, but Ruby had said she'd be here."

"And she knew I was coming right?" Joey asked, needing to know if she was the reason Charlie wasn't around.

"Yeah, Ruby said she was looking forward to seeing you." Leah replied. "I'm sure she'll be here soon Joey."

Joey gave Leah a smile but it didn't look like tonight was getting off to a good start.

xxxxxx

Ruby watched Joey fiddle with her food. They'd sat down ten minutes ago and Charlie still hadn't arrived, and it was beginning to look like she wasn't going to show up at all.

"Why don't I give her another call?" She said getting up quickly and going out onto the porch where she wouldn't be overheard.

She waited impatiently for her mother to pick up again hoping this time she'd be able to reason with her. "Where the hell are you?!" She demanded it was too late for the soft approach.

Charlie sighed heavily. "Ruby... it's probably best that I'm not there."

"You think so? For who Charlie? Because right now Joey probably thinks you don't want anything to do with her, and that isn't fair because I know damn well that isn't true!" Ruby hissed into the phone.

Charlie swallowed. "I... it... it isn't like that..." But she knew none of her excuses were going to make this okay, she was simply too scared to see Joey right now. Too scared of seeing her and making a fool out of herself. Charlie didn't do spur of the moment, she thought about everything, and what the consequences would be before committing to anything.

And seeing Joey again was too important to mess up because she was nervous.

"You are being stupid Charlie! More stupid than you usually are." Ruby said cutting through Charlie's thoughts.

"Thanks!" Charlie replied hurt that Ruby wasn't even trying to see that her not being there was better for Joey.

"Well you are." Ruby mumbled back as she spotted Joey walking towards her. "Look are you coming home or not?" She questioned again.

"I just..."

Ruby shook her head angrily as she listened to her mother fail to answer her yet again. "Whatever!" She replied and the closed her phone. She couldn't believe Charlie was doing this to Joey.

Joey stuck her hands into her jeans as she waited for Ruby to turn back around. "She's not coming is she?" She asked quietly, already guessing the answer from the way the younger girl was acting.

Ruby glanced over at her sadly. "No."

Joey nodded.

Ruby sighed and stepped closer to Joey. "She's trying not to crowd you apparently." She explained rolling her eyes. "Which is beyond stupid."

Joey folded her arms across her chest as she felt like crying. "Does she not want to see me?" She asked softly. It was the only reason Joey could come up with for Charlie not to be here.

Ruby's eyes softened at the pain she could see reflected back at her.

"C'mere." Ruby took hold of Joey wrist and dragged her over to the fridge and pointed out something Joey had missed earlier.

Joey frowned as she noticed a picture of herself staring back at her. "When? How did?" She had no idea how this picture had gotten into this house, she'd never even shown any pictures of herself to Charlie while they had been together.

"Charlie got it and a bunch of others from your brother." Ruby explained. "Yes she wants you here Joey, she's been looking forward to it ever since Aden's letter."

Aden's letter? Joey really wanted to ask about that but it would have to wait a while longer. "Then why isn't she here?"

Ruby shrugged. "You know Charlie. She's probably spent all afternoon thinking about what to say to you and has got herself all stressed out over saying the wrong thing that she just can't come over."

That sounded like something Charlie was capable of doing to herself.

"Do you know where she might be?"

Ruby tried not to smile too much. "She usually finds a quiet spot on the beach just past the diner."

Joey bit her lip as she debated whether or not she was about to do the right thing. "Wish me luck." She said to Ruby before turning and heading out in search of Charlie.

Ruby grinned wishing she could have gone just to see the look on Charlie's face when she realised that Joey wasn't willing to be stood up.

Because no matter what you called it, tonight had always been about Charlie and Joey.

"Everything okay in here?" Aden asked coming into the kitchen. "Where's Jo?" He asked next not seeing her anywhere.

"She's gone to find our missing dinner guest."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

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AN/

There will be plenty of Charlie and Joey interaction in the next part promise!