Chapter Ten

Ross and Sandra couldn't help but feel stunned by the way Charlie was so efficiently and happily getting Ruby ready for their day out. She still seemed a little hesitant but the progress she was making was obvious.

"So, what are you actually doing today?" Ross asked his daughter.

"Joey's parents have a boat and she's taking us out on it," Charlie said.

She finished putting Ruby's shoes on and checked she had everything she needed.

"I don't know when I'll be home," she said, smiling pleasantly and putting her jacket on.

"It's wonderful to see you wanting to spend time with Ruby," Ross said.

Charlie offered him another smile before saying goodbye and heading through the door with her daughter.

Joey was on board already when Charlie and Ruby arrived. She'd been up and out early, getting a picnic hamper together from the Diner and now they were just about ready to set sail. Seeing Charlie and Ruby approach, she waved and jumped back onto the dock.

"Hey," she greeted warmly.

"Hi," Charlie replied.

Joey bent and said hello to Ruby who was going through a smiling phase and beamed at her mother's friend.

"If you pick her up and hop on, I'll get this on," Joey said, referring to the pram.

"I can put it..." Charlie began to protest.

Joey gave her a stern look and Charlie relented. She scooped Ruby out of her little bed and held her close. Her hands still shook when she carried her but she was slowly trying to override it and have holding her child feel like a normal thing. Joey touched her arm gently and smiled before hauling the pram on deck and putting the break on. Feeling a little nervous about stepping on board holding the baby, Charlie hesitated.

"I'm going to need to hold on," she said, feeling a bit foolish.

Joey reached out and helped the duo onto the boat.

"Sorry," Charlie said.

Their bodies pressed together for a moment while Joey said it was fine. They stepped back.

"Shall we?" Joey said brightly.

Charlie nodded. Joey untied the boat from its moorings and then headed to the wheel. Taking a deep breath, Charlie cuddled Ruby a little closer and sat down with her so that she could see things as they travelled out to sea.

An hour later, Charlie, Joey and Ruby were in the middle of the deep blue sea, sitting on the deck of the boat, eating lunch and enjoying the sunshine. Ruby was sitting up against Charlie and was continuously making a grab for everything in front of her. It made the girls laugh.

"She wants to touch everything right now," Charlie said.

Joey smiled. Ruby waggled her hands around.

"She looks like she wants to play the drums!" she giggled.

She turned a couple of empty pots over.

"Can I?" she asked.

Charlie nodded and Joey scooped Ruby up and held her. She helped her bang her hands on the pots and Charlie watched them both smile happily.

"You're so good with her, Joey," Charlie said.

She lay on her back and looked up at the sky, suddenly feeling sad. Noticing, Joey asked if she was okay.

"Yeah," Charlie sighed.

Joey moved so that she and Ruby could lie next to her.

"What's up?" she asked, also looking up at the sky.

Ruby lay between them, wiggling her arms and legs around.

"You must think I'm a terrible person," Charlie said sadly.

"A terrible person? Why?"

"I thought... I thought the bond between mother and daughter was meant to be instinctive. But I can barely hold her."

Tears escaped her eyes. Joey propped herself on her elbow, careful to keep Ruby close. She reached out to wipe Charlie's tears away.

"Charlie, after everything you've been through, I think you're doing incredibly well."

"But I struggle so much with her."

"It's just going to take time, okay?" Joey said gently. "And every day you're making progress. You'll get there. You... you'll wake up one day and you'll feel so lucky to have her."

Charlie turned her head and gazed at Joey, hoping that what she said was true.

"You make it easier," she said honestly.