Thanks again for your kind reviews. They have made me want to write more for you. Let me know what you think of the story. Still scared I'm messing it up seeing it's the first thing I've ever written. Thanks for your time in reading this. Hope your enjoying it as much as I'm enjoying writing it.
Charlie lay awake watching the woman of her dreams sleeping in front of her. She had rested her head on her arm to raise her head up a bit so she could get a better view. Her legs were still entwined with Joey's, Joey was sleeping on her side facing towards Charlie. Last night had meant everything to Charlie. She never thought she would have another chance with Joey. Memories of their conversation moved through her head. She smiled at how stupid she was thinking Joey wanted nothing more to do with her. As she replayed the words in her head she could see from the start what Joey had wanted but fear of losing Joey had made her jump to the wrong ending. Being there with Joey had made her feel complete again. Why had she ever been so stupid to throw it away the first time? Never again, she told herself. She slowly lifted her hand and with her finger traced down Joey's exposed shoulder. The skin was so perfect. So soft and smooth.
"You know I'd prefer to be woken by a kiss." Charlie looked at Joey her eyes still closed. So Charlie obliged and leaned in to kiss Joey. Joey wrapped her arm around Charlie's bare waist and pulled Charlie closer. Their lips connected and Joey's eyes opened. "Oh yeah, definitely prefer to be woken up like this." She smiled at Charlie. "I'll make a note of that" Charlie giggled back.
They lay facing each other, Both now laying on their own arm, elbows touching in the middle, Joey still had her hand on Charlie's waist, while Charlie's free hand gently moved around Joey's elbow and arm and sometimes traced along Joey's face. They just lay smiling at each other happy to be with one another.
"I could lay like this forever." Charlie finally spoke. "Why don't we?" Joey smiled back.
"You know why Jo." Charlie not wanting to break the moment with stern words of realisation.
"Yeah I know, oh Morag's gonna kill you" Joey teased.
"Oh maybe we shouldn't tell her about us until after the trial, I want to be there for you and watch Robbo go down for a long long time!"
"I concur" Joey tried in a Morag voice. "I want you there too!" she smiled at Charlie looking into her crystal blue eyes.
"How are you feeling today?" Charlie raised herself up onto her elbow.
"Fantastic after last night" Joey beamed back.
"Jo, you know what I mean, are you nervous? Worried? Scared?" Charlie's tone had changed to a more serious deep tone.
"I'm not scared because I know you'll be there to protect me. Worried… that I am… what if Robbo's lawyer tries to grill me like he did to you yesterday?" Joey's face now full with concern.
"Morag won't let that happen nor will the Judge, he won't be allowed to, in cases like these he isn't allowed to badger the vict…" Charlie stopped as she realised as she was saying the word that she shouldn't have been.
"It's ok Charlie I was the Victim. But now I'm not. I'm stronger, happier and loved. I don't feel like a victim anymore. You stopped me!"
"And you are beautiful no gorgeous, caring, loving, intoxicating, powerful, brave and you are mine." Charlie leaned over and gave her a kiss.
"I love you" Joey smiled through her blushing.
"I love you" Charlie replied with a kiss to seal the sentence.
Joey leaned into Charlie embraced and rested her head on Charlie's shoulder.
Knock, knock.
"Charlie we had left the house this time yesterday and you're still not up today!" Ruby pushed the door open and froze as if she was a deer caught in headlights. She noticed the two heads in the bed. It had never occurred to her that Joey might not have gone back to Romans last night. "Oh" Ruby's face turned red. "I can see why now." The two heads raised to look at her.
"Morning Rubes," Charlie couldn't help but laugh at the look on her sister's face.
"Hi" Joey followed.
"Hi…Wait isn't Morag suppose to be picking you up at Roman's in like five minutes." Ruby realising Morag probably didn't know she was here.
"Oh crap your right." Joey shot straight up in the bed with the blankets still covering her so as not to shock poor Ruby twice in the one minute.
"Haha now looks who's gonna be killed by Morag." Charlie smiled remembering their earlier conversation.
"Where's my phone I have to ring her, quick she's going to have me slaughtered" she turned to smile at Charlie realising what Charlie had just said.
"Mm, I'm gonna leave you to it. I'll put the coffee on." Ruby walked out of the room closing the door behind.
"Char, seriously where's my phone?" she was now searching in a pile of clothes on the floor.
"I think it's in the sitting room, I think I threw it on the sofa after I hung up on Aden."
"Crap!" Joey screeched.
Charlie moved behind Joey and kissed her on the shoulder. "Relax, you go for a shower, I'll ring Morag, explain how you accidentally fell asleep in my bed" she giggled at the expression on Joey's face. "While I slept in with Ruby, after all we don't want her to kill us." Charlie laughed again. "I'll have your trousers ironed and I'll lend you a top or a blouse. All you have to worry about is going for a shower, I'll do the rest."
"Thank you," Joey turned to face Charlie and gave her a warm heartfelt kiss. "Mind if I borrow this?" Joey asked as she picked up Charlie's bathrobe.
"No not at all." Joey stood up and put the bathrobe around her and turned to look at Charlie sitting up on the bed. She leaned over and kissed her again. "Charlie, Morag, quick," she teased urging Charlie to ring her as she walked out the door. Charlie lay back in the bed with a huge smile on her face. "Charlie" she heard Joey shout, as if she had known Charlie was going to lay back in the bed.
She slowly dragged herself out of bed got dressed and found her phone. It was also in the sitting room. She dialled Morag's number.
"Hi Morag, Charlie here." She paused not knowing what to say. "Slight change of plan, Joey is here at our house."
"Oh you're already at Roman's… mm… sorry I know I should have called sooner"
"Ok see you in ten" Charlie could tell by the sound of Morag's voice she was in trouble. She turned to see Joey coming out of the bathroom. Charlie walked towards her. Joey paused. She was still dripping wet from her shower. She stepped into Charlie's bedroom and Charlie followed. She turned to face Charlie walking in behind her. "Morag will be here in ten minutes." "Oh crap, she's mad isn't she?"
"Mm can't say she's best pleased." Charlie stepped towards Joey and gave her a kiss to calm her down. They kissed for a few seconds. "Charlie I'm going to get you all wet and Morag is gonna soon be here." Joey didn't want to pull away but Morag scared her.
"I don't care if I get wet. Plus we have a few more minutes before Morag get here." Charlie leaned in again and kissed Joey her arms wondered over Joey's wet arms and shoulders.
"Charlie" Joey fought with herself to pull back. "Go make me a cup of coffee we will continue this later." She pushed Charlie towards the door. "But… just one more kiss" Charlie pleaded with her biggest puppy dog expression. Joey couldn't not give in to that look. She kissed Charlie again and pushed her out the door, closing it behind her leaving Charlie shocked in the hall. Charlie couldn't help but she was so happy. "Charlie coffee!" Joey screamed from the other side of the door sensing Charlie hadn't moved. "Yes ma'am" Charlie shouted back and walked towards the kitchen.
"How is Joey doing today?" Leah spoke as she saw Charlie entering the kitchen.
"Yeah I think she's fine. She's putting on a brave face." Charlie smiled at the thought of Joey.
"You look happier anyway!" Leah noted the smile on Charlie's face. "So does this mean we have a new housemate?" Leah couldn't help but smile too; Charlie's smile was contagious.
"I haven't asked her to move in I just… assumed… sorry Leah I should have asked you first anyway."
"Charlie you know I love Joey and you so of course it's ok if she moves in. when you going to ask her?"
"Tonight maybe after the trial, Morag reckons we will have a verdict today."
"That's good… hi Morag, can I get you a coffee?"
"Hi… my favourite stepmum…" Charlie thought by adding this it would let her off the hook.
"Morning Leah, coffee would be good. Charlie can I speak to you outside please."
"Yeah" she knew she was in trouble, she turned to walk out before remembering Joey wanted coffee too. "Oh Leah can you please make Joey a cup too please?" "No problem, I'm making a pot of it anyway."
Charlie stood in front of Morag waiting to be scolded for her actions the previous night. She assumed Morag had put two and two together.
"I'm sorry but I love her" Charlie blurted out before Morag could speak.
"Oh Charlie I know you do, and it's obvious she loves you too. But this isn't about you and Joey."
"What is it about?" Charlie looked at Morag's worried eyes.
"I just got a phone call, your father took a turn in the night, he is ok he's in hospital now. I spoke to him on the phone, he has asked that we go on today and win this case for and I quote his 'daughter's soulmate'. They are going to transfer him here later in the day so he'll be closer to us. He should be there by this evening and hopefully this case will be sorted before then."
"He's going to be ok though isn't he?"
"Hopefully Charlie he'll be grand again in no time."
"I have to tell Ruby. She needs to know. But we can't tell Joey she'll only worry about us instead of the case."
"I fully agree Charlie. After all if I tell your father that we didn't win because we had distracted her he would have me and you killed."
"Did he really say soulmate?"
"Yes and he meant it. He mentioned how he thought you were in love with Joey ever since you came to visit just before Robert tried to kill Joey. He said he could see how your eyes sparkled every time you mention her name or someone else did. That's why he took you telling him so well."
"Really?" a small tear came to Charlie's eye.
"Really Charlie!" Morag placed her arms around Charlie and gave her a hug. "Now let's do as he asks and focus on Joey." They then separated and walked into the kitchen.
"What's up?" Leah could sense something was wrong.
"I'll explain in the car on the way to the courthouse. You're taking Joey to go over things again?" Charlie looked at Morag.
"Yes I think that would be best, it will give you sometime with Ruby."
"Hi, sorry I know I'm running late Morag, I'm sorry I messed you about this morning I fell asleep here and…" Joey ranted as she walked in the kitchen door not looking even to see where Morag was standing. "It's quite alright" Morag interrupted. Charlie couldn't help but laugh at Joey's attempt at a lie. She lifted a cup up from the table and carried it over to Joey. She kissed Joey on the lips and handed her the coffee. "She knows" Charlie whispered into her ear. "Oh" Joey replied knowing she had been caught out.
"I think it's time we left Joey, it will give us time to go over a few things before court."
"I'm ready when you are." She had been sitting holding Charlie hand at the table.
"We'll see you at the courthouse Jo, I'm gonna take Leah and Ruby with me in my car but we will be soon behind you." Joey noticed the pain in Charlie's eyes.
"Are you ok?"
"Yes of course I am," Charlie stood up with Joey; Morag was already making her way to the car. Charlie and Joey followed. They stopped just outside the door.
"I know you are going to do good today Joey. And remember I'll be there to watch and support you. I love you Joey Collins." She leaned in and hugged Joey, she gripped her as tight as she could. She was overcome with emotion. She was worried for Joey and her father but she knew she had to be strong for Joey in this moment. So she eased her grip and moved her hands to the sides of Joey's face. She pulled her close and kissed Joey with all her heart. Joey opened her mouth and their tongues entwined like they had so many times the night before. Neither of them wanted to pull apart. Joey placed her hands on Charlie's hips and continued kissing Charlie. She too had wanted to stay in this embrace. Charlie didn't know who was comforting whom anymore. All she knew was kissing Joey made her feel like everything was going to be ok. They both slowly pulled apart and looked into each other's eyes. "I love you too Charlie. I'll see you at the courthouse." She slowly loosened her grip of Charlie's waist. And slowly walked down to join Morag in the car. She looked back and smiled at Charlie, Charlie smiled back and blew Joey a kiss.