Chapter Fourteen
Still Ten Weeks Ago...
It was the afternoon of the third day – Wednesday. Charlie had gone to work in the morning and then come back at lunch time. Having watched a little daytime TV and played with the cats, she'd tidied up her room, not that it needed it. Then she'd broken the rules and washed up the plates from breakfast. She knew she wasn't supposed to. Apparently it wasn't something that would ever occur to Mel. Charlie couldn't help but wonder how she was coping, having to do long days at the police station and cook and do laundry. Giggling to herself as she sat down at the kitchen table with a coffee, she spoke to the cameras that followed her incessantly.
"I suddenly had this image of Ruby walking around in a tiny school uniform!" she revealed. "I don't know how Mel would be coping with contributing to the running of the house. She's got it made here."
She smiled as she thought of Joey.
"Joey's amazing," she said. "She's so sweet and she just seems tireless in looking after everyone, running the house. She's lovely."
Finishing her coffee, she stood up and washed the cup.
"I'm going to break the rules," she suddenly decided.
Grabbing her keys, she headed out of the house. The cameras followed.
Angelo and Mel arrived home. Mel immediately flopped onto the sofa and sighed dramatically.
"How do you do this every day?" she wondered.
The cameras paid close attention as Angelo came to sit beside her.
"It's just... what we do," he said.
He liked Mel. And he thought she was stunning, although he was intent on keeping that to himself. He dreaded to think what parts of their footage they would show and he didn't want Charlie thinking he was being unfaithful, even in his head. She was already paranoid enough about him going off with someone again.
"It's so tiring!" Mel said, closing her eyes. "I miss my half days at work."
"Well, I cleared it with my boss today and he said I could take you out on patrol with me tomorrow if you wanted. What do you think?"
"Is it more interesting that answering phones?" she asked hopefully.
"Much! You might even get to help arrest someone!"
Mel sat up, her eyes shining.
"Then maybe tomorrow won't be so traumatic!" she said.
Laughing softly, Angelo got up and headed off to his room to get changed. He'd pulled his shirt off by the time he reached the bottom of the stairs. Mel couldn't resist turning around to check him out.
Joey arrived home and was immediately puzzled by the delicious smell of cooking. Closing the door, she curiously poked her head around the kitchen door and was surprised to see Charlie cooking up a storm and singing herself. Leaning against the door post, Joey watched with a smile on her face. Charlie turned around and shrieked when she saw her there. Joey stood up properly, still smiling.
"I broke the rules," Charlie said.
"So I see," Joey remarked.
"Do you mind?"
"Of course I don't. It's really sweet of you."
They smiled at each other for a moment before Charlie explained that she'd made lasagne.
"From scratch, I hasten to add," she said proudly.
"Well then I'll look forward to eating it!" Joey said.
Charlie beamed at her. She told her to go up and get changed so that she could be waited on for a change.
"I hope the programme don't tell us off for cheating!" Joey called behind her as she trotted up the stairs.
The cats followed her to her room. Charlie smiled to herself as she began to prepare the vegetables to have on the side.
Once Ruby had come home from school, Mel struggled to make something resembling a meal. Eventually, she placed a pot noodle each down in front of them.
"Looks delicious!" Angelo chuckled.
"Sorry," Mel said. "I'm no chef."
"Nor am I," Angelo admitted.
"Me neither," said Ruby. "I miss Mum."
She looked sad for a moment and then tucked into her food.
"So do I," Angelo said.
He turned quickly to Mel.
"Not that we don't like you," he said. "We do. We just... you know... Charlie."
"It's okay," Mel said. "I miss my Joey too."
She smiled.
"I don't think I've ever gone this long without sex before!"
Ruby nearly choked on her noodles but couldn't help but chuckle at the woman's sincerity. Angelo bit back a quiet retort about being used to abstention. That didn't need to be public knowledge, although he couldn't help but worry about what kinds of things Charlie might have said about him.
"Well, you know that was the first home cooked meal that wasn't cooked by me, that I've had in a long time," Joey said. "Thank you."
She pushed her plate away a little and sat back in her chair. Sam hadn't been home or contacted them so they'd gone ahead and eaten without her but had save her a share for later. Charlie had opened a bottle of wine and she and Joey were happily polishing it off as they ate. Joey smiled affectionately at her.
"What?" Charlie asked a little self-consciously.
"It's just really nice that you did this," Joey said. "I'm not used to being cooked for and stuff. And usually I don't get such nice conversation at dinner."
"You don't?"
"Well, Sam and Mel talk a lot about their day and... well, it's not really something I can join in with. And it's not something I'm that interested in, to be honest. That sounds mean, doesn't it?"
"No," Charlie said honestly. "It doesn't sound mean. I guess I'm lucky. Angelo and I do the same job and know the same people so we've got more of a shared interest."
Joey nodded.
"I like to hear about her day and everything," Joey explained, pouring out another two glasses of wine. "But they talk about the ins and outs of the love lives and stuff of people I don't know. And by the sounds of it, I don't really want to know them. They talk about the life they had before I was in it... you know, private jokes and everything."
"You feel shut out," Charlie concluded.
Joey nodded a little uncertainly.
"Shall we go and sit outside?" Joey suggested. "It's still warm out."
Charlie nodded. She took her glass and the nearly empty bottle. Joey grabbed a fresh one from the fridge and they headed out to back garden together. Settling at the small table and chairs together, Charlie continued their conversation.
"Do you get to talk about your life much?" she asked.
"I guess," Joey said, although her mind was screaming 'no'.
"Tell me about it," Charlie suddenly said.
Joey looked up sharply.
"What?"
"Tell me about your work and your life and your loves and your hates," Charlie urged.
Joey eyed her curiously. A smile twitched at the corner of her mouth.
"Come on," Charlie said. "This is your night. I want to know everything about you!"
Ruby went out to see Xavier and her friends on the promise that she would be back by her curfew. Angelo had suggested that he and Mel went out for drinks and after several glasses of wine, Mel was thoroughly enjoying herself. Many of the locals had come over to introduce themselves and Angelo was paying her a lot of attention. He listened as she described her life, telling him where she grew up and how long she'd been with Joey. The cameras continued to roll.
"Hang on, wait," Angelo interrupted. "But you told me about a girl you were seeing a couple of years ago."
Mel sipped her wine.
"Joey and I have an understanding," she said.
It wasn't a subject that had come up so far but she supposed there was no time like the present.
"An understanding?"
"Yeah. I have a... high sex drive," she purred, taking a moment to bat her eyelashes at him.
He shifted a little in his seat.
"So, I get to be with Joey but if I want to, I can go and have the odd fling or one night stand with someone else."
Angelo raised his eyebrows.
"And Joey's okay with that?"
"She understands," Mel said, refusing to accept that Joey might not like the arrangement as much as she liked to believe.
She made eye contact with Angelo and he blushed. Shifting his position again, he downed the last of his pint.
"You're obviously a very lucky girl," he said.
He cleared his throat.
"Charlie would go insane if I slept with someone else," he said. "I did. She did."
He sighed. Mel eagerly waited for an elaboration.
"There's not much to tell really about me," Joey said a little shyly.
She was definitely not used to such rapt attention.
"I left home when I was sixteen. I came out and got thrown out," she said.
"What?" Charlie exclaimed.
"My parents were pretty traditional," Joey said. "Homophobic. It was... well, it was just easier for me to leave."
"Where did you go?"
"I came here," Joey said. "I squatted for a while and got a job. Worked my butt off on a fishing trawler until I'd earned enough to get a bed-sit to rent."
"Wow," Charlie said.
Joey blushed.
"I worked in the day and I finished my education in night school," she said. "I got a qualification in business and then a few years ago, I went to the bank and got a business loan. I bought the boat, Aden came on board to work for me and... that's how it's been ever since."
"You're a really determined girl," Charlie said. "I'm impressed. How can you...?"
She trailed off.
"What?" Joey asked.
"Nothing."
"Go on..."
"How can you have gone out and fought for everything you want and then at home... well... at home...?"
"Get walked all over like a doormat?" Joey asked.
Charlie swallowed and managed a quiet 'yes'. Joey just shrugged.
"Guess I'm flawed," she said with a grin.
Charlie smiled too. She reached out and held Joey's hand for a moment.
"I think you're amazing," she said, surprising herself with her own honesty.
Joey blushed and thanked her quietly.
"I mean it," Charlie said. "I think it's remarkable that you've come so far, pushed through so much."
Joey blushed even more and finished her wine.
"Tell me about you," she said, changing the subject.
Suddenly she yawned loudly, making Charlie laugh.
"I think that's for another night," she said.
"I'm fine," Joey said through another yawn.
Charlie chuckled and reached out pull Joey to her feet.
"I'm sure I'm fine," Joey said, feeling suddenly very tired.
Charlie hugged her. They stayed close for a few moments. Charlie rested her head on top of Joey's. She breathed in the smell of her shampoo and closed her eyes. She was startled to realise how perfectly Joey fit in her arms.
"Let's get you to bed," she said.
"Is that an offer?" Joey smirked as she followed Charlie into the house.
Charlie laughed.
"Well, as highly recommended as you are, I don't think either of our partners will be keen!" she replied.
"Wait," Joey said, stopping in the lounge. "I need to clear up the..."
"I'll do it," Charlie promised.
Joey hesitated and began to argue. Charlie took her by the hand and into her room.
"Now, are you going to behave or am I going to have to undress you?"
Joey pondered her answer with a smirk on her face and then agreed to behave. Giggling to herself, Charlie left her in peace and headed downstairs to tidy up. The camera continued to record everything.
Next time... Joey tells Aden about her evening with Charlie while Angelo feels awkward around Mel...