This is an update jointly for poor Gunni who is not very well and for Sugar Puffle, who now owes me the next chapter of "Say Cheese". I'm waiting...

Chapter Twenty-Five

The following morning, once Charlie was at work, Joey got ready and headed out of the house. She headed down to the docks, determined to get a job. Whether she was staying with Charlie and the others long-term or not, she needed to get herself back on her feet and that began with forcing herself back into the water world again. It was still her dream to eventually be in a position to run her own boat with her own crew and she was never going to get there if she stayed on land.

***

Charlie waved when she spotted Joey arriving at the Diner for lunch. She smiled when she noticed just how happy her friend was. Joey came bounding over.

"I got a job!" she said by way of greeting.

"You did?" Charlie asked, instantly elated.

Joey nodded enthusiastically. She couldn't stop grinning. It became infectious.

"I start tomorrow. It's the same work as before, on a fishing trawler, five days a week. I'm so excited!"

"I'm excited for you, Joey," Charlie said earnestly.

She had worried that Joey would avoid getting back out there forever. She was proud of her for taking such a big step. She held her hands over the table, rubbing her thumbs across Joey's palms and found herself suddenly lost in her eyes. They were so soulful, so beautiful and expressive. Charlie asked herself yet again why she was messing around with both their feelings, holding Joey so close and yet keeping her so far away at the same time.

"What can I get you?" Colleen asked, approaching the table.

Charlie leapt away from Joey, breaking contact and actually rising a little from her seat. That was why she held her at arms length. It was because she wasn't gay. It was because she couldn't be gay even if there was a part of her that might be. It was because she had too many responsibilities to wreck everything she'd worked for and have the town talking about her falling in love with a girl. The fact that she was in love with a girl was immaterial. She looked up at Colleen, who smiled at them oblivious. Everyone knew now that Joey had been through more than one trauma. She assumed that Charlie was holding Joey's hands in a supportive way. Charlie desperately tried to tell herself the same thing. On the other side of the table, Joey's heart sank. There was times, like when Charlie had been holding her hands that she wondered if there might actually be a chance for them. They had fallen into a very loving relationship in recent weeks, minus the physical side of things. They lived together, laughed together, ate together, socialised together and even shared a bed. They had become inseparable, entwined in each other's lives. These days, they could even finish each others sentences because they knew each other so well. There was just that one part of their friendship that they were afraid to touch, or at least, Charlie was afraid. Joey would have thrown herself into Charlie's arms the moment she got the go-ahead. It was Charlie giving the go-ahead that was the problem. Every time it seemed like she was getting close to admitting how she felt, she pulled back and shied away. She was perfectly capable of convincing Joey that neither of them should see other people, but she wasn't capable of telling Joey whether she wanted to see her or not. She was perfectly capable of hugging Joey so intimately that they would spend several long minutes breathing in each others' scent and enjoying the contours of each others' bodies, but when it came to anything more, Charlie found something to distract her and help her avoid the situation. Now, the sheer fright she was displaying at Colleen having 'caught' them was enough to tell Joey that nothing would ever happen. It made her sad.

***

Charlie didn't fail to notice Joey's mood when she got home from work. For starters, she wasn't singing while she folded laundry and her movements were slow, almost tired. Charlie paused and quietly observed her companion for a few moments before making her presence known. Joey turned and smiled but for the first time in weeks, her smile hadn't reached her eyes.

"What's wrong?" Charlie asked, immediately worried.

Joey shrugged and continued folding clothes.

"Joey?"

The girl that had been giddy with joy over her job appeared long gone. Charlie perched on the bed, looking up at her, trying to read her expression.

"I'm just nervous about tomorrow," Joey lied.

She was wondering how long she and Charlie could be around each other like they were. Wouldn't one of them get disappointed? And wasn't it strange? Best friends that shared a platonic bed and were essentially an exclusive relationship because neither one wanted the other to date someone even though they weren't actually dating each other? Strange or not, it worked for them but Joey wondered how long it would work for. She hated the thought that Charlie might walk away from her at any point.

"You'll be fine," Charlie said. "Listen, I got you a gift. I'm not sure if you'll want it because I know you'll need an early night tonight but if you do want it, we can go. If you don't, that's totally fine. I'll understand. It's no big deal."

Joey looked at her, thinking how adorable she was. She'd been so busy rambling that she hadn't actually told her what the gift was.

"Oh!" Charlie said, realising. "It's a couple of tickets to a play. It's not a famous one or anything, just a little independent but it sounded interesting and thought maybe you'd like to go, as a treat and to say good luck and everything. If you want. You don't have to."

Joey placed her index finger on Charlie's lips in a bid to stop her rambling. She couldn't help smiling, leaving her bad mood behind. Friend or girlfriend or whatever Charlie was meant to be to her, she was the loveliest person Joey had ever met. Charlie smiled against Joey's finger. Impulsively, she kissed the digit, making them both blush. Joey reluctantly took her hand away.

"So, do you want to go?" Charlie asked.

"I'd love to go. Thank you so much," Joey said. "Once again, all I can think about is how lucky I am to have you."

***

Joey and Charlie arrived back a little later than expected. Despite being aware that Joey had a ridiculously early start in the morning, they had gone to the play and then parked at the Surf Club, gone for enough drinks to make Charlie a little dizzy and then walked home together. Turning away from each other, like they did every night, Charlie and Joey got changed and got into bed. Turning out the light, Joey moved to cuddle up to Charlie. She really did feel so safe in her arms.

"I had such a wonderful time tonight," Joey said. "Thank you."

Charlie smiled into the dimness of the room. She could just about make out Joey's features. She stroked her face tenderly.

"I'm glad," she said. "You deserve it."

"Well, I don't know about that but I am grateful," Joey told her.

"Have you set your alarm?" Charlie asked.

Joey nodded.

"Goodnight, Joey."

"Goodnight, Charlie."

They moved closer, pressing their lips against each other in the secrecy of the night. Joey could barely contain the thrill that went through her; it felt like her heart was actually doing flips in her chest. She stayed quiet and kept her hands still as the kiss continued. She wanted it to last as long as possible. She couldn't bear to frighten Charlie away. Charlie allowed the kiss to develop, once more marvelling at the inviting softness of Joey's lips. It felt like their mouths were meant to fit together. Her tongue tingled, as she made contact with Joey's. She could feel Joey's heart racing against her chest. The need to hold her close was overwhelming. They continued kissing until a necessity for air made them pull away. Neither woman had any idea what it meant. They didn't know what to do or say next so they stayed silent, kept hold of each other and drifted into their own personal dreams.