I Kissed Ya
Chapter 25
"Hey!" Charlie greeted as she called for Joey after her shift at the Police Station.
Joey sat on a crate in the props room in a daydream.
"Jo?"
Joey jumped and looked up in surprise as she heard Charlie's voice.
"Charlie. Sorry I was.... miles away."
"I could see that." Charlie grinned.
Joey stood up and threw her arms around Charlie and held her tightly. Charlie frowned and wound her own arms around Joey's tense body.
"Sweetheart, what's wrong?"
"Nothing." Joey said speaking into Charlie's shoulder.
Charlie held Joey, aware something had happened; her mind flashing to Amy.
"Amy, I take it?" Charlie asked gently.
Joey nodded; her face still buried against Charlie.
"Joey, she can't hurt you anymore, I won't allow her to. Did she ring you?"
"No." Joey said at long last, leaving the warm security of Charlie's body. "She spoke to Bobby. She wants to come and see me, Charlie! Bobby told her no, but she said she's gonna come anyway. I don't know what to do!"
Charlie's anxious eyes watched as tears rolled down Joey's pale cheeks. Even though Joey was moving on, the power this woman had over her, even via someone else's telephone conversation, was incredible and frightening.
"It's okay, honey." Charlie said, wrapping her arms around Joey, tighter. "Let's get you back home. We have two choices; I'll stay with you or you move in with me until this woman scuttles back to her lair."
Joey relaxed a little in Charlie's arms and nodded.
"I warn you of one thing, Joey. If she crosses the line, I'll throw the book at her and don't think I wouldn't!"
Joey looked up into Charlie's dark, angry eyes and swallowed.
"I'm sorry for involving you, Charlie."
"I'm glad you did. I'd have been a hell of a lot angrier if you hadn't!"
Joey wiped her tears on her sleeve and picked up her belongings.
***
"Where to?" Charlie asked as they walked to the car. "Your place or mine?"
"Your place." Joey said, quietly. "But what about Ruby?"
"You leave Ruby to me." Charlie said, resolutely.
***
Amy had made no attempt to contact Joey after her telephone conversation with Bobby. But when Charlie wasn't looking, Joey checked her phone for texts and missed calls; her heart beating alarmingly.
***
Charlie made a chicken goujon salad with a sweet chilli dip which she hoped would entice Joey to eat. She selected the DVD of 'Sleepless in Seattle' from the shelf and took a bottle of sparkling Asti from the fridge; settling down for a cosy night in.
***
"Well girls and boys!" Bobby said as he gathered his troops around him. "Tomorrow night is the big night! No turning back now! This night will never come again; it's a one off – if it goes wrong, there's nothing you can do to change it – it's a moment lost in time!" Bobby said opening his hand as if sprinkling invisible dust onto the stage.
The ensemble listened; spell bound as Bobby made his speech.
"Never again will you feel the thrill of your very first night performing to a live audience! Take it, feel the excitement and remember it until your dying day! You're going out there as youngsters, but you're coming back as stars!" He enthused as he sprinkled real silver glitter over the stage from his hands.
"Wow! How did he do that!" Xavier asked Jai in wonder as they watched the enchanting moment on stage.
"Magic, I think!" Jai replied.
"Showbiz." Nic replied coolly.
***
Charlie was pleased that Joey had made an effort to eat; she'd not cleared her plate, but at least she wouldn't starve. Joey leaned back into Charlie's body and Charlie wrapped her arms around her protectively as they continued to watch the chick-flick. Suddenly, Joey's phone bleeped as a text message appeared. Joey jumped out of her skin and she looked at Charlie in alarm. Charlie leaned forward and picked up the mobile phone from the coffee table where their feet rested. She pressed the text button and saw the name AMY.
Charlie chewed her lip for a few moments and glanced at Joey who's eyes were boring into Charlie's.
"It's her, isn't it?" Joey said, her face turning pale.
Charlie nodded.
"Do you want me to read it?"
Joey nodded gratefully.
Charlie took a deep breath and pressed the read button.
'My darling, don't ignore me. You know how I feel about you. Please agree to meet me so we can talk. A.'
"She wants you to meet her for a talk." Charlie said flatly.
Joey looked at Charlie.
"Why doesn't she just leave me alone!" She groaned.
"Joey, you need to speak to her." Charlie advised.
"But I don't want you to get upset about it!"
"Jo, I love and trust you," Charlie said taking Joey's hands in her own. "You need to speak to her so she can experience some kind of closure between you."
"I don't know how else I can tell her it's over, apart from using a sledge-hammer!" Joey cried, anxiously.
Charlie stared into Joey's distraught eyes and stroked her hair.
"A sledge-hammer I can provide! Don't worry, we'll find a way." Charlie said, gently covering Joey's lips with her own.
"Charlie! Oh you are still up!" Ruby said walking into the dark room; illuminated only by the tv screen. "Hi Joey." She said with a shy smile.
Joey smiled back.
"Hey Rubes, how did rehearsal go tonight?" Charlie asked switching on a little table lamp.
"We didn't rehearse as such. Bobby made a magnanimous speech and treated us all to a meal at The Diner – don't think it's ever been so busy in there!" Ruby chuckled.
"Rubes. I've invited Joey to stop over for a few nights. That's okay with you, isn't it?" Charlie asked.
Ruby swallowed; glancing at the lovers in turn.
"Yeah, I guess."
"Well, if you don't mind, I think I'll shower before bed. I'm feeling pretty pooped!" Joey said, rising from the sofa and brushing her hand along Charlie's arm.
"See you later, honey." Charlie called as she watched Joey walk out of the room.
"She didn't leave just because of me, did she?" Ruby whispered, sitting down in Joey's vacated spot next to Charlie.
"No, sweetheart. She has a few 'ex' issues at the moment and they've stirred her up a bit. That's why I invited her to stay here for a while – where I can watch fair play."
"Oh, okay. Hey! Did you hear that Amelia Rampard is coming along tomorrow night to watch the show?"
Charlie chuckled.
"Yeah! Only fourteen times and counting!"
"Well, aren't you excited? I thought you used to have a bit of a thing for her?"
"Well, I'll admit that she's eye candy, but I have my own far more accessible 'eye candy' these days! So who wants a shadow on screen when I can have a warm, hot blooded version to feel in my arms and to kiss and to hold and ...."
"Oh, for goodness sake, Charlie! Give me a break!" Ruby grinned, helping herself to a few left over goujons.
"Well, you started it. I can tell you more, if you like?" Charlie teased.
"No! That's quite enough for one sloppy session! I'm off to bed."
"Night, Hun." Charlie said, leaning across to her sister and kissing her forehead. "Sleep well."
"I shall be so lucky! I'm a bag of nerves!"
"The show?"
"Yeah."
"Well, just relax and sleep will catch up with you."
"Night Charlz. I love you."
"Love you too."
***
Charlie washed up, switched off all the lights and popped into the bathroom before bedtime. Afterwards, she crept into her bedroom, not wishing to disturb Joey in case she had fallen asleep, but Joey was lying on top of the bed staring up at the ceiling.
"Hey." Charlie whispered as she neared. "Not asleep yet?"
"No. I waited for you." Joey said, holding out her hand to Charlie as she sat down on the bed. "Was Ruby okay about me staying over?"
"Yeah, she was fine. She's far too wrapped up with her own thing at the moment to worry about us." Charlie grinned. "I do hope it all goes well for her tomorrow night. I, for one, will have my heart in my mouth!"
"Take plenty of tissues with you!" Joey suggested.
"Why? It's not sad, is it?"
"No, but you'll be crying with pride all the way through it, I can guarantee!"
"Maybe you're right. I suppose you'll be backstage, in control?" Charlie asked, lying back on the bed.
"Yep!" Joey replied leaning over Charlie and playing with the gold chain which hung around Charlie's neck. "So you'll have to let me know how it all goes."
"Hey! Did you know there's gonna be a celeb' in the audience tomorrow night?" Charlie asked.
"No, who's that then?" Joey asked, beginning to undo one or two of Charlie's buttons.
"An actress..."
Suddenly, the telephone rang.
"Oh, bother!" Charlie cried, as she jumped up to answer the house phone on her bedside cabinet.
"Hello. Hi Annie. Yeah, I'll get her." She rested the receiver down and walked over to her bedroom door.
"Rubes! It's for you!" Charlie yelled.
"Okay, I'll pick-up in the lounge!" Ruby called back.
"Now, where we were?" Charlie asked seductively as she lay back down on the bed and wound her arms around Joey.