"Happily Never After"
Thanks for all your excellent reviews , glad you enjoyed Joey's lil goofy moment and thanks for your suggestions for the girls 'homework'! Fantastic ideas so let's see if any of them turned out to be correct :P
Lil20 - Yes I'm feeling better now...the drama's coming back :P Glad you love how insightful this story is and that you're enjoying the 'will they won't they' drama!
Fili - Love to take you up on that chocolate offer! How'd you know that's the perfect cure for writers block? Stealing some of my evilness? Is that possible? Hope there's a few quality moments here that'll convince you to review :P
JSCO81 - Just subtlety romantic :P
CJ4eva - Great ideas but something tells me it may be a while before they're back to that stage sorry :)
Tutie - Well you're right about the girls not fighting...this chapter...
Kim - Gotta love the cliffhangers! Hope you enjoy the exercises
AJ1978 - Don't give in too early! They may end up repeating at least one good time :P
Mellbell86 - Hmm Fili's chocolate idea is helping so anything involving sweets and lovely reviews could help the writers block some :P I like getting you guys thinking and involved in the fic!
Laclex - Some begging does help speed me up with posting a little lol!
Oniz - Communicating is definitely part of it though I wouldn't call it 'super fun' :)
And enough chatter from me! Hope you enjoy these couple of tasks the girls have been set!
Don't forget to review!
Chapter Thirty-Six
1) Go and buy your wife a gift that means something special from your marriage. Before you exchange your gifts please complete the rest of the exercises. Please exchange your gifts at a place that means something special to the pair of you.
Charlie looked down at the shopping bag in her hand, then back up to see Joey sitting on the park bench. Walking over to her, Charlie smiled nervously, "Hey." Joey stared up at her, "Hi. So...how'd you go?" Charlie swung the shopping bag slightly, "Good. You?" Joey shrugged, "Spending an hour in a shopping mall...just what I call the perfect end to a perfect day."
"Yeah I know you don't particularly like coming to the Yabbie Creek shopping centre but...I figured we'd hardly find any special gifts in Summer Bay what with the lack of shops. Unless Anna wanted us to buy a special gift from the grocery store or the bait shop," Charlie pointed out nervously, "But the day's not over so I'm sure they'll be plenty of other fun exercises for us to do."
"Great," Joey rolled her eyes. Charlie ignored Joey's action, "So you texted and asked me to meet you here instead of at the car? You don't want to head home yet?" Joey stood up, and leant her head sideways, "Thought we could go for a walk together here instead of doing the rest of the exercises at home...I mean the card did ask us to exchange our gifts at a place special to us." Charlie smiled, and followed Joey as she started walking slowly across the park towards the small lake, "This place kinda is perfect for that."
As they reached the lake Charlie was quietly surprised when Joey reached out and took her hand gently, and even more surprised when Joey sat down in a beautiful shady patch of grass. Charlie sat down next to her, and after placing her shopping bag next to her, she was pleasantly surprised when Joey shifted herself so she sat in Charlie's lap. Charlie looked at her questioningly, causing Joey to blush. Joey lightly pulled Charlie's hands around her waist, "Sorry...is this okay?" "You tell me," Charlie decided.
Joey swallowed hard, "Do you remember when we were here last?" Charlie nodded happily, "We were sitting exactly like this in this spot nearly five years ago. It was one of our best days together." "You really think it was one of our best days?" Joey asked lightly looking up at Charlie.
Charlie blushed, "Are you kidding? Of course it was...and okay fine you probably don't believe me since I was all panicking and freaking out and you brought me here to calm me down...but I was only anxious 'cause I was just worried about you." Joey rolled her eyes, "You didn't need to be so worried Charlie...you were supposed to be happy and ecstatic...we'd only just found out I was pregnant with Riley."
"I was happy and ecstatic," Charlie smiled, "I was just shocked that all our dreams of starting a family were coming true. It was suddenly real that we'd be parents and...I..." "Was afraid that you'd make a terrible parent," Joey remembered, "Well you were worrying for nothing, you're a great parent. And before you even try it...this is not something we're gonna argue about. You've made mistakes, but you're making up for each of them. I'm proud of you." Charlie nodded, "Okay fine no arguing from me for the first time since I...asked you for this... But you know what made me stop worrying? You. You were so happy and proud and couldn't wipe that smile off your face...I was actually kinda jealous."
"In what way?" Joey asked curiously. Charlie gripped Joey tightly, "'Cause I'd never seen you that happy. Even when we got married, you were happy that day but you didn't have that sparkle in your eyes that you did after Rachel told us you were pregnant. I was insanely jealous of this little person and knew one day you'd love him or her more than me. Is that wrong?" Joey entangled her hands with Charlie's, "Course not. I was really happy that day, but I was happy for both of us. And I've never loved Riley more than you...I mean it's a different kind of love sure...but I loved you both equally." "What about now?" Charlie ventured quietly.
Joey frowned and bit her lip, "So um...yeah I just thought this would be a good place for us. I remember just sitting here with you for hours like this reminding you how much you wanted a child with me, and how you'd never let our child down the way...our parents did with us. You were holding me like this while I was trying to calm you down, and then when you did..." "We discussed how amazing our future was gonna be with our family," Charlie remembered, then whispered, "Guess we were...wrong."
Joey closed her eyes, "Well before we ruin this place for us with...not so good memories of our mistakes...I believe we still have some homework we're supposed to do." "Guess we'd better get started," Charlie decided, as she pulled out the second envelope and card from her purse, "You want to do the honours?" Joey nodded, taking the envelope from Charlie's hand, and pulling the card out, she read it silently to herself, then groaned softly, "Are you sure that Morag hasn't just set us up with Anna in an attempt to mask it as divorce counselling when we're really having some normal marriage counselling so they can try and get us back together?"
Charlie shrugged, "Well it's not like I'm in on it if that's what they're trying to do. What gave you that idea anyway...that they're trying to use a little marriage counselling to get us back together?" Joey softly handed her the card for Charlie to read herself, "Ah...I can see why you'd be confused on what we've gotten ourselves in for..."
2) Tell your wife three things you love about her.
Charlie relaxed her grip on Joey, expecting her to retract from their embrace, but was surprised when Joey leant her back against Charlie's chest. Trying to ignore her growing suspicions and uncertainly about Joey's sudden actions since they'd left the therapy office, Charlie concentrated on the fact that Joey wasn't pulling away for once.
"Okay well I'll go first," Charlie decided after Joey had been silent for the last minute, "I love that you never gave up on me when you came back to the Bay. Not many people would forgive what I did, but you did. I know it took some time, but just knowing that I had a chance to spend my future with you...it gave me the strength to overcome my fears about being with you. I wouldn't have this life without you...I mean all the good parts...and memories...I wouldn't have them without you."
Joey nodded thoughtfully, "Okay my turn. I love how you did overcome your fears. That took a lot of strength. I don't know how I would've coped if you hadn't being 100% secure with being with me as a couple. My life would be pretty empty...more empty...than it is right now if you hadn't given us a real chance as a couple."
"My turn again huh?" Charlie realized, "Alright well...I love how great a mother you are to Riley. You've been there for him through everything. You were born to be a mum and it shows. He has grown up so fast, he's so smart and insightful...and that's all because he's had you to support him. Giving your life up to raise him was never a doubt for you. Most kids would be a mess to be going through the things he's going through...his parents...separated and living apart...for the most part. He got all that strength to cope with our problems from you."
Joey smiled contently, "I love how much you've changed since Riley's accident. You've put aside your career and all the bad things between us and been there for him this whole time. I know things have...kinda been at their worst for us over the last two weeks with the constant fighting...but not once was I afraid that I'd wake up one morning and you wouldn't still be sleeping on the couch. That you would've packed up your bags and taken off home. You've changed, just like you promised you would...wish I could say the same about myself."
Charlie squeezed Joey lightly, "Well...some things take time. I know that when you told me you still weren't ready to be with me...you said it was because you needed to learn to trust yourself and work out what you want... I guess that's why I've been...angry at you and picking fights with you since then...'cause you haven't changed yet. You're still not sure how you feel, you're too afraid to find a way through our problems...and you're still with Kaitlyn...once again I got my hopes up...that if I gave you the time and space you needed...you might realize that you do want to be with me. All I wanted was our family back together...I just wanted to ignore the fact that maybe...we don't belong together. I need to accept that we can't just force ourselves back together because it's what's best for Riley...we both need to take this time and work out...if we really want to be with each other."
"Then why did you ask me for a divorce?" Joey whispered sadly. "To see if we would both fight for each other and realize our feelings for each other once and for all," Charlie confessed sadly, "Guess it didn't work...we're both still confused about our feelings." Joey nodded, knowing she had a chance here to be honest and tell Charlie she wanted to stop going through with the divorce until she had decided if she could trust herself again...trust that she wasn't ready to give up on their marriage completely, "Charlie I--"
"Okay so the third thing I love about you," Charlie interrupted, not willing to hear what she assumed would be Joey admitting why she couldn't fight for their marriage. Joey closed her eyes and held her breath regretting not being able to tell Charlie the truth...regretting that Charlie was right and that she still hadn't worked out her true feelings for the woman embracing her.
"I love how passionate and determined you can be," Charlie continued, "Your strong-minded and always got what you want. You were determined not to give up on us when you returned to the Bay, and you were determined that our future would be together and we'd have a family together. Over the last few weeks since we've been constantly fighting you've been determined not to let Riley see our problems. You don't want our problems to hurt him. You want to protect him from the truth...that we're struggling and...we might not make it back together. You don't want him to lose faith that he won't get his wish for us to be a family. Neither of us want to hurt him like that, which is why we both agreed not to tell him about the...divorce counselling. But whatever happens between us...you'll be okay. You have the strength to get through this, and to help get our son through all this. You've gotten him through the separation...and I love you for that."
Joey wiped a small tear from her eye, "Thanks. I don't feel strong at all. I feel like I'm constantly falling apart and any minute now...I won't be strong enough to be there for him. That he'll be the one making sure I'm okay." Charlie kissed the top of Joey's head, "Then you'll just have to remember and trust...that I love how strong and passionate you are. And because of that you can face anything. So...you've got one more thing to admit that you love about me...what's it gonna be?" Joey stared at Charlie nervously. Everything. Does everything work for you? Does it work for me? Joey bit her lip, "I love...your shirt."
Charlie raised her eyebrow, "Huh?" Joey looked away, embarrassed for lying, "The shirt you're wearing now...I love it. Looks good on you." "Okay...well that's...one way to finish off this exercise," Charlie stated bewildered, and slightly embarrassed that she felt she had opened up to Joey only for Joey not to do the same. "Yeah...so umm how many more cards are there?" Joey asked, regretting being too scared to open up to Charlie and start working out how she really feels about her wife. "Uh...two more," Charlie grunted, still upset with Joey's last answer, as she pulled out the third card and read it aloud:
3) Both of you are to write down your prediction of where you want to be one year from now. Keep these predictions in a safe place or give them to a trusted friend who won't let you look at the other's answer until a year from now.
"Well no way can Ruby be trusted not to read these and spill the beans," Charlie sighed. "Then we'll give them to Aden. I trust that he won't look at them before the year is up," Joey decided. "So I guess we're once again on the marriage counselling kick huh? Maybe you were right about Anna's intentions," Charlie realized. "Well it's not up to her to see if they'll work," Joey replied harshly. Charlie shook her head, again trying to ignore Joey's comments, "You got a pen?" "Sure," Joey answered, as she pulled a pen out of her purse. Charlie took the pen off her, "Can you lean forwards for a moment?" "Huh?" Joey asked confused. "I need to use your back to write my prediction," Charlie explained, as she placed the card against Joey's back.
As Joey leant forwards, Charlie tapped the pen softly against Joey's back for a few seconds before she started writing down her prediction for where she hoped Joey and she would be in a year's time. Flipping the card over so Joey couldn't see what she'd written Charlie passed her the card and pen, "Now you write down your answer and we'll place the card back in the envelope without reading it. You can give it to Aden when we get home. Part of this exercise would be about trust…I trust you won't look at it before your give it to Aden and we both trust each other that we won't ask him for it earlier. So...in a year from now...we'll see if we were right." Joey nodded, feeling Charlie look away, fiddling with her watch, while Joey silently placed the card against her knee and wrote down her own prediction.
Charlie looked up as she noticed Joey slipping the card back in the envelope, then placing them and the pen back in her own purse. "There, we'll see what happens in a year," Joey said slightly unsure of the outcome by that point, "So...we've only got one more card...then we can go home." Charlie nodded sadly, enjoying the comfort of holding Joey in her arms for the first time in so long, "C'mon let's get this done so we can go back to Ruby's and see Riley." Joey pulled out the final card, "Well let's see what the last thing Anna's given to us that she reckons will help us..."
***
Do we think CJ still know each other well enough to buy the other the perfect gift? Anyone want to take a stab at the gifts they bought? Find out next chapter.
And what about those predictions? Do they match or are they completely opposite? Find out next...year :P
And what about this last exercise? What do you think it'll be? All I'll say is it's bound to cause sparks...though maybe not the kind you want :)