"You Call It Madness But I Call It Love"
Hi CJers!
Jensy - Brax sure has a mean streak! I'm sure that Charlie might enjoy Joey making things up to her!
JCLuv - Another display of Charlie's parenting skills are here. Hopefully she might be making better strides in the world of fanfic than in H&A!
B2T - Aww feeling oddly sorry for Brax - I like that! You're on the money in that he doesn't want Joey getting hurt and that his vendetta might end up ruining his relationship with her which he doesn't want...
CJ4eva - Saddest chapter? Glad you could see the emotion between these two! They do have some challenges ahead if they manage to come out to Joey's family and the community - but you're sure right that it'd be better than breaking up!
Valadilene - Thanks for your lovely review! Glad you managed to stumble across this story and I hope you keep reading!
Skippy - Where have you disappeared to? :)
Enjoy reading!
Chapter Thirty-Five
Joey sighed heavily as she closed her eyes and tried to fall asleep. She'd had practically the worst day in a long time – Charlie hadn't turned up at the Final to see her surf.
Or to see her win as it turned out.
What was worse than that was that when Joey had finally managed to pry herself away from all the surfing people, including her brothers, congratulating her and wanting her to join the beach party that they had started to mark the end of the tournament, Joey had taken off back to the hotel looking for her girlfriend only to find that all of Charlie's belongings had been packed up and Charlie's car wasn't in the parking lot.
Joey was completely heartbroken to realize that Charlie had up and left her alone ending their romantic getaway without even telling her.
Joey knew that with her brothers there had Charlie turned up she would've been forced to out them as a couple if that's what Charlie was prepared for considering things had changed between them the previous night but she herself felt prepared for whatever they had to say about the couple.
Whilst Joey had been forced to hang out at the party for a while as dragging Heath away from it was a difficult task, she knew that with Charlie gone so had her ride back to Summer Bay and she waited impatiently before her brothers were ready to leave. It didn't help that Brax spent most of the time at the party trying to convince her to get back together with Emily, despite the disasters their relationship always caused them.
As the siblings had arrived back in the Bay, Joey's tournament trophy in hand, Brax had gotten a phone call. Mumbling an excuse to the twins he'd taken off once he'd dropped his younger siblings back home.
Now Joey was in her room at the Braxton's family home trying to fall asleep and forget that day had ever happened.
Joey groaned heavily as her phone rang again. It was Charlie.
During the drive home with her brothers, Charlie had been calling Joey relentlessly.
Despite being heartbroken that Charlie had missed her surfing Final after promising that nothing in the world would stop her from being there, Joey was also angry at Charlie for taking off and leaving her. She knew that Charlie had a right to be angry at her for finding out about her past infidelities but not enough to just up and leave her in the middle of nowhere. She was thankful that her brothers had come to see her surf otherwise she'd hate to imagine trying to get the bus back to the Bay.
The drive back to the Bay had taken hours and with it now being close to midnight, Joey wasn't ready to talk to her lover as she was absolutely exhausted from winning the surfing event. She'd forgotten how much energy they took out of her.
Joey squinted her eyes open when she heard a soft rapping on her window.
Sighing deeply Joey got out of bed, to go check what the noise was only to find herself surprised to find Charlie standing outside her bedroom window.
A few minutes later, Joey had wrapped her dressing gown around her body and had slipped outside to talk to Charlie properly.
Charlie smiled hopefully as Joey approached her out the front of the Braxton's house and she realized that Joey didn't look happy with her.
Joey walked over to Charlie, "What are you doing here at this time of night?"
Charlie shoved her hands in her pockets, "I wanted to apologise for today."
Joey grunted, "How'd you even know that was my bedroom window you were knocking on?"
"I didn't...I guessed...but I got it right obviously otherwise I'd have Brax breathing down my neck as to why I'm at your place after everything," Charlie admitted.
"Lucky for you that wasn't Darryl's room," Joey sighed, shivering due to the cold weather outside.
Charlie noticed that Joey was shivering and without hesitation she pulled her hands out of her pockets. Stepping up to Joey, Charlie embraced the younger woman warmly in her arms.
Joey swallowed deeply as she couldn't help but to sink into Charlie's embrace, although she kept telling herself it was because it was cold rather than because it felt so right to be in Charlie's arms, "What are you doing, Charlie?"
Charlie smiled as her girlfriend cuddled up to her, "I'm here to apologise for today. I know you're angry at me for not being there to see you surf."
"I'm not angry," Joey tried to say in a believable tone, then groaning, "Why'd you just leave me there like that Charlie? I know you had a right to be angry at me after everything you found out about me from Darryl...I just thought when you came back to the hotel last night that meant you had forgiven me...just a little anyway...I know we still have to talk about all that and I know that having Darryl and Heath there might've put you off from being there for me but you promised me nothing would stop you seeing me in the Final..."
"Ruby," Charlie answered gently, "Ruby's the reason why I left so unexpectedly. I hope you can forgive me for leaving you like that...I mean I panicked and didn't know how to tell you without you wanting to miss surfing in the Final and I couldn't let you miss the Final then before I knew it I was already half way back here and hadn't left you a note or anything to let you know why I'd taken off..."
Joey sighed, realizing she had overreacted to Charlie leaving her without explanation and should've trusted that Charlie didn't mean to make her feel abandoned unless it was for a good reason like her daughter. Squeezing Charlie comfortingly, Joey whispered, "Is everything okay with Ruby?"
Charlie creased her eyebrows, "Well yeah...I mean Ruby's still not talking to me and I think she's lying to me when she said she didn't have any involvement in the party. But I mean c'mon...Casey got arrested at the party so it's highly likely that Ruby-"
Joey pulled back and stared up at Charlie in shock, "Wait! Casey got arrested?"
Charlie stuttered, realizing that Joey didn't know what had happened that day, "I thought...well I figured Brax would've told you...Casey called him to pick him up from the Station...an hour ago. Didn't Casey and Brax come home yet?"
Joey shrugged, "Well yeah not long before you got here but they didn't say anything about...Casey got arrested? What for?"
Charlie sighed, "Watson brought him in for questioning this afternoon...he hasn't been charged with anything yet but there was a call out to rowdy party that was been held at this mansion while the owners were away and everyone at the party split but Casey got caught trying to get away by Watson. We're trying to work out who planned to have the party there and so far Casey's...in a bit of trouble...I don't know many of the details as Watson's handling the case. Look this morning I just wanted some space between us again and then in the arvo all I wanted was to see you surf in the Final. As I was about to go down to the beach Watson called me to tell me she'd taken Casey in for questioning and she hinted to me that Ruby was probably involved as well...so I rushed back here to slug it out with my daughter to see if she was causing trouble with Casey while the pair of us were away."
"Why didn't you tell me that Casey got taken into the Station? You knew before you left to come back to the Bay, Charlie! He's my brother, I had a right to know!" Joey argued.
Charlie ran her hands gently up and down Joey's back, "I know...it's just...I knew you'd skip out on the Final and it meant so much to you...and I panicked okay...I thought Ruby was getting into serious trouble without me around and that Casey was getting her into that trouble...I thought I might have to arrest my own daughter if she had any involvement in this break and enter into the mansion...okay...so I panicked..."
Joey took a deep breath, "I understand that you were worried about Ruby...though...you don't really think that Casey could be that much of a bad influence on her to the extent that she'll end up getting arrested do you?"
Charlie shook her head, "I'm sorry...I don't think Casey's a bad kid but maybe he's the kind of kid who does make mistakes...but I think he can learn from them. I'm just worried about Ruby...she's been through a lot the last few months. I've screwed up enough as her mother and I can't imagine having to deal with her breaking the law. I'm so sorry for just taking off like that...I didn't mean for you to think that..."
"That you still hated me for what you found out from Darryl the other night," Joey concluded.
"I don't hate you," Charlie whispered as she held Joey gently, "I know you've changed and you're not that person anymore. I guess it just hurt...you know...finding out like that... It doesn't change how I feel about you."
Joey took a step forwards, brushing up against Charlie, "And how do you feel about me?"
Charlie gingerly pressed their lips together, despite the fact they were standing outside the Braxton's house and could be caught by anyone, "I love you...you know that..."
"I love you too," Joey whispered back as she kissed Charlie with a bit more passion this time.
Breaking their kiss both women blushed at the fact they were taking a risk but couldn't deny their feelings in their moment together.
Charlie wrapped her arms around Joey's waist, pressing their bodies together, "So do you forgive me for missing your Final? I know you were really nervous about it and wanted me to be there for you."
"I forgive you. I'm sorry for thinking there wasn't a valid reason behind you not turning up," Joey told her as she stared up at Charlie, wrapping her hands around the back of Charlie's neck, "I won by the way."
"Yeah I kinda figured...you're a great surfer and had it in the bag from day one," Charlie giggled.
Joey licked her lips, "I'm not so tired anymore...fancy celebrating my win?"
Charlie felt her heart racing at the suggestion, "I'd love to. But I'm guessing we can't stay at your place. And ah...speaking of...I know this time away alone together didn't quite go as we planned but...you know you kinda said that it might help you...to know this is what you want and tell your family about us...so did it help?"
Joey closed her eyes briefly, "Being with you is what I want...I'm just not sure that I'm ready to tell them yet. They aren't going to take the news well and I don't want to hurt them. I will tell them soon...I promise...just not yet...I'm sorry."
Charlie shrugged, "I understand...I know it's hard and I don't want your family to hate me but I guess it's just something I have to bare...I'm still not certain about the rest of the town finding about the fact I'm dating another woman not just the daughter of the man who my Dad...we can both take our time. What does this mean for us? Do we...take a break until they know about us and accept it or are we still able to see each other?"
Joey licked her lips, "I think we've proven time and again that taking a break doesn't really work for us...there's no way I can stay away from you or not be able to kiss you when I want to...we can be together...it just might take some time before we can really be together as a couple."
"Are you suggesting that we start seeing each other in secret until you find the right time to tell your family?" Charlie smirked.
"It won't have to be forever...but if you can handle it...would you mind keeping our relationship a secret between us?" Joey asked nervously.
Charlie bit her lip, "I'm not sure how I'll go pretending that my life right now isn't as perfect as it really is...but being with you...in secret...kinda turns me on."
Joey grinned up at her, "It can only add a little excitement between us can't it...the thrill of trying not to be caught out?"
Charlie squeezed Joey gently, "So we're together...in secret...without anyone knowing about us...I think I'm gonna like being with you in this way. What do you say you go and get dressed and sneak back out here so we can go back to my place? Maybe we'll get lucky and I can manage to sneak you up to my bedroom so we can spend the night together...you in?"
Joey leant up and pressed her lips against Charlie's, both women soon deepening the kiss. Breaking apart, Joey smiled, "I think I'm gonna like sneaking around with you just so we can be together...something tells me sneaking me into your bedroom to spend the night together will be interesting. Wait for me here and I'll be back as soon as I can."
Kissing each other softly, Joey reluctantly left Charlie's embrace to go get changed and ready for her rendezvous with her girlfriend. Charlie couldn't help but grin helplessly as she watched Joey walk back towards her house. The idea of dating Joey in secret until the tattooed woman was ready to tell her family about them and she herself was confident in coming out was very appealing and she hoped that nobody caught them before they had a chance to come out on their own terms.
From his bedroom window, Brax closed the window blinds having witnessed the intimate moments between the couple. He was furious at his sister for betraying their family to be with the woman and hated it even more that Charlie was seemingly into Joey as much as Joey was into her. Running his hand through his hair Brax wondered why the pair seemed closer than ever when he thought revealing Joey's past was enough to push Charlie away and how he could keep Joey away from the Bay's Sergeant without breaking his sister's heart.
Ruby, Ruby, Ruby - miles away and still she manages to interrupt CJ's romantic getaway!
Did Charlie make the right call - leaving Joey to surf in the final so she could go find out whether Ruby was involved in the break and enter at party mansion?
Next Time - CJ continue their relationship with a secret rendezvous! Will CJ manage the secret meet-ups better than Chax on H&A have?
Then later after an encounter with some of the River Boys Charlie bumps into Brax - and the Bad Boy asks her out!
Will a whole new set of sparks fly?