The next morning, Charlie awoke early, determind to have a nice breakfast with her daughter and a chat. She also remembered that the young man she had met the day before, Dylan, was joining them. As much as Charlie dreaded the idea of Ruby taking an interest in someone who was clearly older than the usual teenage boys Ruby dated, Dylan seemed like a genuinely nice guy, and Charlie wasn't going to stand in the way of her daughter being happy. For however long this crush, or whatever it was, lasted.
After running the brush through hair, she grabbed her watch off the bedside table and walked out of the room, making her way down to the kitchen. Picking up the dirty plates from the night before, she placed them in the dishwasher and turned it on. Turning back to the centre worktop in the middle of the kitchen, she noticed the contents of Ruby's insulin kit were still layed out on it. Picking up the used syringe she popped it into the medical waste diposal bin and then packed away the monitor and insulin bottles back into the carrier case before placing it in Ruby's school bag.
Checking the time, she realised she was earlier than she anticipated. With little else to do she decided to make her way to Ruby's room for an early morning banter. Knocking on the door, she heard her daughter reply from the other side that permitted her to enter. Standing by her wardrobe, Ruby smiled as Charlie walked in and sat on the bed. Pulling her school uniform from the hanger in her hand, she flung it over her shoulder and hobbled over to her bed with the aid of her trusty walking cane.
"Morning dearest mother of mine", Ruby said with a cheeky grin on her face, putting the uniform down on the bed.
"Morning darling Ruby", Charlie replied jokiningly in response to Ruby's greeting.
Ruby stretched her arms and yawned placing her cane against the bed and kneeling one leg on it for balance, still tired from the events the day before. The last thing she expected was Tracy showing up and dredging up the past Ruby was trying so desperatly to get away from. Charlie looked up and caught Ruby in her moment of contemplation and decided to press the matter with caution.
"So," she started, taking a hold of her daughters hands, "do you want to tell about yesterday, with Tracy?".
Looking up, Ruby caught Charlie gazing at her with a thoughtful expression, clearly sympathetic to the fact Ruby had had a day from hell. She squeezed her mother's hands back,
"Not really", Ruby finally answered and then waited for a reaction from Charlie, but nothing came. "I'm just tired of trying to forget where I came from", Ruby said with a defeated tone.
Charlie sat back shocked. Hearing Ruby's words, she couldn't help feeling sorry for the young girl. As bad as it was for Charlie being raped, at least she didn't have to live with the knowledge that she was concieved from such a terrible, disgusting act of pure evil. It was at that moment that Charlie realised that Ruby had it a lot harder than she thought. It was the main reason she never wanted Ruby to know the truth. She didn't want her to have to live with that terrible feeling of guilt and sadness of what happened to her mother and how she really came to be. But the fact remained that Ruby did know the truth. But at that moment Charlie was adament that she would make her daughter feel that she would never have to be ashamed of where she came from.
Placing one hand on the side of Ruby's face, she gently caressed it, wiping away the stray tear that had fallen. It hurt her to see her daughter carrying around this much anguish. But she was going to make sure that Ruby knew she could always turn to Charlie for comfort and support.
"You came from me. You were concieved through me. I carried you for nine months, I gave birth to you and I have loved you unconditionally ever since. He has nothing to do with you, you understand?", Charlie said with authority, more as a statement than a question.
Ruby looked down and let another small tear fall down her cheek. How could she say such a thing when she had some one as wonderful as Charlie in her life. She meant everything to her and she was proud to be her daughter. Ruby lifted her hand and placed on the hand that was caressing her cheek. She was never going to feel bad about this again. Not when she had the kind of unconditional love she had. She finally looked up at Charlie and nodded her head in agreement with what she had just been told and it felt like a huge weight had been lifted.
"Ok", Charlie said with a smile when she saw the tenseness leave her daughter's body and turn into a more positive energy.
Using a hand to help her balance upright, Ruby decided it was probably about time she got dressed. But the idea was easier then the reality when she remembered she was wearing a top that was difficult to remove without causing discomfort to her lower back injury that was still healing. She turned to Charlie who was flipping through one of Ruby's old magazines.
"Mum, could you give me a hand", she asked gesturing to her top.
"Sure", Charlie said as she lept off the bed and stood facing her daughter.
Lifting her arms, Ruby felt the tug as Charlie pulled the top up over her head and pulled it off her arms, freeing her from the confinements of the trap she struggled with everytime she wore it. As Ruby tilted sideways and grabbed her uniform off the bed, Charlie's eyes wandered straight to the scar on Ruby's chest from that horrific night she was shot. Looking down Ruby noticed what it was that had sent her mother into a trance like state because she knew all too well the bad memories it brought up.
Charlie lifted her hand and traced it along the mark. It was a silvery white in colour and was slightly perturded. It was almost completely healed. But it would remain with Ruby for the rest of her life. She placed a hand over Ruby's chest and could feel her daughter's heart beat. It cause a tear to fall from her eyes as she realised that on that dark night, It could have easily given in and stopped. Ruby placed her hand on top of her mother's and stroked it as Charlie stood there feeling the pulsating rythme.
"Pretty cool don't you huh? Think it might score me some cool points from the guys at school", Ruby said with a laugh.
"Ruby", Charlie said, somewhat upset her daughter was making a joke out of it.
"Oh come on mum, I have to live with these scars for the rest of my life. If I can't joke about them how is anybody ever going to feel comfortable around me", Ruby said giving her mother's hand an encouraging squeeze.
Ruby was right. She did have to live with them for the rest of her life. It was better she learned to deal with it now than putting it off and hiding them away. Charlie caught a glimpse of Ruby's back from the reflection in the mirror and saw the other battle woud Ruby was referring to. It was much deeper and bigger. Charlie gently placed a hand on it.
"Does it hurt?", she asked.
"A little. Well it's not so much a pain, it's more discomfort but Rachel said it could take months for that to heal properly", Ruby informed her.
Charlie stood back and grabbed Ruby's uniform off the bed and helped her daughter put it on. When she was done, she wiped away the stray tears from her eyes and gave her daughter an encouraging smile. Checking her watch she realised that they had spent too much time chatting and now where tight for time.
"Go finish getting ready, we're gonna be late and you really don't want that on you first day back", she said with a smile.
Ruby let out a laugh. Picking up her cane she made her way out of the room and down to the main bathroom. Charlie sat back down on Ruby's bed and buried her head in her hands. Looking up to the heavens above, she thanked God for her beautiful daughter's life. With that she hopped up from the bed and exited the room, closing the door behind her.
Later that day Charlie found herself sitting alone in her car outside the diner waiting on Ruby. She had spent a good half an hour talking to Dylan and Ruby but while she was at the counter paying the bill she noticed how well they were getting on and decided to leave them alone for a bit. And that's how she found herself sitting alone in her car. At one point she found herself shuddering as she saw Angelo, who was now a regular police officer again, pass by with a fellow officer.
Moments later she saw Ruby emerge with Dylan. They stopped and hugged and then he bounded off in the opposite direction. Ruby stood and watched for a couple of seconds. Then she made her way over to the car and hopped in. Charlie looked at her and noticed.a look of disappointment.
"Hey, is everyting alright", Charlie asked her.
"He's going back home tomorrow....to Perth", Ruby said.
"Aww, Rubes, I'm sorry", she replied.
"No, it's fine. It's not like we were dating or anything. But we are gonna keep in touch which is good I suppose", Ruby said trying her best to do a convincing smile. "We better or go or I'm gonna be late" she finished putting on her seatbelt.
Seeing the 'I don't want to talk about it' look on Ruby's face, Charlie decided not to press the matter. At least not until later on when they were at home. The car ride to the school was quiet. But Ruby snapped out of her silence long enought to give her a kiss on the cheek and a goodbye as she headed into school. It was going to be a long day for Ruby and she couldn't wait for it to end. Charlie watched on as Ruby disappeared into the crowd. She worried how te other kids would treat Ruby on her first day back after everything. Then, through a a gap in the crowd she saw Nicole, Xavier, Annie and Romeo gather around her, joking and laughing, like old times, and then her worry was eased. With one last glance she drove off in the direction of Yabbie Creek. A long day at work beckoned.
The day seemed to drag by for Ruby. At times it felt like the day would never end. She had spent most of her English class with Mr. Copeland in a daze. Until the final bell went and she made a hasty exit. Walking home alone she found herself lost in her own thoughts...oh god Rubes ur such a pathetic loser, you only knew the guy a day or two. Just then she was snapped out of her own head by the sound of a struggle from down one of the back allyways. Trying as best she could, to run, she made her way around the corner and looked down the alleyway. Shock setting in.
Two cars were parked, with three men standing around a guy who was kneeling on the ground. The man who appeared to be a the ring leader pulled out a gun and shot the man at point blank range. Ruby watched in a daze as the man fell to the ground in a bloody heap. Before Ruby could make a run for it she saw the man wielding the gun turn and look at her. Memories of the night she was hot flooding back. As she took a step back she was stopped by a man gripping her from behind. He lifted her and brought her to the ring leader.
The man looked at her with a cold stare. He backed her against the wall and placed the gun against Rubys cheek.
"I know you, your the coppers daughter", he said with a deep sinister voice. "Your a pretty little thing".
Ruby closed her eyes and held her breath, afraid of what he was going to do.
"You mention this to the cops or your mum, I'll make her suffer. You got that?" he said pressing the gun tighter to her cheek. "I'll be keeping a close eye on you, you put a foot wrong or show any signs of cracking you'll regret it", he said before dropping the gun and walking to the car.
As the cars sped off, Ruby fell to the ground in a heap and and watched the cars disappeared. Turning around she looked at the body and felt herself getting nauseous. Standing up she picked up her cane and made tried er best to get out of there as quickly as she could. Not realising the keyring on her bag falling off as she tried to make a hasty get away. Around the block she stopped trying to catch her breath. Images flashing through her mind of what happened. She wanted so desperatly to pick up the phone and call Charlie but she couldn't. She didn't want to put her in danger. With nothing else she could do she made her way home.
Sitting in the front living room, Charlie flicked throught the magazine, patiently waiting for Ruby to come home. As if sensing her thoughts Ruby burst through the front door and dropped her school bag beside the couch. Before Charlie could say anything, Ruby made a quick advance to her room and the door slammed shut. Charlie sat there stunned. What was wrong? Had the kids been mean to Ruby? Whatever it was she decided it would be best to give her daughter some quiet time before touching the matter. Just then she got a phone call. Watson flashed across her screen.
"Watson, hey what is it?" Charlie answered.
She sat there for a second listening to what she was being told.
"Alright have forensics seen the body yet?" she asked, jumping into cop mode.
Taking down the address Charlie jumped off the seat grabbed her car keys.
"Ok, I'll be right there".
With that Charlie got up and wrote a quick note to inform Ruby of where she and the left. From her room Ruby could hear the phone converstation, Panic set in as she knew where Charlie was going. Tears slid down her cheeks and she buried her head into her pillow. She was trapped.