Hi everyone! Sorry this update is delayed. I had a very sleepy morning and then I was off out for lunch and to the cinema (I don't recommend The Wolfman), then I had a very exciting night in waiting for my shopping to be delivered and tuning in to the live episode of Eastenders, which rocked. So now I'm finally with you. I hope to get to update Interwoven before I head to London tomorrow afternoon but if not, I will be back in the evening and will do so then. I hope you enjoy this chapter. IJKS xxx

***

Chapter Fifty

"This is going to be awesome!" Angel declared.

She, Shane, Chris, Philip, Joey, Aden and Belle were on the bus on their way to the city to see Mamma Mia at the theatre. It was Angel's eighteenth birthday and due to her obsession with the movie, Donald Fisher had shelled out for seven tickets to the theatre for her. She was determined to get all her chores done well and on time from now on in order to thank him for his generosity. She didn't come from a strong family background and he was like a Dad to her and Shane. It wasn't something they talked about much but they were both grateful that he had taken them in.

"I'm so excited," Belle enthused.

Mostly what she was excited about was the inclusion. Over the past week, Aden and his friends had included her in everything they did and she was glad to find friends so quickly in a new town. Home was more difficult than ever now that Hugo was sprawled around the house all the time. Her mother had thrown herself into yet another flimsy relationship. Belle just hoped this one wasn't as bad as her usual choices. She turned and caught Aden smiling affectionately at her. They both blushed. Aden was cute and funny and she'd seen him with his shirt off one day after school when he, Shane and Chris were playing basketball and she'd decided that he had a lovely body. He was shy and unassuming and she couldn't help but like him quite a lot. All of them were lovely. Shane was naughty and she enjoyed the way he bickered with Angel while they quite obviously adored each other. She thought Chris was brave and she'd had some lovely conversations with Philip who was interested in photography like she was. Joey cracked her up with her witticisms and the banter between her and Aden was hilarious. But Aden was her firm favourite of all of them.

***

Charlie sat in the Diner, having dinner with Shannon and Mandy.

"Hello, ladies," Angelo said brightly as he sauntered towards them.

Charlie waved and said hello, eager to get back to her food.

"How are we?"

"We're good," Shannon said.

She too was hungry. They'd only gone out for a meal because they left it too late and had no energy reserves to cook.

"How are you?" Mandy asked politely.

"Yeah, I'm good," Angelo said cheerfully. "Just stopping by for dinner."

He hovered. Charlie realised he was hoping for an invitation to join them so she did, largely because she wanted to get back to her meal instead of letting it go cold while she made polite conversation with someone she really didn't know all that well.

***

As the group waited for their tickets to be handed over at the box office, Aden put an arm around Joey and hugged her. He knew that she was feeling dateless and sad that she couldn't be open about her relationship with Charlie. With Shane and Angel and Chris and Philip being coupled up and how obvious he seemed to make his feelings for Belle, he worried that Joey thought she was the seventh wheel.

"One day," he whispered softly. "Soon."

She smiled at him gratefully and hugged him back.

***

"So, what made you want to become a cop?" Shannon asked conversationally.

"I wanted to help people," Angelo said, grateful that he seemed to be being asked questions that would show him in a good light. "Being a police officer is all about protecting people, looking out for them. That's pretty much all I've wanted to do with my life."

He looked over at Charlie who nodded, half listening, as she perused the dessert menu.

"We uh... we arrested Hugo for wasting police time," he ventured, remembering that she'd told him he ought to.

"Oh yeah, I heard," she said to the menu. "That's good. He deserved it."

Angelo nodded, wishing he could be the menu that she was so focussed on. Suddenly she put it down and pulled out her mobile phone just as it finished beeping. Charlie read the text message and smiled.

I want you. I miss you. I need you. J xxx

Shannon forced herself not to comment and get her friend into trouble for her affair with Joey.

"Ruby," Charlie lied to the table. "She's coming to stay for the holidays."

I want you. I miss you. I need you too. We are so spending the entire day together tomorrow. And I can't wait. C xxx

She put her phone away and smiled when Ailsa came over to ask if they wanted anything else to eat.

***

The show had been amazing but Joey was certain she would have enjoyed it more if Charlie had been with her. Every time she went out with her friends and wasn't able to take Charlie along, it made her feel sad. She wanted to be out and proud, to declare to the world that they were with each other. To be with her, meant the world. She felt frustrated at having to hide their romance.

***

"Would you all like a lift home?" Angelo offered when their meal was done.

Tired from eating too much, all three agreed. Outside, Angelo led them to his car. Shannon and Mandy jumped in the back while Charlie sat in the passenger seat. Angelo was sure to take a wrong turn so that he could drop the couple off first, leaving him alone with Charlie. The teacher kissed her friends goodbye and waved.

"Would you um... maybe like to come back to mine for a nightcap?" Angelo asked awkwardly.

As ever, he was cursing himself for being shy around her. Nobody had ever made him feel like this before, although he thought he had handled himself better tonight than usual.

"Oh, no, I've got an early start tomorrow," Charlie refused, becoming slowly aware that the cop might be attempting to make a clumsy pass at her.

"Oh," he said, his voice full of disappointment. "Okay, sure. Maybe another time?"

Charlie just shrugged and hoped he would drop it. She wondered if he had been attempting to ask her out before this or if it was a new thing. Unfortunately, she barely remembered having conversations with him in the past so it was hard to tell.

"I'm just up ahead here," Charlie said, pointing. "Number seven."

Angelo pulled up outside.

"Thanks!" she said cheerfully. "Goodnight!"

She hurried out of the car and waved. He sighed heavily and resisted punching the steering wheel in frustration.

***

Joey arrived home and let herself into her house. As soon as she was in her room, she got changed and resisted both calling Charlie and rushing round to her house to spend the night with her. Picturing her beautiful face, she flopped back onto the bed, looking forward to Charlie's promise that they would spend the day together the next day. She pulled out her phone and flipped through the photos she and Charlie had taken last weekend and fell asleep, phone in hand, smiling.

***

Aden walked Belle back to her house, determined to be chivalrous and looking forward to spending extra time with her.

"Ugh, Hugo's car's outside," Belle complained.

She seriously disliked her mother's new boyfriend.

"You're really not a fan, are you?"

"Understatement of the Century."

Suddenly Aden swooped in and kissed her. She pulled back, looking stunned.

"Sorry! I shouldn't have..." Aden panicked.

"No, no, it's fine. You just... surprised me."

He licked his lips nervously.

"Sorry," he said again.

She slowly leant forward and kissed him properly.

***

Charlie was up early as usual. She showered and changed and jumped in the car, parking round the corner from Joey's house. The sleepy eighteen year-old jumped into the car and Charlie sped off without pausing. Joey had told her about a secluded cove down the coast where they could spend the day together in isolation. Charlie had packed a lunch instead of letting Joey keep doing it. The sun was only just rising and they held hands across the seats. Charlie smiled at her girlfriend affectionately.

"You look particularly sleepy," Charlie commented.

"I'm not!" Joey lied, catching herself off guard with a yawn.

Usually she was chipper, whatever the time but two hours after she'd fallen asleep, she was woken by an excited Aden who just had to tell her all about his kiss with Belle. She'd been excited for him, but she was also exhausted. And now, only a few hours later, she was still tired.

"Are you sure you want a day out?" Charlie asked.

Joey nodded vigorously and squeezed her hand.

"As if I would ever turn down a day with you," she said.

***

Forty minutes later, Charlie and Joey were settled on a blanket on the sand together. Charlie seated herself cross-legged, setting out their lunch and a still sleepy Joey rested her head in her lap. Charlie bent down and captured her lips with her own. Joey smiled into their moment and held onto gently to the back of Charlie's neck in order to prolong things.

"Lie down with me," Joey requested, lifting her head so that Charlie could switch position, which she did without hesitation.

Curling up in each other's arms, they swiftly forgot about their food and kissed tenderly. Joey stroked Charlie's hair out of her eyes.

"You are so beautiful," she breathed, kissing her again.

Charlie's cheeks turned pink at the compliment and she received a kiss to each. They hugged each other closer. Charlie felt her heart racing.

***

Belle slipped past Hugo and Amanda and headed down to the beach to meet Aden. He'd eagerly called her at ten o'clock and she was happy to go and meet him. She'd replayed their kiss over and over again while she was trying to sleep and then again in her dreams. She thought he was the most beautiful boy she'd ever met.

***

As morning became afternoon, Charlie and Joey were still firmly wrapped up in each other. They'd managed to eat, getting a little distracted now and again with feeding each other and making out. It felt strange to Charlie to be in such an affectionate relationship and she hoped it would last. To this day, she knew Mandy and Shannon struggled to keep their hands off each other and she wished it would be the same with her and Joey. It was certainly not something she had ever experienced before.

"Oh, I forgot to ask," Charlie said, lying back with Joey in her arms. "How was Mamma Mia?"

"It was pretty awesome," Joey said, playing with Charlie's fingers. "But I missed you."

Charlie grinned.

"You're so adorable," she said.

Joey kissed her cheek and continued to play with Charlie's digits.

"What did you get up to?" she asked.

"Shannon, Mandy and I had dinner. Angelo kind of gate crashed."

"Angelo?" Joey quizzed, pausing her exploration of her girlfriend's skin.

"You know, the cop who investigated the attack on Chris?"

"The good looking one?"

Charlie shrugged.

"He's okay, I guess," she said vaguely.

"Why did you have dinner with him?" Joey asked, trying desperately hard not to be jealous.

"I told you," Charlie replied. "He gate crashed."

"Was it a date?"

"No!" Charlie laughed. "How on earth could it have been a date?"

She moved to pin Joey onto the blanket.

"Hey?" she probed. "Why would I ever go on a date with anyone that wasn't you?"

Joey pouted dramatically, trying to hide the fact that she was feeling a little insecure.

"I mean, you don't buy a steak and eat a cheeseburger, do you?" Charlie teased, unable to come up with any romantic analogy.

"Are you calling me a cow?" Joey wondered, still pouted.

"No!" Charlie said. "I'm saying that when I have you in my life, I would never so much as look at anyone else. There'd be no point. You've spoilt me for anyone else. I never want to be with anyone but you."

She planted a delicate kiss between Joey's just hidden breasts, then one on her collarbone, another on her neck and then her cheek.

"He may have been fishing for a future date but he won't get one," Charlie whispered. "You are the only one for me. I swear."

She sealed her promise with a kiss that quickly developed, taking them both to halfway to heaven.