Chapter Five Hundred and Sixty Six
"Ruby!" Charlie said desperately, skidding onto the floor.
Her daughter was unconscious but still breathing. Joey immediately phoned an ambulance. Claire knelt calmly beside Ruby. She placed her hand on Charlie's, helping to calm her.
"Charlie, has she been taking her insulin properly?" Joey asked.
Her words were like an echo. Charlie barely heard them.
"Charlie?" Joey said.
"What?"
"Her insulin," Joey said.
The operator had asked about medical conditions. Joey had explained she was diabetic.
"I don't know," Charlie realised.
She had been all over her to start with but over time, Charlie had trusted her to get on with her treatment herself. She just assumed that she had been looking after herself. But the truth was, she had no idea if she was taking her insulin properly. The same as she had had no idea that she was about to jump into bed with Romeo. She felt like the worst mother in the world.
"They're coming, Charlie," Joey promised. "They're coming now."
It wasn't long before the paramedics arrived. Now, Ruby was being treated in hospital. Charlie was pacing the corridor and Joey and Claire were waiting anxiously on uncomfortable seats. Sid appeared. Charlie pounced on him. Claire and Joey jumped up too.
"What's going on?" she asked urgently. "Is she okay?"
"She's going to be fine," Sid assured them. "But she's very lucky. She hasn't been looking after herself properly at all. If she'd been on her own or she'd not received help straight away, she would likely have fallen into a diabetic coma."
Charlie squeezed Joey's hand tightly.
"But she was with you all and she's safe now," Sid said. "She needs to stay here for a couple of days to get her levels right. But then after a bit of a lecture about taking care of herself, she'll be just fine."
"Can we go and see her?" Joey asked.
"Of course," Sid said, pointing them in the right direction.
They hurried past him. His attention was immediately taken by Elijah and Grace rushing into the hospital alongside paramedics with Grace's son, Thabo desperately unwell on a stretcher.
"Ruby!" Charlie said, rushing to her daughter's side.
She took hold of her daughter's hand, checking her over and making sure that she was okay.
"I'm fine," Ruby assured her.
"Ruby, you really need to take care of yourself," Joey scolded gently, stepping up on her other side.
Claire hovered at the end of the bed.
"You really gave us a scare," Joey said.
Ruby apologised.
"I just lost track," she said. "I got so consumed with… everything else."
"Well, you know you've earned your mother watching you like a hawk now!" Joey remarked.
"Yeah, I figured!" Ruby laughed.
She looked at Claire.
"Hey," she said, reaching out her arms.
Charlie and Joey stepped back. Ruby gathered her friend into a hug.
"You frightened me," Claire admitted, willing herself not to cry.
"I'm sorry," Ruby replied.
Claire straightened up, feeling shy. Charlie put her arm around her.
"Hey," she said. "You were the one who kept everyone calm."
Claire blushed.
"I didn't really do anything," she said.
"You were amazing," Charlie said. "We don't know what we'd do without you."
The next day, Ruby was officially bored. Charlie and Joey had visited in the morning and Joey had hung around but Charlie had had to go into work. Claire had come in for the afternoon but then she too had had to go to work. She was hoping Dex or someone might pop by after school but despite lots of texts, nobody had actually offered so she had to wait for Charlie to finish her shift. It was sad that stuck in hospital her only visitors were her parents and one friend.
She was startled when Indi and Romeo suddenly appeared in her room. Indi was all smiles. Romeo looked extremely awkward.
"Hi," she managed.
"Hi!" Indi said. "We brought magazines. Nobody's allowed flowers these days, are they? And obviously you're not allowed chocolate right now."
"Magazines are great, thank you," Ruby said, focussing on Indi. "I wasn't expecting you."
"Oh, well Dex said you'd been rushed to hospital," Indi said. "He has some geeky after school club today so I thought we'd come and cheer you up!"
She pulled up a chair.
"How are you feeling?" she asked.
Ruby kept focussing on Indi. Romeo remained quiet. He had tried to talk his girlfriend out of visiting. But it had been impossible. Now he felt like the most awkward person in the world. He was terrified of Ruby blurting out his dirty, little secret. But almost more than that, he was afraid of stressing Ruby out when she was already unwell. Almost more than that.
"Pretty rough," Ruby said. "Just exhausted. Horrible."
"I'm sorry, Ruby," Indi said. "I'm sure it won't take long to get back on track."
Charlie and Joey were surprised to find Indi and Romeo visiting when they arrived back at the hospital. The couple were just leaving. Romeo could almost feel the physical pain of rejection when Joey looked at him with disdain as she passed him. She heard Indi ask if they had fallen out.
"I was late to work the other day," she heard him lie.
Charlie and Joey settled down in their daughter's room.
"So… that was interesting?" Joey ventured.
"I had no idea they were coming," Ruby said. "I don't think Romeo even spoke. It was awful."
"Well, just try and keep your distance," Charlie told her. "When they're not in your hospital room and you can't leave."
"I will," Ruby promised.
She kept quiet about the rage bubbling inside her. She just hated that Romeo had used her. She hated that she was alone and he was happy and in love with Indi. She hated that he had lied and it didn't matter; he didn't have to face any consequences. She wanted him to face the consequences.
"Sorry," Charlie said when her phone rang.
She stood up and answered.
"Sergeant Buckton."
Joey and Ruby blatantly listened in.
"Well, I'm actually off duty now, so…"
She sighed. There were problems at the Surf Club with the River Boys and John Palmer was asking specifically for her. Watson was asking to meet her down there.
"Okay, sure," Charlie relented. "See you in ten."
She hung up and turned around.
"I'll be as quick as I can," she said. "I promised."
She kissed Ruby's forehead and Joey's lips and hurried out the door.
Romeo was home alone. He felt utterly heartbroken. Not only was he lying to his girlfriend, he had completely ruined his friendship with Ruby. And on top of that, he could see how disappointed Joey was in him and that destroyed him. The look she'd given him in the hospital had devastated him. She had always been such a good friend to him. She had been a mentor. But he had overstepped the line now. He had made such a big mistake. He knew he would be sorry for it for a very long time.
Charlie met Watson on her way into the Surf Club where Brax was playing pool with three other River Boys. John was arguing with him, trying to get him to leave but Brax was having none of it. He was playing his game and talking to his friends and he had no intention of leaving or being told what to do.
"What's the problem here?" Charlie asked.
Brax stretched lazily and leant on his pool cue.
"These men are dealing drugs!" John announced loudly.
"We're doing no such thing, Sergeant," Brax said. "You can strip search me if you like."
Charlie shuddered at the way he looked at her. Watson pulled a face. Charlie had told her about Brax apparent interest in her and both of them found it suspicious and weird.
"Well, you're obviously not going to find anything because he's the dealer!" John screeched. "And I don't want that sort of thing going on in this venue!"
"I understand that, John," Charlie said. "Did you see them dealing?"
"Yes, I did!"
"No, you didn't," Brax said firmly but calmly. "Because we weren't dealing. I'm not a dealer. I'm a businessman. We were just four guys playing some pool and chatting about my new business venture."
He looked directly at Charlie.
"You might have heard about it," he said. "I'm opening a restaurant just down the road from yours?"
She ignored him.
"Look, whether you're dealing or not, don't you think it might just be better to do the right thing and leave?" Charlie suggested.
"Why the hell should I?" Brax said. "I'm not doing anything wrong."
She felt under pressure as his mates gathered round.
"Maybe it would be better to talk outside?" she said, hoping that without his ever present gang around, she might be able to reason with him like a normal human being.
She regretted it as soon as she said it. He looked smug and his friends started jeering. He led the way outside. She asked Watson to give her two minutes and then come and find her. Watson nodded and attempted to appease John.
Outside in the fresh air, Brax turned to come face to face with Charlie. He was pleased to be alone with her. Charlie was not pleased to be alone with him.
"Look," she said, getting right to the point. "I'm not accusing you of dealing. I didn't see it. I don't know what you were up to in there. All I saw you doing was playing pool."
"Because that's all I was doing," he informed her.
"Fine," she said. "That's all you were doing."
"But all you Summer Bay people are convinced that anyone with a surfboard and a tattoo is a thug and a criminal," he told her. "But actually, when you get to know us, we're good people."
He stepped closer. She stepped back.
"Well, as a good person, why don't you do the right thing tonight and leave the Surf Club?" she requested.
"Why should I have to?" he asked.
"Because John has a heart condition," Charlie told him. "And having you there, thinking you're dealing is stressing him out beyond belief. The truth doesn't matter right now. He's in a state and he's not well. It matters to him that you leave and that the Surf Club is safe. It doesn't matter to you if you hang out at the Surf Club or somewhere else, does it?"
"Not really," he conceded.
"So?"
"Fine," he agreed. "We'll go."
She smiled and thanked him. He gazed into her eyes for a moment. She backed away, feeling uncomfortable but before she could create enough distance between them, he had swooped in. His lips touched hers for half a second before she pushed him roughly away, utterly shocked.
Watson had given Charlie barely two minutes outside with Brax before she'd left John to it and headed outside. She ran over when she saw Brax lean in and attempt to kiss Charlie. Charlie pushed him roughly away.
"Charlie!" she yelled, grabbing her friend's hand before it landed a punch square in Brax's face.
The last thing her friend needed was a charge of assault. Brax jumped back, looking shocked and amused. The kiss hadn't quite gone as planned, not that he had exactly planned it. The moment had just felt right. But he had expected Charlie to reciprocate. He had been sure that the moment she felt his lips, she would have melted against him and forgotten all about her girlfriend. He had expected some turmoil and possibly an affair while she tried to work out how to leave her and that would have been fine by Brax. It would have just made it all the more exciting. But no. Charlie hadn't even let him get as far as kissing her properly. He'd barely even grazed her lips. It had all gone very wrong. But the funniest thing was that she had then tried to hit him.
"What the hell were you doing?" Charlie demanded.
Watson was still holding her in a vice like grip. Charlie was utterly livid.
"Well, I know you bat for the other side but I would have thought you could have worked that out," Brax replied.
"How fucking dare you?" Charlie snapped. "You do not kiss someone without their permission!"
"Sorry, Sergeant," he shrugged. "I thought you were into it."
"I'd never want to kiss you," Charlie told him. "Even if I was available. Which you know I'm not. Whatever this weird fixation you have with me is, drop it, okay?"
"Maybe I just like you," he said.
Charlie shook her head.
"Whatever," she said. "Drop it. And take your boys and fuck off out of the Surf Club and leave John alone."
He held his hands up in defeat and headed back into the building. Watson finally let Charlie go.
"What the hell happened?" Watson wanted to know.
Charlie wiped her lips roughly.
"I don't even know," she said. "One minute I was negotiation with him and it seemed to be working. The next minute he just went for me. I don't even know where it came from. I feel horrible."
They looked up as Brax led his friends out of the Surf Club. Charlie glared at Brax as he waved goodbye.
"Thank you for stopping me from hitting him," Charlie said. "He would have pressed charges and he would have enjoyed it."
Watson patted her on the back.
"Hey," she said. "That's what mates are for."
Charlie hugged her.
"I was just so angry," she admitted. "And what am I supposed to tell Joey? I feel guilty, Watson."
Watson pulled back and looked directly at Charlie.
"You didn't do anything wrong," she assured her. "He kissed you for like, a nanosecond. You stopped him. You nearly punched him. You didn't give him any cause. You can't control what other people do, Charlie. Joey will understand that."
Charlie sighed.
"Go home," Watson said. "I'll go and write it up. You're not even supposed to be on shift."
Charlie and Joey arrived home from the hospital.
"You were quiet when you got back from your call out," Joey said. "Was everything really okay at the Surf Club? Nothing happened?"
Charlie sighed. She hadn't wanted to talk about it at the hospital. It hadn't felt like a discussion for the three of them. But now she was scared she had turned it into a bigger thing than it needed to be. As Watson had said, she hadn't done anything wrong.
"Charlie?" Joey nudged.
She wrapped her arms around her waist.
"Is something wrong?"
"No… just… Okay, something did happen," Charlie said. "I nearly punched Brax."
"Well, I hope you get a commendation award for it," Joey smirked.
Charlie sighed and sat down on the sofa. Joey was worried. She asked her what happened.
"It just came out of nowhere, Joey," she said. "We were outside and I was negotiating with him to leave. It seemed to be working. And then… then he kissed me."
Joey froze.
"You kissed Brax?"
"No!" Charlie protested. "He kissed me."
"You still kissed," Joey accused.
"His lips touched mine for about a nanosecond," Charlie said, quoting Watson. "I jumped away and I would have punched him in the face if Watson hadn't run out and stopped me. I was just so shocked and so angry."
Joey sighed heavily. She didn't know what to do or how to feel.
"Joey…" Charlie said.
"I just… I knew he was into you but…"
"But what?"
"Charlie, tell me honestly, do you like him?"
"Haven't you listened to me at all? Of course I don't like him!"
Charlie was hurt and offended to even have been asked the question.
"It's not something we've really talked about," Joey said.
"What do you mean?"
"What would happen if a guy came along…"
"Joey!" Charlie snapped, standing up.
"I'm just saying…"
"Well don't just say!" Charlie said, feeling even more hurt. "I'm not going to cheat on you or leave you for a guy or a girl. And I'm not more likely to do that than you are to leave me for a girl. I mean, what happens if some hot girl moves to the Bay and turns your head?"
"That'll never happen," Joey said defensively. "I love you. I'm committed to you."
"Well then," Charlie said.
She sat back down.
"We've built a life together, Joey," she said. "We've built a family, a home, a business, a whole life of love and happiness. Why the hell would I throw it all away for Darryl Braxton? I don't know if he's interested in me or it's some kind of game or whatever. But the thought of being interested in him has never crossed my mind."
Joey sighed and apologised.
"It's a bit more than a sorry, Joey," Charlie said honestly. "I was so upset by what happened and Watson reassured me. But the first thing you did was doubt me. And Watson was right. I didn't do anything wrong. He tried to kiss me. I didn't kiss him. And I absolutely put him in his place."
"I'm sorry I doubted you," Joey said. "I just… I'm sorry."
Charlie nodded and sighed.
"I'm going to bed," she decided. "It's been a long day."
Next time… Joey has an apology to make, Charlie is gunning for Brax and Ruby is released from hospital.