Hi everyone. This is a little story I have been working on. It is the sequel to Opposite Sides, so you may want to read/reread that story if you want to read this one. We are meeting up with our girls seventeen years down the line and finding out what life has brought them and what space they are in now. I hope you enjoy it. Love, IJKS xxx

The Same Side

Chapter One

Joey Collins sat alone at Salt, their local restaurant waiting for Charlie Buckton, her partner of seventeen years. They had chosen to eat here for Charlie's birthday before getting a taxi into town where Joey had bought theatre tickets to a production of Six, a show they had heard lots about and were very excited to hear was touring Australia. It was the story of the six wives of Henry VIII, with a modern, feminist slant.

However, Joey had now been sat for almost an hour, waiting for Charlie to turn up. She had called her four times and sent multiple WhatsApps, all of them delivered and none of them read or answered. She sighed heavily, looking around at the other customers, all enjoying their evening. She didn't know why she was surprised. It wasn't like it was the first time Charlie had stood her up. It wasn't even like it was the second time. Charlie had been absent for a long time now. It broke her heart to think about what had become of them. Once upon a time, they had been so in love. They had been so together. Now, it felt like they had drifted far, far apart. They were literally and figuratively in completely different places and Joey had no idea how to reach her partner anymore. It was like her life consisted of work, looking after their home and their family and Charlie didn't even see her anymore. She didn't notice her. Sometimes, it felt like she didn't even like her.

Her phone rang, cutting into her thoughts.

"Jo, I'm sorry," her partner said immediately.

Joey could hear the apologetic urgency in her voice but it didn't affect her. She had heard it all before.

"I was working on an urgent case and I forgot the time and…"

"Don't bother," Joey replied sharply.

She hung up, dumped some cash on the table, finished her glass of wine and walked out.


In her office, Charlie put her phone down and swore quietly. She sat back in her chair, silently telling herself off for being so thoughtless. She knew that Joey had gone to a lot of trouble to book those theatre tickets. And she had once again let her down. She looked at her watch. Perhaps it wasn't too late to catch the show if she went to find her now and picked her up? She jumped up and grabbed her stuff, walking out of the police station she had worked at for over a decade.

On her way out, she tried to call Joey again but she had clearly cut the call off. That wasn't a good sign. Normally, Joey boiled quickly and thawed easily – if she boiled at all. Generally, she was exceptionally easy going and didn't complain. However, things hadn't been so easy between them lately. Things had been brittle between them and Charlie knew that it was largely her fault. It was all her fault, actually. She just didn't know what to do about it.

Jumping into the car, she headed down to Salt, where they had arranged to meet for dinner. She pulled into the car park outside, parking badly but she didn't care. She locked the car up and jogged through the Surf Club, up the stairs and into Salt, quickly coming face to face with the owner, their friend, Mackenzie Booth.

"You just missed her, I'm afraid," she said. "She left about ten minutes ago."

"Thanks," Charlie said, turning back around.

Mac nodded, hoping that the town's most stable couple were not in trouble. If Charlie and Joey were having relationship woes then there was no hope for anyone! But her own boyfriend, Colby Thorne, who worked with Charlie was sure that there was something up and judging by the thunderous look on Joey's face tonight, Mac thought he might be right.


Charlie jumped back in the car and headed home. She arrived back moments after Joey who knew she was behind her but had pointedly ignored her and closed the front door anyway. This did not bode well for the sort of discussion they were about to have or the likelihood that Charlie would be able to smooth things over and persuade her into going to the theatre after all.

"Joey!" Charlie said desperately.

Joey continued to ignore her, heading into the kitchen. She opened the fridge and pulled out a bottle of white wine. She took one glass out of the cupboard. Charlie noted the pointed, selfish exclusivity that was so unlike the woman she had loved all these years. They had been in love since they were kids in high school and had never been without each other.

"Joey, I'm sorry," Charlie tried. "But it's not too late. We can still go and see the show. I can drive us there. We can still have a good night."

She reached out to take her hands but Joey pulled away.

"Joey, please?"

"No," Joey said, tears threatening.

"I am so sorry," Charlie pleaded. "I honestly lost track of time. I just got so engrossed…"

"You always get engrossed," Joey accused. "It's not like this is the first time, Charlie."

"I know and I'm sorry but my job…"

"Yeah, yeah, I know how important your damn job is, Charlie! I know because I've spent our entire relationship supporting everything you do, including your job! I've always played second to you, always played second to your job and you know what? I'm sick of it. I'm sick of being ignored. I'm sick of being taken for granted. I'm done."

Charlie looked startled. She stared at her partner, feeling like she had been slapped round the face.

"What do you mean?" she asked, not sure she really wanted to know the answer.

"I mean I'm done," Joey said, finishing her wine in a large gulp that stung the back of her throat. "We're done. I can't do this anymore. I'm moving out."

"Joey, you can't do this!" Charlie begged. "I've said I'm sorry! It's my birthday for goodness' sake!"

"Oh, you noticed?" Joey said, barging past her.
"Joey, stop! I'll change! I'll do anything!"

Joey turned around.

"You won't though," she said. "You won't change. If you were going to, you would have done it ages ago. I've been begging for your attention for well over a year. And I've had nothing from you."

"It's just since I've made Detective, Jo," Charlie insisted. "You don't understand the pressure I'm under…"

"I don't understand pressure?" Joey snapped back. "You don't think it's pressure to run a business, keep this place ticking over, practically raise our child by myself, be in a relationship by myself because you can't be bothered to show up?"

"That's not fair…" Charlie said.

"When was the last time you came to parents' evening?"

Charlie didn't reply. She felt shamed by Joey's accurate accusations.

"When was the last time you helped her with her homework?"

"She's sixteen. She doesn't need help…"

"Of course she does!" Joey exclaimed. "She needs help more than ever, Charlie! She needs help with so many things and you're missing all of it because you're not here!"

She banged her fist hard on the countertop, making them both jump.

"I'm sorry," Charlie said quietly. "I'll change, Joey. I will. I promise. I'll change my hours at work."

Joey shook her head.

"Did you even notice that I stopped waiting for you to come home for us to have dinner together?"

Charlie swallowed. She had noticed, she supposed. But not enough to comment or remark or ask her to stop and wait for her. She knew they had started living largely separate lives.

"And I think that's the problem, Charlie," Joey said sadly. "I've been missing you like crazy but you've not even noticed I was gone. So, as much as it breaks my heart, I really have to go now. I can't live like this anymore. I can't live in a house where I feel like a shadow. Quite frankly, I deserve better."

She turned and headed out of the room.

"Where are you going?"

"Upstairs," Joey said. "To try my best to explain things to Ruby."

Charlie sank against the kitchen table and closed her eyes. Tears fell regardless. She rubbed them away, smearing mascara across her face. How could being late for dinner have escalated so far? She knew Joey was completely right in everything she had said. But she didn't know how to fix things. Nothing she said seemed to be acceptable.


Forty minutes later, Joey reappeared with their teenage daughter following closely behind, in tears.

"Mum-J, please don't go!" Ruby begged.

"Ruby, I have to," Joey said, also in tears. "But I will call you first thing in the morning. I promise. I love you, okay?"

Ruby turned to Charlie who was sat on the couch, nursing a beer. She couldn't think of anything more worthwhile to do with herself.

"Mum!" Ruby snapped at her. "Why the hell aren't you doing something about this? Would you just get up? Do something, Mum!"

"What can I do?" Charlie asked. "She's made up her mind. She doesn't love me anymore."

Joey glared at her.

"If that's what you think then you haven't listened to a word I've said," she told her.

Charlie shrugged. She swigged her beer.

"Mum!" Ruby said desperately.

A car beeped outside.

"That's my ride," Joey said.

She hugged her daughter tightly and kissed the top of her head.

"I love you," she said sincerely. "And I will call you first thing tomorrow."

"I love you," Ruby said sadly, following her to the door.

She watched as her mother walked down the path and into their friend, Doctor Alex Neilson's car. She waved, heartbroken as Alex drove Joey away. Slamming the door, she turned on Charlie.

"How could you do this, Mum?" she demanded, tears streaking her face. "How could you just let Mum-J leave like that?"

Charlie shrugged. She felt like she was dying inside.

"She wanted to go," she said, sipping her beer.

"Of course she didn't want to go!" Ruby yelled. "She wanted you to give her a reason to stay, Mum! Are you stupid or something? What's wrong with you?"

"You weren't here earlier!" Charlie said. "I begged her to stay!"

"Well, you should have kept trying!" Ruby argued. "Or better still, you shouldn't have let it come to this! You must be the only person in the world who didn't see this coming! Now you've ripped our family apart and I am never going to forgive you!"

She stormed upstairs and slammed her bedroom door. Charlie sank back on the sofa and cried.


Next time… Fifteen years ago, Charlie and Joey move into their first home together while in present day Charlie, Joey and Ruby try to process their separation…