MissToastie- come home soooon:D HA poor roman, but I think he'll get over the one night stand. He gets to wake up next to her every Morning o_0 (No doubt you agree there lol)
Ashikinz- Glad to hear the multi tasking went well, keep at it haha:)
- I know, if only he'd disappear in real life away from her LOL
Jsco81- Yeah I'm gonna try and make their getting together a little bit different!
Lomac3- I would love to kill her off but she doesn't actually know how to pick up a plate yet:( …
Gunni1- Get your ass into action please before I have to go on strike?:P
Hey hey! Thanks for the reviews, keep them coming, I love them, please:) This might seem to be going at a slow pace, but I'm gonna try my best to make it worth it x x x
"Hi Leah, can I have two take away latte's please, one sugar in the first?" Charlie smiled at her house mate. "How are you keeping?" she asked once Leah had begun to froth up the milk for her order.
"I'm good and you? VJ is being a bit of a handful lately, nothing I do ever seems to be right."
"I remember when Ruby was that age; she'd just jump at the chance to be cheeky whenever an opportunity rose. He'll grow out of it, if it's any consolation" Charlie sympathised with her.
"Let's just hope that day is nearing for all of our sakes, you and Ruby don't need to be hearing our bickering. Roman's in the kitchen if you want to go into him?" Leah instantly knew she had said something wrong when she seen Charlie stiffen.
"I'm actually in a rush, I better head" she said graciously accepting the two polystyrene cups from Leah.
"Will I tell him you called in?" Leah offered, looking at her suspiciously.
"Ah, no I don't think that would be the best thing to do. I'll explain it all to you later on. See you Leah" Charlie called as she left the Diner.
Charlie was sitting at the desk, flicking through the piles of paper work that had gathered over the weekend, but her thoughts were elsewhere. I can't believe I slept with Roman after everything. It was hard enough ending it with him in the first place. And then asking him to stay? What was I thinking, well I clearly wasn't. And Ruby's friend, made a complete eejit out of myself there. Charlie sighed and began writing up the reports.
*******
Joey was down at the docks adjusting the nets on the dinghy; a favour for one of her friends from work, they all knew Joey was the one to turn to if they ever wanted to go out on the water. I need to sit Toni down and talk things through with her, I need some space for a while, see where things are headed, I don't have the energy to drag her along anymore, its too much effort. Effort that I'm not willing to give. I'll tell her tonight. Joey double checked that the nets were secured into place before she stepped off the dinghy and walked up the pier, along the beach to where her car was parked at the top by Alf's bait store. She was about to get into her car when she heard some commotion coming from the behind the bait shop. She quietly moved over so she could her more clearly.She ran back to her car to get her mobile.
"Hi, there's a fight below by the bait shop two teenage boys I think" Joey said into the phone once the phone was answered by the police station.
"Ok, stay in your car miss we'll be there in two minutes" Angelo replied.
Joey sat in her car and could here the sirens in the distance, shortly after the police car arrived. Charlie leaped out of the car from the driver's side and Angelo followed from the passenger's side.
"Break it up guys!" Charlie shouted her voice full of authority as Angelo stepped in and dragged them apart. "Xavier, don't!" Charlie realised it was Ruby's boyfriend being attacked. Angelo restrained Xavier while Charlie stood in between them, Joey watched from the bonnet of her car.
"Xavier what's going on here?" Charlie asked having split the boys apart; they seemed to have calmed down a little.
"He was saying shit about Ruby!" Xavier spat, all his fury returning. "He told the whole school about us! I don't know where Ruby is she disappeared. Angelo looked over at Charlie with apprehension, uneasy of how she would react.
"What's your name?" she asked coldly.
"Trey Palmer" he replied with vengeance.
"Angelo take Trey home, and explain this to his parents. Call the station and get Watson to call up to the school to explain things to Mr Bartlett." She commanded.
Charlie walked over to Xavier to get a closer look at his face, his nose was blatantly broken and his eyebrow split. "Where did Ruby go to?" Charlie asked, her cop shield slowly letting itself down.
"I don't know, Trey told everyone that… Look Ruby and I slept together! He told the whole class when we were in geography, I ran after her but couldn't find her, and then that prick followed me. What did you expect me to do just smile at him?! I tried ringing her but her phones off" Xavier was raging.
Joey moved over where Charlie and Xavier were, unsure whether she should or not. "Do you want some help finding Ruby?" Joey offered. Charlie hasn't even noticed it was Joey sitting on the car bonnet, too shocked at Xavier's words and her heart breaking for her sister.
"Joey" Charlie was shocked as she turned to see her standing there "Would you? That'd be great. Could we drop Xavier to the hospital? His nose is definitely broken, and it looks like he'll need stitches. I'll call Hugo and let him know." Xavier got into the back of the car and Charlie repeatedly tried calling Ruby's mobile but to no avail.
They pulled up outside the hospital and Hugo was standing at the entrance waiting for Xavier. "Let me know when you find her?" Xavier asked timidly.
"Of course, she's probably at home; I'll get her to call you." Charlie said as Xavier shut the car door.
"You want me to drive you to the house and check their first?" Joey asked kindly.
"Yeah please if you don't mind" Charlie looked at her appreciatively.
They arrived at Leah's house soon after, Charlie fled from the car and raced into the house "Ruby? Where are you?" she called.
"You really think she could be here?" Joey asked.
"Yeah, she's a complete home bird, whenever anything goes wrong she's always here. I'll check my room."
Charlie eased the door open to her own room, and sure enough Ruby lay there curled up in a ball. Ruby turned over to see who was after coming in.
"Oh Ruby" Charlie dropped to her knees at the edge of the bed "Its ok, I'm here, don't cry" Ruby's eyes were red raw from crying, and she completely fell apart when she seen Charlie.
"Charlie I… I slept with Xavier and Trey caught us and he told everyone" Ruby sobbed into her mothers shoulder. "Where's Xavier, can he come round? In don't want him to think I'm annoyed with him, I need to be with him now."
"It's ok, don't cry Rubes, it'll be alright. Xavier got into a fight with Trey at lunch time, Joey spotted it and called us down, and so that's how we found out about everything. It looks like he broke his nose, but don't worry he'll be ok! Do you want me to go and call him? I'm sure Hugo would allow him over." Charlie tried to ease her sister pain, unable to even begin to understand how embarrassed she must have been."
Joey stood awkwardly at the door "Guy's I'll let you too it, I hope you feel better soon" Joey said meaningfully.
"Joey its ok, I'm going to call Xavier to come over, so I'll be out in a sec" she smiled at Joey who was standing outside the door.
"Rubes you've nothing to be embarrassed about. Trey is the tool in all of this" Charlie had perched herself up on the edge of the bed and patted Ruby's hair gently.
"Charlie he started mocking me, he didn't just say 'Oh Ruby slept with Xavier' he said he seen us and that he could hearing me crying and saying I was so scared and that it was hurting."
"Ruby people won't believe him, this will all pass." Charlie soothed softly. "We can talk about this properly later but now I have to call Xavier before he kills me, he was very worried about you." Charlie smiled knowing Xaviers affection towards her would cheer her up.
"Really?" Ruby replied, with a small smile playing on her lips "I'll call him, can I use your phone?" Ruby asked.
"Of course" Charlie answered handing her the phone "Call me if you need me ok, I'll just be in the kitchen" Charlie gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead and eased the door shut behind her.
Joey was standing in the kitchen when Charlie came in. "I'm so sorry Joey, every time you meet one of us there's always some huge drama attached, we're never that bad, I promise." She giggled nervously.
"It's ok Charlie, really, is Ruby alright?" Joey asked her voice full of concern.
"Yeah, I think she is now, just completely mortified. Would you like a coffee?" Charlie asked filling the kettle.
"Yeah that'd be lovely thanks"
"Thanks for ringing us earlier, the last thing Ruby needed would be Xavier getting seriously injured. Poor chick has been through so much recently" Charlie thought aloud.
"She mentioned the last night I met hr that she though you were her mother, things came out since then I take it?" Joey asked taking a seat at the table where Charlie had guided her to. Charlie handed Joey a large mug and sat down opposite her at the table. Xavier knocked at the front door; already open.
"Hi err Charlie look I'm really sorry about earlier, I just wanted to stand up for Ruby, he was being such a prick I couldn't just let him treat her like that." Xavier said awkwardly standing there with his hands in his pockets.
"Xavier!" Ruby said glowingly, announcing her presence. She walked over to him and gently rubbed his face before kissing him delicately on the lips.
"Ahem! Guys?" Charlie said uncomfortably.
"Ruby turned around "Charlie can Xavier come down to my room?" Ruby asked sweetly, evidently trying to persuade her.
"Just this once because you've been through a lot today, but the door stays open ok?"
Ruby blushed glancing at Joey; she had barely noticed her sitting at the table. "Thanks for calling Charlie today Joey, I'll ring you during the week"
"Of course, I'd like that" Joey smiled at her before the couple left the room.
"I have excellent hearing!" Charlie shouted.
"Oh my God Charlie shut up already!" Ruby shouted back.
"Ah, see she's better already" Charlie laughed taking a gulp of the steaming coffee. "So, Joey this is your third time coming to our rescue and I don't know a thing about you?" Charlie stated more of a question than a remark.
"Well" Joey began but to be interrupted by her phone ringing; work, talk about timing, I get to sit in Charlie's house and actually have a chance to get to know her. Joey sighed and answered her phone "Hello? Yeah what's up? Ok, I'll be there straight way." Joey sighed and stood up "I'm sorry Charlie I'm going to have to go, an order's come in at work and they can't find the keys so I've to go let them in.
She smiled down at Charlie, as a silence elapsed between them. Charlie reached up and held Joeys arm "Thank you for everything you did today, from the bottom of my heart, I appreciate it" Charlie smiled softly up at her.
I don't want to move; I can't. "No problem Charlie, anyway tell Ruby I'll talk to her during the week. Give me a text if you need anything." She walked towards the door and turned to look at Charlie "Bye" she smiled at her and left.
Charlie sat there somewhat disappointed that Joey had to leave, why do I care?
Unaware how much the next few months would help her figure out the answer….