The Morning After
Chapter 9
The girls spent a lazy afternoon and evening eating, exploring and making love. Charlie, for the first time in her life felt complete; completely at ease with herself. The many hours of frustration and indecision seemed to have wafted away on the light, warm breeze of that beautiful spring day. Each touch, each word spoken, each glance from Joey confirmed her love for Charlie and Charlie wallowed in a serenity she had never known. She could see light at the end of the tunnel; she knew without agonizing, that Joey was the one who would lead her through her muddle of issues and help her to step into a world of freedom; shaking off the chains of restraint which had so bound her for all of her adult life. The feel of Joey's soft hands and sensual lips spurred her into confidence, testing and trying, yet happy to be guided where necessary.
Joey could not take her eyes from Charlie. Her beauty was beyond compare, but it was not just this; Charlie had put her complete trust in Joey and Joey responded by protecting Charlie; leading her gently along a pathway which would take them on a journey which could only complete their happiness. Joey had never allowed her life to become intertwined with anyone, but here she was, planning for a future and allowing Charlie to gently and beautifully infiltrate her soul; the more Charlie gradually and surreptitiously gained access to her heart, the more Joey opened up and welcomed her in; taking delight in everything Charlie had to offer.
Much of their journey home was made in silence. They glanced at each other in the darkness of the car and where safe, their hands would clasp together in solidarity and with the expectation of a happy new life for them both. Charlie caressed the back of Joey's neck as she drove, sending goose bumps over Joey's body. She smiled and murmuring her pleasure, nuzzled her chin against the side of Charlie's wrist.
"Stay with me tonight?" Charlie whispered as the car entered Summer Bay.
"What about your friends?"
"It's late. They won't even be awake! And besides that, they will have to get used to it soon."
Charlie said this with more confidence than she felt. But her own words soon gave her true courage as they stepped quietly out of the vehicle and up to Charlie's door. Charlie took the key from her purse and turned it quietly in the lock. The house was in darkness. It was late and the household slept. Charlie turned around and smiled at Joey as they entered. Charlie laid her bag on the kitchen table and Joey placed the picnic box on the floor. They stood, staring into each others eyes and their lips soon found each other in the moonlit room. After a few blissful moments, they parted and Charlie, taking Joey's hand, led her through to her bedroom, where they entered and closed the door, quietly behind them.
"Morning Charlz!" Ruby called as she spotted her sister walking into the garden.
"Hey!" Charlie replied softly. "I'm glad I found you out here. I wanted to talk to you... alone."
"Wow! This sounds serious Charlie! Is anything wrong? I haven't got long, coz I'm off to School when I've finished breakfast."
"It won't take long, though I'd have preferred not to be rushed, but I have to talk to you... Joey, this is gonna be so... I-I mean... Ruby! Sorry... I meant Ruby!" Charlie said, kicking herself for her mistake.
"Joey?" Ruby grinned. "What's going on with you, sis?"
Charlie took a deep breath.
"Rubes, I'm in a relationship... not with a... it's with..." Charlie swallowed nervously.
"Joey?"
Charlie's eyes opened widely.
"H-how did you know? Did Leah...?"
"Charlie." Ruby said standing up and leaving her toast and juice. "You've been weird for days! Sometimes happy, often snappy! You've seen Joey and mentioned her like every half an hour... I just put two and two together and made five!"
Charlie stared at her sister.
"Are you... disappointed in me?" She asked, dropping her eyes to the ground.
Ruby walked a few steps towards her sister and slipped her arms around her waist.
"Charlie, I can't say I'm overjoyed, but it's your life to do with whatever you want and with whomever you choose. I am surprised... really surprised! I'd never have believed that you would cross the tracks like this! But you've been so lonely like forever, and that's made me sad. I am a little surprised about your feelings, but it makes no difference to me. I still love my silly old, over worked, anxious sister and am glad she's happy at last."
Charlie hugged her sibling tightly. She closed her eyes and felt a lump in her throat.
"Now, I really must finish my breakfast and get off to school. Apart from that, won't Joey be missing you?" Ruby winked as she wiggled free.
"What?"
"Well, I take it she's still tucked up in your bed, or at least someone is!"
"Ruby!" Charlie cried in shock.
"I heard the two of you giggling last night when you came home so late! And seeing as she wasn't asleep on the sofa when I got up, I assumed she was still in your arms!"
Charlie was speechless and her face flushed with embarrassment as Ruby walked back to her breakfast.
"Oh damn! There's a fly munching on my toast and jam!" Ruby muttered irritably.
Charlie spluttered with laughter and joined her sister at the table.
"I love you, Rubes."
"Keep all that soft talk for your girlfriend! See you tonight, sis!"
And with that, Ruby swallowed down the rest of her juice and made her way back inside the house.
"Oh Charlie!" She called from the door. "Do you mind washing up my breakfast dishes?"
"Hey." Charlie whispered as she entered her bedroom.
Joey lay with one arm behind her head and the other flicking through a list of contact names on her mobile phone.
"Hey. Did you get to speak to your sister?"
"She was fine. In fact, it appeared we were already rumbled."
"How come?"
"Ruby has a nose for such things. If there was a Policewoman in the making, it's her!" Charlie chuckled. "Want some breakfast?"
"Sure!" Joey said, snapping closed her mobile phone.
"What were you up to with your phone?" Charlie teased.
"Nothing!" Joey replied, just a little too quickly.
"Ruby isn't the only Policewoman around here! You look guilty, Miss. Collins! What's going on?"
"I thought it was breakfast time?"
"It is, but confessions first!"
"Okay, if you must know, I have sent messages to... my... well, let's call them 'ex-playmates' telling them I'm off the market and goodbye. I've deleted their numbers, too!"
Charlie sat at the end of the bed; her hand fondling Joey's foot through the cover. She smiled at the girl resting against her pillows.
"I hope you'll never have to send me one of those!"
"I never shall." Joey promised.
She held out a hand to Charlie and Charlie received it with pleasure.
"Come on, what about that breakfast you promised me?"
"Put my dressing gown on and come with me then."
"I can't get out of bed yet... I'm naked!"
"It didn't seem to bother you last night!" Charlie grinned.
"But you were naked as well!"
"So you're saying the only way you're getting out of this bed is for me to get naked too?"
"It's a thought! And a very pleasant thought!" Joey grinned.
Charlie chuckled and started to take off her pyjama top. Joey looked on with enjoyment. Charlie threw the garment onto the floor and slipped off her bottoms.
"Feel any better?" Charlie asked as she stood beside the bed.
"No, not really, but I will if you'd like to cover yourself up with these sheets!" Joey suggested, holding back the bedclothes; inviting her lover back inside.
Angelo sat on the pier facing the water. His heart was heavy and his mind in turmoil as he picked up some pebbles and tossed them, one by one, into the blue ocean. He should have waited longer; he could have talked her out of this nonsense. If only he could have been patient and not forced the issue. Maybe things would have turned out differently. Maybe she would have been in his bed and not in hers.
"Hey Martha!" Leah called as she saw her friend rummaging through the bargain bin in the local supermarket.
"Hi Leah!" Martha replied; her cheeks glowing from her exertions.
"What on earth are you after in there?" Leah asked with a grin as she stole a glance into the basket.
"Shush!"
"Huh?"
"I said, 'shush'. I'm hiding from someone!" Martha whispered.
Leah looked about the store, furtively.
"Who?" She hissed.
"Angelo." Martha said quietly, bending down further into the bin.
"Why? What have you done?"
"Nothing!" Martha squeaked anxiously. "He keeps crying on my shoulder, that's all and it's getting on Hugo's nerves. Every time I see him it's the same!"
"What's he crying about?" Leah asked with a frown.
"Whoops! Duck! He's coming!"
The two girls ducked down behind the bargain bin as Angelo passed by and out of the shop door.
"Phew! That was close!" Martha grinned as she straightened up and rubbed her sore back.
"So what's his problem?" Leah asked again.
"Well, from what I can grasp, he's still pining after Charlie!"
"But he's a married man now!" Leah cried in amazement.
"Since when did that stop a guy from hankering over his ex?"
"Well, he should know better! Does Charlie know?"
"No. He said she's found someone else. I don't know where he's got that one from. I haven't seen her with a new fella, have you?"
Leah bit her lip. Thoughts of Charlie and her 'new friend' crossed her mind, and though she was itching to tell someone, she had given Charlie her word.
"No. I can vouch, there is no fella in Charlie's life."
"I thought as much. Angelo always was a jealous fool. Maybe if he hadn't put Charlie under so much pressure, he wouldn't have lost her!"
"He'd have lost her alright."
"How do you know that? Did she tell you she was gonna break up with him?"
"Well, not exactly, but you can't live with someone and not get a fair idea of what's what!"
Martha nodded.
"Oh well, better pick up what I need and get back to the farm. Hugo and his mother are coming over for dinner tonight." She said, pulling a face.
"Who was 'the face' for? Hugo or Gina?"
"Both! There's bound to be an argument, you mark my words. See ya later, Leah!"
"Bye Martha."
Leah watched as Martha bounced away. So Angelo was still carrying a torch for Charlie!
"Well, well, well." She muttered to herself as a smile played on her lips.