Chapter 14:

---------A month later-----------

Angelo was sitting on the lounge watching amusingly as his wife ran around flustered.

"Ok, I've got to get you your breakfast, you have to take your medication, then I need to go into work and pick up some paperwork to finish back here and I also need to go pick up the birthday cake for Clara's birthday" she listed quickly.

Angelo couldn't help but start laughing.

"What?" she glared at him.

"Babe, you need to relax ok? I'll have breakfast, and I'll take my meds, but I also just wanna have some time together when you are not worrying about me".

Charlie's expression softened and she gave Angelo a soft smile and sat down next to him. Angelo put his arm over Charlie and she rested her head on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry babe, it's just that I can't help but be worried about you. Ever since what happened, I can't help it. Plus you still aren't fully recovered so I need to look after you" she said.

"Ok I love you for that, but you need to relax and also think about yourself. Look Clara and my parents are coming down here for her birthday party tonight; can you just try relax and unwind a little tonight?"

"Are you sure you still want to have the party here, you just got out of hospital" she asked concerned.

"Yes, don't worry, I will be fine".

Charlie looked up at Angelo and smiled. "Ok" she added reluctantly, absent-mindedly resting her hand on Angelo's stomach. He winced and she quickly withdrew the hand looking up at him worriedly.

"Oh my god! Sorry babe, did I hurt you?"

Angelo chuckled painfully "no it's ok, I'll survive" he said inhaling sharply as he straightened himself and slowly stood up. "Look I'm going to have breakfast, go and do whatever errands you need to do- I'll be fine".

Charlie reluctantly agreed and gave him a deep kiss before grabbing her keys and walking out the door, shutting it behind her.

................

Charlie returned a few hours later juggling a cake box, shopping bags and some files of paperwork from the station. She entered the house and found Angelo sitting in the kitchen reading the newspaper, when she entered he greeted her with a warm smile. She dumped the files near the laptop and returned to the kitchen, where she stored the cake box in the fridge. Angelo slowly stood up and helped her unpack the groceries.

"Hey, while I was out, your mum called" Charlie told Angelo "she asked how you were and told me that she going to come a little earlier to the party tonight".

Angelo laughed "oh right, what food is she bringing? Pasta? Tiramisu?"

Charlie grinned "Lasagne actually, good guess though. We are going to have so much food, I ran into Leah and she said that she is going to bring two platters and Irene said she is going to bring some other stuff. Clara won't know what hit her, with all this food".

Angelo smiled "yeah, she needs some cheering up. I know she feels guilty about what happened, even though I've told hundreds of time it isn't her fault. I just hope that they catch this Alessandro guy. I think Clara is worried he will still come after her".

Charlie just nodded and gave Angelo a warm hug, burying her head in his shoulder.

"What was that for?" he asked smiling when they broke off.

"I'm just thankful that you are here with me, I really thought I'd lost you, but I haven't".

Charlie smiled again at her husband, who mirrored her expression.

"Well you don't have to worry about me, I'm fine and I love you".

Charlie couldn't help but giggle and went back to her cooking.

"You better go get changed" she instructed him "don't wanna still be wearing your singlet and trackies when our guests get here".

Angelo chuckled and nodded walking into the bedroom. On the bed he found a folded piece of paper.

I'm coming back for her......count on that.

A shiver ran up Angelo's back as he read the note and he frowned. Alessandro was back in Summer Bay and he wouldn't stop until he got Clara. Angelo's got changed into jeans and a shirt and pocketed the note. Charlie was stressing already about him and he didn't want to add to her worries- he would take care of this himself.