Perfect Match
Chapter 3
"I...I think that might be putting it a bit strong, but I'm curious."
Ruby's eyes widened with the latest revelation from her sister.
"You don't look as if you enjoyed hearing that." Charlie said, quietly; her stomach beginning to churn.
Charlie watched Ruby struggle for words.
"It's not that I have a problem with gays... or whatever you wanna call it... It's just I never expected to hear it coming from your lips! When you spoke to me about it last year, I just thought you were having a big sister chat about the further adventures of the birds and the bees! Were you trying to tell me about it then?"
Charlie shifted uneasily in her chair; her eyes focusing anywhere but on Ruby's.
"Sort of, I guess, but I was still struggling with myself and just wanted to hear the words coming from my mouth... I'd never mentioned it to anyone and..."
Charlie's words were cut short as an email pinged onto her screen, heralding a notification of a message from the dating site.
"Rubes... I've joined an on-line dating site!" Charlie said quickly; hoping the rapidity of her words might lesson the blow.
Ruby's mouth fell open. Her head was beginning to spin with all the information her sister was presenting to her.
"Wow! You certainly know how to surprise a person! Is this why you've had your nose pressed hard up against the screen for days now?"
Charlie nodded and her face coloured slightly.
"Have you found anyone nice?" Ruby asked with interest.
"You mean you're not adverse to my news?" Charlie asked quietly, glancing at her sister.
"Charlie, I'm surprised... I must admit I'm more than surprised! You are the last person I expected to get this news from, with your track record! Are you gonna tell everyone?"
"If you think I'm gonna stand in the middle of The Diner with a bell, and announce it to the world and his mother, you've got another think coming!" Charlie said with a look of horror.
"No, you've no need to do that when you have Colleen Smart to spread the word!" Ruby giggled.
"Rubes! This is serious!"
"Charlie! I know it is and I'll support you through it all, but I'm just trying to point out that you can't just roll up with a girl on your arm without experiencing some flack!"
Charlie looked anxiously at her sister.
"I know! Oh hell, Rubes! Why do I have to do this?"
"Do you really have to do it, Charlie?" Ruby asked sincerely.
Charlie nodded her head. She had never been more certain of anything in her life. The painful years of flitting from one aborted love affair into another, had worn thin with the Police Officer. Her confused mind and heart knew by instinct, this is what she wanted and needed.
"Yes, Rubes. I really have to do it. I used to feel like I was groping around in the dark... Now I have come to terms with things, I want to move on and hopefully find someone. But the chance of finding someone in Summer Bay is like looking for a needle in a haystack! That's why it's so simple to do it on-line! Its faceless people you are communicating with and if you say something wrong, it doesn't really matter, because you move onto the next; learn by your mistakes and hope the next one has something more promising to offer."
"Okay, well, answer my question! Have you found anyone nice?"
Charlie couldn't help the smile which crept over her face.
"You have!" Ruby accused, with a grin.
"I found her this morning and sent her a message! She answered me!" Charlie cried, jubilantly.
"Well, of course she answered! Why wouldn't she?"
"Because they don't Rubes! I've sent scores of messages, but received very few replies!"
A look of horror and disbelief crossed Ruby's face.
"I can't believe that, Charlie! You have got a picture of yourself on the site, I take it?"
Ruby may have been Charlie's sister, but she was more than aware of Charlie's beauty and was shocked to discover the unaccountable lack of interest.
"Well, not exactly! There is one, but I hide it and only show it to people if I want to!"
"What's the point in that?" Ruby asked with a frown.
"I don't want everyone perving on me! And what if someone recognises me?"
"Well, if they are looking at you, it strikes me that they'd be gay themselves, so what's your problem?"
"Looks shouldn't be the important issue here Rubes! Whatever happened to falling in love with someones mind?"
"Get real, Charlz! Attraction is the most important thing in finding a mate! Why were we given eyes, otherwise?"
"Rubes! You can be so shallow at times!"
"Yeah, right! Every boyfriend you've ever had has been good looking! You're not telling me it was all about their brains! Most of them didn't even have any as I recall, unless they were hiding it somewhere I never got to see!"
Charlie blushed. She couldn't help but secretly agree with her sister. All the men she had shared a relationship with were extremely attractive but their mind capacity had not been uppermost in her list of priorities when accepting a first date.
"Well, thanks Ruby! Anyone would think I was mercenary!"
"Well, you are!"
Charlie opened her mouth to object but closed it again, with a sigh.
"Well, maybe I've changed."
"I'd say you've changed quite a bit!" Ruby grinned.
"Rubes! You're not going to take this seriously, are you?"
"Charlie, I take what is important to you very seriously and if finding and falling in love with a girl is important to you, then, it's important to me. So, are you going to show me her profile?"
"So how's the search for the love of your life going?" Aden teased, nudging his ship-mate affectionately in the ribs.
Aden and Joey were enjoying a fifteen minute break on board the fishing vessel which had been out at sea for the best part of ten hours. Joey's eyes twinkled and she grinned stupidly at her companion.
"Okay."
"Okay? Come on Jo, spill the beans! You've got that 'happy-sappy' look about you! What gives?"
"Nothing." Joey insisted and shifted her position.
"I'm not having that. Joey Collins doesn't do 'sappy' unless there is good reason!" Aden said, following her along the deck. "I think you've found yourself a little playmate who tastes finger lickin' good!"
"Don't be disgusting, Aden!"
"Come on Jo! All the facts!"
Joey studied her friend's face and raised an eyebrow.
"If I spill, don't laugh."
Aden laid his hand across his chest in an honorary pose.
"Moi?"
"You can take that look of innocence off your mug too!"
"Seriously, Jo?"
Joey tidied some ropes and moved a crate over to the other side of the deck.
"I've contacted someone through an Internet dating site."
Aden's eyes opened wide with amusement.
"You said you wouldn't laugh!" Joey cried.
"I said nothing of the sort!" Aden spluttered.
"You rat!" Joey said, giggling.
"What's her name?"
"I've no idea." Joey sighed.
"What's she look like?"
"I've no idea."
"You don't know much, but you look besotted!"
"I am not!"
"You so are!"
"Well..."
"Well, what?"
"She seems nice and..."
"Yeah?"
"I dunno, she just seems to make my heart beat a little quicker."
"And what if she looks like a dog?"
"I like dogs!"
"Not the four legged variety! I mean, what if she's pig-ugly?"
"That is such a man's attitude, Aden Jefferies!"
"If you don't mind me saying, it's been pretty much your attitude up until now, Joey Collins! Look at the way you were ogling Charlie Buckton in The Diner the other day!"
"I was not!"
"You so were! You couldn't tear your eyes away! I thought I was gonna have to wipe away your dribble!"
"Well, okay! So she's hot! Can't blame a girl for looking!"
"You weren't only looking! You were undressing her - mentally!"
"You lying dog!" Joey laughed, slapping her ship-mate on the arm.