Chapter Eighteen

Joey was a little awestruck to realise that Charlie's family home was a mansion. This life was a far cry from the humble little house she had been born and raised in. On her left, Charlie smiled and climbed out of the car. Then she moved round the vehicle to get Ruby out. Once the five year old was on the ground, she reached out in a bid to help Joey out of the car too. The little girl had been chattering away rather incessantly to her new friend for most of the day. Joey couldn't help but adore her.

Following the family up to the house and feeling a little shy about 'meeting the parents' so soon, Joey took in her surroundings. Everything was big and everything was immaculate.

"Halls of residence must be a real down turn for you," she remarked quietly to Charlie.

Her girlfriend laughed.

"It has its perks," she replied with a smirk that made Joey blush.

"You two get settled in while we sort dinner out," Charlie's mother, Patricia suggested. "Joey can have the spare room down the corridor from yours."

Nodding, Charlie led Joey up the stairs.

"Ruby, come with me," Patricia said.

The five year old hesitated, looking between her mother and Joey and her grandparents.

"I want to play with Mum and Joey," she decided.

She caught hold of Charlie's hand and trotted up the stairs with her. Charlie tried not to feel smug as her mother remained downstairs.

It was eight o'clock and Charlie and Joey had had a nice evening with Ross, Patricia and Ruby. Joey couldn't say that Charlie was relaxed exactly as there seemed to be a lot of family tension. However, she seemed utterly overjoyed at spending time with her daughter, who was charming to say the least.

Now, having tucked a still rather excitable Ruby into bed, Charlie led the way down the hall to her own bedroom.

"This is a really amazing house," Joey said, not for the first time.

Charlie looked uncertain as she pushed open her bedroom door. She stepped inside her large bedroom and took a seat on the sofa by the window.

"It's okay," Charlie said. "It's a bit big."

"That's what's so awesome!" Joey enthused, flopping down on Charlie's huge bed.

"It's easy to get lost," Charlie said. "And it's easy to become isolated."

She managed a smile as Joey shifted to look at her properly.

"But Ruby has a great time playing hide and seek!" she added with a giggle.

"You could get lost in your bed alone!" Joey remarked. "This is seriously the biggest bed I've ever seen! It must kill you to cram into a springy single back at Uni."

Charlie smiled.

"It is a good bed," she said. "I'll give you that."

"The Uni bed seemed like a luxury to me," Joey admitted. "So I'll be in Heaven here!"

Charlie eyed her quizzically.

"What on earth do you sleep on at home?" she wondered.

"Single mattress on the floor," Joey replied without concern.

Charlie looked a little startled but didn't press the issue. Neither girl had made a habit of sharing too much of their home lives with each other. They came from very different backgrounds but neither of them had been very happy growing up. Moving across the room, Charlie climbed onto the bed and pulled her girlfriend into a hug.

"I'm glad you're here," she said, kissing her tenderly.

Joey smiled against Charlie's lips.

"Me too," she said. "Spending the holidays with you and Ruby is much better than hanging out all by myself. I mean, I might actually have had to study!"

Charlie laughed before warning her that she had a lot of work to do over the holidays.

"I know," Joey said. "You love studying. But it's cool. I'll play with Ruby lots and lots!"

She smiled triumphantly.

"She really likes you, you know," Charlie told her.

"She does?"

"She whispered it to me when I was putting her to bed," Charlie revealed. "She thinks you're very funny and very pretty."

Joey smiled.

"I think she's wonderful," she said. "She's a real credit to you."

"She's the best thing about me," Charlie replied.

"She's one of the best things about you," Joey corrected. "There are lots and lots of others too, Charlie Buckton."

The wannabe police officer looked shy. She gazed up at the ceiling, hardly able to believe that she was really here with her girlfriend and her daughter. Over the last few weeks, she'd felt happier than she ever had in her life.

That night, having curled up on Charlie's huge bed to watch a DVD, both women were half asleep.

"Okay, I need to stumble across the hall before I actually pass out," Joey decided with a yawn.

Charlie smiled, idly stroking her girlfriend's hair.

"You could sleep here if you wanted," she offered, surprising both of them.

She blushed and shifted uncomfortably.

"I mean, well, you know, not like that but um... we could just... sleep. If... if you wanted. You know, like we did the other night in halls."

Joey smiled, leaning in for a gentle kiss.

"I want," she said softly. "I can't think of anything better."

Still blushing and smiling shyly, Charlie settled back into bed, curled up in Joey's arms.

Next time… Ruby tries to figure out Charlie and Joey's relationship and Charlie struggles with her mother…