Chapter Thirty One

It had been a few days. Despite Charlie's protestations, Joey had spent every night in the uncomfortable chair between the beds.

"It's seriously not good for your back, Joey," Charlie complained.

"I'm fine," Joey lied.

"I can hear you creaking!"

Joey frowned and stretched her back a little and privately admitted that she was in a fair amount of pain. However, being there to support Charlie as Ruby's frail body healed, was the most important thing in the world.

"Why doesn't Joey share your bed, Mum?" Ruby piped up.

Both women stared at her. She sounded so innocent and unaware of what she was saying.

"You shared a bed at home," she elaborated. "Remember?"

Charlie and Joey glanced at each other, looking and feeling uncomfortable.

"We wouldn't both fit on a single," Joey told her.

Ruby frowned and studied the bed.

"Mum and I have slept on a single together before."

"Yeah, but you're much tinier than I am," Joey said with a grin.

As she spoke she moved forward and hugged the five year old. Ruby giggled as Joey reined kisses on her head.

"Now, I gather that the nice Doctor said that if you were really, really good, I could go and buy you some chocolate from the vending machine," she said.

Ruby's eyes lit up.

"I've been super good!" she said.

Joey glanced back at Charlie with raised eyebrows.

"Do you think she's been good, Charlie?" she asked.

"Hmm..." Charlie teased. "I just don't know."

"I have been good!" Ruby squeaked, looking like she was about to combust.

Joey stepped back, folding her arms and pretending to deliberate. When it looked like Ruby was about to start jumping up and down in giddy excitement, which would not be good for all the machines she was currently hooked up to, Joey gave in.

"Of course you've been good," she said. "You're always good. Do you have a particular chocolaty request?"

"Surprise me!" Ruby said, beaming.

Joey nodded and headed out of the room. Charlie moved to perch on the edge of her daughter's bed.

"How are you feeling?" she asked.

"Tired," Ruby admitted. "But I think chocolate will help."

Charlie chuckled and held her hand.

"You've been so brave through all of this, Rubes," she said. "I know it's been scary but I'm so proud of you."

"I didn't like the thing they did on my back," Ruby said with a small frown. "The lumby punker."

Charlie nodded, not correcting her. She kissed the back of her daughter's tiny hand. The lumber puncture had been almost as painful for her as it had been for Ruby. All she'd wanted to do was rush in and take all her pain away. She'd known from the first moment that she'd found out Ruby was ill that she would die for her daughter without a second's hesitation.

"The chocolate fairy's here," Joey said, reappearing in the room.

Ruby's eyes widened at the three chocolate bars she held in her hand.

"Three bars for three people," Joey told her.

Ruby pouted.

"But you get first pick."

This time, Ruby grinned. She chose quickly and tore off the wrapper. Joey gave Charlie the next choice and together, the three of them tucked in.

That night, when Ruby had dropped off to sleep, Joey prepared to curl up in her chair.

"I want to swap tonight," Charlie told her, sounding firm.

"Huh?" Joey said.

"You sleep in the bed and I'll sleep in the chair."

"No way," Joey said quickly, shaking her head.

"Joey, you're going to end up in agony if you sleep in that horrible chair one more time."

Joey shrugged and winced at the same time.

"I'm in agony already. And it'll only be a couple more nights. It's fine."

"Joey, I'm serious," Charlie said, sounding exactly that.

Joey leant forward and took her ex-girlfriend's hands, looking into her eyes.

"Charlie, you have to be at your best in order to support your daughter," she said. "She needs you to be well. You need to give her your best, okay? And if you spend a night in this chair, you won't be able to. So I'm not arguing with you. I'm sleeping in the chair and you're in the bed. Okay?"

Charlie hesitated and looked at their joined hands. For a moment, Joey thought she would break contact but she didn't.

"I don't want you to be in pain if I could have helped you," she said quietly.

Things had certainly changed between over the past few days. This time last week, the only conversation Charlie had offered had been vast amounts of shouting. Now, they both felt closer than they had ever been.

"I can cope," Joey promised. "I swear."

Half an hour later, rather exhausted from the day, Charlie tucked herself into bed. In the dark, she heard Joey settle in the chair beside her. Charlie stretched her hands out on either side, feeling to see if there would be enough room.

"Joey?" she whispered.

"Yes, Charlie?" Joey replied.

"We could just about fit on here. Together."

Joey's eyes widened and her heart lurched at the thought of sharing Charlie's bed, however platonically.

"You don't have to do that," she said.

"I want to," she said. "I don't want you sleeping in the chair."

"Charlie, you hated me last week," Joey pointed out sadly.

"And then you showed me who you really are," Charlie replied evenly. "Come up here."

Taking a deep breath, Joey stood and climbed a little clumsily onto the bed. Charlie wrapped her arms around her and they snuggled up close.

"I know nothing is ever going to happen between us again," she ventured. "But I am grateful for the way you've looked after us both this week. We really appreciate it."

"Like I said," Joey said softly, only too aware of the close proximity of Charlie's perfect body. "I'd do anything for you. For both of you. You're the two most important people in my life."

Next time… Ruby has a particular request of her mother…