Sorry this chapter is a bit short but the next one will be longer. I hope you enjoy it anyway. Love, IJKS xxx
Chapter Forty
"Don't you like each other anymore?" Ruby asked.
The tension between Charlie and Joey over breakfast could be sensed a mile away.
"We're fine," Charlie lied, plastering a smile on her face. "Aren't we, Joey?"
Joey merely nodded and tried to smile too. She failed miserably and focussed on her toast. Ruby glanced between them, looking uncertain. She hated to think that her mother and Joey might have fallen out. Things had been so happy recently.
"Are you excited about the party, Ruby?" Charlie asked, attempting normal conversation.
"Yeah," Ruby said, not sounding very excited at all.
Charlie gazed at Joey who kept her head down, hardly present in the room at all.
That afternoon, having dropped Ruby at the party and done the most silent, unhappy shop in the world, Charlie and Joey arrived back.
"You can go and study if you like," Joey said, sounding drained. "I can put the shopping away."
Charlie studied her face. She didn't think she had ever seen her so depressed.
"I'm sorry for upsetting you last night," she ventured.
"It's fine," Joey replied in the same, monosyllabic tone.
She turned away, re-stocking the fridge.
"I just panicked," Charlie tried. "I shouldn't have accused you."
"It's fine," Joey said more firmly. "I understand. After the way I treated you before, of course you wouldn't trust me again. Especially not after everything you've been through in your life. I guess you got hurt one time too many."
"I guess," Charlie sighed. "But... I don't want things to be like this. I want to get back to how we were before."
"We can," Joey said. "Just give me a little time, okay?"
"Okay," Charlie said quietly.
Joey turned to face her, making eye contact for the first time since the night before. Sighing heavily, she moved closer, taking Charlie's hands and sitting her down at the table.
"I know I kept saying I was aware that I didn't stand a chance with you again," she said. "But I don't think it was true. Not in my heart, anyway. In my head, yes but... but there was always a part of me that was longing to be with you again. And the more we were like a family, especially over the last week when I've been allowed to kiss you and stuff... I hoped. I hoped there was still a chance for us. So, to have it confirmed that there really isn't, hurts. But I'll get there, okay? I will. I owe you that. I owe Ruby. Just please have a little patience. Once I've healed a bit, it'll all be okay again."
Charlie nodded, chewing her lip. She gazed longingly into Joey's eyes.
"I wish things could be different," she said. "There's such a big part of me that so desperate to just forget everything that happened. But then I get there and I just..."
"Can't," Joey finished.
She squeezed Charlie's hands and lifted one to kiss it.
"It's okay," she said. "I understand. To be honest, I was always going to be punching above my weight with you anyway. It's better that we don't get too invested."
"I am invested," Charlie admitted. "I still love you."
"And I love you too," Joey said. "And for as long as you want me around, I'll be here. I'll be your best friend. I'll be whatever Ruby wants me to be. And I'll be in it for the long haul. But I have to get it out of my head that anything romantic could really happen between us."
Charlie nodded, feeling tearful.
"What about... what about with other people?" she asked.
"What do you mean?"
"If we're not going to get back together then... well, will you want to date someone else or...?"
"I won't promise anything," Joey said. "Maybe seeing other people would help us move on. But at the same time, even if I can't be with you, being with someone else would feel horrific. I guess I've spent all this time waiting for nothing."
Charlie nodded. Joey leant forward and stroked Charlie's hair. She kissed her cheek and stood to continue putting the shopping away.
Next time… While Charlie and Ruby stay at home, Joey has a rather messy night out with her friends…