Chapter Forty Five

It was Charlie's nineteenth birthday and against her better judgement, she had agreed to have a small party at the house. Ruby had sulked no end about her bed time not being extended in order to spend time with her parents and friends but she'd been allowed to spend a very happy day, at least, with the people she loved most in the world.

Now, with the five year old tucked into bed, safe and sound, Charlie and Joey prepared for the arrival of their friends. On the promise that everyone would behave and not drink too much, Charlie had invited everyone from their old halls of residence. She wasn't all that keen on spending her birthday with Brax, who she couldn't help but think was a bad influence on her girlfriend, but other than that, she was looking forward to the party.

Half an hour later, nearly everyone had arrived. Charlie and Joey had laid nibbles out on the table and provided a couple of bottles of wine. Music played as quietly as possible for the sake of Ruby, although really, once she was asleep she was dead to the world.

"This place is gorgeous," Rachel remarked when Charlie joined her, Martha and Leah on the sofa.

Charlie smiled.

"Joey did a lot of the arranging and stuff," she said, glancing over affectionately at her girlfriend who was in an animated discussion with Angelo and Nicole.

"Who'd have thought Joey Collins would be such a homemaker?" Martha giggled.

Charlie snorted.

"She's certainly full of surprises," she said.

"We were really happy to hear you were back together," Leah said sincerely. "I know she screwed up before but she loves you so much."

Charlie nodded. It had taken a little while but now she felt completely secure in her relationship and she couldn't be happier.

"I love her too," she said. "And I'm absolutely determined not to lose her again."

"Seriously?" Joey said, her eyes wide in surprise.

"Yeah," Nicole said. "Do you think it's a bad idea?"

Since she had given her baby up for adoption to a nice family, Nicole had missed him much more than she expected to. She had regular letters from her son, George's mother, a hairdresser whose partner was a Doctor. She gathered that the father already had two teenage children and she liked to think that they were providing him with a happy home.

"I think it's a great idea," Joey said. "I mean, I feel bad for the family but if you can be a mother to your son then that's going to be a good thing, right?"

Having missed her child more and more, Nicole had tentatively made the decision to try and win custody of him again. She and Angelo were now in a happy, solid relationship and she felt more equipped to look after George than she ever thought she would be.

"You and Charlie actually helped me back the decision," Nicole revealed.

"We did?" Joey said, genuinely surprised.

"Yeah," Nicole confirmed. "If Charlie could keep her baby when she was even younger than me, then I can do it too. Plus, you're both proving that it's entirely possible to be a family while you're studying."

"And this place is way nicer than Halls," Angelo added with a cheeky grin.

Miles arrived with his twin sister in tow. Sally had come to visit for the weekend so Miles had wangled her an invitation to the party, promising that she was very well behaved.

"You can hang your coat up there," Charlie said when she headed over to greet them. "Thanks for coming."

"Thanks for inviting me," Sally said pleasantly.

"I told you they were nice!" Miles enthused.

Smiling pleasantly, Charlie led them over to the dining table.

"No way!" Joey said when she saw Brax walk up to the front door with two large crates of beer and several other heavily tattooed men.

"What?" Brax said. "I thought this was a party!"

"It's a tame party where there's a little kid trying to sleep in the bedroom," Joey said, stepping outside and blocking the entrance.

"We'll behave ourselves," Brax's younger brother, Heath said.

Joey shook her head. She had met Brax's 'River Boys' before and nothing was ever tame when they were involved.

"Are you actually refusing us entry?" Brax asked.

"You can come in," Joey said. "But your boys and your beer can stay outside."

Several of the surfing gang objected loudly but Joey remained adamant.

"You really have turned boring," Brax said.

"I'm just being a grown up," Joey said.

Shaking his head, Brax took his beer and his boys and walked away from the party.

"I wonder what that was about," Shane remarked, nodding towards the window where he and Angel saw Brax and his gang of friends walking away.

"Well this was never meant to be the kind of party Brax and Joey had when we first started here," Angel said.

Shane nodded.

"Things have changed a hell of a lot," he remarked.

Behind them, Charlie kept a smile on her face as she made conversation with Miles and Sally.

"Excuse me," she said. "I just have to check on Ruby."

Then she ducked into her daughter's bedroom.

Joey let herself back into the house and scanned the busy room for her girlfriend.

"Have you seen Charlie?" she asked Bianca, the closest person in her line of vision.

The trainee teacher had recently dumped her fiancé, Vittorio and started dating Liam, who had abruptly dumped his girlfriend, Chelsea to be with the girl he had liked from day one.

"Uh, I think she went in there," the pretty blonde said, pointing to Ruby's room.

Thanking her, Joey followed.

Inside the bedroom, Joey found Charlie standing over Ruby's bed. The little girl was fast asleep, clutching her teddy bear.

"Hey," Joey said, slipping her arms behind her girlfriend.

Charlie nearly screamed in fright but managed to keep it in and not wake her daughter. Turning around in Joey's arms, she smiled and tried to regulate her breathing.

"I didn't mean to scare you," Joey whispered. "Sorry."

"It's fine," Charlie said. "I just wasn't expecting you. You seemed pretty busy with Brax."

"I sent him home," Joey explained. "He and his boys were looking for a more raucous night than we're happy to provide."

Charlie nodded, chewing her lip thoughtfully.

"What's wrong?" Joey wondered. "Has something happened?"

"Joey, are you happy?" Charlie asked, quietly but seriously.

Joey furrowed her brow, puzzled by the question.

"Of course I'm happy," she replied sincerely. "Why would you ask that?"

"I'm just very aware of how many changes you've made to your life because of me," Charlie ventured. "I mean, you used to be Brax's partner in crime... the ultimate party girl. And now..."

"Now?"

"Now you're having tame gatherings and you're step mum to a five year old," Charlie sighed. "Does that really make you happy? Don't you get bored?"

"Life would have to be boring if I was going to be bored," Joey told her. "Personally, I love my life. I love us and Ruby and the fun we have together. Sure, I still enjoy going out every now and again and getting trashed but I've learnt that that's not what life's about. Life is about family and love and being happy. It's about learning responsibility and trying to be good to everyone around you."

Charlie smiled.

"I love you, Charlie," Joey said. "And I'm happier now than I have ever been."

They kissed tenderly in the dimly lit bedroom before heading back out to their friends.

"And what have you two been doing?" Hugo remarked with raised eyebrows when Charlie and Joey emerged from the bedroom.

"Don't be gross!" Joey scolded. "We were checking on Ruby!"

"Yeah, that doesn't take two of you," Jack smirked.

Joey rolled her eyes and chuckled. Even at the latter end, teenage boys were so immature.

"Happy birthday anyway, Charlie," Jack said sincerely.

He handed over a card and a neatly wrapped present.

"Thanks, Jack," Charlie replied, genuinely touched that he had been so thoughtful.

Belle sat on the sofa with her boyfriend, Aden. Both were amused and studying the bathroom door.

"What's going on?" Joey asked curiously.

Holding Charlie's hand, she led the way to the couch.

"Watson and Shannon are so getting it on," Aden declared.

Joey snorted with laughter. Charlie smiled and tried not to cringe about their friends having sex in their bathroom.

"I'm glad they're together," she said. "But do they really have to do it here?"

"A new relationship," Belle mused. "Can't keep their hands off each other."

Charlie's face fell. Joey was ready to meet her gaze. She leant in and kissed her tenderly.

"Stop panicking about everything," Joey whispered.

Charlie blushed, not sure if she was thrilled or horrified that Joey seemed perfectly able to read her mind.

"Have you seen Shannon?" Curtis asked, approaching the foursome with Selena.

Everyone looked a little awkward. Shannon and Curtis had arrived at University as a couple. Since then, they had broken up and Curtis had started dating Selena. Shannon hadn't forgiven them for betraying her so they hadn't spoken for ages.

"Why?" Belle asked, a little high pitched.

"We're just desperate to make friends," Curtis admitted.

"I think she's... busy right now," Belle said as tactfully as possible.

Neither of them understood so they headed off round the party to find her.

"I really hope they locked the bathroom door," Joey said.

"Yep," Aden agreed. "Otherwise this could be really, really awkward."

Having been too wrapped up in each other, Joey and Charlie had missed the whole thing.

Next time…. Charlie and Joey take their relationship to the next level…