As Time Goes By
Hi everyone! Sorry I couldn't update this morning as normal, but I assume Fanfiction had 'a little bit of bother'! Still, one tonight and maybe one tomorrow morning. Have received very little feed-back from you guys on this story which makes me nervous! Please review, otherwise I will think nobody is interested anymore and I may consider discontinuing. Don't want to do this as I've already written a lot up front and it would be a shame to waste it! :-( Please let me know! Thank you to those who have reviewed so far. ~ S&L ~ xx
Chapter 5
Ruby took a deep breath and raised her hand and tapped lightly on Charlie's bedroom door.
Tap! Tap!
She listened but could hear nothing. She tried once more, this time putting more force behind her fist.
Tap! Tap!
Ruby was getting impatient and took off her shoe and gave the door three rather loud bangs with the heel of her shoe!
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Charlie and Joey both jumped.
"Bloody hell! What was that!" Joey cried in alarm.
Charlie shook the sleep out of her head.
"God! Look at the time Jo; we've been asleep for hours!"
Joey smirked.
"Well, maybe not all that time!"
Charlie jumped out of bed and put on her dressing gown, shooting Joey a quick 'don't be naughty' look as she gave Charlie a wolf whistle.
Charlie opened her bedroom door a few inches and saw her sister standing there with her shoe in hand.
"Ruby, what is it?"
Ruby was at a loss. What could she say?
"Err, Jan asked if you and Joey would like a cup of tea." She said, sheepishly.
"Yeah, that'll be lovely. We'll be down soon. Just sorting out one or two things." Charlie said, glancing back at Joey.
"Were you sorting out 'one or two things' wearing ear defenders?" Ruby asked innocently.
Charlie frowned and closed the door on her little sister. Ruby grinned to herself and returned to the kitchen.
"Charlie, I haven't given you your birthday present yet." Joey said, rummaging around in her bag.
"Yes you have!" Charlie said with a smile. "Several times over, in fact."
"Charlie Buckton! You make me blush!" Joey said in mock horror.
Charlie giggled and rejoined her girlfriend on the bed.
Joey handed Charlie a little box.
"I hope you like them. They're a bit special."
Charlie opened the wrapping and found a small polished wooden box. Charlie opened the box and found a pair of pearl earrings.
"Wow!"
"Do you like them?" Joey asked, a little nervously.
"They're beautiful! Joey! How on earth did you afford them?" Charlie cried, taking one from the box and looking at it closely.
"The pearls belonged to my mum. Dad got them from an oyster shell years ago, but never had them prepared or mounted for mum. So that's what I've had done for you, my love." Joey said, smiling. "Mind you, you owe me a penny for them!"
"A penny! Why?"
"My Grandmother always said, 'pearls bring tears' so they must be exchanged for money and not made a gift!"
"Joey, they're perfect!" Charlie said, her eyes filling with tears and ignoring Joey's superstition.
She placed the little pearl earring back in its box and put it carefully on her bedside cabinet. She looked at Joey who was smiling broadly.
"Jo, I don't know what to say. Such a wonderful and precious gift. Your mum's pearls too! Oh darling, thank you so much!" Charlie said, taking Joey into her arms and kissing her gently.
The kiss quickly developed into something more like frenzy but Ruby's loud reminder of, "TEA!" soon dampened their ardour.
"Come on! I think we'd better emerge!" Joey grinned, taking Charlie by the hand and pulling her towards the bedroom door.
"Okay, but I really think we need to put on some clothes first, sweetheart!"
***
That evening, Charlie, Joey, Ruby, Janet and Vince walked down to The Old Neptune pub. Ruby had arranged to meet her friends Annie and Geoff, outside. The younger element, including Vince, headed for the children's room. Charlie promised to bring out bottles of fizzy pop and 'Smiths crisps' to keep them amused. The adults walked into the smoke-filled bar and found a table. Charlie went up to the bar and came face to face with Martha Holden.
"Good evening, Martha." Charlie said politely.
Since the subsequent arrest and imprisonment of Hugo Austin for his part in a plot to threatening national security, Martha; hearing rumours that Charlie was somehow involved in his downfall, treated the Policewoman with coldness. Regardless of what Hugo had done, he had been a friend and family member. He didn't deserve to be in prison and have a threat of execution hanging over his head. She looked at Charlie.
"What d'you want?"
Charlie's brow knitted slightly at the tone of Martha's words.
"One shandy, one port and lemon, one G&T, four bottles on lemonade and four packets of crisps please, Martha." Charlie requested politely; laying down some cash on the counter.
Martha gave her a contemptuous look and reached for a glass. Charlie stood uncomfortably waiting for Martha to finish her order. Martha said nothing but glanced at Charlie from time to time. She put the drinks and snacks on a tray and pushed it over the bar counter towards Charlie; some of the drinks spilling a little onto the tray. She snatched Charlie's cash from the counter and threw it into the cash register and dragged out Charlie's change, almost throwing it back at her. Charlie swallowed and tried to ignore Martha's rudeness.
"Thank you." Charlie said, picking up the tray and heading back to their table.
"My God! That woman is a pain in the arse!"
"What woman?" Joey asked, looking at Charlie with interest.
"Martha, bloody Holden!"
Janet laughed and took the tray of soft drinks and snacks through to the children's room.
"Martha? Why what's her problem?" Joey asked with a frown.
"I don't know, but she's somehow linked me with the Hugo Austin affair and now I'm public enemy number one!"
Joey grinned.
"Don't let her get to you, darling. I wonder how she knew about your involvement. That was all top secret, wasn't it?"
"Yes, it was and still is! Somebody's leaked something. I suppose I should mention it to the Chief Inspector."
"Wasn't Martha a bit sweet on Hugo? She always seemed to be with him when he was visiting his relations."
"Well, maybe, but she spent long enough trying to match me up with him!" Charlie said with a grin.
Joey smirked.
"Who's that?" Janet asked as she returned to their table.
"Hugo Austin." Joey purred and winked.
"Oh him! He's in clink isn't he?"
"Yes and best place for him, I say! After all, he did fancy the panties off Charlie!"
"And you can shut up!" Charlie giggled. "Anyway, it's my birthday and Martha Holden isn't going to spoil it! Cheers!"
"Cheers!" The others echoed, raising their glasses.
"And happy birthday, Charlie!" cried Janet.
Joey gave Charlie a secret smile and raised her glass again. Charlie blushed and smiled shyly.
"So, what are the kids up to?" Joey asked Janet before she took a swig from her glass.
"Usual stuff. Teasing poor Vince about this and that. He's enjoying himself immensely!"
Charlie laughed and took a sip of her Gin and Tonic and noticed Martha's cold stare aimed at her from across the bar. Charlie's happy smile turned to a frown and she put her drink down on the table. Joey noticed Charlie's mood change and looked over at Martha.
"Ignore her Charlie. I really don't know what's wrong with the woman!"
Charlie did as Joey instructed and kept her eyes away from Martha's piecing glare. Joey and Janet ensured that any other drinks were collected by them and Charlie had no need to move in Martha's direction, let alone communicate with her.
***
Some while later, the girls were deep in conversation and started to laugh about an occurrence in the tea shop which Janet was relating to them. They hadn't noticed Martha close by collecting glasses from an adjacent table.
"So I told her to just leave it on the floor, but no! She had to pick it up; she blew off the dust and began to eat it!" Janet cried.
"Oh my God! What on earth possessed her?" Charlie asked in disbelief at Janet's yarn.
"Probably the same thing which possessed you, Charlie Buckton when you did what you did to Hugo Austin! You nasty, spiteful bitch!" Martha cried, almost shouting the last few words.
"Now, just a minute!" Joey said, standing up and facing Martha.
"Let it go, Joey." Charlie said quietly and pulled Joey back into her chair.
"But I won't have her talking to you like that!" Joey cried, feeling just in the mood to poke Martha Holden in the eye with a very sharp stick!
"That's it! Let your little girlfriend stand up for you instead of doing it for yourself!" Martha hissed at Charlie.
"For crying out loud, Martha! What's got into you?" Janet said, beginning to feel uncomfortable as other heads turned to watch the fun. "Why don't you go back to the bar and calm down!"
"Girls together! It's disgusting! You two should be the ones rotting in prison, not poor innocent, Hugo!" Martha shouted and deliberately nudged Charlie's glass so it fell over and spilt in her lap.
"Oh for Heaven's sake!" Charlie cried, as she stood and flapped her skirt about, hoping the alcohol would roll off onto the floor before it started to soak in.
"Martha! You did that on purpose!" Joey yelled.
Charlie couldn't bear it any longer. She got to her feet and hastily left the pub. Joey stood up and followed.
"Martha Holden! You beggar belief! If Hugo Austin is in prison, then so much the better because he probably deserves it!" Janet shouted, angrily.
***
Charlie stood outside The Old Neptune pub and sighed.
Why was Martha doing this? How did she know about her involvement with the Hugo Austin affair?
The pub door opened and Joey stepped out.
"You alright, sweetheart?" she asked; her voice full of concern and rested her hand on Charlie's arm.
Charlie sighed.
"I will be once we get home." A few tears escaped from her eyes.
"Don't let her win, Charlie. She's a frustrated old hag who has nothing better to do with her time than pick on sweet things like you!" Joey said, with a smile and taking her hand. "I don't want her upsetting 'my special girl' on her birthday!"
Charlie chuckled at Joey's description of Martha.
"I'd hardly call her an 'Old' Hag. I think she's younger than me!" Charlie sniffed.
"Well, in that case, she deserves to be older and with warts! I'm sure she hides a broom stick somewhere, too!"
Charlie laughed and Joey glanced around about them. Feeling it was safe; she planted a little kiss on Charlie's lips and took her by the hand.
"Come on, let's finish our drinks then go home."
They walked back into the pub and Charlie noticed a fresh Gin and Tonic at her place on the little wooden table and the wet floor, mopped.
"You didn't have to get me another drink, Jan!" She said, gratefully putting a hand on her friend's shoulder.
"Not me," Janet said. "Courtesy of The Old Neptune public house!"
"Really?" Joey cried.
"Yes, I shamed her into it!" Janet said, with a chuckle.