The Very Thought of You
Chapter 29
The two girls had walked from Joey's home to Charlie's with hardly a word passing between them. Joey was trying to find the right words to say and Charlie was scolding herself for allowing such a foolish thing to happen in a moment of madness. She had now given Joey the impression that her feelings for her were more than mere friendship. The kiss she had given to Joey was one of pure relief that her friend was well and out of danger. This she tried to convince herself of.
Charlie pushed open the door and walked inside. Joey's luggage which, she had lost when Robert Cruze had attacked her at the bus stop, was sitting in the hallway. As Joey's eyes fell on it, she shuddered as the memories flooded back. Charlie glanced back at her, as if realising what Joey was feeling but decided to quell the impulse to comfort her. Instead she said,
"I'll put the kettle on."
Joey remained in the hallway, not knowing what to do. She had lived at this address until a couple of days ago, but now she felt like the sad, pathetic stranger she had been on the first day Charlie had introduced her to Janet and Ruby.
"Should I take my things into Ruby's room?" Joey asked quietly.
"Yes," Charlie replied without looking up.
Joey sat for a while on Ruby's single bed. She longed to speak to Charlie; to find out what she was feeling. After that kiss, Charlie had been acting as though nothing had happened. Nothing had been said or alluded to. Joey's head whirled. She began to wish she had not left her own home. Here, she felt almost at a disadvantage. She wanted to be near to Charlie. As near as she possibly could and though Charlie gave her the physical security she needed, she found that emotionally Charlie had pushed her away. She got off the bed and left the room.
Joey found Charlie preparing to leave for work. She walked quietly up to Charlie.
"So, what does this mean a-about you and me?" Joey stammered.
Charlie kept her eyes away from Joey's.
"I've got to go to work. Can we talk about this later?"
Joey nodded her head. Later was a long way off. It was lunch time and Charlie's shift would be starting soon.
"Perhaps we could talk at tea time? I'll guess you'll pop back then?" Joey suggested.
"Yeah. Okay." Charlie replied, without any emotion.
Joey caught her bottom lip between her teeth and walked back to Ruby's room without saying another word.