Chapter Twenty-Two

Robbo had been found guilty. He'd already spent a year in prison and now had four years left to serve. Charlie hadn't thought it long enough but Joey was relieved that at least he was remaining behind bars for the time being. She, Charlie and Eve had gone out to dinner to celebrate and now, having dropped Eve at home, Charlie was driving Joey back to her apartment and hoping that she might get invited in. Pulling up outside, Joey immediately asked Charlie up.

"I'd love to," Charlie smiled, cutting the engine and climbing out of the car.

"I stocked up on booze in case of either outcome," Joey told her as they headed up to her front door.

Chuckling, Charlie followed her into the flat. Joey headed right for the kitchen to start rummaging for alcohol and then handed a bottle of wine to Charlie to get her to open it. Charlie obliged and poured out two glasses.

"Here's to our freedom," Joey proposed.

"Our freedom," Charlie agreed, clinking their glasses together.

Two hours later, Joey was feeling more than a little tipsy. Charlie wasn't faring much better and had long since decided she'd be getting a taxi home.

"Let's make cocktails!" Joey suddenly bellowed.

"I don't even know how to make cocktails," Charlie pointed out.

"I have a thing..." Joey said, making a gesture that Charlie presumed meant a book.

She hauled them both to their feet and dragged them into the kitchen where she presented Charlie with a cocktail book.

"Don't you need ingredients or something?" Charlie wondered.

"It's all about improvisation," Joey told her certainly.

Within fifteen minutes, the girls were amid a chaotic kitchen. Joey had decided that strawberry daiquiris were the answer to all their problems. With the fruit blended, they were squabbling over what ought to go in their drinks.

"Jo, I don't think that's such a good idea," Charlie objected when Joey threw in far too much Bacardi.

"Wuss!" Joey teased.

She took some blended strawberry on her finger and flicked it at Charlie.

"You did not just do that," Charlie said.

Joey did it again and then added more Bacardi.

"Hey!" Charlie said, flicking some fruit back at her.

They launched into all out war.

Angelo sat at the bar, drowning his sorrows and feeling utterly miserable. Alf, for one, was growing tired of it. He felt sorry for the guy to a degree but he was definitely testing his patience. And while Angelo was busily pitching the whole sorry mess as Charlie's fault, Alf couldn't quite see it that way.

"I just can't believe she's doing this to me," Angelo ranted.

"Mate, I'm going to level with you here," Alf finally said.

The suspended police officer looked up at him.

"You need to grow up and take responsibility for yourself."

Angelo looked stunned.

"What?"

"People break up all the time," Alf said. "I know it's hard but it's not the end of the world. It's better for you two not to be together than to live a lie. If she doesn't love you, you can't force her to. And you did wrong by attacking her last week. Nobody should ever use violence against another person. I'd have thought you'd know that by now. You need to get over this slump you're in, pick your life back up and move on. Charlie's not coming back. The trouble you're in isn't her fault. And you've got to stop moping around as if that's not true."

Charlie knocked on the bathroom door.

"Joey, are you okay in there?" she asked.

Having made quite the mess, they'd taken it in turns to get showered and Charlie was grateful to be feeling a little more sober. However random her evening with Joey was turning out to be, she was definitely having fun. She was glad to have been there for Joey during the trial and they were both relieved that it was all over. She hoped that perhaps now, they might be able to move on together. Perhaps they could try again.

"I'm fine," Joey announced, opening the bathroom door.

Charlie's eyes widened at how loosely Joey had wrapped the towel around herself. She reached out to tidy her up and spare her dignity.

"Don't want to look at me?" Joey asked.

"Um..."

Charlie struggled for an answer. Joey flashed her a smile, told her not to panic and then headed into her room to get changed. Charlie shook her head and returned to the living room. She'd cleaned up most of the mess in the kitchen and poured them a glass of wine each, which were much less messy than strawberry daiquiris. Joey appeared in pyjamas a few moments later and came to sit beside her.

"Clean?" Charlie asked, handing the wine over.

"Mostly," Joey smirked.

She sipped her drink and reached for Charlie's hand and stroked it affectionately. Her head was swimming a little but she felt very happy. Charlie gazed into her eyes and smiled affectionately at her. She wondered why she had ever panicked at being close to her. She wished she could go back in time and do things right.

"I love you," she said.

Then she blanched. The words had slipped out by accident. She hadn't meant to say what she was thinking. Joey smiled and shifted in order to hold her. Charlie relaxed a little and wrapped her arms around her, glad that at least Joey hadn't gone screaming and running for the hills.

Angelo slammed around his apartment, feeling betrayed and humiliated. Not only had he lost Charlie, but his job was in jeopardy and even Alf had turned against him now. He wished he had never returned to Summer Bay in the first place.

Drinking had continued but Charlie and Joey hadn't yet parted from each other's embrace. Joey stroked her fingertips along Charlie's arm and Charlie was trying not to tingle.

"Maybe we should just do it," Joey suddenly suggested.

Charlie looked and felt startled.

"Um..."

Joey leant in and kissed her without warning.