Chapter Twenty Four

"Why do I get the feeling that Rosetta isn't a popular name around here?" Paulie asked, keeping a confident smile on his face.

"Because it isn't," Joey replied simply but not unkindly.

The stranger pulled up a chair and sat down uninvited.

"What's he done?" he asked.

"Just tried to ruin our lives," Joey said. "No biggie."

Charlie snorted and shook her head before explaining that Angelo was her ex-boyfriend and he hadn't taken kindly to the end of their relationship in the beginning of her relationship with Joey. Paulie raised his eyebrows.

"You're a couple?" he asked incredulously.

"What of it?" Charlie replied a little shortly.

"Nothing," Paulie said, holding his hands up in defence. "I think that's awesome! I bet you dented my brother's pride though."

"Something like that," Joey said.

Charlie nodded. She still felt a little bad that Angelo was hurting so much but at the same time, she had known from the start that she had to follow her heart.

"And there I was, hoping that he'd be pleasant to visit," Paulie remarked. "It looks like I've either come at the best or the worst time."

"The worst," Charlie and Joey informed him.

He exhaled and chewed his lip.

"No time like the present," he decided, standing up. "I wish you lovely ladies a lovely day."

They exchanged somewhat bemused looks as he headed out of the Diner, leaving Colleen rather flummoxed over the outcome of the 'food critic'.

Charlie and Joey arrived home to Ruby looking uncharacteristically glum at the table, attempting to do homework.

"Do you need any help?" Charlie asked. "Not that I'm any good at maths really."

Ruby sighed and put her pen down.

"No," she said. "It's fine. It's just…"

"What?" Charlie asked.

She and Joey pulled up a chair.

"Have you ever just wanted to escape your life?" Ruby asked.

Charlie and Joey both exchanged worried looks.

"In a few dire circumstances," Charlie ventured. "What's… what's wrong?"

Ruby sighed heavily and looked her parents in the eye.

"Things aren't that great at school," she admitted.

Charlie looked confused.

"What, with homework or…?"

"With the other students," Ruby told her.

Charlie looked a little helplessly at her daughter and then at her girlfriend.

"Because of the drinking?" Joey wondered.

Ruby nodded glumly. Charlie reached out to hold her.

"Are people picking on you?" she asked carefully.

"A little bit," Ruby admitted. "Nicole is all wrapped up with Penn and I don't really hang out with Xavier and April anymore. Indi's all wrapped up in Romeo and I've never really got to know Dex. Plus, he's a sitting target for bullies too so…"

She sighed heavily, closing her eyes in case tears spilled out.

"What do you want to do?" Charlie asked.

"Run away," Ruby replied.

"I mean, should we talk to Gina or…?"

"No," Ruby said. "Telling tales will only make it worse."

She sighed and rubbed her eyes.

"I guess I'll just have to deal with this on my own."

She stood and headed into her bedroom, leaving her books and her parents behind.

Next time… Angelo and Paulie are after some cash…