A Pathway of Adversity
Chapter 7
Charlie met Joey on a quiet stretch of beach further along from the hustle and bustle of town. There were no attractions or facilities for families, so the beach appealed to very few. For those who wished for a quiet stroll, to sunbathe or to swim, it was ideal.
They smiled at each other; a little shyly to first, but there was a natural magnetism between the pair, which soon dismissed any such feelings, and they quickly settled into friendly chatter.
"I really should come here swimming more often." Charlie commented as she slipped off her shorts.
Joey found it hard not to stare as Charlie peeled off her clothes. She wore her bathing costume beneath her day-wear; her toned body was so attractive that Joey had to turn her head away and concentrate on her own preparations.
Charlie laid a large beach towel on the sand and flung herself down on top, with a sigh.
"Penny for them?" Joey grinned as she spread out her own things.
"I was just thinking that I haven't done anything like this for ages!" Charlie smiled. "And I'm certainly going to take advantage of... of it... now."
She looked unashamedly at Joey's body as the girl settled herself down. Joey glanced at her friend and realised what she was doing. Suddenly, Charlie realised too. Blushing, she averted her gaze hastily. Joey smiled secretly but was under no illusion that Charlie's interest in her was purely 'interest' and nothing more.
Joey laid back and rested her head on one arm; her long, dark mane spread out on the sand around her.
"Joey," Charlie said, looking above at the puffs of white clouds which slowly made their way across the blue sky.
Joey turned her head in order to look at her friend.
"Why haven't I felt like this before?"
"Felt like what?" Joey asked quietly.
Charlie took a deep breath.
"Calm; safe; alive."
Joey continued to watch Charlie.
"Maybe you just needed a day off." She suggested.
Charlie was silent for a moment and then, turning her head towards her companion, looked deep into her eyes.
"No, it's more than that. I just feel..." Charlie bit on her bottom lip for a moment. "I just feel like I'm myself at last."
The two women remained looking into each other's eyes until Joey broke the spell.
"Maybe we should go for that swim now?"
Charlie nodded reluctantly.
Joey jumped up and ran into the foaming ocean leaving Charlie a little confused. At that moment, she could not remain so close to Charlie Buckton and not try for a kiss. This feeling of madness had crept up so quickly that Joey could hardly contain the emotion within her heart. After what seemed like years of barrenness, her body and soul seemed to have been lifted from the depths of loneliness and were now placed into Heaven itself.
Marilyn fidgeted around with the flowers on the table. She hummed and smiled to herself as her fingers deftly turned the flower heads to face each place-setting for dinner. Leaving the colourful blooms, she straightened a fork and polished the bowl of a spoon with a tea-towel until she could see her reflection in it. Still smiling, she placed the spoon back in position and stepped back; admiring her creation.
Voices at the door caught her attention and a huge smile appeared on her face as she greeted her dinner guests.
"Good evening Mr. Stuart! Do come in! Good evening Martha... Mr. Austen."
Marilyn showed her guests in and took Martha's wrap.
"Strewth love! You've gone to a lot of trouble!" Alf Stuart said, gazing on the dinner table in wonder.
"Not at all, Mr. Stuart! It's always lovely to have people to dinner and I like to make an effort!"
Hugo picked at the salted peanuts left in a bowl on the side. He took a handful and rammed them greedily into his mouth.
"I see somebody's hungry!" Marilyn laughed as she watched Hugo's display of bad manners.
He smiled back lazily; not hiding the fact that he was attending her dinner party under sufferance. Taking another handful, and almost emptying the bowl, he stuffed his mouth unashamedly with nuts and almost choked.
"That serves you right for being a pig!" Martha pointed out, nudging him in the ribs.
"What?" Hugo spluttered.
Munched-up peanuts propelled with great force from his mouth, as he coughed without using his hand as a guard.
Martha's face was scarlet with embarrassment as she hastily bent to pick up the offending nut-pieces.
"Please don't worry!" Marilyn cried, rushing over with a dustpan and brush. "I have it all under control."
Martha gave Hugo a daggers look, but he smiled smugly and took great delight in watching Marilyn's bottom while she was bent over, clearing up the debris.
Alf cleared his throat in order to make polite conversation and to fluff over Hugo's rudeness.
"Something smells good, Marilyn."
"It's my new nut-roast recipe!" She smiled as she walked to the bin.
"Geez!" Hugo moaned audibly to Martha. "Not only have we gotta suffer coming here tonight, now we've gotta eat her veggie crap!"
Martha hissed at him to be quiet. Hugo's words had not been lost on Marilyn, but she rose above it and smiled sweetly.
"I don't think you'll be disappointed, Mr. Stuart! It's very tasty." She confided.
"I'm sure it is, Marilyn love. I've brought this bottle of wine. Shall I open it?"
Marilyn smiled happy and handed the corkscrew to Alf.
Charlie sat on the sofa hugging a cushion and watching 'Home and Away'. She cursed at the stupidity of the Police woman on the screen who was more than happy to sacrifice her own self-esteem to massage the ego of the looser who owned a local restaurant.
"Stupid woman!" She muttered to herself.
"Who's a stupid woman?" Ruby asked as she walked into the lounge.
Charlie waved at the television screen with disdain and helped herself to a crisp from Ruby's snack bowl.
"Don't know why you watch this rubbish! Hardly conducive to real life, is it?"
"No, you're right!" Charlie giggled.
"Charlie."
"Uh-ha."
"You seem... quite chirpy today."
Ruby chose her words carefully; not wishing to upset the applecart.
Charlie smiled.
"I am feeling chirpy!" She confirmed, wrapping her arm about her unsuspecting sister.
Ruby, in shock, tipped the crisps into her lap.
"Shite!"
Charlie laughed and helped Ruby return the contents back into the bowl.
"So," Ruby said, brushing the crumbs from her jeans. "Who or what has made the difference?"
"To what?" Charlie frowned; liberating a trapped crisp from between the sofa cushions.
"To your good humour?"
Charlie hesitated. She hardly understood herself. Why after living for so many months in purgatory, was she now feeling like the world had been lifted from her weary shoulders.
"I dunno, Rubes. I guess I'm over... 'him' at last!"
Ruby smiled her congratulations.
"That's cool. When will you start dating again?"
"Rubes!" Charlie wailed! "I've managed to shake my mood, but please don't start trying to force me back into the dating game so soon! Don't you think I've had enough to last me a life time?"
"I'm just happy to see you happy, sis!"
"I prefer to call it 'contentment'. 'Happiness' is a moment in time, Rubes." Charlie philosophised.
She suddenly conjured up the memory of her afternoon with Joey Collins. They had swum, talked, eaten, laughed and sunbathed. She had been completely content in Joey's company and had never felt so happy.