A Pathway of Adversity
For Tubs14 ~ with thanks x
Chapter 15
"Hey Charlie!"
"Hey!" Charlie grinned and beckoned the pretty girl into her office. "How's things?"
Joey tried not to smile too much as Charlie invited her to sit on the chair which she had placed opposite her own.
"Thank you."
Joey sat down and glanced into Charlie's blue eyes. They both smiled shyly at each other; both aware of a fire which had started between them, but neither knowing quite where to take it from here.
"So..." They both said in unison.
They laughed and Charlie gestured for Joey to begin.
"Alison did some research last night and came up with these." Joey said, taking some papers from an old, battered brief case.
The brief case had the initials 'RC' in brass, riveted to the leather flap. Charlie eyed it curiously, wondering who 'RC' was.
Joey placed the brief case to one side and handed Charlie the notes. She explained Alison's findings and gave Charlie a list of names who worked in the dispatch office. Charlie read the notes and sighed when she got to the end.
"Well, it's not a great deal to go on, but I think when we get our under-cover auditor in, she may be able to unravel a few mysteries!"
"Have you got someone for the job?" Joey asked impatiently.
"Yes! I've spoken to Ingrid Peters. She'll be in touch with you shortly to discuss matters. I gave her your home telephone number; I thought that would be safest." Charlie advised, apologetically.
"That's fine. The sooner we can get her in there, the sooner we can get this mess sorted out."
Joey noticed Charlie touching the brass initials on the brief case.
"It belonged to my father... Ron Collins. He was Alf Stuart's partner when they started the business together." Joey sighed, sadly.
"I remember you telling me." Charlie smiled back.
Her look made Joey feel very warm inside; a feeling which rarely happened.
"Joey." Charlie suddenly murmured.
Joey acknowledged Charlie's word with a look.
"I find myself... thinking about you such a lot and wanting to be near you..." Charlie paused for a moment as she fought for breath. "Wanting to be near you so much. I don't pretend to understand for a moment what strange spell you've cast over me, but... oh God! I just wish I knew how to handle this better!" She said, looking at the ceiling and closing her eyes in torment.
Joey looked on; half in agony and half in ecstasy, wondering what fate awaited her.
"Oh, Mr. Stuart! This place is delightful!" Marilyn enthused as the waiter showed her to a seat. "It's just like one of those swanky spots in an old Hollywood movie!"
"You deserve the best, Marilyn!" Alf Stuart grinned as the waiter offered him the wine list.
"Just look at those beautiful busts of Greek Gods!" Marilyn continued. "It reminds me of a museum my father took me to when I was a little girl."
"That one along the Wallaby Road? The other side of Yabbie Creek?" Alf asked.
Marilyn bounced in her seat with excitement.
"That's the very one! Gosh! Was it there when you were a child, too?"
Alf shifted uneasily in his seat. He was doing his best to forget the vast age difference between them, but little things kept reminding him that he was old enough to be her father.
"Well, that museum has been there for a fair old lick of time, love, it's true." He mumbled self consciously. "But it doesn't make me one of the artefacts!"
"Certainly not, Mr. Stuart!" Marilyn smiled, kindly. "You could never be called a 'relic'! You are agreeably mature!"
Alf felt pleased with Marilyn's assessment and cheered up immediately.
Charlie and Joey met clandestinely on the beach at eight o'clock that evening. The business of the day had been interrupted by the entrance of one of Charlie's officers; asking for assistance with an important matter. Charlie allowed Joey to leave her, but with reluctance; suggesting they met that evening to continue their very, interesting conversation.
Daylight had almost disappeared and the only sounds to be heard were the gentle rippling of the sea as it met the shoreline, and the distant sound of music coming from The Surf Club.
"Thanks for meeting me." Charlie smiled as they neared.
Joey smiled in return, but kept silent; allowing Charlie to lead. She watched as Charlie struggled to find the words she needed to express herself.
"I... I-I just want to kiss you so much!" Charlie volunteered in a rush; her cheeks turning a bright shade of pink.
"Then why don't you?" Joey suggested hopefully.
"Because... "
Before Charlie had time to give Joey a good enough reason not to, Joey had taken Charlie's hand in her own and pulled her gently to her. Charlie physically held her breath as she waited for Joey's lips to touch her own and as they did, she closed her eyes and allowed the sweet softness to engulf her.
"Oh my God." Charlie murmured softly, as their lips parted. "I don't think I deserve to feel as good as this!"
"Why?" Joey chuckled.
"Because it feels so beautiful and I can't have done anything to warrant it!"
"Oh, Charlie! You deserve everything that is wonderful."
Charlie looked into Joey's brown eyes and begged them to explain her plight.
"Charlie, we are attracted to each other. I want you... I want you so much... but it's up to you what happens now. You have to want this as much as I do for it to be truly wonderful.
"I... I want you too, Joey." Charlie said, barely audibly.
Joey smiled with delight and cuddled Charlie to her.
Alf Stuart drained his glass and took Marilyn's hand in his own.
"Marilyn, love... it's been a wonderful evening and it's only convinced me that we should be together to share every moment like this!"
"'Together', Mr. Stuart?" Marilyn asked in surprise.
"Yeah, 'together'. We make a good team, Marilyn. Will you do me the honour of becoming my wife?"
Marilyn stared at Mr. Stuart in astonishment. She had never dreamed that Alf Stuart would ever imagine her good enough to be his wife, but here he was proposing marriage.
"Mr. Stuart! I don't know what to say!"
"Come on Marilyn..." Alf said, encouragingly. "We're good mates, aren't we? I know I'm a lot older than you, but I'm very young at heart... Maybe in time you'll grow to love me, but in the meantime, we can be good friends and look after each other; be company... you know!"
Marilyn smiled coyly, but after a few moments, a huge smile played across her face, lighting up the room and demonstrating to Alf, just how pleased she was by his suggestion.
"Are you chilly?" Joey asked as Charlie cuddled closely to her as they sat with their backs against a rock on a remote part of the beach.
"No, I'm just shivering out of... nervousness, I guess!" Charlie said, trying to stop herself from shaking.
Joey wrapped her arms about her comfortingly, and Charlie laid her head against Joey's shoulder.
"Wouldn't it be wonderful if tonight was forever and we could just stay here; alone, never seeing another soul?" Charlie whispered.
Joey could feel Charlie's warm breath against her skin as she spoke. She closed her eyes; praying with all her heart that Charlie's wish could come true and the moment would last for always.
"I'm just so surprised that you want to be with me." Joey murmured thoughtfully.
"It's not going to be easy, is it?" Charlie sighed.
"No... Not very easy... for you." Joey admitted. "But I'll be here for you always, if that's what you want."
Charlie smiled, but after a few moments, the reality of Joey's words hit her, and a cold hand gripped her heart.
"Oh dear God!"
Joey knew this would be one of many such moments, when Charlie would fight with her conscience over having such feelings for one of her own sex.
"Charlie... I won't lie to you. It won't be easy, but if we take things slowly, maybe we can work it out... I hope." Joey added quietly.
"What will people say, do you think?" Charlie asked uneasily.
"People will always have their say, Charlie, but the people who count will support you, and that's all that matters in the end. But it's not necessary to announce this to the world yet, unless you want to! Why don't we just see each other and go where it takes us?"
"But what about you?" Charlie asked quickly, turning to face Joey.
"Charlie, I know who I am and what I want. The world will never be surprised at that, that's why I want to protect you and make this transition in your life as easy as possible; if it's what you truly want?" Joey asked, with questioning eyes.
Charlie looked out towards the dark, blue ocean. She could just make out white flashes of foam as it hit the shoreline in the moonlight. Being close to this woman felt so right; she was the last piece in a very muddled jigsaw puzzle which had been posing a conundrum for Charlie all her life. To let this opportunity slip through her fingers would be like pulling the plug on her own life blood and allowing it to drain slowly away from her heart. Joey had poured balm onto her wounds and breathed life back into her soul. Could she really let her go now?