A Pathway of Adversity
Chapter 41
Joey sat at the back of the Police car, waiting to be handcuffed and escorted back to whatever town these guys worked from. She pondered that it was only a matter of time before a bright shiny Police wagon from Yabbie Creek would turn up and forcibly remove her back to the place where she was petrified of being.
The kind Police constable who had spoken to Charlie on the phone sat next to her but conversed with his colleague through an open window of the car.
"How long did this Sergeant say she would take to get here?" The officer outside asked.
"About an hour." Constable Simons answered, checking his watch. "Should be here at anytime now."
Suddenly, Joey started to shake. The mere thought of seeing Charlie, possibly followed by a blood curdling posse from Summer Bay, was too much for her to endure. She looked about her quickly, wondering and hoping the passenger door wasn't locked. She bit her lip and made a lunge at the chrome handle.
"Hey!" The Policeman yelled as Joey swiftly opened the door. "Where do you think you're going, love?"
The strong constable took hold of her collar and held her fast before she had a chance to make good her exit.
"I-I need to get away from here!" Joey yelled. "They'll blame me and it's not my fault! Honestly! I've done nothing wrong! They'll put me away for something I didn't do!"
"Nobody is going to allow that to happen, Joey! I promise you that no one will hurt you." A calm voice came from outside the open door.
Joey looked up into a pair of bright blue eyes as Charlie stood at the door where Joey had hoped to make her get-away.
"Charlie!" Joey wailed and promptly burst into tears.
The Police constable freed his grip on Joey's collar and allowed her to get out and throw herself into Charlie's arms.
"Charlie! Charlie! Charlie!" She cried, hanging onto Charlie's body as if her life depended on it.
"It's okay, honey. It's okay. No one is going to hurt you." Charlie reassured; soothingly and stroking her girlfriends hair.
Police Constable Simons alighted from the car and walked around to join the new arrival.
"G'day Sergeant Buckton. I'm Constable Simons. Good to meet you." He said, extending his hand to the pretty officer.
Charlie looked at his hand and freeing her own from Joey, shook it.
"Hey. Thanks so much for your help. You've been amazing! I don't know what I would have done if this one had escaped me!" Charlie replied, grinning at Joey as she sobbed in her arms.
"Close mate, huh?"
"Girlfriend, actually." Charlie answered in a heartbeat.
Joey stopped sobbing. Had she really just heard Charlie announce to this Policeman that she was her girlfriend? She looked up into Charlie's laughing eyes and as if to leave Joey and the Policeman in no doubt of her affection, kissed Joey lightly on the lips.
Constable Simons cleared his throat and felt a little disappointed that this 'hot' Police Sergeant was gay and not only gay, was in the arms of another, who was just as hot.
"Not my day!" He muttered to himself.
The other two Policemen standing a little distance from the three, smirked and raised their eyebrows.
"Well, I don't know how to thank you for your kindness." Charlie reiterated. "I just hope if you're ever in Yabbie Creek, you'll look me up. You've done above and beyond. I owe you big time!"
"No worries. A pleasure. Well, I guess I'd better let you go and we'd better get on with catching speeding drivers!" He replied, glancing at his colleagues. "Take good care now!"
"We will, won't we?" Charlie said, glancing at Joey.
Joey nodded and looked over at the retreating constable.
"Thank you." She croaked.
The officer winked and smiled.
"No worries. Look after yourself, love."
Joey nodded and looked at Charlie.
"I don't feel like driving anymore."
Charlie looked at the two cars they had between them.
"Look, why don't we lock up your car and drive somewhere nearby, to put-up for the night? Then in the morning, we can pick it up and then..."
"And then go back to Summer Bay?" Joey asked doubtfully.
"No. I would suggest the safe-house again, but I guess you've had enough of that. Let's just sleep on it tonight, and make up our minds tomorrow, huh?"
Joey nodded her agreement and sighed with relief.
"I really don't know what came over me, Charlie. I guess hearing all that stuff on the radio just affected me and I bolted! I'm so sorry to have caused you all this trouble." She said, sadly and twinkled away a fresh tear.
"Hey now!" Charlie said, putting her arm around Joey's shoulder protectively. "No more tears, okay? Joey, you have to believe me that everything is going to be alright. Things back home are moving along swiftly and you know, the whole of Summer Bay aren't against you, regardless of what the media are saying. You have lots of friends back there who love, support and respect you. They'd never believe you could murder anyone, let alone Irene!"
Joey took a deep breath and watched as a cattle truck, full of young bull calves with their heads poking out of the vents, bellowing sadly, passed by.
"I feel like one of those poor little sods in that truck; only fit for the slaughter house!"
Charlie turned to watch the truck as it trundled away down the road, leaving a cloud of dust-particles behind.
"Honestly honey, things will be fine. You just have to be patient for a little longer. Please trust me!" Charlie pleaded.
Joey turned and looked into Charlie's troubled eyes.
"I'm making your lovely face sad." She said, touching a line deepening across Charlie's forehead. "Forgive me... I do trust you... I trust you more than anyone else in the world... I just don't trust Summer Bay, that's all."
Charlie exhaled disappointedly. She had hoped that Joey's current dislike of Summer Bay would abate and when the time was right, accompany her back.
"I really think that I shall leave, Charlie." Joey continued.
"Oh Joey!" Charlie said; her chin dropping to the ground. "I don't know what to say. I don't know how..."
Charlie could not finish. All she could think of was Joey Collins leaving the town where they lived and disappearing out of her life for always.
"You could come with me!" Joey suggested, quietly.
After a few moments, Charlie looked up; her mind digesting Joey's suggestion.
"Before I escaped from the safe house, I had been thinking about it. I seriously can't imagine ever settling back at the Bay, but Charlie, I can't live without you! I don't ever want to be anywhere without you again. I know you have responsibilities to your family and of course there's your job, but..."
"Joey..." Charlie interrupted. "I just can't up and leave Summer Bay! There's so much to do... to sort out... there's Ruby for one thing... How can I just leave her? Then there's my father whose health is failing rapidly." Charlie continued, anxiously.
Joey's heart thumped in disappointment. During the hours she had spent alone in the safe house, she had formulated plans where she and Charlie would travel around Australia; visiting and discovering places they had never been to and one day, finding a home together and putting down roots; living a long and contented existence together.
"Of course." She replied, swallowing and trying not to let the disappointment show in her voice. "I understand."
"Joey, let's not make rash decisions like this on the side of the road. Decisions like this need to be made quietly and rationally. Don't ask me change my life in a lay-by, please!"
Joey watched Charlie's pleading eyes as she spoke and sighed.
"Sorry, honey. I'm being unreasonable, I know. I just can't get my brain in gear at the moment. Don't worry, I'll be patient and do anything you advise. If you're so sure that everything will be okay, then I'm in your hands. I'd rather not go back to the safe house, but if you think it's the best place, I will."
"Joey, I can find you another safe house, but it won't be as convenient to Summer Bay for visiting and such. But if you will be happier somewhere else, I can arrange it." Charlie confirmed.
"No. I'd rather have you visiting me from time to time, than not at all."
Charlie smiled.
"Thank you, darling. I'm so glad. It won't be forever."
"Charlie, I didn't mean to force you into making a decision just now. I'm sorry. Please forget it." Joey said, trying to sound positive. "Come on... We'd better find somewhere to stay the night." She said, walking towards Charlie's car.
"I didn't say I would not consider it, Jo. Just give me time to work things out."
Joey stopped in her tracks and closed her eyes; mentally thanking God that perhaps Charlie might consider her request. She turned around and looked at Charlie who had not moved.
"I love you so much, Charlie. I love you so much."