Chapter Fifthteen
Charlie sat looking at Joey, who she could tell was deliberately avoiding looking at her instead of asking why, she changed the subject,
"So how do you know all this if you were asleep?" Charlie asked saying the first thing that she thought of
"Brooke's like everyone else, she just needed someone to talk to when her anger became a problem" Joey paused looking at Charlie's reflection in the A & E Window she continued "She did it for me so I thought it was only right to do it for her"
Charlie looked at Joey she remembered that was one of the reasons she loved Joey because she cared so much about other people, she thought about what Joey had told her and something sounded odd to her so she asked Joey about it "There's something I don't get though"
"What's that?"
"Well, you said that Brooke began cleaning before looking for Alexis" Joey nodded confirming that was what Brooke did, still not looking at Charlie "Why would she be more worried about cleaning than finding her sister?"
"I thought the same thing, so I asked her and she explained that it was something that she couldn't help doing"
"How could she not help it?" Charlie asked slightly confused
"Of course you wouldn't now, Brooke has OCD has had since she was twelve"
"You mean OCD as in Obsessive Compulsive Disorder?"
"Yeah, she was on medication to control it until the doctors discovered that she was diabetic and the insulin she takes clashed and made her ill so they took her off it"
"Wow so she doesn't really have the best health does she?"
"No, I think that's why she works out so much it's the only thing she can control that doesn't involve medication and check-ups"
Charlie looked at Joey wanting to ask her about Frankee and how they meet and became a couple but she didn't want to offend Joey so just asked the first thing she could think of "So...um how did Brooke become a singer then?" 'What an idiot why would you ask that' she said to herself
"Well she was working in a garage as a mechanic in London and by luck or whatever you wanna call it, but Brooke was fixing a customer's car, she started singing as she was fixing the Car, As she was singing Carl was walking by the shop and heard her voice then a month later he signed her"
"But isn't she in a group?"
"She was in the band at the time and Brooke was already popular with woman and so was Frankee anyway she told Carl then he went and saw them perform and signed them all as a unit"
"Okay, so how did the group form?"
"Well Brooke and Frankee have been friends since they were kids, Cassie lived on the opposite side of Brooke's road and Kaliegh is Frankee's cousin and her Frankee and Brooke were in the same classes in school together so they all knew each other pretty well, it's kinda of a coincidence that they were all interested in women"
"What about Mel? How does she know Brooke?"
"Mel and Brooke meet when they were fourteen they had to do an Music Project together and they clicked I suppose"
"So have they been together since then?"
"No, Brooke knew she was Gay when she was Seven, but Mel didn't know until she was Fifthteen so she says, Her and Brooke stayed Friends then Brooke being Brooke dated every Lesbian in the school and every Bi girl in the school, come to think of it she probably sleep with most of the straight girls too, anyway one day they in Brooke's words Hooked up and they were together for ten years until recently"
"So they must off been pretty happy to stay together that long?"
"Well yeah otherwise there would have been no point in them getting married"
"What their married?"
"Yeah well as good as it gets for our community..." noticing the look of confusion on Charlie's face Joey explained "They have a civil partnership"
"Oh okay, can you clear something up for me?"
"I can try depending on what it is?"
"Well Brooke said she and Mel are still together but she didn't seem happy about it, if she's not happy with her why stay with her?"
"I was talking to Frankee on the phone last night and she said that basically Carl wants them to stay together because it's 'good for the band' "
"Isn't that bad on Brooke?"
"Yeah, but Carl only cares about making money"
"And why doesn't Frankee or the others stick up for Brooke"
"Frankee stayed out of it because her and Brooke kinda fell out"
"How comes?"
"Because of me and Frankee being a couple"
"So she isn't happy about you and Frankee?"
"Not exactly I didn't even know why she was so angry it kinda came out of nowhere but now I know Mel cheated it makes sense to me"
"So she was okay with it before?"
"Well, Brooke was never happy about me and Frankee even when we first got together Eleven months ago"
"Why do you think she wasn't happy about it?" Charlie asked hoping it might help her get Brooke on her side in the future
"I think she was trying to protect after everything that happened with Robbo and Brett, I think she felt guilty for not being there for me when I needed her, and then she realized that me and Frankee were together"
"How do you know that?"
"From her reaction when Frankee told her"
"So she reacted badly then?"
"You could say that...She grabbed Frankee by the throat and pinned her against the wall, and then threatened to break her neck if she ever hurt me"
"So they haven't talked for Eleven months?"
"No, I asked Brooke to stop ignoring Frankee"
"And just like that she did?" Charlie asked from what little she knew from Brooke she didn't seem like the kind of woman that would change her mind easily unless she choose to herself
"No she didn't, it took a lot of begging on my part and me promising to duet with her on the bands next album, Plus I asked Mel to you know use other methods to convince her. That was before I realized what A cheat Mel is of course"
"Of course, so how comes their not talking again? If you don't mind me asking"
"It's fine I don't mind, We were all out one night two months ago and everyone was talking about Mel and Brooke being different since they got married how much happier they were when Frankee started joking about me and her getting married and Brooke didn't take it too well when Frankee wouldn't stop all week"
"And they haven't talked since then?"
"Nope not even a syllable, that's until yesterday of course"
"That is a long time" Charlie nervously checked her watch for the time "Brooke should be out of surgery now, I'll go and check"
"Okay, Thanks" Joey watched as Charlie walked away from her and towards the Emergency entrance, she couldn't help but let her eyes wonder, as she was letting her thoughts run wild, her phone rang bringing back from her thoughts "Hello...oh Auntie Maxine...yeah they were trying to call you...Auntie Maxine Brooke's been hurt...No it wasn't an accident we think she was attacked...I'm not too sure she's in surgery they won't know until she wakes up...okay, I'll transfer some money in the morning for the flights...yeah I will you too bye"
As Joey placed the phone back in her pocket, she looked up to she Charlie had reappeared and was walking towards her, she sat down next to her on the bench in the same place she was seated before, she turned her body slightly trying to get Joey to face
"Joey?" Charlie took a deep breath in "Please look at me. I don't want to tell you how Brooke's is while looking at your back...Please?" Joey hesitated going to turn but stopping and thinking to herself a few seconds after she turned completely around so she was facing her, she realized the real reasion that she hadn't wanted to look at Charlie, she had forgotten just how amazing beautiful she was up close. "I was just talking to Doctor Ryan and he said that they have completed the surgery but they don't know now exactly how much damage has been caused to her brain and her spine until she wakes up" She paused seeing the tears forming in Joey's eyes she placed a supporting hand on Joey's shoulder and was slightly shocked when Joey leaned in wards to her resting her head on her shoulder " But he said that the surgery was a success and everything is looking good"
Joey lifted her head up from Charlie's shoulder and looked at her in the eyes,
"He actually said it was a success?" She asked hoping
"Yeah, he said that they repaired all the damage to her skull and spine"
Joey couldn't help but smile; she stood up and went to walk away
"Joey, where are you going?" Slightly worried and confused
"I'm gonna tell Frankee and Mel the good news"
Charlie softly placed her hand on Joey's arm and pulled her gently back to where she was standing "Joey, there is a possibility that Brooke could either be Brain dead or never walk again"
"Charlie, I appreciate you telling me but I'm not stupid. I know the possibilities but I also know my cousin and as long as she's able to awake or not she will fight." Joey took a deep breath in "But thank you anyway for everything" She moved closer to Charlie and rapped her arms around Charlie's back hugging her she felt Charlie hug her back and smiled to herself. As she pulled out of the hug, she found herself mesmerized by Charlie's eyes she looked deep into Charlie's eyes almost forgetting where they were and everything that had happened between them two years before, they both moved closer together their lips getting closer and closer together...