Chapter Eleven
It had been a strange day for both Charlie and Joey and it had involved a lot of changes. Joey had officially pressed charges against Robbo and come out to her brother. Brett had believed her about Robbo but he'd disowned her when he'd found out that she liked girls instead of boys. Made homeless, she'd ended up at Charlie's house again with one person in the whole world, aside from Aden to look out for her. Charlie had yet again taken Joey's case to heart and probably overstepped her professional boundaries by inviting Joey to stay but she didn't care. She felt responsible for getting Joey kicked out of her home. She hadn't seen it coming. Who on earth was homophobic anymore? It made no sense to her. Brett had even gone so far as to accuse her of being a lesbian, which she wasn't quite sure how she felt about. Once again, Joey was tucked up in Charlie's bed and Charlie was preparing to share with Ruby but before she did so, she brought Joey a hot drink, ready to tuck her in and make sure she felt safe.
"I'm a depressed, homeless, gay orphan with no friends or family," Joey tried to joke. "I'm just great."
"Hey, that's not true," Charlie protested. "I'm your friend."
She grinned. Joey laughed and nodded.
"Thank you for being my friend," she said.
Charlie came to sit on the side of the bed.
"Thank you," Joey repeated sincerely. "I know this is a lot of work for you."
"Hey, I'm here because I want to be, not because I have to be. This isn't part of my job, Joey."
"Then why are you helping me so much?"
Charlie thought about it. She wasn't sure she knew the answer. There was just something about Joey that made her wanted to wrap her up tightly and hold her close. She wanted to be emotionally, spiritually and physically close to her. It was strange. She never wanted to be that close to anybody.
"Because you're worth it," she said, finally settling on what felt like the right answer.
Joey blushed, feeling special. It wasn't something she was used to.
"So, do you have plans tomorrow?" Charlie asked.
"Well, you said about finalising the AVO," Joey said.
"After that?"
"Looking for a place to live."
Charlie shook her head.
"No, you're not doing that," she said.
"I'm not?"
"Until we've completely sorted this thing with Robbo, I want to keep you where I can see you and know you're safe, okay?"
"I don't want to be a bother, Charlie. It isn't practical for you and Ruby to share…"
"Do I look like I'm taking no for an answer?"
Joey chuckled.
"Humour me, okay?"
"Okay," Joey said. "So, what am I doing instead of house hunting?"
"We're going to go out and have some fun and forget about everything you've been through recently."
"We are?"
Joey yawned involuntarily
"We are. But right now, you're going to get some sleep."
Charlie got to her feet and guided Joey back against the pillows. Joey closed her eyes, allowing Charlie to take control as she snuggled under the blankets. Charlie kissed Joey's forehead and took Joey's empty cup away as she headed out of the room, flipping off the light as she did so.
The afternoon sun blazed, the car windows were wound down and Joey enjoyed the breeze in her hair. It felt good to relax in Charlie's company as the radio played and the two women sang idly along to the music. Joey looked at her friend out of the corner of her eye and smiled. They had spent the morning doing the final paperwork that would, in theory, keep Robbo away from her until the trial and now Charlie was taking her further along the coast with a picnic so that they could both let off some steam and have some fun. Charlie said they both deserved it and Joey thought she was right.
"What are you smiling at?" Charlie asked, curious and amused.
"I'm just happy," Joey said, flushed at being caught out.
Charlie beamed.
"Well, that is the best thing I could ever have heard!" she said.
Charlie and Joey lay stretched out on a large blanket, enjoying the sun and the sound of the surf. The area of the beach they had chosen was completely secluded.
"So, tell me about you, Joey," Charlie said, gazing at the single cloud in the distance.
"About me?"
"Yes, about you."
"There's not much to tell really."
"Where did you grow up?"
"I'm supposed to have grown up?" Joey chuckled.
Charlie laughed.
"I was raised in various coastal towns," Joey explained. "My Dad never had a steady job so we lived here, there and everywhere. We settled here when I was fifteen, so ten years ago. My Mum was a housewife."
"Were you and Brett ever close?"
"When we were kids, yeah, I guess. He looked out for me at school and stuff."
"Did you have a hard time at school?"
"Kind of," Joey admitted. "I mean, it wasn't bad exactly. Just a little lonely. I didn't really have any friends."
Charlie instinctively reached out and held Joey's hand. They lay like that while they talked.
"I guess I've always been the kind of person who keeps herself to herself."
Charlie understood.
"I guess I've always been the same."
"Really?" Joey asked.
"Ruby's always telling me off for not letting people in," Charlie admitted. "Whenever I enter relationships, I never let guys get close to me and if I feel it starting to happen I go into arrest mode."
"You arrest them?" Joey asked, wide eyed.
"Arrest mode is what Ruby calls pushing them away," Charlie explained, laughing lightly.
"Why do you do that?" Joey wanted to know.
"I don't know," Charlie sighed. "It's just hard to be real with people, I guess."
"You're being real with me now," Joey pointed out.
"You're different."
It was true. Everything about Joey was different. She got to the heart of Charlie and Charlie wasn't sure how. Something made her want to tell Joey the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. She wanted to be honest and open with her feelings. It was strange but it was nice.
"I'll take that as a compliment," Joey said, squeezing Charlie's hand gently.
Charlie suddenly realised that she was lying on the beach in a bikini holding hands with a girl and wasn't finding it strange. She turned her head to face Joey, studying her profile.
"Have you had a lot of relationships?" she asked.
"A couple," Joey said. "Nothing really serious."
"With girls?"
"Yeah."
"Any guys?"
Joey shook her head.
"I mean, I've kissed a few guys and had those silly 'boyfriends' you have when you're twelve and everything but they've never been actual boyfriends."
Charlie suddenly felt awkward as she had a burning desire to ask a question. Joey turned to look at her, sensing that something was on Charlie's mind.
"What?" she asked.
"Nothing," Charlie said.
"Charlie?" Joey coaxed.
"Well, forgive me for sounding like a heterosexual male but…"
"You're going to ask me what girls do, aren't you?" Joey accused gently.
Charlie blushed. Joey laughed.
"Well, mostly it's just what straight couples do, I imagine but without the... you know. Like what he'd do with his mouth and his hands to… to make you happy."
"I haven't met many guys that generous!" Charlie snorted. "Mostly it's about the… you know!"
"Really?"
"I remember one guy complaining that he didn't like doing that before demanding a blow job."
"You're kidding? He didn't like it? I love it!" Joey said, without realising what she was saying.
Charlie giggled and Joey turned crimson.
"I mean… okay, you didn't need to know that."
"I don't mind," Charlie said. "It's an interesting fact about you."
"Still…" Joey said, struggling to recover.
"You're adorable when you're embarrassed."
Joey bit her lip and couldn't find words.
"Hey, shall we go for a swim?" Charlie suggested, attempting to give Joey an escape route.
"Let's!" Joey said, getting to her feet.
