Chapter Twelve

Charlie and Joey arrived home giggling after their day on the beach. They found Ruby studying at the table.

"Hey, Rubes," Charlie greeted.

She presented her sister with a shell she'd found that was shaped like a heart. Ruby looked up from her books and broke into a smile, suddenly forgetting to grumble that Joey was stealing all her attention.

"I saw it and thought you'd like it," Charlie said affectionately, sitting beside her.

Joey hovered a little nervously. She still felt shy. Charlie pulled out a chair and gestured for her friend to sit down. Joey did and Ruby smiled at her. She liked Joey. It was just that aside from work, she was used to having Charlie all to herself. Since Roman and a brief dalliance with Angelo, Charlie didn't really date and she wasn't the most sociable of people either. She was mostly at the mercy of Ruby's every whim. Having a new friend was strange and interesting. Ruby's selfish streak came out when someone else came along to whisk her away.

"Thanks, Charles," Ruby said, reaching out to hug her. "So, did you guys have a nice day while I was trapped at school?"

"It was great!" Charlie enthused. "We sunbathed, we swam, we ate far too much ice cream."

"It was awesome," Joey agreed, unable to keep from smiling.

She felt that she and Charlie had really got to know each other. It was peculliar. She wasn't used to having friends really and she certainly had never known someone as special or as interesting as Charlie. She hoped that they could be friends for life.

"And Charlie almost managed to stand up on the surf board," Joey teased.

"I did!" Charlie said, nodding proudly.

***

Charlie woke up with a jolt. It took a couple of moments to adjust to the darkness and realise that she was sharing a room with Ruby. Furrowing her brow, she wondered what had woken her and then she registered the distant screaming that had infiltrated her dreams. Without thinking, she leapt from the bed and hurried towards her own bedroom, pausing only to carefully and quietly close the door behind her, not wanting to disturb Ruby who had school in the morning. Reaching the closed bedroom door enclosing Joey in her bad dreams, Charlie took a breath. Not bothering to knock, she pushed it open and crept over to the bed. Joey was thrashing about. She'd thrown the covers off and had broken out in a tortured sweat. Tears spilled from her eyes as she pushed away an imaginary attacker.

"No!" she screamed.

Charlie sank to her knees by the bed.

"Joey," she said softly.

"No! Don't!" Joey yelled.

Charlie reached out and caught hold of her flailing hands, not restraining her but gently letting her know that she was present.

"Joey, it's Charlie. You're having a nightmare. Joey, wake up," she said.

With her free hand, she stroked Joey's forehead.

"Please, don't!" Joey cried.

"Joey, sweetheart," Charlie coaxed.

Joey slowly began to blink open her eyes. She focussed on Charlie and managed to utter her name.

"Hey," Charlie said. "You were having a nightmare.

Joey blinked at her, embarrassed and frightened. Charlie smiled kindly and reached to tuck her back into the duvet.

"Sorry," Joey said weakly. "I didn't mean to wake you."

"It's fine," Charlie said, stroking her hair. "As long as you're alright."

Joey nodded, although she wasn't sure she was. It had all been so real. She reached up and wiped the tears from her eyes.

"Can I get you anything?" Charlie asked.

"I'll be okay. Sorry again," Joey said.

Charlie kissed the top of Joey's head and left the room.

***

Charlie had only been back in bed for five minutes when she heard Joey crying out again. She bolted back into the room and woke her up. Joey burst into tears, erupting into apologies.

"Joey, would you like me to stay?" Charlie offered.

"Would... would you mind?" Joey asked, feeling terribly guilty.

Charlie walked round to the other side of the bed and climbed underneath the duvet. She eased Joey into her arms and the two of them lay against each other, closing their eyes, ready to sleep for the rest of the night.