Chapter Sixty-Nine

When the sun began to peep through the curtains in her bedroom, Charlie squeezed her eyes shut a little tighter, desperate for the day not to begin. It was only going to be another day of pain and hurt and the knowledge that Ruby hated her. At least in dreams, Charlie could pretend that everything was alright. In the waking world, nothing made sense. Snuggling in a little closer to Joey, Charlie tried to stay asleep although she was unhappily aware that her eyes were making a bid to open. Sighing, she knew that she couldn't stay asleep any longer. Blinking awake, she stretched out. Joey stirred beside her and mumbled good morning, although neither of them was waking very happily. Finding each other's eyes, they gazed lovingly at each other, although the sense of loss in the air around them was still stifling. They rubbed noses and Joey placed her lips tenderly on Charlie's forehead.

"How are you feeling this morning?" she asked.

"Like I want to go to sleep forever," Charlie sighed sadly.

"Oh, you can't do that," Joey protested. "I'd miss you too much."

They found each other's lips, pulling away only when Charlie was surprised by a yawn.

"I'll get us some coffee and bring it back to bed, okay?" Joey said, slipping out from beneath the covers.

Charlie watched her pull some tracksuit bottoms on over the loose t-shirt she was sleeping in and glide out of the room.

***

For the second morning running, Ruby awoke in Xavier's arms. His presence was comforting and she felt safe. They had spent most of the night talking and then made love for the second time in their relationship. She felt close to him and knew she was relying on him to be her support and protector now that she felt so betrayed by Charlie and Ross. It seemed as if they had all gone behind her back and it made her feel sick. There were so many questions charging around in her brain and she didn't know if they would or could ever be answered. Part of her, a small part, felt compassion to what teenage Charlie had been through but still, she firmly believed that honesty had been the best policy. She should have been raised by Charlie, not by her grandparents. They should never have lied to her, no matter how confusing the situation was. Perhaps they thought they were protecting her but they had only succeeded in breaking her heart.

***

Angelo arrived at work early and the moment he stepped through the station doors, he realised that news of his argument with Charlie had spread around as far as work. Watson stood on reception and he was sure that if looks could kill, he'd be six feet under in an instant. She had only recently stopped giving him evils and now they were back again. First he had killed Jack and now he had hurt Charlie. He hadn't meant to do either of those things but perhaps that was all he was capable of. He was in Summer Bay in order to redeem himself, to win back his freedom and atone for his sins by bringing a massive crime ring down in flames. But he wasn't getting anywhere fast and he'd let his emotions and his love for Charlie get in the way. Yet again, his mind drifted back to that moment on the cliff edge after Tony had assaulted him. He'd only saved himself because of Charlie. Right at that moment, he had been ready to let go but she had saved him. Now that he had lost even her friendship, he had no idea what to do.

***

Still in bed, Charlie and Joey drank their morning coffee. Joey had even been kind enough to toast some bread for them. At first, Charlie had insisted that she wasn't hungry but as soon as Joey had coerced her into having one bite, she'd realised she was actually starving and eaten more than her fair share of the meal.

"I should try and call Ruby," Charlie said.

Never before had she been miserable about contacting her daughter. Joey nodded and held her hand.

"Why don't you wait until you're up and dressed first?" she suggested.

Charlie nodded and downed the last of her drink.

"I'd better get to it then," she said, swinging her legs off the bed with the intention of getting showered.

"Would you like some company?" Joey asked. "Platonically, I mean."

Charlie nodded and Joey followed her from the room.

***

Martha couldn't fail to notice that both Xavier and Ruby exited Xavier's room in the morning and she dreaded to think what Charlie would say if she discovered that little detail. When Martha had agreed that the teenager could stay, a decision that could have cost her friendship with one of her closest friends, she had made it clear that Ruby needed to sleep in the spare room. It was the room they let Brendan stay in when he visited or Gina whenever she was around. She raised a disapproving eyebrow and the teenagers hurried to apologise and explain that Ruby hadn't felt up to being alone.

"Okay," Martha sighed, "but don't make a habit of it."

She nearly added that Charlie would kill her but mentioning her name in front of Ruby at the moment didn't seem like a safe option.

"We won't," Xavier promised, seating himself at the breakfast table.

Ruby sat beside him.

***

Ross and Morag sat down to breakfast with Aden who looked sad and lost like he always seemed to these days. Belle's death seemed like in impassable mountain for him. It almost made Ross feel guilty for moving on so quickly after the death of his first wife. To be fair, they hadn't had the relationship that Aden and Belle had had and they'd lived together as man and wife for a long time. His wife hadn't been snatched away from him only weeks after his wedding day. He focussed on his coffee, willing himself not to become emotional. He had so many regrets in his life; ones that even his Alzheimer's wouldn't let him forget. He wondered for the millionth time if it was possible for him to ever make amends.

***

Ruby hung up on Charlie for the sixth time. Every time she saw her name flash up on screen, she felt a wave of anger flood through her mind and body. Fighting the urge to fling her mobile clean across the room, she set it down on the table next to the couch. It rang again. She let it continue, glaring all the while. Xavier entered the room, having taken a shower and got dressed. He studied his girlfriend as she ignored her phone.

"Maybe you should just talk to her," he suggested.

"I have nothing to say to her."

Sighing, he came to sit beside her and put an arm around her shoulders.

"Ruby, I'm not saying forgive her but..."

"Forgiveness is completely out of the question, Xave," she snapped.

"I know, I know," he said, holding up his hands defensively. "Sorry."

"No, I'm sorry," Ruby apologised. "It's not your fault. None of this is. And it's not mine either. It's all Charlie's fault. And Ross's."

Xavier hugged her again and kissed the top of her head.

***

Charlie threw the phone down on the bedside table and threw herself back down on her bed. She shut her eyes and fought tears. Ruby hadn't picked up the phone on any of the seven times she'd called. She worried that they would lose each other forever. Feeling someone move slowly above her, Charlie just about managed a smile. She opened her eyes to find Joey atop her, ready to hold her close. Embracing, they kissed gently, letting their tongues explore and play. For several moments, Charlie lost herself in her love for her girlfriend. Once more, she wondered how she would ever cope with this if Joey hadn't been around. Allowing herself to give into her feelings and admit that she was in love with another woman, had been the best risk she'd ever taken.

***

"I am not serving you," Colleen barked, glaring at Angelo as he approached the counter.

He should have known the nosy old woman would have an opinion on how he conducted himself. She had an opinion about everything. Leah appeared and eyed him uncertainly. No doubt the Greek chef had heard all the ins and outs of the story, being Charlie and Joey's housemate – and Ruby's until she had stormed out.

"Colleen, we can't refuse custom to someone for having an argument with someone we love," she said, although her tone was grudging.

"Can I have a coffee and a ham and salad sandwich, please?" he asked.

She nodded and got to work. Suddenly, the cafe went silent. Angelo turned around and came face to face with Charlie's father. He tensed.

"I don't even know how you can show your face in this town," Ross snarled. "After everything with Jack and now betraying Charlie like that. You're scum, Rosetta. You should be rotting in jail."

"Ross, I didn't mean..."

"I don't care," Ross replied coldly.

Angelo's phone rang in his pocket. He pulled it out and cringed when he saw the number of area command. He turned back to Leah and cancelled his food, hurrying out the door.

***

Charlie rang ten more times as morning became afternoon, which melted into evening. Ruby and Xavier had skipped school, despite Martha and Hugo's protestations, and spent the day watching movies together, wrapped up in a blanket.

"Oh would you fuck off and get the fucking message?" Ruby bellowed angrily.

Xavier was a little startled at the outburst. It wasn't like her.

"Can't she get it through her thick head that I hate her? I never want to see her again in my whole life. She's dead to me now," Ruby stated.

"Ruby, you don't mean that..."

"Yes I do, Xavier. I hate her. She doesn't love me. I'm just a mistake, a trauma that she's been forced to live with for sixteen years."

"Ruby, if Charlie didn't love you, do you think she'd bother trying to get in touch with you? You're her daughter. She can't just not love you."

"Don't you dare refer to her as my mother. She is not my mother. And she never could be."

"Sorry," he said awkwardly. "All I'm saying is that she must love you. She must care. And I know you're hurting but..."

"You're on her side, aren't you?" Ruby accused.

"No! I'm not saying that. Just..."

"Just what, Xave?" she challenged.

"Just that I can kind of understand..."

"If you say that you can understand why she lied to me for my whole life, I am walking out of here right now and I am not coming back," she informed him.

He stuttered over trying to change his sentence.

"Great," she said, getting to her feet. "You're just as big a let down as they are. Thanks a lot!"

With that, she stormed into her bedroom and grabbed the still packed bags she'd brought over the previous day. Xavier followed her to the front door, desperately pleading with her to stay but it was no use. She walked out without looking back.

***

Angelo tensed as his boss, the man in charge of the whole secret mission waited for him down at the docks.

"What the hell have you been up to?" the man said.

"Sir, I didn't mean to..."

"You seem to make a habit of having accidents, Rosetta. They usually involve screwing over your colleagues."

"That's not fair!"

"You shot Jack Holden and now you're messing around with Charlie Buckton. Do you care to explain to me exactly what happened?"

"I did... um... I did a background check on Charlie," he explained.

"Why?"

"Because I wanted to know what was wrong with her. She was stressed out and I wanted to help."

"By going behind her back? And most importantly, by drawing attention to yourself and making yourself unpopular in Summer Bay when you're meant to be working your arse off closing this human trafficking case?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Good. Don't screw up again."

He turned and stormed away leaving Angelo, as ever, alone.

***

With Joey's coercion, Charlie finally gave up and decided that calling Ruby nearly twenty times in one day was enough. She resigned herself to trying again tomorrow. And she felt grateful to not have gone out and done anything particularly exciting all day. She and Joey had just spent time together. Joey was the most comforting presence she had ever been lucky enough to keep with her. Her girlfriend had made her drinks and food all day. She had cuddled her and kissed her, talked to her and kept her company. She'd been amazing and Charlie hoped that when all the pain was done with and Ruby had come home, she might be able to do something special for Joey.

***

Xavier sat at home alone, staring at an empty television screen. His heart was heavy and he could hardly believe that Ruby had just walked out on him like that. It didn't make sense. All he had done was try and help by offering another perspective. But she hadn't wanted that. She'd wanted them to spend the night bitching about Charlie and making her out to be the devil. But he couldn't do that. His heart went out to the teenage girl who had been raped and forced into pregnancy. How much pain must she have been in to raise her daughter as her sister? He could barely imagine her suffering and he wished that Ruby could see beyond her own suffering and realise the state that Charlie must have been in back when Ruby was conceived.

***

Geoff was watching mindless television when there was a soft knock at the door. He turned to see Ruby standing there, looking tearful and clutching a handful of bags. Leaping up, he rushed to her, asking her if she was okay. It wasn't lost on him that she and Charlie had fallen out. The news of Ruby's true parentage was all around town now.

"Would it be alright if I crashed for the night?" she asked. "I've got nowhere else to go."