Call it Easter joy or nerves over going into hospital but I am giving you two chapters a day this week so I hope you enjoy them. Today is A Different Way and Forbidden and tomorrow will be the usual two chapters of Emotional Intelligence. I won't be updating anything on Friday though, just to let you know. We are having a family day trip to Legoland (my nephew is obsessed with the stuff!) and I'm unlikely to manage anything fanfic related, although I have written a tonne of chapters in advance so as soon as I am free of my hospital bed, I can start updating pre-written stuff. I hope you enjoy the chapter. This is pretty much the calm before the storm. Thank you so much for all your support – both for my writing and my treatment. I love you all! IJKS xxx
***
Chapter Eighty-Eight
"Are you sure it's okay to do this?" Joey asked over breakfast.
Charlie put a gentle hand on her arm and nodded.
"We can cope until you get a new job," she promised. "Being happy is more important."
Joey smiled gratefully and finished her toast.
"You're the best girlfriend ever!" she giggled.
***
"Ruby would you hurry up?" Geoff complained, banging on the bathroom door.
"I'll be out in a minute!" Ruby yelled back.
As much as they adored each other, the shower war was getting tiring. Ruby had surprised herself on more than one occasion by entertaining the thought of them saving the hassle and sharing. She heard him grumble on the other side of the door. Waiting an extra ten seconds to cheekily spite him, she exited the bathroom in her towel.
"I totally didn't take my time on purpose," she smirked.
"You totally did!" he accused with a grin.
She poked him in the shoulder and ran off. He immediately gave chase around the couch in the living room. She clutched her towel tightly, laughing.
"Again, what the hell is going on?"
They stopped, startled when they saw Xavier standing in the doorway. Ruby blanched. Now this really did look bad. She was in a towel and Geoff was topless. Even she could see that it looked wrong, although in her head it was all perfectly innocent.
"Xave..." she tried.
"Forget it," he told her. "You don't need to explain."
He left.
***
"Well, we're sorry to see you go," Joey's boss said.
She smiled politely, surprised by just how relieved she was to be saying goodbye. She also felt very lucky at how supportive Charlie had been over everything. It was hardly the easiest time in her life and yet she was willing to put Joey first. She'd never felt so loved in all her life.
"Is it because of the warning I gave you?"
He was starting to regret that now.
"No, not really," Joey said. "It's just... time for me to move on."
He nodded.
"You can pick up your final wage at the end of the week," he said.
She nodded and thanked him before heading round to Aden's house.
***
Charlie had gone to work in the morning and was glad to head home at lunch time. Everything had been weighing so heavily on her recently that she was tired all the time. She was very much looking forward to a nap and hoped that when Joey was done with Aden, she'd come and join her. She could very easily handle an afternoon snuggled up in bed with her girlfriend. She paused on her way to her bedroom when there was a knock on the door. Sighing, she turned back to the kitchen and smiled when she saw that Ruby was standing on the doorstep.
"Ruby!" she said.
She was thrilled every time her daughter showed up and hoped that it meant they were making progress.
"Can we talk?" the teenager asked.
***
Joey had arrived at Aden's and found him asleep on the couch. Having let herself in, she'd woken him up with coffee and they'd spent a nice morning together. She'd made them both some lunch and he'd spent most of the time pouring his heart out about Belle. It appeared to be doing him some good and she felt honoured to be the one he turned to.
"So, anyway," he said. "I've been dominating the conversation all day. How are you?"
"I'm pretty good," Joey told him. "I quit my job before I came here."
"You quit your job?" he asked, surprised.
She nodded.
"But you love trawler work," he said.
"I do but it all got ruined for me really. I wasn't going to leave but I told Charlie how I was feeling and she said that it was more important to be happy than keep working. So I quit this morning and I'll start looking around for something else."
"What do you want to do?"
Joey shrugged. She had no idea.
***
"Is this about you wanting to find... him?" Charlie asked.
Ruby looked a little startled and shook her head. She wanted to talk about Xavier. Back before she'd found out the truth about Charlie, she'd turned to her over all kinds of things like that. And she wanted to try and get that back.
"What is it then?" Charlie asked.
"Xavier," Ruby sighed.
Charlie nodded and sank back on the sofa. All thoughts of sleep were long forgotten.
***
"Are you looking forward to your birthday party?" Hugo asked Brendan.
His little brother nodded and continued watching television. Hugo hoped that it would go well. Brendan deserved it. The family, including Martha, would all be there and Xavier had invited Ruby, Charlie and Joey to join them too. It was strange really. Hugo loved Martha so much. He was surprised by just how much she had come to mean to him. But he knew that Charlie would always be the one that got away. She'd been the first woman to catch his eye when he had first arrived in the Bay and he could kick himself for failing to make the date he'd asked her out on. And it was too late now. She was with Joey and she'd spurned his advances the one time he'd tried anyway. Still, he supposed life had turned out pretty well. He had Martha and she was amazing. Now, if he could only fix his business problems, everything would be perfect.
***
"I think, if you've got feelings for Geoff and you've lost interest in Xavier you just need to tell him," Charlie told Ruby. "It's not fair to keep Xavier hanging on like that."
She was surprised to find herself feeling a little sad. She had not been keen on Ruby's choice of boyfriend to begin with but as their relationship had developed, she'd really started to like him. He was sweet and he'd been ever so supportive when Charlie and Joey had been dragged out of the closet. And most importantly, he adored Ruby.
"Even if Geoff isn't interested in me?" Ruby asked.
She frowned, realising exactly how it sounded. Charlie frowned too.
"I'm leading Xave on, aren't I?"
"Having been the person dating someone who was into someone else, yes, you are," Charlie said, trying not to sound harsh. "I knew Roman loved Martha and it broke my heart. I feel so lucky to have Joey now, to know that she loves me for exactly who I am."
Ruby nodded, wondering if and hoping that Geoff might turn out to be her Joey. She smiled.
"I'm glad you've got her," she said honestly. "She's good for you."
Charlie smiled.
"She is," she replied.
"What's she up to today anyway?" Ruby asked.
It felt good to be natural with Charlie again. They almost felt normal.
"She's quitting her job, actually," Charlie said.
Ruby was surprised.
"She's quitting?" she asked. "Why?"
"Well, it all came out yesterday that she's not happy there," Charlie explained. "I feel really bad that I didn't realise it before."
"Well, how would you know if she didn't tell you?" Ruby asked. "Don't be so hard on yourself, Charlie."
The older woman smiled affectionately at her daughter. It felt wonderful to be close to her again.
"I guess," she said. "But I told her to leave her job. We'll cope. I'll have to reduce my payments into her birthday fund but I can pick it back up again when she's found something else."
"What do you think she'll be looking for?"
"She has no idea!"
They chuckled softly before meeting each other's gaze.
"Charlie, please tell me about my Dad."
***
"Okay, you can walk me home," Joey announced, glancing at her watch and standing up.
"Do I have to?" Aden asked, feeling very lazy.
"You are not staying in this house all day," Joey informed him. "Up."
He groaned and hauled himself to his feet. They headed out into the sunshine together.
***
"Ruby, there's nothing to say about him," Charlie insisted, disappointed that it was becoming such an issue.
"I want to know where I come from," Ruby insisted.
"He was an average boy," Charlie said. "Average looks, average grades and a nasty piece of work. Okay?"
Charlie was feeling tense and she was snapping more than she meant to. Ruby frowned. Their nice afternoon together was ruined. All she could be grateful for now was that Charlie hadn't noticed she was skipping school. She supposed Charlie was grateful for any time they had together. And she wasn't sure how she felt about that.
***
Xavier walked home from school with Jai, feeling utterly miserable. All he could think about was Ruby and Geoff, chasing each other round the house, scantily clad. It made him sad and it made him angry. She'd tried to speak to him at lunch time but he'd ignored her. Now, he was starting to regret that decision. Ruby hadn't come back to school and he couldn't help but feeling worried and suspicious all at the same time. Pulling out his phone, he rang her.
***
"It's Xavier," Ruby told Charlie, grateful for the interruption. "I'd better head out and take it."
Charlie nodded and agreed, walking to the door. She was sad when Ruby hurried away, simply yelling 'bye' over her shoulder and nothing more before she answer her boyfriend's call. Sighing heavily, Charlie wanted her bed more than anything. She shut the door and hurried to her room, removing her shoes and trousers and diving beneath the blankets.
***
"Do you want to stay for a coffee?" Joey asked when she and Aden arrived back at her place.
"No," he said. "I'll be jittery if I have anymore caffeine."
She grinned. They had consumed a fair amount today although strangely, it was making her more tired than anything.
"Thanks for a great day, Joey," Aden said, hugging her. "I really appreciate."
"Well, I kind of love you so..." she smirked.
"I kind of love you too," he replied.
They parted and she watched him leave. Heading into the house, she called Charlie's name and found her nearly asleep and tucked into bed. She smiled and dived in beside her, immediately cuddling up close and more than happy for a nap.
