Chapter Ninety-Two
Charlie, Joey and Ruby arrived back home with the adrenaline still pumping. Bursting into the kitchen, Charlie allowed herself to breathe a sigh of relief for the first time. The three of them had barely spoken during the drive home, during which Charlie had just barely obeyed the speed limit.
"Why did you to the city?" Joey asked the teenager who blanched.
She chewed her lip and looked tearful. Charlie also turned to her, wanting answers.
"I wanted to tell him that I hated him," she said, suddenly feeling very stupid.
Charlie sighed and sank into a kitchen chair. She buried her head in her hands. Joey immediately stood behind her and touched her hands to her shoulders. She stroked her hair. She didn't think she'd ever seen Charlie to frightened before. It was unnerving to realise that her hero, the big, strong cop was just as fragile as the next person. Ruby was frozen to the spot.
"I'm sorry," she managed.
Charlie looked and their tearful expressions met.
"It's okay," Charlie said.
Ruby came to sit down beside her and tentatively reached for her hand.
"I hate him for what he did to you," she ventured. "It makes me sick to think what I came from and I... I know it's stupid but I had to see him. I had to tell him to his face what he'd done, how much he'd ruined your life."
Charlie swallowed and clung onto her daughter.
"What he did to me was evil," she said. "And yes, for a time, I thought he had wrecked my life. But Ruby, I got you out of it. If it hadn't happened then you wouldn't exist and I... I couldn't bear that."
"But you gave me away," Ruby said, growing more tearful.
Joey moved away and began to make drinks for all of them so that they could calm down.
"Because that's what was best for you," Charlie replied honestly. "I've only ever wanted the best for you, Ruby."
Ruby nodded and sighed heavily.
"Thank you for sticking up for me," Charlie finally said.
They exchanged sad smiles and Joey placed three glasses of orange juice on the table. They were surprised by a loud bang at the door. Joey moved towards it. A man attempted to force his way inside. Charlie leapt to her feet, screaming wildly for him to get out. It didn't take a genius to work out who it was. Using all her strength, Joey tried to slam the door on him but he was too strong.
"You've just wrecked my life, you bitch!" Grant snarled.
Charlie moved to help Joey slam the door. Grant continued to push back, trying desperately to get inside. Instinctively, Joey moved forward. She aimed her knee directly between his legs. He cried out in pain and stumbled back. Joey and Charlie slammed the door, breathing hard.
"I'll call the police," Ruby said quickly, pulling out her phone.
Charlie sank against the door and onto the floor in tears. Joey crouched beside her and stroked her face.
"Charlie?" she said worriedly.
Her girlfriend didn't respond but fell against Joey in defeat.
Watson and Angelo arrived at Charlie, Joey and Leah's house within minutes of getting the call. The house was quiet when they knocked.
"Who is it?" came Joey's voice.
"It's Angelo and Watson," Angelo replied.
Taking a deep breath, Joey pulled the door open.
"What happened?" Angelo asked.
Joey led them through to the lounge, making sure to shut the door again as she, Charlie and Ruby began to explain everything.
Once he had recovered and still clutching his groin, Grant had climbed back into his car and driven away from the house. The likelihood of Charlie calling the police on him was high and he wanted to get away. Arriving at the beach, he killed the engine and looked out to sea. His heart was racing and he could hardly believe how wrong his day had gone. Charlie was obviously older but she looked more or less the same. She was beautiful, which had been half the problem when they were together. Even at thirteen, Grant had been certain that Charlie Buckton was too beautiful to resist and he had never been one to take no for an answer. She'd looked at him today with the same terror in her eyes and her daughter... their daughter... had certainty inherited the feisty side of both her parents. Wincing in pain, he wondered who the other girl had been. She certainly knew how to defend herself and her friends.
Joey saw Angelo and Watson to the door, smiling more politely at one that the other. Shutting the door behind them, she returned to the living room and lay on the couch with her head in Charlie's lap. Charlie immediately began to play with her hair, the way she so often did. She looked exhausted. Ruby sat rigid in her chair. She apologised again.
"It's fine," Charlie said, although she wasn't sure it was.
Grant Bledcoe knowing where they lived could only be a disaster.
"It's not," Ruby sighed. "I didn't think. I'm so sorry."
Joey closed her eyes and relished Charlie's touch, deciding that if she didn't have anything nice to say, she should stay quiet.
"I'm going to go," Ruby decided.
Charlie blanched, immediately worrying that she wouldn't be safe.
"I'm really sorry," Ruby repeated, standing to leave.
"Be safe, okay?" Charlie pleaded.
Ruby nodded and left. Charlie and Joey remained in silence. Charlie continued to play with Joey's hair. She gazed down into her face.
"You were my hero today," she said.
Joey looked confused.
"Getting him out of here like that," Charlie said. "You were amazing."
Joey allowed herself a smile. Charlie bent and kissed her.
"I should have been the one protecting us though," Charlie said. "I'm sorry."
"Hey," Joey said gently, sitting up and resting her forehead against Charlie's. "There's no 'should' here. We both did what we had to do."
"I'm supposed to protect my family," Charlie sighed.
"And I'm supposed to protect mine," Joey said, moving in to kiss her.
Ruby meant to go home but her head was too confused and consumed by the events of the day. In a bid to get some fresh air, she headed down to the beach.
"Ruby?"
She froze at the sound of a now familiar voice. Turning around slowly, she came face to face with Grant.
Charlie and Joey cuddled on the sofa. Both were feeling tearful over the fright they had had. Seeing Grant had brought back all of Charlie's old feelings of panic and shame. Seeing him had automatically reminded Joey of Robbo and it had scared her more than she cared to admit. Her rapist might be in jail and pleading guilty for what he did to her, but no amount of justice could take away the pain and grief she had been through. With their arms wrapped around each other at one end of the couch, they kissed gently, clinging on for dear life.
"I don't want to talk to you," Ruby said, continuing to walk.
Grant followed her, jogging to keep pace.
"Then why did you track me down and come to my house?" he asked. "Why did you make all those accusations? Why did you lie to my wife?"
Ruby turned around and glared at him.
"I didn't lie!" she snapped.
He sighed and looked around in agitation before settling his gaze on her face.
"Look, I don't know what your Mum's told you but..."
"She told me that you raped her," Ruby replied.
Her jaw was set and she was more than ready to attack him if he made even a step towards her.
"It's not true," he said.
Ruby just stared at him.
"I am a happily married man with beautiful kids and good business," Grant said. "I'm not a rapist. Charlie and I... we did date many years ago and yes, we did have sex but... it wasn't rape."
She was startled to find that he was close to tears.
"I would never abuse a woman in that way," he said.
Sinking down onto the nearest bench, he buried his face in his hands. Ruby hovered near him, torn between wanting to scream that he was a liar and wanting to believe that what he was saying was true. If Charlie was wrong, if she was lying or mistaken somehow then perhaps she didn't come from violence after all. She couldn't imagine Charlie lying about something like that, especially considering what Joey had been through with Robbo. But she couldn't help wishing that she was.
"I really cared for your Mum," Grant said. "We were kids and we... we got carried away. Then she regretted it and..."
He sighed heavily.
"Big cop Daddy would have hit the roof if he thought his little girl had been having underage sex. But she was. I don't know what she's like now but she was more than up for that kind of thing."
Ruby began to feel a little sick.
"She was always flirting with the boys, having a good time. She absolutely consented to what happened. If she hadn't... well, you would be here."
Charlie and Joey needed fresh air and food so had decided to take a walk to the Diner. It had been a more than exhausting day.
"I should call Aden," Joey said. "Explain why I ducked out of work."
Charlie nodded and took hold her hand.
"Later?" she asked. "I'm sure he'll understand. And I'm sure he and Geoff will make Irene understand. For now, can you just stay with me?"
Joey nodded and rested her head against Charlie's shoulder.
"I think I left my phone on the kitchen table anyway. How are you feeling?" she asked.
"Still pretty shaken but..."
She wrapped her arm around Joey's waist. Then she froze. Joey looked quizzically at her as Charlie broke into a run. Hurrying to follow, she just about kept pace. Their regular runs along the beach together helped.
"Get away from her!" Charlie yelled.
Joey's heart sank when Grant and Ruby leapt up from where they had been sitting together on a bench.
"Get the hell away from her!"
"Charlie..." Ruby pleaded. "We were just talking."
Charlie roughly pulled Ruby away from Grant.
"You do not talk to my daughter," Charlie warned him.
"I'm entitled to stand up for myself!" Grant argued, glaring directly into his one-time girlfriend's face.
"Stand up for yourself?" Charlie spat.
Joey gently tugged on her arm, wanting to pull her away from the situation and keep them all safe. She dug around in her pocket and cursed herself for leaving her mobile at home. They needed the police now.
"You've told my daughter that I'm a rapist, Charlie," Grant yelled.
"You are a rapist!" Charlie argued. "And she is not your daughter! She's mine!"
"Charlie..." Joey said, pulling on her arm again.
Charlie turned to Ruby.
"Tell me you don't believe him," she begged.
"I..."
Ruby felt torn. She didn't want Charlie to be a liar but she didn't want Grant to be capable of sexual violence either. Yet again she wished for the days when she'd believed she was from a normal family.
"Ruby..." Charlie said, her voice hollow and broken. "Ruby, no..."
"I'll leave you to it," Grant said. "For now."
His voice was dripping with warning. It made Charlie and Joey both uncomfortable but they were grateful at least that he was gone.
"Ruby... please don't say he's poisoned you against me," Charlie said.
She held on tightly to Joey's hand.
"I don't know what to think," Ruby admitted.
"He raped me, Ruby," Charlie said.
Tears ran down her cheeks.
"I wouldn't lie about anything like that."
"I'm not saying you're lying," Ruby said quickly.
"Then what?"
"Maybe you just remember it wrong or, or..."
She trailed off. Charlie cried harder before breaking free of her partner and walking away. Joey stared after her and then looked back at Ruby.
"I can't believe you just said that," she said.
She turned and followed her girlfriend.
