I feel like I don't say thank you enough so thank you, all of you, for all the time you take to read these stories and all the reviews. It means so much. I hope you enjoy the chapter. I'm afraid that the sappy times are over, at least for a short while but I can firmly promise that Charlie and Joey will stay intact as a strong, bonded unit. Love, IJKS xxx
Chapter One Hundred and Twelve
The next day, Joey sent Charlie and Ruby off into town to go shopping together and spend some time bonding. The girls were trying their best but it was plain for the world to see that their relationship was not the thriving one it had once been. Both wanted it to work but so many things had been said and done that both of them were nursing broken hearts. Sitting outside in the sunshine to eat lunch together, Charlie gazed longingly at her daughter.
"Charlie," Ruby said seriously.
Charlie offered her full attention and stopped fiddling with her glass.
"Are we ever going to talk about what happened?"
Charlie sighed and licked her lips. She was aware that Ruby wanted to talk about that night where Grant had unwittingly admitted to raping Charlie. The night she had attacked him.
"Rubes, I don't really think there's much to talk about," she said.
"He admitted it, Charlie. We could... we could press charges and..."
"He didn't say the words," Charlie pointed out. "And anything he did say... Ruby, he was tied up. I'd tortured him. I don't know if I would have even stopped there if you and Joey hadn't shown up."
"Charlie, don't say that. You're not a killer. You could never be a killer. Of course you would have stopped," Ruby said firmly.
Charlie licked her lips and hoped she was right.
"I want you to press charges," the younger girl said.
Charlie shook her head and protested that she couldn't.
"I've ruined any chance of that now," she said. "I'm sorry, Ruby."
"If you knew you were ruining a chance for justice, then why did you do it?" Ruby wanted to know.
They looked up as a waiter placed their food in front of them. They thanked him and then turned back to each other. Ruby searched Charlie's face for some kind of answer.
"I did it for you," Charlie said quietly.
Ruby's hand paused as it took her sandwich to her lips.
"For me?" she asked.
"I just wanted to prove to you what happened," Charlie said. "You didn't believe me and I..."
She ran out of words and looked down.
"What about getting justice?" Ruby asked.
"It's too late for that now. The best we can hope for is that Grant leaves us alone. And at least Joey got justice for what happened to her. That counts for something, right? I couldn't save myself but I hope I helped save her."
She swallowed.
"I guess," Ruby said, but she sounded unhappy. "At least Robbo going to jail is something. Joey means a lot to me. You both do. And I wish I could move past all this. I wish we could get back to normal."
"Can't we?" Charlie asked hopefully.
"I don't know," Ruby admitted.
Joey emerged from the sea feeling refreshed. Aden bounded after her and couldn't quite help checking her out. It surprised him. Joey was his best friend. And he hadn't noticed any other women since Belle had died. He felt lost without her. But days like this with Joey, which were completely platonic, made his life feel that little bit better. Sometimes he worried that he would forget Belle somehow or sully her memory, as he picked his life back up. He was enjoying working on the trawler and had learnt to really appreciate friends like Joey and Nicole. He even appreciated Geoff. But did that meant the pain of losing his wife was lessening? Or was he just learning to cope better? It was a question he didn't quite know how to answer. Flopping down on his towel, he watched Joey dry off and sit beside him.
"Now, that was a good swim," Joey said.
Aden nodded and gazed out to sea.
"Are you alright?" Joey asked gently.
He nodded and changed the subject.
"What's Charlie up to today? I thought this was your weekend of romance."
Joey grinned.
"We had an amazing night last night to celebrate our six months," she said. "And today she's desperately trying to bond with Ruby."
"How's that going?" he asked. "Not so good?"
Joey sighed and lay flat on her towel, looking up at the sky.
"They're both trying their best but... so much has happened."
"Has that Grant guy left you all alone now?"
Joey nodded. She was grateful he had disappeared at least. It made things that little bit easier to cope with.
"I just hope that Charlie and Ruby can get back to something resembling normal," she said.
Charlie and Ruby were driving back to Summer Bay with the intention of going out to dinner with Joey. But Charlie's girlfriend wasn't answering her phone so they hoped they would find her at home.
"Can we at least tell Dad and Morag what happened?" Ruby asked.
Charlie struggled to retain control of the car as the shock hit her.
"What?" she asked. "No!"
"But..."
"But what, Ruby?" Charlie asked. "How is telling more people going to do anyone any good?"
"It's good to be honest instead of living a lie," Ruby said.
Charlie frowned and so did her daughter. Ruby hadn't meant to sound to sharp and bitter.
"Telling Dad would be dangerous," Charlie pointed out. "The more he deteriorates..."
"Just Morag then?" Ruby requested. "We could ask her what she thinks about pressing charges and telling Dad."
Charlie shook her head but Ruby remained insistent.
"Fine," Charlie snapped tiredly. "We'll tell Morag."
"When?"
"Tomorrow," Charlie said. "We'll go up and visit Dad."
Satisfied, Ruby thanked her.
"Will Joey come?" she asked.
"We can invite her but to be honest, the less she's reminded of what I did, the better."
Ruby eyed her curiously.
"Why?" she asked. "What's happened?"
"Nothing," Charlie said.
The less she had to talk about the night she thought Joey had left her, the happier she was.
"Charlie?"
Her mother sighed and focussed on the road.
"After... what happened... Joey freaked. Understandably. She packed a few things and went to spend the night at Aden's."
"What?" Ruby exclaimed, shocked. "I mean, I know you... but he..."
She found she was lost for words.
"Robbo tied her up and tortured her all those months ago," Charlie reminded her. "As much as she's on my side and as much as she loves me, she couldn't help but know what he was going through that night. She felt like she didn't know me and... It didn't last. She came back later that night and everything's fine now."
Ruby nodded.
"Ruby, you haven't told anyone about this, have you?" Charlie asked.
She sighed when Ruby looked suddenly very guilty.
Joey and Aden were walking up the beach when Joey spotted her girlfriend's car approaching. She waved and Charlie slowed.
"Do you have a radar or something to spot her within a mile?" Aden smirked.
Joey poked her tongue out at him. Charlie pulled up and wound down the window. Joey leant in and kissed her.
"We were just looking for you," Charlie said. "Do you want to go for dinner?"
"I'd love to but I'm not exactly dressed for it," Joey pointed out.
Charlie looked up and down Joey's toned, tanned and bikini clad body. She licked her lips.
"You look pretty good to me," she said.
Joey giggled. Ruby rolled her eyes.
"How about you hop in, we'll head home, you can get dressed and we'll head out again?" Charlie suggested.
Joey nodded eagerly.
"You're welcome to join us, Aden," Charlie told him.
"Oh, great. Yeah. Thanks," he replied. "Meet you at the Diner?"
Charlie nodded, suggesting they reconvene in an hour. Joey hopped into the back of the car and they headed home.
The following morning, Charlie and Joey reluctantly got ready to go and see Ross and Morag. Joey didn't think telling Morag the truth was a good idea any more than Charlie did but the police officer was desperate to try and make her daughter happy. Ruby jumped into the back of the car with more enthusiasm than either of the other women.
The afternoon had been nice. The group of five had spent a nice time with Ross, enjoying the sunshine on the little balcony of his hospital room. Between his pension, savings and Morag and Charlie's cash, they were paying through the nose to give him the best kind of care. Joey had also begun chipping in where she could and Ruby was considering getting a job in order to become more independent and useful.
"I'm afraid I have to steal Ross for a little while," the nurse said, poking her head round the door.
The others nodded and Ross left the room with her. Ruby looked expectantly at Charlie, who froze. She really did not want to have to tell Morag what had happened between her and Grant. But, looking at Ruby's determined face, she knew she had to.
