Chapter Two Hundred and Thirteen
Charlie woke up screaming and sweating. Her pulse raced as she tried to gather together her senses and reassure herself that she was safe. Joey was sitting up with her immediately, having been woken by her screams. Putting her arms carefully around her, she rubbed her back and kissed her shoulder.
"It's okay, sweetheart," she said softly. "It's okay. I'm here. You're safe."
Charlie struggled to regulate her breathing and fought tears. Her heartbeat eventually began to slow down and she accepted that she wasn't on the boat about to be killed by Hugo and Suzy, but that she was indeed safely tucked up in bed with the love of her life. She apologised.
"You have nothing to be sorry for," Joey reassured her.
Charlie rubbed her eyes and sank back against the pillows. Joey shifted to lie beside her, resting a gentle hand on her tummy.
"I feel like an idiot," Charlie admitted. "I'm a police officer. I'm not supposed to be scared of stuff like this."
"You could have been killed, Charlie," Joey pointed out. "You may be a cop but you're also a human being. It's natural that you'd struggle after what happened to you."
She kissed her gently on the cheek.
"But please know that you're safe now, that I love you and I will never let anything bad happen to you again."
Hungover, Miles stumbled into the Diner. His eyes were bleary and he felt like his head was full of cotton wool.
"What happened to you?" Leah asked worriedly as soon as she spotted him.
She bundled him into a chair before remembering what had happened on New Year's Eve. She drew away abruptly. Miles barely noticed. He rubbed his temples and took a deep breath.
"What time is it?" he asked. "Early?"
"Nine o'clock," Leah said. "Where have you been for the past day?"
"Day?" Miles asked. "The party was only last night..."
He trailed off when Leah shook her head and informed him that it was now the second day of January.
Charlie and Joey had breakfast with Geoff and Ruby.
"How are you feeling?" Ruby asked her mother worriedly. "I thought I heard screaming earlier. And not... you know, the usual screams that come from your bedroom!"
Geoff blushed and Joey snorted with laughter. It made Charlie relax a little more and reassured her that she was okay but had had a nightmare.
"But you feel better now?" Ruby asked.
"I'm fine," Charlie promised. "How are you? Have you been checking your levels and everything properly? You've been looking after yourself?"
"I have," Ruby said.
Charlie was surprised not to have her head bitten off at the mention of Ruby's diabetes. She really was worried about me, she thought to herself. Smiling, Charlie held her hand for a brief moment before the foursome continued with their meal.
Gina, Tony, Rachel, Martha, Xavier and Bambang sat around Martha's living room in muted confusion. Martha couldn't cope with the images of Hugo's death. She felt sick. And she felt torn over whether she was sad or still angry over who he was and what he had done.
"When's the funeral?" Xavier asked, his voice hollow.
"Angelo said he'd let us know when the body can be released," Martha said. "He thought it would be a couple of weeks."
Tony nodded and sighed heavily. He rubbed his temples. It was only this time last year that they had been preparing to bury Jack. Now Hugo was dead too and it felt like they were discussing a stranger.
"Maybe we can use the time to plan the funeral," Rachel said. "Make it nice for him."
"He doesn't deserve a funeral," Gina said bitterly.
Everyone stared at her in surprise.
"That man... my son... my boy... he was nothing but a monster. He destroyed more lives than he blessed. I for one will not be saying my goodbyes."
She stood and left the house.
Ruby had gone for a walk with Geoff, leaving Charlie and Joey home alone.
"How long will you be allowed to stay off work for?" Joey asked.
The couple had headed out onto the patio, enjoying the fresh, summer air. They held hands across the table.
"A couple of weeks," she said. "And then we have our holiday booked."
Joey nodded.
"That's something nice to look forward to, hey?" she said brightly. "It'll be nice to get away for a bit, get out of the Bay, spend some proper time together."
Charlie smiled her agreement. The holiday Ross and Morag had booked for them couldn't have come at a better time.
"We'll have an amazing time," Joey enthused. "Lots of sun, sand and..."
She smirked.
"Sleep?" Charlie laughed.
"Something like that!"
Nursing a coffee, Miles tried to get his head around everything that had happened over New Year. He could hardly believe that Hugo was some kind of criminal mastermind, and that he was now dead, along with one of his evil partners. He worried desperately for Martha, who had apparently seen an unknown enemy hunt Hugo down and kill him. Charlie's life had been endangered and now there were a dozen illegal immigrants receiving intensive hospital treatment after what Hugo and his gang had done to them.
"I just can't believe it," he admitted. "That's so..."
"I know," Leah said sadly.
"And all that time I was just drunk and oblivious!"
He managed a shallow laugh.
"Listen, about what happened between us at New Year..." Leah ventured.
He touched her hand.
"Can we save me the embarrassment and just brush it under the carpet?" he asked. "Forget it ever happened?"
"That sounds good to me," Leah agreed.
Aden arrived to see Charlie and Joey, having been caught up on everything that had happened with Hugo. He was also desperate to unburden himself over what his own New Year had brought him.
"You kissed Nicole?" Joey asked when he'd explained.
He nodded.
"And...?"
"And... I don't know," Aden said. "I didn't... I didn't feel anything."
Both Charlie and Joey looked confused.
"I thought you really liked her," Charlie said.
"I do," Aden replied. "I really like her. But I just felt... nothing when I kissed her."
"And is this a good or a bad thing?" Joey wondered.
"I have no idea," Aden admitted. "I'm so confused."
"What were you expecting to feel?" Charlie asked, curious.
"Guilt," he replied without hesitation. "I was expecting to feel like I was betraying Belle but... I didn't. I know now that she wanted me to move on. I know that she understands that I'm still young and I still, in theory, have my whole life ahead of me."
"And what does that mean for you and Nic?" Joey asked. "Because I think you should only go for something with her if you really mean it. I think she really likes you."
"Has she said that?" Aden wanted to know.
"Sometimes a girl doesn't have to say the words for the message to be abundantly clear."
At this, both she and Charlie smiled at each other. Aden chuckled.
"I don't know where Nic and I stand," he said. "But I think we've got potential and that's a start, right?"
Alf arrived at the police station, as requested by Angelo. The two men sat opposite each other.
"What am I doing here?" Alf asked. "I already gave my statement about what I saw in the shipping container."
"It's not about that," Angelo told him, feeling a little anxious.
He was taking a genuine risk by letting someone in on his latest secret. But it had been Hugo's wish and his last bid to protect Martha.
"Well, it is... indirectly."
Alf looked more suspicious than ever.
"Hugo's alive," Angelo revealed. "We faked his death. And now we need a favour."
Next time... Hugo witnesses his own funeral, Xavier discovers a stash of cash and Joey showers Charlie in TLC...
