Chapter Two Hundred and Fifteen
Charlie and Joey had said goodbye to Ruby and Leah, leaving strict rules about what Ruby was and was not allowed to do. They just hoped that the teenager would stick to them this time. Charlie had reluctantly accepted that Ruby and Geoff had now slept together and that it would probably become a regular thing but she still didn't want her daughter spending the night at the house. She could enforce rules about that. And after last time, she expected that Leah would be more vigilant.
"You know, maybe I should learn to drive," Joey mused from the passenger seat.
Charlie glanced at her.
"You want to?" she asked.
"Then when we take trips like this, you won't have to do all the driving," Joey explained. "Would you teach me?"
"No way," Charlie said firmly.
Joey looked a little startled, but also amused. Charlie hurriedly explained that she didn't believe in family members teaching other family members to drive. Her experience with her father had only taught her that it led to big fallings out.
"We didn't speak for a week when he taught me," she finished.
Joey chuckled.
"Well, maybe I'll wait until I get a job then," she said. "And I can pay for lessons myself."
"Sounds good to me!" Charlie agreed.
Two hours later, Charlie and Joey arrived at their hotel. They eagerly headed towards their room. Exhausted from the drive, Charlie flopped out on the bed, leaving Joey to obsessively unpack as if they were moving in. In fairness, they were staying here for a week but the woman even settled in properly for weekends.
When Joey was finished making everything perfect, she crept onto the bed, lying atop Charlie and pressing her lips against Charlie's neck. Charlie moaned with pleasure as Joey began to tease her.
"If this is a precedent for the whole trip then I am certain to have a good time," Charlie mumbled as Joey began to fumble with her buttons.
"Definitely a good time," she moaned as Joey got to work.
It was night time. The couple had spent a wonderful evening together, complete with a romantic dinner and then dessert back in their bedroom. They had made love twice, having done nothing but cuddle for the last few weeks while Charlie felt so vulnerable.
"Charlie, it's okay," Joey said when her girlfriend sat bolt upright in bed, panicking.
Charlie tried to regulate her breathing, furious that another nightmare had taken hold of her. Joey kept her arms around her, holding her close and encouraging her to breathe normally.
"I really thought the nightmares would stop here," Charlie admitted.
Tears of defeat stung her eyes.
"Me too," Joey said sadly. "But it's okay. They will fade. It's just going to take a bit of time."
Charlie nodded but still felt devastated to have brought her pain in with her. Joey kissed her shoulder and stroked her hair.
"Everything's going to be okay," she said.
It had been a couple of days and both Charlie and Joey were enjoying themselves immensely. Charlie was still struggling with nightmares but the day time was a lot of fun. They spent a lot of time sunbathing on the beach, as well as playing in the sea. Joey had spotted a few museums she wanted to visit and tonight, they had a plan that amused them both no end.
That night, Joey sat alone in the hotel bar, nursing a glass of white wine. Arriving separately, Charlie approached the bar and ordered a drink of her own before approaching Joey's table.
"Mind if I sit?" she asked.
Joey grinned, forcing herself to stay in character.
"Of course," she said, gesturing for Charlie to join her.
"I'm Charlie," the police officer said, shaking her 'new' friend's hand.
"I'm Joey," the other woman replied.
"So, what's a girl like you doing all alone in a place like this?"
An hour and a half later, giggling and holding hands, having spent much of the evening pretending to get to know each other for the first time, Charlie and Joey hurried back to their room. At the door, Charlie kissed Joey possessively, taking her breath away.
"I don't normally do this kind of thing," Joey said, continuing with their game.
"I'll make sure you don't regret it," Charlie promised.
Letting themselves in, they didn't even bother to switch on a light before they tumbled onto the bed.
Next time... Ruby frets about the refugees, Charlie ventures out on a boat with Joey, Hazem asks Leah out on a date and Xavier confides in Romeo about the money Hugo left behind...
