Chapter Two Hundred and Thirty Two
Charlie had gone to work and Ruby had convinced her and Joey to allowed her a day off school, considering everything that had happened with Geoff over the weekend. So far, she had not ventured out of her bedroom.
"Hey, are you okay?" Joey asked, approaching Leah in the kitchen.
She was meant to be leaving for work in a few minutes but she was running late. Fortunately, Aden had agreed to cover her.
"I'm fine," Leah said without commitment.
Joey hesitated for a moment, knowing she had to get going. She sat down anyway and tried to coax the truth out of her housemate.
"I'm sorry for being a burden," Leah finally said.
"What are you talking about?" Joey wondered. "You're not a burden in the slightest, Leah."
"I heard you talking to Ruby last night. About wanting to move out."
"Oh," Joey said, feeling a little guilty. "Sorry. We should have talked to you first."
"It's fine," Leah said. "I'm just sorry that I'm holding you up because I'm falling apart."
"Okay," Joey said reasonably. "We do want to move out. It's not because we don't love you, because we do. It's just that it feels like the right next step for our relationship, you know? Be grown ups. Rent a place that we can call our own."
"I understand," Leah said quietly.
"But we're not in a hurry," Joey told her. "And you're not a burden or holding us up or anything like that. Please don't think that we feel like that about you. We love you and we don't want to leave you before you feel ready."
"But if I was more together then you wouldn't hesitate," Leah said. "So I am being a burden. I am holding you up."
"If we were that desperate to go, we'd do it regardless. But we've got the rest of our lives together. We're not in a hurry. We're not going to leave you wanting for rent or company, okay? I promise."
"And you're happy with that?" Leah asked worriedly.
"Absolutely," Joey promised.
Angelo studied Charlie across the room. As usual, he found it impossible to keep his eyes off her, especially now that he had a new theory about life not being quite so rosy for her and Joey as they made out. He was sure that the place she disappeared to a couple of mornings a week was her lover's and he was sure that that lover was handyman or plumber of some description. Angelo hadn't seen any such suspect around the Bay so he wondered where she might have met him. But he was convinced that it was only a matter of time before Charlie broke Joey's heart.
"What are you looking at?" Charlie asked desperately.
Angelo jolted out of his daydream to find Charlie towering over him, looking irritated.
"Sorry," he said. "I was in a world of my own."
"Then why were you looking at me?" Charlie wanted to know.
"Sorry," he said again.
"You keep being weird around me, Angelo. I don't get it. You keep looking at me like I've done something wrong."
"Have you done something wrong?" he asked.
"No!"
"Then why are you panicking?"
He turned back to his work, leaving her to glare at him.
Ruby had escaped the confines of her bedroom and made it as far as the bait shop where she was attempting to help but generally making a nuisance of herself.
"Rubes, what time is he leaving?" Joey finally asked.
She didn't think she had ever seen her step-daughter look quite so sad before.
"In thirty seven minutes," Ruby said. "Not that I care."
"Okay, Aden's going to drive you over so you can say goodbye to him," Joey decided.
"I am?"
"You are," Joey said firmly. "Go!"
Aden led the way out of the shop. Ruby glanced anxious at Joey and then followed him.
"Okay, I'm heading home," Charlie said to Watson.
She'd packed up her stuff and was eager to get home, although she would only be back to get changed before they had to go out again. Joey had called earlier and told her that as Geoff was leaving the Bay today and Ruby was beside herself with grief, they had to take her out to dinner. They were also hoping to entice Leah out while they were at it.
"Have fun," Watson said.
"I get to cheer up two miserable loved ones," Charlie remarked. "Seriously, when did I become the person full of the joys of spring?"
"Around March last year," Watson smirked.
Charlie giggled. It was true. She felt like a much lighter and less serious person these days. Joey had definitely changed her. She found it much easier to enjoy the fun things in life these days.
"Speaking of fun," she said. "Are you still up for Saturday night?"
"What's happening on Saturday night?" Angelo asked.
"We're going clubbing," Watson said.
Charlie glared at her. She'd so far managed to avoid agreeing to him joining them.
"Can I come?" he asked hopefully.
"It's a gay club," Charlie said, hoping to put him off, although it hadn't worked the other day.
"I don't mind," he replied.
"Really? Aden took a lot of convincing!"
"Aden's going?" Angelo asked. "Who else?"
"Monica, Martha, Liam, Nicole, Brett and Amber," Charlie told him.
"Not Joey?"
"Well, obviously Joey," she remarked. "Why would I arrange a big night out and not invite my partner?"
"You didn't mention her," Angelo said. "How was I to know?"
Charlie looked at his quizzically. His suspicious face had returned and she struggled to figure out what he was thinking.
"So, can I come?" he asked.
"I guess so," she said hesitantly. "If... if you want to."
"Great!" he said, heading over to his desk.
Charlie turned back to Watson who quickly apologised.
"When Joey tries to kill me, I am so sending her in your direction," Charlie warned.
"I guess it's goodbye then," Geoff said awkwardly.
"Goodbye, mate," Aden said, shaking his hand. "Good luck."
Tearfully, Irene hugged him and warned him to keep in touch at every available opportunity.
"I will," Geoff promised.
The taxi pulled up, ready to take him to the airport. He gazed at Ruby who looked like she was trying not to break down in front of him. Without words, they fell into each other's arms, kissing each other tenderly goodbye.
Sitting round a dinner table in a restaurant in Mangrove River, Charlie and Joey were doing their best to cheer Ruby and Leah up.
"Is sixteen too young to be done with relationships?" Ruby wondered.
"Well, you could take a break from them for say, ten years or something and then when you're older and wiser you could..." Charlie began.
"Nice try, Charlie," Ruby grinned. "But you can't use my break up with Geoff to turn me into a nun."
"Not a nun!" Charlie protested. "Just, celibate and innocent and..."
"It's a bit late for that," Ruby said. "And besides, I don't really want to stop dating. I mean, right now, I'm eager to hide away but I do eventually want to meet someone special. And I hope they'll actually be special this time."
"Did you and Geoff part on bad terms in the end?" Leah asked.
"No," Ruby sighed. "I can almost understand where he's coming from. And I'd hate to be the person to hold him back from his dreams. But... I wish he'd figured himself out before I fell in love with him. This heartbreak stuff... hurts."
Joey put an affectionate hand on her shoulder.
"It'll get better," she said. "You never know what's around the corner. I mean, I felt like my life was over only a year ago. Then I met Charlie and all my dreams came true."
She smiled lovingly at her girlfriend who returned the gesture. Ruby made a cooing noise before pretending to retch.
"Sorry," Charlie blushed.
"Don't apologise," Leah said. "Personally, I feel encouraged by your romance. It gives me hope."
"Me too," Ruby said. "I hope that one day, I can find the kind of love that you two have. Although, I hope I find it this year, not when I'm as old as you guys!"
She giggled as Charlie and Joey protested.
"I'll have you know that I'm in the prime of life!" Joey said.
"You bet you are," Charlie smirked.
Ruby snorted and Joey turned pink. Laughing, Leah shook her head, glad that she had come out to have fun with her friends.
Next time... Charlie and Joey take care of Ruby and the gang go out clubbing together...
