Chapter Two Hundred and Thirty Six
The following morning brought work with it and Charlie had taken on a little overtime with Joey's evening being stolen by her college course. Heading to the Diner for her first coffee break, Charlie ordered three drinks and began to walk towards the bait shop in order to stop by and say hello to her girlfriend. Walking past the beach, she stopped when she saw a huddled figure on the sand. Vaguely recognising him, she approached.
"Miles?" she said.
He turned around. He looked a mess. His eyes were blood shot and had terrible bags beneath them.
"Are you okay?" she asked, stepping closer. "You look like you haven't slept in days."
"I haven't," he admitted.
Sacrificing her coffee, she offered it out to him and he accepted gratefully as she positioned herself on the ground beside him.
"How come?" she asked. "Are things still not good?"
"Definitely not good," he replied. "I feel like my life's spinning out of control."
"Because of Kirsty or...?"
"Everything," he said. "Kirsty, Ollie, the baby, Leah..."
"I thought you and Leah had made amends?" Charlie said. "She certainly seems to have got over what happened at New Year."
He laughed softly.
"We have," he said. "I haven't really seen her, to be honest. Obviously the Diner's still shut and she's probably keeping a vigil by Hazem's beside."
"They're not together," Charlie said. "Why don't you go and see her? I can guarantee that she'd like the company. She's not having the best time either at the moment."
Miles shook his head.
"I've got my own problems," he said.
"Insomnia?"
He shook his head again before explaining that if he fell asleep, something bad was going to happen to him.
"Aden, what's the matter?" Joey asked for the umpteenth time.
"Nothing," he lied, focussing on tidying up the shop.
Joey studied her friend unhappily. Things had been fine at the weekend but clearly something had happened to upset him since then. He was usually open with her at least about his feelings but so far today, he hadn't wanted to talk.
"Have you had a fight with Nicole or something?" she asked.
"Just leave it, Jo," he snapped. "Please?"
Sighing dramatically and calling him a couple of mostly playful names, Joey was just about to start checking they had the correct stock when she spotted Charlie approaching.
"Hey!" she greeted warmly. "This is a pleasant surprise."
Coming out to meet her, she kissed her girlfriend hello.
"To what do we owe the pleasure?" Joey asked.
"Just felt like dropping in," Charlie said, offering out a coffee. "Seeing as work and college and Leah keep pinching your precious time."
Joey pouted. Charlie kissed her.
"I got this for Aden," she said, waving the other coffee.
"Grumpy!" Joey hollered back into the shop.
Aden poked his head round the door, more than ready to snap anyone's head off. He paused when Charlie offered him a coffee. Accepting it mostly gratefully, he headed back inside.
"Where's yours?" Joey wondered.
"I gave it to Miles," Charlie said.
Joey looked surprised.
"Caffeine Demon?" she asked. "Are you feeling okay?"
Charlie laughed and explained the state she'd found their friend in and the weird thing he's said about the dangers of falling asleep.
"Weird," Joey agreed. "I wonder what's up with him."
Charlie shrugged and said he hadn't seemed to want to talk about it but that she'd keep an eye on him.
"Oh, and I ran into Romeo and Mink screaming at each other about stolen money or something," she said. "I'm meant to be on my break!"
"Always in cop mode," Joey remarked. "And you say I get caught up with stuff."
This time, Charlie pouted. Joey responded by kissing her. It was a gesture that they had long established solved all sulks.
"So, have you got to investigate the money?" Joey asked.
Charlie shook her head.
"If someone makes a formal statement then I will but Romeo seemed to be in control," she said. "He told her in no uncertain terms that she had to give it back to whoever it was she stole it from. I've got enough on my plate without adding to my workload!"
"Very wise," Joey grinned.
"Anyway," Charlie said brightly. "I was just stopping to say hello. I've got to get back to the station."
"Okay," Joey said. "See you tonight?"
"I'll meet you in the car park after your class," Charlie promised.
Stealing one more kiss, she headed back along the beach.
Back at work, Charlie had been buried under paperwork for hours. Needing to stretch her legs and get some kind of a break from the boredom if nothing else, she headed out into reception. Spotting Watson in her office with the door open, looking as bored as Charlie felt, she headed on in to see her.
"Hey," Watson greeted, gratefully closing her laptop.
"Bored?" Charlie asked.
"Yep," Watson admitted. "The only bad thing about closing a big case is the paperwork."
"Tell me about it," Angelo chipped in from his own desk.
Charlie turned to face him, offering a guarded smile. He was still behaving strangely around her and she still hadn't ascertained why.
"We should all go out again sometime," Angelo suggested. "Saturday night was fun."
"Yeah, it was," Charlie agreed with a small smile.
"I'm guessing you're thinking more about the private party you had at home," Watson teased.
Charlie blushed but couldn't quite deny it.
"You and Joey?" Angelo asked curiously.
Charlie offered him a puzzled look.
"Who else would I be having a private party with?" she asked.
"I don't know," Angelo said feigning innocence.
But Charlie was already annoyed.
"Seriously, Angelo, what is your problem with me?"
"I don't have a problem with you! What you do in your own time is your business."
"Then why are you always so eager to find out about it?" Charlie asked. "And what on earth do you think I'm doing with my own time?"
"I don't think anything!" Angelo protested. "I've just noticed that you seem a bit lonely at the moment now that Joey's so busy cooking or whatever it is she's doing."
"I'm fine," Charlie said stiffly. "Thank you very much."
"Uh huh."
"And what the hell is that meant to mean?" Charlie shouted.
"Nothing!" Angelo insisted.
Watson observed as if she was watching a tennis match. She suspected that Angelo would lose.
"Well shut up then!" Charlie snapped.
"Did I hit too close to home?"
"Did you not hear me tell you to shut up?"
"What the hell is he playing at?" Aden said angrily.
"What the hell is who playing at?" Joey asked tiredly.
She had had more than enough of her friend's bad mood for one day. It was one thing to have a problem and be willing to deal with it but if he was just going to strop about all day then she'd rather not have to put up with it.
"Liam," Aden said.
Following where he was pointing, Joey spotted Liam strolling across the sand, hand in hand with Martha. It wasn't a great surprise. Both she and Charlie had noticed a real sense of familiarity between Martha and her new housemate when they had visited the other day.
"So?"
"What, you don't think it's wrong for him to be preying on a vulnerable woman?"
"I don't think he's..."
"You're so naive, Joey," Aden snapped.
"Look, what is your problem?" Joey demanded. "You've been in a bitch of a mood all day. What gives?"
"Nicole," he sighed.
"Big shock," Joey remarked. "So instead of charging around like a big, blonde grump, why don't you just tell me all about it? You know you always feel better after you've received the benefit of my wisdom."
She offered her most dazzling smile and he couldn't help but laugh.
In a particularly clever move, Watson had abducted Charlie to go out patrolling for fear of world war three breaking out between her and Angelo.
"It's not just me though, is it?" Charlie said from the passenger seat. "He is being an arsehole?"
"Well, it feels mean to say he's always an arsehole but..." Watson shrugged.
Charlie laughed.
"But I have noticed the way he's looking at you," Watson admitted. "And it's even creepier than when he had lust in his eyes."
"It's definitely creepy," Charlie said. "I thought Joey was going to deck him on Saturday night."
"Now, I would pay to see that!" Watson giggled.
"You might not have to! She'd totally do it for free! She was gutted when he was stationed here permanently."
"Yeah," Watson sighed. "I thought he'd get transferred. I mean, don't get me wrong, I don't hate him or anything. And I do understand that Jack's death was an accident but..."
She sighed again.
"He just seems determined to make a nuisance of himself."
"He's really winding me up," Charlie said. "It's like he thinks he knows something about me that he shouldn't or something. And being that I know he spied on me at least once, apparently for the sake of his mission, it's a little unnerving. I'm sure I haven't done anything wrong but..."
She sighed and shook her head.
"I don't know," she said. "But he's pissing me off."
"Nobody would ever guess!" Watson teased. "Anyway, let's talk about something nice!"
"Joey and I are moving in together," Charlie said, surprised with how eager she was to share her news.
"Um... you already live together," Watson pointed out.
"I know!" Charlie chuckled. "But we're going to move out – me, Joey and Rubes – and we're going to rent a house where we can be a proper family. I'm really excited about it!"
"Again, nobody would ever guess with that big grin on your face!"
"I've just never been with someone I cared so much about," Charlie admitted. "It's most definitely the first time I've ever been in love. Prior to being with Joey, the idea of living with a partner or anything like that scared the shit out of me. But with Joey, it just feels so right. It feels like the most natural thing in the world. I actually miss her when she's not around. How sad is that?"
"Pretty sad!" Watson smirked. "But... I kind of feel that way about Monica."
Charlie couldn't help but tease her for blushing.
"After how things turned out with my ex, I never thought I'd love someone again," Watson admitted. "But I do. I really do. She's the best thing to ever happen to me."
"Aw," Charlie cooed. "How cute are you?"
"You're one to talk!" Watson remarked.
It had been a long and eventful day and Charlie and Joey were eager to crash out at the end of it. Lying in bed in the dark, Charlie finally lost her flow of ranting about Angelo.
"I told you he's a dick," Joey pointed out. "I told you lots and lots of times."
"Yeah, okay," Charlie sighed dramatically. "You were right and I was wrong!"
Joey giggled.
"I like hearing that!" she said. "Say it again."
Without warning, Charlie flipped over and pinned Joey to the bed. Laughing, Joey accepted her kisses.
"You're always right," Charlie mumbled against her neck. "I am in awe of your wisdom."
"You'd better be," Joey giggled.
She reached up and kissed Charlie's lips, wrapping her arms around her and pulling her close.
"Hey, did you find out what was wrong with Aden in the end?" Charlie asked more seriously.
"He's had a sudden revelation about how deeply he already feels for Nicole and he was panicking," Joey sighed. "I did my best to bash their heads together and hopefully they've spent the evening talking. I could kick him sometimes, you know? His life would be a hell of a lot easier if only he'd actually talk his issues through instead of bottling them up."
"Well, I used to be a lot like him," Charlie admitted. "I was never much for talking about my feelings."
"What changed?" Joey asked.
"I met you," Charlie replied honestly.
They kissed again, letting the sensation linger on their lips.
"Speaking of relationships," Charlie said. "I hear that Martha and Liam are an item now."
"We saw them on the beach together this afternoon," Joey said. "I worry that it's a bit soon after everything that happened but... I hope she's happy."
"Me too," Charlie said. "She's been to hell and back over the last year and a half. She deserves something good to come into her life."
"Yep," Joey agreed. "Now, we've spent far too long discussing other people's happiness. How about we devote some time to making each other extra, extra happy?"
Joey's wicked grin was all the encouragement Charlie needed.
Next time... Xavier asks Ruby out, Martha gets nervous about Liam and Leah prepares for the Diner to reopen...
