As I am abandoning you all for five days, I will put up an extra chapter of whatever story you like before I go. So, if you have a preference, cast your votes. Plus, I'm having a really bad day so reviews will be extra appreciated! I hope you enjoy the chapter. Love, IJKS xxx
Chapter Two Hundred and Sixty Seven
Charlie and Joey finally sent Leah off on her date with Elijah. He had arrived early and walked in on her waxing her legs. Fortunately, Joey had been a good buffer between them and he hadn't seen his date in her face mask. Joey had sent him away again until the right time, explaining that everything was fine – she and Charlie were just helping Leah get ready.
"That was exhausting!" Joey remarked, flopping back onto the couch.
Charlie sat beside her.
"You really don't do the girlie stuff, do you?" she said.
Joey shook her head.
"I know," she sighed. "I'm such a cliché."
She grinned. Charlie leant in to kiss her.
"It was kind of fun though," Joey admitted. "I mean, if you dared to come near my legs with wax, I'd run a mile but all the pampering, face masky stuff looked cool."
"Maybe we should have some kind of spa day at some point," Charlie suggested. "What do you think?"
"I saw some daytime TV last year about those fish pedicures," Joey enthused. "I really want to try that!"
Charlie snorted.
"What is it about you and fish?" she asked, chuckling.
Joey merely raised her eyebrows suggestively, offering a wicked grin. Charlie laughed, pulling her girlfriend into their arms. They were just starting to indulge in a make out session when a very distressed looking Aden burst into the room.
Angelo frowned when he walked into the Diner and several people glared at him. News of what had happened with Charlie had clearly got round and people seemed largely unforgiving. He approached the counter anyway, his heart sinking when Colleen stepped up to serve him.
"What can I get you?" she asked.
"Just a coffee, please," Angelo replied.
"No problem," she said. "Although I have to say, Constable Risotto that I was shocked to hear about you following Sergeant Buckton around like that. I mean, what were you thinking?"
"It's Senior Constable Risotto," Angelo said stiffly. "And forget the coffee. I don't need a lecture."
With that, he turned around and stormed back out of the building.
Charlie had gone for a walk in order to give Aden some time to talk things through with Joey. While she considered herself to be good friends with Aden, he was so upset that it seemed like something he'd want to keep between himself and his best friend. Ahead, she spotted Ruby, Annie, Xavier and Romeo sitting on the beach. She went over to say hello.
"I thought you were helping Leah get ready for her date with Elijah," Ruby said when she saw her mother approach.
"She's safely out to dinner with him," Charlie said.
"Then how come you're not spending your evening making out with Joey?" Ruby remarked.
Charlie sat down, joining the group.
"She's spending some time with Aden," she said, hoping they wouldn't quiz her too deeply.
Ruby looked a little bemused but let it go.
"How's life as Juliet?" Charlie asked Romeo.
He glared at her. Xavier snorted. He was relieved not to have to wear anything too girlie for his role as the nurse.
"We're trying to think of ways for Romeo to feel more comfortable in his dress," Annie said.
"Any ideas?" Romeo asked.
"Um... I mean, the only thing I can think would be to normalise it somehow," Charlie said thoughtfully. "Like, stop it from being such an occasion."
"How on earth do you suppose I do that?" Romeo wondered.
"I don't know!" Charlie laughed. "You could wear Ruby's uniform to school!"
She froze when she saw both Annie and Ruby exchange a look.
"I was joking," the police officer said quickly.
"Good because I'm not doing it," Romeo said quickly.
"You should absolutely do it," Ruby and Annie said in unison.
Joey had just about calmed Aden down.
"I just don't understand how could leave me like that, knowing what he was like," Aden said, shaking his head.
Joey kept her arm around him, her heart breaking on his behalf.
"Maybe he genuinely thought your Dad would protect you," she ventured.
"My Dad never protected me in his life," Aden said bitterly. "And neither did Justin. Nobody gave a shit about me while I was growing up."
Joey sighed, hugging her friend a little closer.
"I know it probably doesn't help," she said. "But for however much people let you down when you were younger, you're loved even more now."
Aden turned his head, smiling weakly.
"It helps," he said honestly. "Thank you."
"I think you need to sit down with him and talk things through," Joey said.
"I don't know what to say to him."
"You need to ask all your questions," Joey told him. "Try not to get angry. Just talk about it and let him know how you feel."
Aden nodded and a rubbed his red eyes. He shook his head.
"I guess you're right," he said. "Wish me luck?"
"I wish you luck and a lot of love," Joey said, standing up and walking him to the door.
Angelo walked into the Surf Club and had the same kind of reception from various customers. Taking a deep breath, he approached the bar and ordered a beer from Martha.
"I suppose you've gone back to hating me," he remarked as she put the bottle down in front of him and accepted his cash.
"No," she said. "I mean, I think what you did was pretty stupid. But if I can forgive you for everything else then I can let this go."
He smiled weakly, not sure if he should be glad or not.
"Thanks," he said. "I think."
"Angelo, what were you thinking?" Martha asked, getting right to the point.
"I thought she was cheating on Joey," he said.
"And what does that have to do with you?"
"I'm in love with her," Angelo said.
"Joey?"
"Charlie!" he corrected her. "I've been in love with her from the first moment we met. And I really hoped that we'd get a shot if I was able to make things right... you know, if I was able to make up for..."
He looked awkward. Martha just nodded.
"But when I came back here, Charlie was already in love with Joey. And I miss her so much. I can't... I just can't help the way I feel."
"Okay but why did you think following her around, taking photos and falling out of trees was going to help?" Martha asked.
"I thought if I shone a light on their relationship, if I showed them they weren't such a perfect couple after all," Angelo explained, "then maybe they'd break up and Charlie and I could make a go of things."
"But they are a perfect couple," Martha pointed out.
Angelo sighed.
"Yeah, I know that now," he said sourly. "I know I got it all wrong. I know I fucked up. But I didn't mean to upset anyone. But to be honest, I'm starting to think maybe I should cut my losses and leave town, start somewhere new."
"I don't think you should," Martha said.
He looked rather startled.
"You've done a fair few bad things, Angelo," she said. "But you've also done good things. And you've worked really hard to make things right. So I don't think you should give up now. I think you should sincerely apologise to both Charlie and Joey and try to make up for what you did."
Charlie arrived home while Joey was finishing making dinner for them. She'd called after Aden had left, eager to spend the rest of the evening with her girlfriend.
"How's he doing?" Charlie asked, embracing Joey.
"Wobbly," Joey said. "I've sent him off to talk things through with Justin."
"What happened?"
Joey sighed. She opened the fridge and took out a bottle of white wine, handing it to Charlie to pour while she returned to her saucepan.
"It turns out Justin was abused by their granddad too," she said awkwardly. "So Aden's pretty heartbroken that he just left him to suffer by himself."
Charlie sighed heavily, pouring two glasses of wine.
"That's rough," she said sadly.
Joey nodded and accepted her drink.
"I hope they can work through it," Joey said.
"It makes me feel kind of guilty," Charlie admitted.
Joey looked confused and asked what she meant.
"If I'd have gone ahead and reported Grant then maybe those two women – and who knows who else – wouldn't have been attacked too," the police officer said unhappily.
Joey hurried over placing her hands gently but firmly on her shoulders.
"Charlie, you were a child," she said. "You can't take responsibility for what he did to you."
Charlie sighed. It was an anxiety that had been with her for a long time.
"If you're going on that theory then it was my fault that Tanya was hospitalised," Joey added.
Charlie looked alarmed.
"No!" she said. "No, that wasn't your fault. You did your best to..."
She trailed off, realising what her girlfriend meant.
"To prove your point," she finished quietly.
Joey leant in and kissed her, holding her close.
"All anyone can ever ask of anyone is that they give their best," Joey said, her arms wrapped tightly around Charlie's waist. "You and I both did that. So there's no need for guilt."
Charlie nodded, refusing to let Joey go until her rice pan started to boil over.
It had been a lovely evening and both Elijah and Leah had thoroughly enjoyed their date. Walking along the beach in the direction of Leah's house, with Elijah choosing to be a gentleman and walking his date home, they paused to gaze out at the sea.
"Leah, I've had a really wonderful time tonight," the Reverend ventured.
Leah turned and smiled at him.
"And there's something I need to say..." he began.
She interrupted him with a tender, if clumsy kiss.
Aden and Justin sat a little tensely together, having talked at length about everything that had happened to them as boys. Justin had just about managed to vindicate himself of leaving his brother in harm's way.
"I can't believe Dad let us anywhere near him if he knew what he was like," Justin sighed.
The mention of their father tugged at his memory. But every time he tried to think of him and any recent interaction, he found his mind was a black hole. The fact that he had forgotten how he'd even ended up in Summer Bay in the first place bothered him. But he didn't know what he could do about it.
"Yeah," Aden sighed. "You'd think a parent's instinct is to protect their kids."
Justin nodded.
"I'm sorry if I let you down," he said.
"I can deal," Aden replied softly. "You were a kid too. What could I have expected you to do about it?"
Charlie and Joey were contemplating bed when Leah burst through the door looking like she was on cloud nine.
"It went well then?" Joey remarked.
Leah nodded and hugged both of them in turn.
"It was amazing!" she said.
"Well tell us all about it then!" Charlie encouraged.
Both she and Joey felt a little uncomfortable, knowing what they did about Elijah. But they also wanted Leah to enjoy her life. She hadn't for a long time now and she deserved some joy.
Next time... Angelo apologises to Charlie, Romeo embraces the role of Juliet and Charlie, Joey and Ruby move house...
