Chapter Two Hundred and Eighty Two
It was Saturday morning and Charlie, Joey and Ruby were busy cleaning the apartment and making it look extra perfect in preparation for Ross and Morag's visit. They were due to arrive in the afternoon and Joey had suggested that they go and buy lunch from the Diner for the five of them. Charlie had pointed out that Joey's food was the best there was but Joey hadn't wanted to make a mess in the kitchen before they'd even had a chance to look around.
"Is Xavier coming?" Charlie asked, pulling on her jacket as she and Joey prepared to head out.
"Is he invited?" Ruby asked hopefully.
"Of course he is," Charlie said. "Dad and Morag get along with him. And we're all assuming he's going to be a big part of your life for the foreseeable. You know, without spending the night here."
She grinned. Ruby grinned back and immediately sent a text to her boyfriend.
Martha looked like death when she opened the door, annoyed that someone would call round so early. She glared at Liam.
"I uh... I haven't seen you around in a while so I thought I'd stop by and say hi," he ventured.
"You should have called first," she replied.
There were dark circles around her eyes and she looked like she hadn't slept. Either that, or sleeping was all she had been doing.
"I tried," Liam said. "I left you messages but you didn't reply."
"What does that tell you?" Martha asked, closing the door in his face.
While Charlie and Joey waited for their order to be completed at the Diner, they sat down at one of the tables and indulged in a quick coffee. Looking unhappy, Nicole came to join them, sighing heavily as she sat down.
"Let me guess," Joey said. "Aden?"
"You're a genius," Nicole replied flatly.
"He's not talking to me much either," Joey admitted. "I ran into him yesterday and we had a conversation for about thirty seconds before he ran off again."
"I just don't know what his problem is right now," Nicole complained.
Charlie shifted uncomfortably. She had no proof as such but she was starting to get an unhappily clear picture of why their friend was being so elusive. And it was making her feel unwell. Joey was aware of some basic details but until Charlie knew what was really going on, she didn't particularly want to worry her.
"Veej, we need to go," Leah said.
"In a sec," VJ replied, refusing to look away from the television screen.
Leah sighed heavily. She was beginning to regret showing her son the video that Vinnie had made for him for his first birthday. For days now, VJ had refused to do anything but watch it.
"I'm going to be late for work," she complained.
"Well, you can leave me here," he suggested.
"No," Leah replied, marching over and turning the TV off.
VJ immediately launched into a rant.
Nicole had wandered off, intending to go home and study, although she really didn't look any happier than when she had first sat down. Charlie and Joey both felt bad for her.
"Charlie, what do you really think is going on with Aden?" Joey asked.
The police officer hesitated. She had just opened her mouth to speak when Leah and VJ came charging into the Diner, arguing.
"I'll take Leah if you deal with Veej," Charlie suggested, standing up and hurriedly following her friend into the kitchen.
Joey waved her ten year old fan over to join her at the table.
Xavier knocked on Ruby's door and all the while she invited him in, she scolded him for getting her into trouble with her parents.
"Have you made up now?" he asked. "I'm sorry."
"Yes," Ruby said. "But I swear, if Charlie didn't have Joey's influence, she would have totally flown off the handle."
Xavier apologised again and promised to make it up to her.
Having convinced Leah and VJ to make amends, Charlie and Joey collected their food and headed over to the Surf Club where they had planned to buy a bottle of wine and a bottle of non-alcoholic wine for the evening ahead of them. On the way in, they ran into Miles who looked at least a little bit better than he had recently.
"I've agreed to try the medication Michael prescribed," he said. "My theory is that if Rabbit is a ghost then she'll stay regardless. And if she's my mind playing tricks on me then, as hard as it is, I'll need to learn to live without her."
"I'm really proud of you for getting help, Miles," Charlie said earnestly.
He nodded, smiled and thanked before heading out.
"I'm so excited about seeing the girls," Ross admitted as Morag drove them to Summer Bay.
His wife smiled and reached out to squeeze his hand.
"Do you think Joey and I will ever get to do that fishing trip we keep talking about?"
"If you remind her, I have no doubt that she'd be willing," Morag replied.
Ross smiled and settled back in his chair.
"I hope so," he said. "I'd really like to do that."
Charlie and Joey approached the bar in the Surf Club to find Alf having a somewhat serious discussion with Liam.
"We can come back later if..." Joey offered, feeling a little awkward about interrupting them.
"No, no, love," Alf said. "It's fine. Liam was just telling me that Martha seems to be out of sorts. Have either of you seen her?"
Joey and Charlie both shook their heads.
"Not for a while," Joey said. "What's wrong?"
"Well, she was in her dressing gown and didn't look very well," Liam explained. "She wouldn't let me in. She doesn't look like she'd slept – or stopped crying – in days."
Charlie sighed heavily. Hugo might have been a monster but Martha had known a different side to him. She'd known a side that she'd been in love with and regardless of what he had done and to whom, that would always be the same.
"We could go round if you like?" Charlie offered.
"Oh, you've got Ross and Morag visiting, haven't you?" Alf said.
"We could find the time," Joey said, glancing at Charlie who nodded.
"No," Alf sighed. "Thank you though. But I think I'll try and go round myself."
"Okay, well, keep us posted," Joey requested.
Alf nodded and took their takeaway drinks order.
Xavier and Ruby were on the sofa, discussing Hugo again. Ruby was trying not to feel too tired of the same discussion. She knew how much it would mean to Xavier if his brother was still alive somehow but it seemed unlikely, even if Vinnie's 'death' had been a cover. For starters, Martha had seen him gunned down right in front of her. How could that have been faked? She was worried that Xavier's hope was turning into an obsession.
"We're back," Charlie announced.
She and Joey charged through the door with boxes and bottles. The teenagers leapt up in a bid to help them unpack.
"You bought enough food to feed an army!" Ruby explained. "There's only going to be six of us!"
"Better to have more than less," Joey said. "Plus, leftovers..."
She grinned. Ruby nodded her agreement.
Martha tried to ignore the door. She didn't want to see anybody. But when her granddad had called through the letterbox, she had given in and opened up.
"What do you want?" she asked, sounding rather harsher than she expected.
She quickly apologised.
"I just wanted to check on you," Alf told her. "Liam said you were out of sorts."
"So he's been gossiping about me?" Martha demanded.
"No," Alf said reasonably. "He was worrying about you. And so are the rest of us. Now... can I come in?"
"Well, thank you both for such a good spread," Morag enthused as the whole family tucked into their lunch.
"Did you make it?" Ross asked.
Charlie and Ruby both looked uncomfortable. Joey stepped in with a smile.
"We got at the Diner," she said. "But we'll do some home cooking tomorrow. How does that sound?"
"That sounds good!" Ross enthused.
Nobody cared to tell him that they had had the same conversation twice now.
"Speaking of tomorrow," Ross said. "Joey, do you think we could go fishing?"
Again, they had already discussed the topic.
"Absolutely," Joey said, unfazed.
Silently, Charlie thanked her for always knowing the right thing to do and say.
Sitting on the sofa with cups of coffee, Martha's resolve had broken. Tearfully, she had admitted that she hardly felt like life was worth living anymore. Jack was gone and the one man she had fallen in love with after that had been a very bad man. Hugo had shown little more than his good side to her but for so many other people, he had only caused pain and suffering.
"I feel like such a terrible person for missing him," she admitted. "But I do. I can't... I can't seem to let go."
She sighed heavily. Alf reached out to hold her.
That night, after a day full of chat, food and laughter, Charlie and Joey were half asleep before they'd even got changed.
"I'll leave you sleeping in the morning," Joey said, slipping beneath the sheets.
Charlie snuggled in beside her, kissing her tenderly on the lips.
"I think that's a good idea," she smirked. "Early morning fishing isn't my cup of tea."
Joey chuckled.
"I really am going to have to educate you one of these days," she mused.
"Good luck!" Charlie remarked.
She clicked the light on, moving through the dark to capture Joey in her embrace.
At the caravan park, Rabbit cried as Miles forced the medication Michael had prescribed down his throat. Neither of them wanted her to go away. Neither of them felt able to cope without each other. But Miles knew that however the situation was resolved, it couldn't continue as it was.
Next time... Joey gets into an argument trying to protect Ross, Gina can't help Martha and Elijah takes Leah and VJ to visit Vinnie's grave...
