Chapter Two Hundred and Eighty Eight

Justin woke up in a cold sweat, struggling with images of the accident. He saw his father's face. And he saw so much blood. But he couldn't piece them together and separate memory from fear.


Charlie arrived at the Diner just before work in order to grab a much needed coffee. Joey frowned at her on a regular basis, insisting that so much caffeine wasn't good for her but so far, Charlie refused to listen.

"I just don't see why you can't tell anyone!" Colleen complained loudly to Marilyn. "That horrible vandal affected all of us. They spray painted my van for goodness sake. I have a right to..."

"Colleen, it's being dealt with," Charlie said, interjecting gently.

"But..."

"Please?" Charlie said, making eye contact. "The vandalism has stopped so we can all get on with our day to days lives."

"Are you going to do anything about it?" Colleen asked.

"We're dealing with the situation," Charlie promised.

Colleen frowned and wandered back into the kitchen.

"Thank you," Marilyn said to the police officer. "I wasn't exactly sure how to handle it. It's a pretty delicate situation."

Charlie nodded.

"Just send people to me if they need to express their frustration," she said. "The quieter we can keep the... situation, the better."


Joey smiled when Nicole approached her at the bait shop.

"You know you're repeating the year at school?" she said when the blonde was within earshot. "Might it help if you actually attend?"

"I've got a free period, smart arse!" the school girl replied.

"What can I do you for?" Joey asked. "Fancy an afternoon of fishing?"

Nicole pulled a face that made her friend laugh.

"Seriously though, how are things?" Joey asked.

"Better... I think. Britt quit teaching when the class ganged up on her and I actually managed to have a whole ten minute phone call with Aden this morning," Nicole told her.

"I guess that's progress," Joey mused.

Personally, she had hoped that more progress would have been made since the dinner they all had together but Aden was still distant and guarded.

"But I'm really happy to hear about Britt," Joey added. "Well done."

"Thanks," Nicole beamed.

She had to admit that she was pretty pleased with how things had turned out at school.

"Joey? Nicole? Can I have a word?" said a voice behind them.

Both women turned to see Justin hovering in the door of the shop.

"Sure," Joey said uncertainly.

Aden's brother didn't look like he had slept for weeks. It was worrying to say the least.


Ruby and Xavier promptly walked in the opposite direction down the school corridor as soon as they spotted Annie and Romeo looking to be in a heated discussion.

"Trouble in paradise," Ruby remarked.

"So glad we don't have issues like that," Xavier agreed.


"What do you mean?" Joey asked, furrowing her brow.

"Nothing, just... well, if I decide to move on and don't stay in the Bay, you will look out for Aden, won't you?" Justin said awkwardly.

"Well, of course we will," Nicole said, trying not to sound too annoyed. "We looked after him just fine before we knew you existed."

Joey sighed quietly. The last thing she wanted was for this to turn into a row.

"I know," Justin said, not rising to the criticism in Nicole's voice. "I know you have. You're both much better for him than I am. But just... please?"

Joey patted him gently on the arm.

"We'll always take care of our boy," she promised. "No matter what."


"What on earth is going on in there?" Charlie asked Watson who had sought solace from the reception desk.

Shouting and banging was coming from the office she shared with Angelo.

"I believe he's having a tantrum," the Senior Constable said sourly.

Puzzled and a little worried, Charlie dared to knock on the door, which was ajar.

"What?" Angelo snapped.

He'd thrown the waste paper basket across the room and its contents were now spilled on the floor.

"What's wrong?" Charlie asked.

"None of your damn business," Angelo told her.

His eyes were blazing with fury.

"If you're trashing a room in this police station then it is my business," Charlie said calmly.

"Fine!" Angelo said. "I'll go trash some of my own property."

He rudely pushed past her and out the door.

"What the hell is your problem?" Charlie yelled.

He turned around wildly, stepping far too close to her.

"I don't know, Charlie," he yelled back. "Maybe it's because every bastard in this town treats me like shit. Maybe it's because whenever something goes wrong it's always my fault. And maybe it's because every single thing I've worked for since I came back to the Bay is going to hell."

With that, he stormed out of the station, kicking the door hard on his way.

"So, how do you feel about a friendly Senior Constable taking up a corner of your office?" Watson asked hopefully.


"I still think he should be joining the army," Justin said.

Nicole had left to go back to school but Aden's brother had hung around to chat. He seemed restless and lost in a world of his own, like he had a heavy burden on his shoulders. Joey couldn't help but worry.

"You're really keen on that, aren't you?" she remarked.

"It saved my life," he said sincerely. "And I can see all the same anger and stress in Aden that I used to have. I lost it when I started doing something significant with my life."

Joey frowned.

"Aden is doing something significant with his life," she said, feeling protective.

"He works in a Diner," Justin said.

"And I work in a bait shop," Joey said defensively. "It doesn't matter what we choose to do to earn money, Justin. It's the bits in between that count."

"Like what?" Justin asked.

"Like, Aden took his own personal, painful experiences to help me overcome mine," Joey said. "If it hadn't been for him and for Charlie then I'd have nothing now. I might not even be alive. It was through living here in the Bay that he fell in love with Belle. If you could only have seen those two together... He literally held her until the end. He married her, knowing she was dying. He did everything he possibly could to make her happy. You might not think he's contributing to the world but he is. And if he doesn't want to follow in your footsteps then let him take his own path, Justin. Not everybody is suited to the same kind of lifestyle."


Marilyn arrived back home to see Miles sitting on the sofa, having a conversation with himself. He looked startled and guilty. Marilyn cautiously came to sit in the other chair.

"Is Rabbit still here?" she asked.

Miles nodded. Personally, he was thrilled that she was still around but he knew that those around him wouldn't be quite so pleased.


It had been a lousy day at school, involving an argument with Annie that Romeo wasn't entirely sure how to fix. As usual, he'd sought solace in a surf board and was happy to lose himself in the waves.


"You're far too good, you know," Charlie remarked when she found Watson cleaning up the mess in the office she shared with Angelo.

"I know," Watson replied with a grin. "Would you like to reward me with a drink after work?"

Charlie chuckled, leaning against the door frame.

"If you bring Monica, I'll bring Joey," she said.

"Done."


"Very impressive," Joey remarked when Romeo walked by the bait shop after his surf.

He stopped and grinned before heading over to see her.

"Do you surf?" he asked.

"I sail," Joey said. "Surfing looks like it requires far too much co-ordination."

Romeo chuckled before insisting that anyone could do it.

"I mean, if I can teach Annie then I can teach anyone," he said. "She started off hopeless!"

He laughed but then looked sad.

"Is all not well on cloud nine?" Joey asked.

"She thinks I don't want her to stay in the Bay," Romeo said.

"And why does she think that?"

"Because I told her that she has to make her own decision," Romeo said. "Living in Japan is a huge opportunity. She'd already changed and grown so much in the time she's been gone. I don't want her to give that up because I'm asking her to. I want her to make the right choice for her."

"And did you tell her that?" Joey asked, sitting on the step in front of the store.

Romeo dumped his board and came to sit beside her.

"I don't think I put my point across quite that clearly when we fell out," he admitted.

"Then what are you talking to me for? I mean, I know I'm awesome but it sounds like you've got someone more important to see."

Romeo smiled, thanked her and ran off.

"I'll babysit your board, shall I?" Joey hollered after him.

Her phone beeped and she was pleased to see that she had a text from Charlie inviting her out for a drink with Watson and Monica. That sounded like the perfect way to end the day.


"I know it's hard to get your head around tragedy," Marilyn sympathised. "I lost my son like you lost your daughter. But I know I'm going to be with him again."

Miles raised his eyebrows.

"Do you believe in Heaven?" he asked.

Marilyn nodded. Miles noticed that she looked troubled.

"What aren't you saying?" he asked.

"I'm dying," Marilyn replied. "I have less than a year to live. And that's why I've come home. I'm trying to live my life as happily as possible until the end."


Romeo caught up with Annie as quickly as possible. He hadn't even bothered to shower after surfing and he was only now aware that he'd dumped his board on Joey. Still, he figured she would understand. And look after it for him.

"Annie!" he called when he saw her approaching the Diner, still in her school uniform.

She turned and looked a little sad and a little awkward.

"I don't want you to go to Japan," he said sincerely. "If I could be the most selfish guy in the world, then I'd tell you not to go and to stay here with me instead. But because I love you so much, I want you to make your own decision. I don't want to look back on this time of our lives and have you resent me because I held you back and stopped you living your dream. I want you to do what's right for you."

Annie smiled and reached for his hand.

"That's what I meant to say before," he explained. "But I didn't do it very well. Hopefully now, I have."

"You have," she told him. "Thank you."


It was seven thirty and Charlie and Watson were both desperate to finish their shifts. Today had been particularly long and they were looking forward to relaxing with their girlfriends and a couple of drinks.

"Yay! We can go home!" Watson declared, appearing in Charlie's office.

She grinned when she realised that Charlie was all packed up and ready to go. They walked out into the reception area, eager to escape.

"I need to talk to you," Justin said, appearing as if from nowhere.

Charlie and Watson's hearts both sank as they realised that their shift was far from over.

"Have you remembered something about the accident?" Charlie asked.

Justin nodded gravely.

"I think I killed my Dad."

Joey sighed heavily when she picked up a text message from Charlie that read: Emergency at work. Not sure when I'll finish. Sorry! I love you! C xxx.

"What's up?" Leah asked.


Joey had come to the Diner and opted to make a nuisance of herself in the kitchen while she waited for Charlie, Watson and Monica to meet her at the Surf Club.

"Charlie's working late," Joey said.

"You mean you've been hanging around here for no reason?" Leah asked in mock horror.

Irene chuckled as Annie walked in, clearly with the same thing in mind.

"You look troubled," her foster mother remarked.

"I'm struggling to figure out what to do about Japan," she admitted.

"Did Romeo find you?" Joey asked hopefully.

"Yeah, a little while ago," Annie said. "Did he talk to you?"

"A bit," Joey admitted. "If you see him again can you tell him that his surf board is locked away in the bait shop, ready for him to collect any time he wants."

Annie looked a little puzzled.

"Have you made a decision?" Irene asked.

She wasn't entirely sure what she wanted Annie to do. On the one hand, she thought returning to Japan would be a wonderful opportunity. But on the other hand, having already said goodbye to Belle and Geoff, she would miss having her around.

"I think I'm leaning towards going," Annie admitted.

Joey tried not to let anyone read her expression but she knew Romeo would be heartbroken.


"Okay, thank you," Charlie said, although the words felt somewhat inappropriate.

Justin had told her that he'd picked Larry up from prison and had been driving him to Summer Bay when the accident had happened. He wasn't sure about the details but he said he knew Larry was dead and that it was his fault.

"What happens now?" Justin asked anxiously.

He could feel his entire future slipping away and that made him feel sick.

"Now, you go home and rest," Charlie said. "And you report back here first thing in the morning so that we can send a team out to search where you think Larry's body might be."

Justin nodded and stood up. Charlie and Watson rose also.

"We're really trusting you here," the Sergeant said sternly. "Don't do anything stupid."

"I won't," Justin said as they walked him to the door. "I promise."


Romeo sat on the beach in the growing darkness. He'd gone to the Diner to pick up desert for the house in the hope of cheering Miles up. But as he'd approached the counter, he'd overheard Annie telling whoever was in the kitchen that she was keen to return to Japan. Heartbroken and frustrated, Romeo had abandoned his plans and sunk onto the sand, wishing his surf board wasn't out of reach.


Next time... Annie and Romeo fret about their love lives, Leah wants to take her relationship with Elijah to the next level and Charlie and Joey finally have their night out with Watson and Monica...