Chapter Three Hundred and Twenty One
Charlie and Joey sat at a Diner table with Leah and Irene, indulging in extra coffee before work. Their former housemate had been troubled and distracted for a few days now and finally she was ready to reveal why.
"Oh my…" Irene managed when she explained that Elijah had proposed a few nights ago.
Charlie and Joey didn't look particularly shocked. In fact, Joey looked extremely awkward.
"Did you know?" Leah asked incredulously.
"Kind of," Joey admitted quietly.
"And you didn't think to warn me or tell him not to or…?"
"I did tell him not to!" Joey squeaked. "I told him it was too soon and that you weren't ready but he big, fat did it anyway."
She pouted. Charlie put her arm around her.
"How are things between you now?" she asked. "I mean, they must be…"
"Awkward!" Leah cried. "They're so awkward. We keep trying to carry on and pretend that it never happened but it did happen. It really did happen and now I don't know what to do."
She sighed dramatically and sank back in her chair. Charlie, Joey and Irene tried not to be amused by the drama queen and focus on what was actually a difficult situation.
Elijah walked along the beach with Miles, having turned to his best friend about Leah.
"Do you think I just did it wrong?" he wondered.
"Wrong?" Miles asked.
"Like, if I'd have done it with a ring or some romantic gesture, might she have said yes?"
Miles sighed, shoving his hands in his pockets as they continued to trudge across the sand.
"Well, what did she say?"
"That she wasn't ready to take such a big step yet," Elijah said.
"Then I don't think it mattered if you had a ring or not," Miles concluded.
"But, well, maybe she was thinking 'how serious can this guy be if he doesn't even have a ring'?"
Miles sighed again. He wasn't sure he was the person to provide the answers Elijah so desperately craved.
Colleen hurried back into the Diner kitchen in a rather flustered state. She had been left to hold the forte while Leah and Irene gossiped with Charlie and Joey. She'd been hovering and heard a few scattered words. The only conclusion she could draw was that that harlot, Marilyn had duped poor, trusting Alf into proposing to her. Colleen was utterly furious.
Keen to avoid Angelo, Charlie had no qualms in being late for work. Having left the Diner, she walked Joey to the bait shop, happy to spend extra time with her beloved.
"I still can't believe he'd propose just like that," Charlie mused. "I mean, it's so quick. Don't you think it's quick? People shouldn't rush into this kind of thing…"
"Charlie, sweetheart," Joey interrupted. "Stop panicking. Nobody asked you to marry them."
Charlie flushed and mumbled that that wasn't what she meant. Joey grinned and caught hold of her hand.
"I agree with you," she added affectionately. "I don't think it's something anyone should jump into head first."
Charlie stopped and spun Joey round to face her, catching hold of both her hands.
"For the record, I'm fully expecting to take that step with you at some point," she said seriously. "Providing that that doesn't freak you out."
Joey tried to look horrified but could only smile. She pulled Charlie into her arms and kissed her.
"That makes me very, very happy," she said. "And I look forward to the day that we're ready for it. Although, I warn you, I might surprise us both and turn into Bridezilla!"
Charlie laughed and kissed her again. She couldn't even imagine not loving that about her. As far as Charlie was concerned, everything about Joey Collins was perfect.
"So, who would take whose name?" Joey wondered when they started walking again.
"I can picture a double barrel," Charlie said immediately.
Joey grinned, marvelling that she had even thought about it.
"Ah, but whose name would go first?" she asked.
Colleen shot invisible daggers at Marilyn when she came into the Diner for herbal tea and a slice of cake to assist her in putting together business ideas. Her resources were starting to drain now that she wasn't working and she was hoping to set up her own business in her last remaining days in the Bay. After all, she wanted to have something to leave for her loved ones.
"I know your game, Missy," Colleen snapped rather venomously when she grudgingly came to serve her.
"Excuse me?" Marilyn replied, genuinely confused.
Colleen just glared and then stomped off on her grumpy way.
"Romeo!" Joey called when she spotted the teenager on the beach for his lunch break.
The tall, blonde surfer waved and then jogged over to her, looking more cheerful than she had seen him in quite some time.
"Hey, Joey," he greeted warmly. "Have you made a decision about the money yet?"
"Yeah," Joey said, gesturing for him to join her in sitting on the step. "That's what I wanted to talk to you about."
Romeo offered her his full attention.
"I am so touched that you thought of me," Joey began. "It was such a kind and generous offer. And it really would have helped me a great deal of course. But the thing is, I can't in good conscience take it from you."
"But I want you to have it…" Romeo protested.
Joey put a gentle hand on his.
"This whole thing is a really emotive subject for you," she said. "You've been through so much with your family and it's something you haven't yet healed from. I don't want you to donate so much cash and then regret it…"
"I won't," Romeo said.
"You might," Joey insisted. "And I can't risk hurting you by accepting it. But you have to know that it's one of the kindest things anyone has ever done for me. You will never, ever know how much it means and how much I love you – for who you are and for the gesture. But I really can't take the money. Give it back or, better still, take it and put it into some savings or something and use it at a later time. Maybe when you've finished school and you're starting out in the real world or something?"
Romeo sighed and nodded.
"I'll think about it," he said, although he was still reluctant to be paid off. "Thanks, Jo."
Smiling, they hugged each other.
"Charlie, can we at least talk about this?" Angelo begged.
He continued to follow her around the police station, whining without dignity.
"I have nothing to say to you," Charlie said yet again as she walked back towards her office.
In the doorway, he begged again.
"Look, I am so sorry for the misunderstanding…" he said.
Charlie looked at him with utter dislike in her eyes.
"Listen to me, right now," she said, her voice dark with warning. "You overstepped the line for the last time yesterday. I am sick and tired of this weird thing you have with me. It makes me deeply uncomfortable and it's seriously pissing me off. I want no kind of relationship with you ever again – neither professional or personal and certainly not romantic. If you persist in hassling me, I'll have no choice but to legally keep you away from me. Do you understand?"
"I…"
"Do you understand?" Charlie interrupted.
He hung his head.
"Yes, I understand," he sighed. "Sorry."
She closed the door in his face. Sinking into her chair, she couldn't help but smile to herself. Joey will be proud of me, she thought.
"I'm really not sure that this is our best course of action," Miles said nervously.
Elijah had visited him at school and shown him the ring he planned to propose to Leah with.
"I love her and we're meant to be together forever," Elijah insisted. "What on earth could be wrong with that? Besides, Marilyn thinks it's a great idea!"
"Hey!" Joey yelled angrily when she spotted Angelo storming across the beach in uniform.
He turned and glared at her, before dissolving in defeat. He'd already had Charlie lay into him. He didn't need Joey starting as well. He watched her march up to him and hoped he wasn't going to get another right hook. For a girl, she sure could punch.
"I've already had an earful from Charlie so save your breath," he told her when she was close enough to hear him.
"Good, that's one wronged party dealt with," she replied. "But you've still got me."
"Look, just leave me alone, okay?" Angelo said tiredly.
"You hit on my girlfriend again and you expect me to leave you alone?" Joey snapped.
Angelo glared.
"You know what?" he said bitterly. "I don't think you'd give a shit about my feelings for Charlie if you weren't so terrified that she's going to leave you at any minute."
Joey looked aghast.
"You bang on and on about how you and Charlie are soul mates and all that shit," he continued. "But deep down, I know that your biggest fear is that she's going to leave you. You're terrified that you're dating a straight girl who's going through a phase. And one day, she's going to wake up and realise that she's missing someone that you can't provide. One day, she's going to have the uncontrollable urge to be with a man again. And then she'll cheat on you and break your heart."
"Don't be ridiculous," Joey said quietly.
Angelo folded his arms, smiling smugly.
"And do you know what else?" he said quietly, leaning in close to her face. "You're absolutely right. And when she does get the urge she can't control, I'm going to be right there to help her out."
Then he turned and walked away.
Elijah and Leah were sat at a table in the Diner. He had just about convinced her to take a break and spend some time with him, informing her that he was whisking her off to a posh dinner and the theatre that evening.
"What's all this in aid of?" his girlfriend wondered.
"Do I need a reason?" he asked, flashing his most charming smile.
She grinned back and held his hand across the table.
"Thank you," she said sincerely. "To be honest, I've been really worried about losing you. I love you so much and I do want to spend the rest of my life with you but I've been so scared that that's not enough for you right now. I'm not saying never, just not now. But you've proved to me today that you understand where I'm coming from and I'm so grateful. I just want to take things slowly. But I'm so happy now that we're back in a good place."
Elijah tried not to let his face fall. He nodded and squeezed her hand, mentally making the decision not to propose after all. She didn't need the pressure and didn't want to put her in a difficult position.
"Exactly," he said warmly. "So, I'll collect you at seven tonight?"
Leah beamed at him.
"I'll be ready and waiting," she said.
He leant across the table and kissed her goodbye. As he turned to leave, he heard something clatter to the floor. Whirling around, her froze when Leah reached the item first. He had just dropped the now redundant engagement ring.
"Sweetheart, are you okay?" Charlie asked worriedly.
At the end of the working day, Joey was cooking dinner but unusually, she wasn't singing to herself or even smiling. She hadn't even been that impressed when Charlie had repeated her encounter with Angelo. Charlie leant against the counter that separated the kitchen from the lounge.
"Joey?"
Joey looked up a little guilty.
"I'm fine," she lied.
Angelo's words had been repeating in her brain all afternoon. She knew it was stupid. He was just trying to wind her up and cause problems between her and Charlie. She also knew that Charlie was completely committed to her. But he'd got into her head and she couldn't shake her feelings away.
Next time… Leah breaks up with Elijah, Charlie and Joey plan to visit Aden and Marilyn decides to teach Colleen a lesson…
