Sorry the updates are late today. Real life got in the way! Love, IJKS xxx

Chapter Three Hundred and Ninety

It was Friday and the trial opening night of Buckton's. Joey was very nervous and very excited all at the same time and subsequently, she hadn't had a moment of stillness all day, not to mention the night before where she hadn't been able to sleep.

They had hired staff, prepped the food, organised the drinks and printed the menus. The décor was perfect and lots of people had been invited to the private function. Then tomorrow night, they would open the restaurant for real. Joey was just desperate to get everything right.


Over at the Diner, Leah looked dead on her feet. She wasn't sleeping and it was having a definite knock on effect during the day. She was also deeply unhappy and it was an effort to provide service with a smile. All she could think about was how much she missed Elijah and how she wished that things had turned out differently between them. She didn't know what she was meant to do without him now.


"Hey, Joey!" Angelo called, spotting her bustling back to the restaurant with a large set of stereo speakers in her arms.

He reached out to take one of them, lightening her load.

"Thanks," she said. "That nearly went very, very wrong. But don't tell Charlie that bit because I don't want her to know she was right!"

Angelo chuckled and followed her up through the Surf Club and into the restaurant above. They had a strange and indefinable relationship really. They had both hated each other for quite some time, largely because they were both in love with the same woman. But recently, things seemed to have thawed. Neither of them would exactly say they had bonded but it was close.


Out on the beach, Nicole got right to the point. She was tired and annoyed, not least because she'd had to sneak Ruby back home and into bed without Charlie and Joey noticing the other night. But the accusations her friends were making were playing on her mind and she wanted to have it out with Penn once and for all.

"What are you talking about?" Penn asked, feigning innocence.

"I'm talking about what you've been talking about!" Nicole said, trying not to sound too angry.

"So the dodgy Doctor who'll go off with anyone who asks, tells you a couple of lies and you believe him?" Penn asked.

She was struck by how hurt he sounded.

"I don't know," she sighed. "I just don't know anymore."

"I am not a liar," he told her, holding onto both her hands and looking into her eyes. "Sid's just pissed because he got caught out. He probably still wants you…"

"He's with Marilyn," Nicole interrupted.

"So?" Penn responded incredulously. "Wasn't he married when he was hooking up with the entire female population of Australia? In fact, isn't he still married now?"

Nicole nodded, more confused than ever.


"Don't even lie!" Charlie said as soon as Joey and Angelo walked through the door.

"Lie?" Joey asked innocently.

Charlie raised her eyebrows and took the speaker from her.

"I saw you nearly stack it," she said. "And I saw the look of gratitude on your face when Angelo helped you out. So I believe that means I was right."

She looked triumphant. Joey pouted.

"I'm guessing it also means you spent more time looking out of the window than you did organising the playlist," she said.

"I did some of it," Charlie promised.

"Well then get back to work!" Joey said with mock severity.

"Yes, Ma'am," Charlie chuckled, saluting her.

Both of them had the same naughty thoughts at the same time but opted not to voice them. With Charlie back on the computer, Joey turned back to Angelo.

"Thanks for your help," she said.

Angelo nodded and looked anxious, like he had something on his mind.

"What's up?" Joey asked, hoping that it wouldn't be another woe is me tale.

She mostly liked the guy again but she really didn't have time to attend his pity party.

"I was wondering if you had any jobs going," he admitted.

"Jobs?" Joey said, surprised.

Charlie looked up curiously from the laptop but carefully pretended not to listen.

"Yeah, like bar work or waiting or… something," he said.

"I've filled most of the positions," Joey admitted.

He looked crestfallen. Joey felt bad.

"Let me think about it, okay?" she said.

"Absolutely," Angelo agreed.

With a nod and smile, he left.


Rachel met up with Daniel for lunch again. The decision as to whether she should accept his job offer or not was still weighing heavily on her mind. It also felt like it was tearing her family apart. She and Tony had been through such a rough road together over the years. She loved him and never wanted to be without him. But she was bored in a small town that no longer challenged her. She wanted to start afresh.


"What on earth was all that about?" Charlie wondered, getting up and wandering over to her girlfriend.

"I think he just asked for a job," Joey said, sounding as confused as she looked.

Charlie wrapped her arms around her waist and kissed her.

"Do either of you remember a time when you couldn't be in the same room as each other?" she asked.

"Yep," Joey said. "It's kind of weird how things have gone."

"I guess he's nicer," Charlie ventured.

"And way more pathetic," Joey added. "I can't really be nasty to him when he's being all sad."

Charlie chuckled and kissed her again.

"You're too nice for your own good sometimes," she said. "Not that that's a bad thing."

"Do you think I should give him a job?" Joey asked. "I do have a few part time hours to fill. I could give him a chance."

"I support whatever you decide," Charlie told her.


Liam was anxious when he spotted Ruby sitting on the beach in obvious misery. She hadn't been at school for a few days and he hadn't seen her around all that much.

"Hey," he said.

She looked up tiredly and then looked away. Life was beginning to feel more and more impossible these days. She couldn't even tell her parents about what was going on. Up till now, she'd thought she could tell them anything.

"Look, do you want me to pull out of performing tonight?" he asked flatly.

Ruby looked startled and shook her head.

"No," she said. "Joey would completely freak out if you cancelled on her now."

"Well, you could perform instead," Liam suggested.

Ruby stood up and looking him directly in the eye.

"The team doesn't work without you," she told him. "I'm the disposable one."

Without giving him a chance to reply, she walked away.


The evening was upon them before Charlie or Joey even realised. Music was playing and guests were arriving to sample the ambiance and taster menu in preparation for the big night tomorrow. Joey had come back to Angelo and offered him part time hours on the promise that he didn't bail on the bait shop unless Alf found a replacement.

"I told you this would go well," Charlie said, stepping up behind Joey who was mingling with guests.

Joey looked around the room, happy that everyone seemed to be having such a nice time. She smiled and leant against her girlfriend.

"I never thought this day would ever actually happen," she admitted. "Thank you for making all my dreams come true."

Charlie smiled as Joey kissed her cheek.


Up on a temporary platform, Liam sat with his guitar. The audience gathered, preparing to listen to him perform. As he introduced himself to all the people that already knew him, he spotted Ruby looking forlorn in the corner. A wave of guild swept over him. Even Bianca, standing in another corner with her sister April, couldn't lift his spirits. But he ploughed on anyway.


"Sorry you're not feeling well, Rubes," Joey said when her stepdaughter walked past her and Charlie.

The teenager just shrugged. She had been out of sorts for most of the week and Charlie and Joey were both very concerned.

"You do know that you can talk to us about anything, don't you?" Charlie asked.

She and Joey had been stunned when she'd told them that she was too ill to sing, especially as they hadn't so much as heard her cough.

"I…" Ruby began.

She trailed off and Charlie was anxious as to whether she was going to yell again. Instead, Ruby flung herself into her mother's arms and stayed there.


Next time… Joey and Charlie's opening night goes ahead, Ruby battles a hangover and Nicole encounters and old flame…