Chapter Four Hundred and Twenty

Charlie and Joey were enjoying an evening at home when they heard the lift in motion outside.

"If that's Kerri, do you think it'd be wrong to drag her in here and give her a talking to?" Joey mused.

She and Charlie exchanged looks before Joey leapt to her feet and hurried out the door. She arrived back a couple of moments later with Kerri in tow.

"Why do I get the feeling that this is less of a cheeky glass of wine and more of an intervention?" Kerri said cautiously, coming to join her friends in the lounge.

"Well, we did see you with someone that surprised us the other night," Joey admitted, grabbing another glass and coming to pour out more wine for their guest.

She sat back down beside her girlfriend.

"Brax is a nice guy," Kerri insisted.

"Ha!" Charlie balked. "If it wasn't against the rules, I'd show you his record."

Kerri frowned.

"He said he doesn't have one," she said.

"Okay, well, he doesn't actually have one," Charlie admitted. "But only because he's the slimiest snake on the planet and gets away with everything."

"Or maybe he's not the person you think he is?" Kerri suggested.

"I'd go with Charlie being right," Joey said. "Kerri, he's the leader of a criminal gang."

"They just surf…" Kerri tried.

"And steal, and deal drugs, and beat people up…" Charlie put in.

Kerri sighed.

"I haven't seen any evidence of that," she said. "All I'm seeing is…"

"What he wants you to see?" Joey suggested.

"Is a nice guy who treats me with the utmost respect," Kerri corrected her.

Joey sighed.

"What about Watson?" she asked.


With the house to himself for the evening, Romeo had invited Indi round for dinner and the pair of them had been thoroughly enjoying being alone and cooking together. They'd mucked around, laughing and tasting sauces and things had been getting steamier and steamier the more carried away they had been getting. More than once, they had nearly let their food burn, having got rather distracted with kissing instead of cooking. But regardless, the couple were having a lovely time.


"What about Watson?" Kerri asked. "She was never interested in me in the first place."

"Are you kidding?" Joey exclaimed. "Kerri, she's absolutely devastated that you're going out with Brax. She really, really liked you. Like, from the moment she first laid eyes on you, she liked you."

Kerri looked unmoved and took a long swig of her drink.

"Well, if that's true, she had a funny way of showing it," she finally said. "And regardless of what you think of him, at least Brax made a move. At least he looked at me and liked me and made it clear, you know?"

Charlie sighed. She wanted Kerri and Watson together as much as Joey but she had to admit that Kerri had a point.

"She's just… shy," Joey said glumly.

"Even the shyest person in the world would have taken up the hints I gave her," Kerri said certainly. "I made it so obvious that I liked her."

"Did you ask her out?" Joey wanted to know.

"Well, no…" Kerri admitted.

"That's probably what she needed," Charlie said. "Why um… why didn't you?"


On library duty yet again, Bianca happened upon Liam reading The Talented Mr Ripley. Curious and amused, she approached him.

"Interesting choice of reading material," she said, creeping up on him.

She chuckled when she gave him such a fright that he leapt up and slammed the door shut, as if he had been caught doing something terrible.

"You shouldn't creep up on people," he told her.

"Don't be embarrassed," she said. "I'm flattered that you're reading it."

"Flattered?" he asked, immediately annoyed.

"Yeah, well, I'm guessing you're reading it because it's about Italy and I'm Italian," she said silkily.

"Not everything is about you, you know," he snapped, stomping off to another area of the library.

She was left rather speechless.


"Well, I was never quite sure if she liked me or not," Kerri said. "I kept hinting to her that I liked her and she never took me up on any of it so I just concluded that the whole thing was one sided on my part. And then Brax came along and he made no bones about being attracted to me. I'd been holding out for Watson and then after that night out we had, I figured, what the hell was I waiting for? So I went for it. And I'm glad I did. He's great."

She smiled a little shyly.

"But if you really did like Watson…" Joey tried.

"I did," Kerri said. "I kind of still do but…"

She shrugged.

"Joey, if there's one person practically begging to go out with you and has absolutely no issue with your situation, and let's face it, I kind of have a situation here," she said. "And there's another person who's completely hesitant about dating you, probably for all those reasons…"

"Watson was only hesitant because she's shy," Charlie assured her. "And because she's been hurt. And because she never thought she stood a chance with you."

Kerri swallowed uncertainly.

"Are you completely sure about that?" she asked. "I thought maybe she didn't want to date someone bisexual, disabled and has a child. It doesn't exactly sell a personal ad."

"I don't think she considers any of those things an issue," Charlie said. "She really likes you."

Kerri sighed.

"Then I guess I knew that too late," she said.


Bianca found Liam in another corner of the library.

"I didn't mean to upset you," she said hesitantly.

He turned around to face her, looking exactly that.

"You never do," he said, turning away from her again.

She frowned and came to sit beside him in the bookstands.

"Are you as confused about this whole thing as I am, Bianca?" Liam asked seriously.

"You mean us?"

He nodded.

"Pretty much," she admitted.

"Are you as upset as me?" he wanted to know. "Because I swear, I can barely stand up, I'm on such loose footing with you all the time. My head's a mess. One minute everything seems to be going well and the next, everything's just horrible."

Awkwardly, Bianca put her hand on his back.

"I didn't realise you felt so bad about it," she admitted.

"I do," he said.


"Not if you break up with Brax…" Joey murmured.

Charlie elbowed her lightly but with meaning. It wasn't their place to interfere.

"Look, I like Watson," Kerri said. "And I know she's your friend and you hate Brax but I can't end things with him on a whim, on the off chance that she might like me. I can't treat him badly just because. That's not fair. Whatever he might get up to when I'm not there… I don't know. I can't mess him around on hearsay."

Charlie nodded but Joey was less moved.

"I just… really wanted you two to get together," she said sadly.

"I know," Kerri said. "And I do take responsibility for my part but we had our chance and we missed it."

Joey sighed and sank against Charlie.

"Are you still my friends?" Kerri asked anxiously.

"Of course we are, silly!" Charlie assured her.

"Of course!" Joey grinned. "We could never stop being friends."

"And… is there any chance you'd try and get to know Brax?" Kerri asked hopefully. "For me?"

Both women winced and exchanged glances. Finally, they agreed, although they still felt bad about Watson.


"You were right, by the way," Liam admitted. "I was reading that book because of you."

"You were?" Bianca asked, surprised, due to his former rejection of the suggestion.

"I was trying to figure out why Italian men have such a hold on you," he said. "Given that you're the strongest, most amazing woman I've ever met. I don't understand why that guy is still controlling your life even though you've walked away from him."

"I don't know," Bianca sighed.

"You're the most incredible woman on the planet, Bianca," Liam continued. "You should be with someone who makes you realise that, not someone who cheats on you and makes you feel like you're not good enough. You are good enough. You're perfect."

Moved, she leant in and kissed him.


Kerri left Charlie and Joey, awkwardly explaining that Brax was coming round for dinner and that he was meeting Danny for the first time that evening. She had barely left the flat when they received a call from Watson to say that she was nearby and needed a friend; could she come round?

She arrived within minutes, looking miserable. Joey immediately grabbed another glass and put Kerri's used one in the dishwasher.

"I'm such a fuck up," Watson complained. "Why did I have to handle this so badly? I could literally be with the woman of my dreams if I'd just bucked my ideas up, taken a risk and told her how I felt and now I'm alone and she's dating a fucking River Boy."

She downed her drink. Joey and Charlie exchanged glances before Joey poured her another. It looked like it was going to be a long night.


Liam and Bianca forgot all about their library duty. Passion ignited from their kiss as their bodies melted together. They moved from their seats on to the library floor. Clothes were quickly removed. Tonight was the night.


"Do you think it'll last?" Watson asked.

"I doubt it," Joey replied honestly. "I mean, she likes him. A lot. But he's a Braxton. A River Boy. A nice girl like Kerri isn't going to stay with someone like him for the long term."

She looked at Charlie for confirmation. The police officer nodded.

"Brax is the kind of guy you have a fling with," she said. "He's not the kind of guy you fall in love with."

"What about me?" Watson asked quietly.

"You're definitely the kind of girl you fall in love with," Charlie assured her.

"You're a keeper," Joey said. "When it all fizzles out between Kerri and Brax, when she realises what he's really like, you need to be there. And you need to be bold this time. You need to go after what you really want."


Romeo and Indi were engaged in a heavy make-out session on the sofa when voices interrupted them. They were mortified to find Sid and Marilyn arriving at the house.

"Hi," Sid said, also rather startled, as his daughter hurriedly re-buttoned her shirt.

Romeo wanted the ground to swallow him up.

"I um… was just bringing Marilyn home," the Doctor said awkwardly. "I thought I'd pick you up."

"Great," Indi said. "Thanks."

She kissed Romeo's cheek and practically ran out the door.


With Watson gone, Charlie and Joey retired to bed. The situation was weighing on their minds as they met in the middle of the bed, cuddling up close. They kissed tenderly.

"I'm so glad we've got each other," Charlie whispered.

"Me too," Joey replied.

They kissed again, taking their time and not wanting to part.


Next time… Watson shows compassion for Kerri, Leah finds out that VJ has been writing to Elijah and Liam and Bianca incur Gina's wrath…