Hi, everyone. I'm really sorry that I haven't been updating. I've fallen really behind with writing chapters so I've been trying to build them up again. I've got enough of this one now so post one so next I'll start building up 'Baby' Mine' and when I have enough, I'll post a chapter of then and then on and on and then things should go back to normal. I really am sorry though. Everything has just been really hard to keep up with. Please bear with me. And I hope you'll continue to read and review. Hopefully this won't be my last update before Christmas but just in case, I hope you all have a fantastic day. Love, IJKS xxx

Chapter Four Hundred and Twenty Nine

"I can't believe I've fired two people already," Joey mused over breakfast the following morning. "I never imagined being able to fire anybody and now I've let two whole people go. It's crazy."

She shook her head and then sipped her coffee.

"I hope someone good applies though," she said. "I need someone to replace Angelo quickly. I hate to say it but he really helped to keep the place ticking over."

Charlie touched her hand gently.

"We'll find someone," she assured her. "Someone better than Angelo."

"I'm sure it won't be that hard," Ruby remarked. "I know he did a lot but think about it – it turns out he was a snake in the grass, after all. He was lying to you and going behind your back. You're better off without someone like him in your life."

"Wise words from my girls," Joey smiled. "Thank you."


Dex had escaped the house early, as Sid had come to expect. Marilyn had come round for breakfast though and alone, the Doctor had decided it was time to broach an important subject.

"Marilyn, I really need to talk to you," he said.

"This sounds serious," the blonde replied curiously.

"I really think the time has come where you need to go to the hospital and have tests with the cancer specialists," Sid said.

"Sid, I don't…"

"It's important, Marilyn," he urged. "We need to know what we're dealing with."


Charlie stopped off at the Diner before work and was happy to be received by a still cheerful Leah, who was planning out her trip to Africa to visit Elijah. Everyone was hoping that this meant that the couple would get back together for good.

"How dare you read something like that in here?" Colleen barked behind her.

Charlie turned around and Leah looked up, alarmed that her employee was evidently shouting at a customer – a woman they didn't recognise.

"Promoting some sort of occult propaganda in our Diner!" Colleen exclaimed.

Leah groaned.

"I'll deal with it," Irene assured her, stepped out from behind the counter and approaching the table.

"It's all fun and games in here," Charlie remarked.

"You bet," Leah agreed. "I hear it is over at your establishment too. What on earth happened with Angelo?"

Charlie sighed.

"Word's got round, then?"

Leah nodded. Charlie took a breath and attempted to explain.


"Liam, am I being paranoid or are you avoiding me?" Ruby asked.

She was tired of all the anxiety building up inside her and she knew she had to deal with it once and for all or it was just going to drive her crazy. And that was not going to help her keep everything together and keep her safe.

"Uh… yeah," her teacher admitted.

Her heart sank. He apologised.

"I didn't mean it to come out as bluntly as that."

"Have I done something wrong?" she asked.

"No," he assured her. "Look, let's talk after school, okay?"

She nodded. Her anxiety increased.


Joey's heart sank when Angelo walked into the restaurant, desperate to talk to her. She wished Charlie had another day off to spend with her and back her up. She didn't want to have to deal with him alone.

"You're not on your own," Alf whispered, as if he could read her thoughts.

"Thank you," she whispered back.

Angelo approached the bar.

"Joey, please can I talk to you?" he begged.

"I don't think there's anything left to say," she replied stiffly.

"Joey, you and this place, this job… it means everything to me," he said. "Please don't take it away from me."

Joey laughed bitterly.

"You speak like this is something I've done to you," she remarked. "I haven't. You did this to yourself, Angelo. Charlie and I would have helped you and Paulie with the money. We wouldn't have even known what you did if we hadn't been willing to do that. We were your friends and we would have helped you if you'd have come to us first. But your first instinct was to lie and cheat and betray us and hurt us. How can I trust you behind my bar, with my till, my business, with my friendship?"

"If you'd just give me once more chance…?"

"You've had too many chances, Angelo," Joey insisted. "So many chances that I've actually lost count. But it's too late this time. It's just too late."


Sid and Marilyn arrived back at the caravan park after a long day. He had persuaded her to go to the hospital for the tests and he had to admit that he was impressed by the way she had taken everything in her stride.

"Looks like you've got a visitor," Sid remarked.

Marilyn looked up to see a familiar figure sitting on her doorstep. She immediately broke into a run.

"Mitzy!" she hollered.

Baffled, Sid followed, wondering who Mitzy was.


After school, Xavier headed straight into Yabbie Creek and to the police station where he immediately asked to speak to Charlie.

"Hi, Xavier," the Sergeant greeted when she came out. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, I um… just needed to ask you something," the teenager said. "In confidence."

"Sure," Charlie said, suddenly aware of what it was probably about. "Fancy getting some fresh air?"

He nodded and they headed out of the station together.


Sid was confused and a little irritated as the whole truth about Marilyn's situation began to dawn on him. Her friend, Mitzy was a psychic and had come to Summer Bay to tell her that her end date was due in five months. It had then dawned on Sid that Marilyn didn't actually have a cancer diagnosis and that her belief that she was dying was based on this woman alone. Now things were tense because he was sceptical of the whole thing. Well, he was making out that he was sceptical to be kind. In truth, he thought the whole thing was utterly ridiculous.


"I was worried when I heard that Angelo had lost his job at Bucktons'," Xavier explained. "Because just before that happened… off the record?"

Charlie nodded. He breathed a sigh of relief.

"I had a particularly conversation with him…"

Charlie nodded again, revealing that she knew about it.

"And I was worried that you might have been angry with him about it?" Xavier asked.

"We were," Charlie admitted. "But that's not why we fired him."

"Okay," Xavier said awkwardly. "And I was worried I might have done something wrong?"

"You haven't done a single thing wrong, Xavier," Charlie assured him. "I genuinely am concerned about your decision because what's yours is yours and Angelo shouldn't take it from you. But that's nothing to do with me. But I promise you haven't done anything wrong. Okay?"

"Okay," Xavier said, breathing a sigh of relief. "Thank you."


Ruby arrived home in a state. She'd met up with Liam after school as planned and been told that the record company only wanted to sign him and not her. She'd kept it all together in front of him but now she couldn't control her tears. She felt rejected and alone. She felt heartbroken. The record company didn't believe in her and didn't like her voice. And she had now lost Liam for good. She wanted a drink.


"I want you gone," Angelo decided. "I want you to take the money and I want you gone."

Paulie sat on the sofa, looking upset.

"Why?" he asked.

"Because you've fucked up my whole life!" Angelo declared. "You've lost me my job and my two best friends! My only friends!"

He shook his head in disbelief.

"I can't believe I've lost her," he said sadly.

Paulie eyed him curiously.

"You're in love with her," he realised.

Angelo sat up straight and glared at him.

"Don't be ridiculous!" he snapped.

"That's hilarious," he said. "You used to date one and you're crushing on the other."

"I care about them both and they're the only people in this town that have given me a chance and you took that away from me," Angelo said. "So when I get the money from Xavier, I want you to take it and fuck of out of here. I want nothing to do with you."

"I would but it's not enough," Paulie said. "That'll only pay part of the debt."

Angelo growled in frustration.

"Do I have to do everything?" he complained.

"I'm sorry," Paulie said. "I just… need you."

"And I have nothing left to give."


Joey was relieved to be able to finished work at a decent time and spend the evening with Charlie. Arriving back, she was bewildered to find that the whole living room had been rearranged. Charlie came in behind her.

"What the…?" the police officer murmured.

"I don't know," Joey said.

"Ruby?" Charlie called.

There was no reply.

"Rubes?" Joey called.

Searching the apartment, they found it empty. Charlie phoned her daughter.


Ruby was out, contemplating the best way to get her hands on alcohol. She had to be careful about being local, as people would know that she was underage and some people would even know about her drink problem. But she was desperate. She was stuck in her well of loneliness. She jumped when her phone rang. It was Charlie.

"Hello?"

"Are you okay?" her mother asked.

"I'm fine," Ruby lied.

"Did you rearrange the lounge?"

"Oh! Yeah. Do you like it?"

"Um… well, sort of. But… Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, I'm okay," she lied again. "I'm just out for a walk."

"Ruby? You don't sound quite right. Why don't you come home?"

"I'm out with Dex," Ruby said, untruths tripping off her tongue. "I'll be home in a few hours. Promise."

She hung up, assuring Charlie a few more times that everything was fine. Then she ran into Penn.


Sid and Marilyn both felt tense.

"So, you have no formal cancer diagnosis?" the Doctor asked, wanting to get everything clear in his head.

"No," his girlfriend admitted. "But I've been through it before so I know the signs. And I was told that I was going to die. And I now know it'll be in five months. That's why I came here. To be with my family. My friends. My home."

Sid sighed. He wasn't convinced.


"Thank you," Ruby said, eagerly opening the bottle of vodka Penn had bought for her.

He sat down on the beach with her, happy to indulge her in pity.

"Well, sometimes it's what you need, isn't it?" he said. "It must have been a pretty tough day. You must have so many questions in your head right now. Like, was it even the record company that rejected you or was it just Liam?"

Ruby's heart lurched. She hadn't even considered it. Penn smiled at the way he knew she wouldn't get that out of her head now. He patted her on the shoulder and wished her well. His work was done.


"Maybe we should call Dex and just check that she's with him?" Charlie considered.

Her cosy evening in with Joey hadn't worked out quite so well. It had been nice to be with her but neither of them had been able to relax very well, as they were both worried about Ruby and whether she was okay.

"Yeah," Joey agreed. "Something's not quite right."

Charlie picked up her phone just as Ruby stumbled through the door. She was drunk.


Next time… Ruby breaks down, prompting Charlie and Joey to make a decision to save her…