Hi everyone. Just to let you know, I will be away from fanfic for a few days but I should be back with you by Tuesday, I imagine. Also, to those following 'Road to Somewhere', thank you for your support. I really appreciate it. I hope you have a good weekend. Love, IJKS xxx
Chapter Four Hundred and Forty
It was the following weekend but Alf was far from full of joy. He was still being followed around by the dark cloud of Penn and he was still shutting out all the family and friends that loved him. Needing to escape on his day off, he awoke early, ready to pack together his fishing gear and go out for the day. He halted abruptly when he opened the front door and found a parcel on the floor. Bending, he picked it up, his name on the paper covering. With a heavy heart, he opened it, already certain that it was a 'gift' from his enemy.
He walked back inside the house and set the package on the table, opening it back up. Inside, he found all the photos of Tulip, that he had found plastered all around his room. He had already thrown them away but like a boomerang, they had come back to him. Only this time, her eyes had been scratched out – in every single picture. Barely six o'clock and his day was already ruined.
Later that morning, the rest of the Bay was awake, although sitting at the kitchen table at the farm, Indi was in her own world.
"Are you going to eat that last slice of toast?" Dex asked.
She didn't hear him. He waved his hand in front of her face.
"Hello? Earth to Indi? Anyone there? Planet Indi? Dad, if I ever end up in a relationship, please shoot me if I end up like her."
"Thanks to you, my relationship could be over!" Indi snapped, deliberately snatching the slice of toast he wanted.
She took a bite swallowed it and then wasted the rest. He frowned, feeling guilty and confused in equal measure, wondering what he had done.
"Also, I wouldn't worry," she continued. "No girl in the world will ever be interested in you, Dex. Stick to inappropriate crushes on your Dad's girlfriend and on lesbians."
Dex's eyes widened.
"Oh, I've noticed!" Indi said jubilantly, standing up. "Hey, maybe I should go down to the restaurant and tell Joey. Or better still, maybe I should go and tell Charlie. I'm sure she'd love to deal with you for making eyes at her girlfriend."
Dex glared at her and left the room. Indi turned to her father, who had been silently observing them from across the room.
"Care to tell me what all of that was about?"
Charlie and Joey were enjoying a leisurely morning together, having both wangled the weekend off work. The plan was to go and visit Ruby, as usual and then they were out on the town.
"Tonight should be fun," Joey mused. "And look at us, two weekends out and about on the trot."
This evening, they were going on their long awaited girls' night with Bianca, Kerri, Watson, Leah, Marilyn and Mitzy. Soon, Leah would be leaving with VJ to visit Elijah in Africa and Charlie and Joey were going to miss her terribly. They were also aware that she was anxious about the trip. However, the drinks had originally been called by Bianca, who was deeply torn between Liam and Vittorio, the competing leading men in her life. Not that anyone in their little group particularly needed an excuse for a night out.
"Nobody could ever call us an old married couple," Charlie decided.
"Nope, nope, nope," Joey said proudly.
"Well, maybe sometimes," Charlie grinned. "We are in our dressing gowns watching a double helping of CSI."
"Hey, you're the geeky cop, not me!"
"You're in love with the geeky cop," Charlie pointed out.
"Yep," Joey pointed out, kissing her cheek. "I am."
"I really don't want to discuss it," Indi said stiffly.
"It might help to talk," Sid ventured, although being that he suspected the problem was her love life, he really didn't mind if she opted out. "Even if not to me, maybe Marilyn could…"
"I really don't want to talk," Indi repeated.
The truth was, she and Romeo had barely spoken all week. He had been avoiding her even since she had told him that she loved him, his silence making it clearer than day that he did not feel the same way about her.
"Well, um… if you change your mind…"
She stood up.
"Thank you," she said. "But I won't."
Marilyn found Alf fishing on a deserted part of the beach. He'd been missing from the house since early that morning. Like all of the people close to him, she was desperately worried. And like everyone else, she felt completely unable to reach him.
In the sunshine, she quietly came to stand beside him, gazing out at the beautiful sea and sky.
"Catch anything yet?" she asked.
"Nothing," he replied, squinting in the sunlight.
"Mr Stewart, is there anything I can do to help you? Anything?"
"No, love," Alf replied, but not angrily. "I just wish people would let me be."
"If I just stand here and be with you, don't ask questions, don't wonder if you're alright?" she asked. "Can I stay?"
He cast her a sidelong look and managed a smile before he turned back to fishing.
"Yes," he said. "You can stay."
With the night out ahead of them, Charlie and Joey were deliberately enjoying a luxurious day together. They'd watched their episodes and were now indulging in a warm bubble bath. Joey lay against the tub with Charlie in her arms.
"I could stay like this forever," Charlie mused.
"Apart from the fact that we'd shrivel up like prunes," Joey pointed out.
Charlie pulled a face.
"Okay," she agreed. "Maybe not in this exact position but just… with you."
She smiled and turned her head, stealing a kiss.
"Well, we'll always be together so consider that a wish granted," Joey replied.
Sid gathered Indi and Dex together, despite the previous tension between his children.
"I have some news," he ventured.
He felt disappointed at the look of immediate worry on their faces and wondered if they would ever stop assuming the worst of him.
"I've bought the farm," he ploughed on. "We're now official homeowners and staying in Summer Bay. We're settled here now."
"That's great," Dex enthused, offering a genuine look of happiness.
Despite being an awkward kid, he liked being here. It might be unlikely that he would ever find a girlfriend. Annie was gone, Marilyn was too old for him and already dating his father, Joey was a lesbian and dating Charlie – and also too old for him… but the town was nice, he had some nice friends, especially Ruby, once she was home again and he was excelling at school. He was happy here.
"Indi?" Sid nudged.
"What?" the teenager snapped.
"Do you have anything to say?" her father asked. "Are you happy or…?"
He had expected her to be the enthusiastic one. She had built much more of a life here than Dex had.
"Not especially," Indi told him. "I mean, fine. Whatever. I don't care. Can I go?"
All she could think about right now was that her father had just cemented her in a place where she might be doomed to see a boy who didn't love her – every single day.
Marilyn came home with Alf, who went upstairs to get changed and ready for his shift at the restaurant. She stopped off at Mitzy's caravan to let her know that they would be leaving in an hour for their night out with the girls.
"Are you sure I should come?" Mitzy asked, sounding despondent.
"Of course," Marilyn replied. "You were invited, just like I was."
Mitzy nodded and sighed. Marilyn came to sit beside her.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
"I just feel like I've made nothing but mistakes since I came to the Bay," her friend admitted. "I meddled with you and Sid, I crossed the line with Dex…"
She sighed again.
"We dealt with all of that," Marilyn said, putting her arm around her. "And your heart was in the right place. And that's what matters."
Mitzy nodded and forced a smile.
"So," Marilyn said. "Let's forget everything and focus on having a really good time, okay?"
Walking past the caravan, Indi was adamant that she was going to deal with things with Romeo once and for all. Knocking on the front door of Summer Bay House, she found her boyfriend watching sport on the sofa by himself. He looked anxious from the moment he saw her but he led her out through the back and they sat down together.
"I told you I loved you a week ago," Indi said. "And you've barely spoken to me since. I need you to communicate with me, Romeo. I need to know what you're thinking and feeling."
"I um…" he struggled. "I… I feel like we're suddenly moving too fast. What… what you said really threw me."
"Okay," Indi said, although his words wounded her.
They weren't what she had hoped to hear, even if they were what she expected.
"But just because I love you, it doesn't mean you have to say it back," she said. "I don't mind."
"But I do mind," he said. "We need to be in a relationship where we're at the same pace or not at all."
She sat up, alarmed.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"I think… I think we should break up," he decided.
That night, Charlie, Joey, Kerri, Watson, Marilyn, Mitzy, Leah and Bianca all went out to busy bar in Yabbie Creek for their girls' night out. It was packed to the rafters and the music was loud. They crowded round a table with the drinks already flowing.
"I have not had a night out like this in a long, long time," Marilyn admitted. "Thank you girls for inviting us."
"Yes, thank you," Mitzy added sincerely.
"You're very welcome," Charlie said. "Thank you for coming."
Charlie and Joey had been to see Ruby and she seemed to be doing well, although it was always rather painful to see her in that place so it felt good to get out and have fun for the night.
"Thank you, Bianca, for your latest crisis," Joey teased. "Although we really should just do this instead of waiting for disaster to strike!"
Bianca tried to pout but grinned instead.
"I propose a toast," she said lifting her glass. "To girls' nights with or without disasters to prompt us to getting trashed and having fun!"
Everyone clinked their glasses together.
"So, who exactly is your disaster?" Watson asked. "I mean, what? What?"
She grinned. Bianca again failed to pout.
"I am torn between two men," she said dramatically, trying to make light of what was actually a very difficult situation.
"Oh, to be fending them off," Mitzy joked.
"It's much more stressful than you think, you know!"
"Mmm hmm," Charlie teased, although really she knew her friend was in turmoil.
She offered a kind smile.
"Have you made any decisions?" she asked seriously.
"No," Bianca said. "I mean, what am I meant to do? On the one hand, I have a real connection with Liam. I think he's amazing. On the other, I was literally about to marry Vittorio."
"But didn't he cheat on you?" Watson asked. "Can you forgive him for that?"
"I didn't think I could," Bianca admitted. "But… he's sorry. People can change, can't they?"
She looked around the group, wondering about their opinions. Nobody seemed to know.
"Okay, let me put it another way," Bianca said. "Don't shoot me, especially you, Charlie, the person that actually owns a gun, but if you your partners cheated on you, would you be able to forgive?"
"No," Marilyn said immediately.
"It's hard for me to say, being single," Mitzy said.
"I'd find it extremely hard," Leah said. "It would very much depend on the circumstances."
"I've been cheated on before and… no," Kerri said. "I wouldn't put myself through trying to rebuild after that kind of pain again. It's not worth it."
"No," Watson agreed. "If you loved someone that much, you wouldn't cheat. If you do, there's something wrong and you should call it a day anyway."
Everyone looked at Charlie and Joey.
"I don't know," Joey said. "On the one hand, I can't imagine ever being able to deal with being cheated on but on the other, I can't imagine ever living without Charlie so I guess I'd have to learn to forgive because the other option would be worse."
"I'd say the same," Charlie said. "I mean, I can't imagine any circumstance where either of us would betray each other but then, I guess you didn't either…"
"Well, now I've completely brought the mood down, what should we talk about next?"
"How about Leah's big trip to Africa?" Marilyn suggested. "Are you excited?"
"Excited and nervous," Leah breathed.
She was approaching the trip with some trepidation, especially as it was creeping ever closer.
"Why nervous?" Marilyn wondered.
"Well, I don't know what's going to happen when I get there," Leah explained. "Elijah and I parted on difficult terms and we've not been in touch very much since he's been away. There's so much riding on this visit and what if it doesn't work out? I know VJ is desperate for us to get back together…"
"VJ just wants you to be happy, Leah," Joey interjected gently. "If things don't work out with Elijah, he'll understand. I know he wants things to work out but if they don't, in time, he'll get it."
"And if he doesn't, I'll send him your way!" Leah grinned.
She turned to the others and explained that VJ always listened to Joey and had quite the crush on her.
"Oh!" Marilyn said. "Speaking of, Indi told Sid that apparently you have another little admirer, Joey."
Joey looked a little uncomfortable. Charlie looked curious and amused.
"Apparently Dex has a crush on you," Marilyn told her. "But he's promised that it's nothing like what happened with me. He's just appreciative from afar and he knows you're a lesbian and with Charlie. He also begged Sid not to let Charlie arrest him."
Charlie snorted, as everyone else laughed.
"For a lesbian, you really have a way with the boys, Joey," Bianca remarked.
"It's my feminine wiles," Joey told her.
Charlie snorted again. Joey elbowed her.
"You wore a suit to the races!" Charlie pointed out.
"Ooh!" Bianca said. "Did I hear right that you won some sort of competition when you went there Charlie? And attacked someone? The students were talking about it at school."
Charlie beamed.
"I won a fashion show competition I entered with Nicole," she said rather proudly. "And I didn't attack anyone. There was a pickpocket in the crowd and instinct took over and I leapt off the stage to apprehend him."
"It was so cool," Joey grinned. "I was really proud."
"Speaking of tough police officers, you guys should have seen a certain someone squaring up to a certain River Boy a few weeks ago," Charlie added, nudging Watson, who sipped her pint.
"Ugh, I cannot stand those guys," Leah said. "My heart sinks any time they venture into the Bay. I will never forgive them for their part in what happened on Australia Day."
Leah had been deeply affected by the riot. She still was in a lot of ways and possibly always would be. If she could ban people from the Diner just for being members of that vile gang, then she would do so in a heartbeat.
"Well, you'd be pleased with Watson for putting that Daryl Braxton in his place then," Charlie said.
"Stealing his girlfriend and giving him aggro," Leah said. "I will buy you your next drink for that!"
With everyone in need, she and Bianca headed up to the bar to get the next round in.
By the time they returned, Joey was being teased about Dex's crush on her.
"Honestly, don't worry about it," Marilyn said. "I genuinely think he's learned his lesson this time. He does have a habit of getting fixated on people but I think he'll keep this one to himself. He was mortified this morning when Indi ratted him out to Sid. He didn't realise that anyone knew. He certainly had no intention of you ever knowing, unlike his crush on me. He really, really wanted me to know about that."
Joey shook her head and sipped her drink.
"I'm not too worried," she said. "He's a sweet kid. I think it's quite cute really. I presume it happened after I helped him with some stuff. And he's been a good friend to Ruby."
"How's Ruby doing now?" Bianca asked.
"She's doing really well," Charlie told her. "We speak to her on the phone every morning and we saw her today. She's made a good friend in there who will be moving to the Bay as well."
"Hopefully into my apartment as my lodger," Kerri put in.
"Oh really?" Leah said.
"Yeah, I'm looking to rent my spare room out and Charlie and Joey mentioned she was looking for somewhere," Kerri said. "Plus, we suspect she and Ruby will like the idea of being so close to each other."
"They've really relied on each other in the clinic," Joey said. "Helped each other through. We just can't wait until Ruby's home though. We've missed her so much."
"I'm just going to go to the bathroom," Mitzy said, excusing herself.
Marilyn watched her go, a little worried.
"Is she okay?" Joey asked. "She's been very quiet."
Normally, Mitzy was known for being very chatty.
"I don't know," Marilyn said. "Maybe I'll just go and check on her."
She too excused herself from the table and went into the toilets.
"Mitzy? Mitzy? Are you okay?" Marilyn called.
She found the one locked cubicle and waited outside.
"Mitzy?" she called again.
"I'm using the toilet," her friend lied.
"You just seem very quiet," Marilyn said.
"Well, I can't go while you're talking to me," Mitzy complained.
They both laughed. Eventually Mitzy opened the door and moved to sit by the sinks.
"You haven't been yourself this evening," Marilyn said. "Is it about what you said earlier in your van? I thought you weren't going to let that get you down tonight?"
"No, I just…"
"Mitzy, what's wrong?" Marilyn persisted.
"Nothing," Mitzy lied.
"Please?"
"Nothing."
"I know there's something the matter."
"I can't tell you."
"Why not?"
"I just can't."
"Why?"
"I can't."
"Of course you can."
"Not now."
"Then when?"
"Later."
"You're scaring me, Mitzy. What's wrong?"
"I…"
"Mitzy!"
"I've found out your end date!"
Charlie, Joey, Bianca and Leah had got up to dance while Kerri and Watson held onto the table. They were concerned that the other two hadn't returned from the bathroom but hoped that they were both okay and that there was nothing wrong.
"I've never really had this until recently," Watson admitted, holding Kerri's hand.
"What do you mean?" Kerri asked.
"Like… until I made friends with Charlie and she kind of took me under her wing, I never had the life where I could go on nights out like this, with a big group of friends, just sitting around and chatting and having fun, sharing it with my beautiful girlfriend… I never thought this would be my life, you know? Well, if you'd have met me a couple of years ago. Well, things were very different."
"How different?"
"Well, for starters, I lived in my mother's spare room, not being treated very nicely," Watson sighed.
Kerri leant over and kissed her cheek.
"I've never really had this either," she told her gently. "I've never had a nice group of friends. I've never been completely settled. I've never had babysitters available. And I've never had such an amazing partner. I've honestly never been so happy in all my life."
They kissed tenderly.
"You… you know my end date?" Marilyn asked shakily.
"I didn't want to tell you like this," Mitzy said. "Not here. Not now."
"When is it?" Marilyn asked, stepping away from her.
"Look, let's go home and talk about it properly…"
"When is it?" Marilyn demanded.
"In a couple of months."
Marilyn turned and left the room. She returned to the table only to grab her things. Then she left the bar all together. Confused, everyone hurried back to the table in time for Mitzy to arrive back, upset.
"What's going on?" Charlie wanted to know.
"I um… I just broke the news about Marilyn's end date," she admitted.
"Her end date?" Bianca questioned.
"When she's going to die."
Everyone stared at her in disbelief.
Marilyn didn't go home. She caught at taxi right over to the farm to see Sid, breaking down in his strong arms.
"What happened?" he asked worriedly. "I thought you were on a night out with the girls?"
"I was," she sobbed. "And Mitzy told me that I'm going to die in two months."
"Suspending my disbelief for a second here," Bianca said. "Why would you tell someone that on a night out? Surely there are more delicate ways to break the news of someone's mortality to them that in the toilets of a bar?"
"I didn't mean to," Mitzy protested. "She was hounding me. Hassling me. I didn't have a choice."
"Surely there's always a choice?" Kerri insisted. "You could have made something up."
"You mean, lie?"
"Better than telling someone they're going to die!" Watson said.
"She knew that already," Mitzy said.
"But you don't say something like that, that way," Joey said as delicately as possible.
"I know," Mitzy said, looking tearful. "I didn't mean to. I didn't want to. It just happened."
Leah put an awkward arm around her.
"It's okay," she said. "She'll understand that. You'll just have to do whatever you can to make it right."
Next time… Watson wants to move forward with Kerri, Vittorio arrives in the Bay and could a secret come between Charlie and Joey…?
