Chapter Four Hundred and Sixty Two
Dex fed his goldfish before heading to school. Although he felt sad about Mitzy, he couldn't help but have a spring in his step that morning. On the bus, he texted Adrian. They had been in touch since his second visit to the pet shop and he was excited that they seemed to have quite a lot in common. It was unusual for him to have someone of his own to talk to. It was a feeling he very much enjoyed.
At lunch time, Romeo and Indi turned up at the restaurant, eager to speak to Joey.
"What's up?" the restauranteur asked, busily wiping down the bar.
"We just wanted some advice," Romeo said.
"About my Mum," Indi added.
Joey swallowed and chewed her lip.
"What about her?" she asked stiffly.
Both teenagers were a little unsettled by her tone.
"Well, um… I wanted to write to her," Indi explained. "You know, to try and lay some demons to rest after everything that happened with her and my ex-boyfriend and um…"
She glanced at Romeo.
"We were hoping you would help us write it?" he asked.
"No," Joey said. "I'm sorry. I can't."
Dex wandered out of school with Ruby, who had arranged to meet up with Claire on the beach. He was a bit nervous about it after his faux pas but he felt more confident knowing that he had potentially met somebody else. And he didn't think that Claire was the type to try and embarrass him. Nor Ruby for that matter. That was why he liked them.
Indi and Romeo were both rather taken aback. It hadn't occurred to either of them that Joey would say no to helping them. Supporting and advising the residents of Summer Bay was practically a full time job for her. Romeo personally didn't know where he would be without Joey. He had clung to her like a big sister for a long time. Although 'big sister' felt rather wrong considering he thought that she was extremely attractive and should he not have a girlfriend, she could easily fill his night time fantasies.
"Oh," Indi managed.
"Sorry," Joey said. "I just… can't."
"Are you too busy?" Indi asked. "We don't have to do it now…"
"No, I just… can't," Joey said. "I'm sure you'll find someone else. Someone better."
"Okay," Romeo said unhappily.
"Sorry to have interrupted your day," Indi added.
They turned and left, rather hurt to have been rejected. Angelo and Alf, having been listening in, exchanged concerned glances.
Dex sat on the beach with Ruby and Claire, all three eating their lunch in the sunshine.
"I've um… I've actually got a date tonight," he admitted.
"Really?" Ruby asked, her eyes lighting up.
She fought internal jealousy that even Dex had found someone and she was still waiting for this mystery prediction to come true.
"You don't have to look so shocked!" he protested.
"Not shocked!" Ruby insisted. "I'm happy for you!"
"Yeah, that's really great news," Claire said.
Dex looked pleased.
"So, tell us all about her," Claire enthused. "What's her name? Where did you meet her?"
"Her name is Adrian and we met at the pet store," Dex said. "She sold me my goldfish. And we're going to the Surf Club tonight."
"Good luck!" Ruby grinned.
He immediately looked terrified.
"I meant that in a good way," Ruby said quickly.
"Yeah, don't worry about it," Claire added. "It'll be great."
"You talk to her," Angelo nudged. "She listens to you."
Alf frowned and took a deep breath, approaching Joey in her office, where she was busy putting together the rota for month ahead.
"Joey, love?" he said, hovering in the doorway.
She turned in her chair and smiled pleasantly at the man she thought of as a Dad.
"Hi," she greeted.
"Can I come in for a sec?" he asked.
"Of course," she said, gesturing for him to sit down. "What can I do for you?"
"I just wanted to see if you were okay," he said.
She looked a little startled.
"If I'm okay?"
"Yeah," he said.
"I'm fine," she said, shrugging.
Immediately, he could sense her tensing up again.
"Joey…" he said.
"What? Why are you concerned?"
"Well, I just… I saw the way you were with Romeo and Indi earlier," Alf explained. "You told them no when they asked you for help."
"Alf, I'm busy trying to run a restaurant," Joey said.
"That's never been a problem before," he pointed out.
"I'm trying to sort out moving home," she continued. "Buying for the first time. I don't have every spare second of the day to be an agony aunt for everybody."
"It's more than that," Alf persisted. "You were so off with them. There's something wrong. Please talk to me."
"What, like you talked to me when I asked?" she asked.
He looked wounded. She immediately apologised.
"I just... I don't know how I ended up in the role of town guru," Joey said. "I'm not qualified."
Alf held her hand.
"You're wise, you're fair and people trust you," he said. "You're qualified."
Joey sighed.
"I just… I don't want the job anymore," she told him glumly.
"Okay…" Alf said. "I just don't understand what's happened, love."
She didn't respond. He sighed heavily and turned to leave.
"I think I gave Marilyn some bad advice," Joey blurted out.
Alf came to sit back down. Tearfully, Joey explained that she had encouraged Marilyn to talk things through with her friend, regarding all the confusion and hurt over the predictions and end dates.
"Joey, that wasn't bad advice," Alf assured her.
"Then how come as soon as I gave it, Mitzy ended up in hospital and died?" Joey challenged.
"Because she was sick," Alf said. "It was a coincidence. Inevitable. Nothing to do with you or your advice."
"That's what Charlie said but…"
She sighed heavily, still unable to shake the feeling that she had done something wrong.
"When have Charlie or I ever lied to you?" Alf asked. "We wouldn't just tell you what you wanted to hear. We certainly wouldn't send people in your direction for support if we didn't think you were qualified. We trust you, Joey. We love you. And everyone else in this town feels the same way."
His friend looked emotional. He gathered her into his arms.
As soon as she finished her shift, having had a tip off from Angelo, Charlie arrived at the restaurant to collect Joey and take her home. Ruby was out for the evening with Claire so they would have the place to themselves and Charlie very much intended to pamper her. She was upset that she hadn't managed to allay her fears the night before.
"But I still have to work for another couple of hours," Joey protested.
"No, you don't," Angelo said. "We've got it covered."
"You go home and have a relaxing evening with Charlie," Alf chipped in.
Needing no further persuasion, Joey set about gathering her things in order to go home.
Dex was nervous as he and Adrian sat down at a table in the corner of the Surf Club. He was scared of doing and saying the wrong thing so he had therefore barely said anything. He wanted to say that she looked pretty but they had been sat down together for a good ten minutes in near silence now so it felt like it was too late. Oh, this is going absolutely horribly, he panicked. Looking up, he spotted Ruby and Claire playing pool.
"I'll uh… I'll be right back," he said, leaping from his chair and dashing off.
Joey lay against Charlie in the bath. Candles lit the edges of the tub and they each had a glass of wine.
"Are you feeling more relaxed at all?" Charlie asked softly.
Joey tilted her head back and kissed her.
"I am," she said. "Thank you."
They had talked for a long time and she hoped that things really were settled now for her partner. She hated to think of her in such distress.
"Just remember how loved you are, okay?" Charlie said.
"I'm very lucky," Joey said, closing her eyes.
"Okay, you need to start all over again," Ruby said hurriedly.
Dex looked frantic.
"Tell her how pretty she looks," she instructed.
"And that you're really happy she was able to come out with you tonight," Claire added.
"As many compliments as possible," Ruby nodded.
"Without coming across as creepy," Claire chipped in.
He nodded, deeply anxious.
"And go back to her," Ruby said. "Like now. Because you haven't spoken to her since she arrived and that was twenty minutes ago."
"And you've been here for ten," Claire pointed out.
He nodded and ran back across the room to his table. His heart sank. Adrian was gone.
Next time… Dex and Adrian attempt another date, Joey makes amends with Romeo and Indi and Charlie supports Marilyn…
