Hello everyone! I feel like I should introduce myself again, it has been so long! I am so sorry I haven't updated in such a long time. So much has been happening and I haven't been able to write or get online properly. Please bear with me though. I do want to continue these stories and keep the CJ love alive. Love, IJKS xxx
Chapter Four Hundred and Sixty Three
Marilyn had barely slept. She had an ache in her soul that felt like there was a missing piece. Mitzy was gone. She had abandoned her and was never coming back. She had left her behind and they wouldn't see each other again until the afterlife. Now Marilyn felt utterly alone. She felt alone and desperate. She was hurt and in pain and disconnected from everyone around her.
Dex had also barely slept. He was extremely disappointed about how badly his date had gone the night before. For the first time in such a long time, he had found someone that had actually seemed to like him and now it had all gone wrong. He was certain that he was doomed to be alone for the rest of his life.
Joey went to visit Romeo and Indi at Summer Bay House, ready to go through Indi's letter to her mother. Having talked everything through with Alf and then with Charlie, she had decided that she would go for it and support the teenagers with their task of contacting Indi's Mum. It felt good to be their friend and get through her period of shaken confidence.
Dex took a deep breath and nervously entered the pet shop. He knew it was a long shot but he was desperate to try and make things right with Adrian.
He found her over by the hamsters and cleared his throat in a bid to get her attention. She turned and looked rather unhappy to see him.
"Um… hi," he managed.
"Hi," she replied curtly, returned to the rodents.
"I um… I'm sorry that I mucked everything up last night," he tried. "I was just so nervous and I didn't know what to do and I spent so long getting advice from my friends that I didn't end up spending the time with you to actually follow the advice."
She remained unimpressed.
"And I've been so stressed lately because my friend is sick," he added. "Like, dying sick. But she's not really a friend. She's this woman who's a bit weird and messed with my head and confused me and…"
"Okay," Adrian finally said, interrupting him.
He looked startled.
"I understand," she said more gently. "You were nervous. One more chance. Meet me after work this afternoon."
Joey was sat at the table with Romeo and Indi, reading through the letter that Indi had written to her mother. The three of them were enjoying lemonade and biscuits.
"Okay, do you want an honest opinion?" Joey asked when she finished reading.
"Yes, please," Indi replied.
"I think it's a bit too angry," Joey told her.
"I am angry," Indi told her.
"I know," Joey said gently, touching her hand. "But if you want her to read your letter and listen to what you have to say, then you can't just snap at her. She'll just screw it up and chuck it away. You won't get your message across."
Indi nodded.
"So, where do I start?"
"Let's go back to the beginning," Joey suggested.
Charlie didn't quite know what to do with herself at lunch time. Usually, she met up with Joey or went on her break with Watson but neither of them were around. She felt somewhat lost. Heading down to the beach, she was about to sit down, enjoy the sound of the sea and enjoy the packed lunch Joey had sent her off to work with, when she spotted Marilyn, standing upon the sand. She considered leaving her too it but the was something tense and anxious in the way she was stood that made Charlie approach and check that she was okay.
Dex was pleased but nervous when he came to collect Adrian from work. They walked down the road together, close but not too close.
"How… how was your day?" Dex asked.
"It was good, thank you," Adrian said pleasantly. "How was yours?"
"Okay, thanks," Dex replied. "I um… I saw a café down the road. Would you like to get a drink or something?"
She smiled at him.
"Sure."
He swallowed, desperately stressed about getting things right this time.
"Hi, Marilyn," Charlie said softly. "How are you doing?"
The blonde turned and smiled at her but it didn't reach her eyes.
"I'm okay," she lied. "How are you?"
"Yeah, I'm pretty good," Charlie said. "I was about to have my lunch. Would you like some? It's some of the pasta that always sells out at the restaurant."
"Oh, that would be lovely," Marilyn said.
Charlie sat down and gestured for her friend to join her, pleased to have two forks and extra portions. Joey always packed more for Watson, just in case.
"Thank you," Marilyn said.
"No worries."
They ate in silence for a moment.
"You looked very deep in thought just now," Charlie said. "You have a lot on your mind?"
Marilyn sighed heavily.
"Just… missing my friend," she admitted. "I feel like I hardly know what to do with myself now. All this time I've been preparing for the end of my life and all along it was a lie. She was just trying to comfort herself over the end of hers."
"So, tell me more about yourself," Dex tried.
The teenagers were sat across from each other at a table in a corner of a small café.
"Um… I'm eighteen," Adrian said. "I live with my older sister. I've just finished high school and started full time in the pet store."
"How come you live with your sister?" Dex asked.
He immediately regretted being so blunt when she told him that both her parents had died several years ago.
"I'm sorry," he said.
"It's fine," she replied. "Everyone has tragedies."
She sipped her drink.
"So, what's your story?" she asked.
"Um… we moved here last year, my sister, my Dad and I," he told her. "My parents separated a while ago. My Dad's a Doctor. My sister just started at University. I'm in my final year of high school."
He desperately hoped being younger than her wouldn't be an issue.
"You've had a lot to deal with, Marilyn," Charlie said, looking out to sea. "Everything has changed for you so suddenly. It's going to take a long time for you to get your head around everything."
Marilyn turned to look at her.
"I thought she loved me," she said sadly. "Why would she lie and tell me I was dying?"
Charlie put her arm around her.
"Maybe she was just too scared of being alone," she said. "Terrified people do crazy things."
"I guess at least she told me before she died," Marilyn said, sighing heavily.
"That's true," Charlie said, nodding.
"And at least I'm not dying," Marilyn added. "Poor Mitzy has gone and I'm still here. I've got my life ahead of me again and she…"
She burst into tears. Charlie held her.
Dex hurried out of the café. Things had been going so well. But they had turned very quickly. He and Adrian had been having a lovely chat and had been getting to know each other nicely. He'd even got cocky and analysed her personality, the way that people like his sister always found very annoying. But she'd turned the tables and analysed him back. He'd got flustered and overwhelmed. Unable to deal with the situation, he had left her sitting at the table with her Diet Coke. Once again, their attempt at a date had completely and utterly failed.
That evening, Marilyn went to find Charlie at the restaurant in order to thank her for her kindness earlier. She found her having dinner with Joey, Indi and Romeo.
"Hi," she said, looking a lot brighter than she had earlier in the day. "Sorry to interrupt. I just wanted to thank you for earlier."
"There's no need to say thank you," Charlie said. "Honestly. I just want you to be okay."
"I am feeling a lot better," Marilyn said. "Thank you. I feel like I can breathe just that little bit more and actually manage to start planning the funeral."
"You've got free catering here if you'd like it," Joey offered.
Charlie had already told her about their meeting on the beach.
Marilyn looked startled.
"Oh, I couldn't possibly ask you to do that, Joey," she said.
"You haven't asked," Joey told her. "I've offered."
"Are you sure?"
"Of course," Joey said. "That's what friends are for."
Marilyn hugged her tightly, thanking her and Charlie both.
Downstairs in the Surf Club, Dex found Nicole, Ruby and Claire playing a slow game of pool.
"You look cheery," Ruby remarked.
"I've doomed the same relationship twice," he told her.
"The pet shop girl?" Claire asked.
"Yup," he replied. "Aren't I talented?"
"Ah, well," Nicole said, putting her arm around him. "You'll have to stay in the land of the doomed with us three."
"Speak for yourself," Ruby said. "My mystery man in out there. I know he is!"
Claire and Nicole both silently sighed.
Next time… Marilyn says goodbye to Mitzy at her funeral, Alf discovers Penn's connection to Summer Bay and Angelo goes on an online date…
