Hi everyone. Sorry for the break in posting. I've been away for a few days. I hope you enjoy the chapter. Thank you to everyone who keeps in touch with me. I really appreciate your feedback and your enthusiasm for the stories. Love, IJKS xxx
Chapter Four Hundred and Sixty Nine
Ruby couldn't help but roll her eyes at the way her parents were looking so soppily at each other the next morning. Clearly they were suffering with a romantic hangover from their day together the previous day and she was keen to supervise as soon as she got home from school today so that she didn't have to put up with too much of it today. It really was quite gross for her parents to be at it so often, especially when her own love life was about as active as a dormant volcano.
"So, come on then," Irene said. "What's the deal?"
Will looked up from his cereal bowl very slowly. Suddenly he found Cornflakes the most interesting in the world.
"What do you mean?" he asked idly.
"Come on," she said. "I gave in too easy last night and just let you and the little one get to sleep but now I need answers. What are you doing here?"
Will sighed heavily and put his spoon down. He looked over at Lily who was watching TV in the lounge.
"Gypsy and I have split," he said. "Well, she walked out on us."
Irene looked horrified.
"What?" she exclaimed as quietly as she could.
She sat down in a chair.
"We haven't been getting on lately and she just upped and walked out," he told her. "Lily and I have been making the best of things but yesterday, it just got too much, coping on my own. And where else would I go but to the person who has always looked out for me?"
He smiled sadly at her. She reached out and squeezed his hand.
Claire walked Ruby to school as requested, having noted her friend's somewhat sad tone.
"Is everything alright?" she asked, once they'd started walking.
"Yeah," Ruby shrugged.
"Ruby…?"
"Oh, I just… it's the same old stuff," the teenager replied.
"Not… drinking or…?" Claire asked worriedly, stopping in her tracks.
"No, no, nothing like that," Ruby assured her.
Claire breathed a sigh of relief and continued walking in step with her friend.
"Just… I want to find a relationship so much," Ruby said. "Charlie and Joey are just so sickeningly happy and I just… Is it wrong to be jealous of my own parents?"
"No, of course not," Claire said. "I understand. It's not nice to be alone if you feel lonely."
"I do," Ruby confessed. "I feel lonely. I know I have them and you and other friends like Nicole but I just… I feel lonely. I want someone to look at me and only see me. I want someone to adore me. I want to call someone up and have them some running because they're in love with me. I want to be someone's world."
Claire sighed and continued to listen as they walked.
"I just… I want to be loved."
"I understand," Claire said. "I'm sure you'll find someone soon. These things… they just take time."
"Right, today, no distractions," Charlie decided. "We are going to get cracking on our unpacking."
Joey smirked at her girlfriend for her rhyme.
"Oh, sshh," Charlie scolded her. "Let's get going."
Joey headed for the nearest box. She cast a sly glance at Charlie.
"So, this no distraction rule…" she ventured.
"Well, maybe on our breaks," Charlie conceded with a grin.
Vittorio arrived at Bianca's house that morning just as Irene was leaving with a strange man and a young girl that he had never met before. He said his hellos and headed inside, having arranged to sit down for an hour to arrange wedding plans with his fiancée. She had a free period that morning and she was allowing him some time. He was met by the glare of her younger sister but he was used to that by now. He knew she didn't support their wedding but he hoped they would be able to push past it. He hoped that April would eventually come to support them. And that until then, Bianca would be willing to ignore her. They had already broken up once. He wasn't prepared to lose her again.
Irene had kept Lily and deposited Will down at the bait shop to see Alf. Thankfully, Alf was very pleased to see him, having not seen him for many years. Back in the day, once Will had got over his rebellious teenage angst, he and Alf had struck up a good friendship and a mutual respect for each other.
"So, how long are you sticking around for then?" Alf asked, as he busied himself at the bait shop.
With working at the restaurant and being so stressed over the Penn situation, he had been neglecting the shop in recent weeks so he had quite a backlog of work to do.
"I don't know," Will said. "A least a few weeks. Months maybe. I'm at a bit of a loose end to be honest. Gypsy's gone. I'm not used to being a single dad. Work's dried up."
"So you've come home to Irene, eh?" Alf said.
"Pretty much," Will replied.
"How do you feel about taking on some work for me here?"
Will's eyes lit up.
"Really?"
"Yeah," Alf said, explaining that he'd been too busy with other things lately and there was a build up of work at the shop.
"Well, if you're sure," Will said. "I'd love some work if it's going."
"Absolutely," Alf said. "Especially at the moment, it'd be great. I've got way more hours at the restaurant."
"You own a restaurant now?" Will asked.
"No, I just work in one."
Will looked confused.
"You're employed by someone?" he asked. "But you've always run your own businesses."
Alf sighed.
"I just… needed a change," Alf sighed. "And my boss, Joey, she's like a daughter to me. I'd work for her for free if I could afford it."
"Oh my God," Joey complained. "If I have to unpack another box, I swear I'm going to throw myself out of the window!"
"I don't think that's going to help, sweetheart," Charlie commented. "We're on the ground floor."
Joey poked her tongue out at her.
"Besides, we could have done this whole thing a whole lost slower if someone hadn't told all of our friends we were going to have a party at the weekend!"
"If that's your fancy pants way of saying I told you so…"
"It is," Charlie replied.
Joey picked up one of the cushions she had been arranging on the couch and hurled it at her. Charlie caught it with ease, protesting anyway.
"You know I'm right!" she said.
"That's not the point," Joey whined.
Charlie just laughed and threw the cushion back. It hit Joey on the head. She pouted.
It was lunch time and Miles arrived at the Diner to grab a bite to eat before he headed back to school. He stopped abruptly outside when he saw Penn in the doorway, his usual shadowy figure.
"Having a nice day?" the creep asked.
"I was," Miles asked.
"Only going to get worse, I guess," Penn told him.
"Why's that?"
"I don't know," Penn mused. "Best keep those kids of yours close. Take good care of them. Keep them safe from anyone that might want to cause them harm."
He moved to walk away. Miles stepped in front of him quickly, picturing Romeo and Nicole, children he loved.
"Are you threatening my kids?" he demanded angrily.
"Yes," Penn admitted with a sneer. "Yes, I think I am."
Without thinking, Miles punched him in the face.
Vittorio and Bianca met again at lunch to continue discussing the wedding. He just couldn't shake the feeling that his fiancée was hesitating over their big day. When they had been planning the wedding before, she had been a borderline bridezilla. She had been so excited about every little thing. Now, she seemed so uncertain. And it made him scared that it meant she didn't want to marry him at all. She was giving him another chance, but had she really forgiven him for what he did?
With a split lip, courtesy of Miles, Penn headed into the Surf Club, where Marilyn was sat at a table with Sid. He immediately approached them.
"See what your friend did?" he asked.
Marilyn looked shocked.
"Mr Stewart did that to you?" she asked in horror.
"No but it's interesting that you'd accuse him straight off," he replied.
Marilyn looked ashamed.
"Who did it?" Sid said, stepping in. "Although I bet you deserved it."
"Miles Copeland," Penn said. "I mean, all I did was threaten those kids."
"How dare you?" Marilyn exclaimed.
"You'd better not be threatening any kids, mate," Sid said, standing up and squaring up to him.
"Are you going to take a shot too?" Penn asked with a laugh.
"No," he said. "You're not worth it."
"What if I had a go at your girl here?"
Marilyn winced.
"Don't you even look at her," Sid snarled.
"I'll do whatever the fuck I like," Penn replied. "And nobody in this pathetic little town can stop me."
He walked out.
It was the evening and Charlie and Joey had taken Ruby and Claire out for dinner at the restaurant. The couple were going stir crazy with boxes and the younger girls had helped as soon as Ruby had arrived home from school so Joey had made the executive decision that they deserved a treat.
"So, where do we stand with another driving lesson?" Ruby asked, as they waited for their starters to arrive.
"As soon as I have time, we'll do a lesson," Charlie said.
After some teething problems, things had gone quite well. The pair of them certainly hadn't fought the way that she had with her Dad. She was willing to keep going. But right now with the house, things were just a little bit too hectic.
"You don't think you could find any time at all this week?" Ruby pestered, as Angelo arrived with their dishes.
"Not this week, Rubes," Charlie said. "I'm sorry."
"Any time for what?" Angelo asked, nosy as ever.
"A driving lesson," Ruby told her. "I had one the other week but now I can't have another one because Charlie is too busy for me."
She glared at her mother, stroppy as the teenager she was.
"I'm not too busy for you!" Charlie snapped back. "And I'm not saying no forever. Just not in the next few days while we're trying to unpack an entire house!"
Claire felt uncomfortable.
"I could always take you out for a lesson," Angelo offered.
"Really?" Ruby asked hopefully.
"Really?" Charlie and Joey asked with scepticism.
"Yeah, sure," he said. "I've got the time. No problem."
"Are you trying to get back in our good books after what you did?" Joey asked.
"What did he do now?" Ruby asked worriedly.
"Nothing," Joey and Charlie said quickly.
They were still unimpressed with his one night stand the other day and how much he probably hurt the girl he gone on that date with.
"No," Angelo said. "I swear. I'm just trying to be nice."
"Then sure," Charlie said. "Angelo can take you out this week and I promise you and I can go back on the road next week like we said. Happy?"
"Happy," Ruby said, satisfied to have mostly got what she wanted.
"Great," Angelo said, turning around to head back into the kitchen.
He froze when he saw Shandi wander into the restaurant and approach the bar to order a drink. He hated it when she came in, none more so that when she showed up with Miles. At least he wasn't here too.
Miles was sat at home, feeling stressed. He couldn't believe that he had hit Penn. He knew that's what Penn had wanted. It's what he always wanted – a reaction. And he'd handed it to him on a plate. The moment had plagued him all through the afternoon and now into the evening, as had the threat against the kids. He had demanded that Romeo and Nicole both stay home for the evening this evening. Romeo had been happy to oblige. He had been moody lately. Miles thought there was something up between him and Indi. Nicole had been confused but agreed. Everything in the house had just been so tense lately.
Alf arrived at the restaurant with Will. Joey waved at him cheerfully and he headed over to their table to say hello and make introductions. Ruby couldn't help but think he was good looking. But she pushed the thought away. The last thing she needed was to get a crush on another older guy. That never led anywhere good.
"We're just going to get a drink," Alf said. "So we won't disturb you but it's lovely to catch up. I feel like I haven't seen you in ages."
"You are coming to the party at the weekend, aren't you?" Joey checked. "Our housewarming?"
"Of course," Alf said. "I wouldn't miss it for the world."
"You're very welcome to come too, Will," Charlie said politely.
"Thanks," Will accepted graciously.
He had almost forgotten how friendly Summer Bay was. Almost. Together, he and Alf headed over to the bar to order drinks. He immediately caught the eye of the attractive blonde already drinking there. Another thing he had forgotten about the Bay was all the beautiful women that seemed to be drawn to the place. And hey, he was young, free and single again now.
"But you will take over the lessons again, won't you?" Ruby asked.
It was later and she, Claire and Charlie were completely full. They'd over indulged in their starters, mains and desserts and could hardly move. Joey had sensibly declined dessert and then got distracted with a new waiter dropping a load of glasses behind the bar and hurried to sort it out. Charlie had wanted to complain but didn't feel she had the right, considering she too was always technically on work mode. Neither of them could help it.
"Yes, of course I will," Charlie said. "We got along well last time, didn't we?"
"Yes," Ruby said adamantly. "And I really want to do this with you. Not that I'm not grateful to Angelo but…"
"I understand," Charlie said. "And as soon as this unpacking nightmare is over, we'll head back out on the road. I promise."
At the bar, Joey finished helping her new waiter clean up all the smashed glass and sent him home. She wasn't sure he was going to last his probation. She looked across the bar and was rather alarmed to see that new boy, Will, in a rather passionate clinch with Shandi. She was sure that she was supposed to be dating Miles.
She then turned to see Miles and Angelo also staring at the new couple. She wondered when Miles had arrived. And she wondered why he was gathered in a rather intense looking group with Angelo, Alf, Sid, Marilyn and Miles.
"What's going on guys?" she asked.
"Well, that guy is kissing Shandi right now," Miles said stiffly.
"I don't think that's what she means," Sid said.
Miles continued to glare at Will and Shandi, who were oblivious to the fact that he was even there. Angelo also continued to glare at them.
"She's a bitch," he muttered.
"And it's nothing to do with you," Joey reminded him with a gentle but pointed shove in the arm.
She turned to the group.
"Now what's going on?"
"We're going to get rid of Penn," Sid told her.
Joey felt anxious.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"He's going round deliberately provoking all of us," Miles said. "He threatened the kids today and I ended up punching him. It was exactly what he wanted."
"And he threatened Sid and I as well," Marilyn put in.
"And you know what he's like with me," Alf said.
"Well, you know where to start with what to do," Joey said, nodding over to Charlie, still sat at the table with Claire and Ruby.
Alf nodded.
"Shall I go and get her?" Joey offered.
"Yes," Alf decided.
The next day, after school, Ruby was nervous as she sat in Angelo's car, ready for her driving lesson. But she was hopeful that it would go as well as the one she'd had with Charlie and that with each lesson, she would grow with confidence and that quickly, she would be able to take her test and get on the road.
"So, is that everything?" Alf asked, leaving the small room he and Charlie had been sat in for the past hour at the police station.
"Yep," Charlie said.
She was technically on leave but she knew that Alf would not have made a statement against Penn to anybody else. She was surprised that he had been willing to make one at all. So she had donned her uniform and spent time with her friend and enabled him to take out an AVO against Penn Graham. She just hoped that this would make a difference.
"Ready?" Angelo said. "Remember, mirror, signal, manoeuvre. And away you go."
Ruby pulled out and moved along the road, anxiously. Gaining confidence, she increased her speed. Before she knew what was happening, somebody thumped against the bonnet of the car. She had run somebody over.
Next time… Charlie is angry with Angelo, tensions flare between Romeo and Indi and Joey has a surprise for Charlie and Ruby…
