Chapter Five Hundred and Thirty One
Leah looked very proudly at her son as he stood in the lounge dressed in his new school uniform. She couldn't believe that her little boy, her son, her baby was about to start high school. She wiped her eyes quickly but not quickly enough.
"Aww, Mum!" he complained. "Don't start crying!"
"I can't help it!" she said. "You look so smart! And so grown up!"
"Well, I am pretty grown up now, Mum," he said. "I'm going to be in high school in a few weeks, you know."
"Yeah, I know," she said. "I can hardly believe it."
"Hey, do you think Joey and Charlie would like to see my uniform?" VJ asked.
Leah chuckled. He had had a crush on Joey for quite a long time now.
"I think they would love to," she said. "I'll give them a call."
Charlie leant her hands on her knees, bent over and gasping for breath. She had been up early, unable to sleep after constant dreams about her father. She had slipped out of bed, leaving sleeping Joey a note and gone for a run along the beach. She had just needed to clear her head.
"You're up and out early, love," said a friendly but hesitant voice.
She looked up and smiled sadly at Irene, whose loyalty to Will had made her somewhat of an outcast in Summer Bay recently.
"Just trying to clear the cobwebs," Charlie said.
She looked at Irene's sad face.
"You?"
"Same."
"How are you doing?" Charlie asked.
Irene was a little surprised. Nobody seemed to asked her how she was doing these days, not really even Leah who was by and large the only friend she had left now.
"I'm getting by," Irene said. "You know…"
Charlie nodded. She would always stick by Alf but she felt sorry for Irene who was essentially only doing what she felt was right, standing by someone she loved as her own child. What would she do if it was Ruby? What would Leah do for VJ? What would anyone do for their son or daughter? How could anyone judge Irene really? How could anyone not feel some pity?
"How are you all doing?" Irene asked. "I was sorry to hear about your Dad, darl. I wanted to speak to you at the funeral and I did send a card but…"
"We got it," Charlie said. "Thank you. I'm sorry I didn't have a chance to thank you sooner and catch up with you at the funeral but with everything being so busy and then Alf coming home and everything."
"I understand," Irene said. "I didn't except you to… How is Alf?"
"Pretty broken," Charlie admitted. "I guess you heard about yesterday?"
"Yes," Irene said. "We've had words. Will and I, I mean. We're having words every day, to be honest. Several times a day."
Charlie sighed heavily and sipped her bottle of water.
"Irene, I understand that you need to stand by him," Charlie said. "If it was Ruby… I know how much you love him. But if there's any doubt in your mind that he could be lying about Alf, I think you need to ask yourself why. Not least because there's a little girl involved here. Her mother is off somewhere and her Dad is proving unreliable. She needs you to step up for her. And so does Alf. He could be going to prison for a crime he didn't commit. You know he didn't do it, don't you?"
Irene nodded, looking anxious.
"So if you think Will is telling a story…"
"What am I supposed to do, Charlie?" Irene asked.
"I don't know," Charlie replied. "But what I do know is that out of all of us, you're the one in the best position to find out what Will is hiding. And for the record, I'm sorry that you're struggling so much right now. I know all you're trying to do is the right thing."
She offered a small smile and then carried on with her run.
Charlie arrived back at the house to find Joey marvelling at how smart VJ looked in his uniform. Ruby was trying not to giggle, as was Leah at the way that joy was radiating from the young boy as his crush approved of his outfit.
"You look very smart indeed," Charlie said.
Joey forced herself not to look lustily at Charlie's sweaty body in her skin tight shorts and vest. Now she really did look hot – in every sense of the word. Unfortunately, it was not an appropriate time to pounce on her.
"I'm starting high school in a couple of weeks," VJ announced.
"Yes, I gather you are," Charlie said, flinging herself down in a chair.
Joey tore her gaze away and went to fetch her a cold glass of water.
"Where on earth has the time gone?" Charlie wondered. "When we all moved in together, you were so small! Look at you now!"
VJ grinned proudly at her.
Irene arrived home with her head no clearer. Will was up and dressed for a change and playing a board game with Lily at the table. She stood in the doorway smiling sadly to herself. She just wished that he could be a Dad all the time.
"Hi, Irene! Do you want to play?" Lily asked.
"I won't interrupt, love," Irene said.
Will turned round and offered a smile. She couldn't bring herself to smile back. He felt like a stranger.
Leah and VJ had just arrived back home when there was a knock at the door.
"Hi…" she said uncertainly.
She was never quite sure how she felt about Robertson from one day to the next.
"Hello," he said cheerfully. "I brought you these."
He presented her with some chocolates.
"Robert, I have said that nothing can happen between us," she said. "Not after everything with Alf and…"
"Leah, please can you see past the vigilante group and remember that once upon a time you liked me for who I am as a person?" Robertson asked. "Not a police officer. Not the person your friends saw. Just me?"
Leah sighed. She had liked him. But no, it wasn't the right time. He wasn't the right guy. And it just wasn't the right situation.
"I'm sorry," she said, handing him the chocolates back. "I can't accept these from you."
Charlie put her phone back into her pocket and entered the lounge.
"Done," she told Joey, and Morag who was visiting them for the afternoon.
"Oh, well done," Joey said. "I'm proud of you."
She had phoned work and arranged to return to duty after her compassionate leave. She had a meeting the next morning with Nick Parrish, who had personally arranged to meet with her for her back to work interview. Charlie was grateful. The last person she wanted to come face to face with in the morning was Robertson.
"I think it'll do you the world of good to get back into the swing of things, Charlie," Morag said. "Your Dad will be proud."
Charlie smiled, thanking her.
"And I think I'll take a leaf out of your book," Joey said. "I think I'll go back to the restaurant tomorrow too. But for now, why don't we all head out for a walk or something?"
"Sounds good to me," Morag said, standing up. "Perhaps I'll call Alf and ask him to join us."
Irene, Will and Lily were on the beach, having had the first genuinely pleasant afternoon they'd had in weeks. Lily was ahead of the adults, splashing in the surf.
"Will, I need to ask you a question and I need you to be honest with me," Irene said seriously.
She didn't want to ruin the day they'd had but it was the best opportunity she would probably have.
"Okay…" he said hesitantly.
"Did you tell the police the truth?"
"Of course I did!" he snapped immediately. "I wouldn't lie!"
The panic in his voice just made her doubt him. It made him sound like a little boy caught stealing sweets. But he was alone in the world. Even if she didn't believe him, how could she abandon him? But by standing by him, she was betraying Alf, one of her dearest friends. How could she do that either? She sighed heavily. All she could really do was persuade her foster son to admit the truth, whatever that might be. Because surely, something awful must have happened for him to tell such a terrible lie.
"Will, whatever's happened, you know you can tell me anything…"
"I've told you everything," Will insisted. "Are you saying you don't believe me?"
"No, of course I believe you," Irene lied. "All I'm saying is that you seem to have a lot on your mind right now. So whatever's burdening you, love, you can talk to me…"
"I just feel bad for Alf," Will said. "But it's not my fault that he did what he did."
"Oi!" yelled an angry voice.
Will looked up just in time to see Alf charging towards him.
"Alf, no!" Charlie called urgently, chasing after her friend.
They, along with Morag and Joey had also been wandering along the beach, getting some fresh air. But the moment Alf had seen Will strolling along, he had seen red.
"See!" Will said to Irene, as Alf grabbed him. "I told you he was out of control!"
Irene looked anxious. Alf glared directly in Will's face before pushing him away, deciding he would not stoop to his level.
"You're not worth it," he said, just as Charlie, then Joey and finally, Morag caught up with him.
"I'm sorry," Will said trying not to sound as weak as he felt. "I just had to tell the truth."
"You wouldn't know the truth if it punched you in the face," Alf snapped. "I don't know why you're lying like this but the police will get to the bottom of it all. They will. And you'll be sorry for what you've done."
He turned to Irene who looked anxious.
"And as for you," he said. "How many years have we been friends? I never ever thought you would do this to me."
He shook his head sadly.
"I'll never forgive you, Irene."
Next time… Marilyn and Nicole come home with some big news, Charlie returns to work and Ruby and Charlie have a heart to heart…
