Chapter Five Hundred and Eighty Two

"Surprise!"

Claire clung to Ruby in fright when the mass gathering all leapt out and shrieked at her in celebration of her twenty first birthday. For once, a surprise birthday party had actually not been spoilt. Claire had genuinely had no idea that Ruby and their friends had been planning anything.

"Oh my…!" she managed.

She caught Ruby beaming at her, looking very proud of herself.

"I can't believe you did this!" she said.

"We all did this!" Dex announced, butting in.

Claire hugged him.

"Um… I'm not exactly sure how much you did," Watson said grumpily, nudging him out the way and pulling her lodger into a hug.

She, Kerri and Danny had all become a close family; the younger woman had come to mean a great deal to all three of them.

"Happy birthday," she said. "I did a lot of the hard work and decorations."

Claire laughed and hugged her tight. She hugged Kerri and Danny who both approached her eagerly.

"There's a gift table but come and find us later, okay?" Kerri said quietly, squeezing her hand.


"Would you please cheer your face up or just go home?" Nicole snapped at Romeo.

He looked up, startled by her harsh tone. He recoiled a little when her face matched it.

"We're at a birthday party," she reminded him. "If you can't smile, just wish Claire happy birthday and leave because she doesn't need you sat sulking in the corner like you've been dragged here by your hair."

"Who was that guy?" he demanded.

"How the hell would I know?" Nicole asked. "I was her fat friend sat in in the corner with nobody to talk to."

She hadn't had any more fun at the party than he had and she'd been very glad to leave.

"How could she kiss some guy right in front of me?"

"Are you serious right now?" Nicole demanded. "You literally had sex with someone else a few weeks ago. What right do you have to complain about a single thing she does?"

Shaking her head, she abandoned him in order to mingle with people who weren't irritating her.


Charlie and Joey were sat at a table with Watson and Kerri, reporting on their less than positive experience at the wedding fayre.

"They really asked you that?" Kerri asked.

"Weddings are still a hetero event, I guess," Joey said glumly.

She sipped a glass of white wine.

"Well, we'll just have to make our wedding our own," Charlie told her.


"So, are you happy with your party?" Ruby asked hopefully.

She, Claire, Casey and Dex were crammed round a table, tucking into some food. Claire blushed.

"I love it," she confirmed. "Thank you. All of you."

"Ruby was the mastermind," Casey said.

"We were just the minions," Dex said. "Happy birthday, Claire. You deserve everyone making a fuss of you. You're the nicest person on the planet."

He succeeded in making her blush further.


Sat at the bar on his own, Romeo glared at Ruby and Casey. How had it ended up that Ruby had broken up his relationship and then moved on so easily and readily with a new guy? How had Indi hooked up with someone so soon? How had he ended up all alone? It wasn't fair.

"I am not having fun!" Bianca complained, throwing herself into the vacant chair beside Joey.

"And now nor are we," Joey said sweetly.

Bianca apologised, glaring at Liam who pointedly ignored her and hopped up onto a stool beside Romeo, who had been sucking all the energy out the room since the beginning of the party.

"What's up with you two?" Charlie asked curiously.

"He's drinking, if you please," Bianca said. "My sober boyfriend is a drinker now."

"I thought…" Joey said.

"Yeah, me too," Bianca said. "But he claims he never had a problem with booze, only drugs so it's not a problem. Well, you know what, I met Liam on Alcohol tonight; he's not even pissed yet and he's a total arsehole."

"Sorry, Bianca," Joey said, looking worriedly over at Liam. "What do you think prompted it?"

"It's my fault, isn't it?" she sighed. "He's upset because I moved out."

"To look after your sister!" Charlie said.

"You can't blame yourself for other people's behaviour," Kerri said firmly. "Even if you moving out triggered something in him, it doesn't make it your fault. He still made the decision to drink when he obviously previously made the decision not to. You just need to try and get to the bottom of why and how to support him into sorting things out."

Watson held her hand quietly.


"I uh… I think you have an extra guest," Dex said to Claire, nodding towards the door.

She followed his direction and was surprised to see Hannah hovering in the doorway. Ruby was also surprised, not to mention dismayed. Claire excused herself to go and see her.

"Who's that?" Casey asked.

"Her ex," Ruby and Dex replied in unison.

Romeo nodded towards the bottle of beer in Liam's hand.

"Are you meant to be drinking that?" he asked.

Liam bristled and glugged the rest of it down, more to make a point than anything else.

"You sound like my nagging girlfriend," he said.

"More like a concerned mate," Romeo corrected.

"Well, when you were doing things that maybe you shouldn't, I didn't nag you," Liam said. "I just supported you. And besides, like I told Bianca, I don't have a problem with alcohol. As long as I don't snort a load of coke, I should be fine."

He patted Romeo jovially on the shoulder. He did not appreciate it.

"Well, you always said to me that you stayed away from booze because you knew how your addictions worked," Romeo reminded him. "That if you lost control in a haze of alcohol, the next thing you knew, you probably would be snorting a load of coke up your nose."

Liam sighed and waved Scott over to order another round.

"Well, let's find out if I was right," he said.


Claire approached Hannah nervously. She was the last person she had been expecting to turn up to a party she hadn't even known was happening.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"Hello to you too," Hannah replied, clearly also nervous. "I didn't know about the party."

"It was a surprise."

"Ruby?" Hannah guessed.

Claire glanced back at her. She turned back to Hannah and nodded.

"That's nice," Hannah said.

She offered her a card and a neatly wrapped gift.

"I just wanted you to have this," she said. "It's just something small."

Claire accepted it, touched that she had made the effort. She thanked her.

"Do you want to stay for a drink?" she asked. "There's food and…"

"No," Hannah declined politely. "I just wanted to stop and say hi…"

Claire nodded sadly.

"And happy birthday, obviously," Hannah added with a smile.

Claire thanked her again. She suddenly realised just how much she missed her.

"Listen," Hannah added. "I know it's not my place but Claire? Please don't wait for her."

She knew she was talking about Ruby.

"You are so amazing. You're beautiful and kind and funny. You're… everything. Please don't waste your life waiting for her," Hannah advised sadly. "You're better than being someone's fallback plan."

She turned and left.

"And who, might I ask, is that?"

Claire smiled and leant back into Scott's embrace. He had the most distinct voice in Summer Bay – camp and British - and she found him exceptionally comforting.

"That would be my ex-girlfriend," she informed him.

"Why's she your ex?" he wondered. "She's fit!"

"It's complicated," Claire said sadly.

"Oh, I have time," Scott said, dragging her to the nearest table.


Bianca had left. She had tried to persuade Liam to leave with her. She had even tried to be compassionate towards him but it had only irritated him more. Romeo was also not enjoying his company. He wasn't enjoying anyone's company, really. All he could think about was Indi and that guy at the party. He thought he might also head home soon. Nicole was probably right; he wasn't especially contributing to the party atmosphere.

Replacing Bianca at the table, Angelo was happy to be included amongst his old friends. He had been touched to be invited to the party, considering everything that had happened, although Ruby had pointed out that it was only because Claire still liked him.

"How's life across the street?" Joey asked.

Charlie smirked. Her fiancée had been curtain twitching ever since Angelo, Roo and Liam had moved in but been too stubborn to go and actually say hello.

"It's okay," Angelo said. "I mean, I like living with Roo."

"I bet you do," Charlie smirked.

Angelo blushed.

"What does that mean?" Watson asked, immediately nosy.

Angelo blushed further.

"Oh!" Kerri realised. "You like Roo?"

"No!" Angelo lied.

"He likes Roo," Joey confirmed.

"So, do you think anything will happen between you?" Watson wanted to know.

"I doubt it," Angelo said. "And even if it might have, our new housemate is ruining any chance I might have had."

He glared at Liam's back, still at the bar with Romeo.

"Why?" Joey asked worriedly, hoping Liam wasn't doing anything more than drinking.

"He's just… there," Angelo said. "All the damn time. Roo and I were having an evening in last night and he gate crashed. He never leaves us alone."

"Oh, right," Charlie said. "He was meant to be on a date with Bianca last night as well."

"That would have been preferable," Angelo sulked.


Scott looked stunned. He held Claire's hands protectively and shook his head.

"Why didn't I know this?" he asked for the third time. "I mean, I pride myself on being perceptive and knowing all the gossip. Why didn't I know this?"

"Probably because I've tried desperately tried to keep it to myself," Claire said.

She was flushed and very worried that she had made a mistake. She trusted Scott but the last thing she wanted was for word to get back to Ruby that she had feelings for her. Scott kissed both her hands.

"Well, I hate to say it but that girl is correct," Scott said. "I love Ruby to death but she is a mess. She's been pinging from boy to boy in all the time I've known her and I've only been here a couple of months. She clearly worships the ground you walk on. I mean, who wouldn't? Hello?!"

Claire laughed.

"However, even if something happened between you, I fear you would only end up broken hearted," he concluded. "So, my advice – not that you've actually asked for it…"

Claire laughed again and held his hands a little tighter.

"My advice is to do exactly what Hottie Hannah told you to do," he said. "Go and find a girl who adores you. You deserve that."

Claire sighed.

"I know you're right," she said.

"And I think the girl that adores you might have just turned up, given you a birthday present and left again," he suggested.

Claire shook her head, insisting it was far too late for them.

"If it was too late, why would she have come?"


Bored of Liam, Romeo decided to leave. He stood and headed for the door. Joey stood and caught hold of his arm.

"What's up with you?" she asked. "You've been like a grumpy old man all night. You haven't even spoken to Claire."

"I just left another party where I saw Indi hooking up with another guy," he told her.

She wanted to be rude to him and point out that it was nothing more than he deserved. Things were definitely different between them now. Once upon a time, she had thought of Romeo as family. She had cared deeply for him and taken him under her wing. But that night with Ruby had changed everything. He had taken advantage of the girl she considered a daughter. It had shocked her to know that he was capable of that.

But she also pitied him. He was a mess and she didn't like to see him in such a sorry state.

"I'm sorry to hear that," she said. "That must have been really hard."

He nodded glumly.

"Please say happy birthday and sorry to Claire for me," he said. "I've left a card and a gift on the table but I really just need to go home now."

She patted him on the shoulder and he left. Joey returned to the table where Leah had joined them a short while earlier, concerned to have heard about Elijah's recent foray into alcohol.

"What's his problem?" Charlie asked.

She too felt upset after everything that had happened between Romeo and Ruby. She was just relieved that her daughter seemed settled now – even if it was with a Braxton.

"Indi's met someone else," Joey explained.

"Well, there are a lot of things I could say about that but I think I'll keep them to myself," her fiancée replied.


"Where's Claire gone?" Ruby asked, catching Scott's attention as he returned to the bar.

"She's gone to see if she can catch Hannah," he confirmed.

"Why?" Ruby demanded.

Both Casey and Dex noticed an unwarranted level of annoyance in her voice.

"Why do you think?" Scott said, also noticing.

"Hannah was no good for Claire," Ruby said.

"Maybe Claire feels differently," Scott replied, gliding back to the bar where he had left his boyfriend, not to mention a lot of customers waiting for him.

He apologised to his colleagues who were all very busy and hoped that Joey hadn't noticed his negligence and that if she had, she would understand that it had been in a good cause.

"I liked Hannah," Dex told Ruby. "I thought it was a shame that they split."

"She was possessive and cold and she broke Claire's heart," Ruby said stubbornly.

"Well, I hope they're able to make a go of things this time," Dex replied, equally firm in his opinion.

Casey didn't care either way.


"Okay, good, he's back," Joey said, relaxing back into her seat.

Charlie chuckled, leaning over and kissing her cheek. She had been fretting over how busy the bar was becoming and the fact that Scott had been nowhere in sight for a good twenty minutes. Angelo had been beside himself, desperate to offer to help and try to win his job back. He had loved working for Charlie and Joey. Every day at the restaurant had been a joy. Now, he dragged himself to The Pizza Oven, working for Brax, with trepidation and misery. He hated every second he was there and spent his evenings trawling the job pages, hoping he could find something else. But he was scared that if he brought the subject up with the girls, he would just embarrass himself so he stayed quiet and sipped his beer, listening to Leah harping on about Elijah and Watson and Kerri discussing when to give Claire her present.

"I told you it would be okay," Charlie said. "You have tonight off, Jo. Stop worrying."

"I know, I know," Joey said. "It's just…"

"You're a worrier," Charlie acknowledged.

Joey smiled shyly.

"Where's Claire gone?" Watson wondered.


"Hannah!"

Hannah turned around at the sound of her name. She was surprised to see Claire standing a short distance away, having followed her out of Bucktons' and the Surf Club.

"What are you doing away from your party?" she asked, walking back towards her.

Claire caught up with her, feeling nervous.

"Please stay," she requested. "It's my birthday."

Hannah smiled. Her resolve was weakening. She had missed her ex so much these past few weeks. She had nearly called so many times and deleted so many draft text messages.

"I don't think that's going to help," she said.

"I miss you," Claire told her honestly. "And I know you're right about Ruby."

"Finally!" Hannah half laughed.

"I'm sorry," Claire said. "I'm sorry I've not been fair to you. I want to draw a line under everything. Ruby… Ruby will always be in my life. You know what we've been through together. But it'll never be more than that. I… I don't want it to be more than that. I want to be with someone who loves me. I want to be with you."

Hannah hesitated. She was so desperate to believe her.

"I can't…"

Claire was deflated.

"I can't go through all this again only to have my heart broken because nothing's changed…" Hannah ventured.

Claire reached out to hold her hands.

"You won't," she said. "This is it for me."

They kissed. They were interrupted by a small round of applause. They turned, blushing to find Watson, Kerri, Charlie, Joey, Danny, Ruby, Casey and Dex behind them.

"Well, we came out here to give you your birthday present but it looks like you already have one!" Watson remarked with a smirk that made both girls blush intensely.

Holding her hand, Claire led Hannah over to her loved ones.

"Congratulations," Charlie whispered, squeezing Claire's shoulder, as everyone but Ruby said hello to Hannah.

"Are you back together now?" Danny asked.

"Yeah, we are," Claire confirmed.

"Great! Will you come over and play Xbox with me? Claire's rubbish!"

"Hey!" Claire complained.

Hannah laughed and agreed. She had loved being included as part of Claire's adopted family.

"So, your present," Watson said, decisively.

Kerri dug into her handbag and took out a box, handing it to Claire. She was a little worried that the gift would annoy Ruby but she and Watson had spoken to Charlie and Joey, who had told them to go ahead. A little nervously, Claire opened the neat little box. It was a car key. She looked at the key. She looked back at Kerri and Watson. Then back at the key. Then back at Kerri and Watson.

"It's a car, silly!" Danny burst out excitedly, jumping up and down.

Ruby, Dex and Casey looked as shocked as Claire.

"Are you serious?" Claire barely managed.

Watson took the key and pressed the button. A silver Skoda Fabia beeped and flashed.

"Meet your new car," she said. "Well, new to you. It's a few years old. Hope that's okay."

"I… I don't know what to say," Claire said.

She could hardly breathe. Nobody had ever done anything like this for her before.

"Now, we know you were saving up for a car together," Kerri said, looking between Claire and Ruby.

Claire felt Hannah stiffen a little beside her.

"So, we hope this doesn't scupper things too much," she continued. "But we wanted to get something special for you for your twenty first."

"This is more than special," Claire said, staring at the car. "This is amazing. I mean… just…"

She looked at Ruby and apologised for essentially pulling out of their plan.

"It's fine," Ruby said. "I can keep borrowing Charlie's car."

Charlie frowned, not sure she was too happy with that plan!

"Seriously though," Claire said to both Kerri and Watson. "This is wonderful. Thank you so much."

"So, the car is completely yours," Watson said. "We bought it outright"

"And we've paid up the first year's insurance and tax," Charlie said.

"No, that's way too much…"

"It's done," Kerri said firmly.

"No arguments," Joey added.

"I wouldn't mess with either of them," Watson grinned.

Claire hugged them all tightly, thanking them profusely. She fought tears, overwhelmed that these people had all taken her in when she had nowhere else to go. All she had been to them was some girl that Ruby had met in a mental health facility. She could have been anyone. She should have been someone they would have wanted to keep away from Ruby, not someone they wanted to keep close. But they took her under their wing and made her feel like family. She hadn't so much as received a text message from her own family and yet these people had showered her with love. They'd thrown her a party. She had gifts and cards and well wishes and now she had a car. A car! And her girlfriend was back! This was the best day of her whole life.

"I got you something for your car," Danny offered, handing her a badly wrapped gift.

She accepted it and opened it up. It was a rainbow coloured dice.

"I love it!" she said.

He looked very proud when she immediately opened the car and hung it over the mirror.

"So, if you haven't had a drink yet, do you want to take it for a spin?" Watson asked.

Claire nodded eagerly.

"Well, I don't think we need to guess who your first passenger is going to be so we'll all meet you back up at the party, shall we?" Joey said. "Don't get too carried away. There's cake!"

Blushing, Claire opened the passenger door for Hannah. Ruby trailed behind her family and friends as they headed back to the party, aware that if Hannah hadn't turned up, she would have been the obvious choice. She knew it was wrong to be jealous. She knew she had no right to lay claim over Claire when she didn't want to be in a relationship with her. But at the same time, she loved her. It was just a different kind of love. She wanted to be with Casey. But she also wanted to be the centre of Claire's universe. She knew it was unfair but she couldn't help how she felt. She was jealous of Hannah. She always had been and she always would be. She just hoped that Claire's new relationship wouldn't drive them apart again like it did before.


"This is quite the birthday present," Hannah said from the passenger seat, as Claire drove down the road in her new car.

"I can hardly believe it," Claire said.

Her heart was pounding.

"They really love you," Hannah said.

Claire chewed her lip.

"And I completely understand why," she added.


Next time… Charlie and Ruby fall out over the Braxton Family, Angelo tries to warn Brax away from Charlie but only spurs him on more and Romeo makes a big decision about his future…