Hi everyone. This is yesterday's update, a little delayed. I hope you enjoy it. Love, IJKS xxx

Chapter Five Hundred and Ninety Two

"What's going on?"

Joey jumped in fright, as Leah approached her. She hadn't heard her approach.

"You nearly gave me a heart attack!" she complained.

"Sorry!" Leah chuckled. "You did seem like you were concentrating…"

Still clutching her chest, Joey attempting to regulate her breathing. Leah continued to laugh.

"So, what's so serious?"

She had seen her friend standing in the car park, behaving a little strangely and wondered what was going on.

"This van," she said. "It's been here since this morning. It's… odd," Joey said.

"Joey, nosing into odd vehicles is surely more John and Colleen than you…" Leah tutted.

She approached the van and peered in. Joey followed. It was dirty on the outside and the inside was messy, as if someone was living in it, although it seemed empty now. They both continued to peer through the windows, each on either side of the van.

"Leah…" Joey said when she saw movement, right at the back of the van, almost as far as the windows didn't reach.

"I saw it too," Leah confirmed.


Within ten minutes, Charlie and Watson had arrived in the car park. They were just about to pry the car door open when a frantic woman came running over, begging them to stop and wait.

"That's my van!" she said. "Please! I can explain!"

Charlie turned to face her.

"These are your children in the van?" she asked.

The woman nodded. Charlie could see that she was trembling.

"I was just… just trying to get them some food…"

Charlie noted that she was empty handed.

"I didn't find any," she said sadly.

Charlie asked her to open the van. She complied and gather her sleepy, confused children into her arms. They were only around the ages of four and five.

"Can I ask your name, please?" Charlie asked.

She felt utterly conflicted. She needed to be a police officer but the state the woman, the kids and the van were in were calling her to be a compassionate human being.

"My name's Cathy," the woman said. "Cathy Porter."

"And who are these guys?" Watson asked, approaching the kids, wanting to checked they were unharmed.

"This is Dylan and Patrick," Cathy confirmed. "I only left them for five minutes. I know I shouldn't have. I just… we haven't eaten and…. I'm sorry."

Joey and Leah hung back, not wanting interfere but not wanting to leave either. They felt terribly sad for whatever situation this woman was in.

"You do know it's an offence to leave your children unattended like this?" Charlie said.

"I know," Cathy said tearfully. "And I'm sorry. Please don't arrest me. They're all I have."

Charlie sighed and looked at Watson for help as to what to do.

"My van broke down and I ran out of money," Cathy tried. "And they were hungry and I just…"

"We could try the shelter?" Watson suggested.

Charlie nodded, explaining that she could get food and accommodation there. Cathy thanked them profusely.

"Hey, do you guys want to have a ride in a police car?" Watson asked the boys.

They were very excited.


Roo had invited Nicole out for lunch to celebrate her designs being accepted by the Surf Club. Nicole had then asked Angelo and Indi to join them, as they had been her faithful models for the fashion event. It felt like the right thing to do.

"How's Liam doing?" Nicole asked when they were all sat down. "I've been in touch with him but it'd be nice to know how he is according to those that live with him."

"He seems to be okay," Roo said.

"I haven't seen him drinking," Angelo confirmed.

"And he almost smiled yesterday," Roo added.

"What's been wrong with Liam?" Indi wondered.

She felt quite out of the loop, including to the idea that Nicole and Angelo were suddenly best friends.

"He's just been drinking a lot and he's normally sober," Nicole explained. "It's kind of a slippery slope."


Charlie and Watson arrived back from the shelter, where Elijah and Romeo had welcomed Cathy and her children with open arms, to find Brax with his head under the bonnet of her van. Charlie's first instinct was to accuse him of tampering but she overcame it and approached him in a friendlier manner.

"What's going on?" she asked.

"Hello, Sergeant," he said, wiping his hands on a rag. "Leah mentioned that this woman's van's broken down. She left the keys in the door so I thought I'd do her favour and fix it up for her for when she came back to it."

"Just… out of the goodness of your heart?" Charlie quizzed him.

He chuckled.

"I can do nice things sometimes," he said.

Now it was her turn to laugh.

"If you gave me the opportunity, I might surprise you," he said. "Contrary to popular belief, I am a nice guy."

"Well, fixing the van is a nice thing to do," Charlie agreed.

"Her story could have been my Mum," he explained. "Always trying, always struggling, never catching a break. I'd have wanted someone to help my Mum if they could. You helped her by not arresting her and by taking her to get food and somewhere to stay. I'm fixing her van. Maybe the kindness of strangers is just what she needs in her life."

Charlie nodded, affected by his frankness.

"I'm sure she'll be grateful," she said.

She and Watson headed up to Buckton's to see Joey. Brax watched her go.


Charlie waved at Roo, Nicole, Angelo and Indi as she and Watson passed them on the way in and up to the bar. They sat on bar stools and waited for Joey's attention.

"Guess who's out there fixing Cathy's car," Charlie said by way of greeting.

"Who?" Joey asked.

"Brax," Watson informed her.

"Brax? Why?"

"Because he's a good guy, apparently," Watson said doubtfully.

She wrinkled her nose and shook her head. Joey continued to look puzzled.

"Do you buy that?" she asked Charlie.

"I don't know," Charlie said, shrugging. "I mean, he seemed genuine. He told me this whole story about his mother but…. I don't know. Most of the time, he's such an arse. And then sometimes, he does seem nice. I can't read him. I don't think I'm going to try. He doesn't deserve the brain space."

Joey chuckled, deciding she was right.

"Did Cathy settle into the shelter okay? Was there space for her?"

"Yes, fine," Charlie said. "And Romeo was working there very nicely too."

Joey looked delighted.


Nicole was starting to feel a little uncomfortable. She wondered if she had eaten too much or if her food had been too spicy. It had been very tasty though; too tasty to regret it. She tried to focus on the conversation. She studied Angelo and wondered why it had taken her so long to realise how handsome he was. She wondered if he felt the same way about her as she felt about him. She doubted it. She wasn't exactly the best catch right now. Her bump was really starting to twinge.


Charlie and Watson left Buckton's in order to go back to work. They passed Brax, just as he was closing the van up and locking up.

"All fixed, Sergeant," he called out.

"Great," she said. "Thanks."

"And I've spoken to my Mum's boss, down at the factory," he told her. "He said there's a job going there for Cathy if she wants it."

Charlie stopped.

"Are you serious?" she said.

"Yeah," he said with a shrug.

"Why would you do that?"

"I told you," he said. "I'm a nice guy."

Charlie and Watson exchanged glances.

"I think she's in the Diner if you want to let her know," he said. "Elijah brought her and the kids back here a little while ago."

Charlie thanked him again and she and Watson headed into the Diner with the keys Brax had given her to the van. Leah had piled Cathy and the kids' plates high with free food. Charlie left Watson to tell Cathy about the van and the job and to check that they were safe and well. Charlie headed over to speak to Leah.

"How are they?" she asked.

"They seem okay," Leah said. "Grateful more than anything. You did a good thing today, Charlie."

"Well, Brax seems like the hero of the hour. He's fixed the car and set her up with a job."

"Wow! Maybe he's a good guy, after all," Leah commented.

Charlie chuckled and shook her head. She didn't know what to think.

"How are you anyway?" Charlie asked. "I feel like we haven't caught up in ages."

"I was better until Elijah pitched up and put our friendship on hold," Leah frowned. "I mean, I don't even know what that means! How do you go on a break in a friendship? He's starting to piss me off a little bit."

"Wow," Charlie chuckled. "Not many people piss you off!"


Nicole clutched her bump and winced in pain.

"Nic, are you okay?" Angelo asked worriedly.

"I think I'm in labour!" Nicole said, doubled over, her breath catching.

Roo stood and waved Joey over.

"Is there somewhere private we can go?" she asked urgently.

Joey hurried them into her office, asking what they needed. Nicole sat on the sofa, clutching her bump. Angelo crouched down beside her, holding her hand. Indi asked if she should call her Dad.

"Yes, good idea," Roo said.

"What about Marilyn?" Indi asked. "Or an ambulance?"

"Start with your Dad and we'll go from there," Roo decided.

Joey wasn't sure but said nothing, hovering behind Angelo and worrying about Nicole. Indi stepped away from them all and phoned her father, calling him to the restaurant.


Heath was lounging around The Pizza Oven when Brax returned to the venue.

"So, how's it going with the cop?" Heath asked.

"It's going," Brax confirmed.

"The days are ticking by…"

"I've got time," Brax assured him. "You should have seen the way she looked at me today…. It's only a matter of time before she sees that I can give her something that that lesbian just cannot provide!"


Once Sid arrived, Indi and a reluctant Angelo left Roo and Joey to it.

"Hey, she's going to be okay," Indi said to Angelo, who remained desperately worried, just outside the door.

He could hardly breathe, fretting about what was going on behind the door.

"She seemed so frightened," he said. "I just want to look after her."

Indi patted him awkwardly on the shoulder, opting to wait with him until there was any news.


Inside the office, Joey and Roo stood back while Sid examined Nicole.

"You're not in labour," he confirmed.

"But I'm in so much pain," Nicole said with tears in her eyes.

"Braxton Hicks," he said.

"Braxton what?"

"It's false labour," he explained. "Kind of like a practice or a preparation."

"I don't want to practice!" Nicole squeaked. "It's going to be bad enough when it happens for real!"

"Bloody Braxtons!" Joey joked.

Nicole managed a grateful smile. It broke the tension in her wound up body.

"It will pass," Sid said. "And hopefully it won't be too painful."

"It is painful!" Nicole protested.

"Well, we're here to look after you, aren't we, Roo?" Joey said, moving forward.

"Absolutely," Roo said.

They took a hand each to show her how supported she was. She leant against them, grateful for their love.


Next time… Charlie and Joey support Romeo's new business venture, Nicole faces some hard question about the baby and Ruby ruins Xavier's relationship with Miranda…