SKSpriteNode Custom Class and accessing variables from another class

Question

In GameScene.sks I have created a Color Sprite with a Texture and provided a Name “hero”, within the Custom Class tab I have put “CharacterNode” class.

In a file “CharacterNode.swift” (the Character class), I just hold BOOL properties relating to the hero (e.g. walkLeft, walkRight, actionEnabled..). The class is defined as:

class CharacterNode: SKSpriteNode {
  var left = false
  var right = false
  var actionEnabled = false
//
}

In a file “PlayerControlComponent.swift”:

class PlayerControlComponent: GKComponent, ControlInputDelegate {
  var cNode: CharacterNode?
//
}

I create an instance of the Character class.

Within the PlayerControlComponent file I have a switch statement, depending on which buttons are pressed on screen, the flags in the Character class (cNode) “walkLeft”, “walkRight”, “actionEnabled”.. get set to true e.g “cNode?.walkLeft = true”

   func follow(command: String?) {

    if (cNode != nil){
      switch(command!){
      case "circle":
        print("PlayerControlComponenet circle pressed")
        cNode?.actionEnabled = true
      case "cancel circle","stop circle":
        cNode?.actionEnabled = false
        print("PlayerControlComponenet circle unpressed")

      case("left"):
        cNode?.left = true
      case "cancel left","stop left":
        cNode?.left = false

When buttons are released the flag/s get set to false. The movement all works fine, the issue I have is with the actionEnabled button.

Back in the GameScene.swift file, I want to be able to retrieve what the actionEnabled flag is currently set as (e.g true or false). The reason being is the file is also the SKPhysicsContactDelegate, and I need to know if the hero is near a certain object (which I have working fine), AND the actionEnabled button is currently pressed.

I am aware if I create an instance of the Character class in GameScene.swift, that is a separate instance to the PlayerControlComponent uses, so the flag updates will not be available.

In GameScene I have also tried:

var playCC = PlayerControlComponent()

Then as a test in:

override func update(_ currentTime: TimeInterval) {
  let latestAction = playCC.cNode?.actionEnabled
  print("action is: \(String(describing: latestAction))")

The output shows "action is: nil” repeatedly (I expected it to show false, then true when i press the action button)

How do I retrieve the values of the CharacterNode class being used in the PlayerControlComponent, from within GameScene.swift?