Leah sat at the table eating her breakfast Joey and Charlie had told her that Joey was married but hadn't gone into much detail. Joey and Charlie had pulled together and were spending as much time together as possible. Charlie had become very protective and clingy to Joey afraid that she would be dumped for Trisha. She was so afraid that she would lose the love of her life but Joey had continuously reassured her that she loved her and not Trisha.
Rachel came rushing through the door holding her paper. "Leah, have you seen the paper yet." Rachel asked. Leah looked at her concerned. "uhh, no I haven't." Rachel put the paper down and there it was. A photo of Trisha and Joey taken years ago, smiling and happy and then there was another one of just Trisha sitting sad and alone. The headline read, "Love never lasts forever?" Leah read the article. It claimed that Trisha and Joey had been happily married for years and that Trisha was shocked to be hit with divorce papers. She had been quoted as saying, "I feel so stupid and used. I should have known that love wasn't meant for me. I thought that she loved me." There was even a mention of a mistress.
Leah looked at Rachel. She was shocked, angry and sad. Joey had been made out as a gold digging cheater who only married for money and Trisha looked like the vulnerable, wealthy, beautiful woman in love. Leah knew that this would crush both Charlie and Joey. Leah thanked Rachel and knocked on the girls room. Charlie opened the door. Joey still lay in bed. It was after all her day off. Charlie motioned to the lounge room and closed the door behind her. Charlie immediately noticed Leah's expression. "what's wrong Leah?" "I, I'm not sure how to tell you this but…" Leah held the paper out to Charlie. Charlie's expression changed from worry and confusion to hurt, anger and sadness. "Oh my god! This makes Joey sound horrible. What, what am I going to do?"
Charlie hadn't heard Joey open the bedroom door. "About what?" She asked before grabbing the paper out of Charlie's hands. Joey read through the article, tears forming in her eyes. She ran into the bedroom and collapsed on the bed in tears.
Charlie followed Joey into the bed and sat with her in the bed. Joey cried into her arms. "How could she do this to me. I sound like a cow!" "You know that's not true. This will all be over before you know it. No one is going to believe this." Charlie said and pulled Joey back, so that way she could look into her eyes. "I love you. We will get past this."
Joey and Charlie were walking down the beach hand in hand. They didn't notice the camera's flashes behind them. Suddenly there were 5 reporters with cameras all throwing questions at them. "Is this your mistress?" "Aren't you a senior constable?" Charlie dropped Joey's hand as they tried to get away from the reporters. "No comment." They rushed into the diner.
Leah and Roman noticed the commotion and blocked the reporters from entering.
Joey dissolved into sobs. "oh my god! Charlie what are we meant to do? Trisha has them eating out of her hands." Charlie held Joey close. She really didn't know what they were going to do. "it's okay. Joey, we will be okay. Soon this will all blow over." Charlie dried Joey's tears and hugged her. Leah brought them both a coffee and left them to talk.
After a emotionally exhausting day Charlie and Joey climbed into bed for an early night. The clock read 8:30. Charlie held Joey close and they drifted off to sleep. A banging on the door woke them up. Charlie climbed out the door and opened the door. She looked outside but no one was there. Then she saw it, on the doorstep: a rose with a note. "I'm sorry." Charlie wanted to throw up, she knew exactly who it was from. She picked the rose up and the note and walked into the bedroom. "What was it?" Joey asked before glancing at the rose. "Do you have a secret admirer?" Joey grinned. "Not exactly." Charlie said. Joey grabbed the note. "I'm sorry." Joey's face fell. "How can she apologize for everything she has put me through? It doesn't make sense." Joey began to cry. Charlie hugged her. "It's okay. I love you. I don't know what to do about this but whatever we do decide to do we will do it together. We are strong, we will always be together nothing can change that. I love you Joey."
On the front page of the paper was a picture of Charlie and Joey walking on the beach hand in hand. "Mistress Revealed" There it was, in plain view. Senior Constable Charlie Buckton. Suddenly the realization hit her. Technically she was having an affair with Joey. What was this going to mean for her job? Her friends? Her reputation? Could it all be in tatters because of her involvement with Joey, Trisha's wife?