For the next week, Joey and I settled into an easy routine. I would always finish work before Joey, so I'd meet her out front of the boat shop and we'd walk home together, stopping at the cafe for a drink along the way where we'd talk for an hour or two. It honestly felt like we'd never been apart with the way we'd just slipped into our old friendship, though with one big difference; this time, it was strictly friendship. I may have wished for more, but I knew that was an impossible dream as Joey had shown no inclination for wanting anything more than we already had and despite that, I was happy. With Joey, I was able to be myself and relax in a way I hadn't really been able to do for a long time, especially when I was with Brax. There always seemed to have been something going on when I was with Brax, usually bad, so I was never able to really relax and let's face it, I was never able to be myself when we were together, because that would have meant I'd actually have to do my job and stop ignoring the truth about him like I did. All-in-all, with all the sneaking around, our actions, the guilt, never being able to be me and such, made relaxing an impossibility and so I revelled in the time I had with Joey.

It was so different with her and not just because she's the only person here who knows me which meant I could let my guard down whenever we were alone together, but there was just something about Joey's presence that had a calming effect on me. A simple smile from her lifted my spirits and the way she was always at me to be positive was wonderful. That pretty much summed up who Joey was, wonderful. Life had been cruel to her, yet she had managed to be caring and positive and be strong enough to leave her anger behind to be there for me.

I knew I must get a dreamy expression on my face at times when I thought of Joey, but I couldn't help it. Every day I fell a little more in love with her. I knew it wasn't a smart move, as my love would remain unrequited, but I couldn't help it. I was just so happy to have her in my life again, even as just a friend and who knew, maybe somewhere down the track, I would meet someone new who could help me move past Joey, though I had a feeling I'd always love Joey in some way.

I gazed down at my belly where my hands were gently resting, imagining I could still feel Joey's palm there. A couple of times now, Joey had laid her hand on me and spoken to my baby. I found it incredibly endearing, especially when she introduced herself to my baby and promised to make sure mummy Kate looked after herself. Those little scenes always had me daydreaming about the day I became a mother again and Joey would be there by my side, occasionally, in my more fanciful moments, I imagined her as my lover, but most times, just as a friend, but she was always there by my side as a co-parent. Those were only my daydreams though and we hadn't really spoken about what will happen once the baby arrives, other than Joey had offered her support, I just wasn't sure in what way or how involved she wanted to be and I didn't really want to push the issue. Besides, the birth was still some months away and anything could happen in that time.

My mind drifts to Joey in my bed. "No, not that Kate," I told myself. I'm not sure what the future will hold, but I do know that Joey will be there as a friend, at least, that's what I hope, provided nothing happens to change that. And I'm not just talking about me fucking things up like I have in the past. Mac was in the café the other day and I had never been so nervous, afraid he'd somehow know who Joey was and he'd take me away from her, but he'd merely introduced himself to Joey as an associate of mine from the real estate agency I work at, unaware that Joey knew exactly who he was. He and Joey actually seemed to get along well but it was a relief when Mac left and the next day, I half expected him to turn up and tell me he'd run a background check on Joey and knew she was from Summer Bay, but he never did and for now, our ruse seems to have been successful.

The next test though, was going to be tonight. For tonight, I was going to be introduced to Joey's friends for the first time and I can honestly say that I'm nearly shitting myself. These people have come to mean a lot to Joey and from what Joey's told me, they're rather protective of her and have a low opinion of that Bitch, as I'm apparently known, not that I can really blame them for thinking bad of me after what I did to their friend.

At least tonight though, they weren't going to be meeting that Bitch, but the mysterious woman Joey had been seen spending time with. When Joey had first told me about the invitation to meet her friends and wanting to decline it, I'd nearly agreed with her, but then I realised it was time we got this over with; they were Joey's friends and I was hers, so we couldn't keep avoiding meeting. Unfortunately, it also meant that I was going to have to be on my guard tonight while I was with Joey, we both were. Joey was a little worried she'd let something slip about who I was, but I assured she'd be fine, we just had to keep most of the conversations to the now and avoid mentioning that I was also from the Bay. We still spoke about the Bay quite frequently when we were alone, but more about the good things and less about the negatives and as much as we had spoken about our old home, I had still yet to learn more about Joey's time before she came to be in this lovely little town and as much as I wanted to know, I found myself holding back and waiting for Joey to reveal this when she was ready. It worried me a little though, as to why she was avoiding talking about this period of her life and I really hoped that nothing had happened to her that she was trying to forget. She had been through enough heartache and I would wish for anything to have been able to take some of that away and not have any more have happened to her because I made her not want to come home.

I suddenly smiled, picturing Joey's response if she knew my thoughts were drifting back to me blaming myself for her staying away, she'd be prodding me with that stay positive speech and telling me not to let the past interfere with my future. Even just picturing her beautiful smile and soulful eyes had a calming effect and made me wish I could bottle it and carry it with me forever. "You can, silly," I told myself, once again bringing up an image of her.

Before my mind could start to race away with impossible dreams once again, a knock at the door dragged me back to reality. Opening the door, my heart did a little flutter as it did every day when I saw Joey.

"You look great Kate," Joey said, eying her friend off with an appreciative gaze as she entered the apartment. Joey still felt odd about calling her ex Kate, but at least now, she could say it more naturally without having to stop and think before she spoke.

I could feel my face flushing at Joey's perusal, even though there was nothing sexual about it, she was just a friend giving a compliment but I still felt a bit weird about the new shape my body was taking on with pregnancy. Joey had assured me numerous times during the past week that pregnancy made me more beautiful and any guy would be banging down my door for a date if that's what I wanted. It wasn't what I wanted though and I told her that, even joked about what if it was a woman who I wanted banging down my door. Joey had looked startled, then smiled and told me if that was what I wanted, then she knew of a few single women who would be very interested to learn that and she could introduce me to them. Apparently, this little town had quite the lesbian scene, much to my surprise. She had chuckled at what must have been my wide-eyed response to her offer and said she was only joking about the introductions and understood I wasn't ready to start looking just yet. I had thanked her for the offer though and it had gotten me thinking. I know I had told Joey I didn't know if loving her made me bi or not, but now, I've started to realise that maybe I should leave myself open to the idea of having another relationship with a woman; not just because I couldn't have Joey and my relationships with men sucked, but because the more I thought back on my feelings when I was with Joey, a woman, I realised how different I had felt and in a good way. I had felt a connection to her, a connection that was lacking in my relationships with men and maybe I felt it with Joey because we were both women. I still wasn't really sure about my sexuality, as I fucked up pretty much all my relationships, whether with men or woman, but when the time came for me to move on with someone, I think I should at least consider a relationship with a woman and if I found someone but it didn't feel right when we were together, then she wasn't the one for me, just like Angelo or Brax really weren't the guys for me. After all, it had nothing to do with gender, but the connection I felt or didn't feel when I was with someone.

I came back to the present to find Joey smiling knowingly. She was well aware of my habit to zone out and had commented that she found my faraway expression or frowny face rather adorable. "Sometimes I wish I could see what was going through that mind of yours," she said.

"It's not always something I want to see myself," I admitted. "But this time, it's about realising the future is opening up new possibilities for me and it's making me hopeful."

"I'm glad. You deserve happiness Kate," Joey said. "Now, are you sure you want to go out tonight, because we really don't have to do this you know."

"We talked about this Joey; we can't keep putting this off, especially as they know you've been spending time with me and it might start looking suspicious if we keep making excuses to avoid them meeting me."

"You're still worried about Mac finding out?"

"The worry lessens a little with each passing day he says nothing, but we still need to be careful and the best way to do that now, is for me to start meeting more people, instead of drawing so much attention to you."

Joey nodded in understanding. "I warn you though, Kym really doesn't like Charlie, but her heart is in the right place when it comes to her concern for me, so I don't want you getting too upset if the topic comes up." And she had a feeling it would, because even though she'd told Kym that Kate was only a friend, Kym had a tendency to want to suss out the new people in her life, whether they were potential suitors or not, because she didn't want to see her hurt in any way.

"I've been critical of myself, so I doubt she'll say anything that I haven't already told myself about my own behaviour."

"Still, if she goes off, I want you to know that I don't agree with her. You're not that person anymore."

"Thanks Joey, but hearing a few home truths will only make me more determined to avoid becoming that person again." I smile at her, "It's a good thing though, that she's meeting Kate tonight and not Charlie."

Chuckling, Joey links her arm through mine. "Shall we go into the lion's den then?"

"Now, you really have me worried," I joked. I was still shitting myself slightly, but having Joey by my side definitely made it easier and I was looking forward somewhat, to meeting the people who had become such a part of Joey's life.