Chapter Fourteen
Joey bounced into the police station and cheerfully approached Watson, asking for Charlie.
"She's just... here," Watson said brightly, spotting Charlie leave her office and approach.
Joey turned and beamed at her girlfriend who smiled right back.
"What are you doing here?" the police officer asked. "Not that I'm not delighted to see you!"
"I have some news," Joey said.
Charlie stepped forward and held both her hands.
"I got a job!"
"What? Really? That's amazing! Well done!"
She pulled Joey into a tight hug and spun her round in the reception area. Aware that everyone had started watching, she took Joey's hand and led her outside. The moment they were alone, she congratulated her with a sensual kiss.
"So, tell me all about it," Charlie requested.
"About what?" Joey asked dreamily.
Charlie laughed and ruffled Joey's hair.
"About the job," she said.
"Oh!" Joey said with a blush. "You kind of distracted me."
They both giggled and then kissed again.
"So..." Charlie probed.
"I spoke to Alf and he's agreed to give me a trial run in the bait shop," Joey announced. "I mean, I know it's only a trial but it's a start, right? And I know it's only a bait shop but that's good enough for me. I'm never going to be a hot shot cop like you or anything but..."
Charlie cut her off with a kiss. She stroked her face.
"I'm so proud of you," she said honestly.
Joey couldn't stop smiling. She leant in and kissed her again, wrapping her arms around her waist.
"Shall we do something tonight to celebrate?" Charlie wondered. "We could go out for dinner or... whatever you want."
"Can I cook for you?" Joey asked.
"Well, that's not really a treat for you," Charlie pointed out.
"It is," Joey said. "Trust me."
They continued to smile at each other and kissed again.
"Well, I'd better let you get back to work," Joey said.
Charlie's face fell. She'd been trapped on paperwork all day and it was driving her crazy. Angelo was proving to be a particularly hard task master, although fortunately, he had been on his lunch break for the last half an hour so she could relax a little more.
"See you tonight," Joey said.
Kissing her one more time, she skipped off with a definite spring in her step. Unbeknownst to either woman, in his parked car, Angelo had watched the entire thing.
Joey walked towards the supermarket, feeling like she was on top of the world. With the music in her ears, she bounced through the aisles, dumping various things in the trolley in order to make something nice for Charlie that evening. They had been through so much but this felt like the start of the rest of their lives. She was excited about her job with Alf and surprised that he'd even considered taking her on. What with her past behaviour and the Angelo factor, she thought it had been a real long shot. But it proved to her, as if she needed proof, that Alf Stewart was a very good man. They may have taken the long way around but Joey was thrilled that she and Charlie were finally together with nothing to stand in their way.
Charlie was feeling much more cheerful as she continued with her paperwork. When she'd returned to the station, Watson had grinned at her and teased her without shame before stating very firmly that she was happy that things had worked out at last. Her face fell when Angelo entered the office and hovered over her.
"Yes?" she said, looking up at him.
"You went on an unofficial break," he said.
She gripped her pen a little tighter.
"Excuse me?"
"I just saw you," he said, glaring at her. "You stepped outside when you should have been working and you were fornicating outside the station for anyone to see."
"Fornicating?" Charlie giggled.
She blushed when she let out an accidental snort. Angelo wasn't impressed.
"You were messing around with Joey right outside the building," he said. "You're already on a verbal warning. I'll get your written warning done before the end of the day."
He turned to his desk. Charlie leapt to her feet.
"You're not serious?" she demanded.
He turned back to her.
"Actually I'm deadly serious, Charlie," he said. "Lesbians running around and making shows of themselves when one of them is a Leading Senior Constable in uniform, isn't acceptable. It's not professional behaviour. She shouldn't have even been here."
"Is this because she's a girl or because she's not you?" Charlie demanded.
His glare darkened.
"I wouldn't tolerate that behaviour from anyone," he said.
"What about all the times you kissed me at work?" she challenged. "Wasn't it me telling you to be professional then?"
"That was different."
"Why, exactly?"
He gritted his teeth.
"Just don't act unprofessionally again or I'll have to take further action than just a written warning," he said.
"You're treating me so unfairly," she snapped. "I should be reporting you for stalking, not taking the shit you're dishing out."
He leant over her across the desk.
"Do not speak to me like that," he warned.
She stood up and flung her chair back.
"Or what?" she asked.
"Or I swear I will find any possible dirt I can on you and I will get you fired."
"Just try it," she said. "But we both know that there's only one immoral, unprofessional cop in this room and it isn't me."
She grabbed her keys, bag and phone.
"I'm going on patrol."
He watched her storm out of the room, attempting to think of something to say back but finding no words would come. Sinking into a chair, he wondered how he had ended up in this situation and how he could get out of it.