Sharing Stories

"We're not following you." Jude shook her head nervously as Joey folded his arms, looking at them both.

"I only know your faces because your mother has pictures of you in her office." Joey said, "I haven't seen you both since… since you were little girls." He smiled, "Cassie, you were only… four? Five?" He questioned as Cassie looked across at him.

"Something like that." Cassie nodded.

"So… why the creeping?" He smiled a little.

"We were just walking home." Cassie shook her head.

"From the strip club?" He asked as Cassie groaned to herself, "Yeah, I saw you both in there." He nodded.

"Nice way to spend your Friday nights." Jude judged, folding her arms.

"It is, actually." Joey nodded, "But I know it's probably not what you girls like doing on a Friday night, which means you were there for a different reason." He said as Cassie shook her head.

"We just like the club." Cassie shrugged, "We enjoy watching very low men act their most embarrassing selves." She said, "It's always the best form of entertainment." She smiled smugly as Jude just nodded along.

"I see." Joey laughed to himself, "Well… in the case that you were there for another reason, let's say… to keep an eye on someone… I don't think there's much to see." He hinted.

"Why does a guy like you spend his time in a place like that? I mean… you got money, reputation, maybe a little bit of class…" Cassie shrugged.

"I bet you got a wife at home." Jude nodded cheekily as Cassie stood on her foot. She was doing the talking.

"I'm divorced, actually." Joey smiled, amused, "But yes I did go whilst I was still married." He nodded honestly.

"Lucky girl she must have been." Cassie nodded.

"You know… for two girls who don't know anything about me, you seem very defensive." Joey said, "Is there a problem? I thought we had fun together… all those years ago."

"Please, it was a few months." Jude rolled her eyes.

"We have no problem." Cassie assured him, "Unless… you think there'd be a problem? Like you said, we don't know you." She said as Joey nodded.

"That's right." Joey said, "But if this is about your mother, which… I have a hunch it might." He nodded, "I respect her. I value her as a friend and a co-worker. That's all." He said, "It was nice bumping into you both." He smiled, turning around and walking away as Cassie folded her arms and turned to Jude.

"What a smug little asshole." Cassie shook her head.

"He knew we were watching him." Jude rolled her eyes, "He's not dumb."

"I don't buy it." Cassie said, "He's shady." She nodded.

"I don't think you can diagnose that just yet. Turns out, a lot of guys go to the strip clubs." Jude nodded.

"I think I'd murder Theo if I found out he was going to strip clubs." Cassie said, walking down the opposite way.

"Yeah, Sean would be dead." Jude estimated as Cassie chuckled.

"You hungry? You wanna go eat somewhere?" Cassie asked.

"Yeah, I'm starving." Jude nodded, wrapping her arm around Cassie's waist as they headed to grab something to eat.

"I hope those two idiots don't get into trouble." Thea sighed, putting her book down on her lap as she sat in bed, watching Dominic stripping his clothes off.

"I'm sure they'll be fine. I mean… what can go wrong when two girls walk into a strip club filled with old perverted men?" Dominic asked.

"Ok, you're not helping." Thea sighed, putting the book marker in her book and sitting it on the night stand, too worried to read.

"I'm sure they'll be fine. Cassie's a cop and Jude is… diplomatic as hell." Dominic said.

"I'm also kinda worried in case they find something they don't want to with Joey." Thea said, "And then I'm worried about my mom."

"Your mom's a tough woman. If anyone can handle a bad situation it's her." Dominic said.

"I know she's tough but… she's also kinda sensitive and I don't know if naïve is the right word for her sometimes." Thea said.

"Your mom is not naïve." Dominic laughed a little.

"She can be a little." Thea nodded, "I mean there's certain things, sure, she's a crazy lady and she'll fight if she has to but… there's other things that she allows and tolerates when she shouldn't. Like racism. She experienced a whole lot of that when I was younger. She never fought it or cried about it. She just sort of accepted it." Thea said.

"Yeah but sometimes in those situations it's easier and better to just keep walking and ignore it. Not everyone wants to start an argument like you." Dominic smiled a little as Thea nodded.

"At least I do it over the right things." Thea shrugged, "I just worry my mom doesn't say anything to him and all this time he's making her uncomfortable. I'd hate that."

"I'm sure if she's uncomfortable she'll let him know. Hasn't she already?" Dominic asked.

"Yeah, but I don't think he's listened." Thea shook her head, "And with Dan popping up and saying he saw shady stuff going on. I think my mom has dealt with enough bottom feeders in her life." She sighed.

"You know if it got bad then she'd tell your dad straight away. They talk to each other. So she has him. I think sometimes your parents just don't want you and your sisters to get involved." Dominic said, sliding into bed beside her.

"But we do anyway." Thea nodded, "It's hard not to, I guess."

"I know but you just gotta trust that your mom has it under control. And if… if Cassie and Jude do see something suspicious then… maybe it's a cop's job." Dominic nodded.

"It's always the ones you don't expect, huh? Cooperate stooge." Thea shook her head.

"How was therapy today?" He asked her, sitting up against the pillows, finally having some alone time to talk after a night of madness with the kids, which Thea was super glad to have in her life again.

"It was fine." Thea nodded to him, "I go thinking I have nothing to talk about and then… the hour goes by so fast and I've spoken about a shit load." Thea said, "I feel good about having gone back to work. Even if it is just part-time for the time being." She shrugged.

"I'm proud of you." Dominic smiled, kissing her cheek as she smiled, "It can't be easy coming back to normal life and trying to start back where you left off." He understood.

"It's not but it also makes me feel good that I'm getting back to myself and my life, I guess." She said, "I hated being away from you and the kids."

"We hated it too." He nodded, "I think it was real tough on James. Sofia's still young. I can bullshit with her a little more. I could tell James was really missing you." He said as Thea frowned.

"My baby." Thea sighed, placing her hand on her chest, "It's so weird how your perspective changes. I mean, I know I've had relapses but nothing quite like this one." She said, "Now I can't wait to get woken up in the morning by them jumping on me. It's the little things." She said as Dominic nodded.

"How do you feel being back at work?" He asked her. It was important to him that he was checking up on Thea and doing all he could to continue learning about BPD and the struggles that came with it. And he wanted her to get into a good habit of talking to him about things, because he could see she was starting to get used to it which was good.

"It was good. I'm only three days this week but it felt good to put my brain back to good use again. Keeps it active, I guess. Which is good for BPD. It's good for anyone, I guess." Thea nodded.

"Well you set the pace. Even if you're just doing one day a week. Any step forward is a good one. Big or small." He said as Thea smiled.

"What'd I do without you?" Thea asked with a smile, cuddling into his torso as he wrapped his arm around her, "I love you." She kissed his shoulder as he smiled. She was grateful to have the support system she had.

"At least you got a burger out of it." Theo shrugged, standing in the kitchen with Cassie after her and Jude returned from their unsuccessful undercover operation.

"I should never be an undercover cop." Cassie rolled her eyes, "Seriously. He saw us in the club. I thought we were hidden."

"Not very well." Theo laughed a little as Cassie nodded.

"He's smug as hell." Cassie shook her head, putting her hand on her hip, "It's like he was enjoying knowing that we were watching him. He's weird as hell."

"Maybe it is just that he's a weird dude. There's tons of weird dudes out there." Theo assured her.

"I know, we were amongst them all in a sweaty strip club." Cassie groaned as Theo chuckled, "Seriously, what a bunch of losers."

"I agree." Theo nodded, "What are you gonna do now?"

"I guess tell my mom about it. About what Dan said and about what we saw. I mean, there were people coming in and talking to him, then abruptly leaving. Maybe it was just his friends or maybe there is something more there." Cassie shrugged, "I don't know shit from afar."

"I think it's a good idea to tell your mom. Clue her up on it. Like you said, it might be nothing but… could be something."

"Story of my damn life." Cassie nodded.

"Man, that burger was good." Jude nodded, walking into the kitchen.

"So good you had to get into your pyjamas?" Cassie chuckled a little.

"I needed the room." Jude scoffed, "I'm exhausted. All that undercover stuff is tiring."

"Failed undercover stuff." Cassie shook her head.

"Big deal." Jude shrugged, "So he saw us? We're looking out for mom. If anything it might be good now he knows we're onto him."

"Doubt it." Cassie shook her head, listening to a knock at the door, "I'll get it." She said, walking out of the kitchen and down the hall, still in her dress and heels, opening up the door to see her father standing.

"Hey." Punk said, "Where have you been? Or where you going?" He asked, kissing her cheek and walking into the house.

"Uh… I was out with Jude." Cassie waved her hand.

"Jude?" Punk questioned.

"Hey." Jude smiled excitedly upon seeing her father as Punk smiled with surprise.

"Hey, Jude." Punk smiled, catching her in a hug, glad and surprised to see her.

"And what am I? Chopped liver?" Cassie folded her arms.

"Oh, stop." Punk scoffed, "Since when were you coming over?" He asked Jude.

"Since Cassie invited me." Jude nodded.

"That's nice. Were you having a sister night?" Punk asked.

"Something like that." Jude eyed Cassie.

"Why are you here?" Cassie asked curiously, "Where's mom?"

"Oh she's at yoga with Renee." Punk nodded, "I came to talk to you about something." He pointed to Cassie.

"About what?" Cassie asked as Punk looked at her and then to Jude.

"Well it's about Joey." Punk nodded as Jude folded her arms.

"Maybe we need to talk to you too." Jude added.

"You go first." Cassie looked at Punk, "What's going on?"

"Well your mom told me that… the night she was at her boss' house for dinner, she was chatting with Joey outside and he brought up… you being attacked." He nodded to Jude who raised a brow.

"Me and my attack are popular this month." Jude nodded to herself.

"Your mom was… taken back, she immediately asked him how he'd know something like that and he said his buddy was a cop, Mark, who told him about it." Punk said, "Which we then remembered that Mark was the guy who sent those pictures to you." He nodded to Jude.

"He's friends with Mark?" Cassie screwed her eyes up.

"Assuming it's the same Mark." Punk said, "Which… I reckon it is." He nodded.

"I don't like this guy, Mark." Jude shook her head.

"What do you need to talk to me about?" Punk asked curiously.

"Well… Dan came over the other night and told me and Theo that he saw Joey at a strip club-"

"Dan goes to strip clubs?" Punk groaned a little.

"No… he was outside it and he saw Joey going in, so he followed him inside and he said that a lot of people came into the club to meet him. That it looked shady." Cassie said, "So… tonight me and Jude went to the club and tried to get eyes on him. Which we did."

"You both went to a strip club?" Punk asked.

"It was a very strange night." Jude nodded tiredly.

"You must have stuck out like two sore thumbs." Punk shook his head.

"We did." Cassie nodded, "But we did see him in the club and Dan was right, a lot of people came in to meet him. Now maybe it's just friends, I don't know. But then we followed him after he left and he caught us." She shook her head.

"You two stress me out." Punk nodded.

"He was smug as hell. Like he enjoyed that we were following him. Apparently he knew we were watching him from inside the club. So we just humoured and he said that if this is about mom then he's just her friend and that he respects her." Cassie said, "And that was that. But now knowing that he was friends with Mark? He's even shadier than I thought."

"Maybe someone should speak to Mark." Jude shrugged.