Joy was helping Ken with his investigation. She walked into Perry's office where he and Ken were talking. "Ready?" she asked Ken.

"Yeah, just one second."

Joy walked up to her father's desk. She saw the teacup, "good, I'm thirsty."

"No!" Perry and Ken said.

Joy took a quick and big gulp. She quickly spit it out, "that tastes like dirt. What is it?"

"Cyprus tea," Perry said.

"What possessed you to get this?"

"Your mother bought it. Her and her witchcraft."

"Back in the day, they would have burned her at the stake. Not even for being a witch. Just for this tea."

"Come on," Ken said, "I'll get you something to drink that didn't come from a forest." The two left Perry's office.

Joy walked out of the gas station and back to the car, "here," she said.

"What's this?"

"You don't like that drink anymore?"

"I do," Ken said, "thanks."

"Here's your change," Joy said, "thanks for buying."

"No problem," Ken said and the two drove off.

"So, do you like being a lawyer or an investigator more?"

"Depends on the day. There are days I want or need to get out of the office. Then there are others where I feel like staying in."

The two continued with their investigation until about ten that night. "So, what more do I have to do to get you to notice me?"

"What?" Ken asked, "what are you talking about?"

"Every day I try to do something to get you to notice me. What more do I have to do?"

"Joy, you're just a kid."

"I'm twenty years old," she said, "I'm legally an adult."

"I'm too old for you."

"When are you gonna realize that I'm not that snotty teenager anymore?"

"Just stop," Ken said.

Joy quickly leaned in and kissed him. When she pulled back, she looked at Ken. "Tell me you didn't feel anything?"

Ken stared at her for a bit, "we shouldn't jump into anything."

"I never said we should."

"We should get to know one another."

"We already do."

"Maybe have dinner together?"

"Already have," she said as she leaned in.

"I'm out of ideas," he said as she started kissing him again.

The next day, Joy arrived at Perry's office first. Ken walked in just minutes after. Della gave her husband another tea concoction. "Mom, seriously, enough with the tea," Joy said.

"It's good for you."

"I drank some by accident yesterday and I'm pretty sure I have root rot."

"Very funny," Della said.

"Seriously, burned at the stake," Joy said to her father.

Della rolled her eyes and left. Ken and Joy smelled the tea. Both cringed, "Perry, maybe it's time for a divorce?" Ken suggested.

"She'd kill me with tea before I had the chance."

Ken and Joy went out to look into more leads. "I was wondering if you'd like to have dinner with me tonight?" he asked.

"I'd love to, but we probably shouldn't have dinner in public or in town even."

"Yeah, that's one thing I'm dreading."

"My parents don't have to know right now."

"No, they don't."

Joy looked at him and smiled, "you're hoping that this doesn't work out so you don't have to deal with telling them."

"Can you blame me?"

"No," Joy said, "it's not as if I've always been honest with them."

That night, Ken took Joy to a restaurant out of town. The two had a wonderful night and stayed until the restaurant closed, just talking.

Perry was on his way out of the office the following day when Della stopped him. The tea she gave him was terrible and he left. Joy arrived to drop something off after Perry left. Della handed her daughter a cup of tea. "Oh, I don't think so," Joy said.

"Just try it," Della said.

"Fine, but if I turn into some kind of garden fairy, that's on you." Joy tried it, "ugh, that's worse than the others. What's in it?"

"Pine cone," Della said.

"Pine cone?! Pine cone?! Trees are here to provide oxygen and habitats. They aren't for drinking. What is wrong with you?" Joy started walking out of the office, "what happened to regular tea? Putting tree bark and pine cones in hot water," she said as she walked out. "Crazy!"

Della smiled and rolled her eyes.

Once the case was over, Ken and Joy no longer had an excuse to spend time together. They used the investigation as a cover. Joy's birth mother had moved to town recently. The girl enlisted her help in hiding the relationship. "I'm not comfortable with lying," Margaret said to Joy.

"Just say a few extra hail Mary's and go to confession more. Please, this is really important to me."

"Alright, I'll cover for you."

Joy hugged the woman, "thank you."

"But you owe me," Margaret said as the girl ran out of the apartment.