Feeling better after talking to Joey, Martha's returned cheer was short lived, one look at Georgie when she walked in a short time later and she knew something was wrong.
Joey watches as Martha takes her girlfriend's hand and without a word, leads her to her office. "Did something happen?" Joey asks Aden.
"There was a bit of a situation at the station."
As Georgie spoke about the encounter, Martha struggled to stay seated and not get up and storm over to the station to give Angelo a piece of her mind.
"The only reason I didn't wipe that smug look off his face was because I didn't want to disappoint you or Jay," Georgie says.
"You could never disappoint us and I think on this occasion, if you could have gotten away with it, bodily harm would have been completely justifiable but I'm proud of you for keeping your cool."
"He totally got to me though Martha, I just couldn't concentrate with him standing over me, waiting for me to make a mistake and then pointing it out to me when I did." She shakes her head. "It was humiliating, I even got my own name wrong." Martha puts her arm across her shoulders. "It felt like I was back in class that day, when Bitchface Russell stood me up in front of class and called me stupid."
"Angie Russell had no right to do that," Martha tells her, thinking it was little wonder Georgie had problems with authority figures when so many adults in her life had let her down. "Especially in front of the entire class and if she had been any kind of teacher, she would have worked out you had a learning difficulty." Instead, what Angie had done had spread through the school like wildfire and Georgie had been the butt of a lot of jokes. Martha hadn't really known Georgie back then, but she remembered feeling sorry for her at the time for having to go through that. Gina had been livid and reported Angie to the education department, not that it did any good. Angie received a slap on the wrist and was told not to do it again.
"I hate feeling stupid."
"Georgie, you're one of the most intelligent people I know."
"You're my girlfriend, you're kind of biased."
"Have you ever known me to say something I don't believe."
"No."
"And if I'm not mistaken, you're the one who always completes those damn cryptic crosswords because I get stuck about a third of the way through."
"I just don't want this to be a problem again. I hated the way people thought I was a dummy or just lazy or both back then and I don't want to feel like that again."
"Why didn't you ever tell someone?"
"I was never big on trust back then and I acted out a lot in my last school, so they just put me in the troublemaking, too lazy to study bracket and when I came to Summer Bay, people were already judging me because of my name and why I left Mangrove River." She shrugs, "If not for Gina taking the time to look into it all, she never would have picked up my problem and I probably would have dropped out of school as soon as I was 16, ending up like my mum and most of my friends back at the River."
"I'm glad you stuck it out, otherwise I'd never get to perve at you in uniform."
"I thought my uniform scared you."
Martha smiles wryly. "The danger that comes with wearing it scares me, but it's kind of sexy."
"Looking like a smurf is sexy?" she says with a smirk.
"It's good to see the cheek back."
Georgie sighs, leaning her head on Martha's shoulder. "Getting away from the station helps and talking about it."
"You never let this bother you once you conquered it the first time Georgie, so don't go giving that bastard the satisfaction now by letting it get the better of you."
"He did what!" Aden tries to keep the smile from his face. As much as he hated Joey being upset, the thought of her being angry at Angelo kind of made up for it and she was certainly angry. "I can't believe Angelo humiliated Georgie like that."
"Charlie and I only caught the end of it, but it wasn't very pleasant." Joey shakes her head, extremely disappointed in her husband's actions. "Joey, I know you like to see the best in people, but you've seen for yourself what Angelo is like with some people."
"Usually with guys he thinks are interested in me and Georgie's not a guy, nor is she interested in me."
No, but her cousin is very interested though, Aden adds silently. Aden didn't really know Charlie, but he had admired the way she stepped in to defuse the situation earlier and cousin or not, Charlie had stood up to her superior officer in order to protect a fellow officer from unfair treatment and that's something Angelo would never do. He was too much of an egotistical, selfish prick and Aden didn't believe for one second that Joey would ever get her happily ever after with a man like that because whether she loved him or not, there was only so much Joey would put up with. He also couldn't recall her ever looking at Angelo the way he'd caught her looking at Charlie when she thought no one was watching.
"Where did you go just then?" Joey asks in amusement.
"Huh?"
"You just drifted off but I could see the cogs working."
"Just thinking about things."
"Aden, as nice a guy as you are, why do I feel there's another reason that you absconded with Georgie and brought her here?"
"Well you see Joey, ever since I got here I've had this funny feeling and today, I found out why."
"Oh?" Joey says a little hesitantly at her friend's cocky smile as he sits with his elbows on the bar, his chin on his hands.
"I discovered who your dance partner was for your last horizontal tango of freedom," he grins widely. "It was none other than," he does a drum roll on the bar. "The delectable, Snr Const. Charlie Buckton."
"Aden!" she slaps his arm. "Anyone could walk in and overhear."
"It's only us here and Georgie and Martha already know. Besides, I don't know what you're so uptight about, you weren't married at the time and Angelo was polishing his pole elsewhere the same night."
"Did you miss the part where he's now my husband and Charlie's boss?"
"You had an agreement Joey, what should it matter who you were with, unless of course," he leans in, keeping his voice low. "Angelo would have a reason to be jealous."
"Don't be stupid, Angelo has nothing to be jealous of. Charlie was a one night stand, nothing more, but they work together, so it could become awkward for them both if Angelo found out his wife had slept with his second in command."
He grins cheekily. "So, no chance of a repeat performance with Snr Const Delectable?"
"Aden!"
Before he could say more, some customers walk in. He smiles though as he sips his drink, more sure now that Angelo might indeed have something to be jealous about.
The mood in the station had been tense and filled with whispered discussion ever since Angelo had shut himself away in his office. Charlie had no idea what Angelo had hoped to achieve by humiliating Georgie like that, but he had managed to get himself offside with just about everyone. Even those who didn't always get along with Georgie were firmly on her side because there was no excuse for a senior officer to ever do what Angelo had done.
"How long do you think he'll last here now?" Hogan asks in a hushed whisper.
"That depends on whether he learns from this or repeats it. If this is what he's really like, then he's going to struggle to be any kind of leader if he loses the respect of his officers."
"Half here are already worried they'll be targeted next."
"They're probably safe, because he's well and truly set his sights on Georgie."
"My money's on Georgie if it gets physical."
Charlie smiles slightly. She was hoping it never came to that.
"Stop it Aden," Joey chastises him.
"I didn't say anything."
"You're thinking it though." She looks over as Georgie and Martha walk out of the office, hand-in-hand. "Georgie, I am so sorry about what happened."
"Joey, I don't expect you to apologise for your husband."
"I feel bad about it though and I certainly don't approve of what he did."
Joey really did seem like a nice woman and it made Georgie wonder how she ever ended up married to that fuckwit. "Thanks for the apology, but it's really unnecessary."
"It's also from the wrong person," Aden pipes in.
"Well, you can be sure that I'll be speaking to Angelo about this."
Georgie had to smile, Joey was determined, that was for sure. Martha whispers something in her ear, before brushing her lips over hers. "I'll see you at home tonight."
Georgie squeezes her hand in gratitude. "Come on you," she says to Aden. "You're supposed to be working, not gossiping."
"I do not gossip."
"That's all you seem to do."
"Do not." Their light-hearted bickering continues out the door.
"Martha," Joey starts to say.
"Joey, I hope you're not going to apologise again."
"Sorry," she says, before sighing. "I just wish I knew why Angelo has taken such a disliking to Georgie."
"I know Georgie's attitude can get people offside but other people seem to have a preconceived opinion of Georgie before even knowing her and I think Angelo is one of those people."
"You might be right."
Aden had managed to keep Georgie away from the station until their shift had nearly ended and for that, Charlie was grateful to him. The time away had obviously worked, because Georgie had been in better spirits when she had returned and had even surprised Charlie with a hug and thank you for standing up for her.
"So, how close to bloodshed did it get?" Ruby asked as soon as Charlie was in the door.
"Don't tell me it's all over town?"
"Not yet. I ran into Belle, who got it from Martha. So?"
"It came close."
"I would have thumped him if he had done that to me."
"Luckily for Georgie, she didn't or she'd be in a hell of a lot of trouble."
"It's not fair how people pick on Georgie. I mean, I know she's no angel, but still, she doesn't deserve a lot of it so I'm glad you stuck up for her."
"I would have stuck up for any officer."
"I know you would have but it's nice to see you side with Georgie when it comes to problems at work."
Charlie supposed she deserved that. Georgie was at fault a lot of the time when there had been problems, but Charlie was just as guilty of blaming her unfairly.
"What's his problem anyway?"
"Ruby, it's been a tiring day, can we not talk about this?" Ruby nods. "How was school?"
"It's school."
"And?"
"Geoff's been leaving me alone so things are better, ok?"
"Ok. How about you go order a pizza," Charlie suggests.
"Really?"
"Unless you want to cook something."
"Pizza it is."
Angelo sighs as he walks in the door; judging by the way Joey was leaning against the kitchen counter with her arms crossed waiting for him, Watson had blabbed to her girlfriend who had blabbed to Joey and probably made him out to be the bad guy.
"Care to tell me what today was about?"
"That was a misunderstanding and I really feel bad about talking to her like that."
"No you don't," Joey says immediately. "I know when you're being less than honest Angelo and I want to know why you have it in for Georgie."
"She doesn't belong in the police force. She's rude, she's arrogant and insubordinate and I'm sure you've heard how other people talk about her." He could also tell her his suspicions about Watson's corruption, but he didn't want to risk Joey mentioning anything to Martha who would only go running to her girlfriend and warn her.
"I've heard the gossip and I've also heard how her girlfriend talks about her and as she's the one who knows her better than just about anyone, I choose to believe her. Angelo, you can't let rumour and malicious gossip influence your opinion of her."
"Even though Charlie defended her today, I know she's had her own problems with her," he argues. "And I've seen for myself Joey that she's completely unsuitable for the job."
"So what's your plan, make her life hell in the hopes you can force her to quit or do something that will get her fired?" When Angelo says nothing, Joey shakes her head. "Georgie may be a difficult person to deal with, but unless she's screwing up her job, there's nothing you can really do and if you try to force her out, it could backfire on you. You're a Sergeant now Angelo, you can't let your personal feelings negatively influence how you deal with officers under your command."
Angelo steps in front of her, his hands on her hips. "You're making a lot of sense."
"Then you'll lay off her?"
He nods. "Provided she does her job up to the standard of everyone else, but she needs to reign in her attitude, because I won't stand for insubordination." His hands slide under her shirt.
"Angelo!" she pushes him away.
"What?"
"Angelo, I'm so disappointed in you right now, I really don't think this is the best time for this." She moves around him. "I'm going for a walk."
"Fuck!" Angelo kicks one of the kitchen chairs over once Joey was gone.
Arriving home, Martha searches for her girlfriend and son, smiling when she finds them on Jay's bed, reading a story. She was pleased to see that Georgie's words flowed easily as she read. Rather than disturb them, she moves back out of the room.