"So you and Belle are officially a couple now?" Joey said into the phone while she flicked through the latest issue of Empire Magazine.

"Yeah," Aden replied. "Once she explained her reasons for avoiding me and how scared my career made her, we got to talking and both of us realised that we had something more than just a physical attraction to each other going on and so now we want to see where it goes."

"Well, if you're happy, then I'm happy and so I'm willing to give Belle a chance, but if she fucks you over again, she'll be back on my shit list."

"Don't take it personally Joey, but I think she fears being on her sister's shit list more than she does yours."

Joey chuckled lightly. "I take it then that I'm not the only one to have given her a shove?"

"Georgie had a word with her just after you did," Aden said. "I don't think Belle really minded getting a little encouragement from either of you though."

"I hope things work out for you," Joey said with all honesty. "Have you made a decision to where you're going to stay when the doctor releases you?"

"Irene has a spare room which I'm going to take."

"You're moving in with Belle?"

"We're going to be in separate rooms."

"With bedroom doors that open," she said cheekily. "Oh well, at least it will save you the trouble of having to sneak in through her bedroom window."

"Not sure I want to get caught by Irene sneaking in and out of Belle's room," Aden said. "She doesn't strike me as the kind of lady I want to get offside."

"She does come across as rather formidable."

"Well, she's one of the few people Georgie respects and never mouths of at, which says something to me about Irene."

"Then I have every confidence that she'll keep you in line and not let you do too much until you're healed."

"Don't worry, I intend to take things easy."

"I guess you do have a rather hot looking incentive to take your time convalescing with."

"Yeah, I think I'm going to enjoy my time off."

Joey was distracted by something outside. "That sounds like Charlie's car pulling up."

"I'll let you go then."

"Call if you need anything."

"I will, bye."

Smiling, Joey set her phone and magazine aside and went to greet her girlfriend.

"Oh what a day," Charlie said, dumping her bag onto the floor the moment she was inside and wrapping her arms around Joey. She kissed her softly. "But coming home to you makes up for it."

"You look tired."

"Probably because this day feels like it's gone on forever."

"Well you're home now."

"My day isn't quite over just yet." Charlie took Joey's hand and led her into the lounge room. Once they were seated on the couch, she told her about Angelo's involvement with Martha's accident.

"He's been charged with fleeing the scene of an accident and covering it up, but since he cooperated and gave up the name of the garage and clinic, he'll probably end up with a slap on the wrist," Charlie said as she finished her recount of the day's events.

"But you still think he was the one driving and not Bianca, don't you?"

Charlie nodded. "And Robertson thinks the same."

"I can't believe he is the same man I married," Joey said. Or maybe she should just admit that he's probably the same man he's always been, it's just that she never really knew the real him, she thought to herself. She shook her head with deep disappointment at him. "He has already caused so much trouble for both us and Georgie and so if he was responsible for putting Martha in hospital, then I want him to pay for what he's done."

"Robertson and Graves are working on it and as much as I'm not a fan of Robertson, he's pretty damn good at his job, so if anyone can prove Angelo was lying, it's him."

"So where do you think Bianca is now?"

That was a question Charlie hadn't wanted her to ask, because she didn't want to really think of it herself, but she answered anyway. "It's possible that Angelo paid Bianca off and she's done a runner."

Joey studied her for a moment. "You don't buy that though, do you?"

"If money was offered, I'd actually believe Bianca would take it, but I can't see her leaving without a single word to April, because they're all each other has and Bianca has always looked out for her little sister."

"If Bianca isn't on the run, then I'm not sure I want to consider the other possibility," Joey said softly.

"Neither do I." There was a chance that Bianca had been more than just a bit dazed from hitting her head and was now lying unconscious somewhere, but Angelo's attitude had her fearing it was much worse than that. "Look, Robertson and Graves left for the city to personally check out the clinic Bianca was supposedly left at and the garage Angelo had his car fixed, so we should know something more tomorrow."

"And if that something turns out to be Angelo lied about the clinic?"

Charlie shrugged. "It's in the hands of the detectives now and I think we should put any further speculation aside until we know more."

"Whatever happens, I just want Angelo out of our lives completely."

That would certainly please Charlie. "So Miss Collins," she said, savouring the name which showed that they were slowly expelling Angelo from their relationship. "How was your day?"

"Well, I helped Belle see the error of her ways with Aden and now they're officially together."

"That's great."

"Aden's even moving into one of Irene's spare rooms."

"He's going to be well looked after then."

"He seemed really happy on the phone and that's all I've really wanted for him. As for the rest of my day, I didn't overdo things at work, I'm giving Ruby driving lessons and my father turned up at the club, so all in all, it was a rather uneventful day."

Charlie stared blankly as the words started to sink in. "Hang on, what's this about driving lessons with Ruby and your father turning up?"

"Ruby's life was falling apart, so I cheered her up by promising her driving lessons."

"How exactly was her world falling apart?"

"There's this big party next weekend and she hasn't been invited but all her friends have been."

"Damn, for a teenager, that's the end of the world," Charlie deadpanned and because both had been there and done that as a teen, they shared a knowing chuckle at Ruby's overreaction. "So her life is falling apart and you just happen to offer Ruby driving lessons without any prompting from her?"

"Oh hell no," Joey replied. "She was laying it on so thick it was obvious she was playing me, but I didn't see the harm in going along with it, unless you're against me giving her lessons, that is?"

"Not at all," Charlie said. "Joey, you're living with us and becoming a very important part of this family and I like the idea of Ruby being able to come to you. I don't want you to feel obligated about those driving lessons though."

"It's only three or four lessons to start with and I did warn her that if I felt we weren't getting anywhere, then she'd be better off getting another instructor."

"Just promise me you won't let the stress of the situation get to you when you're in the car with her."

"How bad can it be?"

"Do you remember your first driving lesson?"

"Oh shit, my bp is going to go through the roof," Joey said with mock horror. She leaned over and kissed Charlie. "Don't worry, I'm going to take very good care of my health so we can have a long and happy life together."

"I love the sound of that." Charlie pressed her lips to Joey's again before sitting back. "Now, onto your father. What did he want?"

Joey snuggled up against her side and filled her in on the encounter.

"It's a good thing he's taking the time to process things and that he made no fake promises about whether he can accept the way things are now or not and at least he is trying," Joey said at the end.

Charlie picked up something in her voice. "But?" she asked gently.

"My father is so set in his ways and with his opinions that I doubt he'd ever change his mind about Angelo whatever he did, let alone about us," Joey said. She sighed heavily before continuing. "And I can't get past the feeling that maybe he is manipulating me again and is going to use the baby to do it."

"That's possible I suppose."

"But at the same time, I'm also hoping the baby will be a positive influence on him and it will help him to accept us," she said.

"I don't really know your father that well, but I can't see him being a fool who is willing to lose you just because he can't accept the direction your life is taking," Charlie said. "And you've been bi for years now, so it's not like you being with a woman has come completely out of the blue to him."

"I think he just liked the idea of a son-in-law and grandkids." She sometimes wondered what direction her life would have taken had her son lived, but she had a feeling it would be a very different life to the one she had now.

"Being with a woman doesn't mean you can't have kids, if we ever change our minds about that," Charlie pointed out. "And him getting a son-in-law didn't exactly work out for you."

"I just want him to be happy for me."

"Who knows, maybe he will surprise you."

"Yeah, maybe," she murmured. "But enough about my father." She turned to Charlie and smirked. "Didn't I offer to show you how easy I am?"

"You most definitely did."

"You're not too tired?"

"Never of you."