"You can't be serious?"

Michael stares at Joanne, dumbfounded by such a fabricated mistruth. He was already paranoid about the idea of Allie knowing the true story — let alone a version twisted to fit the narrative that he is some kind of predator.

"Deadly serious," Joanne answers, visibly disgusted by him. "I can barely even look at you, and yet I have to work alongside you."

"Well, if this is true then you won't have to work alongside him again, Jo." Allie nods to her to reassure her, before turning her attention back to Michael. "I think you need to gather your belongings, Michael. I'm sorry. I really wanted to trust you."

"Hold on a second," Michael says. "You're just going to believe her without a second thought?"

"The only way to disprove her story is to check camera footage," Allie explains. "But it's a whole process to gain access to the footage in the first place."

"The camera in the stock room is fake, isn't it?" Michael asks. "That's what Joanne told me, anyway."

"It's to deter people from stealing any of the stock," Allie answers. "Because we've had former colleagues taking the expensive stuff in the past."

"See, it's fake." Joanne smirks at Michael behind Allie's back. "So you can't lie your way out of this one."

The office door opens with no warning, and Laurie pokes her head around to see what the commotion is about. "What's going on in here? I could hear shouting all the way from front of house."

"Joanne is accusing me of sexually assaulting her!" Michael explains, praying silently for his friend to back him up. "She has entirely twisted everything that happened earlier, and she's tryna get me fired."

"There must be some sort of mistake," Laurie says. "I saw them in there right after it happened. Joanne didn't exactly look too unhappy to be there. Her lipstick was smudged everywhere."

"That's what I'm saying!" Michael adds. "She initiated it. By the end of it, I looked like I'd been painted red by a three-year-old."

"I can confirm that," Laurie laughs. "I walked off, because I felt like I was interrupting their little moment. I struggle to believe Michael would be capable of doing that — especially when he's only been divorced a short time. He's still grieving the lass."

Allie furrows one brow in contemplation, for she is genuinely unsure whose story to believe. She heaves a softened sigh, defeated. "I'll call my manager and request the camera footage from the stock room. We should receive it tomorrow."

"Camera footage?" Joanne chimes in. "B-But the camera is fake."

"You thought it was fake," Allie explains. "Because if you knew it was real, then whoever here is lying would have chosen to go elsewhere in the building — somewhere they wouldn't get caught."

Michael exhales a shaky breath, relieved that there is evidence to support his claims of innocence. He glances to Laurie, who winks at him to show her support. They both then look to Allie, who has yet to give instructions of their next steps.

"So, what happens when you've seen the video footage?" Laurie asks.

"Unfortunately, I can't comment on that right now. What I will say, however, is that I wouldn't want to be the person who is lying to me right now." Allie gives both Michael and Joanne the once-over with eyes filled with suspicion, before dismissing them. "The cafe is closed now, anyway. Clean down, and go home for the day. We will revisit this matter tomorrow."

With nods of understanding from all colleagues involved, they make their way back to the front of the building to help tidy away.

• • •

"I can't believe she'd accuse me of that."

Michael sits at the edge of the curb on Sean's street, with his legs hanging over onto the road. He shakes his head in disappointment at the betrayal he is experiencing, feeling as though he has very few ways in which to direct his venting. He isn't quite sure what to do with himself after such a rollercoaster of a day, but he is grateful not to be completely alone.

"I believe you," Laurie assures him. "The look on her face when Allie said she'd get hold of the footage was priceless. She's totally guilty and you'll be fine. She's a goner. I bet Allie sacks her tomorrow."

"You think so?" Michael cocks a brow, silently hoping she's correct. "At least I wouldn't have to deal with her again. I thought I'd found a new friend — aside from you, that is — who actually connected with me."

"People come and go all the time." Laurie plucks a blade of grass up from the turf next to where she is sat, and uses it to fidget with as she talks. "But the real ones stick around. You only need a small handful of real ones to have a happy life."

"I know ... I just hoped that people would just like me for me — not just look at me and see me as an easy target."

"She's a desperate whore anyway," Laurie jokes. "That's how she got into the place to start with, and it's how she will be fired. She's come full circle."

"How'd she get hired? Did she, like, bribe somebody or somethin'?"

"Oh, no. Nothing like that," Laurie answers. "When I started working at the cafe, we had a different boss. A man. But he retired a couple of years ago, so Allie took over."

"So the guy hired Joanne?"

"You bet. She used her charm to seduce him, I guess you could say. She was desperate for a job, and he was desperate to get laid. She isn't exactly ugly, so it was like taking candy from a baby." Laurie's face contorts at how uncomfortable the image in her mind is. "Mind you, I'd want to sterilise myself twenty-five times over, if I'd have been the one to fuck a pensioner in my early twenties."

"Wow ... so she's kinda deceitful too," Michael says. "I guess pulling this sorta stunt on me wasn't all that surprising after all."

"Not even slightly." Laurie shrugs, expelling a short laugh. "She'll get what's coming to her. You're safe."

"Thank you for putting my mind at rest," Michael answers. "You seem to have a skill in doing that."

"I just say what's on my mind half the time," she says. "But if I can make someone feel a little better, I always consider that a bonus. Anyway, do you want to go inside?"

"Sure." Michael pushes himself up from off the ground, dusting himself down as Laurie follows suit; then the pair make their way over to Sean's home together. As they enter the house, Michael obligatorily calls out. "Hello? Sean! ... Casey! ... I'm back — and I brought a visitor."

Sean emerges from the kitchen to spot them both removing their shoes in the hallway. "Hey, guys. How you doin'? How was work today?"

"Not so great," Michael answers truthfully. "Met a couple colleagues today, but one of them has kinda dropped me in some deep shit."

"He's been accused of sexually assaulting one of the girls," Laurie reiterates. "And of course it isn't true, but Allie's going to be reviewing the camera footage tomorrow to see whether the lass was lying or not. So she might be getting fired."

"Shit ... " Even Sean is astonished by this revelation. "What actually happened?"

"To cut it short, she had been flirting with me all day. She took me to the stock room, under the impression there were no cameras in there, and she kissed me. That was all. Nothing more. But she initiated it and then tried to pin it on me."

"Holy shit, man ... you really can't trust people these days." Sean shakes his head, resting one hand on his hip while the other rubs at his forehead. "It's lucky they got footage to prove you're not guilty."

"Exactly. I just gotta hope the camera clearly shows what happened," Michael adds. "Otherwise she has the room to make up anything she wants about me."

"The camera is right in the corner of the room," Laurie reminds him. "It will show the entire room easily. It's only small in there."

"Knowing my luck, it'll have been broken and it'll be my word against hers." Michael sighs, defeated. "It seems I'm down on my luck no matter how much I try to make my life better."

"Hey, don't be talkin' like that, man." Sean gives his friend a pat on the back to comfort him. "You know in your heart that you're innocent, and that's what matters. If your boss wants to believe somebody else when there's evidence, then that's on her. You don't wanna be workin' for people like that anyway."

"Allie has a level head on her shoulders," Laurie comments. "She will see the footage and know immediately that Joanne was lying. She loves you to pieces. The whole neutral attitude towards you both is just what she has to do as a boss to seem unbiased. I wouldn't worry at all."

"I hope you're right," Michael answers. "But I guess I'll find out tomorrow."

"Don't sweat it, Mike," Sean adds. "It'll all be fine in the end."

• • •

"Avery, have you seen Joanne this morning?" Michael asks his colleague the following day. "I've walked all through the building and haven't seen her, not even once."

"I can't say I have either," Avery responds, their eyes flitting around the vicinity to double check. "I heard about what she did yesterday. I couldn't believe it."

"Yeah, I gotta say I didn't see it coming either." Michael gently taps his fingers against the countertop as he talks. "The kiss, and the crazy false allegations."

"D'you think she's been sacked?" Laurie chimes in. "Because Allie made it seem like whoever was lying would get sacked."

"I'd feel terrible," Michael answers. "I-I mean, I know what she did was awful. But that's still her career gone in the blink of an eye."

"And she'd deserve it, by the sounds of it," Avery says. "Falsely accusing someone of sexual assault is pretty serious stuff. It could completely destroy somebody's life."

"Exactly." Laurie's voice grows louder as she walks away from the small gathering to collect some dirty mugs from empty tables. "She's a goner."

"I guess ... " Michael's sentence trails off, just as the front door to the cafe opens, and a couple of customers enter. "Good morning, welcome. What can I getcha today?"

"Hello young man." The fragile old man smiles at Michael graciously. "I'll just take a tea and an egg sandwich please."

"Of course, Sir." Michael jots the request down onto the notepad before him, then quickly tallies the price up on the till. "That'll be three-eighty please."

The man counts his coins out, before handing them over to Michael. "Is that enough for you?"

Michael takes a moment to count, for his skills in distinguishing between the various English coins are not quite up-to-scratch yet. "That is ... perfect. Thank you. Please take a seat, and we'll bring your order right on over."

"Thank you, Sir." With an appreciative smile, the man wanders over to his selected table to wait for his order.

Michael gets straight to work with making the tea as requested, tossing a teabag into a mug before pouring boiling water in. He stirs the concoction with a teaspoon, letting it sit for a moment to brew as he dashes from work station to work station completing other small tasks. He gets himself into a rhythm, but this is short-lived, for Allie makes an appearance from the staff area. She catches sight of Michael, approaching him and tapping his shoulder to garner his attention.

"Good morning, Michael," she speaks, catching him off-guard. "How are we today?"

"Oh!" Startled, Michael sets the dirty cutlery from his hands into the sink to soak. He turns around to face her fully. "H-Hi, Allie. Uh, I'm doing alright, thank you. How are you?"

"To tell you the truth Michael, it's never a good day when I have to say goodbye to a member of my wonderful team." She gives him a melancholy smile, contorting her brows sadly. "But needs must."

A sinking feeling sits in Michael's stomach, for he is under the impression that Allie has taken Joanne's side. His fingers move downwards, beginning to fiddle with the cords of his apron to untie them. He nods knowingly, prepared to say his final piece on the matter.

"I understand if you don't want to believe me. I'm the only man here, after all; and it's only my third day here. But it's been a lotta fun, being here. Thank you for the opportunity ... I've really appreciated it. I just wish the footage had shown what really happened a lot clearer. That was my only hope in proving my innoce—"

"There's no need to waffle on, you nutcase," Allie interrupts, laughing. "You're safe. It isn't you I've shown the door. I saw exactly what happened on the footage, and it sure as hell didn't show you assaulting her. In fact, you could essentially argue she assaulted you, by kissing you without your prior consent."

"What?" Michael is amazed by the words he is hearing. "So I get to stay?"

"Of course. You must have noticed Joanne didn't come in today. You didn't do anything wrong." Allie pats his back. "I knew you wouldn't have it in you. I didn't doubt it for a second. But when somebody throws out an accusation like that, you have no choice but to act accordingly and take it seriously. It's a horrible position to be in — though, probably not as horrible as the position it put you in."

"Water under the bridge," Michael answers. "I'm just thankful that you know the truth."

"You're doing a fantastic job settling in. Nothing is ever perfect, but I see your potential. I don't ignore those things."

Michael smiles at her, relief flooding his entire body. Despite knowing he was innocent from the start, the feeling of validation is second-to-none. Every small victory — even those created by ordeals beyond his control — reminds him of who he is doing it all for: Casey.

• • •

Sorry for taking so long to update! Hope you're all still enjoying the story. xx