Max told them to head home but they both decided it was just as easy to carry on as they both had things to get through. When Allie was dropping Rose at pre-school the next day a couple of photographers were waiting as she got the toddler out of her car seat. Allie panicked as she held the little girl's face into her chest. Another child's Dad who she'd met at a couple of parties came over to block them and help her move into the building. As soon as the door was closed she released Rose and told her to hang her stuff up on the peg. Turning to the guy who helped her she said shakily, "Thanks Darren. I don't know what I'd have done if you hadn't come over then. I can't believe they were waiting there like that." He looked at her with sympathy, "Hey, no problem, just glad you and Rose are okay. I don't think they got much of a picture. Do you know you're trending on social media?" Allie felt her heart sink and shook her head, "Would you mind walking me back to my car?" Darren nodded "Sure, just hope they don't take my picture and make my wife mad." Allie wanted to cry at the implication, but was more focused on getting to her car and out of line of sight.
She started driving and considered ringing Dan, but decided to get to the office first. Parking in the garage she made her way to the offices, distractedly saying Hi as she passed reception. Max and Dan were waiting in her office and she couldn't stop the tears as soon as she'd closed the door. She told them what had happened and Daniel looked alarmed, holding her in his arms and reassuring her that Emmie had gone into school without incident. Max stroked her hair, "Allie my love, it's all over social media, this so called documentary. We've just called Zack and he's coming over later this morning to discuss how to deal with it." Allie wiped her eyes "Max, I don't want this to affect the firm, upset any current or future clients. It's an absolute disaster." He took her face in his hands "Listen Allie, it's not. Trust me, some social media posts peddling lies about your private life won't put off hard-nosed clients who want lawyers who can get a deal done. It'll die down like all news always does." He let her face go and put one hand on each of their shoulders, "You two, you will get through this."
Max sighed, "I do think it would be a good idea to have someone with you Allie when you go anywhere, just for now, especially if you have the kids with you. You two go and get coffee for us and I'm going to ring John. As they passed the paralegal area, Amanda put her phone down and looked at Allie, who didn't notice. She turned around to Liam and Carly when they'd gone and said, "Okay, so I feel like I'm in a real life episode of some sort of reality TV show, none of you are talking about the fact your co-workers are breaking the internet, and one of them has clearly been crying all morning. What the hell!" Liam glanced at Carly and nodded saying quietly, "Let's do lunch Amanda and we can talk."
John was alarmed when Max told him what had happened to Allie and readily agreed to making sure she had company when she was out for the foreseeable. He messaged Dan and Allie to say he'd come with Allie for drop off the next day because it was his day off anyway.
Daniel had updated Zack the day before on what his Mom had said and when he arrived at eleven he started to outline their options, "Look, we know we can't stop them making this, and we can't stop any of the people who have agreed to take part. You could take a path of offering to be interviewed, co-operate with the production in exchange for editorial control to a degree. However, guys I'd have to caution you, this is like Pandora's Box, once you open it you'll have let the world in, and there's no going back. On the other hand it's a chance to put your side across. Allie, what you thinking?" Allie didn't hesitate. Holding Daniel's hand tightly she said, "What I'm thinking Zack is that some people, regardless of what we say, and how much empirical evidence we provide to the contrary, will always want to believe Carrie was a wronged wife whose evil British love rival stole her husband and child, driving her to temporary insanity. So I don't think we should give this programme the oxygen of our participation. At the moment it's very clear it's a one sided view. Anyone with an ounce of sense will be watching thinking, hang on this is only Carrie's story. I think we should issue a brief written statement, where we can make some lines in the sand of our own. Beyond that, I'd prefer to say nothing. Dan, what do you think?"
Zack watched them carefully, he was seriously impressed. Brian had told him Allie had a habit of taking your breath away, and now he knew exactly what he meant. Daniel smiled at Max and put an arm around Allie, "I think you said it exactly how it is, and that's what we'll do. Allie and I can draft the statement and pass it over for you to advise if we should amend at all. Then we can release it through you guys." Allie leaned on him and said, "One more thing. Could we request as a courtesy they provide an advance copy so we at least know what's coming?" Zack nodded, "We can ask Allie. They may well come back with a flat out no because they won't want us to use it as an attempt to block them broadcasting, although that tactic rarely works for long in the US anyway, first amendment.
Allie nodded and Zack looked at Dan carefully, "There's just one other thing I needed to raise with you guys. A contact of mine knows Jayne Andrews, and she's told her they believe they have an exclusive piece of information which hasn't been previously made public." He paused and Allie and Daniel looked nonplussed. "Daniel your Mom has told them that Allie was pregnant when she was shot and lost the baby." Daniel looked furious and Allie couldn't hold back the tears but she choked out, "Yes, I was pregnant Zack. They told me when I came 'round in ICU that I'd lost a baby Michael and I didn't even know we were having. We were devastated because I'd needed a partial hysterectomy, so it was my only chance to carry a child. We never made that public, the police knew but they agreed to keep it private." Daniel wiped her tears with his thumbs and pulled her close as Zack got up and said gently, "Allie I am very, very sorry. For what it's worth I believe every word you are saying is the truth. You, Daniel, Michael, your little kids, you are the victims here, and it's completely unfair that you are having to deal with this level of shit, but we will deal with it yeah?" Allie nodded and said thanks. Max got up to show Zack out. Left behind Daniel kissed Allie and whispered, "I told her Allie, I wanted her to understand what Carrie had taken from you. I'm so sorry, I just wish I could go back in time and not tell her." Allie wiped her face, "She's your Mom Daniel, why wouldn't you have told her? Don't beat yourself up."
Carly, Liam and Amanda had gone to a quieter café a few streets back from the office out of earshot of anyone. They ordered food and Amanda looked expectantly. Liam took the lead, "Listen Amanda, we have to know we can trust you because Allie and Dan have enough to deal with right now. Max would fire anyone who posted anything on social media or talked to anyone about this, so don't even think about it." Amanda looked indignant and Carly added, "Look honey I'm sure you wouldn't, but we don't know you very well and it's easy to start gossiping with friends and someone passes it on." Amanda nodded "I'm not going to say a word guys. Allie and Dan are nice to me and I like working here, I don't want to mess it up."
Satisfied Liam began, "Forget what you've read online, this is the real story. When Allie arrived from the UK office Daniel was a year into a messy break up with his wife who was friends with Stacie and our old receptionist Candice. For whatever reason Stacie and Candice along with a friend they had in another office, Nicole hated Allie on sight. Carrie was playing games with Daniel and not turning up to collect their child from pre-school, so a couple of times he had to bring her to the office and Allie watched her for him. The second time Carrie came into the secure area with Candice and freaked out at Allie, really shook her up. Then Daniel filed for divorce and I had to block her from attacking Allie in reception. The sad thing was I could see Dan really liked Allie, but he couldn't date her because he felt he was still married I guess, and she'd met a friend of Dan's, Michael by then. Michael had been fooling around with Nicole and Candice at some point, but as soon as he met Allie they got serious real quick, because Allie was a victim of a serious assault and Michael found her just in time. It was a guy who worked at the firm, Stuckey. He'd been planning it for a while and Candice had been letting him know when Allie was leaving the office alone. We found out later Nicole, Stacie and Candice had been convincing Carrie that Dan and Allie were involved, and because Carrie was a bit nuts she took a friend's gun and she shot Allie outside the office, right in front of me, Max, Dan and her boyfriend Michael. She almost bled out on the street and we didn't know if she was going to survive for a couple of days. Then she was in hospital for weeks, rehab for months." Carly leaned forward, "Carrie's family and her friends put all this stuff on social media saying Allie was involved with Michael and Daniel at the same time and there was a plot to get custody of Dan and Carrie's daughter. Amanda there isn't one ounce of truth in it."
Amanda looked shocked, "So that's what this programme's going to be about?" Carly took over, "Basically yeah." Amanda nodded but asked, "So did Allie split up with the boyfriend and start seeing Daniel?" Carly glanced at Liam and she couldn't help get emotional, "No honey. Michael and Allie got married and adopted a baby. About a year later Michael had what I guess was a brain haemorrhage in court. No warning. He died before Max and Daniel could get Allie to the hospital. She was completely devastated. His funeral was the saddest thing I ever saw. She only got with Dan about a year after Michael died." Carly wiped her eyes and Liam added "Thing is Amanda, we all love Daniel and Allie, they've been through so much and we need to protect them. Can you see that?" Amanda nodded, her soft heart caused tears to start falling down her cheeks, "I hardly know them, but they seem really good people for all that bad stuff to come at them." Liam put his arms around her "Exactly, you get it. We take care of one another in this firm."