Andy asks Debbie to marry him and for Christmas 1985, he buys her an engagement ring; however, she is mugged on New Year's Eve and it is stolen. Andy subsequently becomes over-protective, which infuriates Debbie as it goes against her ideals of female equality. The situation between Debbie and Andy is complicated further by local policeman Roy Quick (Douglas Fielding), who begins wooing Debbie early in 1986. This leads to Debbie and Andy having an open relationship; dating other people, but living together. The situation is not ideal however, as Andy gets jealous seeing Debbie pursued. Roy is infatuated with Debbie and asks her to marry him several times, but Debbie declines when she realises she wants to marry Andy after all. Debbie and Andy's happiness does not to last as in August 1986 Andy runs in front of a truck to save a toddler from being hit and is killed. Debbie’s grief is compounded with guilt as her last words to Andy during a row are "drop dead". Debbie is unable to pay her mortgage after Andy dies so she moves in with her friend Naima Jeffery (Shreela Ghosh).