All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright Mary Faderan and Colin Firth
Olivia found her son staring out the window on the
morning of the meeting of Judge Harald and his guests. She
looked at Mike with pity but put on her best smile when she
knew he would turn to see her. “Good morning, dear!”
“Hello, Mom.”
“Did you sleep at all last night?”
“No. Not a damn minute.”
“Oh well. Maybe you could take a nap later. We have
very little planned to do today.”
“I’m sure I’ll catch a few minutes of sleep sometime
later.”
“Have you had breakfast?”
“No.” Mike walked to her and took her in his arms.
“Mom, I am so very, very sorry.”
She hugged him back and tried not to let her emotions
cloud her face. “No, it’s OK, my dear. Not to worry.
Jonathan’s doing his best, and we will be happy again.”
“I sure hope so.”
“And for breakfast, what about some scrambled eggs
and maybe bacon and coffee? Some muffins maybe?”
“No, I can’t eat.”
“You must eat. I am not about to watch you pine
yourself into a depression.”
“I want to see Lauren. Nobody wants me to see her.
Have you talked to her?”
Olivia shook her head. “No. She’s been
incommunicado, I’m thinking. Jonathan is very protective of
Lauren. You know that.”
“I hope he gave her my letter.”
“I’m sure he did. I trust Jonathan.”
Mike smiled sourly. “Well, I don’t know if he trusts me
with his daughter now.”
“Mike Oates, what you did was a big mistake, and
Levy was not anyone you loved. You would never do
something like that to anybody and not even think of doing
this to someone you truly, truly loved. That is my belief, and I
believe in you, my dear son.”
He hugged her again. “Oh, Mom, you do say the best
things. I wish I could bottle you up and have a sip of it every
time I get bogged down.”
“I’m sure they’ll come up with something similar.” She
laughed and then walked to the kitchen. “I’m going to cook us
breakfast, and then we will just relax. I think that Jonathan is
calling us sometime later today.”
“OK, fine. I’ll go for a walk after breakfast. I need some
fresh air.”
“I know. Getting cooped up with that awful Henderson
and then at the police station!” She shook her fair head. “I’m
feeling such a great deal of heartache, thinking of how they
treated you.”
“I wish you wouldn’t hang on to that ache, Mom. It’s
not a good thing for you to feel that way. I’m going to be OK.
Jonathan’s a good lawyer.”
“I’ll do my best. I think I’ll rest a little too after we have
our meal. The time it takes to get here from Columbus—it’s
too draining.”
Mike looked at his mother with appreciation. “Thanks
for being here, Mom. I am grateful beyond words.”
There was another snowstorm in Columbus that
Friday. All the roads were slick, and there was an order that
only those who had to be at work should travel. It was not
something that people ignored, and most of the citizenry
complied. Except for Lauren and Adam.
Lauren was in her casual jeans, working in her office
with a peaceful and undisturbed solitude when Adam walked
in. She looked up in surprise. “Adam! What makes you come
to work?”
“I had to do some work for Monday’s hearing. I walked
to work.”
“I see. I didn’t know you lived close by.”
“No, you don’t know me at all,” he said coldly.
“If you are asking to have a scene, I am not available,”
she said, matching his tone.
“Hell, I am sorry!” He sat down with a sigh. “Lauren,
you still aren’t in love with that Mike Oates, are you?”
“I prefer not to discuss him with you.”
“OK, OK.” He held up his hands. “I still think this
affair of yours needs to end.”
“Adam, I want you to shut up and leave.”
“Fine!” He stood up and then stared at her, clenching
and unclenching his jaw. “I think that your father is doing
way too much for Mike. That guy is a loser. He is not good! I
want this case dropped. Otherwise, I will have to quit the
firm.”
She looked at him wearily. “Adam, I think that would
be fine with me. You and I . . . you can’t fall in love with
people you work with. It’s not a good idea.”
“You are too innocent. It happens all the time.”
“And that is why people are sad and have to quit.
That’s a difficult thing, I know, but maybe you need to find
outside interests and not put too much of your life in your
job.”
Adam looked at her as if she spoke something he had
not considered before. “I think you might have something
there.” He walked around the office and lingered over a small
figurine. “Look, I’m sorry. I just know you are so very much
someone I would want to marry, and I don’t think I’ll ever
find anyone like you again. That’s all. I really don’t mean to be
a pest. But I hope that, for your sake, you’ll find some closure
about Mike.”
Lauren sat back and looked at him sadly.
He saw her look and then straightened up. “Hey, I am
sorry. I better get back to my desk. I’ll be around for a few
hours. If you need anything at all, I’m your man.”
“Thanks, Adam. I hope you know that we value you. I
don’t wish you to leave us.”
“Well, I’ll think about it.” With that, he left her.
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