by Carol Grace
“Sarah!” Max, barefoot and in shorts, sounded surprised to see her. As she was equally surprised to see him in such casual clothes. Was this how lawyers met their clients? “Come on in, I just got rid of a client and I’m kind of shaken up. But that’s not your problem. I’m glad you’re here. I want to talk to you.”
“I want to talk to you” she said. She remembered the last words he’d said to her. We have to talk. Those ominous words that never meant good news. Whatever he had to say, she didn’t want to hear it. Not now. “It’s business,” she added.
“Business?” he asked. “You want to talk about divorce?”
“It’s about my boss. Her husband wants a divorce. She doesn’t want to get a lawyer. She thinks it will…” She shifted from one foot to the other. “Can we sit down?”
“How about on my patio? Let me get you some iced tea.”
Sarah took a seat at his wrought-iron table under the shade of an apple tree. She clasped and unclasped her hands. He wasn’t treating this like business, with the casual setting and the glass of tea, but she knew he’d take her request seriously. She knew she could count on him to give good advice. All those women couldn’t be wrong.
“Now,” he said, setting two glasses on the table. “What’s the problem?”
Sarah felt better already, just by looking into his sympathetic, silver-gray eyes. She’d enlist him to help Trudy and Trudy would get the help she needed. “My boss just called to say her husband wants a divorce,” she repeated.
“Do you know him?”
“Not really. I’ve only seen him at meetings. But I can’t believe he’d leave her. She’s a wonderful boss, a really kind and caring woman, smart, too.”
“So she needs a lawyer. Of course I’ll take her, Sarah. Any friend of yours…”
“The problem is she doesn’t want a lawyer. Not yet anyway. She thinks it will drive a wedge between them, make things uncomfortable, awkward.”
“You mean they aren’t uncomfortable at this point?”
“I think they must be. She’s in shock. Can’t believe it’s happening to her. They’ve been married for a long time and she said she wants to stay together. I gather this is all his idea.”
“It’s not unusual for one person to want to hold on to the marriage,” Max said. “One person can be oblivious that anything’s wrong.”
“You don’t know Trudy. She’s not oblivious at all. She knows what’s going on. She’s in charge of our whole department.”
“Maybe they’ll go into couples’ therapy and work things out.”
“But you’re a divorce lawyer. I assume you make more money if there’s a divorce, not a reconciliation.”
“You think I’d stand in the way of a couple getting back together?” His mouth tightened. “Just the opposite. Divorces are terrible things, painful things. If you could have heard the woman who was just here…” He paused and took a deep breath. His face was creased with worry lines. “Sometimes a divorce is the lesser of two evils. But not that often. Look, I already have more business than I can handle, Sarah. If she doesn’t want a lawyer, and there’s hope they’ll get back together, she doesn’t need me.”
“I didn’t mean that.” Why couldn’t she keep her mouth shut? “I’m just afraid he’ll take advantage of her. From what I can see, you wouldn’t let that happen to any of your clients.”
“You’re right. I wouldn’t. Why don’t you sound her out, invite her down here, or I can meet her in town, if she’d prefer. What’s her name?”
“Trudy Stewart.”
Max frowned. “Her husband’s name isn’t Graham, is it?”
“Yes, it is. Why? Do you know him?”
“I didn’t know him until he called me a few days ago. And I agreed to take his case.”
Sarah pushed her chair back from the table and got to her feet. “Oh, no.”
“Oh, yes. I’m sorry. If I’d known I would have taken your friend.”
“She’s not a friend, she’s a colleague. But she doesn’t deserve to be dumped on. What did he say? Why is he doing this? Is there someone else?”
“I can’t tell you. Because of attorney-client privilege.”
“Can you tell me if there’s a chance of them getting back together?”
“No. Don’t ask me, Sarah. There are rules about these things.”
“Okay. I’m sorry I asked. I should never have gotten myself involved. Let’s pretend I never asked you about it.”
“That’s exactly right. This is a job for lawyers. Tell your friend to get herself one, too. It’s only common sense. You have to make her see that’s the only thing she can do.”
For once Sarah stifled her impulse to protest, to say something negative about lawyers. She had no business being in the middle of someone else’s divorce. She just hated to tell Trudy, “Guess what, your husband has the world’s best divorce lawyer. You haven’t got a chance.”
Forget about getting back together. Forget about getting a decent settlement. Because no matter who your lawyer is, he isn’t going to be as good as Max Monroe. I can tell.
Then Trudy would just give up and accept the inevitable and hire someone else, someone who’d try to get what she deserved for her, but it would be a losing battle.
“I’m sorry,” Sarah said, trying to keep a stiff upper lip.
“I’m sorry, too. Just so you know, I have no personal interest in this case the way you do. But I’ve taken this man’s case. You may think I have no scruples, but believe me I do. He’s my client and I represent him.”
Sarah’s face flushed, she was so angry. She turned and stomped all the way to her aunt’s house. She felt like a fool, first offering Max to her boss, then finding out he’d already been hired by her husband. Well, Sarah was going to make sure Trudy got what she deserved. Max might be good, but was he really the best? In any case, he wasn’t the only good divorce lawyer in town. Sarah was going to find one for Trudy who’d fight for her and win. Scruples? She’d show Max Monroe who had scruples!
Chapter Eleven
“Aunt Mary! What are you doing here?”
She wasn’t supposed to be back until the end of the week, but there she was, standing in the middle of her living room, surrounded by her luggage, looking tanned and fit.
“There was an outbreak of one of those viruses on board,” the petite, silver-haired woman said, hugging her niece. “Don’t worry, I didn’t get it.”
“Why didn’t you call? I would have picked you up. How did you get here from the airport?”
“Oh, I took the shuttle. I called but you didn’t answer so I assumed you were out, and I didn’t want to bother you. It all happened so suddenly. When people started getting sick, they canceled the cruise, and flew us home from Puerto Rico. Silly me, I don’t have one of those cell phones and I never had a moment to get to a pay phone. I hope you’re not disappointed. Don’t think you have to rush off. You planned to be here all week. I hope you’ll stick around. We need to have some time together.”
Disappointed? No, Sarah was relieved. Now her aunt could use her own opera tickets. Sarah would have the perfect excuse for not going with Max. It was time to make a break from him. Right now. Every time she saw him she got more and more involved. She had no right to disapprove of his profession. Or how he chose his clients. She had no right to ask favors of him. She had no business kissing him or letting him kiss her. She was not the type for a summer romance. Before she met him she was happy and content. Well, perhaps a little restless, but still, her life was complete. And now? All she needed to do was to get back to the city and everything else would fall into place. This summer would fade like a dream.
Stick around? No way. Her aunt couldn’t have come back at a better time. It was time to leave before she got any more involved than she was, because she was heading for a broken heart.
“How is everything here?” her aunt asked anxiously, when Sarah didn’t respond. She put her hands on her hips and surveyed her niece. “You look like you got a little sunshine.
”
Sarah shook herself from her reverie. In her mind she was already packed and on her way back to her real life. “Oh, yes. The weather’s been great.”
“Well, good. All the more reason to enjoy the house and summer out of the city. You must stay the week as planned.”
“I really should get back,” Sarah murmured. “My boss has been sick.” Now Sarah realized Trudy hadn’t been sick at all, merely sick at heart over the breakdown of her marriage. Who wouldn’t feel sick under those circumstances?
“But you deserve a vacation. I’m sure they can manage a few more days without you. Besides, I was hoping you could help me buy a computer, like the little portable one you have. I realized on my trip that I need to update myself. Just because I’m old doesn’t mean I have to act old. I want a computer and I want a cell phone. I played bridge with a man on board who’s miles ahead of me in the world of technology. Of course that’s not saying much since I’m at ground zero. Not a bad dancer, either. Then there are the opera tickets.”
“Now that you’re back, you can go,” Sarah said hopefully.
“Oh, no, I’ve got jet lag. I’d never make it through three acts. You go. You take a friend and go.”
Sarah opened her mouth to protest, but it was no use when her aunt was determined, and she most definitely was.
“Well, it sounds like you had a great time,” Sarah said, dropping the opera question for the moment.
“Yes, too bad it had to end so soon. I thought we might…never mind. I had lots of fun. More fun than anyone my age has a right to. But back to my lack of digital equipment. If I had a computer I could e-mail my new friend, I mean friends.” If Sarah didn’t know better, she might have thought her aunt was blushing. “I thought we’d go shopping. If you have time, that is.”
“Shopping? Aren’t you tired? You just flew in from Puerto Rico. I thought you had jet lag.”
“I don’t mean now. You’re right, I am tired. What time is it?” She looked at her watch. “I’m so confused. We’ll go tomorrow, if you don’t mind, that is.” She started up the stairs, then paused. “Did you have a chance to meet my neighbor, Max?”
Sarah stiffened. Here it came. The sixty-four-thousand dollar question. “Yes, I did.”
“And?”
“And he was very nice. I don’t think he ever intended to cut down your tree, if that’s what you were worried about.”
“That and other things,” her aunt said softly.
“What about dinner? Would you like me to fix you something?” Sarah asked.
“Oh, no, I had something on the plane.” She smiled and yawned. “I’m exhausted. I’ll take a little nap and we’ll talk later. About the opera…”
“Yes?”
“If you haven’t asked anyone yet, we could ask Max to go with you.”
“Right,” Sarah said weakly. What else could she say? He was planning on going with her, her aunt didn’t know that, so she could hardly back out now. And after the opera, after she’d left, what would Max tell her aunt about her? What would she tell her aunt about Max? Nothing, that’s what. She’d just said it all. Restlessly she paced around the house, not wanting to go outside for fear of seeing him, not wanting to go upstairs to the guest room for fear of disturbing her aunt and knowing she wouldn’t be able to sleep. Not now. She’d only toss and turn.
Sarah could not walk out of the house and return to the city now, as much as she wanted to. Aunt Mary was such a trooper, so determined not to grow old before her time that Sarah had to encourage her by taking her shopping for a computer and a cell phone tomorrow.
As she was fixing herself a cup of tea, the phone rang and a man asked for Mary. Sarah said she’d gone to bed. The man laughed and said he thought she needed some sleep after that cruise. Sarah took his name and number and after she hung up she had a good idea that it might be the man Aunt Mary had danced and played Bridge with. The same man who’d inspired her to go high tech. Sarah smiled to herself. He must be quite a man!
That evening Max walked around his garden, inhaling the fresh air, admiring his sparkling pool and casting curious glances at the house next door. He’d heard voices, but had no idea who was talking to Sarah. He wished she’d come out of the house. He didn’t want to go over there and knock on the door yet again. Though maybe it was his turn to take the initiative. He wanted Sarah to like him. Why? What did it matter? She’d be gone out of his neighborhood and out of his life in a few days.
He didn’t know why it mattered so much, they had absolutely no future together, but it did matter. He kept visualizing those big blue eyes of hers gazing at him as she told him stories. He remembered how she felt in his arms in the pool, so warm, so innocent, so trusting that he wouldn’t let her go.
Now what? They’d go to the opera and then she’d go back to her real life and he’d stay right where he was and where he wanted to be. He hoped Sarah understood why he did what he did and that he never intended to gouge anyone. All he ever wanted was for his clients to get what was coming to them. A fair and equal settlement. What was wrong with that?
What was wrong was that someone always got hurt. Sometimes both parties got hurt. He saw it happen. He saw it happen today. The tears, the sense of betrayal, the loss. Sometimes it took his clients years to get over it, despite how spunky and upbeat they acted. Underneath they were hurting. He knew that. But what was the answer? His parents certainly didn’t have the answer.
He strolled around the garden, restless, his mind going around in circles, trying to think of a way out. He walked back to the fragrant eucalyptus trees where he’d first seen Sarah that night, only a few nights ago, but it seemed like a long time. He wished she’d reappear in her nightgown and he could take her in his arms and tell her…tell her what?
Tell her he didn’t want her to leave. He liked having her around. He wanted her to stay, not go back to the city. They’d only begun to get to know each other. He sensed there might be more there than just a casual flirtation or friendship. Not that he’d ever want anything permanent, of course. It would take more than a few kisses to convince him to ever get married.
Married? Where did that come from? He had to make it clear to her that the good times they were having were just that. It’s what he would have said before he let her out of the car after their picnic. He didn’t want her to get the wrong idea. She was vulnerable and had had little practice on the dating scene. That much he knew.
He picked up a few eucalyptus nuts from the ground and rolled them around in his palm. The faintly medicinal smell reminded him of her. He remembered how she looked in her bed that first night. Her pale face framed with her dark hair against the pillow. It was a sight he’d never forget.
He wandered around the place some more, thinking of all the clients he’d had, the rich and not-so-rich, the betrayed and the betrayers, the hopeful and the hopeless and he wondered what the answer was. The answer? He didn’t even know what the question was.
He wandered until it was dark, and later in the evening he saw the lights go off all over the house next door. He waited for a few more hours, thinking maybe this was the night she’d sleepwalk again, but nothing happened. He was not disappointed. Of course not. He just wanted to be there in case she did walk and needed help getting back home again.
The next morning he hurried outside again. He wanted to talk to Sarah, to explain once again how the legal system worked and why he did what he did, before he forgot all the reasons he’d come up with. But he didn’t want to go up and knock on the door again. That was getting old. But the woman outside in the garden next door was Mary, not Sarah.
“Aren’t you back early?” he asked, coming to the fence. What did it mean? Would Sarah leave now? He had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach that she’d already left. Without so much as a goodbye. That hurt.
“Yes, I got back yesterday. It was that nasty virus that swept through the ship.” She held up her hand. “I didn’t get it, thank heavens, but enough of the other passe
ngers did that they canceled the cruise. I got a free ticket to another one and a free ride home, so no harm done,” she said cheerfully. “I understand you and Sarah have met.”
What had she said about him? “Yes, she’s an interesting girl,” he said carefully.
Mary beamed. “Isn’t she? Of all my nieces and nephews she’s my favorite. She’s done remarkably well considering the way she was raised which I don’t mind telling you I did not approve of. In any case, she’s turned out well, smart and kind and just lovely. All she needs is…well, nothing. Did I tell you she’s taking me shopping today? One thing I learned on my cruise is that I’m not keeping up with the times. I don’t have a computer or a cell phone. Today I’m buying one of each.”
“Then Sarah’s not leaving right away,” he said, his heart ratcheting against his ribs while he tried to sound casual. He was relieved. Maybe there was still a chance to redeem himself, to talk to her, to say something, although he didn’t know what or how.
“Oh, no, she wouldn’t do that,” Mary said. “For one thing, she’s going to use my opera tickets Friday night.”
“I know. She offered me the other one.”
Mary’s eyes widened. “Really? Well that’s a wonderful idea. I think I’d better get back to the house and make sure she has the appropriate outfit. Some of her clothes are on the casual side, I’ve noticed.”
Max hid a smile. “Yes, I’ve noticed, too.”
There, that ought to do it, Max thought. No way was Sarah going to get out of going to the opera with him on Friday. Not with her aunt’s seal of approval on the event.
He didn’t see her again until then. He was busy seeing clients, calling other lawyers, trying to get them to take over some of his cases. He didn’t know if he could really unload his whole list, he just knew the divorce business, as he currently practiced it, left him feeling empty and dissatisfied. Whose fault was that? Was it Lila? Her husband? Or was it the accumulation of all the Lilas in the past and all their husbands?
He didn’t know. How long had it been coming on? He couldn’t say. The only thing he knew for sure was that any time he’d had a bad feeling about his job in the past, he reminded himself how it felt to be poor. He was stuck between a rock and a hard place. He didn’t want to handle any more greedy clients and he didn’t want to have to sell his house, either, or live from hand-to-mouth. There had to be another way to make a living. Employment law? Property law? He’d have to start at the bottom of a big firm.
