Almost Doesn't Count
Page 31
“He just got named one of the up-and-coming in commercial transaction law.”
“But he works for the competition,” Billie said. “I thought that made him evil.”
Justin nodded. “Yes, but it also makes him a . . . possibility.”
Billie felt ill in her stomach. “Porter would never consider coming here if I was here.”
“And I’m sure they’d never try to hire him now that you’re here,” Justin said. “But you should know that you’ll probably get questions about him even though everyone knows you’re separated.”
“Divorced,” she corrected.
“You’re here!”
Justin quickly stepped aside as a young brunette woman with large eyes, a friendly smile, who was dressed in a sharp gray suit shot into the office with her hand held out.
“I’m Callie Brewer,” she said. “I’m the head paralegal on your team.”
“Yes.” Billie shook her hand. “I was told you would show me the ropes today.”
“We have a pretty tight schedule,” Callie said, turning to Justin. “So if you don’t mind, Mr. Robinson.”
“I’m way ahead of you,” Justin said. “I’ve got to get back to my side of the house.”
“Okay.” Callie waved for Billie to follow her on her way out of the office.
Callie was already reading off the day’s schedule when Billie, after waving good-bye to Justin, caught up with her. She named off all the people Billie was going to have to meet and the work they would be assigning to her. About seven people into the list, Billie had to cut her off.
“Wait a second,” she said. “I’m meeting all these people today?”
“Absolutely,” Callie answered.
“I’m meeting everyone at the firm on day one?”
Callie laughed. “You’re so silly. Those are just the people in the White Collar Crime practice you didn’t meet with during the interview process.”
“This place is huge,” Billie said. “It’s easy to be intimidated.”
Billie was surprised when Callie swung around to face her with a very serious, almost warning look on her face.
“But never, ever show it.”
“What?” Billie asked.
“I’m gonna give you some advice,” Callie said. “You didn’t earn your ropes here, so the natives are gonna be watching you, waiting to pounce on any weakness. You’re an outsider. They usually don’t last long here.”
“Is there anyone in particular out to get me?”
“They all are,” Callie said nonchalantly all of sudden. “They think you’re easy prey ’cause you came from a bleeding heart liberal public defender’s office. This is cut-throat and they eat softies alive. Just so you know.”
“Duly warned,” Billie said. As disheartening as that news was, she had heard worse things about Big Law. She decided to see it as a challenge. As a black woman in the legal industry, she was already rare and knew that there were odds stacked against her, but there were plenty of people here who believed in her and she would pull on their support. As for those who didn’t believe in her, they didn’t know where she came from. She’d fought worse demons before the age of twelve.
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Copyright © 2012 by Angela Winters
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