The Shower

by Kay Bigelow

  “Because it somehow sounds more grown-up.”

  “I find it endearing.”

  “Uh-huh,” Alex said, not finding it as endearing as Lauren did.

  “You live downtown?” Lauren asked, sounding surprised when Alex took them past Patsy’s Diner and the Hudson’s Books. Alex parked behind one of the hundred-year-old business buildings near the center of town. Inside, they took an old-fashioned elevator up to the third floor.

  “Mine is the only residential space on this floor,” Alex said.

  Alex unlocked the door and stepped inside, holding the door open for Lauren. Lauren walked inside and stopped. “I’m stunned by your space,” Lauren said as she looked around the huge room, taking in the several skylights overhead and very large windows, one overlooking downtown and the other, on the opposite wall, overlooking a vast expanse of woods. The sun was shining in through the skylights and light was streaming in through the windows.

  Alex had laid rugs down on the wooden floors throughout the room. She’d made the space in front of the window overlooking downtown into her living room, and the area in front of the window overlooking the woods her studio.

  A painting was standing on the easel, and Lauren went to stand in front of it. After a minute, she said, “This takes my breath away.”

  “Thank you. I’m glad you like it,” Alex said, very pleased Lauren liked her work.

  She watched Lauren as she looked around the space, the paintings leaning against the walls and blank canvasses stacked nearby. Alex saw Lauren pause and study the painting hanging on the wall opposite her front door of a most arresting African-American woman.

  “I’ll go take a shower. Make yourself at home,” Alex said as she headed for the door to her bathroom.

  When Alex returned to the living space, Lauren was still standing in front of the painting on the easel.

  “What do you think of it?” Alex asked, startling Lauren, who apparently not heard her come into the room. “Did you look at the others?”

  “No. I didn’t know if you wanted me to see the others. This one appeals to me,” Lauren said, pointing at the painting on the easel of a young African American woman in her early twenties who seemed to be smiling at the artist. “She’s lovely.”

  “It’s Natalia.”

  Lauren didn’t seem to know what to say, so Alex asked, “Ready to go?”

  “This is a stunning space, Alex. It truly reflects you.”

  “Thank you. Aside from April, you’re the only person who has been here,” Alex said, lying. Lucia had been in her condo more often than April.

  “Thank you for sharing.”

  “You’re welcome,” Alex said as she headed for the door.

  Lauren followed Alex toward the front door.

  “Stop staring at my ass. You’re making me hot,” Alex said as she pulled the door open.

  “How did you know I was looking at your ass?”

  “Where else would you be looking?”

  “Such an ego you have. By the way, I was actually looking at the painting beside the door, smart-ass,” Lauren said, smiling.

  “Really?”

  “Really.” Lauren said, laughing as she passed Alex. Lauren turned back to Alex, put her arms around her and kissed her. “You have a beautiful ass.”

  “Ha! You were looking.”

  “Where else would I be looking?”

  They drove toward the town of Kingston, which Alex said had the nearest Best Buy.

  “When will the leaves begin changing?” Lauren said as they drove along the two-lane roads.

  “In another few weeks, nearly all the trees will have changed. During the two weeks of maximum foliage, you’ll be tempted to stay inside just to avoid the tourists swarming in to enjoy the view. The worst are, of course, the ones from New York City.”

  “Hey, wait a second. Why are they the worst?”

  “So many of them don’t get behind the wheel of a car except when they take their annual trek into the hinterlands to view the changing of the colors. They’re rude and dangerous.”

  Lauren looked out the window as they crossed the Hudson River. “Okay, I’ve got no argument for that. I didn’t own a car until I decided to move out here. So, guilty as charged.”

  At Best Buy, it took longer than Alex had thought it would. Some of it was because there was a Labor Day sale going on and part of it was because Lauren said she didn’t know what to buy. She told Alex she’d forgotten to do her usual due diligence and research prior to buying practically everything. Lauren purchased a clock and a fifty-five-inch television that only just fit into the back of Alex’s SUV.

  As they re-crossed the Hudson River, Alex didn’t take the same route she’d taken to get them to the mall.

  When they passed the first sign announcing they were only a few miles from Rhineland, Lauren exclaimed, “You’re taking me to Starbucks.”

  Alex thought she sounded like a kid on Christmas morning, and found it delightful that a grown woman could be that excited about a coffee shop. “Hey, I’m just proving to you I listen,” Alex said with a grin.

  After Alex got her usual black coffee and Lauren got her two Venti Oprah Chais, they returned to the car and once again got on the road.

  “I hope we can get the television into the house,” Lauren said. “As I was buying it, it never occurred to me how we were going to wrestle it out of the car.”

  “Piece of cake,” Alex said with a grin.

  They were able to get the television inside without dropping it. It fit neatly inside the space where Lauren had envisioned it without dominating the room. It was apparent that Lauren hadn’t thought beyond buying it because she had nothing to set the television on. Nor had she called the cable company, so even if she’d thought to buy a television stand, she wouldn’t be able to watch it until the cable guy showed up to get the television attached to the cable. Alex told her who April used as her cable and internet provider, and that her Sobo seemed happy with them. Lauren decided to leave the television in its box until the cable guy was scheduled to come connect it.

  “Want to take Serena to the park?” Alex asked after Lauren set her new alarm clock on the stairs.

  “Of course.”

  Serena knew she was being talked about because she’d heard her name. It wasn’t until Lauren got the backpack with her tennis balls out of the coat closet she knew for sure they were going for a walk. She ran to the front door and stood wagging her tail furiously, waiting for the humans to catch up.

  As Alex was parking the car in the park, her phone rang. Alex watched Lauren step out of the car to give Alex privacy and to let Serena loose. Serena shot out onto the nearby grass and did her business. She wondered why Lauren diluted Serena’s pee with water. Since she’d never seen anyone do that, she made a mental note to ask about it. She absently answered the phone, unnerved by her grandmother’s voice, and told her they would stop by after their walk.

  Alex caught up to them and they started to walk the circuit around the park. As they approached another walker or runner, Lauren would call Serena to her. Serena was so used to doing that, she didn’t hesitate to return to Lauren’s side. Alex knew that regardless how sweet and gentle Serena was, many people would be intimidated by her because of her size.

  As they neared the car at the end of the walk, Alex said, “April would like us to stop by on our way back to your house. Is that okay?”

  “Of course. Do you know why?”

  “She was uncharacteristically quiet about that. She did say she needed to talk to you.”

  “Me? Why?”

  “I don’t know. She was being passingly strange and mysterious. Truthfully, I’ve never heard her sound like she did. I wonder what’s wrong.”

  ****

  When they neared April’s house, they saw two people sitting on her front porch. Lauren couldn’t make out who the second person was because her back was to them. What’s this about?

  April came down the steps to greet them. She l
ooked around Lauren and asked, “Who is that beautiful creature in the car?”

  “That’s Serena.”

  “May I meet her?”

  “Of course, she’d be delighted. She always likes making new friends.”

  Lauren let Serena out of the car. She turned suddenly shy because she didn’t know April. She hugged Lauren’s left knee.

  “Hello, my sweet. Aren’t you the most gorgeous of creatures?”

  Within a minute, April had completely won Serena over, and they were BFFs.

  “Alex, why don’t you go get a large bowl of water for Serena?” April asked.

  Alex raised her eyebrow, but went inside to get the water after pausing to say hello to the woman on the porch, who still had her back to the street. The woman followed Alex into the house.

  “Thank you for coming. I’m sorry I was so mysterious,” April said.

  “I can’t wait to find out what this is all about.”

  “Let’s go inside and take care of that. I’ve got treats for you.”

  When they got to the kitchen, the mysterious woman turned out to be Evita. What the hell is going on? Why all the mystery?

  “It’s nice to see you again. I wish it were under better circumstances,” Evita said.

  “Let’s sit at the kitchen table and take care of this business,” April said.

  Alex was waiting for them, looking, Lauren noticed, decidedly sexy as she leaned against the cabinets. The two older women sat at the kitchen table and motioned Lauren to join them. It was clear Evita was stressed from the tension around her mouth and the look of panic in her eyes.

  “We…I…need legal help,” Evita said.

  “We need legal help,” April corrected her.

  Lauren said nothing. She wanted them to tell her what was going on in their own way and in their own time.

  April took over when it was obvious that Evita couldn’t find a way to tell her story.

  “Evita, and thus Mamacita’s, is being sued for sexual harassment by a young man who was fired as a waiter six weeks ago.”

  “May I see what you were served with?” Lauren asked.

  April pulled a manila folder from the counter behind her and handed it to Lauren. She quickly read the complaint. It was a standard template for a lawsuit and had none of the specifics required to establish that the young man had been sexually harassed by anyone, much less by Evita. Any judge would dismiss the case on its face. It was sloppy work, even for a novice.

  “How can I help you?”

  “I want you to handle my case,” Evita said.

  “Our case.”

  Evita smiled at April. I wonder if they’ve become lovers again. Probably so, if that look is any indication of the love between them.

  “Don’t you want someone local to handle the matter?” Lauren asked.

  “The only attorney with any experience is the one whose name is on the complaint. There is a new attorney in town, but we know nothing about her.”

  The newbie would probably do a better job for Evita than the idiot who filed the lawsuit.

  “You’re hesitant,” April said. “Why?”

  “Several things are running through my mind. I’ve retired from the practice of law. Then there’s the fact that I didn’t practice employment law. And I’ve been told that people resent Manhattan attorneys coming out here to ‘throw their weight around.’ That’s only the first three things that popped into my head.”

  Before they could start arguing with her, Lauren held up her hand. “Do you have a dollar?”

  That confused all three women. “Why?” Alex asked.

  “In order to be your attorney, I must be retained. In order to be retained, it is customary to be given a retainer. In this case, my retainer is one dollar,” Lauren said to Evita.

  “You’re taking the case?” Evita asked, clearly surprised.

  No one at the table was more surprised than Lauren that she was about to become Evita’s attorney. It’s just one case. And it’s for someone I actually know.

  “Yes, I am.”

  “What do we do next?” April was obviously spoiling for a fight.

  “We do nothing,” Lauren said.

  April and Evita were clearly disappointed.

  “What I’m going to do is talk to the newest attorney in town and see if she wants in on this case. I want a local as co-counsel. Do you know if she has a partner?” Lauren asked Alex.

  “I haven’t heard that she does.”

  “Good. Alex, I need her address and phone number. Next, I want you to tell me your side of the story, Evita.”

  “See, I told you she’d be good at this,” April told Evita.

  Alex took April’s tablet from where her grandmother had set it on the counter. It only took a moment to obtain the needed information. She handed Lauren a three-by-five card with the details on it, with a smile. Lauren retrieved her phone from her pocket, but before she dialed it, she asked, “April, do you mind if I take Serena out to the backyard?”

  “No, of course not. Why don’t Evita and I do that while you make your phone call?”

  “Good idea.”

  As the two women went outside with Serena, Alex asked, “Do I need to go with them?”

  “No, it’s just a phone call.”

  Lauren dialed the number thinking because it was a Sunday, she’d have to leave a message. The phone rang three or four times. Finally, it was answered by a woman with a pleasant voice. “Jane Redkin. How may I help you?”

  “Ms. Redkin, I need an appointment to discuss a business matter.”

  “I’m in my office as we speak. Will one o’clock suit you?”

  “Perfect. My name is Lauren O’Brien. Thank you for seeing me so quickly and on a Sunday,” she said before she cut the connection.

  “Can we come in?” April said at the back door.

  “Of course.”

  “Did you get in touch with the new attorney?” April asked.

  “April, I need for you to understand I can’t discuss the details of this lawsuit with you.”

  “But I’m a co-owner of the restaurant.”

  “For starters, Evita is my client. I don’t want to sound harsh, but you weren’t named a party to the lawsuit, which means the opposing attorney doesn’t know about you. Nor did he name the restaurant as a party. He’s going after Evita personally.”

  “Oh,” she said, obviously disappointed.

  “April, didn’t you say you had goodies for us?” Lauren asked.

  “I did, indeed,” she said, and started bustling around the kitchen.

  “Evita, will you step into my office for a few minutes?” Lauren asked as she headed for the back door.

  They sat in two wicker rocking chairs. “Tell me about this young man and what happened.”

  When Evita and Lauren returned to the kitchen, there was the distinct aroma of cinnamon rolls in the air. “Yummy,” Lauren said, already nearly drooling.

  “They’ll be ready in a few minutes.”

  “Counselor, can I speak to you in your office?” Alex asked.

  “Of course.”

  Once on the back porch, Alex drew Lauren into her arms and held her. “I’m sorry to have gotten you into this. I was hoping we could spend the afternoon together at your house.”

  “Don’t be sorry, Alex. If I can’t help friends out when they need it, what good am I?”

  “Thank you. April is positively giddy. I think maybe they spent the night together. I can’t get my head around my grandmother doing the same things we were doing last night,” she said, laughing.

  Lauren had to admit when put in those terms, she couldn’t imagine it, either.

  After eating two rather large cinnamon rolls with Evita and April, Lauren asked Alex to take her back to her house so she could get her car.

  On the drive over, Alex said, “I can drive you to the attorney’s office.”

  “You don’t need to do that. What will you do while I’m with her?”

  “I
know I don’t have to do that.”

  “But?”

  “But I want to spend more time with you. I can take Serena for a walk while you’re with the attorney. I don’t want you changing your mind about me.”

  “Okay,” Lauren said. “Just for the record, I won’t change my mind about you. In fact, I can’t wait to get my hands on you again. It makes me wet just thinking about doing what we did last night.”

  The lawyer’s office was upstairs in one of the buildings downtown near Hudson’s Books. There was no elevator, so Lauren hiked up the stairs wondering how a physically challenged client made it up to the office. She probably meets them in a more public place, like Patsy’s.

  Jane Redkin’s office was on the right side of the building and overlooked Main Street. Lauren tapped lightly on the door with the attorney’s name on it and heard a woman’s voice call, “Come in.”

  When Lauren entered the office, she saw a woman on top of a step stool reaching to put law books on the top shelves of the built-in bookcases in the inner office. She stood in the doorway watching her. She reached too far and started teetering toward disaster. Lauren rushed to her side to steady her and, unfortunately, the only place she could steady her were her jean-clad thighs.

  “Thank you. That was a near miss. Please don’t tell me you’re Lauren O’Brien.”

  “Yeah, I am.”

  “Great,” she muttered as she climbed down the short ladder.

  When she safely reached the floor, she wasn’t the twenty-five-year-old recent law school graduate Lauren had pictured in her mind. Instead, she appeared to be in her late forties. Her black hair was beginning to gray at the temples. She wasn’t slim nor was she plump, rather she looked healthy and robust. She turned to Lauren and held out her hand. “Jane Redkin,” she said. “How can I help you, Ms. O’Brien?”

  “I have a proposition for you.”

  Her eyes narrowed slightly, and she seemed instantly on alert.

  “I have a client in need of legal services and I think we can be of mutual assistance to one another.”

  Jane didn’t insult Lauren’s intelligence by asking for the name of her client because she knew Lauren wouldn’t even consider telling her.

  “How might that be?” she asked instead.