A Trusting Heart

by Judith Mccoy Miller

  Lyle nodded his head. “So has she questioned anyone about why she has to go to this hearing or what it’s about?”

  “Dave went out to her house and served the papers personally. He attempted to explain, but he doesn’t think she ever understood. She thought the papers he was serving were to take her house. She kept telling him she wouldn’t move, that they’d have to drown her first.”

  Lyle just shook his head. “Poor woman. It’s too bad she doesn’t have some family to help. You sure she doesn’t have anybody?”

  “Not from what I could find out. She told me she couldn’t have kids, and Dr. Bogan confirmed that they’d never had any children. He’s known her for years.”

  “Kind of sad when you think about it—being alone,” Lyle remarked. “You have any family besides Michelle?” he asked, turning the conversation to a personal level.

  “My mom is still alive, and I have a brother and sister,” she answered.

  “Where do they live?”

  “My mom lives in Pittsburgh, my sister is in West Virginia, and my brother’s up in Michigan. We’re kind of scattered around. How about you?” she inquired, suddenly realizing how little she knew about Lyle.

  “No, nobody. My parents are both deceased and I was an only child. I guess I do have one cousin in Oregon or Wash-ington, but I’ve never met her—I’m not even sure of her name. I guess it would really be a half-cousin or step-cousin or is it first cousin—it’s my mother’s half-sister’s daughter. So whatever that makes her, I’ve got one of those. Guess I’m kind of like Marian Roseman, huh?” he remarked, seemingly saddened by the thought.

  “It’s not as if you can’t do something about being alone if you want to. You’re still young. ‘Find you a woman and settle down,’ as the old saying goes,” she advised him.

  “In case you hadn’t noticed, I’m attempting to do that,” he replied.

  “Excuse me?” It was all she could squeak out, desperately hoping she had misunderstood his comment.

  “I am attempting to do something about it. I know I’m not very astute when it comes to dating or relationships, but I was hoping that you and I could explore that possibility.”

  “What possibility?” she asked, feeling somewhat dizzy.

  “The possibility of you and I seeing each other, perhaps becoming involved—I mean getting to know each other on a personal level. We have so much in common, and I’ve always admired you,” he said.

  “You’ve always admired me? Lyle, you hardly notice me except when you’re preparing for trial,” she replied, astounded by his comments.

  “That’s not true. I don’t mean to appear undiplomatic, Claire, but you have absolutely no idea what I notice or think about you. After this trial is over, I’d like for us to spend time together away from the office. I hope you’ll at least give that prospect some thought.”

  When she began to speak, he held out his hand as if he were a policeman directing traffic to a stop. “Please don’t answer now. I’d really like for you to think about it first.”

  She nodded her head in agreement. “Could I just say one thing?” she tentatively requested.

  He smiled. “Sure, go ahead.”

  “When I first came to work for you and Dave, one of the speeches I received, even though I was a married woman, was that both of you frowned upon any type of intraoffice relationships. Do you recall anything along that line?”

  “Of course I do. That speech was made for my benefit. Dave and Peggy are a solid couple. Besides, his Christian beliefs keep him on the straight and narrow; he doesn’t believe in divorce. That’s one of the reasons we don’t handle them in our office,” he explained.

  “What do you mean, that speech was made for your benefit?”

  “I told Dave I didn’t want anyone coming to work for us with the idea she could snag a husband. That may sound pretentious, but I think there are some women who think the workplace is a hunting ground to find a husband. That may not be true, but it’s what I think. You’ve probably heard some rumors about my past. Suffice it to say, I wasn’t ready to enter the dating scene at the times we’ve been hiring. Consequently, that statement has been made to every applicant who has ever been hired in our office. Of course, with the exception of Josie, we haven’t had to hire anyone for quite a while.”

  “You guys made that statement about intraoffice dating to eighteen-year-old Josie? I can only imagine what she was thinking!” Claire retorted, giving him a hearty chuckle.

  “Now what’s that supposed to mean?” he asked, pretending to be insulted.

  “Exactly what you’re thinking. You guys are old enough to be her father!”

  “Only if we’d had children at a very early age,” he countered.

  “Not all that early,” Claire said, laughing.

  “It’s nice to hear you laugh,” he said, his voice once again becoming serious.

  Claire could feel herself becoming uncomfortable. “You know, Lyle, I think there’s a lot to be said about the difficulties that can arise out of intraoffice relationships. As an example, let’s say that you and Gloria began to date and. . .”

  “Let’s just say that you and I began to date. We both know there’s no possibility that Gloria and I would ever have a relationship outside the office,” he interrupted.

  “Well, I didn’t think there was any possibility you and I would have a relationship outside the office either. But, for the sake of this conversation, we’ll say that you and I begin dating. Don’t you see the ramifications that could arise? If you gave me a raise that was larger than what the other staff members received, or gave me extra time off because I had been working long hours on a trial—the others might construe that to be favoritism. Even—”

  “We already do those things, Claire,” he said, once again interrupting her. “Raises are based upon performance, education, workload, dedication—we’ve never given equal raises to the staff. The concept of equality raises makes no sense to me—never has and never will. I’m a believer in performance-based raises and bonuses. As to hours off—we’ve always worked that the same way. If Gloria has to work overtime getting paperwork done, we reward that with time off. If you work overtime during trial—you get time off. How could it be construed as favoritism?” he argued, using his best courtroom tactics.

  “Well, I truly believe that if we were dating, Josie and Gloria would be looking more closely at those perks and begin to wonder if they were being fairly distributed. Right now, there’s no reason for anyone to think there’s any form of favoritism,” Claire replied.

  “Does that mean you won’t consider going out with me?” he asked.

  “Maybe this is something else you should discuss with Dave,” she suggested.

  “You think that I should ask Dave if I can go out on a date?”

  “Come on, Lyle. You know what I’m saying. Dating someone who works in the office can affect the whole business. I think he has a right to know you’re giving thought to the idea. It’s better to know up front if he’s going to be against it,” she responded. “Wouldn’t you want him to show you the same consideration if the tables were turned?”

  “You’re right. I guess I would. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to allow Dave’s attitude to be the deciding factor,” he quickly added.

  TEN

  The next morning Claire was surprised when both Lyle and Dave were already at the office when she arrived. Dave gave her what she perceived as a look of foreboding as he bid her “good morning” without stopping to chat.

  I’m letting my imagination get away from me again, she thought. They’ve been discussing the trial and Lyle’s suggestion to recuse Judge Hackley—it’s got nothing to do with dating Lyle.

  As soon as she’d gotten settled at her desk, Lyle came bounding into the room, a yellow legal pad in one hand and a red expandable folder in the other.

  “These are some of Dave’s materials for the guardianship hearing this morning. Do you have time to go through and get things orga
nized for him?”

  “Sure, I’d be glad to. Did you talk about the recusal motion?” she asked, hoping that was all they’d talked about.

  “Yeah. Dave said to go for it. He thinks somebody needs to confront Hackley. Otherwise, he’ll continue with his Gestapo methods. We agree that if Hackley doesn’t recuse himself, it will make the appeal a shoe-in. Last night after I got home, I called Dave. After talking to him, I got word to Hackley’s clerk that I had some matters that needed to be taken up in chambers this morning. I’m hoping I gave them enough time to contact the jurors,” he explained.

  “I’m sure the jurors wouldn’t mind staying home this morning. It’s a gorgeous day to be outdoors working in the garden,” she said while thinking of the lack of care she’d given the flowers and tomatoes that she and Jake had planted.

  “Since I won’t need you in trial this morning, would you mind going along with Dave to the guardianship hearing? Mrs. Roseman knows you, and it might make her feel more comfortable. Besides, Dave thought there might be a possibility the judge would want to visit with you.”

  “About what? Mrs. Roseman probably won’t even remember me,” she stated, uncomfortable with the idea.

  “Her disorientation when she was here at the office. The fact that she couldn’t understand the information you presented,” he said. “Nothing to worry about,” he quickly added.

  “Did you see my note?” Gloria asked as she walked in the front door. “I thought I was never going to see you again. I tried to call last evening about seven-thirty, but you still weren’t home. Must be some trial!”

  “What note?” Claire asked, disregarding the rest of Gloria’s commentary.

  “In the top drawer of your desk. Jake and Roger had to go to the field, and Jake couldn’t get ahold of you. Roger told him I’d explain everything to you. I left a note for you to call me.”

  “I didn’t see the note,” Claire said. “But I did talk to Jake before he left for the field,” she continued as she pulled open her desk drawer and saw Gloria’s familiar scrawl on a piece of paper.

  “Oh,” Gloria stated and hesitated a moment. “When did you talk to him? He called Roger right before going to bed and said he couldn’t reach you. That was the night before they were leaving for the field.”

  “I called him after I got home from work that night,” Claire somewhat sheepishly admitted.

  “So you like him, don’t you?” Gloria goaded. “Come on, I know it’s true—you like him—you can admit it to me.”

  “I like him, but I’m not sure I’ll continue seeing him,” Claire replied.

  “Whhhhy?” Gloria whined.

  “Good grief. That ‘why’ sounded like a horse whinnying,” Claire replied, laughing at her friend’s theatrics while she continued to organize the guardianship paperwork.

  “Well, just tell me why you wouldn’t continue to see him if you like him. You make absolutely no sense!”

  “Because I don’t want to get entrenched in a relationship. My first priorities are to my daughter and my job. My time with Michelle is so limited, especially when we get into trials. If I try to add anything else into my life, it gets too complicated.”

  “That’s hogwash and you know it, Claire. Jake’s willing to spend time with Michelle. He’s proven that.”

  “Sure, for now, while we’re in a ‘getting to know you’ type of relationship. But I’m certain the novelty will wear off,” Claire explained. “Believe me, I’m not being judgmental. I do understand. However, being with her gives me immense pleasure; after all, she’s my daughter. I don’t quite know how to explain it, but when I’m with her it’s like entering a peaceful oasis, a respite from the world. I realize it isn’t the same for others who are around her. Even Glenn didn’t understand or experience that pleasure—and he was her father. Now that God has blessed me with the ability to find joy and delight in Michelle’s life, I’m not willing to compromise her future,” Claire stated.

  “I’m not going to argue about Michelle, but I think Jake genuinely enjoys the visits. Either that or he’s giving Roger quite a line.”

  “How much does Roger know about Jake?” Claire asked.

  “I don’t know. He thinks he’s a really great guy. Says he’s an excellent noncommissioned officer and that good NCOs are hard to come by nowadays. Those are Roger’s words, not mine,” she clarified.

  “Do you know how long Roger and Jake have known each other?”

  “No. Why, all of a sudden, are you asking these questions?”

  “I don’t know. It’s just that sometimes I think there’s more to Jake than he tells me. I mean, I’ve asked about his past and he’s given me the basic information, but I just have this nagging feeling there’s something missing,” Claire replied.

  “You sure do enjoy super-analyzing people, don’t you?”

  “I guess. Besides, working in a law office begins to make you question everything. I think I’ve become pretty suspicious since I started working here.”

  “Obviously!” Gloria retorted.

  “You finished with that file, Claire?” Dave asked as he walked into the room carrying his brief case.

  “Sure am,” she said as she extended the file toward him.

  “Ready to go?”

  “Yes,” she answered, pulling her purse from the desk and grabbing a legal pad.

  “What’s going on? How come you’re going to court with Dave instead of Lyle?” Gloria inquired, obviously confused by the change.

  “I’ll explain it to you later. I’ve got to go,” Claire said, rushing to catch up with Dave, who was already waiting at the front door.

  The two of them walked silently to Dave’s car, and Claire found herself smiling as she slid onto the soft leather seat of the Mercedes. The comparison between Dave’s plush Mercedes and Lyle’s old Volkswagen was mind-boggling.

  “What’s the joke?” Dave asked, apparently noting her smile.

  “No joke. The differences between you and Lyle just make me smile, that’s all,” she told him.

  “Yeah, we aren’t too much alike, but I love Lyle like the brother I never had. He’s a good guy. I guess we need to talk about that,” he said, leaving the statement hanging.

  “There’s nothing to talk about, Dave. I think Lyle’s a good guy too. Sometimes his obsession for perfection in preparing his cases drives me a little nutty, but, other than that, I like working for both of you,” she replied.

  “I’m not talking about working for us. Lyle talked to me last night—about the two of you.”

  “There is no ‘two of us,’ Dave. Lyle indicated that he might be interested in seeing me socially. I told him I thought intraoffice dating could lead to difficulty, and I also suggested he talk to you. Honestly, I’ve never even thought about either of you guys in any other way than as my bosses,” she told him.

  “Peg will be relieved,” he said giving her a laugh. “I hope you at least count us as friends as well as your employers.”

  “Well, of course, that too,” she responded. “Do you think the hearing will take very long?” she asked, wanting to change the subject.

  “It’s hard to tell. A lot will depend upon Mrs. Roseman and how much testimony the judge will require. Judge Long is hearing the case, and he’s pretty thorough.”

  Claire nodded and was relieved they had reached the courthouse parking lot. She didn’t want to discuss Lyle, and she wished the whole situation would just go away. All of a sudden, it seemed her personal life was becoming extremely complicated—especially for someone who had no interest in a serious relationship.

  Mrs. Roseman placed her hand on the Bible and took her oath. As soon as she’d been sworn in, she gave Judge Long a sweet smile and turned toward him. “I always tell the truth, but I did that little ‘swearing-in’ thing to make all of you happy,” she said.

  “Thank you Mrs. Roseman,” he said, returning her smile and watching as she gave a childish wave toward Claire.

  Claire smiled in response.
r />   “That’s the lady that’s coming to live with me,” Mrs. Roseman explained.

  “Oh, really? Tell me about it,” the judge encouraged.

  “Well, she doesn’t like the fact that the government is trying to take my land, so she’s going to come and live with me. The two of us are going to buy shotguns, and when they come with those bulldozers, we’re going to shoot ’em dead,” she told him, nodding her head up and down emphatically.

  Judge Long looked toward Claire and then back at Mrs. Roseman.

  “When did you and—by the way, what is that lady’s name?” he asked, pointing toward Claire.

  “That’s Mabel,” she resolutely replied. “Mabel Marsden—we’ve known each other for years. Went to school together back in the one-room schoolhouse that used to be over by Lyndon. They tore it down a few years ago. We had a good time in school, didn’t we, Mabel?”

  “You know, Mrs. Roseman, I think it would be all right for you to go home now. I believe we can finish this matter without you. Would you like to go home?” he asked in a kindly voice.

  “Of course I want to go home. I never wanted to leave in the first place, but John said I had to come here. I’m afraid to leave, but John promised they wouldn’t bring the bulldozers while I was gone, didn’t you, John?” she asked her neighbor, who was sitting on a folding chair in the small courtroom.

  He shook his head up and down in agreement. Standing up, he motioned toward the woman to exit the witness box.

  “I’ll be seeing you later, Mabel,” Mrs. Roseman said to Claire as she walked by her on the way out of the courtroom.

  Dave rose from his chair.

  “You may as well sit down, Mr. Wilmott,” the judge said to Dave. “It’s obvious this woman has some problems, but I want the doctor’s testimony before I make any decision.”

  Dave sat down. “Told you he’s thorough. No other judge would have even bothered to go any further with this,” he whispered to Claire.