by Carsen Taite
“What’s up?”
“Did you already tell Campbell I’m going to stick around for a while?”
Uh-oh. “You’re not trying to back out on our agreement are you?”
“No, a bet’s a bet.” She shrugged. “I just didn’t have time to figure out a place to stay. I want to have my act together before I show up at her place like a vagabond with no place to go.”
“Well, there won’t be much time for that since she insisted on picking us up at the airport.” Grace held up her hands. “Don’t get mad. She’d already insisted on picking me up, so she’s not making a special trip for you, but would that really be a bad thing?”
Perry sighed. “I guess not. She’s never been a fan of these trips and there’s going to be a lot of I told you sos.”
“Give her a chance. She misses you and it means a lot to her that you’re staying for a while. You know how she is. She feels like she needs to keep you close because…” Grace struggled to find an ending to the sentence that wasn’t insensitive.
“I know and I get it, but we all lead very different lives. Austin doesn’t equal home to me, and it hasn’t for a long time. And pretending we’re a regular happy family has never worked no matter how Pollyanna Campbell wants to be.”
Grace felt a twinge of guilt for pushing Perry to return, when it was clearly painful for her to do so, but she’d made a promise to Campbell who was in a much better position to decide what was best for her family. “Tell you what. If things get to be too much, call me. Anytime. We’ll go have gin cocktails and ride bikes, although not necessarily at the same time. Deal?”
“Deal.”
The captain’s voice came over the speaker, instructing them to return to their seats to prepare for landing. Grace watched Perry settle back in, while she waited until the last possible moment before taking her seat. She knew in her heart she’d done the right thing by convincing Perry to come back to Austin, but she doubted Perry would stay longer than the week she’d promised. Oh well, it wasn’t her problem anymore. It was up to Campbell now to convince her to stay, but she’d meant what she told Perry about being there for her, and after the fun they’d had in London, she secretly hoped Campbell would succeed.
* * *
Perry stood in the living room of her sister’s new house. It was her first time seeing the place and she took a moment to note both the familiar and unfamiliar. The mantel over the fireplace contained pictures of both her and their brother and their parents, along with framed photos of several people Perry didn’t recognize. The furniture was stylish, yet it looked comfortable and inviting, and several of the knickknacks and art pieces scattered around the room didn’t fit with what she remembered about her taste, but the fancy TV and surround-sound system were pure Campbell.
“Make yourself at home,” Campbell said, handing her a bottle of water. “You must be exhausted.”
Home. A familiar word with no particular meaning anymore. The last few years, her home had taken various forms from a crash pad with her law school buddies to a tent in the deserts of the Middle East to the cramped quarters in the back of a small office in Crimea. Campbell’s house was the Taj Mahal in comparison, and while many people might find that comforting, the extravagant comfort only made her anxious. Perry looked down at the bottle in Campbell’s hand. “I’m good, thanks.”
Campbell hesitated, like she wanted to insist, but thought better of it. “Well, have a seat anyway.”
Perry settled onto the couch, but stayed on the edge, ready to make a quick getaway if things got awkward. “Where’s Wynne?” she asked, referring to Campbell’s fiancée.
“She had a long depo today, but she’ll be home later. I figured I could order us some dinner and we could catch up.”
“I’m kind of stuffed. I ate like four meals on the plane. You know you didn’t have to spring for first class.”
Campbell shrugged. “It’s a rough flight in coach. I figure you’ve had plenty of rough times lately and it wouldn’t hurt to be spoiled for a bit.”
Perry wanted to say that the money that paid for her upgrade would’ve fed a family of four in a third world country for the better part of a year, but she knew Campbell was a generous person and it would only make her feel bad if she said anything. Besides, as much as she didn’t want to admit it, flying first class had made the journey much easier to take. She hadn’t truly realized how exhausted she was after the escape from Crimea until she was settled into her pod on the plane back from the UK. “It didn’t suck. The hotel suite was a nice touch too. But why do I have a feeling there’s a string attached?”
Campbell waved her off. “Don’t be silly. It was a small price to pay to make sure you had a chance to relax.”
It was a small price for Campbell who’d come into her trust last year. “You know, now that you and Justin are the trustees, you could release my money early. Then I could pay for my own hotel rooms and first class tickets.”
“More likely you’d buy a village in the middle of some country we’ve never heard of and build houses for all of the villagers.”
Damn, Campbell had her pegged. “And that’s a bad thing?”
“Of course not. You know if you’re really into pro bono work, there are plenty of people right here in Austin that could use your help.”
She was right, but the right here in Austin part was the problem. Perry knew she’d done everything she could do to distance herself from the city since she’d gone away to college, and she knew exactly why. Campbell and Justin might have no problem calling Austin home, but she didn’t think there would ever come a time when the memories of happy times with her parents would ever fade sufficiently to allow her to enjoy the city where she’d grown up again. “I’ll stick around for a week or so, but then I need to get back to my job.”
Campbell stared at her for a moment like she was contemplating saying something else, but decided against it. “Okay. But do you think you can come by the office next week? Abby would love to see you and I want to show you around.”
“Sure.” It seemed like a small price to pay for having been rescued. Besides, until she got a permanent passport, she wasn’t going to be leaving the country anytime soon. “Look, I know this is going to sound rude, but in my head it’s a lot later and I’m pretty beat. Would it be okay if I went ahead and turned in for the night and met Wynne tomorrow? I’ll feel and look a lot less scraggly then.”
“Sure,” Campbell said, but there was a trace of disappointment in her eyes. “Come on, I’ll show you the guest room.”
The room was like the hotel suite at the Savoy, full of all the creature comforts from a large screen TV to a full-sized private bathroom with a Jacuzzi tub. Perry set her worn duffel bag beside the bed. “Between London and here, it’s kind of like you’re trying to spoil me.”
“Maybe you deserve to be spoiled.” Campbell’s expression softened. “I know you’ve put your heart and soul into saving the world, but that’s not all there is to life. You don’t have to be the downtrodden to make the world a better place.” She pulled Perry into a hug. “I love you, kid.”
“I love you too.” Despite her efforts to remain stoic, Perry felt tears well up in her eyes and she shooed Campbell away. “Now get out of here so I can lounge on silk sheets and watch TV on the giant screen. See you in the morning.”
After Campbell shut the door behind her, Perry sank onto the bed and contemplated the whirlwind that was her life. A few days ago, she’d been sharing a makeshift bedroom with Linda and giving legal advice to a rebel journalist in Crimea, and now she was ensconced in a large house with nothing to do and anything she wanted at her fingertips. In between, she’d roamed the streets of London with her high school crush who was way hotter and way more enticing than she’d been when she’d first started lusting after her years ago. She had no idea what tomorrow would bring, but if the past week was any indication, anything could happen. She’d better get a good night’s sleep if she wanted to be ready for it.
Sunday morning, Perry strolled into Campbell’s kitchen and spent a full five minutes staring into the fridge before an unfamiliar voice shook her out of her trance.
“If you don’t see what you want, add it to the list and I’ll make sure to pick it up at the store.”
Wishing she’d chosen to put on real clothes, she turned toward the voice, feigning confidence at her sock monkey boxer shorts and tank top. “Either you’re a grocery delivery person who reads minds or you’re Wynne, my sister’s fiancée.”
“I could be both, but my name is definitely Wynne.” Her smile was warm as she stuck out her hand. “And you’re either an escapee from a sleep study or my fiancée’s sister, Perry.”
“Again, it could be both.” Perry smiled, deciding she already liked Wynne. “Nice to meet you. I’d tell you that I usually make a better first impression, but that would be a lie.”
“No worries. I’m already impressed with you based on what Campbell’s told me. Sorry I missed your big return to town. I’ve been buried in trial prep. Speaking of work, were you really in Crimea working on Numeroff’s case? I follow his blog. Fascinating stuff.”
“I was until last week when we went on the run.” She hunched her shoulders. “Hazard of the job when you’re doing legal work in countries where there aren’t a lot of laws to protect regular people who’re trying to exercise their rights.”
Wynne nodded. “Well, I’m glad you made it out okay and I’m glad we’re getting to meet. I know Campbell is happy you’re here. I hope we can share a meal soon and hear all about your work. Please say you’ll stick around for the wedding.”
Wedding. Right. That’s what fiancées did. They got married. In a ceremony with dresses and guests and cake and presents. Any excitement Perry felt at the prospect of talking to someone who was actually interested in Numeroff’s case vanished at the mention of the looming formal occasion. A big fancy wedding—or any wedding at all—wasn’t something she would want, but it was right up Campbell’s love of all things traditional romance alley. Perry scrambled for a noncommittal response but knew there was no way she was getting out of attending. Her efforts would be better spent trying to think of something cool to wear before Campbell tried to dress her in some creepy bridesmaid dress. “It’s in a month, right?”
“To the day.”
“I really want to, but there’s a chance I may have to report back to my group before then. We don’t get a lot of say in when or where we’re assigned.”
A flicker of disappointment crossed Wynne’s face, and Perry felt a stab of guilt for causing it, but she figured it was better to set realistic expectations up front. She changed the subject to deflect. “I promised Campbell I’d drop by the office this week. Will I see you there?”
“Unlikely. I’ve been trapped at opposing counsel’s office all week in depositions.”
“Snore.” Perry smiled. She’d never actually sat through a deposition, but she’d listened to plenty of her law school friends recount hours spent listening to the excruciating drib drab of questions and answers during their law firm internships, and the telling made her yawn so she figured the real thing was a snoozefest for sure.
“You’re not wrong, but it pays the bills.”
“Interesting case at least?”
“Country singer sues social media company for allegedly damaging her reputation.”
“I take it from the word ‘allegedly’ you do not represent the country singer?”
“You are very astute. I knew I was marrying into a smart family.”
Perry laughed. She liked Wynne and looked forward to having her join the family. Maybe she should make an effort to attend the wedding…
Wynne rinsed her coffee mug and placed it in the dishwasher. “I better get going.”
“Is Campbell still upstairs?”
“No, she ran by the office to handle a couple of things that couldn’t wait until tomorrow, but she said she’d be back later this afternoon.”
Perry was partly relieved. Campbell had left her alone yesterday so she could get some much needed rest, but by now she was likely dying to give her the third degree about every detail of her escape from Crimea and trip from London. “Okay, well, I guess I’ll see you both later.”
Perry watched Wynne leave and contemplated her day. She’d made plans for lunch with her brother, Justin, but she still had a couple of hours before she needed to get ready. She contemplated calling Tom to check on the status of his latest post with Lawyers for Change, but if he asked her any questions about her travel status, she didn’t have answers to give. If there was one thing she hated more than being in limbo, it was admitting she was in limbo. No sense contacting him until she had solid intel about when she’d be able to travel again. She decided to wait a couple of days and then see if Grace would contact her pal at the state department for a status on her permanent passport.
Grace. The mere thought of her name caused memories of the last couple of days to pop to the surface. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d had as much fun, and she laughed out loud at the vision of Grace, weaving in and out of traffic on the bicycle only to be cursed by a raised fist local shouting at her to obey the law. And that was before they’d imbibed their first gin of the day. When she was a kid, she never would’ve believed that one day she’d be riding around London on a bike with her crush, and the reality had been everything she would’ve wanted. Except she was an adult now—past crushes and teenage dreams. So, why did she keep coming back to the time they’d spent together and hoping, with a kind of second date infatuation, that Grace would be at the office when she dropped in tomorrow?
* * *
Grace opened the door to Clark, Keene, and Maldonado, surprised to see their office manager, Graham, at his desk on a Sunday. He was on the phone and she edged past hoping to get a cup of coffee before he could load her up with details about everything she’d missed while on her jaunt to London, but he hung up before she could reach the door to the inside offices.
“Good morning, Grace,” Graham said with a flourish of his hand. “Best of mornings to you. Although, it’s actually afternoon in your head, correct?”
“Correct. And I’m feeling it. What are you doing here on a Sunday morning?”
“Humbly offering my services. Campbell mentioned you would be in this morning, and I presumed you would like a full roster of the happenings in your absence.”
“If it’s all the same to you, I’d like to grab a cup of coffee before we go over anything. You know, give my brain a chance to catch up with the time change.”
“Fair enough. I shall prepare a list. In the meantime, Campbell would like to meet with you and Abby in the conference room. She asked me to let her know when you’d arrived.”
Uh-oh, that sounded serious. Grace held back a yawn. “I’ll be ready in ten minutes.” She walked to her desk and dumped her bag, regretting the fact she hadn’t worked on the return flight from London. She’d taken some time to review her emails yesterday, but somewhere in the middle of her overflowing inbox, she’d fallen asleep in front of her computer and woken up this morning with odd file folder wrinkles on the side of her face. Must’ve been the bike ride around London. There really wasn’t any other explanation for her complete lack of energy.
She made a mental note to get more exercise and started by walking briskly to the law firm’s kitchen, loading up the fancy espresso machine with her favorite brew, and willing the coffee to be extra strong. She’d thoroughly enjoyed her trip to London, but now that she was back she needed to refocus, starting by hammering out a mediation date with opposing counsel on the grocery cart case and scheduling a meeting with Hadley Construction, one of her major clients, about the regulatory enforcement letter they’d received while she was out. While the coffee was brewing, she set a reminder on her calendar to call Hadley’s in-house counsel first thing in the morning.
The machine spurted and spewed the last drops into her cup, and G
race took a deep drink before making her way to the firm’s conference room. Abby and Campbell were already there and they waved her over. As Grace approached, she spotted a box of donuts surrounded by an array of photos.
“Welcome back, stranger,” Abby called out. “Pull up a donut. We’re helping Campbell pick the decorations for the venue.”
Wedding planning? Grace took a deep breath and swallowed a retort about how she had a ton of work to do and they were sitting around looking at decorations. “I think I’ll pass on the donut because I just ate my way through London. And I’m happy to add my two cents to the wedding planning, but I can’t stay long. Hadley is having a crisis over an EPA complaint that blew up while I was gone, and I need to spend some time today getting up to speed so I can be available for a lot of hand-holding.”
Campbell pointed at the chair next to her. “Sit. I promise I didn’t call this meeting for the sole purpose of showing you wedding ideas, although these ideas Roxanne sent over are amazing.”
Grace reluctantly complied and forced her attention to the spread of photos. Campbell was right. The pictures displayed a fairy-tale scape, very romantic and very Campbell. Roxanne was Abby’s girlfriend and she ran a successful wedding blog called the Bride’s Best Friend. She and Abby had met last year while in the middle of a case for one of the firm’s clients who owned a chain of wedding dress stores that had suddenly gone out of business. Roxanne had covered the story for her blog with the hope of spinning her success into a TV show about all things wedding. That particular venture hadn’t worked out, but she now had a regular spot on a nationally syndicated morning show, and her blog was licensed worldwide. “These all look great, but this one,” she tapped the photo in the middle, “this one is so you.”
Campbell grinned. “That’s my favorite. I love the way the light plays off of the silver ornaments. It’ll look great in the photos.”
Grace started to push away from the table. “Happy to help, but I really need to go. I have a lot of prep to do before tomorrow.”