by Ali Vali
Libby’s face was the picture of concentration as she copied Tully’s actions. When their catch was close enough to the boat, Tully spotted a fish on each hook of the double-rig lure.
“You’re a natural, sweetheart,” she boasted as she kept her catch a little farther away so their lines wouldn’t tangle. She put her rod back in the holder and reached for the net to bring in Libby’s catch.
“It’s my day to try new things.” Libby’s blue eyes sparkled in the waning light as her two speckled trout landed on board.
“A fisherman and lover—sounds like my luck is changing.” With the net in one hand and the rod in the other, Tully brought in two more trout. “This is going to be the quickest fishing trip in history, since four should be enough. Or did you work up a voracious appetite today?”
“Just promise me we’ll do this again.”
At the boat’s small cleaning table, Tully unsheathed a filleting knife and made fast work of their dinner, throwing the scraps back into the water. “Whenever you want. You were right. This is a nice way to spend time with you with no interruptions.”
“Can I ask what happens now?” They hadn’t really talked about anything serious, but Libby looked scared.
Tully read the directions taped to a cabinet in the galley and coated the trout fillets in mustard before dredging them in Alma’s fish fry. “What do you want to happen?”
“Once we eat tonight I want to go to sleep in your arms and wake up there tomorrow. When we get home I want to know we’re moving toward that being a normal occurrence.”
“Today was all about that, Libby.”
She washed the mess off her hands so she could put her arms around Libby. “You made me believe in second chances, and I’m not going to squander the opportunity.”
“No more doubts about anything?”
“You love me and my kids. You want to build a life with us and I want the same thing, so no. No more doubts about any of it.”
“Good.” Libby slapped Tully on the butt and kissed her chin. “Get back to work.”
After they ate, Tully sat with Libby on her lap and just enjoyed gazing up at the stars until they went inside to a bunk. It was tight, but Libby got her wish of being held all night.
The smell of breakfast woke Tully the next morning, and she shook her head when she spotted a very naked Libby sliding a shrimp omelet onto a plate for them to share. She continued to watch as she thought about how much her life had changed in the span of a day.
“Did you have a good sleep?” Libby asked when she turned and found her awake.
“Not only that, but I’m having a really good morning too.”
“I was just trying to prolong our first official date.” Libby put the plate down and walked back to the bed, climbing in until they were pressed together from shoulder to feet. When their lips parted, Libby rested her left hand on Tully’s shoulder and gazed at the new adornment on her ring finger. “Thank you for yesterday and for giving us a chance. I realize how hard it must’ve been for you to try again, but I promise you won’t be sorry.”
“Darlin’, you were the easiest decision I’ve ever made, because loving you was something I could’ve no more stopped doing than breathing.” Tully kissed her again before putting a T-shirt over Libby’s head. “Let’s go out and eat.”
They were back in the bayou and would be back at the Badeauxes’ dock in a few hours. Libby had stood with her arms around Tully’s waist the whole time, resting her head on Tully’s shoulder.
“Something I can help you with?” Tully asked.
“Sorry, what?”
“You’re lost in thought, so I’ll be happy to help you work through whatever’s bothering you.”
Libby kissed the soft cotton of Tully’s T-shirt. “I wasn’t thinking about a problem, honey.”
“What, then?”
“If we get a boat, can we get one with at least a double bed?”
Tully was still laughing when they tied up to the dock. She didn’t have clue as to what the future held for them, but after spending the night with Libby she really didn’t give a damn. Having Libby with her would make even the plague bearable, she was sure.
Bailey and Ralph were standing, having put down the cast net they’d been practicing with. When Bailey gave Libby a hand down from the boat her eyes fell instantly on the new ring and on the finger it sat on. Its ramifications meant drastic changes for not only Tully, but for her and Ralph as well.
“I have to give you snaps,” she told Tully.
“For?”
“You really did know what you were doing. I didn’t think you’d actually get it right this fast.” In Bailey’s opinion, it was all that needed to be said on the subject, and Ralph obviously agreed since he was nodding. “Congratulations.”
Chapter Twenty-one
“You have depositions at two on the Tucker case. Opposing counsel is coming here, so you have plenty of time to get up to speed if you need to.” Roxanne put the appropriate folder in front of her with a sticky note showing a time. “Since they’re coming in at one, I pushed Pasco back until four.”
“Anything?”
“He has more background, but not what you’re looking for yet.”
“He’s been at it almost all summer and he still has nothing? He must be losing his touch.”
“Some people hide their tracks better than the average Joe. Give him a chance and he’ll get you what you’re looking for.” She stopped to answer Tully’s phone, handing it over after a brief conversation. “It’s Libby.”
“How goes it with the three great house hunters?” Tully asked.
“It’d be easier if you hid a penny in town and told us to find it with no clues,” Libby said. “I’m standing in line at a coffee shop with Bailey and Ralph, taking a break before our next appointment. What isn’t totally disgusting needs major repair or updating. With all the time we’ve put in on this, you’d think there’s at least one decent house out there.”
“Why do I get the feeling you’ll be saying the same thing about me in a couple of years?”
“I’ve seen your foundation timbers, honey, so I seriously doubt it.”
“You’re just a sweet-talker.” Tully swiveled her chair to the side and stared out the window. Since the kids and Libby had spent the first part of their break mainly working in the office, the place was quiet now that they were playing real estate agents. “Happy hunting, darlin’. Call if you need anything.”
“Try and make it home by seven. The kids and I are cooking, so you don’t want to miss out.”
Ralph pulled Libby forward by the hand, since she hadn’t noticed the line moving.
“If you let Ralph or Bailey cook anything, I demand fair warning.”
“Smart-ass.” Libby pointed to what she wanted and Bailey ordered for her. “Just one more place to see, then your loyal staff will be reporting for duty. Oh, before I forget, the Land Rover dealership called and said your vehicle is finally in. He suggested the next time you just pick something on the lot.”
“I’m sure he’s thrilled that he won’t have to take anymore annoying phone calls from me demanding to know where the damn thing is. Swing by and pick it up for me if you don’t mind, and I’ll make arrangements for the rental.”
“After you painstakingly picked everything in it, you don’t want to drive it first?”
“You can tell me all about the new-car smell when you get back. Love you, baby, but Roxanne’s giving me the evil eye.”
“Love you too.” Libby snapped the phone closed, and as she bent down to find her wallet in her purse, both Bailey and Ralph moved closer in.
“Ralph? Bailey?” Jessica wore her lab coat and a pair of large sunglasses that hid most of her upper face. “What are you guys doing here?”
“It’s a coffee shop, we’re getting coffee,” Bailey said, not moving from Libby’s side.
“Try to be nice—just a little bit,” Libby said.
“Why?” Ralph asked.
> “For your mom’s sake, to keep the peace, and because Jessica’s your mother.”
“I think I can handle my own battles, thank you,” Jessica said. She pointed to a table, clearly expecting the kids to follow her.
“Libby, we’re going to be late,” Ralph said. He moved—to pick up their drinks.
“Tully hired a sitter for the summer, how sweet.” Jessica crossed her arms over her chest and smirked. “If you spent more time with me, you wouldn’t have to suffer the humiliation, Bailey.”
Bailey said in a hopeful way, “Could I come over and watch television with you and your new girlfriend?”
Both Libby and Ralph stared at her like she’d lost her mind.
“I suppose, if you want.”
“Yeah, right. Like that bitch wants us around. I’d rather stay home with Mom and Libby. They’re not trying to ditch us every chance they get a better offer, like you do.”
“Who’s Libby?”
“That would be me.” Libby put her hand on Bailey’s shoulder in an effort to calm her down. Given all the time they’d spent together, she was familiar with the kids and their emotional triggers. “We’d love to stay and visit, but we have an appointment we need to get to.” She put some money on the counter and started to walk out.
Jessica was about to move aside for them to pass, but something made her stop midstep. Libby noticed that both kids had followed Jessica’s line of sight and ended up at her left ring finger.
“What exactly do you do for Tully and my children?”
“Don’t answer that,” Bailey said. She grabbed Libby’s hand and tried to force her toward the door.
“Can I remind you that I’m your mother, even if we don’t live together anymore.”
“I told her not to answer because it’s none of your business.” Bailey stopped, but she didn’t let go of Libby’s hand. Behind Jessica, Ralph had the tray in his hands and kept looking from Bailey to Jessica. “If you want to know something about us, have the guts to ask Mom.”
“You’re going to lower your voice and treat me with respect, young lady. If these are the kind of manners Tully’s teaching you, then perhaps it’s time to make other arrangements for you two, especially if she’s got some slut living with you.”
Noticing all of the patrons in the café avidly listening to the argument, Libby encouraged Bailey to leave when Jessica’s voice started to rise with her anger.
“I’d rather be sent to a boarding school in hell than to live with you,” Bailey screamed back, then started crying and ran out the door.
“Ralph,” was all Libby said to get him to put the tray down and go after his sister.
“Not so fast,” Jessica said, grabbing Libby’s bicep. “You’re not going anywhere with my kids.”
“If you have a problem, either call Tully or a lawyer. Now move.” When Libby made it outside, Bailey and Ralph were leaning against the car crying.
Jessica watched as Libby did something her children didn’t want from her anymore. She hugged them and they accepted her comfort before they all climbed into the Explorer and drove away.
Jessica was infuriated because, while her life was open to Tully’s scrutiny, her ex had carefully moved on under her radar, obviously with Bailey and Ralph’s blessing. Not once in all the time she’d spent with the kids had they mentioned anyone in Tully’s life, and Tully had probably ordered them to keep their mouths closed on the subject.
She forgot about ordering anything and gave in to the pent-up feelings that had been brewing since her breakup with Tully. She was determined to regain control of the areas of her life that had slipped away from her.
Tully leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes, though she still paid attention to the droning that had been going on for the last thirty minutes in the meeting she’d been dragged into.
“Why the hell did you take this case, Tully?” Dr. Nelson Kramer’s attorney slammed his hand on the conference table, but the only one who jumped in surprise was the stenographer. “This is a little lower than your holier-than-thou caliber.”
“I didn’t take this case. My associates, Hank and Sheila here, did.” She waved her hand to the two young associates sitting on either side of her. “I read the file and agreed that the case has merit.”
“Bullshit.” The attorney slammed the table again.
“Do that again and I’ll make the same noise with your head when I slam it into the table,” Tully said calmly. She opened the file, flipped through a few pages, and pulled something out. “My opening argument before the jury.” She glanced up at the lawyer and his poor excuse for a client. “And yes, there’ll be a trial and a jury. My opening argument will ask them to look at this.” She threw the picture to the middle of the table. “As a matter of fact, I think that’ll be my whole case.”
Dr. Kramer briefly gazed at the picture, then sat back in his chair and stared at the ceiling.
Tully had purposely picked the most gruesome photo taken of his patient the night she’d arrived at the emergency room. The close-up of her chest showed that her left nipple was missing and a light bloody discharge seeped from where it had been right before the patient had run her hand over her breast in the shower. After her breast-augmentation surgery the month before, her nipple had simply rotted off because the bag had ruptured after the doctor had placed it in her chest.
“Mrs. Mailer complained to you about the clear discharge leaking from the nipple a week before this picture was taken, and you ignored it, as you did the multitude of symptoms she complained of following the surgery. From the look of that picture, you can’t deny that she had a problem.” Tully slid the picture back across the polished oak surface and placed it in the file. “Open and shut, if you ask me.”
“Give me a minute to confer with my client.”
Tully slammed her hand down on the table and laughed. “I see why you like doing that—real attention-getter.”
When her hand hit the surface it finally had its desired effect, and both the doctor and lawyer jumped in their seats.
“We’ll be right outside, so take your time.”
“You bitch!” All heads turned toward the door as Jessica walked in and disrupted their meeting, with Roxanne right behind her trying to restrain her.
Before she could get out another word Tully grabbed her by the arm and practically carried her all the way to her office. “Do that again, and I will have your ass, you get me?”
“Get off that white horse of yours and stop fucking threatening me. I just ran into your slut with my children. She’s living with you, isn’t she?”
“If you’re talking about Libby, might I suggest you stop referring to her as a slut. On the day I come home and she’s sleeping with someone else in the bed we share together, you can call her a slut. But right now, there’s only one person in this room who can claim that little stunt—you.” Tully let her go as soon as the door was closed and kept walking until she reached her desk and her calendar. “You’re going to get your wish, though.”
“What wish?”
Tully was thankful there was a piece of furniture between them, because she’d never in her life wanted to choke the life out of someone as much as she did right now. Stabbing the air in Jessica’s direction, she said, “We’re going to court. I’m going to ask for full custody of the kids and supervised visits when you do get to see them.”
“In your dreams, lover.”
“I wouldn’t touch you now if my life depended on it, so refrain from the cute nicknames. When we started this, I promised you it could be easy or it could be hard. Today you definitely picked the hard road.” She flipped through the pages of the calendar, then pressed the intercom to Roxanne. “Get a court date for the last Friday of this month.”
“What case?”
“Badeaux versus Badeaux.”
“You got it, boss.”
“You don’t frighten me,” Jessica said. “I lived with you too long not to be able to tell when you’re bluffing.”
“Jessica, listen to me. I lived with you a long time as well, and it still amazes me how much I don’t know you. Whatever you choose for your life now is fine with me. I really could give a shit.” She sat down, put her hand behind her neck, and squeezed. “If you want to live your life with this woman you’ve found, then I say go for it, but you’re not going to take Bailey and Ralph down with you.”
“Why do you think Kara’s going to take me down?” Jessica’s pose didn’t change, as if she was waiting for an attack. “You moved on. Why not give me the same opportunity?”
“I’m telling you I don’t care what you do with your life. You do what you want, with whomever you like, and you leave me the hell out of it.” Her cell phone started ringing. It was Libby, so she answered the call.
“I know it’s important,” she said after Libby launched into a description of what had happened. “But let me get rid of something first.”
Jessica gave her an indignant look.
Tully shrugged and said, “We’re done, Jessica. I just want to start my life over and make Bailey and Ralph happy. One of my people will serve you with papers as soon as I draw them up.”
“Why do you keep running away from me?” Jessica asked when Tully moved past her.
“Because you give such compelling reasons. Like I said,” Tully opened the office door and waved out to the hall, “we’re done.”
“I figure you can guess who we ran into today?” Libby asked, sitting in the car dealership. The kids were already sitting in the new Land Rover pressing buttons.
“Maybe I should start with I’m sorry. You shouldn’t be stuck in the middle of this.”
“I’m not.” Libby balanced the phone while signing the papers the guy handed her. “I’m stuck on you, so I’m more front and center than I am in the middle. Hell, I’ve never been called a slut in front of total strangers before.”
“What?”
“Calm down, baby. I’ll tell you about it tonight, but I need to ask you a favor first.”
As she listened to Libby’s request, as well as what had happened and how the kids had reacted to it, Tully picked up her jacket and followed Roxanne to the elevator. Before the doors slid closed, Roxanne handed her a list of the meetings she’d rescheduled and the offer the guys in the conference room had tallied up. “This is a joke,” Tully said.