by Naomi Niles
I moved my chair a little, so that it was placed right behind her, and unwound her hair from the knot she had made with her rubber band. Her long brown hair came loose and cascaded down her back. I had kept her hair short as a baby, but after Renni had turned two, she had decided that she wanted long hair like mine. I was proud of the fact that she had a mind of her own.
I gave her a little kiss on the top of her head before I started combing out the knots in her hair. It was amazing how she had managed to do all of them in one sitting. I smoothed out her hair as painlessly as possible and when it was silky straight again, I leaned in and looked down at Renni.
“Would you like a simple ponytail?” I asked. “Or maybe some braids?”
She was craning her head upwards to look at me. I resisted the urge to bite her little button nose. “Braids, please,” she replied excitedly.
“You got it,” I nodded, turning my attention back to her hair.
Renni was halfway done with her pancake when I finished her hair. Now it hung in two neat little braids over both her shoulders. She looked so darn cute that I was forced to give her another little kiss before I turned to my own breakfast. I served myself some yogurt and then ate it with the strawberries. By the time I was finished, Renni was, too.
“I can wash your bowl, too, Mommy,” she said, reaching for my dish.
“No, darling, you don’t have to.”
“I don’t mind,” she said generously.
“How did I get so lucky?” I smiled, handing her my dish.
I watched as she dragged over the chair, got up onto it, and started washing our plates. I took a moment to appreciate the sight. I rarely had the time to just stare at her lately. The firm kept me so busy that I found myself losing out on time. It seemed like just yesterday that Renni was a chubby little infant with tufts of uneven hair growing in patches around her head. Now, she was a fully functioning little person with thoughts and opinions of her own. It floored me every time I thought about it.
We spent the ten-minute drive to Renni’s kindergarten talking about the leaf project her teacher had assigned the class for that week. I pulled up outside the quaint little school and helped Renni out of the backseat.
“It’s okay, Mommy,” she said gently, without taking my hand. “I can manage by myself.”
“Yes, of course,” I nodded, suppressing a smile.
It was just like Renni to speak like that. She often parroted phrases that adults used, or more specifically, phrases that she heard Vanessa and I using. She unbuckled her seat and got out of the car without a problem. Then she grabbed her backpack and checked to make sure her shoelaces were tied. She had learnt to tie them over a year ago, and she did a better job than I could have.
“Have a great day, angel,” I said, leaning in to give her a kiss on the cheek.
“You, too, Mommy,” he replied. “I hope you save that man.”
I wrinkled my brows. “What man?” I asked.
“Seth Danube,” she said, without missing a beat. “The man you said was innocent. You said so last night, when you were talking to Aunt Vanessa.”
I raised my eyebrows. “I thought you were asleep.”
“I was falling asleep.”
I laughed. “I see,” I nodded. “Well, thank you, sweetheart. I hope I can save him, too.”
“Here’s a kiss for good luck,” Renni said. She gave a peck on the cheek and headed into her school, her backpack over one shoulder. I waited till she had disappeared into the building before I got into my car and drove to the office.
We shared the building I worked in with a bank. The project innocence firm I worked with was located on the second floor, and I took the elevator upstairs. The second floor had been divided into several different rooms. I didn’t have an office of my own. Rather, it was a large room cramped full of desks for the three other lawyers I shared it with. Helen was at her desk when I walked in.
“Morning, Helen,” I greeted.
“Good morning,” she nodded.
She had been working with Costner and Company for seven years, four years longer than me, and she had been somewhat of a mentor to me throughout my time there. She was fast approaching her fifties, but she had the right attitude about it. She was the kind of woman who measured age based on worthy achievements, so she was quite content with her lot.
“Any new developments?” I asked, taking the seat beside her. “How’s our guy doing?”
“He’s nervous, naturally,” she replied. “But I think I managed to calm him down a little the last time we spoke.”
“Which was?”
“A few days ago,” Helen admitted.
“I want to meet with him today,” I said. “Now that we have the court date, we can better prepare him for what’s to come.”
“In the meantime, I’m still working on character testimonies for Seth,” Helen said. “I managed to wrangle in Leslie Danube.”
“Leslie Danube?” I repeated. “Seth’s ex-wife?”
“That’s the one,” Helen smiled. “I finally managed to get in contact with her.”
“And, she’s willing to be his character witness?”
“They were married for ten years,” she nodded. “And, the divorce was far from contentious. In fact, they exchange Christmas cards each year. When I called her and explained the situation, she was more than happy to be of service.”
“Hmm…”
“What?”“Seth’s not going to be happy that we got her involved.”
“Well he doesn’t get a say in this,” Helen said firmly. “I told him we’re going to do everything possible to help him, and that’s just what I’m doing.”
“I know,” I nodded. Then I took a deep breath and ran my fingers through my hair.
“You’re stressing again, aren’t you?” she asked, eyeing me carefully.
I leaned back in my seat. “We have to get him off, Helen,” I said. “He doesn’t deserve to be behind bars. He’s a good man who was wrongly convicted, and that happens too often now a days.”
“I know,” Helen nodded. “But don’t you worry, he’s got us in his corner. And, we’re going to fight for him.”
I nodded, reinvigorated by Helen’s words. I thought of the little good luck kiss Renni had given me a short while ago and felt comforted by the sweet purity of the gesture. I would take strength from what I could and fight like hell to make sure my client walked free.
Chapter Three
Sam
“You guys are just coming in?” Jackson asked, to our replacements. “What a bunch of slackers.”
Donohue was one of the older members of the team. He was pushing sixty and starting to look it, but he had the presence of safety about him and was still one of the best fire fighters we had. He shot Jackson a look.
“What did you do today?” Donohue asked. “Pulled a cat out of a tree?”
Jackson kept the mischievous grin on his face. “I did actually…but only because the owner was hot.”
I laughed. “You find Mrs. Benedict hot?” I asked. “Interesting, I didn’t know you were into seventy-year-old women.”
The men burst out laughing as Jackson aimed a hard punch at my arm. I ducked out of the way and headed outside, with him following close behind.
“Thanks for that,” he scoffed.
I winked at him. “Anytime,” I said, ignoring the sarcasm in his tone.
“Where’d you park?”
“Around back. Is that you up front?”
“Yeah,” Jackson nodded as we came to a stop outside the station. “Good day, huh?”
“It was,” I agreed. “By the way, I’ve been meaning to ask, how are things going with the bar?”
His smile widened instantly. “Fucking great, man,” he said instantly. “I have high hopes.”
“That’s great news,” I said, clapping him on the back. “Congrats.”
“You should be congratulating yourself, too,” Jackson said generously. “You’re part owner.”
&nbs
p; “Please,” I brushed off. “All I did was make a small investment.”
“It was the investment that made the difference between canning the idea and going ahead with it,” Jackson said. “I couldn’t have got the bar off the ground without you, man.”
“You’re not going to kiss me, are you?” I asked. “Because if you do, I’m going to have to take my investment back.”
He laughed. “No, but seriously,” he continued. “I’m grateful – you didn’t need to invest.”
“I know that,” I nodded. “But I wanted to. We’ve been through thick and thin together. We went through fire academy together, we started out as rookies on the force together, we were even hazed together.”
“Oh trust me, I remember.”
“What would be the point of all that if I didn’t step up when you needed help the most?” I said, with a reasonable shrug.
“You’re a good man, Burbank,” Jackson said, and his dark eyes were filled with gratitude. “I really appreciate it.”
“I got it,” I assured him. “You don’t have to keep thanking me.”
“Okay, good,” he laughed. “It doesn’t come naturally to me.”
“I’m aware,” I smiled.
“Why don’t you come by the bar later tonight?” he suggested. “Everything’s pretty much up and running, we even have a crowd in the night. You can see what you invested in.”
“Sounds good,” I nodded. “I’m heading over to Pete’s place now, but I’ll stop by after.”
“Your mother is staying with Peter and Madison, isn’t she?” Jackson asked.
“Yup,” I nodded.
“How’s that going?”
“It’s going pretty well, actually,” I said. “It’s strange having her back after such a long absence. But honestly, there are days when it feels like she never left at all.”
“Good for you, man.”
“Yeah,” I nodded. “Anyhow… I’ll see you in a couple of hours, then?”
“You can count on it,” Jackson nodded. “It’s an open bar for you, drinks are on the house.”
“Now, I’m excited,” I said. “What’s the talent like?”
“Oh, don’t worry,” he said immediately. “There’s plenty of sexiness to go around. The women love my bar.”
“I’m counting on it.” I waved goodbye to Jackson and headed to my pick up.
I turned the volume up and drove to Peter’s with the music crashing through the confined space. That was my go to relaxation technique after I’d finished a long shift. Nothing calmed me down faster than deafening music that crowded out all the stress of the job.
Peter was on the porch when I pulled up. He was wearing a checkered shirt and old jeans. “Hi, bud,” I greeted. “You look like a cowboy from an old Western.”
“Will you turn down the fucking volume,” he replied. “You’ll disrupt the whole neighborhood.”
I turned off my engine and the music died immediately. “Please,” I said. “The neighborhood at this moment includes your house and Victor’s. And Victor works late.”
“I’m here, aren’t I?”
I shrugged. “And, I enjoy pissing you off.”
Peter shook his head at me. “Run out of food at home, did you?”
I gave him an innocent smile. “Just a tad. I really need to buy groceries.”
“Why?” he asked. “You never actually use them. You either eat from here or you eat from out.”
“Very true,” I nodded. “Guilty as charged.”
“Really, Sam,” a soft feminine voice called from inside the house. “It’s not healthy to eat out so often.”
A moment later, Mom stepped out onto the porch. She was a small woman with delicate features. She had beautiful hazel eyes and dark hair that she had passed on to three of her five sons. She was wearing jeans and a long sleeved shirt that looked a little too big for her. She came forward and gave me a tight hug. It had become habit and now I had come to expect it.
She hugged me as though she hadn’t seen me in years, and I knew that when I left, she would hug me as though she were afraid she wouldn’t see me again for years. I understood why, though. After more than fifteen years, we had been recently reunited. Now that we were in each other’s lives again, she didn’t want to take for granted the little things, even if it was as simple as a hug.
“Eating here is one thing,” she continued. “But I don’t like that you eat out so much.”
“I try to eat healthy,” I said.
Peter snorted at my obvious lie, and I shot him a look. “Well… I burn a lot. And, I do my best to keep healthy.”
“Exercise alone isn’t enough,” Mom lectured me. “You need to maintain a balanced diet, too.”
“It’s not exactly ‘eating out,’” I said. “I eat here or at the fire station.”
“Yeah…cause the station is usually packed full of healthy snacks,” Peter said, rolling his eyes.
“It is…when Grady or Burt is the kitty-man.”
“The what?” Mom asked with a confused look on her face.
I smiled. “Kitty,” I said. “It’s basically a collection of things, usually food items that everyone puts money towards and uses when we’re at the station.”
“Tell me next time you’re the kitty then,” she said. “I’ll get together some healthy options.”
I laughed. “It’s kitty-man, Mom.”
“Right… Sure,” she nodded, as though the exact term was inconsequential.
“Where’s Madison?” I asked, in an obvious attempt to change the topic.
Peter and Mom exchanged a smile, and it left a warm feeling in my chest. She had fit seamlessly into our lives. She and Peter seemed to have their own language sometimes. If I hadn’t been so grateful that Mom was back, I might have been a little jealous at their obvious bond. But that probably had to do with the fact that she was living temporarily with Madison and Peter.
“She’s in the kitchen,” Peter replied. “Getting dinner ready.”
“You didn’t cook today?” I asked.
“We cooked together actually,” he replied. “I’m teaching Madison a couple of things.”
I laughed. “And, how did that go.”
Mom’s smile was telling, but she looked amused more than anything else. “She’s…not exactly a natural,” Peter conceded. “But she made progress today.”
“She’s determined though,” Mom said.
“She is,” he nodded. “And, I don’t know why. I told her I’m happy to do all the cooking.”
“She wants to be able to cook for her kids,” Mom said.
Peter looked at her abruptly, raising his eyebrows. “What?”
She gave him a secretive smile. “We were talking this morning, Madison and I, and she mentioned that she would like to cook homemade meals for her children.”
“Oh,” Peter said, sounding a little shell-shocked.
“I knew this would happen,” I sighed.
“What would happen?” he asked, turning to me pointedly.
“Alan and Jessica are officially engaged, John and Kami just shacked up together, and you and Madison are practically engaged,” I said. “Obviously she’s thinking of the next step.”
“The next step would be…actually getting married,” Peter pointed out.
“When will that be exactly?” Mom asked, giving Peter a curiously innocent glance.
He looked between us and then he smiled. “She has a promise ring,” he replied. “It’s going to happen… Just…not yet.”
“Why not?” Mom demanded.
“You’re eager,” Peter smiled.
“She’s a lovely girl. You two are perfect for one another and… I would love to see one of my sons walking down the aisle.”
“Then you’ll be disappointed, Mom,” Peter said. “I don’t think Madison and I are the traditional type. It’s more likely that we’ll elope together or something.”
“You wouldn’t,” she said, sounding aghast. “You’d really elope
and prevent your family from being there?”
“Why are we even talking about this?” he asked, raising his hands in frustration. “Nothing is happening. This conversation is way too premature!”
I laughed, thrilled with how uncomfortable he looked. “Don’t be so evasive, dear brother,” I said, backing him into a corner. “Answer the question.”
Peter narrowed his eyes at me.
“What?” I asked innocently. “You have the perfect girl; it’s a fair question.”
“Speaking of perfect girls,” Mom said. “Isn’t it about time you tried to find one, too, Sam?”
I glanced at her; surprised at the turn the conversation had taken. Peter laughed at the expression on my face and then he gave me a look that clearly said, “serves you right.”
“Umm… Well… The thing is, Mom…”
“Don’t be evasive, dear brother,” Peter said, throwing my own words back in my face. “Answer the question.
I sighed. “I am so not interested in a relationship. Commitment is all well and good for you and Alan and JJ, but I’m not cut from that cloth.”
“Meaning?” she asked.
“I’m not the settling down type, Mom,” I said.
To my surprise, she gave me a smile. “Famous last words,” she announced.
“Hardly,” I said quickly. “I just want to play the field.”
“He’s young,” Madison said, as she appeared at the front door. It was obvious she had caught the last bit of our conversation. “Give it time.”
“Hi, Mads,” I greeted. “These two are bullying me into finding a girlfriend.”
“I don’t blame them,” she said. “A steady girlfriend would do you a world of good, I think.”
I rolled my eyes. “You are all conspiring against me.”
Madison laughed and the braids in her hair danced a little. I had to hand it to my brothers – they knew how to pick ‘em. Madison was easy to get along with, kind, thoughtful, and very pretty.
“I’m sure the meal we’ve prepared will make it up to you,” she said.