A Work in Progress AUTHOR: Shirley E-mail: sgoates2607@charter.net RATING: NC-17 (Sexual situations) DATE POSTED: April 22, 2003 CONTEXT: This episode in Nick’s life follows the events of “Back in the Ring” and utilizes the Sweeps teaser to look into the future. DISCLAIMER: Some of the characters portrayed herein have been shamelessly taken directly from The Guardian – a CBS TV Series. Others are strictly figments of my imagination. The resemblance to any person(s) living or dead is purely coincidental. Any similarity of events, dates, or characters or the portrayal of events, dates or characters depicted in any FanFic previously posted by other authors is totally unintentional. This is a work of FICTION. ~~~~~ Lulu took another sip of her vodka-tonic. “So, Jake… where did you and Robyn meet?” Jake looked adoringly at his date—his latest conquest. He’d picked her up at some sleazy joint in The Strip District one night when he and a couple buddies were doing the town, but he wasn’t about to reveal that to Lulu. He cast a sidelong glance at Nick. “We met at a nightclub and hit it off immediately.” He leaned over to plant a kiss on the giggling Robyn. She had her arm wrapped tightly around his and was sitting almost in his lap. Lulu couldn’t be sure, but the girl seemed like she was at least 10 years younger than Jake—and acted even younger than that. The waitress stopped by the table. “Need anything here?” Jake piped up. “Yeah. Bring me another martini and…” He turned his attention to Robyn. “You ready for another?” Robyn giggled for no apparent reason and nodded her head. “Okay… bring her another white wine, me a martini and… and why don’t you bring an order of those hot wings.” He needed to eat something to avoid getting plowed tonight. He definitely had plans for later this evening. “What about you guys?” he asked, referring to Nick and Lulu. The waitress looked at Nick. “Anything for you two?” “No. I think we’re good. Thanks.” Nick looked with disdain at Robyn. Her hair had been bleached one too many times and her clothes appeared to be about 2 sizes too small. But… she was probably good in bed. Her type usually was—uninhibited. He’d been there—done that, in his day. “Lulu, uh… where did ‘you’ guys meet?” Robyn batted her eyelashes at Nick, waiting for Lulu’s response. “Oh…” Lulu looked at Nick. “We just work together.” Zing, that really hurt. Nick frowned as he picked up his glass and took a sip of his soda water. “Oh, Jakey. That’s my favorite song,” Robyn mewled. “Dance with me.” The jukebox was blaring something funky that Jake didn’t recognize. “I… I don’t really dance.” “Oh, come on,” she insisted, sliding out of the booth and jerking him to his feet. Jake laughed and reluctantly followed her to the dance floor. Nick took another sip of his drink and turning to Lulu, he said, “Just work together, huh?” “Yeah… well, we do work together.” Their eyes met and locked for several seconds. Nick sighed and said, “Right,” then turned to watch Jake and Robyn on the dance floor. He felt Lulu’s hand on his thigh as it brushed very close to his crotch, sending a wave of sensation throughout his body. He took a deep breath and looked up to find Lulu smiling, mischievously. The dancers returned to the table, laughing. “I guess I looked like a fool out there… but it was fun.” Jake kissed Robyn full on the mouth as they settled back in their seats. Lulu quickly removed her hand. Nick slid out of the booth. “Excuse me. I’ll be right back.” He walked into the men’s room which was empty. After relieving himself he rinsed his hands then splashed cold water over his face. When he opened the door to leave, he almost collided with Lulu in the narrow hallway. She was headed to the ladies’ room. On an impulse, he grabbed her by the arm and whisked her into the men’s room. “Nick… Nick… what are you doing?” He steered her into the end stall, which he latched behind them. “What’s…?” Quickly covering her protesting mouth with his, he pressed her up against the wall of the stall. She could feel the heat of his passion… or was that hers… beginning to surge through her veins. She felt his hardness pressed against her. “Nick…” He again covered her mouth with his. She could no longer control herself. She became weak in the knees as he kissed her neck… her eyes… her nose… and her mouth again. She took his head in her hands, rubbing the nape of his neck, as he nuzzled her neck. He pulled her skirt up to her waist and, hooking his thumbs in her panties and stockings, he slowly worked them down around her ankles where she stepped out of them, gingerly. He again pressed his full body against hers causing her to catch her breath momentarily. “Oh, Nick…” she said, breathlessly. “What if someone comes in?” “Let ‘em,” he said, off-handedly. He unbuttoned her blouse as he continued to plant kisses all over her face and neck. She fumbled with his belt, finally getting it unbuckled and his pants unzipped, allowing them to fall in a puddle at his ankles. His breathing was decidedly elevated now. He unleashed his swollen member and lifted her off her feet. She instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist and he entered her with a thrust, which startled her at first. She let out a little whimper. “You okay?” he asked, but continued to pump. She nodded her head, afraid she’d make too much noise if she opened her mouth to speak. She closed her eyes and was carried away—preoccupied with the sexual explosion that was going on in her body. Her body stiffened as she had the most glorious sexual experience she had known in a very long time. Nick made a couple more quick thrusts and then he was ejaculating deep inside her. She clung to him as his body quivered—then became still. He was still breathing heavily. She kissed his ear and the side of his neck. He pulled away to look her in the eye. Suddenly the door opened to the bathroom. They held their breath, waiting for what seemed like an eternity, until they heard the door open and close, again—they were alone once more. Relieved, they looked at each other and snickered. They separated and Nick quickly pulled up his boxers and trousers, tucking his shirttail in as he did. “Better get dressed. Jake probably wonders where we are.” He smiled and bent to kiss her softly on the lips. “I’ll be right outside.” Nick exited the stall as Lulu quickly began to dress. Standing in front of the mirror, he could see that his face was a bit flushed but probably not that noticeable. He tightened his tie and smoothed his shirt and jacket, then ran his fingers through his hair. At that moment, the door opened and Jake walked in. “Hey, man. There you are. I thought you’d left us.” “No, I’m still here.” He cast a nervous glance at the stall door. “Everything okay?” Jake sounded concerned. “Yeah, I’m fine. Everything’s fine.” Jake stepped to the urinal and relieved himself. “Where’s Lulu?” Nick looked at Jake, then turned aside. “Don’t know. You ready?” Jake quickly rinsed and wiped his hands. “Yeah.” Jake followed Nick out of the restroom and back to their table. Lulu finally breathed a sigh of relief. She quickly finished dressing and, opening the stall door a crack, she saw the coast was clear and made her escape. She went immediately into the ladies’ room to finish pulling herself together. She couldn’t believe what she’d just done. She had only read about this kind of sex in sleazy romance novels but had never experienced it first hand. As she fluffed her hair, she noticed her cheeks had a rosy glow. She freshened her lipstick and smiled at her image in the mirror. Maybe the others wouldn’t notice—but then she didn’t really care if they did. She had to admit to herself that she had been dreaming about sex with Nick for a very long time and… he had not disappointed her. Back at the table, she tried to avoid Nick’s eyes for fear she would give their secret away. Jake and Robyn didn’t seem to notice anything unusual—they were so wrapped up in each other. It was Nick who finally called it quits for the evening. “Lulu… we’d better get going. I have an early meeting tomorrow.” He stood, placing his napkin on the table. “Jake, I’ll see you tomorrow.” He nodded at Robyn. “It was great meeting you both,” she gushed. “Bye.” Lulu followed Nick out of The Incline. Immediately outside, Nick put his arm around her shoulders, and they walked, in silence, to the car which was parked at the curb in the next block. It was only a short drive to Lulu’s house. He parked at the curb and turned off the ignition. The porch light was on and he could see a light on in the living room. Caroline was still in town, much to Lulu’s dismay. “Lulu, I’m sorry if I got outta hand tonight.” Nick looked her way, his brow furrowed. “Did you hear me complaining?” She gave him a quizzical look. “No, but…” “I’m just surprised our first time wasn’t a little more romantic.” “Oh… romantic…” It was his turn to give her a quizzical look. “Romantic… yeah, you know… flowers, candles… a bed.” She laughed. “So you prefer… conventional sex.” He gave her a half smile. “I didn’t say that.” She reached out and touched the side of his face tenderly then leaned over and gave him a gentle kiss on the mouth. “Goodnight… sexy.” She quickly removed her seatbelt and was out of the car in a flash. He waited until she was safely inside then drove away. ~/~/~/~/~ The next morning Nick walked through the lobby at Fallin & Fallin and glanced in his father’s office. At that moment, Burton looked up and motioned for him to come in. Entering the room, he noticed his father appeared to be preoccupied with something. He sat glumly behind his desk, staring blankly out the window. “Hey,” Nick said. Burton turned slowly in his chair and placed his elbows on his desk. One hand smoothed the wisps of hair on the top of his head. “Mary Gressler’s dead.” He looked at his son, then leaned back in his chair. “Oh…” Nick was surprised to hear that name. He thought that had ended weeks ago. “Sorry…” He waited a second then turned as if to leave. “She was killed in a car-jacking.” Burton ran his hand across the top of his head again and turned back to the window. “Uh…” Nick really didn’t know what to say. Clearly his father was upset by the news but what could Nick do about it. Quietly he added, “Dad… I have a lot of work to do.” He gestured towards the door. He waited another second for a response then started to leave again. “Yeah,” Burton finally replied, still looking out the window. Nick glanced again at his father then quietly made his exit. ~/~/~/~/~ Nick looked up from the file he was reading when he heard a soft knock at his open door. Laurie entered and took a seat. “I received a call from your father. He wants to become a foster parent.” Nick looked at her in disbelief. “What?” Laurie smiled at Nick’s surprise. “He didn’t tell you?” Nick couldn’t even speak. He simply shook his head. “It’s Shannon Gressler.” Laurie noticed a sudden change in Nick’s expression. He had become grim-faced. “She had been staying with her grandmother, who was recently killed…” Nick interrupted. “I know about that.” Irritably, he added, “Isn’t he a little old to be a foster parent?” Laurie smiled. “Well, Nick, you know that we’re in dire need of foster parents so we can’t always be that choosey. I think your father will make a wonderful foster parent.” Nick didn’t respond. He was too busy remembering his own childhood and his father’s failed attempts to parent him. “Nick?” Laurie saw that Nick’s attention was elsewhere. He snapped back to the present. “Yeah. When’s the hearing?” “This afternoon… 4:00 o’clock.” “Okay.” He turned his attention back to the file he had been working on. Laurie was not surprised at Nick’s abrupt manner of dismissal. She had been on the receiving end of that many times before. ~/~/~/~/~ Nick sat in the back of the courtroom. Alvin handled the hearing which went off without a hitch. Judge Damsen had rubber-stamped Burton Fallin’s petition to be Shannon Gressler’s foster parent. Shannon threw her arms around Burton’s neck and hugged him. This scene elicited an emotion in Nick, somewhere deep inside, that he just could not characterize. He stood near the back of the courtroom as people filed out. After shaking hands with Alvin, Nick saw his father take Shannon’s hand and they walked towards the door. Burton stopped suddenly when he noticed Nick. For a moment their eyes met then Nick turned and exited without a word. Outside the courtroom, Burton looked for Nick but he was nowhere in sight. He turned to Shannon. “Okay… well… I think we should celebrate. Where do you wanna go for dinner?” “Can we go anywhere?” “Yeah, we can go anywhere,” Burton laughed. ~/~/~/~/~ The next morning, Nick passed his father’s office as usual. He was surprised to find the room dark and Burton nowhere around. He checked his watch. It was already 7:30. He had never known his father to get to the office later than 7:00. Shaking his head, he continued on to his office. Hours later, Nick emerged from his office carrying a thick folder containing a proposal for Lattimer Industries of Harrisburg. He stopped at the reception counter. “Michelle. See that this gets FedEx’d to this address, today.” He handed her the folder along with a piece of paper with the mailing address. He heard his father’s voice and turned to see him greet another lawyer, as he entered the lobby. “’Mornin’, Ken.” Burton strode towards his office, briefcase in hand. Nick glanced at his watch which read 9:45. He fell in step with his father. “Where were you?” he asked, noticeably annoyed. Burton stopped suddenly, in the middle of the lobby, and gave his son a condescending look. “I had to get Shannon signed-up for school.” “Isn’t the school term almost over?” “That’s right… but I wanted to make sure that she was accepted for next year.” Burton tried to assess Nick’s demeanor. “Nicholas… are you okay with this?” Nick opened his mouth to speak then just shook his head and walked away. ~/~/~/~/~ The sun was setting. Nick had spent most of the afternoon hold-up in his office at LSP trying to get caught up. He hadn’t had a moment to think, it seemed, since his father had taken on the role of foster parent for Shannon. Burton had dumped a lot of work off on him and, as always, the workload at LSP was burdensome. He leaned back in his chair, rubbing the back of his neck. He was startled when his door opened, suddenly. “Oh, sorry. I didn’t realize you were still here.” Lulu regained her composure, having been surprised at finding him there. “I just saw the light on and thought… well…” “No-no, come in. You still working?” “No, not really. Alvin just left. I was gonna take some work home with me.” She turned to leave. “Good night.” “Night.” Nick waited a moment. He could hear Lulu gathering things to take home. He got up and walked to her office but it was dark. He noticed a light coming from the meeting room. All the other lights in the office had been turned off. He walked to the door of the meeting room. Lulu placed another file in a box with several others then lifted it and turned towards the door. “Oooh! Nick, you scared me.” She laughed nervously. He stepped up to take the box from her and placed it on a nearby chair then took her in his arms and kissed her. She kissed him back. Things began to quickly heat up. “Nick. Nick.” She tried to push back. He held her tight and continued to nuzzle her neck. “Lulu… just relax.” He reached behind him and flicked the light switch OFF and gently kicked the door closed. “Nick.” She giggled as he nibbled at her ear, his hot breath elevating her own temperature. He had maneuvered her around and had her pinned against the end of the conference table, his sexual desire quite evident. He began shedding his clothes. First his jacket, then his tie. He started unbuttoning his shirt. “What are you doing?” She didn’t know whether to stop him or… He leaned over and kissed her. “What does it look like?” “Nick, do you think we should be doing this here?” He pulled her skirt up, lifting her onto the edge of the table. “You know you want it… I want it… so what difference does it make where…” He tugged on her panties and stockings. It was true—she did want him. She thought about him a lot lately. His touch against her skin… She closed her eyes, letting herself relax. He took her hand and placed it over the bulge in his trousers. She quickly unbuckled his belt and unzipped his pants. Before she knew it, he was inside her and she was lost in the reverie. Alvin stepped off the elevator. He had gotten almost all the way home when he realized he’d left his briefcase at the office. As much as he hated to, he had to finish the budget and get it submitted to the board by tomorrow. And, like an idiot, he’d left everything behind at the office. He noticed the light on in Nick’s office, right away. Nick was usually pretty good about turning it off. Alvin found his briefcase, where he had left it earlier—beside the coffeemaker. He grabbed it and went to turn off Nick’s light when he heard something. He stopped and listened. It was emanating from the meeting room. He quietly set his briefcase down and looked for anything he might use as a weapon. He settled on a large coffee mug. Slowly, he inched his way towards the meeting room and, taking a deep breath, he pushed open the door, flicking the light switch ON at the same time. Needless to say, he was shocked to find Nick and Lulu in a very compromising position. He quickly flicked off the light and hurriedly backed out of the room. “Sorry. Sorry. Just lock up when you leave. Sorry.” Lulu was aghast as she struggled to pull on her panties and stockings. Nick quickly pulled up his pants and went to the door. Alvin was nowhere in sight. “He’s gone.” “I can’t believe I let you talk me into this.” Lulu smoothed her skirt down. He grinned, mischievously. ~/~/~/~/~ Nick was busily researching a point of law in his office when his speakerphone beeped. He pressed the button and answered, “Yes?” “Nick, I hate to bother you but your father’s 10:00 o’clock appointment is here and I haven’t heard from him today.” Gretchen was nervous about calling Nick about this matter but was more concerned about what might have happened to Burton. He always called when he was going to be late. “What? He hasn’t been in at all today?” “No, he hasn’t, Nick.” “Have you tried to call him?” “I called his house and his cell phone. I got no answer either place.” She was waiting for Nick to explode. It was well known around the office that Nick didn’t like it when things went wrong and didn’t mind telling people about it. Hesitantly, she asked, “Uh… can you talk to the client?” She waited for the firestorm. “Luke Ashton?” “That’s right. I found the file on his desk.” “I’ll be right there. Put him in the conference room and give him some coffee.” “I already did that.” “Good.” Nick hung up the phone and for a second he just stared at the instrument. What did this mean? He grabbed the receiver and dialed his father’s cell phone. Burton had the phone on Voice Mail. He left a brief message then quickly dialed his father’s home number, leaving a similar message on the answering machine. He strode down the hallway and entered his father’s office. As Gretchen had said, the file was on his desk. He sat down and thumbed through it, familiarizing himself with some of the issues. Thankfully, his father had the case well in hand. And, fortunately, they had discussed the particulars, casually, just a couple days ago. With the file in hand, he started for the conference room, stopping to speak to Gretchen. “Keep trying to reach my dad at both numbers. If you get him, page me.” He then entered the conference room. “Luke. How have you been?” He extended his hand. “Fine, Nick. Fine.” He appeared a little confused. “I thought Burton was handling this?” Nick seated himself at the head of the table. “Uh… yeah, he is. He was unavoidably detained. I am familiar with the issues… so I’d be happy to go over them with you. Or… if you’d rather, we can reschedule the meeting for another time.” “No, that’s fine.” Nick proceeded to explain the legal points about the joint-venture proposal and what was left to be done. “Okay, Nick. So, you think we can get this thing wrapped up by next Friday?” “I see no reason why not.” He stood and they shook hands. Nick walked him to the front door. “Say hi to Burton for me, will ya, Nick?” “Sure.” Nick’s cell phone rang just as he turned to walk back to his office. He fished it out of his inside coat pocket and answered, “Yeah.” “Nicholas.” Nick looked around him as he lowered his voice. “Where the hell are you?” he said through clenched teeth. “What’s that?” Burton was a little taken aback by the hostility in Nick’s voice. “Did you forget you had an appointment with Luke Ashton?” “Oh… right, right. Did you handle that for me, son?” Nick was totally exasperated by now with Burton’s apparent lack of concern about the missed appointment. To avoid saying something he might regret, he just disconnected the phone and slipped it back in his coat pocket. He glanced around to see if anyone had overheard the heated exchange then walked to Burton’s office, still holding the file. “Did you hear from Burton?” Gretchen posed the question. “Yeah,” he said, and stalked past her and into Burton’s office, tossing the file on the desk. Gretchen wanted to ask if Burton would be in later, but she dared not press her luck. Nick was clearly not in a talkative mood. Without a glance at Gretchen, he walked back to his office. Thirty minutes later he was on his way out the front door when Burton walked in. For a moment they glared at each other. Burton reached out and touched Nick’s sleeve. “Nicholas… it was something important I had to do.” “Fine,” Nick answered, tersely, then turned and marched out the door. ~/~/~/~/~ Nick stepped off the elevator at LSP and saw Alvin getting a cup of espresso. It had become his latest obsession and the talk of the office. Nick, attempting to avoid speaking with Alvin, bowed his head and headed straight for his office. “Oh… Nick. I would like to see you and Lulu in my office, when you get a minute.” Nick turned to face Alvin and noticed a smirk on his face. He nodded and walked into his office where he deposited his briefcase. He took a deep breath then headed for Lulu’s office, knowing full well what the pow-wow was all about. He knocked lightly on the door then poked his head in. “Alvin wants to see us in his office.” “What?” Lulu had instantly come to the same conclusion about the reason for Alvin’s meeting. “We’re in trouble, huh?” She looked worried. “Could be,” Nick grinned and shrugged. “You coming?” “Yeah.” She slowly got up from her desk and followed Nick to Alvin’s office. “Aah… Come in. Close the door.” Alvin sat smugly behind his desk, his fingers entwined—a slight grin on his face. Lulu stood with her hands clasped behind her back. Nick stood with his hands in his pants pockets. “I just wanted to say that I realize you are both adults but… I suggest that you exercise a little more discretion… if you know what I mean. And, Lulu, I want to remind you of the moral turpitude clause in your contract with LSP.” “Alvin. It won’t happen again,” Lulu declared, glaring at Nick. “Okay,” Alvin acknowledged, enjoying every minute of their discomfort. “Okay,” Lulu said, relieved, as she turned to leave. Nick glanced at Alvin and grinned. Outside Alvin’s office, Lulu whispered, “That was totally humiliating.” Nick took hold of her arm and said, suppressing a grin, “Look… he’s good with it.” She jerked her arm from his grasp and exclaimed, “Men!” and stalked off. Nick shrugged and walked to his office. A half hour later, as he was preparing to leave, Laurie tapped on his open door. “Nick. You got a minute?” He continued to load his briefcase. “I guess… but just a minute.” “Alvin said you could take this case.” She handed him a folder. “Tori Lynch. She’s 13. Her mother’s dying.” “So, this is a placement?” “Right. I have a foster couple lined up. It’s all in the file. Hearing’s set for tomorrow—9:00 o’clock.” “Where is she now?” “The County Shelter.” He stuffed Tori’s file in his briefcase and walked around his desk. He paused at the door. “Okay. Is that it?” “That’s it.” Laurie watched as Nick hurried away. She was still amazed how he could just take these cases and be so glib about it. ~/~/~/~/~ Nick walked up to the main desk at the Allegheny County Children’s Shelter. He checked again for the name on the folder. “Uhm, I’m here to see Tori Lynch. I’m her lawyer, Nick Fallin.” “Oh, good, Mr. Fallin. She’s down the hall—last door on the left.” He stopped outside the door and took a deep breath. The first meeting was always the worst. He knocked lightly and when there was no response he put his ear to the door; hearing nothing he eased the door open. Tori was sitting on her bed, back against the headboard, with a book open on her lap. He noticed she was dangerously thin and slight for a girl her age. Her naturally curly hair hung in lank wisps about her shoulders. “Hi,” he raised his hand in a half-wave. “I’m your lawyer, Nicholas Fallin.” Tori looked up from her book. “Hi.” “Uhm…” he pulled up a nearby chair and sat down, opening her file on his lap. “Your hearing is at 9:00 tomorrow morning.” “Mr. Fallin, I don’t want to live with anyone else. My mother needs me. I want to go back to her.” “I understand…” he turned a page in the file. “No. With all due respect, Mr. Fallin, you do not understand. You see, my mother has no one. There’s no one to take care of her but me.” The child was surprisingly calm and unemotional. “I see that you haven’t been going to school. You know, it’s the law…” “I know what the law is, Mr. Fallin. You will also notice that my grades are excellent and that I’ve been able to keep up with the class without going to school everyday.” He couldn’t argue with that. She seemed very bright and far more mature than her age and appearance belied. “I’m sorry, Tori, but it’s my job to see that you’re placed with a responsible person. Now…” again he thumbed through the file, “…Social Services has found a couple… a Mr. and Mrs. Everett. I can have you placed with them or… or you’ll end up staying in the shelter.” “Whatever.” Tori turned her attention back to the book in her lap. Nick sat for a moment then stood to leave. “Okay… I’ll see you tomorrow at the courthouse.” ~/~/~/~/~ Nick anxiously paced outside Judge Damsen’s courtroom. He glanced again at his watch. It was 9:05 AM. Judge Damsen did not take kindly to delays in her courtroom. He saw Laurie walking rapidly toward him. “Nick. Tori ran away from the xhelter sometime last night.” “Well, where is she?” he asked, agitated. “We don’t know. The police went to her mother’s apartment but it was empty.” “Okay. I guess that’s that.” He entered the courtroom and instructed the clerk to cancel the hearing. The Everetts were seated in the courtroom—front row, on the aisle. He leaned down and whispered to Mr. Everett, who just stared back at him. He then walked out of the courtroom. ~/~/~/~/~ “Nick.” Burton glowered at his son, who appeared to be gazing into space. Nick heard his father calling his name and was jolted back to the present. “Oh, sorry.” He squirmed in his seat, a little embarrassed by the lapse. He looked sheepishly at the other two men at the table. “Uh…” He was buying time. He looked to his father for help. “Nicholas, do you have the figures Ken asked for?” He quickly rifled through the folder in front of him and pulled out a piece of paper containing the information. In another 20 minutes the meeting was adjourned—a follow-up set for next Tuesday. Burton slid open the sliding glass doors to the conference room and shook hands with both men as they stepped into the hallway. “Okay. Well, we’ll see you Tuesday.” Burton turned to confront Nick about his inattention. Nick gathered up his papers and started for the door. “Nicholas….” Nick stopped and made eye contact with his father but didn’t respond. “What’s the matter with you, son?” “What do you mean?” Nick scrunched up his face, taking a defensive stance. “Where the hell is your head?” Burton could be just as intractable. Peeved at the inference, Nick said, tersely, “I gotta be somewhere,” and exited without further adieu while his father looked on, bewildered. ~/~/~/~/~ Nick checked his watch for the time—2:25 PM. He was sorry that he had upset his father during the meeting earlier but he couldn’t get Tori’s case out of his mind. He had decided, in the middle of the meeting, that he would try to find her, himself. He drove up in front of the dilapidated building—graffiti everywhere, windows shattered and trash strewn all over the premises. This had been the last address for Tori and her mother, according to the case file. Removing his seat belt, he got out of the car—setting the alarm. He couldn’t be sure that his car would be there when he returned. Making his way up the walkway, he was careful to avoid the broken cement and other obstacles. He pushed open the main entry door which hung lopsided on its hinges—the bottom scraping the floor. If it was possible, the inside of the building was in worse shape than the exterior. He took a deep breath and regretted it—the fetid odor bringing tears to his eyes. He could hear the noise from TV sets—all tuned to different channels—emanating loudly from the various apartments—creating a cacophony, painful to the senses. He made his way cautiously up the stairs to the 3rd Floor and to Apartment #313. He first put his ear to the door and hearing nothing, he rapped lightly. He listened again—nothing. He tried the knob—it did not budge. He called, softly, “Tori. Tori, open the door. It’s me… Nick.” Again he listened at the door. He backed away from it trying to decide what to do next, when suddenly the door directly across the hall opened and an elderly black woman stepped into the hallway. “You lookin’ for Anna Lynch?” “Uh… well, yes… and her daughter, Tori. Have you seen them?” “I seen ‘em last night. They was leavin’.” “Leaving? You know where they were going?” “Nome.” She started to walk away. “Uh… Excuse me. I… I really need to talk with Tori.” He pulled a business card from his pocket and handed it to the woman. “I wonder if you could call me if you see them again. You can call the cell phone number anytime, day or night.” The old woman squinted at the card. “Mr. Fallin?” “That’s right. I’m Tori’s lawyer.” She tucked the card inside her bra next to her ample bosom. Nick glanced away. She turned and started down the hall—her progress slow and deliberate as she favored her right leg. Nick called out to her. “It’s important.” He waited for an acknowledgement and when he didn’t get one he added, “Thanks.” He waited, to allow her time to clear the hallway, then traced her steps. When he got to the stairs, she was nowhere to be seen. ~/~/~/~/~ Nick sat, jacketless—sleeves rolled up, amongst several open law books scattered about the table in the Firm’s library. He wanted to be prepared for the Tuesday follow-up meeting with Ken Elder and his partner, Dave Biden. The office was eerily quiet since it was almost 11:30 PM—the last straggling lawyer having left hours before. He jumped as the ringer of his cell phone shattered the silence. He quickly reached for it and answered, “Nick Fallin.” “You wanted me to call if I seen Anna.” It took only a second for Nick to realize this was the old woman who lived across the hall from Tori and her mother. “Right.” He sat up straight in his chair. “Are they back?” “I heared a noise when I turned the TV off after the News. I looked through the peephole an’ I seed Tori goin’ in the ‘partment.” Nick was already gathering his papers up, phone tucked precariously between his chin and shoulder. “Thanks. Uh… thank you.” The phone connection was broken as the woman hung up. He raced down the stairs to his office. Tossing his papers on the desk, he quickly rolled down his sleeves and pulled on his jacket. He flicked the desk lamp OFF and waiting for a second for his eyes to become accustomed to the sudden darkness, he made his way to the front door—locking it securely behind him. ~/~/~/~/~ When he drove up in front of the tenement building it was a few minutes past midnight—a very frightening place to be. Only one street lamp was left intact and it was several hundred yards from the front door where Nick would be entering the building. The front entry door had been left ajar. He squeezed in, trying to avoid rubbing against it with his $2500 suit. He almost stepped in dog excrement at the foot of the stairs. The hallway was poorly illuminated by one naked, low-wattage bulb. He placed his hand on the handrail then removed it quickly, wiping it on his pant leg. Carefully, he made his way to the 3rd Floor and to Apartment #313. Again, he put his ear to the door and thought he heard a muffled sound. He tapped softly on the door and called out, “Tori. It’s Nick. Let me in.” He continued to listen but the noise had subsided. He knocked again at about the same time the door was opened. Tori stood just inside the doorway, looking more frail and bereft than ever. “Are you all right?” Nick asked, stepping into the room. She ran the back of her hand under her nose and snuffled then turned and walked to the sofa where she plopped down on the floor, her head in her hands. Nick quietly shut the door and stood for a moment taking in the room. It was sparsely furnished but reasonably neat. One tiny lamp, on a table near the sofa, cast its eerie glow over a small portion of the room. He walked cautiously toward Tori. This whole thing was freaking him out. The room was dark and foreboding. He could hear the sounds from a TV coming through the thin walls. As he approached the sofa, he could just make out a person lying there—as still as death. He stopped, considering his options. “Tori, are you okay?” he asked again, softly. Without raising her head, she said, matter-of-factly, “She’s dead.” Nick walked over to the sofa and placed his fingers on the woman’s neck and felt no pulse. He reached for his phone and said, “I’ll call for an ambulance,” as he dialed 9-1-1. Tori looked up at him. “What for? She’s dead.” He paused for a moment then walked to another part of the room and quietly spoke into the phone. When he disconnected, he looked over at Tori. She was still seated on the floor beside the sofa—now staring off into space. He sat down in a nearby chair with his forearms on his knees, glancing periodically at Tori. It was only a few minutes before the wail of a siren broke the deafening silence. He opened the door and stepped into the hallway to signal the paramedics. Tori moved to allow the medics access to her mother. Nick stood back in the shadows with his hands in his pockets, watching her reaction. She showed no emotion. “Are you the one who called this in?” Nick turned toward the police officer addressing him. “Right. Nick Fallin.” Nick watched as they loaded the body onto a gurney. The officer made a note of his name. “Do you know what happened?” “No… I don’t. I just know she was sick. I think AIDS.” “Is this her daughter?” “That’s right.” “I’ll call Social Services to send someone over.” Nick looked again at Tori then turned to the officer. “No. I’m… I’m her lawyer. I’ll see she has a place to stay tonight.” “Good.” The officer looked at the thin wraith of a girl and added, “We need to get a statement from her… but it can wait ‘til tomorrow.” Nick nodded at the officer. “Thanks.” The officer moved to talk with one of the paramedics. Nick took this opportunity to walk over to Tori. “You can’t stay here tonight,” he said, deferentially. “Mr. Fallin,” the officer called to him from the doorway. “Looks like we’re done here. Can you bring her by the station tomorrow?” “Yes.” “Good. Night, then.” Nick raised a hand in goodbye. “Do you need to pack up some things for the night?” Suddenly, the girl wrapped her arms around his waist and began sobbing against his chest. Surprised by the action, Nick stood momentarily with his arms, useless, at his side. His heart went out to this child. He knew what it was like to lose a mother and feel so totally alone. He slowly put his arms around her and let her cry. After several minutes, she looked up at him, her face streaked with tears. He reached for the handkerchief in his back pocket and handed it to her. “Thanks,” she said, meekly. She wiped her face and blew her nose. “Where am I gonna go?” “I think the Everetts are still interested in being your foster parents. Did you like them?” “I guess.” “Well, it’s late. We need to be going. You want me to help you pack a few things?” “No. I can do it.” She went to the tiny bedroom and in a moment came out with a tote bag. She flicked off the tiny lamp, throwing the room into total darkness. Only the dim light from the hallway filtered into the room. At the door, Tori looked into Nick’s eyes and said, “Thanks, Mr. Fallin… for being here.” He put his arm around her shoulder and they walked down the dingy hall to the stairs and out into the dark night. She settled into the passenger seat and Nick walked around to the driver’s side. Before he opened the door he dialed the number for Mr. and Mrs. Everett. With his back to the car, he waited as the phone rang 3 times before it was answered. “Hello.” “Mr. Everett. This is Nick Fallin,” he whispered into the phone, apologetically. “I know it’s late but…” “It’s after 1:00 o’clock,” Bill Everett growled into the phone. “I know. I know. I’m sorry. I’m here with Tori.” He looked over his shoulder into the car. Tori had fallen asleep. “Her… her mother just died.” “Oh, I’m so sorry.” Bill was now wide awake. Nick could hear Mrs. Everett talking in the background. He heard Bill tell her the news. “I didn’t want her to have to spend the night in a shelter. I thought…” “Of course, Nick. Bring her over.” “Listen… thanks.” Nick realized there were very few people who would be as gracious in the middle of the night. “It’ll probably take me 20 minutes to get there.” “We’ll be waiting.” Nick got in the car, quietly, to avoid waking Tori. She didn’t stir. She looked so small and helpless… and lost. It was traumatic for her to lose her mother, but maybe… just maybe her life would be better now without the worry. ~/~/~/~/~ Nick suddenly sat bolt upright in bed. He was soaked with perspiration. It was a nightmare. He saw himself, standing alone, when they wheeled his mother away—he hadn’t cried. And at the graveside, when they put his mother in the ground—he hadn’t cried. For years after—and even now, sometimes—he thought he heard his mother’s sweet voice calling his name. In the dream, he could see his father calling, but he couldn’t hear him; his father reaching out, but never touching him. He looked at the clock. It was 3:30 AM. It didn’t look like he was going to get any sleep at all tonight. He threw back the covers and sat up on the edge of the bed, running his hands through his hair. After a moment, he stood up and padded to the bathroom where he shed his clothes and stepped into a cold shower. For a long time, he just leaned against the wall of the shower and let the cold water wash over his head and back. Finally, he stepped out of the shower, dried off and trundled back to bed. He pulled the sheet up over his naked body and mercifully fell asleep. TO BE CONTINUED….