Andy grabbed the two tickets off the counter, then followed Russell outside where he found Darrell jabbing Floyd T. with his shoe.
'Get out of my way, you stinkin' bum.'
Andy vaulted past Russell and pushed Darrell in the chest as hard as he could; the ape barely budged.
'Leave him alone, you big jerk!'
The big jerk grabbed Andy by the shoulders and squeezed; the pressure of Darrell's stubby fingers pressing deep into his bones made Andy's knees buckle. He thought he would faint when he heard Russell's calm voice.
'Let him go, Darrell.'
Darrell's dark eyes moved off Andy and onto his billionaire boss.
'Now.'
Darrell released his grip. Andy almost fell to the pavement.
'Apologize.'
Darrell sighed and turned to Andy.
'Sorry for grabbing you and-'
'Not him. Floyd T.'
' What? '
'Apologize to Floyd T.'
Darrell pointed down at Floyd T. 'To a homeless bum?'
'To a war hero.'
'A war hero?'
'Yes. Floyd T. is a decorated war hero, Darrell. He gave his leg for his country. You should respect that.'
Darrell's face softened; he looked down at Floyd T.
'Hey, man, I'm sorry. For calling you a bum.'
Floyd T. turned an expressionless face up to Darrell and said, 'Asshole.'
Russell laughed. 'Touche, Darrell.'
Darrell shook his head and returned to his position by the limo. Russell handed a $100 bill to Floyd T.
'Sorry, Floyd T.'
Floyd T. took the bill.
'Thanks, Russell. But you shouldn't employ assholes. You can't trust them.'
'You're probably right.'
Andy and his client climbed the stairs to the little office. Andy propped open the window and checked to make sure that Darrell wasn't bullying Floyd T. again.
'That was nice, what you did for Floyd T.'
'Just a hundred bucks.'
'No, making Darrell apologize.'
'Floyd T. earned it.'
'I didn't know you two had met.'
'First time I stopped by, when you weren't here. We visited a while. He's a human being, Andy. And an interesting one.'
'Darrell's lucky Floyd T. was sitting down. If he was standing, he might've taken his leg off and beaten the hell out of Darrell with it.'
Russell sighed. 'Darrell is… Darrell.'
'Why do you have a guy like him working for you?'
'Because it's hard to find a compassionate bodyguard, Andy.' He shook his head. 'It's the world we live in. I'm worth fifteen billion dollars, so I'm vulnerable to kidnapping. So is my wife. So I need a bodyguard. Being wealthy has its benefits, but there are burdens, too.'
They sat across the card table from each other.
'I just drove by the development sites.'
' Renovation sites.'
'Construction is progressing well. I knew you were the right lawyer for that job, Andy.'
'Thanks.'
'And I think you're the right lawyer for this job.'
'What job?'
Russell leaned back.
'Andy, I want to make amends.'
'For what?'
'The past. I've reexamined my life and found it wanting.'
'Wanting for what? You're a billionaire.'
'For what money can't buy. Peace. I'm not proud of everything I've done, Andy. I deeply regret certain of my actions.'
He sounded like that senator who had gotten caught with his pants down in an airport bathroom. Andy nodded.
'I know what you mean, Russell. Fortunately, my mind has blocked out the memories.'
'Because of the psychic pain?'
'Because of the Coronas.'
'Oh. Well, what I've done is a bit more serious than getting drunk and making a fool of myself.'
He didn't know about making a fool of himself.
'Andy, I-'
Andy had tried to lighten the moment, but Russell was having none of it. He remained deadly serious. Andy was sure his client was about to confess to murder.
— 'I didn't treat the women in my life well.'
Andy realized he had been holding his breath; he exhaled. That's it? But then he thought, Maybe he had abused them, although any womyn in SoCo could kick Russell Reeves' ass into next week. He didn't have the body mass to abuse women.
'Your wife?'
'My girlfriends.'
'What happened?'
The billionaire across the card table sighed.
'I loved them and left them.'
'You mean, you broke up with your girlfriends?'
Russell nodded.
'But you didn't hurt them… physically?'
'Oh, no. I just left them without concern for their emotional pain. I thought only about myself.'
'So you're feeling guilty about your ex-girlfriends, from what, fifteen, twenty years ago?'
Russell nodded again.
'How many are we talking-one, two?'
'Seventeen.'
' Seventeen? You had seventeen girlfriends? Before you were rich?'
He shrugged. 'I have a great personality.'
'You must also have the biggest…' Andy shook his head. 'Seventeen. Wow. That's impressive, Russell.'
'Andy, haven't you thought about your old girlfriends? Wondered where they're at, how they're doing?'
'I've only had one girlfriend, back in fourth grade. Mary Margaret McDermott. She's married to a doctor, got four kids.'
'You're twenty-nine and your last girlfriend was in fourth grade?'
'Until now. Thanks to you.'
'Me?'
'You pay me well.'
Russell Reeves smiled. 'Yes, I suppose a Whole Foods girl doesn't come cheap.'
