But, I’ve been trying to be less of a control freak, and let Vicki have more room. She’s perfectly capable, but we’re so small, it’s hard for me not to take over. She did a pro bono immigration hearing at one point and that went well.
I was glad she took that over, because I was swamped with a high profile, high paying murder case. I genuinely didn’t have time for the sweet little old lady who made homemade tamales and missed her visa renewal deadline however much I sympathized with her.
But, today, was Vicki’s first real trial. It was for a craft shop that sold handmade pottery and candles. The owners had divorced a couple of years ago, and he allegedly deceived her into signing over her ownership of the store.
The wife was originally going to sue to get her half of the store back, but then realized that that would mean they would have to interact to run it together. Now, she wanted him to buy her out. He thought that was preposterous, and stood by the initial contract.
Vicki had done all of the work on it, and I had successfully resisted my urges to take over. Now, this was her trial, and I was tagging along for support, and because technically I was her boss. Although, I suspected she’d throw my grandmother’s ring in the ocean if I ever insinuated as much.
We arrived at the courthouse in Flagstaff. It was a small white columned, stately building.
“Have you heard from the client?” I asked Vicki as I parked.
“Yes,” she said. “Topaz is almost here.”
“Topaz,” I smirked and shook my head as I remembered woman that he flitted in and out of our office. Topaz was definitely the right name for her.
“Be nice,” Vicki smiled as we exited the vehicle.
“What are you talking about?” I protested as we walked up the sidewalk. “I’m always nice.”
“Mhhm,” she said. “She thinks you have a negative aura. She says you have emotional blockage and you need to clean and heal your aura.”
“Is that right?” I sighed. “I definitely have the aura of a caffeine deficiency. Can she heal that one?”
Vicki laughed. “I think she’s talking about your cynical edge.”
“I’m sure that’s exactly what she’s talking about,” I said. I smiled at Vicki and looked her over thoughtfully.
“Do you think I’m overly cynical?” I asked my fiancee.
She smiled and shook her head.
“I love everything about you,” she answered softly. “I don’t know what I’d do without that biting Henry Irving wit. Don’t ever lose your edge, Henry.”
I wanted nothing more than to kiss her right then, but we were on the courthouse steps. We had to go in right now, because there was a case. There was always a case.
We walked inside to the courthouse lobby. God, I had been in so many of these things. Vicki cast one last smile at me, before she click clacked across the linoleum to the clerk to file the paperwork. I stood in the lobby and stuck my hands in my pockets. This was her show. I had to let her run it. I was just here to sit back and enjoy the ride.
Topaz arrived not long after. She was a tall woman with blue dreadlocks pulled back in a pink headband. She wore a burgundy robe pulled over harem style pants in a blue paisley pattern.
“Topaz,” Vicki greeted her and the client burst into wide smiles.
“I’m so nervous,” Topaz placed her palm over her abdomen. “I’ve had butterflies in my stomach all night.”
Vicki flashed her a winning smile.
“Don’t worry about it,” my fiancee’s voice was silk. “We’ve got this one in the bag. Just stick to everything we rehearsed and you’re going to be fine.”
“You really think so?” Topaz asked.
“Absolutely,” Vicki winked at me and Topaz finally noticed me.
“Good to see you Topaz,” I shook her hand.
“Henry,” she said, her voice breathy with anxiety. “They say you guys are the best. I just can’t believe my ex would stoop this low.”
“Well,” I said. “We’re gonna get you--”
At that point, we heard shouting and a bearded man with shoulder length black curls entered in a similar robe.
“Topaz,” he yelled. “What the fuck are you doing?”
“You’re going down, Onyx,” she yelled. “I’ve got lawyers, and it’s over, bitch. You thought you could screw me, but--”
“I don’t even know who you are anymore,” he shouted back. If his lawyers weren’t blocking his way, he would have approached us. As it was, half a dozen cops rushed to the scene.
But that didn’t stop either of them.
“We are a people of peace,” Onyx yelled to Topaz, “that was the covenant agreement. We don’t do legal. We do harmony and peace and love. You’ve violated everything we stand for.”
“Is that right?” Topaz shouted. She puffed her chest out, and with long, aggressive strides, charged toward Onyx.
“Whoa, whoa,” I admonished and both Vicki and I blocked her path.
“Calm down,” Vicki soothed her.
“Maybe if you hadn’t slept with my sister, you douche bag,” Topaz screamed at Onyx.
What the…?
“Your sister, your sister, your sister,” Onyx mocked back. “Your sister’s a fucking slut that’s screwed half of Sedona. What’s one more notch on her lipstick case?”
“Oh, you--” Topaz rushed toward Onyx and I grabbed her arm to stop her from attacking the defendant.
Cops were everywhere now and I couldn’t keep track of all the yelling.
“Get control of your clients, people,” one officer yelled out.
I stuck myself in Topaz’s direct eye range. “Unless you want to get arrested,” I spoke in a slow halting tone, “you’re going to have
