Page 11 of Too Good to Be True

Rowan

“ H ow are you doing?” Paul sits next to me on the wooden bench just outside the courtroom where the preliminary hearing is taking place.

“What are you doing here?”

He hands me a cup of coffee. I take it. “I thought I’d drop by.”

“You never come to my trials unless I need an assistant.”

“I thought a little backup would help.”

“Don’t you have anything better to do? No hearing to prepare for?”

“Not today. I’m all yours.”

“I don’t need any help.”

“You never do.”

“Are you flattering me now? Hmm… What did I miss?”

“Your client, I presume.” He glances at the watch on his wrist. “Where is he?”

I look at the time, too. “I’m sure he’ll be here any minute.”

At least, I hope so. Our last meeting didn’t go well. Let’s say I went too far. Or maybe he overreacted. In any case, now I find myself here alone, waiting for a hearing to begin that I may have to conduct without my client.

“The opposition is already looking ferocious.” Paul points to Mrs McCormack’s lawyers sitting on the opposite bench. “Have you met the client?”

“Yes, and it was not pleasant.”

“What do you mean?”

Just then, Mrs McCormack rejoins her lawyers after stepping away for a few minutes. She has instructed Banks, Green she exudes confidence and determination. She is well-off, both socially and financially. She seems to be someone who knows exactly what she is doing and is sure she will win.

“I’m beginning to regret taking this case.”

“Didn’t you come here for encouragement?”

“That was before…” Paul’s attention moves elsewhere. “Oh, shit.”

“What?” I turn immediately to see Seth running up. His shirt is off, and his jacket is crumpled; he looks like someone who hadn’t slept last night and was sent here by mistake.

I sigh heavily.

“He doesn’t even wear a tie,” I say through my teeth as Seth joins us.

“I know, I know, I know.” He waves his hands in front of his face. “I’m terribly late, but we came by bus, and it took forever, and then Emily had to go to the toilet, so Ross took her, and Mason and Logan hadn’t had breakfast, so Mr Yang took them to the…”

“Good morning, Seth.” The children’s grandmother approaches us, making Seth jump.

“Oh my God, Shonda.”

“I find you…” her eyes move down Seth’s body, top to bottom, of course. “Agitated. Like always.”

“I don’t… What…”

“I see bad habits persist.”

“What do you mean…”

Mrs McCormack gives me a quick look, then turns back to Seth. “We could have spared the children all this.”

“You’re telling me?” Seth raises his voice.

I put a hand on his shoulder, hoping to calm him down.

“You should have given up.”

“That’s not…” he takes a deep breath, then says in a shaky voice, “It was Mark and Jillian who wanted the kids in my care.”

“That doesn’t mean you are the right person for the job. You should step aside and let me take care of them from now on.”

“That will never happen.”

“I see.” She nods slowly, then looks around. “And where are the kids?”

“What’s going on?” Mason’s voice reaches us just then.

“Oh, there you are.” Mrs McCormack slowly turns to face them. She glances at them, just as she did with Seth, then turns her attention to Ross and Mr Yang. A smile that precedes victory finds its way to her lips. “You’ve grown up.”

Mason and Logan instinctively cling to Emily, which makes my anger and blood boil.

“If we’re done.” I step forward. “I need to discuss with my client in private.”

“Sure.” Again, that smile, that confidence. “I’ll leave you to your discussions. I’ll see you later,” she concludes, turning to the kids.

“Don’t get your hopes up too high,” Mason replies in a tone that doesn’t sit well with Mrs McCormack.

“I see you’re bringing them up nicely,” she says sarcastically to Seth. “Fortunately, I’ll take it from here,” she then walks away, leaving us all in utter despair.

“brEATHE, UNCLE SETH.” Logan encourages Seth, who is trying to return to normal breathing with the help of a paper bag, which Ross promptly remedies.

“It’s OK,” Emily reassures him as she gently massages his back.

“I’m sorry,” he tells the kids, his voice muffled by the bag. “I’m sorry,” he repeats, this time turning to me.

“There’s nothing to be sorry for,” Ross comforts him. “You didn’t do anything wrong. Someone else instead…”

I look sideways at Ross. “That doesn’t help.”

“Well, you saw her too, the Wicked Witch of the West.”

“Please, Ross.” Seth drops the bag. “Not in front of the kids.”

Ross holds up his hands in apology. “They know I’m right too.”

“That’s not helping either,” I say, raising my voice slightly, hoping to calm everyone down.

Unfortunately, these things happen. Someone often gets a little carried away when they meet in the corridors during court trials.

“I should not have allowed this meeting.” I take responsibility because I'm the one who made it happen.

“It’s nobody’s fault,” Paul says. “And blaming yourself won’t help. Believe me.”

“What… what can we do now?” Mr Yang asks hopefully.

“Be quiet and calm during the hearing. That would help a lot,” I tell him.

“I’ll do that.”

I rub my already exhausted forehead with two fingers. It's certainly not the first time the parties have indulged in comments or worse, but this case… I don’t know. It makes me particularly nervous, and I’m never anxious.

I should not have agreed to represent Seth. I shouldn’t have got involved like that.

It was all Paul’s fault. That’s it. If there is anyone to blame, it’s him.

“May I have a few minutes with my client in private?” I ask addressing to I don’t even know who.

“Sure.” Paul makes himself useful by asking the children to follow him. “We’ll take a seat in the courtroom.” Ross and Mr Yang also follow eagerly.

I remain finally alone with Seth.

I sit down next to him and put my hand on his shoulder. Seth slowly turns his head towards me. His kind, frightened eyes hold me hostage for a few moments.

“We can’t lose it now.”

Am I saying that to him or myself?

“I know. I’m sorry.”

“Stop apologising.”

“You’re right. I’m a mess. That’s who I am.” He covers his face with both hands. Only in that do I notice the nail polish.

“Seth.”

“Hmm?”

“Did you at least get some sleep after last night at the club?”

“Not really,” he admits, his eyes wrinkling.

“You didn’t even…” I point to his fingers. Only then does Seth notice the nail polish.

“You say that’s a problem?”

I want to tell him that it’s not. It’s definitely not for me nor the children who adore him, the way he makes them feel safe and loved.

I wish I could tell him that I think he’s perfect just the way he is, chaos and fear and all, and that everything looks good on him, especially those tight shorts he’s sewn on with his own fingers, but I can’t let the thoughts go that free. I can’t let this case go to hell.

I can’t let anyone take the kids away from this man.

“I say you have to be careful about everything.”

“I can never be that person.”

“What person are you talking about?”

“A person a judge would trust with three children.”

“It’s not all black and white, Seth. You know that, don’t you?” I smile at him because he needs to loosen up right now, or this trial will be an unmitigated disaster.

“Tell me about it.” He smiles, too, sweet, sexy dimples appearing at the corners of his mouth. “I hate black. It goes against everything I believe in.”

“I can imagine. That’s why I appreciate the effort today.” I allude to his blue suit. It’s not black, but it’s dark and low-key.

“About yesterday,” he begins, uncertain. “I wanted to apologise for my behaviour.”

“This isn’t the time to talk about it.” I stand and walk away, just far enough so that I don’t have to see the pain in his eyes. I’ve recently discovered that I can’t stand it, mainly because I know—I feel— that he’s sincere.

Seth stands up, too. “I shouldn’t have left like that, saying those things… It’s just that sometimes I’m too sensitive.”

I turn to him. The words echo inside me as if they came from something we now share.

“It’s one of my biggest flaws.”

He makes it sound like being kind and truthful is something he needs to apologise for.

He says it as if it’s a problem for me.

I open my mouth, ready to talk back when the rest of the company returns.

“Are you ready?” Paul asks as he joins us. The others stay a few steps away as if to give us a few more moments. “I think they’re about to start.”

“What do you think, Seth?” I look at him.

“I’m…” He sighs heavily. “Ready. I think.”

“Hmm… Not like that,” Paul comments before taking off his tie and putting it around Seth’s neck.

“What are you…?”

“Trust me,” Paul reassures him as he ties his tie.

I look at my friend, grateful that he felt the need to come to my rescue today, and then I look at Seth, hoping that somewhere inside him, he will find the strength to fight because I am ready to do so at his side.