Joseph Samuels sat at his desk with his morning cup of coffee. He’d explained to his doctor that he only had one cup of coffee a day, and that was the absolute truth. One cup poured for him around 8:30 in the morning by his secretary and drunk throughout the day even after it had gone stone cold. He’d measured it once and the total truth was that the cup held close to four cups. Semantics, he’d told himself. As a lawyer, semantics was part of the job.
It was almost nine and the start of business, and today business ould start with a meeting with Natalie Sokol, one of his best and brightest lawyers. She had returned to Vancouver after two weeks in Alexandra working to get a young lady who had gone a little insane and castrated the corpse of her rapist and long time tormentor. Covid-19 had delayed the case, but Natalie had come out of it on top. It hadn’t been her usual sort of case, which was convicting rapists, but it was still up her alley.
They had met after he had convicted Aaron Cohen who, as it turned out, had raped Natalie many years before. She had come to him all but begging for a job and Joseph had seen in her a passion for righteousness that called to him to hire her. He had not regretted the decision for an instant. And once again, she had won a victory for Samuels and Sons.
She deserved a pat on the back, at least, and Joseph was ready to give it to her after a nice long victory weekend. The phone on his desk rang and when he answered, his secretary explained that Ms Sokal had arrived. Joseph had her sent in immediately, standing ready to give a victory handshake to start things off.
Natalie steeled herself for her meeting with Joseph Samuels. She revered and respected her boss for his ethics and his amazing work in all areas of the law. She was proud to work for the firm. She was back in her black pantsuit with her heels but had opted for a slightly lower heel today with more support. She was being careful of her body these days. Natalie was coming off a euphoric weekend with Marcus. They had just confirmed with three pregnancy tests that they were having a baby together. She loved Marcus and she hadn’t thought it was possible to love him even more, but it kept growing, like the life inside her. Take a deep breath she nodded to the secretary and went through the office door after being announced “Mr. Samuels.” She greeted respectfully “So good to be back.”
Joseph was moving around his desk and offered his hand to shake. “Ms. Sokal.” he chuckles and gets informal. “Natalie. Welcome home. Please. Sit.” he motions to the chairs and heads behind his desk. “You did an incredible job with Miss Delmonaco. Only a year probation. That deposition from Dr. Singh must have been some power stuff.”
Natalie shakes his hand firmly “Thank you. Mr. Samuels...Joseph” She follows his shift to the informal and eases of the handshake and sits, crossing one leg over the other “I was a remarkable experience. Kira transformed as we worked together. Dr. Singh was commendable in his contribution. You know how they love a psychologist. I think that sealed the deal for Judge Walsh. She was old school that way. And they put me up against Gerlad Sanders on prosecution? That guy needs to retire. He was phoning it in and not just because it was a virtual courtroom. Regardless, it had its own challenges.” She sighs “Joseph, did you know Alexandra has no lawyers? They had one who died and then there’s a retired one who used to be mayor. We could….” She hesitates, careful not to oversell it “We could be useful there. They even have a courtroom.”
Joseph sits back and listens. “Gerlad Sanders is seventy and doesn’t want to retire.” he rolls his eyes. “But they’ll force him too, but in the meantime let’s be happy he’s phoning it in. When he decides to be sharp, he’s very sharp.” he lifts his brows. “I was told that, which is why it was requested we send someone to represent Kira.” he purses his lips. “We could be. You’re right. But are there enough cases to make it worth our while?” he asks. “I hope there isn’t a Kira Delmonaco every month on that island.”
Natalie nods in agreement about Sanders and then puts forth a counter to his questions and dismissals “No I don’t think they have a case like that often, thankfully. But it’s a decent sized community. I mean they’d have deeds to their homes, wills, divorces, contract disputes….and they’re taking all that business somewhere. Kira Delmonaco is my first case from the island. I know there’s a Bitteto connection so you may have had ...others….but why not make that a guarantee. I would consider diversifying my client base and relocation. I quite liked it there.” She doesn’t want to make it too personal. She’d have to reveal her relationship eventually, and much later her pregnancy.
Joseph seems to consider. “So they don’t need a criminal attorney every day. More a jack of all trades attorney like you are.” he steeples his fingers. “Someone who can handle divorces, wills. Mortgages. Mediation of all sorts.” it's both a question and a statement. He purses his lips and looks thoughtful. He grins slightly at the mention of the Bittetto connection. “There are people connected to the Bittettos there, yes. And you do have a point about the town needing legal representation of all kinds.” he looks at her, evenly. “It’s not too small and cut off for you?”
Natalie shakes her head “Nope. I have to admit, it was very relaxing in my off hours. And I should admit another part of it before it bites me in the ass later. There’s someone there I’d like to spend more time with. So as well as loving the town, I do have a personal bias and motivation. You know I’m level headed so it’s always about the work. I wouldn’t be asking about expansion if I didn’t think this town had a need and that Samuel and Sons could benefit from that.”
Joseph arches his brow over his fingers as she tells him that she’s met someone on the island. “I see.” he murmurs. “Now, and please do not think I wish any ill on your relationship, but if it were to fail, do you think you would still want to stay on Alexandra working in any office we might open there?” He is less concerned about her personal life as to how a potential heartbreak might affect her work.
Natalie hates considering this but knows his logic is sound in asking “It’s a completely reasonable question. And yes, I would stay on either way and give it 100%. There’s more in it for me than a man, even though the man is quite nice.” She udnerstates her feelings significantly because she fears if she tells Joseph the depth of her feelings for Marcus and the timeline he’ll think she’s being flighty and foolish. “Joseph, the work comes first, always. I have worked here through the good, the bad and the ugly of almost every romantic relationship I’ve had and two divorces. Did I ever take a mental health day during any of those incidents?” It was true. She had forced herself into her mask of lawyer mornings after the worst emotional night of every break up she’d ever had in her adult life.
Joseph nods. He lifts his hand. “You’ve never missed a day of work, Natalie.” he seems almost to be soothing her. “And you never allowed your personal life to affect your work. I know.” he sighs softly. “Which is why you are the best of the best in this firm. We all do that. Put the job first.” he blows out a breath and reaches for his coffee, drinking deeply of it. “I like your idea.” He departs abruptly from the subject of relationships and work. “But it may take a while to find an office…”
Natalei concedes this “I’m aware of the Covid restrictions and leasing complications. I appreciate your confidence in me Joseph. I don’t take it lightly. Just think it over and know that I’m on board if we can make it happen. It’s a very interesting town. I feel like we could both offer and benefit there.”
Joseph smiles. He’s making all the necessary notes in his head, as he often does. “Would you object to sharing an office space, or does the size of the town and their legal needs not require more than one dedicated layer?” he wonders. “Because you are dedicated but … sometimes …” and he lowers his voice a bit. “We need to consider that work isn’t always the priority. Believe me, I know.”
Natalie took in all that he said and looked very curious about the last part. She hoped Joseph was alright. It sounded very existentially motivated. She also believed it herself, especially lately “I would love to have a legal counterpart as well as perhaps a paralegal unless someone locally happens to have the certification and we can just hire them. I think a balance of two would be wise for many reasons including” She mock gasps “Holidays and sick days if they’re needed.” She goes on “But it would be sound for consultation too. I know in the firm here sometimes all it takes is one of us offering a second read of something, a detached perspective to pick through a deposition or a statement and find those key points we can use.”
Joseph nods his understanding. “Well, once we find an office, we can place an ad locally for a paralegal. And a file clerk, as well. That doesn’t require any formal education.” he grins. “Holidays and sick days are also important. Especially sick days now.” He rolls his eyes a bit. “Forgive me, Natalie. I’m having my own struggles. If not for my position, I would probably run away with you to that island.” he shrugs. “Divorce number three. Once again I work too hard and now I also put myself in too much danger for what the job is worth.” he grins, wondering if she’s heard this during her own troubled marriages. He waves it off. “Forget I said anything. That was grossly unprofessional of me and I’m sorry. Priorities.” he takes a deeper drink from his coffee.
Natalie sighs at Joseph “I’m so sorry. Believe me I understand.” She looks a little more concerned “Is it just divorce...not that that’s not huge...but you’ve mentioned sick days?” She gives a sardonic laugh “Do you need legal counsel? I might know someone.” She jokes.
Joseph offers a small grin. “I didn’t close the office, as you know, so my wife worried about my bringing Covid-19 home with me, even though her chief complaint is that I am always working. Catch-22 meet Covid-19.” he chuckles “No, I think I have a good divorce lawyer. He’s almost a family heirloom, having handled my own father’s last divorce. But it does make me think, Natalie.” he leans forward again. “If we don’t make room for the people we hold dear because we’re making the world a better place as attorneys … what is the point, really?” he steeples his fingers again. “I do get philosophical during the divorce process.”
Natalie shakes her head “She set you up to fail? That’s just unfair. And I agree with you Joseph….that town showed me some of that. This Kira Delmonaco, everything you can imagine happened to her. She was raped as a teen, and then her parents abandoned her and leid telling everyone she was sick so she lost her friend support and connections. She basically ended up as a semi homeless person...she had a house but it was squalor. And then she was exploited on the street.” She exhales and emphasizes her next point with her hand opening and expanding in front of her as she speaks “But then after she hit that breaking point and attacked, castrated, Jack Rose, who by the way was a sick fuck of a serial rapist, the town rallied to her, hand a hige fundraiser for the clean up and renovation of her home, poured out their hearts and souls for her. When I left her she was surrounded by good people wanting to see her through to a better path. I’ve never seen anything like it Joseph, never.”
Joseph shrugs. “It is, but I spent so much time aay to begin with this is … it isn’t hitting me as hard as it should and that is hitting me pretty hard, indeed.” He listens to the details of the Kira Delmonaco story, being given mostly the basics of the case before. “That really is amazing.” He agrees. He scoffs. “Part of me would love to find her parents and sue them for whatever it is they’re worth now to compensate.”
Natalie nods vigorously “I thought that so many times about her parents.” She looks sympathetically at him “Divorce can be draining. Who’s your wife’s counsel?”
Joseph gives her a small frown, but not of anger. “His name is Richard Derksen. I know the name somehow, but I know he didn’t represent the other ex wives. Maybe I am just getting too old for this shit.” he scoffs.
Natalie bursts out laughing “Richard…..no you know him from this ex-wife.” She holds up a hand. “He was my first husband. I worked here then but he didn’t do being my date for any staff social functions. I will say this. He is an excellent divorce attorney and he’ll make it quick and painless. I should have hired him when I was divorcing Vijay….” she jokes, knowing she’s just awful sometimes.
Joseph gets a look of dawning. “Right … and I almost never saw him because he didn't do staff social functions.” he nods and then laughs. “Water under the divorce papers, Natalie. And we should all have eyesight like our hindsight.” he snorts. “Mostly I remember what an asset I thought you would make to our firm and I was right.” he verbally pats himself on the back. “And you've asked me for absolutely nothing all of these years. So I think I will give you your wish and send you off to your island with your fellow.” he nods to himself. “Be nice to have a small town on the letterhead.”
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