I swore as Tessie announced again, “Sullen Silverado said, ‘Thanks for coming to the wedding too. Nice to know you supported me throwing away a fiancée, but not marrying the love of my life. Ulterior motives, clearly.’”
A string of expletives came out now. Iwashappy for him and Lemon. Ridiculously. And I’d thought gifting them three nights at a fancy cabin on the Skyline Drive would’ve shouted that loud and clear. Should’ve known Silas wouldn’t care about that. He could not be bought off, even if I was smack-dab in the middle of the biggest case of my career.
I’d wanted to be at the wedding. Really, really wanted to. It killed me not to see him finally getthegirl. But they’d given me three days’ notice. And my boss, Wellington Sipsby, had made it clear that if I’d come down last weekend, I wouldn’t have been able to come this weekend to do what needed to be done. Hopefully, by tomorrow night, Silas would be pounding me on the back, forever in my debt.
An incoming call rang through the speakers. I smiled atthis number and pressed the green call button on the touchscreen instrument panel.
“What’s up, Anaphylaxis?” My current nickname of choice for my niece.
“Please, please,pleasetell me you’re on your way.” The tremble in her voice said she was in no mood for joking around. “We’ve got this, right?” Her mom, my sister, Sophie, had passed away three and a half months ago and the court date for the ruling on who would be Anna’s guardian was tomorrow morning.
“Kiddo,” I softened my tone. “Yes. You can stop stressing. I’ll be there by the time you’re done with volleyball practice. I promise. Granny and Gramps are expecting me to bring you home after.”
There was a tiny exhale of relief. “I just really want this to work, you know? It’s killing me that Uncle Si and Aunt Lemon are over there, living their best lives without me.” Yes, I knew. She’d called me every day since Silas and Lemon had announced their three-day whirlwind engagement and every day since they’d tied the knot.
I sighed. “Anna. I can promise you, if you’re not with them, they aren’t living their best lives. It is killing them.” Lemon had told me as much when I’d called to let her know I wouldn’t be able to make it to the wedding.
“What if the judge doesn’t care? What if she only sees the mistakes that were made?”
I didn’t want to tell her what she didn’t want to hear, but I also needed her to be realistic. I was a lawyer. Not a miracle worker. “Then you live with Granny and Gramps. Silas and Lemon will still be a big part of your life.”
After a few seconds of silence, she said, “I know. I’m just…I’m having really bad FOMO. Brooklyn says I shouldn’t use that word anymore. It’scheugy.” I swear I could hear her eyesroll. I wanted to rollmyeyes. Cheugy? So Gen Z was just making up words now.
“Did you talk to Granny and Gramps yet?” I didn’t try to keep the hope out of my voice.
“No,” she said sharply. “And we’re not going to.” It was an adorable threat. “If Granny knows, she might try to stop us.”
I wasn’t sure Anna knew the hurt it was going to cause if my parents weren’t aware that she was planning to fight to the death for Silas and Lemon to be her legal guardians. But if I didn’t let Anna do this her way, and it turned out badly, she’d never forgive me or my parents. It was her life. She was the one who had to live with whatever happened tomorrow. As her lawyer, it was her interests I had to be committed to. Even if I was working pro bono. And, if I was honest, I felt a duty to Sophie. She’d wanted Anna to be with Silas and Lemon.
I scrubbed a hand over my face. “Okay. If you’re sure. You go ahead to practice or you’ll be late.”
“And you be on time, too. No stopping for snacks.” Her stern bossiness sounded just like her mom, and I had to bite the inside of my cheek not to laugh out loud. She knew me too well. I was already planning where the next Sheetz gas station was. I loved their milkshakes. “There’s a short parents’ meeting at the end of practice, and I need you to sign a form before we leave.”
Just then, another call came in.
“Yes, ma’am.” I saluted.
“You just saluted. Didn’t you?”
“I would never.” I chuckled. “See you soon, Annaconda.”
I pressed end and accepted the next call from my summer intern, Audrey. I let out a large exhale as the call switched over. If there were a picture for the term “ball of nerves,” it would be Audrey. I usually didn’t let other people’s anxiety bleed over into my life, but Audrey was a quick-witted, filterless,shaky chihuahua. When she was around, tension was inevitable.
“Hello?” I answered, forcing calm and confidence into my tone. Maybe if I kept shoveling it in her direction, some of it would stick.
“I’m so sorry to bother you, Mr. Dupree?—”
“Just Holden, Audrey.” We did this every time we talked. And we’d do it again next time. Not sure why calling me by my first name like everyone else in our office was so intimidating, but it made her twitchy. Literally. Whenever I said my first name, her left eye would start flicking in quick upward movements, reminiscent of someone about to have a grand mal seizure.
“H-Holden.” I heard her swallow through the speaker. “Sir, I really think you should come back. I don’t think…no, Ican’trun the meeting tomorrow with Senator Bromhorst. He’s been calling here?—”
“Audrey, we’ve already been over this.” I pinched the bridge of my nose. Sometimes dealing with this woman was like trying to nail jelly to a wall. “Trixie is covering the meeting tomorrow. I need you to defer to her.” I spoke distinctly and slowly. “I have to focus on my niece for the next twenty-four hours.”
“But, Mr. Dupree?—”
“Holden, Audrey.” I cut her off, maxed out. “You’ve got this. Trixie’s got this. Chill.” Finally, there was silence. “Youarecapable. You are going to be a great lawyer.” Once you go to therapy and get on some medication. “If you have concerns, I need you to go to Trixie. And Audrey?”
“Yes, sir.” Her tone was ashamed, like a puppy who’d been caught ripping open a bag of trash.
