“Come on.You can talk to me about cocks, but you can’t tell me other things.”She chuckles, then her voice changes.“Hey, I wasn’t talking to you, asshole.Mind your own business.”She’s angry now, and I realize she’s not somewhere where we can have a private conversation.
“Oh shit.I’m sorry.I didn’t realize you were at work.”
“I’m not.I mean, I am, but not exactly.I’m at the courthouse.There’s this jerk I went to law school with who’s on opposing counsel, and he’s standing here listening in on our convo.”
“You’re the one talking about cocks.”A deep voice comes through the line.“Goddess, you shouldn’t talk about any cock but mine.”
“Ugh, as if.You had your chance and turned me down, so fuck off.”
I hear her heels clicking as she walks away.
“Who was that?”
“Remember that jerk, Kit, who asked me out, then stood me up a couple of years ago?”
I remember this.It was traumatic for her because she really liked him.She complained about him for weeks afterward.Since then, she’s called him “Mr.No-Show.”
“Yeah.”
“Well, that fucker showed up on this case yesterday as a legal consultant for the jerk we’re against.Meanwhile, he’s already running his own cases.Ugh.I hate this old boys’ club where a swinging dick gives you a pass to bigger cases.I’ve been a junior attorney for two years, and I’m sick of it.I’m always third chair or running out to get coffee for the attorneys actually trying the case.”
“It’s bullshit that men get opportunities we don’t.”
Our parents always feared this about Delphi, her need to achieve and prove herself.She pushed herself to graduate at the top of her class.That was another thing about this Kit guy.She beat him more than once, knocking him into second place while she took the top spot.But he still got opportunities she didn’t.Firms chased him with huge offers while she only got a couple.
“Okay, back to what we were talking about.Tell me, Daphy.What else has he said?”
“He wants to give me everything.He wants to dress me and make decisions for me.He’s always telling me to let him worry about things.”
“Things being what?”
“We had a situation with the aquarium board and a conflict of interest, but he took care of it.The problem is he purchased my ticket to the gala, and I know they’re going for like a thousand dollars a plate.I have the money to pay him back, but it still bothers me.”
She sighs.“I’ll be there tomorrow, and I’ll give you my opinion then.I think I know what’s going on, but I want to see him for myself.”
My doorbell rings, and I walk over to look through the peephole.A couple of women are standing there.
“Delly, there are people at the door.I don’t recognize them.”
“Keep me on the phone.I’m heading back to the courtroom, but I won’t hang up until you tell me you’re okay.Paparazzi could have gotten into the building.You need security, and a concierge who doesn’t let anyone up without calling you first.”
I open the door a crack.“Can I help you?”
“We’re here to do your hair and makeup for the gala tonight,” one of them says.
“Um, I was supposed to come to your salon.”
“We were told to come here instead.”
“Give me a moment.”
I push the door closed and check with my sister.
“Delly, they said you told them to come here.The dress and shoes were too much, but this is over the top.”
“Dress and shoes?What are you talking about?”
“The dress and heels you wanted me to get from the boutique.You bought them and had them delivered.”
