Finding Maggie

Chapter Two - Win Some Lose Some

Chapter Two - Win Some, Lose Some

Maggie got up with her alarm clock, groaning as she mustered up the strength to make it to the bathroom. After getting showered and dressed, she went in search of Jessie who was asleep on the sofa and still wearing the same clothes from the night before. Maggie didn't have the heart to wake her so she reheated the pot of coffee she had made earlier, jotted down a note for Jessie, and posted it on the fridge.

At five after nine, Maggie bolted into the court room, panting from the run she had just made from the taxi. "I'm so sorry, Your Honor. Traffic was backed up on the bridge." She huffed as she set her briefcase down on the desk. The judge nodded knowingly and gave Maggie a few moments to catch her breath and consult with her client while her copies got sent up to his bench.  She hated being late but now it was time for her to make her opening remarks and she refused to let her upset nerves get the best of her.

Standing and brushing out her lilac colored suit, Maggie grabbed her legal pad and took a deep breath. Twenty minutes later, she finally wrapped up her speech, eying the judge for any sign that she had hit payday. The man sat back in his leather chair and began stroking his beard. Judge Saxton never stroked his beard unless he was deep in thought and she could tell by the sage-like nodding he was adding onto it that she had just made a home run.

The trial continued on for another few hours until just after one in the afternoon when the judge recessed everyone for lunch. "We will reconvene at two thirty." He ordered, slamming down the gavel and exiting the court room.

Maggie turned and beamed at her client, happy with the day's progress so far.  "Would you like to go get lunch together?"

Her client declined, wishing to eat lunch with her husband who was patiently waiting for her out in the hall.  Maggie packed up her briefcase and turned to leave the court room. With an hour and a half for lunch, she knew exactly where she wanted to grab a bite to eat. Just as she made it past the first set of gates that divided the court from the general public seating, a slight movement to her left caught Maggie's eye.

"Oh Jesus!  You scared me." Maggie said, seeing her blond friend sitting in the back row of pews.

"You shouldn't take the Lord's name in vain, Margret."

Maggie looked around the room to find the two of them completely alone. "Wait, how did you get in here? This is a closed court." She wasn't frightened of Mikhail; she only found him a little strange and maybe a bit esoteric.

"I enjoyed your opening remarks."

"I should hope so. You're the one who wrote it." Maggie noticed that he hadn't answered her question of how he had managed to get in but really it wasn't the top of her concerns.

"Still, you delivered it rather well."

"Thank you."

"Care to join me for lunch?" Mikhail stood and offered to take her briefcase.  Instead of the all-black ensemble from the night before, today he sported a tan three piece suit with a red silk shirt underneath. Even through the fabric, she could make out the corded muscles in his upper arms.  His hair was pulled back, leaving his strong jaw line open and, as if it were possible, making his eyes even brighter.

"Uh, sure." Maggie smiled weakly, tucking her hair in behind her ears. "I know this great little bistro just around the corner. They make fantastic Rubens."

"The choice is entirely yours, I assure you."

Maggie handed Mikhail her case when he offered to carry it and together they left the courthouse. The bistro was swarming with patrons by the time they reached it. It wasn't surprising for the place was famous for its food. With no place to sit inside, Mikhail stood outside and let her go in to order her food. Twenty minutes later, she reemerged from the bistro with two bags in hand. "I forgot to ask what you wanted so I got you a Club. If you don't like it, I'll trade with you." Maggie offered, handing him a sandwich.