I'll fight your fight

I can't, it's going to crush her

"Have you heard about the meeting this morning?" Regine asked Jema.

"No. What's it about?" She asked.

Regine rolled her chair towards Jema's table to talked much lighter. "They are finding someone who could be a potential partner for this firm."

Partners of the firm literally means that you have a partnership with the people that you work for. They have shares with all the firm has like profits and such, also decision making that can affect the whole company. 

"And they are looking from our team?"

Regine nodded. "The most successful team so far." She leaned into her chair with confidence and sighed. "I can almost reach it in my hands. My own room, partner in this firm. I'm confident they will choose me."

Jema smiled as she looked at her friend finally fulfilling her dream.

"Jema." Jasmine called her from her office.

"What?!" Regine almost couldn't believe it.

Jema looked at her and tries to come up with an excuse that could make her friend relax. "I just finished a horrible case and the paper work is sloppy. Maybe she just wants to clarify something. It's not... that. Okay? It's yours."

She stood up and walked gracefully towards Jasmine's room. She closed the door behind her.

"Please tell me they didn't chose me the partner." She sat in front of her table as Jasmine stood and walked towards the window to close the blinds.

She walked back and sat in her lap before she kissed her passionately and moaned with every move.

"I love you, you know that right?" Jasmine asked her.

"And I, you. So please tell me they didn't"

"They did."

"Babe...." She was about to contest with the news because this will crush her friend.

"They did, but not because of me, but because of you. You are the best in your job. They can't find any flaws from your work."

"I can't, okay? Please tell them to give it to Regine. She's been working much longer and harder than me."

"I'm not in the position to tell the board that 'hey guys I think you made a mistake. You should choose sloppy Regine instead of the great Jema Galanza'. Its not like that babe. You know that." Jasmine walked back to her desk and leaned. "It's already done."

"I can't, it's going to crush her."

"I'm sorry. There's nothing I can do really. And the sloppy paperwork on your latest case. It didn't helped. You just proved to them that you are a human." Jasmine gave the folder back to Jema as she stood up to walked back to her office and fix the paperwork.

As she was about to open the door, Jasmine talked. "Oh, and they have this series of conference for all of the new partners on sister companies, and since you are one of them, you'll be included. It's in the Philippines."

Jema's knees wiggled with the news. "What?"

"Same reaction. You get to go back."

"You? You're coming with me right?"

"Actually no. You'll be alone. This is to test your abilities."

"Uhm..."

"I know what you are thinking. But Philippines is a huge place for you guys to "accidentally" meet. Unless she's a lawyer now and be there in the conference so... It's gonna be fine."

Jema, stunned to speak, was just standing there.

"You love me right?" Jasmine asked, expecting a positive answer from her partner.

"Yes." Jema said before Jasmine could react.

Jema blinked many times as she tries to process the news. This day doesn't gets better by the minute.

***

"She deserves it. After all the night schooling, hard work, and late night at the office. She's finally a partner. Guys, let's congratulate Deanna." Bea announced to the team. Applaud and cheers roared in the room.

Deanna showed an almost fake smile as she raised her glasses to the crowd and took a sip.

"Please at least show a little bit of excitement." Bea whispered.

Deanna forced a full smile and laughed.

"Congratulations buddy." Bea said and shook Deanna's hand. "Oh and there will be a series conference for all the new partners this coming Saturday. It's time to impress the people that needs to be impressed, okay? Show them some Caplan and Goulde pride."

Deanna smiled and nodded.

As the night became deeper, Deanna went back to her suite and opened a bottle of beer from the fridge. She looked at the printed articles that was pinned in her board.

"Years after the Deanna Wong case, a concern citizen found a mysterious bag that was near their home, near Pasig river area. She called the police immediately and the police found a sniper rifle in that bag and now on the search of the person who owns the lethal weapon. Back to the studio."

"Jema Galanza pleaded guilty in accessory to murder of her own fiancé, Fhen Emnas. Her mother, who was diagnosed with dementia is now the primary culprit and is now on an hospital arrest in a maximum security hospital in New Jersey. The former best attorney will serve at least 1 year in prison and will be going up into parole after."

She wants to touch and open the case again but words from Bea always pops in her head.

"I'm sorry about Jema. I know you still love her and she back. But to be honest. She did the right thing."

Something is still tinkling her mind and she opened the drawer that contains the sealed folder containing the case files from Jema's case.

But her thought moved into the fact that she's a partner of the firm now. She has to focus on what has been served into her plate.

She closed the drawer and called the night.

***

"Deanna Wong, Caplan and Goulde, Philippines." She introduced herself to other lawyers as the event went along.

"Jema Galanza from Credible Criminal Defenses, New York." She introduced herself to the crowd, too. Even her face was too familiar to some, she still wanted to let the public know that she's representing one of the firm that rose to fame since she joined.

The first day of the conference went smoothly as planned.

Jema called a taxi and went back to hotel.

Deanna, as well, got into her car and drove back to her suite. After she parked, she checked her phone for updates on her active cases.

Jema, walked towards the lobby and pushed the elevator on her right.

Deanna, still on her phone, not really minding her environment, eyes glued on her phone, pushed the elevator to her left.

Jema, looking and appreciating the beautiful chandelier that is hanging directly up her.

The elevator rang and they both stepped inside.

Different elevators.

Deanna sighed and looked to her right.

She saw her own reflection. She was lifted by the elevator to her suite floor alone.

Jema sighed and looked to her left.

She saw her own reflection. She was lifted by the elevator to her hotel room alone.