Justice in Love

Ch. 56 Sick

The following week, I was working like crazy. It was exhausting. I was seeing at least ten cases a day--so many my head was spinning.

I was at work one day, my energy withering. My two cups of coffee had no effect on me or my mood--I was in a dreadful mood.

There was a knock on my door.

"Come in," I snapped.

Andy looked in. He took a breath. "You okay?"

"No," I snapped.

He didn't come in. "I have some bad news."

"What?"

"We're out of coffee."

My world stopped. Everything had been going wrong--the printer broke, my favorite pen ran out of ink, I had too many cases, my computer wasn't cooperating--and now we were out of coffee? Oh hell no. No. I couldn't get through the last three hours of work without coffee.

My eye began to twitch.

"Also, you have court in two minutes."

I nodded.

He left me alone.

I collected the case file and zipped my robe up. I ran a couple hands through my hair. Three hours. I could make it.

I stormed to court.

Andy announced me.

I went in and sat down. "How does the defense plea?"

"Not guilty, Your Honor," a familiar voice spoke.

I looked up.

Louis stood by Peter, Evan, and Reed. The guys looked a little nervous, a bit concerned.

My eye twitched again. I wasn't going to make it without coffee, not this case.

"Let's get started then," I spoke, looking down at the case file. How did I not realize it was Louis's case? Probably because it had been an hour since I'd had a full cup of coffee.

The prosecutor, Wickman, stood. He spoke, "My client has been working for Mr. Robinson for-"

"He's a Senator," I reminded him.

"Your Honor-"

"I understand we're here for a sexual assault case, but nonetheless, he should be called by his proper title."

"Your Honor, he could get jail time for this and you think I should respect the man enough to give him his dignified title?"

"Mr. Wickman, I am not in the mood to fight with you today. Call him by his title or get out of my courtroom--your choice," I snapped.

His eyes widened. "My client has worked for Senator Robinson for nearly six years. She's worked alongside him through elections and legislation--she's seen him through a lot. She works late hours and she does as she's told, which was fine. . . Until Senator Robinson took it to far. Slowly and discreetly, the Senator would make passes at my client. It made her uncomfortable, so she would repeatedly ask him to stop. When he threatened her job, she endured. Finally, after months of assault, she quit her job. She could no longer work for him."