It's partner day!
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On my drive to the office in my new car, I'd cried.
I cried harder than I'd ever cried before. Harder than when I found out I'd been accepted to Columbia. Harder than when I got my first job. Harder than when Mark left me. Harder than when Spencer had spited me in his office.
I cried for all the things I had lost. I cried for the scenarios and dreams I had pictured of being a lawyer. Most of all, I cried for the little Mexican girl in Queens who had explored the library and come across her first law book aged nine. I cried for my lost potential.
Boone and Webster wasn't everything. I had a family that loved me, friends who cared about me and a boyfriend who practically kissed the ground I walked on. Yet, right now, in that very moment, Boone and Webster was everything to me. It was what I'd been working for without even knowing it.
When I'd joined the company as an intern before I'd even left Columbia, I was full of big hopes and dreams. It was just like I was a little girl again. I could vividly remember trying to fit in with older executives and all of my young, fiercely determined colleagues – people I'd now come to consider as friends. I could remember the day Mr. Webster had given me my own office. The day I became head of criminal. The day I was made a senior associate.
I'd come so far so quickly, there was no wonder my downfall would be catastrophic – Icarus flying too damn close to the sun.
Alicia had dressed me in a fuchsia sheath dress with a matching jacket and silver heels. My hair was pinned up, but left in its natural state. It was a power-play look, she said, and looked sexy as hell. But despite her pep talk and convincing, my mood was dour as I composed myself and stepped out of the car.
Jared Alexander was the natural choice. Harvard Law Grad, he'd aced the LSAT exam and had a glowing reputation in the court room. DAs loved him. Clients flocked to his door. And in the six years I'd known him, he'd only lost one case.
Boone Webster Alexander.
It has a certain ring to it.
Besides that, Jared was a nice guy. He was cut-throat and brutal, but had a genuinely nice persona, something that the partners no doubt appreciated. I could be happy for him. I would be happy for him.
Doing exactly what Alicia said, I smiled at every single person I walked past on the executive floor of Boone and Webster as I walked over to my office. It was safe to say many people were surprised to see me on decision day. The news of the Cassandra Johnson case had obviously spread and the fact I wasn't taking on any new cases had been the hot gossip of the office, according to Aaron.
No longer were there associates vying for my attention and waving papers around in my face, trying to reel me in. Instead...there was the normal office hubbub - keyboard being typed upon, phone calls being made, distant arguments about cases. The sound of silence.
Unperturbed, I made a beeline for my office, merely acting as normal. It was the best way to try and put this all behind me and the most efficient way of keeping my job.
It seemed as if as soon as I put my hand to my office door keypad to enter my code, Aaron materialized out of nowhere.
He looked disheveled. His navy suit was pressed, but his tie was loose around his neck and his collar half up and half down.
"Adriana!" he exclaimed, walking up to me quickly, "Where the hell have you been?"
I arched an eyebrow at the heavily panting Aaron, "And good morning to you too, Mr. Carter! What can I do for you?"
"I've been looking for you absolutely everywhere! For hours!" he replied, "I've looked everywhere, every single wing and floor of the office, plus I ran down to the bakery and the restaurant I know you frequent. I even called Montgomery, for goodness sake! And I've been blowing up your phone and you haven't been answering me! Where were you?"
Frowning, I checked my phone. And there, clear as day, were 15 missed calls from my junior associate, with an extra three from the front desk. How could I have missed them? Was I wallowing in my own self-pity that much that I hadn't heard the incessant ringing of my phone? It seemed like it.
"Aaron, I—" I shrugged, unable to give him a coherent explanation as to why I'd been AWOL this morning, "I don't know what to tell you. I just didn't see your calls. I wasn't planning on coming in today because...well...you know."
Aaron sighed, his whole body slumping, shooting me a sympathetic glance, "I know. And I'm sorry. But that's what I was looking for you for."
"What do you mean?" I said, leaning up against my door.
"It's.... Boone...and Webster. They...Adriana...."
"What is it?" I questioned, dread filling my gut, "What's wrong?"
He looked at me with wide green eyes, "They've called you into a meeting. They want to see you at the earliest possible availability. And you know what that means. You drop everything and run. They've wanted to see you since 9am this morning."
"Shit!" I exclaimed, the truth now settling itself into my stomach. Boone and Webster moved fast. How could I possibly forget that?
I was being fired. Today.
It made sense. When they appointed the new partner this evening, they would need a united firm, particularly in the senior executive department. There would have to be a complete support of the new partner, no animosity, no envy, no jealousy. And with their young, scorned executive that came in the five foot five female package that was me? I usually didn't take things lying down and they knew it. Get rid of anyone opposed to the decision and the new partner could settle in easy.
"Already?" I sighed, lamenting.
"I'm really sorry, Adriana." He whispered, looking down, "It's not fair."
"I know...I guess this is really it, then," I exhaled deeply, "Aaron?"
"Yes?"
"I just wanted to let you know that these past two years have been..." emotion clogged my throat, "It's been an honor and a privilege working with a bright young man such as yourself. You're only twenty-three, and to see how far you've come already...it's astounding."
"Adriana...I—"
Finally looking up at me, his eyes were watery and filled with tears. But I fought mine back. I would not cry. Not again. Not today. That was one promise I wouldn't break.
"Don't. Aaron, please."
"Working with you has been the best experience of my life. I'll never forget it, I swear to you. And I'll make you proud." He ran a hand over his eyes, "I promise."
I caught my breath at his emotional response, still fighting back my own tears from spilling down my cheeks. In a move uncharacteristic of me in the office, I pulled the six foot man into my arms, "You keep in contact, you hear me? I want to hear good things. And your name on the door one day, do you understand me?"
"Yes, Ma'am." He choked, squeezing me back tight.
I extricated myself from his arms and wiped my eyes, straightening my jacket and tucking my hair behind my ear.
Showtime.
*
Eric Boone and Simon Webster had separate offices. But there was one which they favoured for meetings and that was Simon's.
This was the very same office I'd been interviewed in. It was ironic that things were coming full circle now.
You go in the same way as you come out.
Knocking twice on the door, in the way that Webster preferred, I waited for the large booming voice that commanded:
"Enter!"
This was it. There was no turning back.
Steeling myself, I strode confidently into the room, shutting the door immediately behind me. I was going down, but I would go down in a blaze of glory with my head held high and my dignity intact. They could take my job from me, but they would never take away the passion that I had for the law. Of that, I was completely certain.
Mr. Webster sat, just as I saw him for the first time, behind the large oak desk in the corner of the room. As much as I'd feared the room when I first interviewed here, it was beautiful. Law books were neatly lined up on each wall, much like Spencer's library, bound in red, green and black leather, embossed with shiny gold letters. Mr. Webster had one other personal possession in the room – his family photo. He, his wife and two grown up children stood, smiling wide grins, a very uncharacteristic gesture from the old timer.
Mr. Boone, however, was standing, leaning against the desk and looking out of the window. His strong shape had always cut through the office, and I'd never seen him in anything other than designer. He was a well-kept man who took immense pride in his appearance, and since I'd seen him last, his salt and pepper hair had been cropped shorter, slicked back to his head. He'd always been the friendlier of the two.
But looking at the pair of them now, I realised how much I would miss them. Not only their guidance or their leadership, but their characters. We were going our separate ways now, albeit bitterly, but I would never underestimate the impact they'd had on my life.
"Ah, Adriana, you made it," Mr. Boone turned around sharply, "Please do take a seat."
"Thank you, Sir—s." I nodded, lowering myself down into the comfy chair.
It was only then I realised the room had been augmented, to sit three chairs around the desk, Webster's on one side, the chair I was occupying on the other and the chair that Boone now sat in in between. It was probably for when the new partner was welcomed into the fold in a few hours, this evening. Jared would appreciate something like this. He was always one for a welcoming response.
"You're a tough one to pin down these days, Miss Rodriguez." Webster noted, scribbling something down on his notebook before closing it with a bookmark.
"Uh...yes, Sir. I apologize for that." I replied, respectfully.
Let's just get this over and done with. They owed me that much.
"How have you felt here at the firm, Adriana?" Mr. Webster questioned, leaning his large frame back in his chair.
The cogs in my brain turned quickly. What was he expecting me to say? I've enjoyed working here but I'm happy you're chucking me out now?
"I've felt...valued, Sir," I settled on a word that wasn't too loaded, "I've made the best progress in my career thus far here, and that is entirely owed to the generosity I've experienced from the firm. Entirely."
"And what do you think your personal qualities are, Adriana?" Mr. Boone interjected, looking at me dead in the eye.
I would not back down. I would not show deference or submission. They were teasing this out and I hated it.
"I'm determined. I know exactly what I want and when I want it," I replied, using Licia and Spencer's analogy of my personality, "I set my goals high and I want to achieve them. In all things. Sometimes that doesn't work out, but I would like to think I'm respected for my tenacity...Sirs."
Mr. Boone and Mr. Webster nodded wordlessly and I noted Webster writing something down again.
"Very well," Mr. Webster cleared his throat, "Adriana, you probably have some idea as to why we've asked you here today, correct?"
Here goes nothing. It was fun whilst it lasted.
"Yes, Sir." I nodded, clasping my hands together in my lap. In that moment, I wanted to punch him. I swear I did. He was making this more difficult than it needed to be. I'd much rather have written my own letter of resignation.
"Well, before we get there," Mr. Webster drawled, "We'd like you to have a look at something for us."
"A case?" I asked, confused. They were asking me to look at some case before I left them? One last hoorah? How fair was that? How just was that? I was slowly beginning to lose my temper. But dignity was the thing I said I would leave here with intact, and dignity is what I would keep.
Webster snorted slightly, "No, Adriana. Not a case." He grabbed his notebook from the side of the table and opened it to the page he had bookmarked earlier, "This."
He slid the notebook across his desk towards me, and with shaking hands I picked it up.
"Read it." He posed, stroking his philtrum with his index finger.
Looking down, I glared at the three letters that were carefully inked in large script in Webster's familiar handwriting:
BWR.
"Sir?" I frowned, "I...I don't understand...what I'm meant to be looking at."
"BWR." Mr. Webster replied simply, leaning back again, the master of his universe, "What do you think? Has a ring to it?"
"I—I'm not...I don't...follow..."
What the hell was he talking about? And what kind of game were these men trying to play with me before they packed my bags and sent me on my way? My frown deepened as I stared at the three characters again.
"Oh, for God's sake, Simon," I watched as Mr. Boone rolled his eyes, "Stop with the f*cking theatrics and get to the point."
"Sir, respectfully." I interjected, "I'd really like to get this over and done with."
I'd been ready to walk out of this office and never look back a good five minutes ago. But Webster was torturing me, almost as if was going to take pleasure in firing me. Had the Cassandra Johnson case really affected him that badly?
"It's just a question, Eric." He shrugged, dropping his pen, "But if you'd rather do it some other way."
Mr. Boone shook his head, standing up and slowly walking over to the bookshelf on one side of the room. He slid out a small black ring binder full of papers and placed it on the desk in front of me.
The papers for the termination of my employment. Probably a non-disclosure agreement thrown in for good measure. It was nice to know they were thorough.
"Open it up," Mr. Boone gestured towards the file, "First page."
I scoffed internally. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Let's just finish this now. I'd much rather die a quick death than a slow and painful one.
As I opened the folder up, Boone and Webster looked at each other, Webster giving Boone a quick, almost indiscernible nod that an outsider wouldn't have noticed. But I knew these men like the back of my hand.
Just look down, for God's sake, Adriana.
And then.
I froze.
Time stood still.
I didn't know where it began or where it ended.
I was bound in place.
Staring back at me, contained within the file was a contract. I'd seen plenty in my time, but this...this one was different. And the reason why?
In thick, bold, black letters at the top of the page were three words:
Boone Webster Rodriguez.
Then smaller in Italics:
Aligned for Excellence.
My head slowly raised from the paper, my mouth open, my eyes wide.
Shock.
"Well?" Mr. Webster arched a well plucked silver eyebrow, "Does it have a ring to it?"
My throat had closed up and I scrambled for the words to communicate anything. Just anything.
"Y-Y-Y-You're s-serious?" I gasped, looking from one face to the other.
"Simon, what the hell did you say to the poor girl, she's in shock!" Boone tutted, shaking his head.
"M-m-me?" I whispered, still unable to believe what I was hearing at this very moment in time, "Y-you want me as...partner?"
"Well, of course we do!" Boone grinned, resembling a Cheshire cat, "If you'll have us?"
Partner? Senior Partner? Named Partner?
But I was supposed to be getting fired!
"Y-Yes, Sir." I swallowed hard, trying to compose myself, get over the shock, "If you mean it."
Mr. Boone sat down on the desk, "I'm just curious to know what the hell else you thought we were going to ask you today!"
"Honestly, Sir?" I replied, in a small voice, "I thought I was going to be asked to leave the firm."
After a brief pause, Webster let out a large booming laugh, leaning back in his chair and clutching his side with one hand.
I looked from one man to the other trying to understand. I wasn't being fired?
Boone chuckled, shaking his head at Webster, "I told you the bad cop act doesn't work. It just frightens the sh*t out of people, Simon. You should know that by now. Fired, Adriana? Dear, oh, dear..."
"Sir...I—I'm confused. You're...really, honestly asking me to be Senior Partner?"
Webster's laughing subsided and he looked at me with a huge smile, "Adriana, what you fail to understand is that there was never any other choice for us. Never."
"But...Jared Alexander? The others...I—"
"Alexander?" Boone laughed incredulously, "Simon loathes that boy with every bone in his body. You think he'd last two minutes with his name on the door?"
"Arrogant little pr*ck. Damn good lawyer. Still a pr*ck," Webster shook his head, "It's you, Adriana. You in all your youth and your brilliance. YOU! There could be no other option. Not for us. Not someone we trust with this firm entirely."
"B-b-but the Cassandra Johnson case...I—"
"Adriana, do you know how many times I've f*cked up a case?" Mr. Boone snorted, "Far too many I can tell you that. And my mistakes as a lawyer in my twenties were absolutely nothing compared to what happened to you – something, that truth be told, wasn't even your fault. And Simon was being a complete and utter b*stard about that, as usual. He overreacts. Even you should know that by now. His brain is practically mush in his old age."
"Watch your tone boy!" Webster frowned, "I took you—"
"--Out of Texas and I'll damn well put you back!" I interrupted with Webster's trademark phrase, gaining my sense of humor back for the first time.
Webster chuckled, making Boone shake his head with laughter again.
"Congratulations, Adriana." Boone nodded, "There is no name we'd rather have next to ours on the door. And besides. Who else would be able to keep Simon and I from murdering each other?"
Looking into the eyes of the senior partners of the firm, I once again broke the promise I'd made to myself before entering the office.
I cried like a baby.
"Oh God, Simon, do you see what you've done?" Mr. Boone moved over towards me and embraced me in his arms, "There...there, sweet girl, it's okay. You've just had a bit of a shock, that's all."
"Thank you Sir..." I sobbed, the tears racking my body, "Thank you so much. Thank you so, so much. Thank you both so much. I won't let you down, I promise! I promise, you won't regret this, Sir. Not at all. I'll be the best damn lawyer you've ever seen. I won't let either of you down, I swear."
"We know. Here you go, my dear, dry your eyes," Webster handed me a tissue, rubbing my back, "It's alright."
"I'm...I'm really sorry for...this..." I said, wiping my tears away with the tissue, "It's just...I thought...I thought..."
"I know," Webster nodded, "I knew when Aaron Carter, perhaps the best hiring decision you've ever made, walked into this office and fought your corner. I knew when your entire junior associate team practically rammed my door down asking for you to be reinstated. But, fired? Am I that much of a dragon?"
I hesitated, looking over to Boone and making Webster laugh.
"Okay, fair enough, I am just a little bit of a dragon," he snorted, "But I admit when I'm wrong and I did...overreact, Adriana. But it was only because I wanted to see what you were made of. Eric and I had made up our minds about partner a week after we announced the application process. But you know me, what I'm like...I wanted to be sure. And for that, I sincerely apologize."
All of this stressing? All of this worry? And I'd already made partner months ago?
"He's an idiot, I know." Boone shook his head, "But by the time I found out, the damage was already done. I had to follow through."
"I—I—Sir, I don't know what to say..."
"That you'll accept?" Webster replied, his tone pleading, "This is the only time I'll grovel, Adriana. And you're deserving of that I know it. Please?"
"Yes." I nodded earnestly, "Yes, of course!"
"Fantastic." Webster extended his hand to mine and we shook, "It's great to have you on board, partner."
I giggled through my tears as Boone shook my hand as well.
"Now. The first order of business if you don't mind," Mr. Boone nodded, "No more of this 'Sir' nonsense. It makes me feel old. I may be just the wrong side of forty—"
"Forty?" Webster snorted, "In your dreams."
"Shut up, Simon, you'll be in the grave long before I am."
"Not if I put you in an early one!"
"Hey, you two!" I grinned, sniffling, "Enough, already."
"As I was saying," Mr. Boone glared at Webster, "I think you can call us Eric and Simon now. It should've happened a long time ago."
"Sir, I—" I stopped when Mr. Boone shot me a look, "E—Eric. I'd be honored."
"I think you deserve the rest of the day off," Simon smiled genuinely, "Sign these papers and once you walk through those doors on Monday morning...Boone, Webster, Rodriguez will be in full swing. And we're going to be the best damn firm in New York and the world over. Mark my words."
Boone Webster Rodriguez.
Boone Webster Rodriguez.
If I was dreaming, I never wanted to wake up.
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[Author's Note]
*releases party popper and turns the music up loud*
Congratulations, Adriana!
And don't you just love it when a plan comes together?!
I couldn't cheat my girl out of partnership, she deserves it too much!
Sorry it's been so long! I took a short vacation but I'm back writing again! Yay! I hope I can get back into the swing of it.
Picture: Adriana and her outfit in this chapter (who I imagine as Jessica Alba in case you haven't realised yet!)
Really hope that you enjoyed this chapter as much as I did writing it. It's nice to be in a good mood despite the world's chaos.
Keep sweet until my next chapter!
- Bex. 'xo