Jess had noticed over the past couple of days Tonya had looked distracted and she wore a frown of concern. She knew Tonya would get like this sometimes, withdrawn and silent so she wanted to try and put a smile on her face. Besides, they hadn’t had “fun” since Malcolm’s interview and she really needed to release some pressure. She knocked softly on Tonya’s door, letting herself in.

“You busy?” Jess asked, as she crossed the short distance and walked behind Tony’s chair. She didn’t wait for a response before she let her hand slip into Tonya’s blouse while softly kissing her ear.

Tonya grabbed her hand just before her fingers grazed her nipple. “Jess……. I’m really not in the mood right now.” She said softly as she got up from her desk and walked over to her file cabinet. “It’s just, I have a lot of work to do, some things I should’ve already done but I didn’t and I’m a little behind now, rain check?” Tonya gave a genuine face of disappointment. She usually lived for her mid day rendezvous with Jess. But until she could figure out her possible feelings for Malcolm and get ahead on her investigation with The Snatcher, Tonya couldn’t afford to get distracted. And that included Jess.

“Umm…. Yea. Rain check….” Jess felt humiliated. She knew Tonya didn’t mean it in an ugly way and figured she had some personal drama going on so she tried not to take the rejection personal but of course being an over-thinker, she did.

Jess had always been this way. As she walked back to her office she thought about her past and tried to pin point when it all started. Her high school beau, Darius came to mind. He had been her first everything. Their love was pure and innocent, the type of love you wish for in adolescence. Even the breakup was nice, considering the circumstances.

They had met in high school, she was the cheerleader, he was head of the debate team and they had enough classes together to form a friendship that developed into a relationship their sophomore year. Two years into their whirlwind romance, things were going well when Jess found out she had gotten pregnant but miscarried shortly after finding out. Darius didn’t take the loss well and neither did Jess. Her mom had abandoned her when she was a baby and even though Jess was young she longed for a family. What was supposed to be the last year of the “best years of her life” were spent in depression and turmoil. So when she out the blue asked Darius to run away with her she was heartbroken when he declined. He had received a four year, full ride scholarship to Morehouse College and didn’t want to miss the opportunity. He begged her to follow him but Jess didn’t know where she wanted to go in life anymore. Riddled with anxiety, guilt and sorrow, she sunk further into herself. She blocked Darius and tried to rebuild her life. Taking a leap of faith, she enrolled in a well renowned real estate class where she met Tonya and the rest was history.

The anxiety she felt while getting lost in her memory was heavy. Her breath became labored and someone must’ve turned the heat on because she was breaking out in a sweat. Pedro noticed his boss’s face and rushed over to check on her.

“I’m fine Pedro, I promise. I just got a little lightheaded for a minute.” Jess said catching her breath. She leaned back on her office sofa and massaged her temples. Still feeling Pedro’s presence she opened one eye. “Pedro, please clear my schedule for the next two days. I’ll have my briefings done and you can give them to the courier tomorrow morning.”

“Yes mam, is there anything else I can do?” he asked while taking notes.

“Yes, stop hovering please! I said I’m fine.” Jess snapped.

“Yes mam.” Pedro left with his tail between his legs. Closing her office door behind him.

“Great, now I feel like shit…” she thought as she stood up and straightened her skirt.

Jess started gathering her papers and clearing her desk. Everything she needed to send Pedro was completed and she just needed to give them to him. She decided to leave early and get her mind right for the divorce proceedings.

These two personal days were needed. She wanted to get over the humiliation she felt from Tonya and she had a meeting scheduled with her divorce attorney. The next day both of them would meet Winston and his attorney at their law office downtown. This was going to be fun she thought sarcastically.

Since Winston wanted to play hardball she made sure to hire a shark of her own. He couldn’t have thought he was getting any of her money without a fight. Jess was slightly disappointed she wasn’t able to hire the top law firm she originally wanted since they were not accepting new clients. She had to settle for option two. Which wasn’t bad, they had an impeccable winning rate and the retainer wasn’t too steep. Hell, Jess would’ve paid any price to guarantee her success in this divorce.

A few hours passed and with a change of clothes Jess had a better attitude. She walked into Starbucks and saw a middle-aged, short, white woman with red glasses sitting in the corner. Her head was buried in a folder amongst the many others on the table. In front of her was a mountain of papers she was apparently going through. She peered over her glasses and gave a polite smile. Right away the woman knew who Jess was.

“Hi…. Mrs. Jessica Fowler I presume?” She extended her hand.

Jess reluctantly shook it. “Yes and I prefer my maiden name, Lewis. But Jess is fine. And I’m sorry, I thought I was supposed to meet J. Jamison from ‘Jamison and Jamison’. Are you his associate?” She asked questionably.

The woman chuckled. “No sweetheart, I am J. Jamison. The J stands for Janice.” She said pushing her glasses closer to her face looking up at Jess.

Jess couldn’t hide the disappointment she felt. What she needed was a dog, someone who was relentless and didn’t know when to back down. Not a granny.

The woman could see her expression and took her glasses off. “I’m not what you were expecting am I?”

“No mam, you’re not and I’m not trying to be mean. You’re probably a nice lady but I don’t need nice right now I need a champion.”

“Well darling, that’s sure what you got. Don’t be fooled by my stature and meek manner. I know I don’t look it, but I can get down with the best of’em in a courtroom. I’ve been doing this a mighty long time and from what I’ve been looking over, you sure as shit got a solid case. I don’t see why we can’t milk the bastard for all hes got. If you just take a chance on me I promise you won’t regret it. I don’t have a perfect record for nothing.” She gave Jess a wink and patted her hand.

Her southern drawl made Jess smile. The reassurance she felt looking into this strangers eyes was something she’d never felt. Jess felt safe, and that alone outweighed any doubt she may have still had.

“Ok” Jess smiled as her eyes filled with tears.

Janice gave her a Kleenex and told her to fix her crown. “Don’t let them see you cry baby. Now have a seat we have a lot to cover before tomorrow and I want to be prepared. I heard this Darius Lubeck fella is top of the line when it comes to divorce attorneys. BUT he hasn’t met me yet so let’s get started!”

Jess was frozen. “I’m sorry, you said Darius Lubeck?”

Janice double checked something on a piece of paper, “Ahhh yes mam, it says it right here.” Pointing to a line on the page with her red fingernail.

Jess could’ve shit a brick “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.” She said under her breath.

She was stunned and speechless because if her suspicions were correct, Darius Lubeck was indeed the same Darius from high school.

💋KV