12. Cooper
12
Cooper
“ H
ola, Mr. Macias,” I say into my phone, leaning back in my crappy office chair. “Uh… Como estas?”
And then, Mr. Macias speaks. His words are fast, and none of them sound like anything I’ve been learning in Duolingo. Why Barney told this man I could speak to him in Spanish is beyond me. It’s not helping the case. Or my sanity.
Guess what, Barney? Duolingo isn’t a magical pill that suddenly gives a person bilingual skills.
I grind my teeth, muster my dwindling confidence, and switch to English. “Can we meet in person next week?”
The voice on the line goes quiet. And then, “We’ll see.”
“Sounds good—sounds bueno ,” I amend, but Mr. Macias has already hung up. I tap my corded receiver back onto its handset and lean back in my chair. I shut my eyes, but no answers magically come. I don’t know how to make this man trust me.
I can’t even get a meeting arranged with my own client. I’m a good lawyer. But I can’t do anything right lately. Not since I won the biggest case of my life, and then, because of that win, was let go. Even my win was wrong.
“Coop!” Barney calls from his office, the tiny space that’s just feet away from my own office.
I hop up from my lousy chair, exit this room, and turn ninety degrees to tap on Barney’s door. I push through without waiting for an answer from him. He’s already bellowed me over.
“Yeah?” I say.
“You got that appointment with Macias?”
I clear my throat. I’m already on that downhill slope, so I just keep sliding. “Yes,” I lie. “Got it. I’ll be seeing him in person next week.”
“Good. I want a report on it.”
“Yeah. Of course.”
Barney breathes out, his chest rumbling. “Cooper, I’m not checking up on you because of Seattle. This client is important to me. One of the biggest we’ve had in a long while. I know you can handle it. I just want to stay informed.”
I’m translating Barney’s words: he would have kept the client for himself, except he knows, without a doubt, he can’t speak Spanish.
“I’ll make sure to write a report.” I clear my throat. “Directly after that meeting—that I have scheduled.”
Barney is the only person in this city who knows that Bluewave Law fired me. Fired . Such an ugly word. It’s not something I like to talk about, and it’s not something that Barney normally brings up. He’s a good guy, but he’s been under stress. He’s taken on a lot of clients, and he’s not sharing easily. He wants to see how I handle the Macias case.
Mr. Macias would like someone he can trust. He’s been burned by jerks blaming a language barrier. I can see why Macias is timid about working with someone again who may do the same thing to him.
I won’t. I’d never. But he doesn’t know that.
He also doesn’t know that I’ve got this case in the bag.
Like I said, I’m good at what I do. In the case of Green Timbers vs Duwamish Lumber Company, my last case at Bluewave Law, I was too good.
“And kid,” Barney says, “thanks for the pecan roll.”
“Sure, anytime,” I tell Barney with a sigh. He’s giving me another shot when a lot of firms wouldn’t have. A sweet roll is the least I can do.
“ H
ere,” Coco says, handing me a diaper for York.
I’m not sure how I got roped into the job of changing him. But here we are, at the changing table, and I’m driving.
“Thanks,” I say, and really, I don’t mind helping.
“So, Alice said you took her to meet a girl.”
I cough and rip the Velcro tab right off York’s diaper. “Uh, what?”
Coco doesn’t even blink. She just hands me another. York kicks his fat little legs, making it difficult to swap the now-useless diaper out for a new one.
“Why would she say that?” I ask, keeping my eyes on my nephew.
“She told me that you said you were going to take her to get a cinnamon roll, but really you took her to meet a girl. So, who is she ?”
This time, I choke, and again, that tab rips right off in my hand. Seriously, who invented these things? How do they even stay on babies ?
“There isn’t a she ,” I say, knowing Coco will only see things that aren’t there.
Do I think Leah Bradford is beautiful? Sure—I’m not dead. Do I think she’s full of fire? Yes—because she is. The woman literally blazes when she speaks. Am I trying to make amends? I’m a good person—so yes, I am. Okay? Just trying to do the right thing over here, nothing more. No alternative motives.
“Coop, you’ve legit ruined two diapers—fairly indestructible things—just because of my question. There is a girl.”
My lips round, and I blow out a string of air building in my lungs. I cram my eyes shut and open my mouth. “Remember Leah?” I say, realizing I very much think Leah is beautiful. I kind of love witnessing her fire. And I’d really, really like to be friends with the girl who wishes hurt and harm upon me every single time she sees me.
“Leah…” she says, thinking. “You’ve never mentioned any Leah. Monica, Margo, Andrea—but I think she’s with your friend.”
Swallowing, I tug the second clean but now-ruined diaper out from under York. He rolls onto his side, and I roll him back. “Those were girls from college.”
“So, who’s Leah?” Her head tilts, peering up at me.
“Do you remember the girl who made Miles’ wedding cake?”
“We never met the baker,” she says, a new diaper in her hand. She doesn’t hand it over. Instead, she smacks me on the shoulder with it. “Wait, we met someone at the reception who knew the baker. She said you ruined the woman’s prom. You’re meeting up with her ?”
“Not meeting up.” I shake my head. “Just trying to make amends.”
“Aw. Baby brother.” Coco wraps one arm around my back just as her sweet little boy decides it’s time to pee.
Urine flies forward like a hijacked water fountain ready to attack. Bullseye! Airborne urine lands right in the center of my best dress shirt. Which completely makes sense—it’s on course with my life right now.
“Great,” I mutter. “Thanks, York.”
“That’s what happens when you destroy diapers rather than put them on his body.”
“You’re right,” I say.
“Are you sure you need to make things up to this girl? Surely she’s moved on.” Coco rubs a hand over my back.
“Here’s what I know: I hurt her. It may have been eight years ago, and unintentional, but I did. She doesn’t expect me to make it up to her, Coco. But I want to.” Part of me needs to. If I can fix things with Leah—I can fix everything else too.