14. Given A Fair Shake
GIVEN A FAIR SHAKE
“ T hat might have been the fastest settlement in the firm’s history,” her father said to her on Wednesday during their phone call.
Her office door was shut and she was all but bouncing in the chair, and if she thought she could kick her feet up in the air without toppling over, she’d do it.
“I believe it is,” she said.
She never expected Bill Riggin’s former employers to get her letter and want to settle right away, apologizing for what happened to him.
That they had no idea and were told Bill had left.
They even provided his resignation paperwork that was in his personnel file.
She’d shown them Bill’s termination letter signed by the office manager.
Since the signatures matched and there was no way Bill could have forged it, the office manager had some explaining to do.
“And that is my girl not settling on the first offer,” her father said.
“Never. One year’s salary isn’t worth it. Bill has six to ten more years of work left in him easily. He needs medical insurance for himself and his wife and he can’t collect Medicare for almost six years at this point.”
Six times Bill’s salary was a nice lump sum, adding the cost of insurance coverage on the government portal for that time and his legal fees.
“I can’t believe you got your fees covered for him too,” her father said, laughing.
“I thought for sure they’d say no way and counter, but they didn’t. I’m positive their attorney told them going to trial would be a much bigger loss for them and publicity they wouldn’t want.”
“You banked on that,” her father said.
“Always. Might have thrown that out there too. Not to be an ice cold bitch or anything.”
“Just doing your job,” her father said, humor in his voice. “I’m so proud of you. And what is going on with Regina’s case?”
“That’s settled and the charges dropped. I sent her the bill. I hated to even do that, but you know, can’t be a bleeding heart all the time. I provided a service. I felt bad for her.”
“Pulled over for driving under the influence but had a medical condition. Never good,” her father said.
She could tell her father was probably shaking his head.
Her grandfather would have gone after the police department and caused many issues.
She knew not to do that here. Not when she was trying to make a name for herself.
A good name!
“I completely understand the officer not wanting to believe it. People probably pull that shit all the time. Say their blood sugar is low. But she had a medical ID necklace on. Still, that doesn’t prove she was experiencing low blood sugar.
What did it was her glucose monitor on her phone that was going off and alerting her she was low.
She tried to show that to him and he wasn’t listening.
He was too eager to arrest her. She refused the breathalyzer because she wasn’t drunk but wasn’t thinking straight either.
She didn’t want to walk the line because she was shaking from her low sugar.
He didn’t take any of that into consideration.
Thankfully she’d been eating candy while she was driving and was going to pull over once she could until her sugar rose. ”
“Which means by the time she got to the police station her sugar wasn’t low anymore,” her father said.
“Exactly. But the proof was on her equipment, which the officer still wouldn’t let her provide. She did the right thing to find an attorney to come in. I gave him shit but in a professional capacity.”
“Good girl,” her father said.
“It might not have been the best first impression to give being new in the area, but he talked down to me and I cut him off.
Threw some big words at him and a sergeant came out to see what was going on.
He calmed the officer down, listened to me, let me show the evidence and they released Regina.
They had towed her car there, and I made them void that bill for her too.
“It was the least you could do,” her father said.
“I wish I could see your face right now,” she said. “I’m positive you’re grinning.”
“I am,” her father said. “You’re feisty like your mother when someone isn’t given a fair shake.”
“It’s not right,” she said. “Never. They are lucky that Regina had already treated herself for her low blood sugar or they could have had a bigger situation on their hands and I made sure that officer was aware of that. Then Regina was concerned someone would have seen her and it’d get around town she was arrested. ”
“That should be the least of her worries,” her father said.
“Not around here, it seems,” she said drily. “But I told her I’d cover any issues this might have in terms of her job. If any. I can’t do anything about gossip.”
“I’m sure you did,” her father said. “Your caseload is climbing too. Things are going well by the sounds of it.”
“They are,” she said. “Room for lots more, but it takes time and I know that.”
“Glad to know you’re aware that things don’t just fall into your lap.”
She laughed. “I never thought that.”
“I know,” her father said. “Just making a statement. Tell me more about this guy you’ve been on a date or so with.”
“Figured Mom told you about that,” she said, rolling her eyes. Just like her father to wear her down to get to the root of his call.
“She doesn’t keep things from me. Especially when it's someone that your brother knows.”
“Mom told you all about Elias and his background?” she asked.
“She did. I know who his brother is. I know what he does for a living. Ben has some nice things to say about him.”
“About him or his beer?” she asked, joking.
“Both,” her father said. “And that is saying something for Ben.”
“It is,” she said. “What is it you want to know then?”
“How do you feel about him or what is going on?”
“We had a few dates. We are both very busy. You’re not normally this interested in my personal life. Why are you now?”
There was a pause on the other end and then her father said, “I think it has more to do with the fact you aren’t close by for me to see you daily. I have to go by how you sound more than what I can see.”
“Awwww, Dad. Do you miss me not being in the office daily?”
“I do,” her father said, “and I’m not afraid to admit that either.”
“I do miss you and Mom. Maybe not so much Matt.”
Her father laughed. “He’s a little lonely at times. I know he walks by your office and looks in, not used to it being empty.”
She smiled softly. “You mean you haven’t put another staff member in there? What, don’t you think I’m going to make it here?”
“I know you’re going to make it just fine, but you have to decide how long you’re staying. I also know my daughter personally and sometimes she has a hard time committing when she’s very uncomfortable about something.”
“We agreed on one to two years,” she said. “I can’t believe you’re going to keep my office empty that whole time when you can move another attorney in there. One you need to hire.”
“Maybe I’m holding out just waiting to see how you like it there,” her father said. “You know you can come back at any point.”
“Dad,” she said. “I appreciate it. And I’m trying not to be insulted that you think I can’t handle being about two hours away when I talk to you or Mom multiple times a week. For work and my personal life.”
“Don’t be insulted. You are still my baby, my only daughter.”
And she’d always been a Daddy’s girl too.
“I am those things,” she said. “But I’m almost too busy to miss anything that deeply. I enjoy being in charge too.”
Her father laughed. “That’s more like it. And now you’ve got the potential of a guy in your life so that makes staying there even more attractive.”
“I suppose when you put it that way,” she said. “Yes, it does.”
Phoebe hadn’t thought about returning home once since she’d been here. Which wasn’t long.
She wasn’t the type to throw the towel in quickly, or at all. Least of all in her career.
But this was more than just her career.
She didn’t know what was going through her father’s mind other than maybe he was just missing her.
Kind of sweet in a way.
Yet he’d encouraged her to do this.
Supportive. That was what both of her parents had been for their children.
Sounded like Elias had that too from his mother and siblings.
Funny how her mind went right to the man that she wanted to get to know better.
If they could find some time for that to even happen.
“You know your mother and I only want the best for you and your brothers. And we’ll be here to make sure you get it. But something tells me you’re good on your own trying to prove it to everyone.”