CHAPTER FIVE
MANON
Our arraignment time slot was scheduled for 6:30 am. So why was I pacing around in the cold at 6:10 am?
Cassie knew the time slot 3 days ago—when we first discussed it, so why the hell was she running late?
The slow feeling of regret started to flood my mind. Had I made a mistake? I could feel my cheeks beginning to burn from embarrassment.
“I knew it,” I muttered out loud, a small puff of white smoke blew from my lips, confirming the temperature was far past cold. I was all for giving people the benefit of the doubt, but when does it get to the point where it’s too much?
I could be in the peace and warmth of my office, filling out stacks of paperwork that have been demanding my attention for weeks. But no, I pulled the trigger and decided that I would do it.
Even at that moment, I thought, what the hell am I doing?
I was supposed to say no and go on about my day. The minute Cassie walked in; I saw nothing but red flags. She was a walking hazard to us all and here I was agreeing to defend her through a case in which I had minimal information.
Maybe it was the big, puppy dog eyes that forced me to keep my eyes on the paperwork. It was so intense I couldn't look at her longer than a minute. Or maybe it was the fact that for a moment I believed her.
She was on her last leg. Her face dripped in defeat as she sat there on the edge of her seat–just staring. I could feel her eyes scan over me like a printer. I guess there was nowhere else to look, but still, it felt so intense. I was the one who was supposed to be judging, so why did I feel so much pressure?
Maybe it was because I was her first and last resort. She didn’t have time to go to firm after firm to find the perfect attorney that fit. She found me out of the millions online and thought that she needed to speak to me in person.
No, I didn’t have to berate her with questions, but she passed the test with flying colors. Even in the pit of defeat, after realizing I was the same person she had bumped into earlier; she was willing to supply the facts without a bit of doubt in her voice.
That’s why I chose to defend her because even when she was emotionally invested and felt stumped, she was able to pull herself together and defend herself. She spoke assertively and clearly. She was so sure of herself that she didn’t even need the proof for more to believe her.
I was watching someone speak their truth, and it was a work of art.
I knew I was going to be her attorney the second she answered my first trick question.
“So, you rented the car back in September?”
I did this to see how her memory stood up against the timelines of the police report. If she couldn't match it here—in my office, then truly, we had nothing further to discuss.
But instead of falling into the endless list of people that I denied, she persevered. She wasn't afraid to question me, even when she felt uneasy or uncomfortable in my space. She still rose above all that was put against her.
That’s what stood out to me. When she finally spoke up, I wasn't focused on her clothes or her botched hair. I was focused on her. Her words flowed like butter. It felt like she was reading from a script with how perfectly her story matched the report. That didn't sound like much to be impressed by, but you’d be surprised at how many people mess up the timeline to one of the worst days of their lives.
For Cassie though, it looked like that day scarred her, and if what she was saying was true then it would make sense. That car accident could’ve been fatal. I didn’t bring up those details just yet because it was a sore topic. And if I wasn't sure if we were going to be working together just yet, I didn't want to bring up some unwarranted amount of trauma.
I just needed to know if her mind was as crazy as how she dressed.
For once, I was happily surprised when she seemed sane and coherent. Without considering her external looks, Cassie was the dream client and case.
She knew her facts clear as day and was unfaltering when it came to them.
Which obviously, didn't matter much right now if she never showed up.
My hands were shoved into the pockets of my wide-leg pantsuit as the cold started to nip at my fingertips. I had already waited inside for about ten minutes before the panic started to kick in. I moved outside to try and calm my nerves. There was no way, after all of that, that she just wouldn’t show up.
Or maybe this was the real Cassie, and what I saw yesterday was a fluke.
Maybe she felt like she got what she needed. I agreed to defend her throughout the length of her case. Now she felt like she didn’t need to work or participate. Technically, she didn't need to be here for this initial hearing. This was, hopefully, just going to be a reading of her charges. The attorney could appear on behalf of their client, but I didn’t tell her that. This was her second test.
I may have already agreed to be her lawyer, but I still needed to know that she was willing to put the time and effort into it and not just fall off like the other nepo kids. She wasn’t rich, with the luxury of flaking off like they had. She needed to be present and aware, just like me.
I needed someone steady and headstrong for a case like this, we were going to be working against a well-known company. I wasn't going to do this half-ass just to embarrass myself only three years into my career. I never did anything half-ass, not even as a kid and I wouldn’t start now.
So, I’m giving her three strikes. Three strikes and I’m out for good. I was putting her case above hundreds of others on a waitlist, and this needed to be worth it. To me, three strikes were generous. I was putting my career and future at my dream firm on the line for her.
This was starting as an under-wrapped project that no one needed to know about; not until I knew it was becoming something. I wasn’t going to tell Neil or anyone higher up at the firm. I needed to see it for myself. Yes, that might be a bit sketchy, but I was willing to take that risk. I didn't want the case getting to my boss, because Dylan probably wouldn’t let me hear the end of it.
I was fighting between whether he’d want me to take the case. On one hand, he probably would be screaming that I had no other choice but to do it. Because Blue Wheels was so well known, our firm could make millions. But on the other hand, Blue Wheels was worth millions and could wash us out in seconds.
Or at least me. I didn’t think Dylan would be able to keep me on after taking such a huge hit. It could look bad for the company's name—having a lawyer lose the biggest case of the year.
It would be embarrassing. My head shook as I tried to wash the image from my mind. No, I wouldn’t let it get to that point. These were the precautions I had created to protect myself. I wasn't going to let this lunatic woman drag me down the rabbit hole of a mess that is her life. No matter how interesting the layers to her personality were, or how her dark moss-colored eyes twinkled when I gave her just a twinge of hope.
I didn't care. I would drop her within seconds.
As a matter of fact—I pulled my hand out of my pocket to check the time on my wrist.
6:20 am.
Cassie had about thirty more seconds before I walked away.
Just as the thought settled in my mind and my acceptance of her failure began to grow, I saw it.
Or her?
I couldn’t really tell. All I saw was a frantic-looking, hot pink-haired woman in the distance wearing a royal blue jumpsuit.
No, it couldn't be.
Two hands flung into the air, waving from side to side. I looked around, and when I saw no one else, I sighed.
She was headed straight for me, running from the parking garage across the street. I immediately placed my head in my hands. I didn’t know what was worse. Her showing up dressed like this or her not showing up at all.
As she got closer, I was able to catch a sliver of the tips of her cowgirl boots poking out from under her bright blue flowy pants.
“Oh my god.” My eyes fluttered closed in disbelief, I was silently praying that when they opened the image wouldn’t be the same.
“Okay, I know you probably want to kill me, but please hear me out—” Cassie yelled from still a few feet away, out of breath.
I could see the sweat glistening on her face from here, and it was cold outside. I mean, it’s Chicago, so it usually always was but this isn’t sweat-worthy weather.
“—My car broke down on the way, and I had to wait for my friend Oliver to come and give me a jumpstart—”
“What the hell happened to your hair?” I cut her off, my eyes glued to the cotton candy-colored mess that sat on top of her head.
The words slipped from my mouth and for a moment I felt like Neil—ruthless and unaware of his surroundings. But she kind of deserved it, so I let the guilt subside as I watched her face begin to glow. She was flustered. Instinctively I had to fight back a small smile that was beginning to grow.
Why did I like that she was flustered?
I felt the same way yesterday when after every question I asked, she looked like she wanted to run away and hide. It was confusing. I had never enjoyed watching others break down under confrontation–other than men. I wasn't a bully, so I didn't find satisfaction in picking on others, but as soon as the words “Or were you focused on reading the ...directions...?” fell from my lips, I had never experienced true satisfaction until that moment. Not even winning a case gave me that kind of thrill, and it was scary. I was feeling things I never experienced before. Just looking at her scramble to find words, made me giddy.
Was I sick ?
Cassie’s face was beet red, brighter than yesterday. “I know, it’s fucked. I was washing my hair and grabbed the closest conditioner to me, and it just so happened to be my pink hair mask.”
“Why would you even have a pin—” This time I interrupted myself.
“—Never mind,” I said with my palm raised, I didn't want any further explanation.
“We only have ten minutes before it begins, so let's head in.”
I scanned her once more, this time only trying to read her face. My brows raised when I noticed her apprehension.
“You okay?” I asked lower than before. My chin dropped so we were at eye level, quickly trying to read her mind.
She nodded her head once; it was curt and firm. Her gaze shot past me and onto the glass doors that lined the building. It was intimidating, even I knew that. It didn’t matter how many times I came here, I still got butterflies. It was nerve-racking for me so I couldn't imagine how it felt being in Cassie’s shoes.
For a moment my stern, statuesque appearance cracked, I placed one hand on her shoulder before softening my expression.
“We can do this.”
***
It had been three hours since we initially came in for the arraignment. The courtroom was filled with many self-representing defendants of all kinds. Most if not, everyone dressed in muted colors of gray and beige while Cassie stood out like a traffic cone. There was no way to be a fly on the wall or act as if you didn’t exist when you were the loudest in the room.
Not verbally, but physically.
Cassie was causing us to have an unwarranted amount of attention drawn to us, which wasn’t necessarily a good look.
Not here, in a courtroom full of people waiting to receive charges. The atmosphere was anxiety-ridden. You could feel everyone’s silent prayers floating around them like halos. It felt humbling in a way, to be around so many other people who might’ve committed an offense on your same level. We all sat impatiently, witnessing one another get charged with something beyond each other’s beliefs.
As each person walked up to the lectern, one at a time, we watched as Judge Hickerson ensured that every defendant understood their rights and the charges against them. When the prosecutor began to read the charges aloud, the few who had an attorney present denied the reading, after already reviewing them privately.
That’s what I had wanted to do earlier if Cassie had gotten here on time. We could have saved her the embarrassment of reading it in front of others. But here we were, sitting in a sea of people that were in the same position.
Some, I’d argue had it worse, no matter how bad Cassie’s case may be. Nothing could be worse than having children in the picture. I always thought those cases were awful, which was another reason why I couldn't go into family law. It was another emotionally taxing job that I knew I didn’t have the strength for.
One after another, the charges were being read, breach of contract, debt collections, defamation, and family disputes. It was endless. Some hearings lasted only ten minutes while others stretched across thirty.
But neither Cassie nor I complained. It was almost entertaining. I watch as Cassie’s eyes widen at each charge.
Joey Marcel— the small business owner being sued for not fulfilling his orders while still collecting payments.
Carmella Wolf—a pedestrian suing a drunk driver for her injuries sustained in a collision.
Abigail Hernandez—the young tenant being sued after leaving a significant amount of property damage.
Ronald Key— A single dad fighting for custody over his 14-month-old baby.
The list continued, and every time Cassie found something crazy, or intriguing she’d give me a little tap. Whether that be her knee bumping into mine or her just flat-out pinching me with her fingers. I showed no change in expression.
Nor did I return the attention. Even if I did sometimes find the same things absolutely insane or had agreed with every single one of her silent thoughts. There was no way I was going to tap my client like a group of middle schoolers trying to talk in class. I didn’t do it then, and I sure as hell wasn’t going to start now.
I’m a professional, and I had no plan to change my attitude anytime soon. Cassie moved to knee me again after hearing the last charge.
Marcielle Brown—An older woman being sued over noise complaints, and conflict over property lines. I grabbed her thigh with a firm grasp so she couldn't move any further.
I’ll admit it was an abrupt reaction that I wouldn’t normally do, but I didn’t expect her to have a verbal one of her own.
You could hear the amount of air she sucked in as her chest rose. My hand dropped instantly, but the moment had already happened. Every pair of eyes that filled the room instantly shifted Cassie, and me, as collateral damage.
Even Judge Hickerson’s face scrunched up in confusion as his gaze finally landed on the rainbow-colored woman who sat beside me. He looked just as concerned and thrown off as I did this morning.
Fuck, she just had to wear bright blue.
When we made it through the security check, I asked her what made her choose the brightest thing she could find. Her excuse was that she thought it made her pink hair look more “intentional.”
I thought about it for a while, and I’ll admit it kind of made sense. Black would have been too stark of a difference—as if she was trying to tone herself down. But the blue made it seem like she looked that way on purpose. It was a statement, that's for sure, but at least it didn't seem like she was trying to hide her identity like everyone else.
“Is everything alright?” The older judge asked, his voice hoarse and low.
Our heads nodded in unison, as the word “Yes” slipped from her lips. We were both panicked. Being called out by a judge for talking, was a first for me. I tried to control the size of my eyes as fear coursed through me.
Judge Hickerson stared for a moment, only scanning over the crowd of defendants still waiting to hear their charges, before turning back to continue the hearing.
A small silent sigh of relief fell from my lips, we were in the clear.
At least for now. It seemed like there was still a long while before it was going to be our turn. We were case number CV76450, and it seemed like at a certain point the numbers were all starting to sound the same.
I had to stop Cassie from moving to get up two different times. It was clear that her nerves must've faded because she seemed more impatient than fearful. Eerily calm even. I kept glancing over occasionally just to see if she was okay or needed to step out to prepare. But she looked unfazed. Maybe the time that had passed was enough for her to clear her mind or at least go into a safe place that protected her peace.
Minutes went by like a train on its tracks—inevitably slow and painful. My skin crawled with anticipation; I wanted it to be over just as much as she did. This had only been a week, yet it felt like it was already pouring into the rest of my life. As much as I tried to fight it, ever since our first meeting I couldn't stop thinking about the case, or…her.
It was becoming overwhelmingly obvious that it wasn’t going to be like any other case because she wasn’t like any other client.
I’d never heard of anyone walking into the firm wearing a leopard print fur coat and then proceeding to beg for help. It was admirable, I wish Neil could've seen it so I wouldn’t have to explain it to him one day. He’d probably think I was lying. She was one of a kind, and for some reason, I feel like he would love her.
My head snapped as I surveyed the room.
Holy shit.
I just zoned out.
For a split second, I felt disoriented, but I quickly came back into focus as I watched another defendant leave the lectern. Their face was filled with defeat. I didn’t hear a word that was said, but I knew that look.
He had just pleaded with Liable.
The both of us sat back, completely speechless. Suddenly, the once-silent room buzzed with whispers. Everyone was on edge. Cassie shifted uncomfortably as her gaze was fixated on the defendant in front of us.
He was young and could’ve been around the same age as her. His shoulders were slumped, head bowed as a glazed look of despair spread across his face. He looked immobile—paralyzed from his actions.
When I glanced to my left, I could see Cassie’s mind already beginning to torment her. He had aroused all her old fears and uncertainties. I watched as she swallowed hard, breath stalling in her chest. We were back to step one, and I watched as her cheeks began to flush different shades of red. I knew she was weary. She was afraid of ending up in the same position as he was in. Maybe not today, because we planned to fight now, but what about later?
The thought alone tore at my insides.
Okay, I was already getting way too emotionally tied to this case.
Cassie’s heart was racing, and I wanted to read every thought that flooded through her mind. I had the sudden urge to grab her by her shoulders and tell her everything would be okay; give her the reassurance I knew she desired.
My hand twitches, and as soon as I gather the sense to move towards her, Judge Hickerson speaks up.
His begrudging voice dragged on, “Case number CV76450: Blue Wheels Incorporated vs. Cassandra Deacon, please come forward for arraignment.”
I froze almost instantaneously. For once, out of all the times Cassie tried to run up to the lectern, this time she stayed motionless.
She sat in the rigged wooden chair as everyone searched the crowd for the defendant.
“Cassie?” I muttered. My gaze did not leave her face as she stayed glued to her seat, eyes almost glossed over completely.
Before the judge could move to speak again, I shoved her. I don't know what came over me, but the only thing I could think of to snap her out of her daze was to push her as hard as I could.
It wasn’t my brightest of ideas, but I didn't say it didn't work.
The sound of Cassie’s body flying out of her chair as the legs scraped against the linoleum floors was even louder than her gasp.
“Ow!” she screeched. I ignored it, grabbing her arm and pulling her along with me in one swift motion. She looked confused and embarrassed but quickly realized what was happening. Her head snapped to mine. Without a word, I gave her a small tight-lipped smile, hoping my eyes could do all of the talking.
Call me delusional, but I could’ve sworn I saw a small sigh of relief. It was as if my moment of staring into her eyes had worked. She didn’t look brand new or as if everything had washed away from her mind; but it seemed like for a moment, she was relaxed.
Her eyes softened as her shoulders dropped, not out of defeat or loss but in a freeing, almost determined way.
I was in awe. Just a second ago, I thought I would have to wheel her out of here on a stretcher. Now, she looked stronger than half of the people who were just up.
I hated the space between us. I was standing in front of the counsel table, and not once did I look at the judge. For the first time, I was probably deemed as rude, or disrespectful. But also, for the first time, I really didn’t care.
Judge Hickerson let out a disgruntled sigh, “Ms. Deacon, you were called here today, regarding the case filed against you by Blue Wheels, for damages that arose from the vehicle collision on December 12th, 2023.”
My ears rang, and I could feel every ounce of blood rushing through my brain as my stomach clenched tight. It was impossible to steady my erratic pulse.
“Do you understand the negligence charges being brought against you?” He continued.
Cassie's jaw tightened; I could tell she was fighting the urge to argue.
“Yes, your honor.”
She responded with a soft but firm voice, she wasn’t quiet or unsure of herself, she was taking it like a champ. My eyelids dropped in contentment.
“And how do you wish to respond to the allegations of this case?”
Judge Hickerson’s eyes rose above the thin pair of reading glasses that sat on the bridge of his nose.
His hooded eyes cast a downward gaze onto hers, but Cassie wasn't looking back. Instead, her head swiveled until she faced me completely. She was staring me dead in the eyes—a stillness spread between us. I could hear my heart beating. She looked at me like she wanted me to hear her, not the judge.
With a strong and steady voice, she said “Not Liable.”