24. Falling Into Place
FALLING INTO PLACE
“ P hoebe, it’s so good to see you again. Oh my God, your hair. I love it.”
She smiled at Maxine, the receptionist at the front desk of Kelly Law in Charlotte the following Friday.
“Thanks,” she said. “It’s much easier to do this way. But it’s only been about six weeks since I’ve been here.”
Why did it feel like so much longer?
“Which is a long time,” Maxine said, “when we are used to seeing you daily. How is it going in Southern Pines?”
“It’s going great,” she said. “Getting busier each day. Not many court cases yet, but I’m not complaining either.”
“Your parents are waiting for you in your father’s office,” Maxine said.
She nodded and walked past the front area and toward the back where her parents had their offices. She walked by her old one and saw it still empty. She wasn’t sure how she felt about that. Her desk was bare, but everything else of hers was still there.
“There is my baby girl,” her mother said, getting up to hug her. “And you’ve got your hair curly. You know I’ve always loved that. You haven’t said a word.”
Her father hugged her too but mentioned nothing about her hair. She’d almost forgotten about it until Maxine’s reaction.
“Wow, you’d think I moved to Mars and returned safely.”
“You talk as if it is Mars there half the time,” her father said, winking.
“Hard not to,” she said. “But I think I’m adapting fairly well. And loosening up some.”
“Good to know,” her mother said. “But we had no doubt either. Or maybe it’s a man in your life who is helping with that. Elias is at Fierce?”
“Yes,” she said. “He dropped me off and went there. I hope Ben isn’t giving him a hard time.”
“I doubt it,” her father said. “He’s talked to Elias several times and could have said something at any point. Has he?”
“Not that I’m aware of,” she said.
“Are we still on for dinner tonight?” her mother asked.
“Actually,” she said, “can we do lunch tomorrow before we leave? I thought maybe we could have it at the house and relax some.”
Dinner at a restaurant always felt rushed and she wanted her parents’ opinion on Elias.
She wanted them to have a chance to get to know him more.
She wanted to see what the people closest to her thought of the man she was pretty sure she was already in love with.
Or was it just a face in town that she felt so comfortable with that helped her not miss home so much?
No, what she felt for him was more than that.
“I’d love to do that,” her mother said.
“It’s not too much work?” she asked. “I mean now you’ll be cooking.”
“I’d rather have more time at home and relax than for everyone to feel rushed. Matt is in court and wasn’t sure when he’d get out. Eve is out of town today and is going to be late. This is much better, but we thought you might have wanted to leave in the morning.”
“We’ll go after lunch,” she said. “We’ll just check out of the hotel and come over mid-morning if that works?”
“It does,” her father said. “But I think you are dying for sushi tonight and no one else was going to eat it.”
She crossed her eyes at them. “Fine,” she said. “I am. I don’t think Elias will eat it either. I’m getting it for lunch.”
“Some things never change,” her father said. “Let’s go over some work first. You’ve got work to do here, I’m assuming.”
“I do,” she said. “There are a few other cases I need to meet with people on.” Ones that she’d handed over if she couldn’t finish here. She hated to do that, but trying to be in court two hours away last minute wasn’t always so easy.
“Your office is vacant for you today. People have been signing it out, but we blocked it off for you.”
“Glad to know someone is using it,” she said, forcing a smile. She didn’t know why she was having mixed reactions over it.
Guess it went back to her not being able to decide as much as she hoped she could.
“I can’t tell what is going through your mind,” her mother said, pursing her lips.
“Nothing,” she said. “I feel as if everything is falling into place and then I come here and have all these thoughts.”
“Like what?” her father asked. “You seem very busy even if it’s not a lot of big things right now.”
“More divorces and business law right now. A few criminal too. I had another call for family court.”
“And you hate to pass that on,” her father said. “But someone took it here and the client seemed fine. Tiff has no problem driving there for court when it’s time. She’s meeting with the client via video calls.”
“I know it’s working out,” she said.
“Are you thinking you want another attorney on staff now?” her mother asked.
“No. Not yet. At some point. No reason to push. I like that I’m busy but not overwhelmed.”
“We don’t want you overwhelmed,” her father said. “I hope you don’t think we are monitoring you for any reason more than we would any other staff. But you are our child and we care about your well being too.”
She smiled softly. “I know. I care about my well being too. The funny thing is, I think this is the best it’s ever been.”
“As a parent, that is what I want to hear,” her mother said.
“But as my boss, you’re not happy with it,” she said. “Are you? I promise you, work isn’t affected.”
“Stop right there,” her mother said, putting her hand up. “I never once thought that and I never will. I understand more than anyone how hard it is to prioritize a career and your personal life. I want the best for all of my children and know you’ve got to figure out how to get that on your own.”
“Thanks for that,” she said. “I know I do, but I can’t wait to see what you think about Elias. And of course, this isn’t work like we said we were going to talk about.”
Her parents looked at each other. “We’ll talk about this first,” her father said. “Because I can see you need to and I want to. Your mother is the one who told me not to push it.”
She laughed. “It’s fine. I know I’ve always wanted everyone to stay out of my business before.”
“But this time you don’t,” her mother said. “Do you love him?”
She shrugged. Her mother didn’t let up the stare though. “I think so. I feel different. He makes me feel different. I think at times he feels a lot of what I do.”
“Like what?” her father asked.
“That he has to work hard to prove himself.”
“You don’t have to prove yourself to anyone,” her father interrupted.
“I’m always going to feel as if I have to, just like Matt and Ben,” she said. “You can’t fix that.”
“And your father isn’t going to try,” her mother said. “You have to come to those terms on your own.”
“I know,” she said. “I think I am. Or I will. It’s nice to know someone else feels the same way. Someone as successful as Elias is.”
“But he’s not as successful as his brother,” her mother said. “So he’s probably always comparing himself.”
“I don’t think he is,” she said, frowning. “At least not that I can see.”
“Then why do you say that you’re alike in wanting to prove yourselves?” her father asked.
“I think he just wants to prove he can do it on his own, not that he is better or can be better.”
“Which makes more sense,” her father said.
“I feel the same way. I’m not trying to be bigger or better. I just want to stand on my feet and contribute.”
“You’re doing more than your part if that is what you’re trying to do,” her father said. “You have to know that.”
“I’m starting to feel it.”
“I can see it,” her mother said. “Why don’t we talk about work now?”
“We can,” she said. “I’ve said more than I thought I would. I appreciate you recognizing it.”
And always having her back.