ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝟜𝟛 #2
I sighed loudly. "So are you coming home with me too?"
"No, ma'am."
"You wanna sleep in my guest room?"
"No."
"Oh I've got it! Maybe you're going to watch me buckle my seatbelt?"
"No." He facepalmed.
"Better not." I unlocked my car, carefully set the box in the passenger seat.
The guard remained standing several feet away, still waiting.
I looked back. "You can go now."
"Take care, Ms. West." He nodded once. He turned and began walking back toward the building.
I cupped my hands around my mouth.
"You might wanna rethink working under Ted, you know!"
He raised one hand without turning around. I honestly couldn't tell if it was a wave or surrender.
~
Just as I was getting ready to start to engine, something fell out of the box beside me. It was Ted's business card.
The one he gave me years ago when I was first employed at the firm. How'd I still have that?
I picked it up, taking a good look over it. It still looked the same from seven years ago, the edges of the card were wearing off, but that was about it.
I definitely didn't need that anymore.
I opened the car door, throwing the card to the ground. I closed it before waiting a few seconds and opening it again.
I can't litter.
I picked up the card from the ground, glancing at it again.
"I guess I'll just have to burn you when I get home." I said, to nobody in particular.
I suddenly remembered Cameron. I wondered how he was doing at home. I should probably get him some kind of soup. We didn't have any more chicken at home, so the store, it was.
~
The grocery store was exactly the kind of place I needed right now.
Bright lights, squeaky carts, and strangers arguing over the price of tomatoes. Normal. Ordinary. Safe.
I parked, grabbed my purse, and stared at myself in the rearview mirror for a second.
"You are not going to cry in a grocery store, Dixie West," I whispered.
I locked the car and walked inside.
The first thing I grabbed was chicken. Obviously. Cameron needed soup, and while I was many things, I was not the kind of wife who bought canned soup when her husband was sick.
Well, not unless absolutely necessary.
Then came carrots, celery, onions, garlic, noodles, and the good kind of broth. The expensive one.
I tossed everything into my cart, moving through the aisles quickly.
Cameron's favorite cookies sat on a shelf, and I picked them up- technically cookies were medicine if you loved someone enough.
At least that was my argument, and I was a lawyer. I could make almost anything sound convincing.
I turned the corner toward the dairy section and stopped.
"Dixie?"
Someone called my name. It better not be anyone I currently wanted on death row.
I slowly turned around. A woman stood there with a surprised smile spreading across her face.
"Harper?"
Her eyes lit up. "Oh my gosh. Dixie West!"
"Harper Lanes. Look at you." I smiled before I could stop myself. She laughed, pulling me into a quick hug.
"It's been forever."
"It has. How are you?" I break out the hug first.
"Good. Really good."
And she looked it too.
Five years ago, Harper walked into my office terrified. She had been drowning in paperwork, scared she would lose everything she had worked for in a small business.
I remembered the way she sat across from my desk, sweat dripping profusely down her forehead and neck.
She looked at me and said, "I don't think anyone can fix this."
I had told her, "Then it's a good thing you hired someone stubborn."
I had been right. Harper was able to keep her business and from what I heard, it flourished.
"I still tell people about you," Harper said.
I pointed at my chest. "Me?"
"Yes, you, silly." She smiled.
"You probably don't remember, but you were the first lawyer who was willing to help me out."
"Aw, Harper." My expression softened.
"I mean it. Thank you for fighting for me- you helped me keep my business, and now it's doing wonderful."
I looked down at my cart, too flustered to look up. A small smile tugged at my lips.
"Well, don't make me sound too heroic."
Harper laughed.
For a second, I forgot about what all happened back at the firm. I was just Dixie West, the lawyer who helped someone.
The person I used to be before this shit.
Rachel tilted her head. "Are you still with that firm? I've forgotten the name."
My smile faltered for half a second.
I could have told her, but I didn't.
Instead, I smiled. "I'm figuring out a few things right now."
"Well, whatever comes next, they're very lucky to have you." Rachel nodded, not pushing.
I swallowed. I wasn't too sure about that anymore.
"Thanks."
"I mean it, Dixie.." She looked at me seriously. "Thank you. For everything."
I just smiled back. "You're welcome."
I watched her disappear down the aisle before pushing my cart toward the checkout.
Ted Holmes could take my office, or that stupid title.
But he couldn't take the years I spent helping people.
And maybe one day, I'll be bigger than him. I'll show him I can be Dixie West without him.
Maybe I'll even get my job back.
A whole bunch of maybe's, I had.
~