ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝟞𝟚 #3
She leaned against the edge of my desk. "It makes me wonder, what was he like at your old firm?"
I picked up another document, putting everything into my work binder.
I could have spent an hour explaining Ted, about the way he used to speak to me.
The way he could compliment you and insult you in the same sentence.
The way he made everything sound like an opportunity while somehow making you feel like you should be grateful he had allowed you into the room.
I could have told her about the day I walked out.
The years I spent trying to prove that I deserved to be where I was.
About the former employees who started sharing their own stories.
About the way Ted suddenly remembered how talented I was after West Law started thriving.
But I didn't want to, maybe not ever again. I had spent too much time thinking about that man already.
I closed the folder in my hands.
"All you need to know," I said, "is that he was terrible."
Gwen stared at me. "That's it? Terrible how?"
I smiled. "Terrible enough that I don't want to explain it."
She laughed.
"That's fair"
I slid the folder into the cabinet beside my desk. "And to be quite honest with you Gwen, I don't want to spend another minute unpacking Ted."
"I understand." She nodded.
"He was part of my life for a while. That's all he needs to be."
Gwen smiled. "You're very calm about it, I don't think I could've handled someone like that. I would have thrown him out."
"I almost did," I smiled. "But I've matured."
Gwen gave me a skeptical look. "Have you?"
"Yes."
She raised both eyebrows.
I pointed at her. "Don't test me today, Gwen."
She laughed.
I couldn't help smiling. The office had become like this over the years.
Sure, there was work, there was pressure. Difficult client, difficult attorneys.
There were days when I wanted to put my head against my desk and stay there until someone brought me coffee.
But there was also laughter, people I trusted. People who knew me.
People who weren't afraid to tell me when I was being unreasonable.
Gwen glanced toward the hallway. "Oh, there were two people waiting for you."
I looked up. "Two? Who?"
"One of them said he was your husband." She smiled.
My entire face changed, and my eyes lit up. "Cameron?"
I smiled despite myself. "Is he here?"
"Yes."
"Bring him in." My eyes moved toward the door.
Gwen's smile widened. "You seem excited."
"How could I not be?"
"You didn't look that excited when Ted walked in."
"Ted isn't my husband."
Thank God he isn't, and will never be.
Gwen laughed. "Fair point."
"And who else did you say is here?"
"Dannah."
My smile became even bigger. "Dannah?"
"Yes."
"Oh my goodness," I set the last folder down. "Bring them both in."
Gwen nodded. "I'm starting to feel like I should leave you alone for the rest of the afternoon."
I laughed at that.
She walked toward the door, then turned around, back at me.
"I'm glad you're happy."
I looked at her. The comment caught me off guard.
I smiled. "Aw, thanks Gwen."
She disappeared. A few seconds later, I heard voices in the hallway.
Before the door had even completely opened, Dannah appeared.
"Dixie!"
I barely had time to stand straight when she ran straight toward me. I laughed as she wrapped both arms around me.
"Oh my goodness!"
"You look so good!" She told me
"So do you."
"I missed you, Dixie!"
We were laughing before we'd even finished hugging.
Dannah pulled back and grabbed both my arms. "Look at you!"
I laughed.
"Look at me?"
"Yes!" She looked around my office dramatically. "Look at this place!"
I smiled. "You've seen it before."
"Well, not this big."
I laughed. "Oh, yeah, we expanded."
"I can tell," She looked around again. "Girl, you really did it."
I smiled. "We did."
"I knew you would." She squeezed my arm.
I looked at her properly. Dannah looked different too, and she was carrying a small leather notebook under one arm.
I pointed at it. "What is that?"
"This?" She looked down.
"Yes."
She smiled. "Work."
"Work?" I tilted my head.
"I'm a journalist now, Dixie!"
I blinked. "You're what?"
"A journalist, can you believe it?"
I stared at her, then laughed. "Noooo..you?"
"Yes, me."
I hugged her again. "Oh my goodness, that's amazing!"
"I knew you'd be happy." She laughed against my shoulder.
"Of course I'm happy," I pulled away. "You always had the skills."
"I learned from the best." She smiled.
"Honestly, Dixie, your tweet had a lot to do with it."
I frowned slightly. "My tweet?"
"Oh yes. When that thing blew up." She nodded.
I'd expected to disappear into the endless ocean of things people posted online.
"I watched everything happen," Dannah continued.
"The comments. The articles. Former employees coming forward. People actually talking about what happens inside firms when people in charge think they can treat everybody however they want."
She shrugged. "And I realized I didn't want to spend the rest of my life in a place that made me miserable either."
I smiled. "So you quit."
"I quit."
"And became a journalist."
"Exactly!"
I shook my head. "That's amazing, seriously."
"It was terrifying, and I didn't know if I'd make it."
I hugged her again. "I'm really proud of you."
"I'm proud of you too." She squeezed me.
A voice came from behind her. "I think we're both going to be late if you two keep hugging."
I looked past Dannah. Cameron stood in the doorway.
My heart made a little flutter.
It still did that, after everything.
After rebuilding our marriage slowly instead of pretending nothing had happened.
He could still walk into a room and make me forget what I was doing.
He was wearing his a dark long sleeve shirt, and dark blue jeans. His sleeves were pushed up slightly, and his hair was a little messy- probably because he'd been running around the station all day.
And he was smiling hard at me.
I smiled back.
Dannah turned around casually. "Oh, hey, Cameron."
He smiled. "Hi, Dannah, how are you?"
"Good."
"That's good."
Dannah looked between us, then smiled knowingly.
"Well," She stepped backward toward the door. "I think I've interrupted something."
Cameron laughed, and Dannah pointed at him. "Nice to see you."
"You too."
Then she looked at me. "We need to catch up properly."
"We do. How about dinner?"
"Absolutely!" She squealed.
"Call me."
She gave me a thumbs up and a smile, walking toward the door before she abruptly stopped and came back.
"Oh, and congratulations on the firm again."