11|Our Last Shot
I stood at the front desk of the courthouse, scribbling my signature across a stack of routine motions for an upcoming hearing.
I was tired and ready to go home, my tie was loosened, and the damn pen kept skipping.
"Well, well, if it isn't Mr. DA."
I didn't even bother to look up. "What do you want Parker?"
He leaned on the counter beside me. "Word through the court is that your wife took a hit after that Deshawn Taylor case."
I paused for a second, my eyes still on the file.
"She got demoted. Her firm didn't take that loss too well, I guess," he gossiped. "Can you confirm?"
My jaw tightened before I continued signing.
"Must make for a fun dinner convo," he continued. "Or worse, no sex for a month."
He laughed. "You win in court, and she gets bumped down the ladder. Tough break, huh?"
I slammed down my pen and finally gave him the attention he was craving. "You done?"
He grinned. "Just saying, it's gotta be awkward beating your wife like that. No wonder the tension is always thick between you two."
I pushed the signed documents across the counter to the clerk.
"If I hear you talk about my wife again, and especially our relationship, me and you are gonna have a real problem. Understood?"
He raised his hands in surrender. "Relax, Carter. Just trying to make sure the wrong information isn't being spread about her."
I rolled my eyes before beginning to walk off.
Once again, I had to find out about my own wife from Parker of all people.
Hearing that she got knocked down because of me didn't feel like much of a win.
She worked hard for that position.
She killed Eden and ruined our marriage because of that position.
I spotted her managing partner, Russell Kane, on my way out, talking to another lawyer from their firm.
The guy always looks like he walked out of a cigar ad with his expensive suits and fake charm.
I made my over to him.
"Nathaniel Carter," he grinned, extending his hand to me. "Didn't expect to see you here today."
I shook it briefly. "We need to talk."
He nodded before we stepped off to the side. "This is about Naomi's demotion, isn't it?"
"Why?"
"She's still on the team," he smiled. "Just under a bit of guidance now. That case had a lot of visibility."
"She's your top performer, Kane," I said flatly. "Hell, she carried half your damn firm through that corruption scandal last year."
He shrugged. "I love her, but she's been...off. The partners have noticed."
I quickly grabbed his collar out of anger as I stepped forward. "Our daughter died."
The other lawyer stepped forward, but Russell quickly motioned for him to step back before I let him go.
"Carter, you're one of the most no nonsense lawyers I know. You know how it is," he sighed. "I'm not running a grief counselling center. I'm running a firm which needs wins to make good money."
I scoffed. "That's why I can't stand you corporates. It's always about money."
"It's better than living off the taxpayer's money," he glared before sighing.
"I want to bring Naomi back up to the top," he explained. "Hell, I want her to make partner, but she needs to get back on the train. She needs to impress the partners."
"And I don't think that'll happen soon unless you two fix whatever is going on with you," he said and I raised my eyebrow.
"Excuse me?" I asked offended. "Nothing is wrong with us."
"Carter, I've been threw a rocky marriage before. I know how it is," he said and I stayed quiet as he pulled out his phone.
"Look, I know your father is running again and his whole campaign is about happy marriages, so you probably don't want anyone to know," he said as he showed me his phone.
"She's a good marriage counsellor, who keeps things very discreet," he explained. "I'll send her information to you."
"Naomi and I are quite fine," I narrowed my eyes at him and he let out a loud sigh.
"When you came to my office that day, putting your pride aside and begging us to take her, I was shocked," he admitted. "I couldn't believe that love was so powerful."
"If you still love her at all, put away your pride again and go to damn counselling," he ended before forwarding the information to my phone.
"Look, I have to go now. Naomi didn't come in today. Tell her she still needs to report in," he said before rushing off.
...
As I unlocked the front door, I didn't expect much.
The house was usually silent by the time I usually get home.
However, today was different.
The TV was on.
Naomi was curled up on the couch in one of my old hoodies with a bowl of chips resting on her stomach.
I glanced at the TV to see some random reality show playing.
"Hey," I simply said.
"Hey," she drily replied without looking at me.
"What are you doing home?" I questioned as I walked closer to her, hoping she wouldn't keep her demotion a secret.
"I live here," she muttered before forcing a handful of chips into her mouth.
I clenched my jaw before picking up the remote and turning off the TV.
She finally turned to me with a glare. "Hey, I was watching that!"
I sat down on the edge of the coffee table, facing her. "Let's go to marriage counselling."
The glare on her face was immediately replaced with confusion. "What?"
"There's this counsellor who is really good," I explained. "I did some research on her."
"Why?" She asked, looking away from me. "I don't even know if I like you anymore."
Because if we get our shit together, Russell Kane will give you back your position.
But I kept that fact to myself.
She hates getting help from others.
"Let's just give it a try," I said. "If things don't work out...I'll agree to the divorce."
She quickly looked up at me. "Really?"
I nodded. "It'll have to be after my dad's campaign, but I won't oppose to a divorce, if it's that what you want."
She thought about it for a second before nodding. "Okay, but it won't work. Our marriage is too far gone."
I sighed. "Can you at least try, Naomi?"
She slowly nodded her head before picking up the remote and turning on the TV again.
I watched her for a second longer before heading to my room.
This was our last shot.
And if we missed, there'd be no coming back.