Page 112 of Passionate Defense

Chapter 25

SIX MONTHS LATER...

Applause broke out from their small group as the server uncorked and poured the champagne. Lanie and Beth were hosting a dinner for their staff in celebration of a full year in business. She couldn’t believe how quickly time had flown by. They had grown from two attorneys and one receptionist to a team of ten, which as of today included Michelle Greene, their new partner, in addition to a practice manager, two paralegals, two legal secretaries, and Sarah Masterson, no longer an independent contractor, was assigned full-time to work specifically on Beth’s white-collar crime caseload.

Most had been brought on board after the WW&S litigation. Sex intertwined with corporate greed and cover-ups was a scandal too good to pass up. The daily news coverage had been free publicity for their fledgling firm. Since that time, almost six months ago, the referrals and walk-in traffic had tripled. They had no choice but to grow to keep up with the demand or start turning clients away.

Lanie cleared her throat as she stood, which captured everyone’s attention.

“Thank you all for coming. Beth and I wanted to celebrate the end of a tremendously successful first year with all of you who helped make it possible. It was only Beth, Penny, and I at the beginning”—she looked down the long table at the faces of her staff and their plus ones, before concluding—“and now look at us. We appreciate everything you do to support us, from document prep, research, billing, or something so simple as the smile you give a new client the first time they walk through our doors. Bottom line, we wouldn’t be where we are without all of you. So”—she raised her glass and everyone else followed suit—“to a great team. Here’s hoping our second year is even better.”

Her words were greeted with a round ofhere-heres,cheers, and at least onesalute.

“On a personal note, I’d like to thank my husband, Ethan, for his support. As a consultant, his recommendations and legal expertise are invaluable.” She leaned down, whispering, “Thank you, honey,” before she kissed him with no qualms whatsoever about her PDA.

More than a peck, it was intimate but not inappropriate and brief enough that the applause was still going strong when she lifted her head. She smiled at him before nodding to her partner.

“Beth has a few announcements, and then we’ll set business aside and have fun.”

A very round and very pregnant Beth struggled to her feet. Steven, who was seated beside her, stood and helped. At seven months along, her petite frame had little room left to accommodate the growing baby, and she looked ready to pop. Once vertical, she placed a hand on her belly and heaved a comical sigh. “I can’t get out of a chair anymore without help. If I’m in my office for over an hour, I’m probably stuck and need to pee, so please send help.”

As everyone laughed, Lanie watched her friend closely. Beth was happy and glowing, and despite her complaints, she and Steven were eagerly awaiting the birth of their first child—a little boy.

Beth was actually impatiently waiting. She’d had her nursery finished for two months and every time she went by Tadpoles or Magic Beans, she came out with bags of the cutest baby clothes ever. Lanie had to ask her to slow down and save something for the girls to buy for her shower next month.

When Steven had taken his seat and the chuckles died down, Beth began, “I wanted to second Lanie’s words of thanks, adding a thank-you to Steven. As a psychologist, he wasn’t able to help directly, but he hung blinds, was our go-to computer guy, and did a lot of the heavy lifting so we could open the doors on schedule. More importantly, he was a calming force when we first started out, holding my hand and offering words of reassurance. I know Lanie and Penny are eternally grateful you were around for my early freak-outs. Thanks for always being there and for believing in me”—she gestured to Lanie—“and in us.”

She also gave her husband a kiss. Fortunately, he was tall, even when seated, and she only had to lean in and stretch a bit to reach his lips around her protruding belly.

Grinning impishly when she straightened, she added, “Since he’s also an investor, I suppose I could thank him for bankrolling us, but that would be rude. Wouldn’t it, honey?” He rolled his eyes, and everyone chuckled. Beth was hardly a shy, retiring flower and usually told it like it was.

“Since it’s uncouth to talk about money, I’ll talk about something that isn’t.” She beamed at the group as she stroked her belly, the baby currently her favorite topic. “As you know, I’ll be starting maternity leave in a few weeks. Sooner if the daddy-to-be has anything to say about it.”

“Sooner, if your swelling feet have anything to do with it,” Steven put in. “You’re supposed to be resting with your feet up for two hours every afternoon.” To the group, he added, “I may need to call upon reinforcements to see that happens.”

“I’m on it,” Penny volunteered immediately. Their receptionist and senior staff member made it her business to know everyone else’s business, but if she said she would do something, it got done.

Laura, one of their legal secretaries, also offered to make it happen. “Since she can’t get up on her own anymore, that should be easy.”

“I’m feeling ganged up on,” Beth grumbled. Steven looked on with a satisfied grin, which she ignored. “I think we should move on to the next item of business, our name. A press release will go out on Monday, welcoming Michelle to our practice and announcing our new name.”

“It’s about time, too,” Lanie declared. “We’ll finally get rid of that awful acronym.”

In unison, the staff all called out, “F&A!” which sounded like effing-A.

As everyone laughed at the running office joke, Lanie glanced at Beth and asked, “What were we thinking?”

“That’s just it,” Beth replied. “We weren’t.”

“What’s the new name?” Penny asked.

“We thought alphabetical order would be best,” Beth told them. “Anderson, Fischer, and Greene has a nice ring to it, but we’re open for suggestions as long as they’re not vulgar acronyms.”

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