Page 17 of Love Is an Art
I hang up and turn to Lakshmi. “Let the record reflect that artists work all the time.”
“Is that Miranda’s schedule this weekend?”
“Pretty much. Except she’s performing instead of bartending. But I can’t sing, so I’m not going to go there.”
“You’re not exactly an artist, either, if I remember correctly from that one art class we took with the summer associates at that firm event,” Lakshmi says.
“Details.” I wave my hand. “It’s not like I’m going to paint in front of him. Right now, I have to call Paul and see if I can get authority to try to settle this Capital Management case. I don’t want to meet Zeke as his lawyer. And I do have a lot of work this weekend, especially with this succession case. I can’t mess it up.”
“I still think you should have turned Ken’s case down.” Lakshmi swivels around to face me.
“I couldn’t. My best friend in high school and her mom were almost kicked out of their rent-controlled home by an unscrupulous landlord who’d denied them heat and water. Her mom’s boyfriend advised her mom to move out, and the landlord then sent them a notice they’d vacated the premises. The lease was almost terminated, but FLAFL saved them—and then her mom found out her boyfriend was being paid off by the landlord.”
“Oh.” Lakshmi tilts her head. “Is that why you became a lawyer?”
“Basically, yes. I wanted to make sure I knew the laws and how to protect myself and the people I cared about. And, you know, uphold justice and all those good things. Why’d you become a lawyer?”
“My parents gave me a choice: lawyer or doctor. And I took one semester of biology and was like, law it is.”
I laugh. Lakshmi asks what Ken’s case is about, and I explain it.
“Wow. I see why you couldn’t say no.” Lakshmi leans forward. “But I thought you had to live in the apartment for two years prior to the death of the primary resident to have succession rights. Isn’t she already out because she hasn’t lived there?”
“No. Active military service isn’t considered a relocation.”
“Did the grandmother marry this guy?”
“No. But he is able to show all these other factors to demonstrate an emotional and financial commitment and interdependence. He shared a bank account with her, depositing his check, and took care of her when she was ill. She even gave him power of attorney. He has a compelling case, objectively.” He has more support for his case than I expected.
“Well, especially if he took care of her.” Lakshmi clicks off her computer.
“She met him because he was the assigned healthcare assistant. I think he found an elderly, frail woman with a rent-stabilized apartment and used her.”
“Sometimes I think you’re a little too cynical for your own good. Although, I guess it helps you as a lawyer.”
“If not, wouldn’t the grandmother have said she’d met someone? My client Taylor Robinson says she only referred to him as the caretaker.”
“Maybe she didn’t want to share her love life with her granddaughter.”
“Maybe. But I think it’s suspicious.”
“No faith in true love?” Lakshmi asks.
“Not when there’s a rent-stabilized apartment at stake,” I say.
“I hope you win.” Lakshmi packs up her bag to leave.
“I plan to.” My stomach tightens.I have to win this case for Taylor.
Paul agreed with my suggestion to propose settling the Capital Management litigation. Thus, it’s Monday morning, and I’m sitting next to Paul at a wide conference table. Across from us are the opposing counsel representing the plaintiffs in the litigation suing Capital Management. The three plaintiffs’ lawyers all have poker faces and don’t look inclined to give me the time of day, never mind agree to settle a lawsuit, as they read my settlement proposal.
We’re in our largest conference room to remind them they’re up against White & Gilman. The wall of windows has a view of the gleaming, midtown skyline. Stuffed Shirt had another commitment so he couldn’t join us. He’d asked Paul to find another date, but Paul said, “This is Tessa’s move.” Paul is one of my favorite partners to work for because he gives so much responsibility to associates. He only steps in if he needs to. His face right now could be captioned,This is a waste of my time. Clearly, you should settle.
I wish I had that kind of dismissiveness. My face is probably more,Please, please.I sit upright, my hands in my lap, and try to look like they’d be idiots not to settle.
The most senior partner of the opposing trio places my settlement proposal facedown and steeples his fingers.
“We don’t see any reason to agree to this proposal,” he says. “The jury will love our plaintiffs. Our plaintiffs are grandparents who were led to believe that this was a safe investment for their retirement income.”
