Page 72 of The Sexy Part
“I’ll tell the judge you don’t represent me,” I say.
“Don’t be foolish. I’ll get you the full amount. I brought my original receipts for the jewelry. It’s only appreciated in value.”
I press my lips in a flat line. Part of me wants to kick him out; part of me says let the man do what he’s best at. “Fine.”
After a quick judgment for two hundred dollars to the guy before me for an overdue cable bill, it’s my turn.
I walk up to the microphone. Dad joins me. Strangely, it makes me more confident to have a lawyer by my side, even if it is the man I have a complicated relationship with.
I state my case and that Dad is representing me. “I have receipts for the stolen laptop and headphones. My ex-fiancé, David Phillips, sitting over there, has admitted to hocking them after we broke up.”
Dad pulls the microphone toward him. “Your Honor, I’d like to present receipts for the stolen jewelry’s value.”
Dave hangs his head. He was probably going to claim the jewelry wasn’t worth anything.
But when it’s Dave’s turn to defend himself, he goes with, “I never touched her stuff.”
I tell the judge the whole story of what he’s done, Dad tops it off with some precedent in a domestic dispute I’ve never heard of, and the judge bangs her gavel.
The judge gives Dave a hard look. “Civil money judgment on David Phillips for the maximum of ten thousand dollars. An enforcement officer will be assigned to you. See the clerk on your way out.”
Dave slinks out.
“Yes,” I say under my breath. I want to yell it, but we’re in a courtroom. I turn to Dad. My impulse is to hug him for hanging on to those receipts and helping me out today. But I can’t. This is the same man who left me with only Mom’s jewelry to hang onto.
He gives me a curt nod. “Congratulations.”
“Thank you.”
We file down the aisle and out the door. I’m expecting him to rush off to work, but he says, “Rowan, can we talk for a minute outside?” He sounds uncertain like he’s afraid I’ll reject him.
“Okay.”
A few minutes later, we’re outside. There’s a fountain in the plaza out front, and we walk over to it.
Dad folds his hands in front of him. “Your friend Cooper would’ve made a fine lawyer. He laid out his points clearly with exactly what he expected me to do to make things right with you.”
I shake my head. “He had no right. I didn’t ask him to do any of that.”
Dad holds my gaze, his blue eyes so like my own. “I didn’t think of it as abandoning you when I sent you to live with your grandmother. I thought I did what was best for you. You needed a woman in your life. I…” His voice chokes. My eyes widen. I’ve never seen him emotional. Even at Mom’s funeral, he kept a stoic expression. “I was consumed with grief and threw myself into work. Success was a lonely hard road. I have regrets, especially where they concern you.”
“Oh my God, are you dying?”
“No, I’m just trying to say I should’ve tried harder to connect with you, and I’m sorry for abandoning you. You were grieving as much as I was.”
My throat tightens. It’s the apology I never thought I would get. “I don’t know what to say.”
“I’d like to spend more time with you now, if it’s not too late.”
Tears sting my eyes. “Oh, Dad, it’s not too late.”
He opens his arms to me, and I hug him.
We pull apart. He wipes his eyes from tears. Wow. That must’ve been hard for him to say. He clears his throat like he’s embarrassed. “I’m going to hire a private detective to track down your jewelry. It’s your legacy.”
“Thanks, Dad.”
We stand there awkwardly for a moment.
