Chapter 9: What Douglas Explained
Douglas came to my office the next morning with a folder and no coffee, which told me the meeting was going to be short.
He sat down, opened the folder, and turned it to face me.
"Brandon's new counsel called me yesterday evening," he said.
"Before Brandon even had a chance to formally retain them.
Apparently word travels in this city."
I looked at the top page.
It was a letter.
Two paragraphs.
"They're not taking the case," I said.
"Three firms declined in the same afternoon.
The Parrish situation is documented now.
Any attorney who takes Brandon's case inherits the question of whether their client suborned perjury.
That's not a comfortable position." Douglas paused.
"Brandon can find someone eventually.
But it will take time.
And in that time, the settlement motion moves forward unopposed."
"What does that mean practically?"
"It means the court will likely rule within sixty days.
The contested assets — the investment accounts Brandon's original attorneys argued were post-marital — will almost certainly be included in the settlement.
With interest." He looked at me.
"It's a significant number, Gwen."
He told me the number.
I looked at the window for a moment.
"And Parrish?" I said.
"The medical board opened a formal review yesterday.
The district attorney's office has requested the bank records.
I don't know the timeline, but the financial connection between Parrish's son and Brandon's firm is not something that goes away quietly." He closed the folder.
"Brandon will face that separately from the civil matter.
Those are two different processes."
"He'll have consequences."
"Specific ones.
Named ones.
Yes."
I nodded.
Douglas stood.
At the door, he paused.
"There's one more thing.
Lauren called me this morning."
I waited.
"She's moving.
She and the baby are going to her sister's place in Portland.
She wanted you to know." He looked at me carefully.
"She also asked me to tell you that she's going to be honest with Marcus's wife.
That she's done letting Brandon hold that over her."
I thought about Lauren in the left chair.
Her coat still on.
Her hands shaking.
"Good," I said.
"She said one more thing." Douglas's voice was gentle.
"She said she hopes someday you can have coffee.
Just coffee.
No agenda.
She said she'd understand if the answer is no."
The parking structure outside my window was ordinary and gray and completely familiar.
"Tell her I'll think about it," I said.
Douglas nodded.
He left.
I sat alone in my office for a few minutes before my first patient arrived.
I thought about the word *someday*.
How it was different from *never*.
How it was different from *yes*.
How it occupied a particular honest space between the two that felt, right now, like the truest thing anyone had said to me in a long time.
I wasn't ready.
But I wasn't closed.
That felt like enough.
My phone buzzed.
May you like
My first patient was in the waiting room.
I picked up my tablet, straightened my white coat, and went to do my work.
