Legal Prejudice 2 - Weather The Storms

Chapter 47

Things were quiet for the next couple of weeks and Allie started to relax. She was out with Susan, Carole, Tina and Julie on a now rare girls' mid-week dinner. Julie looked around the table, "I miss doing this guys, we need to make more of an effort to get together." Allie sighed, "Yeah, I've been rubbish I admit." Susan pulled her into a hug, "You've had so much to deal with honey."

Later in the night Susan was chatting with Allie over drinks, "You wouldn't go back to London or anywhere in the UK would you Allie? Allie sighed, "I know you worry about that Susan, but I promise you it's never going to happen." Susan looked down, "I worry that it will be a way out of all this Carrie stuff, and I worry that you'll want to educate Rose and Emmie at Hogwarts." Allie couldn't help but laugh at Michael's nickname for her former school. "I love the fact we all still call it Hogwarts. Michael was so funny sometimes. Listen, Susan, I love it here, it's home, and all of you guys mean way too much to me to live thousands of miles away. Our girls are American. I may not be, but I wouldn't dream of sending them to Hogwarts. It's a great school, but there are perfectly good schools here. I was very, very unhappy in London. Do you know, that day I arrived for good, when you hugged me?" Allie laughed, "You probably don't even remember. You'd just met me at the apartment and helped me drag the cases in. That was the first time I'd had any physical contact for months. If I didn't have any client meetings I could go days with no-one even speaking to me, let alone showing me any care or affection. I could never go back there to live again. This is home, you guys are my life."

Susan took her into her arms, "I'd be devastated if you ever left Allie. I just worried it would seem like a solution, or Max would send you and Daniel to head up the London office." Allie kissed her and laughed, "I don't think Max could handle his surrogate kids and grandkids being across the pond! Anyway both Dan and Max got to witness how awful it was for me in in the London office. We had this horrible meeting when we all went over there." She shuddered at the memory and added, "But Susan I would really love to take you to my house up in the north. I'd like you and John to see where I grew up. I think you'd really like it. It's just somewhere I like to visit, but I'll never live there again." Susan sighed, "You don't know how happy that makes me Allie. And I absolutely do remember your first day in the US. You were so sweet and I remember thinking how vulnerable you seemed. It touched my heart that you had no-one, and you'd been brave enough to travel half way across the world all alone. I wanted to take you home because even though I knew you were, you didn't seem much older than Jess, I drove John nuts talking about you. We'd absolutely love to see where you came from, Margie said the house and the views were stunning." Allie hugged her again, "We need to plan that visit."

A few days later, Allie was in her office with Amanda when Pauline on reception called through to say that Jeremy had called in, and wanted to know if she was free as Daniel was tied up in a client meeting. Allie said to Amanda, "Are you okay to crack on with those amendments Amanda? Someone's called in to see Dan and me, but Pauline said Dan's tied up." Amanda nodded brightly, "Sure Allie. Can I get you to look at it later and make sure I've got it right?" Allie nodded, "Of course, you're doing great though lovely, you're a massive help." Amanda got up beaming at the praise and left to take up the seat Stacie used to have. Liam asked her if she needed a coffee and she nodded, "I love this job Liam, everyone is so nice. Allie's so patient, makes it so much easier to learn when the boss doesn't make you feel bad for asking the same question twenty times." Liam laughed, "Yeah, Gordon's a bit grumpy and Wendy can be a pain, but the others are all great, even Carly. It's weird to remember now, but everything got better when Allie came. Daniel's always been a great guy to work for but Carly and Robyn never used to speak when Stacie was here." Amanda tilted her head, "What happened with her, where she go?" Liam gave a half smile, "Long story for another day."

Allie had made her way into reception to see Jeremy sitting on the couch. He got up smiling as she approached and kissed her surprised face, wrapping his arms around her warmly. He realised he's never seen any of them in their work environment before, and he couldn't help notice the offices screamed money and power. Seeing Allie he could see why Max said clients sat up and took notice when she walked into a room. Having held onto his hand once he let go of her she said, "To what do we owe this honour Jemmy?" Despite the news he was about to give her he couldn't help but smile as he said, "Stop being so damn British. I needed to tell you and Dan something that happened at the hospital this morning, and as it's my afternoon off I thought I'd come right over instead of calling. Apparently Dan's busy though, but I think Max ought to hear it too." Allie nodded looking worried and pulled him over to Everley and Pauline who'd been watching with interest, "Would one of you guys check Max's diary and see if he's free?" Pauline nodded as Everley reached to pick up an incoming call, "Yes, nothing until this afternoon, he's off the phone, want me to call him?" Allie smiled and shook her head, "No, I'll just take Jeremy through to his office, but would you mind bringing us some coffee through? Jeremy's is black, no sugar. And Pauline, can you let Daniel know we're with Max so he can join us when he's done with his client?" Pauline nodded and said "Sure Allie." She tugged him to the doors behind reception and used her pass to let them through.