Legal Prejuduce 3 - Lessons In Life

Chapter 16

Dan, Robyn and Allie were working on Dan's meeting table, pulling together materials for the upcoming planning meetings for the Cannon Health project. They had just taken a break and Dan had brought drinks in for them. Allie was chatting to Robyn about Rose's pre-school. Robyn said, "So did you have a follow up conversation yet?" Allie nodded, "Yeah, Dan and I called them together yesterday from here. We told Melissa we'd had Jem's input as a doctor and told her what he'd said." Dan shrugged, "I don't think she was too happy with our response, but Rose is our little girl and we know her best." Allie squeezed his hand and smiled, "Yeah, but we have sat Rose down and talked to her about how she behaves at school. You know, not losing her temper, doing what she asked without protesting, and sitting nicely when they do group stuff on the carpet." Dan nodded, "According to Rose Mia Rosenberg keeps making her move over on the carpet, and kicks her when no-one's looking. Melissa says she'll make sure they're not near one another, but her story is Rose over reacts and it's accidental." Robyn narrowed her eyes and laughed, "Ummmm, yeah right! I guess we've all met a few Mia Rosenbergs along the way." Allie laughed as Dan pulled a face and added, "I wanted to tell Melissa I've seen Mia Rosenberg at parties and she's a little brat, but Allie wouldn't let me."

They got back to work and Amanda came in to ask Robyn and Allie for a file Chris was looking for. Seeing she looked stressed Robyn said, "You okay Amanda?" Allie glanced up while she searched for the folder on her laptop and Amanda inhaled, "Yeah, Chris is just driving me nuts. He's going like a hundred miles an hour at the moment. I get in and he's been E mailing stuff all night and switching from one client to another 'til I'm not sure which one he's talking about." Daniel caught Allie's eye but didn't comment and Allie said, "I've just sent you a link to it." When she'd left Robyn raised her eyebrows, "What's with him at the moment? He's got Amanda doing stuff we may not even need, like everything has to be done today." Allie sighed, "I don't know. Max is keeping an eye on him, but he thinks he's just using work as a distraction because he hasn't got much else going on." Robyn pulled a face, "Can't he join a gym or start running marathons like any other guy who gets dumped?" Daniel grinned and Allie laughed softly saying, "I tell you what, I'm envious of his energy. Did you see him with the girls on Sunday? When Margie and I went over to give him a break he was running around making them shriek and he was like no, I don't need a break, I'm fine."

The following day they met with Max to review some of the materials they'd been pulling together and he hummed in satisfaction. "So I've set up a meeting next Tuesday morning including Simon in London and Wendy our side just to give them final sight of the documents we'll be requesting from the target. Then we have the meeting booked in with Cannon to go through that and lay out the areas we'll cover in the discovery phase. They want to then run through the team they've assembled their side and how they think we'll interlock." Dan and Allie nodded and Max continued, "They're likely to want us to make a UK visit. How do you guys want to play that?" Dan smiled and said, "I know we'd both want to go with you and it would make sense. What d'you think Allie?" She nodded, "Yeah, I know we could work something out with the others to watch the kids, but I really don't want to leave them so far away." Max nodded, "I get it Allie. If you're happy for Emmie to miss a few days school, how about we bring Margie along for the ride to watch them?" Allie's face lit up and she said, "As long as she didn't mind?" She added, "I thought with a name like Aviemore they'd be based in Scotland, but since they're headquartered thirty minutes from the house we could fly into to Manchester and just stay there rather than a hotel?" Daniel looked at Max who nodded, "Yeah, it'll only be a couple of days work at the most, Margie'll love it and it'll be home from home for the kids." Allie laughed, "Wow, I didn't expect to go back so soon. Once we have dates I'll have to let Barry and Judith know so they can organise the house."

Just before they left Daniel glanced at Allie and said, "Max, Amanda was in my office yesterday. Chris had her on a wild goose chase for a file. Allie found what he was after and sent her a link, but she said he's E mailing her at night with confusing instructions for the next day, flitting between clients." Max sighed dramatically, "I don't know what I'm going to do with him. I've told him he needs to be out of the building before seven at night and can't come in before eight. Now he's E mailing even when he's not here?" Allie couldn't help but smile, "I guess we all do that to some extent Max." Her boss grinned, "Yeah, okay, guilty as charged. I tell you what, I'll get him working on some of my stuff for the next couple of weeks. That way I can pace him. I've told him some of the stuff he's done recently won't end up billable, but it's like he thinks he needs to be a hundred hours ahead all the time." They got up to leave and Allie reached up to kiss her boss' cheek, "Thanks for asking Margie about the trip to England and thanks for being patient with Rose's bestie." Max laughed and grabbed her face in his hands to plant a kiss on her forehead, "Anything for you two." He released her and said, "And hey Allie, you still coming over after my one o'clock for coffee with Landon?" Allie nodded as Max smiled, "Right, get outta here, I need to grab Carly."