Legal Prejuduce 3 - Lessons In Life

Chapter 21

Chris had wondered if staying with his boss would have turned out to be all shades of awkward, but after a week he could honestly say he was totally comfortable with the arrangement. He told Mike Lawrence when he rang to check on him that it made him realise how cold and formal his home life had been growing up. Max and Margie gathered him up into their lives like he'd always been there and Chris was surprised at how much better he felt after such a short time. He'd been a little nervous heading into work for the first day, and he wasn't immune to some of the looks and whispers, but Max kept him close and busy. He was grateful for the structure they were giving him both within the office and with Margie's dinners and chats on the couch in the evenings. Max dragged him to the gym with him and Daniel a couple of times and Chris was slowly regaining the weight he'd lost as a result of his undiagnosed thyroid condition.

Max asked him how he was feeling about everything as they were driving home from the office on Friday night and he replied, "Better Max, I really do. I can feel my confidence coming back, but I can't help worrying that if I spend time on my own I'll lose my mind again and won't even realise." Max glanced at him, "Hey, you can stay with us just as long as you need, but even when you do go back to your own apartment we're not just going to cut you off. Margie'll miss you, and you can come over whenever. Same in work, you can help me out for as long as you want." He chuckled, "Lord knows I need the help, just ask Carly. But once you decide you're ready to take your own caseload again you can check in with me any time." Chris looked across, "I'm so grateful you know." Max reached over to put a hand on his shoulder, "I know y'are and you're making me proud. Coming back from something like this is tough Chris."

They drove along for a while before he said, "I wanted to ask you how you'd feel about coming along with us to the UK on the Cannon deal?" Chris looked surprised, "What would I do? It's not like I've been involved on the M&A stuff." Max glanced over, "No, but it'd be good experience for you, and I'm going to level with you, I don't want to leave you when it's so far away. Not because I don't trust you, it's because I care." Chris wasn't really sure how he felt. Max glanced at him and added, "And Rose would be pretty excited to have you along." That made Chris laugh and he said, "I do love that kid. What will Dan and Allie think having me tag along?" Max shrugged, "It was Dan that suggested it once we realised the visit would be soon. And Allie, between you and me she loves us to go over, but there's a lot of ghosts back home for her. The more of us around her while she's there the better." Chris didn't comment for a few minutes but then he said, "Being completely honest I'd love to go. I've never been to Europe, and you guys have told me enough about where Allie's from to make me think it'd be cool to go there. But I want to really help you know? Not just sit in on a couple of meetings, but do some proper work on it, so I'm not just getting a free ride." Max considered. At the back of his mind he knew the work wouldn't be as profitable if he brought Chris in, but on the other hand he was thinking they could use him to lighten the load. He drew up in the driveway, cut the engine and said, "Okay, that's reasonable. This is a complex one and we could use your input. I'll talk to the others and we'll include you on the Cannon team from this point. Best dig out your passport. You've got one haven't you?" Chris smiled, "Yeah, Mel and I took a vacation to Mexico a couple of years ago."

By Sunday Chris couldn't help feeling a little excited about the prospect of joining the UK trip. Allie had squealed when he arrived, having spoken to Max when he dropped into their house the previous afternoon. Rose had joined in when she realised Chris was going to come with them and Max groaned, "If you don't quit hurting my ears I'll leave the pair of you behind." Daniel grabbed Max and much to Margie's amusement planted a kiss on his cheek and said, "Just think, all those hours on a plane with them Maxy." Robyn and Jeremy arrived just as this was happening, and while Jeremy laughed Robyn rolled her eyes and said, "You talking about the UK trip?" Allie hugged her and bent to kiss Jack, "Yeah, Chris is coming with us, he's our new pair of hands on the deal." John clapped Chris on the back, "Wait 'til you see how old some of the stuff is, blew my mind." Allie hugged Susan, "Wish we could all go but it's only a few days this time." She kissed Allie and said, "I'll never forget our trip, I never expected to visit somewhere like that in my wildest dreams." She sighed and changing tone said to Jeremy and Robyn, "Hey you two, I have some house stuff to show you later." They nodded and Jeremy said, "Tom's just messaged to say he and Nathan are on their way with the Reynolds clan." As the others caught up on their week Jeremy grabbed Allie, "Hey, everything been okay this week?" Allie knew what he meant and she nodded, "Yeah, he's good Jem, he's much more himself. Max and Margie are taking such good care of him. I know you guys would look out for him while we're away, but you're busy with work and Robyn's got enough to deal with, so Max wants to take him with us." She rubbed Jeremy's arm, "Having met his family I really feel for him. I know he can come off confident, cocky even, but deep down, stripped bare he's such a sweet soul Jem. Why did they treat him like that?" Jeremy put an arm around her seeing her eyes had filled with tears, "I don't know Allie, I really don't. There was something really malevolent about those people. I was so mad when his sister said that stuff to you. I hate it that people like her think they've got the right to talk to you like that." He changed tone, "Anyway I'm kind of sore I don't get to go to England and hang out with you this time. You've got to promise me lunch when you get back as compensation." Allie laughed and leaned into him, "Deal. You can give me an update on your house hunting." They walked over to the others seeing Tom and his family approaching with Nathan.