Legal Prejuduce 3 - Lessons In Life

Epilogue

Allie looked around the boardroom her emotions veering from intense pride to tearful gratitude. Daniel's mother had been gone for a few weeks. After spending a couple of days in Florida, removing some personal items from her house and making funeral arrangements they had returned to LA to find Max waiting for them at the airport, whispering in Daniel's ear how proud he was of him and how much he loved him. Back at the house the children had left for school but it was Jeremy's day off and Susan and Margie were also waiting.

While Allie was in the kitchen with Susan and Margie, Daniel sat in the adjacent family room and said to Max and Jeremy, "I just realised on the flight home that was the first time I ever saw anyone die, but Allie had done that for both of her parents when she was still just a kid." Max shook his head sadly, "I know, I can't stand to think about her alone in that big house." Jeremy looked over at the women with their arms around Allie in the kitchen and said quietly, "Yeah, she had it rough, but look at her now." Daniel smiled, "She was incredible with my Mom. I want to give her the best Thanksgiving and Christmas ever after last year." He took a breath, "The house should sell quickly. I'm going to put the money into the foundation. With everything else it'll be around four hundred thousand. It's like Allie putting Michael's life insurance money in, we're turning something that came out of pain to do something good in the world."

Pauline knocked the door and said, "Solomon Lightfoot is in reception." Allie smiled at Nathan who winked back and she said, "Thanks Pauline" and followed her out of the room. Solomon was looking around with interest when Allie appeared and he grinned broadly as she approached, eyes shining with excitement. "It's so great to see you Solomon." Pauline sat back behind reception and watched as Allie told the confident young man in the suit to come through. He looked at her carefully and said, "It's great to see you too. I was really sorry you couldn't make the graduation." Allie paused outside of the boardroom door, "I was gutted to miss it, but I was still having a lot of physical therapy and travelling was hard. How's the new job?" He beamed, "Great so far, keeps me busy though. My Mom says to say Hi. She was really worried about you when you got hurt." Allie's face turned soft, "Well now you've seen me for yourself you can tell her I'm fine and give her my love." She opened the Boardroom door and Nathan came to clap him on the back before introducing him to the others. Pauline returned with coffee as Daniel slipped an arm quietly around Allie's waist knowing how emotional the next couple days would be. Max came and kissed her and said, "Shall we make a start?"

The following day Allie, Daniel, Robyn, Jeremy, Max, Margie, Susan, John, Landon, Nathan and Solomon filed into the hotel meeting room they'd hired as a press room and took their seats. Allie was flanked by Max and her husband as the room fell silent and she spoke, "Thank you all for coming. We're here today to launch the Michael Stevenson Foundation, which will provide funding and opportunities for education of and business placements for young people of colour. The people sitting at this table are Michael's family. We loved him deeply and we all know he was a wonderful human being who cared about this subject passionately. We are all trustees of the Foundation and it will be chaired by Michael's fellow partner in Forshaw Cross, Nathan Picker." Nathan took over, "Every year the Foundation will invite referrals from local high schools for promising students and also accept direct applications. We'll look to help as many deserving cases as possible. In addition, Landon Forshaw, managing partner of Forshaw Cross and Max Russell, managing partner of Hunter Russell Moore will provide paid internships annually for minority candidates. I'd like to introduce one of our trustees, Solomon Lightfoot who is currently on a management development programme for a major tech company in Silicon Valley." Solomon cleared his throat, suddenly nervous and Nathan gave his arm a squeeze of encouragement. "Five years ago I applied for financial help to attend college via a scheme at my Mom's employer, and discovered as a poor black kid the cards were stacked against me. Nathan here and Allie were the lawyers involved on either side of the legal case a charity helped me launch against my Mom's employer. I lost the case but became the first recipient of Allie and Michael's foundation before they even thought to create it. They cared enough to find a way for me to get a college education, and Allie used her own money to anonymously pay my fees. I had my suspicions but I only discovered who had paid when I heard Michael had died and I did some digging. These people changed my life, so I am honoured they asked me to be a part of this, to help select the most deserving candidates. One person can't change the world, but Allie, Michael, this family, they try. Michael was a great guy and I was blessed to have met him." Max ignored the cameras and kissed Allie while Daniel rubbed her back with a supportive hand. Jeremy wiped a tear from Robyn's cheek and the room exploded with questions. Zack was standing by the door at the end of the table and he nodded to Allie with a smile. Everyone got up and Zack bent to say to Allie as she passed, "You did it. Well done."

Over in London Simon had set up a livestream in the boardroom from one of the US news channels, since he'd guessed the press conference was unlikely to make any UK TV news. He knew Nigel would be furious, but he'd cleared it with Max in case of any comebacks and the room was packed. Most had come out of curiosity, but Simon was determined the people in her old office see the good Allie had done. When it was over Hannah who was standing next to him looked thoughtful. "Wow, it was pretty brave of her to get in front of all those cameras and say that after everything that happened, all the stuff people have said about her." Simon nodded, "They're coming over soon on the latest Cannon deal. You should meet her, you'd like her Hannah, and I know she'd like you." He smiled as much to himself as his junior colleague, "I'm really looking forward to seeing them all. Brace yourself though, they'll come like a dazzlingly blast of Californian sunshine, sweeping us all along with them." Hannah looked slightly alarmed and Simon laughed softly, "Don't worry, Julia pulls that face whenever I mention them, but the truth is they've been good to me and I'm very fond of them all."

In the adjacent hotel meeting room Robyn held her friend while they both sobbed. When they parted Jeremy squeezed Daniel's shoulders and they each comforted their wives. Max and Daniel moved to organise something with the staff, Robyn went to chat to Solomon and Jeremy came and sat next to Allie, wrapping his arms around her. He kissed her cheek and whispered, "He's here Allie, I can feel it." Allie buried her head in his neck and whispered back, "I know, I feel it too. I wish he could hold me like this, just one more time." Her voice took on a haunted tone, "Don't ever leave me Jem." Jeremy tried to stop it but a tear escaped as he held her tighter, "None of us will sweetheart. I love you and I'm going nowhere." Max banged a glass as Daniel came over winking at Jeremy. Allie sat up wiping her eyes and Max said, "Grab a glass everyone, stand up. Let's raise 'em to Michael, always missed, always loved." As they toasted, the unseen figure in the shadows of the room watched and he radiated his love for all of them, hoping he could make them feel it. Allie gasped closing her eyes and Daniel caught her around the waist, concerned she was faint. Smiling knowingly at Jeremy she turned to Daniel and kissed him tenderly, "I'm fine Dan. The love, it just took my breath away."