English Version: Dandelions in the Wind

25

A woman burst into Charlotte's office, not even bothering to knock, before swinging the door open. Her hair was cut short, just reaching her ears, framing a face with a prominent, sharp nose and dark, smooth skin. At a glance, she might be mistaken for Latina, thanks to her long eyelashes and round eyes. Standing at 5'4", her physique was slender and had a smooth complexion. Her attire epitomized elegance: a white long-sleeved shirt with a V-neckline paired with a tailored black blazer, neatly pressed grey slacks, and polished brown high heels.

"You got a minute?" Georgia asked, her smile broad as she laid a brown folder on Charlotte's desk.

Charlotte briefly lifted her eyes from the laptop, then sighed and rolled them in frustration. "This better be important for you to just barge into my office during work hours," she remarked with annoyance, already too familiar with her older cousin's habit of dropping by unannounced.

Georgia chuckled and sat in the vacant chair across Charlotte's desk. "I've reviewed the contract and noticed a few potentially ambiguous clauses. Specifically, the indemnification section—it's vague about what exactly is covered." She nudged the folder closer to Charlotte with a deliberate motion.

Charlotte, now somewhat intrigued despite her initial irritation, scanned the document. "Interesting point. My client intended that section to be all-encompassing, covering any liability for the services provided. Maybe we need to include a specific definition of 'Services' to clarify things," she suggested as she examined the details. "And about your concern, do you think the client would agree to modify it to 'for cause,' with a clear list of what constitutes cause for termination?" she inquired, looking up from the folder.

"That could work. I'll talk to my client about it. And while we're on the subject, I think adding an arbitration clause could help us handle any disputes more efficiently," Georgia replied, her interest shifting to the glittering dark blue nail polish she had chosen for the day.

Catching the sight of Georgia's nails, Charlotte couldn't help but ask. "Did you just put glitters on your nail polish?"

"Mario's latest date works at a nail salon. He couldn't stop recommending it to me," Georgia shared, her voice laced with amusement as she flashed a playful smile at Charlotte. "And have you noticed? There's always a bevy of beautiful girls parading in the hallway, probably his latest flings before you finally decided to let him go," she added in a teasing and slightly reproachful tone. The concern in her eyes was noticeable as she observed Charlotte's frustrated behavior. "What's going on with you lately? You seem perpetually annoyed."

Charlotte paused her rapid typing on the keyboard, her expression hardening as she pondered her response. "I've been more than fair with him, giving him chances he hardly deserved. But let's face it; he couldn't win a case to save his life. He's become more of a liability than an asset," she admitted with annoyance. "Incompetence irritates me more than anything," she confessed, addressing Georgia's pointed observation. After glancing at her cousin briefly, Charlotte's focus returned to her laptop. "Perhaps it's time to issue a memo to the entire firm, putting an end to this incessant gossip-feeding frenzy," she mused with a look of irritation. "Honestly, if we weren't related, I'd think you thrived on gossip," Charlotte remarked with a sigh, her tone shifting to one of exasperated affection, similar to a scolding mother.

Georgia's response was to laugh heartily. "You always know how to make a joke," she retorted sarcastically, not missing a beat. "Let's not forget, I'm the older one here. I used to babysit you, remember? And this is the thanks I get, Charlotte Marie Del Pierro?" she teased, playfully using Charlotte's full name to needle her further.

Charlotte rolled her eyes. "Then act like one. Why do I always feel like I'm your mother? I'm constantly scolding you. And I'm always getting dragged into arguments because of your ex-lovers. Do you need to state my full name, Georgia Margielyn Salazar?" she teased.