Personal assistant

Courthouse rules

Our steps were swift, cold in the large hallway. Eight of us attuned, striding to the door of the courtroom dressed in clean suits and stark expressions. A month and a half of compiling a solid case, favours exchanged and dates moved up. Only now to find out if it was all worth it. I'd not seen much of Sofia since Mr Angelo started work, due to security reasons from any sensitive information the case involved, and I'd missed her entirely. She was all I would dream about, day and night. I tried not to stare, this was a formal matter, and I only had to wait maybe an hour or two till I could touch her again. 

My memories flew back to the last time I was able to hold her. It would be a fortnight this Thursday, I'd turned up on her floor at two in the morning, holding back floods of tears. Nightmares had frequented me since the altercation between Sofia and her father in the office, but for some reason that night, it was worse than I had ever experienced. I woke up shivering, full body erupted in goosebumps even though a layer of sweat dripped from my body. The scenes kept looping, they were so graphic and felt so real, I didn't understand how Sofia dealt with nightmares like this on her own for so long. I couldn't calm myself, and even though I knew I wasn't supposed to see her, she was the only person that would be able to help. I tip-toed through my apartment so as not to wake Sasha, and drove myself to the only woman that had ever truly made me feel safe. She'd opened the door confused, eyes still laced with sleep. She consoled me easily, downcast that she wasn't there for me when I woke up. Her arms were home, I missed the smell of her clothes, the curves on her waist. Even now, as I stared at just the back of her, a small slither through the rows of shoulders in front of me, an ache started to ball in my chest.

I was so in love with that woman.

Mr Angelo led us into the courtroom, I followed at the back with Rupert, and we sat in the front row of the gallery. I was directly behind her, the light bouncing off her raven hair, which had been pulled up into a neat and professional ponytail. I think that may had been the first time I'd ever seen her with her hair pulled back like that, she was breathtaking. Her and Mr Angelo were deep in conversation, the rest of his team also in discussion next to Rupert and I. For a fraction of a second, her head turned just enough for her to catch me in the corner of her eye, and she locked hers with me, smiling warmly before a loud voice echoed into the tall room.

"All rise."

My heart was strained, there was too much on the line for me to stay calm. The judge took his place on the bench, and we all sat down again. Mr Angelo had sprung into accusations after being prompted, the judge listening curiously. He held attention and was eloquently spoken, all facts hailed down on Sofia's father, who looked seething over on the defendants table. I had avoided looking at him at all until now, his presence always unnerved me, now more than usual. His own lawyer was a short, stout woman who didn't quite have that same commanding authority that Mr Angelo had.  She wasn't able to answer some of the evidence that Mr Angelo had laid out, and most of her defence was weak. I shifted in my seat, the hard wood becoming uncomfortable as the minutes turned into hours, truths and wrongdoings scattered into the open. As all his secrets and lies stacked up against him, I couldn't believe how disgusting he actually was. I don't think I've ever hated anyone so much before in my life, I honestly thought if I was given the chance, I could kill him with my bare hands. 

Finally, the reckoning was upon us. The jury didn't appear to need much time to deliberate, nods and murmurs were passed back and forth between them. A few more moments passed, though it felt like an eternity and the judge spoke loudly and clearly. My mouth was dry, Rupert gripped my hand tightly and I squeezed back, screwing my eyes shut in angst.

"The jury finds the defendant guilty on all charges, count one-"

Mine and Rupert's hands released their deathly grip, a large sigh of relief passing through my lips as I collected myself. Sofia and Mr Angelo turned to exchange grins at each other, his hand landing on her shoulder, but staying professional as the judge read out his terms to Sofia's father.

"Mr Larenz Bardot, you are sentenced to 50 years in prison without the possibility of parole."

He shouted abuse, insisting this would not be the last time that his daughter would hear from him. Uninterested, the judge waved for him to be cuffed and taken away.

"Case closed."

The gavel struck the block loudly, the best sound amidst the keen handshakes and congratulatory pats on the back between Armstrong corp. Rupert pulled me into a delightfully suffocating embrace, which I more than happily returned, burying my face into his shoulder in relief. The guards informed us that the press were piled up outside, and we would need to move to another location quickly and discreetly to avoid it getting any busier. Sofia and Mr Angelo were led towards a separate exit, where a private car would be taking them back to the Beaumont. The rest of Armstrong corp, Rupert and myself would be exiting via the front as a distraction, two cars waiting for us on the road at the bottom of the steps.

All I wanted to do was hold her. I wanted to run after her, being so close to her for the past couple of hours without getting to touch her was torture. Her eyes sought the courtroom as she was guided away, and flickered frantically between bodies to finally to rest on me. She had an apologetic look, and called that she would see me back at the hotel. Her voice washed over me, resonating long after she left the room. I followed Rupert down the steps, sunglasses shielding my eyes from the incessant flashes from cameras and greedy questions that remained unanswered by us all. My leg bounced up and down in the limousine, I was silent in comparison to the other members of Armstrong corp who had popped a celebratory bottle of Prosecco. I turned it down, I felt like a junkie experiencing withdrawal from Miss Bardot, which was stupid but the honest truth.

The conference room was bustling, despite being closed off to the general public, and even the hotel residents. The support from the staff and the whole of Armstrong corp was overwhelming. Again, I searched for the one I cared for the most, ignoring everyone else who hasn't her. Finally, my ears picked out a familiar laugh from the crowd, silvery and gleeful. I tapped her on the shoulder, and she spun round, meeting my gaze. Her smile stretched from ear to ear, I could do nothing except return it. She sparkled from the inside, her eyes gleaming with emotion. Miss Bardot was positively glowing, she lit up every corner of the room, fronds of that same light reaching my own heart, warming it for the first time since our last interaction.

"Buonasera, tesoro. Long time no see."

I launched into her arms and she laughed, wrapping her arms round my waist and pulling me into her so hard my feet nearly left the floor.

"It was too hard to stay away from you," I whispered, tears brimming in my eyes. Her hand cradled the back of my head as she stroked my hair, quietly engrossed in our own little bubble. I deluged myself in her, yearning to utter the phrase 'I love you' to her in a thousand different languages.

"Well, since we won, now you won't need to."

Mr Angelo smiled at me, and I released my grip on Sofia, offering him a handshake filled with as much gratitude as I could muster.

"You and the team have done me the grandest favour, I will forever be indebted."

Sofia put her hand on her heart with sincerity, and Mr Angelo simply said he was just doing his job, and that she deserved to win this case more than anyone he had ever represented. She took my hand in hers as we conversed with those around us, and never once dropped it.