I fixed my knee-length black pencil skirt and put on a pair of black, pointed-toe heels. While I turned in the mirror my lace loose blouse fell perfectly into place and I smiled as I was content with my outfit.
Fuck I looked like mom.
I strapped on my lil gold Rolex and grabbed my minimalistic black Celine handbag before rushing outside.
I opened the garage and stared at the cars. I guess today was an Austin Martin kinda day. I took the keys and locked the front door before hopping into my baby AM and checking my makeup in the rear mirror.
I was looking so damn professional.
Before I sped off into Stratford's busy city centre I checked the time to make sure I wasn't going to be too early or too late.
10:24.
Perfect.
30 minutes later I arrived outside a large, glass sky scraper and parked before walking up to the main reception.
"Chelsea Management for Law & Order Court Cases" was printed out in grand, bold letters above the huge desk.
A tall, brunette smiled at me from behind the desk so I walked up to her.
"Appointment with Mr Frasier," I simply said to her.
She tapped away on her computer and in a short few seconds met my eyes again.
"Miss Stuart?" She spoke with a little girl's voice.
I nodded.
"Through to room 142, 7th floor and on your right when you walk out of the elevator," she smiled.
I smiled back and headed to the elevators.
When I was inside, the few seconds I had I took a deep breath. My mom often had work here, it was probably the biggest business building in all of shit Stratford.
Soon I was outside room 142, so I knocked lightly on the dark wood doors and waited patiently until a middle aged man with grey hair and a grey moustache opened them.
"Julia! It's been a while!" His gruff voice was deeper than last time I had heard him, but then again that had been years ago.
"Too long," I smiled at my mom's old boyfriend.
"Please, take a seat, how's it been?" He sat down himself in a big leather office chair while I slowly sat onto a grey arm chair.
"It's been crazy, honestly Jeff, it seems like all I do is study and get myself in a mess," I laughed while eyeing his business cards stacked neatly on his desk with 'Advocate Mr Jefferson Frasier' printed on them.
"Where do I know that from, just like your mother, how is she?" He chuckled while getting up again.
"Just returned from a business trip in New York actually, she's been good, she's her old self again,"
"That's good to hear, tea or coffee?"
"Coffee," I set my bag next to me.
"I'd love to talk normal all day with you Julia, but I know what you came here for,"
"Yes, I need you for this court case, it's pretty easy," he smiled at me and handed me my coffee.
"Tell me what's up,"
-
I ended up leaving Chelsea Skyscraper 3 hours later and $2k poorer. But I guess it was worth it, if there's one guy that I know I can trust my life with in court, its Jeff. He's still like family, the only reason my mom and him split was because my mom decided she won't ever be in a position to deal with a man and a commitment like my dads again, even after his heart attack she felt like she was devoted to staying his wife and instead be a widow.
Jeff took it lightly and in full consideration, I guess he just understood, and even after the years of silence from both ends he's someone who I will always trust.
On my way home I decided not to tell mom about Jeff, if she asked who I went to of course I would tell her, but not if she didn't.
The rest of my day was filled with even more packing and watching the first two Hunger Games with my mom once she came home.
By the time that was over it was 11pm and I felt like I could go hunt for food at the Edge instead of flying out to New York. Movies like that always got to me.
