The Lions Den

Prologue: When the Lion First Locked Eyes With the Gazelle

Prologue

It was remarkable the way someone can wake up one day and not have as much of a clue as to what life would hold. It was remarkable how the so-called promise of waking up wasn't truly a promise at all. If anything it was a measly hope curated out of the habit of going through the process for as long as one has been alive. No matter if it had been for five years or twenty five. No matter how consistent the hopeful practice has been. One day it could all change. One day the rules and workings of our norms and expectations could be thrown into the wind with no hope for restoration in sight.

And no one would even notice until the snatching of the promises was right there already on the horizon, too close to even think about avoiding it.

"Good morning Ms. Daniels." I heard as soon as I entered the rotating doors of the rotunda of Hooks and Morgan Law Firm. Blinking, I came out of the paranoid thoughts that had been plaguing my mind for the better part of my morning no matter what I did. I let the thoughts go out the window, and graced the receptionist with a genuine smile glad to see her happy presence here in the sterile white porcelain entry that mirrored the claustrophobic entrapments of my mind and its all too sharp thoughts.

"Good morning Kasey! How are you? The kids make it to school okay?"

"I'm well and they made it just fine! Have a great day today. Brooklyn is already up!" Kasey stated to me as the elevator rang to take me upstairs.

I smiled and waved goodbye before stepping onto the elevator. Waiting to approach the second to last floor of the extensive law office situated in downtown Atlanta where I worked, I couldn't help but to take a breath before powering into the day ahead. I was grateful to say the least. How could I not be seeing as I was one of the top partners in the firm?

Two years of undergraduate school at Clark Atlanta, three years of Georgia Tech's School of Law and at twenty-eight years old I was the youngest partner of Hooks and Morgan Law Firm: the best of the best. I worked my ass off for it and now I was one of the top defense lawyers on this side of the Mississippi. As the elevator dinged I got off and made my way to my office which was located right next to my best friend's sub-office as she was also my paralegal. I perched myself easily enough on her desk making her head snap up quickly from the computer in shock.

"Oh my goodness! Don't scare me like that Kashera, damn!" Brooklyn growled out at me making me pout.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. You know I love you! I also brought food, so all should be quite forgiven," I said with a smirk as her entire demeanor changed.

"Best friend you know I'm just playing with you! What do we have to eat?" She said peering over the desk trying to see what was in the bag. I chuckled lightly, placing her food and coffee on the desk as she clapped happily and did a little dance in her seat. Her brown eyes were shining bright as day underneath the curls of her large afro, and her pearly white teeth bore a stark against the brown lipstick she wore in contrast with her dark chocolatey-smooth skin that was brought out more by the gentle fluidity of her foundation and the deep blush of her cheeks.

"Before I walk in there what do I have for today?" I asked with a sigh. I was ahead on most of my cases, but as the days went on sometimes I got assigned meetings to be of assistance on additional cases. Thankfully, I haven't been added to anything new in a while seeing as they already have me up to my ears in case-work as it is. Putting down her drink, Brook hastily filed through her computer and skimmed through before looking at me with a not too pleasant face as it beeped indicating she had an email. I raised an eyebrow skeptically.

"What happened?"

"I just got an email from the big boss man, and it looks like you have a meeting within the next hour. He didn't even try to indicate what for so you're going in there blind. How are you coming on the Fraitville case?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.