UNFINISHED BEGINNINGS

2 | the rookie

I took a deep breath as I turned the door knob and pushed it open. I've been here numerous times when I was a student. There was nothing to be worried about. I've worked as a researcher and paralegal with Professor Roque for several cases and even did one summer internship here. How difficult can this be?

"Hi! I'm here to see Atty. Roque," I greeted the lady at the reception area. She was rummaging through the filing cabinet that she hardly noticed me. She must be new, since I haven't seen her during my past visits here. She's cute. A bit older than me, I guess. Smartly dressed... the pencil skirt was little bit too long for my taste. Nice legs though.

"Are you a client? He's out of town and won't be back until Wednesday," she interrupted my musings.

Articulate. Cool, pleasant voice... but toneless. Difficult to read.

"Do you want to leave a message instead?" she inquired again when I wasn't able to answer her question earlier. Her right brow lifted a bit when our eyes met.

I wasn't checking her out. I was... merely admiring the view. I smiled, consciously trying not to look guilty.

"Good morning, Attorney!" Ate Yolly cheerfully said when she came out from one of the inner offices.

I was about to look around to see who was behind me when I realized the older secretary was talking to me.

"Naninibago ka pa din, ano?" the older secretary chuckled. "Buti at napapayag ka ni Atty. Roque na dito na magpractice. Magkakilala na ba kayo ni Atty. Dani?"

"So you're Attorney Araneta," the other woman said as a-matter-of-factly despite that muted look of disapproval and extended her hand. "I'm Attorney Torre."

Attorney Dani Torre is a woman? I heard that there was a new partner coming in but I always thought that Attorney Danny was a man... a middle aged, uninteresting male lawyer whose only passion in life was law and golf. I shook her hand briefly, realizing that my palms had become sweaty yet cold. I tried to recall every detail of what I was wearing today. I wasn't too inappropriately dressed, am I?

"I was informed that you've worked here before. I assume you already know you're way around the office and most of the staff. There's no need to tour you around the place," she uttered without waiting for a reply.

Cold. Confident. Authoritative. What's that word?

Cocky.

"This will be you're office," she said as she opened the door to a small room with a large wooden desk, a couple of dark upholstered chairs, and bare white walls. "You can decorate your office as you want as long as it remains respectable. The firm doesn't provide desktop computers for the lawyers since we're all using our laptops anyway. But there's internet connection both wired and wifi."

Ate Yolly came in with a trolley piled with boxes of what I assumed were case folders.

"I was told that you'll be assigned the account of the Lantins and the de Ocampos. I am handling their main account and the lawyers assigned are under my supervision. I suggest you go over all the case folders and all the documents. Make your own summary so you'll get a bird's eye view of the scope of work to be done. No worries, they mostly involve property transfers, acquisitions, estate planning," she glanced at the pile of documents waiting to be sorted. "They are among the valued clients of this firm, I don't need to remind you of that. If you have any questions, my office is next door."

"Ipapasok ko na lang 'yung ibang files mamaya," Ate Yolly told us before she was went out.

There's more? Gulp.