Vault

Ten

"National Treasure," I suggested.

"No," Chandler scoffed, "we want to watch a good movie."

"Hey, you leave Nicholas Cage alone," I warned.

I sat down on the couch next between Chris and Jimmy, giving up on trying to suggest a movie that I actually wanted to watch. I knew the guys would out-vote me anyway, but they asked for my input.

I grabbed some popcorn from the bag Chris was holding and popped it into my mouth while I waited for the movie to start. They had agreed on some Will Ferrell comedy that I knew we had all seen more than once. It really didn't matter what we watch though, I just like being here with the guys like everything is as it used to be.

I listened to the voices and the dialogue that I recognized, but I couldn't pay attention to it. My mind continued to go back to the conversation Jimmy and I had when we went to see my parents.

I trust Jimmy, I trust him more than anyone else, but I can't help but fear what will happen if he tells someone about what I told him. If Jimmy were to tell anyone, it would be Chris or Chandler or maybe even Maddy, all people I know I can also trust. But what if one of them convinces Jimmy to go to the police? I can't have someone poking around in my past and digging up the torture of my memories.

I snapped out of my trance as my phone began to vibrate, Mr. Irwin's name appearing on the top of the screen.

"Hello?" I asked when I answered the call.

I reached for the remote and paused the movie so I wouldn't bug any of the guys by talking over it, because I have to take this call. Normally I would leave the room to take this phone call, but it's just Jimmy, Chandler, and Chris. Plus my laptop is already down here in the living room.

"Hi Avalon, I'm sorry to call you while you're on vacation, but my computer crashed and I lost the notes you sent me about my next case," Mr. Irwin apologized.

"Have you gotten your computer running again?" I asked.

"Yeah my computer is fixed, but the email is missing," Mr. Irwin explained.

"Which case is it?" I asked into the phone as I grabbed my laptop from the coffee table in front of us and opened it to find my notes.

"The Fitzgerald case," Mr. Irwin answered.

"Okay, do you want me to forward the email again or just read through the notes so you can write them down?" I clarified.

"Both if you don't mind," Mr. Irwin laughed, "I think best when you run through the notes with me."

"Okay, the email is forwarding now," I explained as I pulled up my notes on the case.

"You're the best Avalon," Mr. Irwin sighed, "I don't know what I would do without you."

"You would not be running the firm sir," I joked as I turned the call to speaker phone to free up my hands to use my laptop.

"You're right about that," Mr. Irwin joked as I heard some other voices in the background.

"Is she of age to come out with us yet? I want to see her out of the office," Mr. Clifford smirked.

"Ash didn't tell you? He invited her to come out with us next week after she's back from vacation," Mr. Hemmings smirked back.

"We all want to see her out of the office Mike, she's the only reason we even come to see Ash at work," Mr. Hood laughed.

"Would the three of you idiots shut up, she can probably hear you," Mr. Irwin snapped at his friends.