To my baby, my love, my inspiration, my soulmate. Merry Christmas.
---------(_*_)---------
Glen smiled to himself as he watched her work the courtroom. Both the judge and the jury seemed to be under her spell. Judge Harold T. Stone routinely shot down objections raised by the defendants' attorneys, allowing her to continue in her line of questioning. She was definitely sexy, even without trying to be, but that wasn't the reason that the entire courtroom was captivated. Her makeup was subtle, her dress stylish and classy, but definitely not meant to overly accentuate the sensual curves of the lithe body underneath. Her voice was warm and rich, but that wasn't it either. Instead, her allure emanated from the fact that she was smart, witty, even funny at times, but she was also tough. Everyone in that room who had either seen her work before or who knew of her reputation knew that she took no shit from anyone. When she knew she was in the right, she'd fight tooth and nail to defend her position and her clients. Still early in her law career, she'd taken on some of the big boys at the major firms and won.
Jordan was aware of the man sitting in the back of the courtroom watching her intently. He'd attended her last three trials but they had never spoken or been introduced. He just sat and watched her every move, taking copious notes. He did not look unfriendly, but she knew who he must be. His handsome face, dark features, well-tailored suits, and disarming smile had to be a ploy to get her off of her guard. He most certainly was there as a spy for one of the corporations she had pending litigation against. It gave her a rush, actually, knowing that multi-billion-dollar corporations respected and feared her enough to send a spy to learn her style and try to gain an upper hand before facing her in court, but she also did not want to tip her hand to all her strategies. The attention certainly helped keep her on her toes, always striving to think of something new, never ending her research for legal precedents that may work in her favor.
She was greatly surprised, however, on the day the jury delivered its verdict in her favor and he came up and introduced himself afterward. She learned that he was spying on her alright, but not for another company against whom she would soon face in court. He was spying on her because he wanted to hire her himself. "Glen Arrington," he said in a deep voice, introducing himself and standing slightly taller than her. He shook her hand firmly, enveloping her small hand in his two warm ones. The AC in the courtroom often left her hands cold, and she appreciated his warmth. His well manicured hands were large, strong. For propriety's sake she withdrew her hand reluctantly and gave her name.
"I know who you are, Jordan. The best damn labor lawyer in the city, maybe this side of the country."
"What do you mean, 'maybe'?" she said playfully, feigning cockiness with a gleam in her sparkling green eyes. Those eyes were alluring and her smile was wide, obviously high off of her legal victory. Although he was anticipating working with her, Glen had no idea how much those eyes would mesmerize him in the months to come.
"We'll see if you're the best in the country after you take my business," he shot back, not missing a beat.
"What makes you so sure I will agree to represent you, Mr. Arrington?"
"Because it's a good cause, and it's a challenge. If there is anything I've learned about you while watching you over these last several months is that you love a just cause and you love to be challenged, pushed to your limit, to see if you can excel beyond it. And please, call me Glen."
Jordan was astounded that he could assess her so well having never even spoken to her before. It was a bit unnerving, but she tried her best not to show it. "And just what is this cause that I won't be able to refuse?" she asked.
"I run a rehabilitation program for people with mental health problems, many recovering addicts and ex-offenders. By the time they've gone through my program, my clients have paid their debt to society, they've gone through an intense and thorough 12-step program, they've gone back to school and they've been well trained for jobs in the field of their education and interest. But many companies discriminate against them because of their record, or will hire them but at a greatly reduced salary scale not commiserate with their knowledge and skill set. We're looking for a lawyer willing to take on these discriminatory practices and help put an end to them."
"That will be very tough," she replied, the smile on her face fading into a look of reservation. "First, we'd have to be able to prove that these hiring and wage decisions are based solely on the incarceration factor, so we'd either need documentary evidence or an inside witness. Then we'd also be dealing with societal stigma that would tend to favor the companies. You're talking about a long uphill battle, with no guaranteed outcome and no promise of recovering a settlement."
"I admitted it would be a challenge," Glen said, acknowledging the difficulties, "but few causes are more worthy than people working hard to turn their lives around and be positive contributing members of society." They looked at each other intently for a moment as he paused. "Listen, don't make a decision now. Here's my card. Come by and see the operation and meet some of the clients, then make your decision." Glen put his card in her left hand and again shook her right. There was an intensity to his stare, and something about him that made her want to at least learn more.
"Perhaps I will, Mr. Arrington. My assistant may give you a call next week to set something up."
"Please make sure of it," he asserted, friendly yet demanding. "If I won't be hiring you then I will need to start my research all over again. All I ask for is a bit of your time to give us an assessment. And again, please call me Glen." He still had not let go of her hand.
"Well ok, Glen," Jordan said, breaking out once again in a smile, enjoying his assertiveness with its flirtatious undertones. She had misjudged him as a corporate spy but gladly so. Just maybe his was a challenge worth accepting. She needed to do some further research first.
---------(_*_)---------
Jordan worked at an office out of the home she shared with her fiancé of three years. Just five years ago, she was a paralegal in a major downtown firm, now she worked for herself specializing in labor law. She was known and revered as one of the top labor attorneys in the region, fighting diligently for fair hiring practices and safe working conditions. Worker's groups loved her and large corporations feared her. In only a short time, she had come a long way from the green junior paralegal she used to be working at Melveany & Meyers. That firm was now her major competitor, and the competition did not always play fair. It did not matter, though, she was tough, and by herself managed to hold her own against the big boys. 'They were not all bad times,' Jordan thought as a sly grin crossed her lips, remembering a wicked time she had while trapped in an elevator with a senior partner. But those days were long gone...
Working from home afforded Jordan quiet and serenity to balance the hectic life of a high powered labor attorney. Her office was not actually in her house, but in a small cottage on her property in which her mother had lived before passing. Though still devastated by her mother's recent passing, it pleased Jordan to have built such a successful career out of the space that, even though converted into a legal office, was still filled with the comfort of her mother's love. She had moved out all of the furniture but retained the plants her mother kept while living there, and they flourished in her office, bathing the space in green warmth.
Jordan also had a paralegal assistant that came in Tuesdays-Fridays. Monday was a day for herself, preparing, reading, research, or whatever else may need to get done that required privacy. It was the perfect system that suited her lifestyle well and allowed her career to flourish.
