Legal Rewards

Less than ten minutes before the recess was over, I decided to intrude upon Jose and Debbie's privacy. I knocked on the door of the waiting room, and after around fifteen seconds, Jose peeked out. Through the gap in the opening, I could see Debbie's bare shoulders as she tried to put on her blouse. "Thank God it is you," he said, relieved. "Anybody with you?"

"Nope."

"Alright, come on in. Whew! For a second there, I thought we were - that it was the cops... What is it, Ray?"

Jose and I were on a first name basis. I grinned at his obvious discomfiture. Debbie was now reasonably decent, but Jose's shirttails were still hanging out of his fly. Doubtless, father and daughter had been making the best use of their privacy. Debbie's lipstick was still smeared around her father's lips, and I was sure those weren't the only things with her lipstick on them. I gestured to the telltale signs of their adventure. "Wipe them off, man, you don't want the jury to think that you were catching a nookie. Look, court is going to reconvene in about ten minutes, so I don't have much time. I will get right to the point - can you deliver the closing arguments? It needn't be much, just a single line or two. I would do it myself, but so far, the jury hasn't heard a damn from you."

Jose looked thoughtfully at his darling daughter. This was a big decision, the last instance for us to convince the jury of their love. It had to be worded right, and it had to be spoken right. Words I could manage, but as far as emotions go, I would just be another lawyer fighting for his client. The jurors would be that objective.

"Like what?"

"Things like you are not sorry, because neither your daughter nor you think what you did was wrong. Express your love for her publicly. Things like that. The important thing is, you should mean them. That's what the jury likes to hear, the human side of the whole affair. Just a single sentence, or two, or three. Not more than three. You decide what you want to say."

For a brief second, Jose hesitated. "Okay," he said determinedly, "I'll do it!"

The court was a couple of minutes late when it opened after recess, but nobody could be bothered with the details. Most of the news networks were being represented and before the night was over, anybody worth over a dollar would know the latest take on incest. What it would be was something nobody had any idea of. Hammonds argued his side of the case, and despite legal ethics, I must say that it was painfully obvious that it was a last-ditch effort, and a half-hearted one at that. After his rather antique arguments of child-abuse and other non-relevants, Hammonds sat down.

I nudged Jose slightly and he nodded back, ever so slightly. "Your Honor," I began, "I would like to let Mr. Jose Patrick make the defendants' closing remarks."

"That's highly irregular, Mr. Wilkins," the judge replied in a stern voice. "In spite of the media interest this case has generated, I trust no one here is as immature as to want to grandstand!"

"Objection, Your Honor," Hammonds interposed. "With counsel present, neither of the defendants should be allowed to close the case. As in the case of Timothy versus ..."

"I am aware of precedents, Mr. Hammonds," the judge said. "Let the records show that the court has sustained the prosecution's objection. I suggest you make the arguments, Mr. Wilkins, if one is forthcoming from your side."

I turned to Jose. "Fire me!" I said, in a voice loud enough to reach the jurors. "Now!" For a moment, Jose was surprised to the point of bewilderment and then he understood my game plan - if the judge wouldn't allow him to speak if I was there, my services would be terminated. Pure and simple. A trick that could see me sent to the Bar. A trick that, thankfully, the judge fell for.

"Now, now, Mr. Wilkins, that was a remark of improper bearing."

"I beg to differ with your Honor, but if my employment is what prevents this man from speaking, I am willing to be fired. I suppose that was my last advice to my clients." Someone near the door sniggered but in that packed courtroom, it was impossible to determine the culprit.

The judge considered my outburst for a full minute. As I remarked in the beginning, this case was a special one, unique in almost every aspect. This was possibly the only reason that accounted for my still being there and not already having been sent to jail on a contempt charge. So far, I had tread every ice line I dared to. And the last one looked pretty thin at that...

"The Court overrules its earlier sustainment," he finally ruled, "The defendants shall be accorded the freedom of saying their piece before the jury. Let it also be understood that the counsel for defense has simultaneously waived his right to rebuttal."

Jose looked at Debbie, and there was no doubt of the love he had for her as he gazed lovingly at her. He held her hands, and after pausing just a second, lifted her hands to his lips for a gentle kiss. Still holding her hands, he turned to the jury. "I love my daughter," he said simply. "She loves me too, and we will always love each other. I only hope that we are never separated... I don't think I will be able to bear being away from her forever."

One of the female jurors raised her hankie to her eyes. For a few seconds, the room was totally silent except for the whirring of the cameras. Hammonds tried to meet the jurors' eyes, but theirs was doggedly and sympathetically fixed on my clients. The Judge cleared his throat.

"If that is all..."

Both Hammonds and I nodded vigorously. "The Jury can have their deliberations now."

The three of us trooped into the waiting room. As soon as the door closed, Jose turned to Debbie. "I love you, darling."

Debbie flung her arms around him. As I turned my attention to the one of the law books placed there, I heard her say, "I love you, Daddy," followed by a very loud smooching sound. It was around five minutes before I could conscientiously turn away from the book, but thankfully, by that time, the two had composed themselves. "Sorry 'bout that," Jose apologized. I shrugged it off, but before I could reply, Hammonds knocked on the door. I let him in, perfunctorily warning Jose and Debbie not to utter a word.

Hammonds got right to the point. "Want to strike a deal, Ray?"

I turned him away. Only the guilty strike deals.

Half an hour later, the jury returned with its verdict. Everyone rushed into the courtroom. The speed indicated that the verdict had been unanimous and unchallenged. It was good. Or it was bad. You could never tell. We stood up as the foreman read the verdict.

"...Not guilty. Furthermore, as per the directions issued by the court, the jury has recommended that incest among adults be decriminalized."

As the foreman sat down, all hell broke loose. The case was officially over and now, pandemonium reigned. As soon as the verdict had been given, Jose and Debbie had jumped into each other's embrace. Cameras clicked away as the two lovers, father and daughter, kissed very passionately in the very courtroom that had threatened to separate them. I stood there, undecided whether to leave or stay, when Jose turned to me. "Thanks," was all he said as he gave me a bear hug that expressed his joy. Debbie also hugged me, and the three of us made good copy for the newsmen. Finally, we pulled away. Almost immediately, the reporters pushed their microphones into our faces.

A thousand questions were shot all around as we made our way through the crowd. I held up my hand, and all the questions stopped. "Mr. and Miss Patrick will answer all your questions, but only tomorrow, morning at nine at the press conference. Right now, they would like to have some privacy, as you can so obviously see." Debbie and Jose had their arms on each other's shoulders, and the two of them giggled. The crowd parted as the victorious couple made their way to the limo I had arranged well in advance. Flashes followed them until the limo sped away, and I was the center of attention once again.

"Mr. Wilkins," a reporter I recognized as Steva of ZXNN asked, "How do you feel now that you have won a case for incest?"

"Like a million bricks," I said, puffing my chest up for theatrical effect. Then I turned serious. "But this is not the license for parents to rape their kids. Rape is still rape, abuse still abuse. All I won is the right for two adults, irrespective of their relationship, to have sex, to make love, with each other. Jose and Debbie are in love, so I figured they deserved a chance to show it. I did what someone else should have done decades ago."

Brushing off all other questions with an "I'll see you tomorrow," I got into my automobile and raced home. I couldn't wait to share my victory with my wife and daughter - and I was sure my wife would be more than willing to give me my fees, my 'legal rewards' as we often called the sessions we had after I had won a particularly difficult case. I turned on my radio to find it abuzz with today's case, with a lot of callers opining on my side. One particular caller had this to say, "I am so glad that this happened. Thanks to Jose and Debbie and their lawyer, my Dad and I are finally going to do what we have wanted to - (giggle) oof, stop tickling me, Daddy, I'm coming." Her line went dead.

I grinned as I pulled into my driveway. I felt like I had won a lottery. No sooner had I stopped the car and got out when Laurie, my eighteen-year old daughter came rushing out of the door. "Daddy," she squealed, running into my arms. "Congratulations!" The two of us fell down due to the impact, but even before we had, she locked my lips in a kiss - in full view of my neighbors and possibly, my wife. I didn't have enough time to rake up any defense and keep my tongue in my mouth, so when hers extended an invitation, I accepted. A wet slurping sound escaped from our union as her lips ran the length of my teeth, wrapping around my tongue and tugging it towards her. A gob of my saliva leaked from my mouth, only to have her move hers slightly so that she could suck it up.

In the midst of all this, I was very conscious of a growing arousal and her insistent and seemingly deliberate attempts to grind against it with her pelvis. She was moving her body up and down along my crotch, and somewhere among the fog of emotions that I was having, I was conscious that my hard-on was so evident that it was forming a significant tent in my cotton pants. Since she was wearing her jeans, I couldn't tell whether she was aroused as much as I was or not, but the feel of her hard nipples against my chest told me that she was. Her arms were cradling my neck as we started to roll over, and instinctively, my hands went to her butt. Our kiss heightened in passion.

I have no idea how long we kissed, only that when we finished, Laurie drew her face back from mine and smiled. I was barely conscious of my wife standing only a few feet to my left as I took in the face of this gorgeous beauty who had just kissed me. I am sure you can understand if all I managed to say to break the ice was a "Wow!"

Laurie tilted her face and the effect was electric - for an instant, I had to remind myself that the vision of beauty I was holding in my arms was indeed my daughter. Her blonde hair, smooth and silky, cascaded along the sides of her face, enthralling me with the way her entire being was being so ... perfect. I continued staring at Laurie until she kissed my nose, very much like she had when I was little and she had wanted my attention. I looked into her eyes, so blue and so full of life. So loving.

"That was for Stephanie," said Laurie. If that was an explanation, I must have missed the rest of it. As usual, though, Carla, my darling wife, came to my rescue. "For goodness' sakes, Lau, don't give your father the wrong idea. With the fan following that he has, I don't know if I will be able to stand the competition." The two of them laughed as if they had just shared a private joke, which, in my opinion, they certainly had. I was still on the lawn, below my daughter, and my lips still tasted of her. And her mother, my wife, was standing within arm's reach, doing practically nothing.

Reaching out with my free hand, I pulled Carla's feet from under her. She fell down right beside me, landing on her bum. "Alright, now that we are making eye-contact, tell me what the joke is all about."

"It's no joke, lover boy," answered my wife. "Around ten minutes after the networks announced your victory, Laurie's friend Stephanie - you know, the one who always gets you at full attention (I blushed) - called up to -"

"She asked me to give you a big hug and kiss," interrupted Laurie, my sweet angel, excitedly. "The three of them - she, her father and her mother - heard the news only then, and as soon as he did, Steph's father got up and asked her if she would like to sleep with her dear old father. To tell you the truth, she's been carrying a crush on him for the last two years. Right in front of a speechless mother, she accepted his proposal. At the last moment, though, she managed to distract herself long enough to call me and ask me to thank you. Have I thanked you, Daddy?"

"More than you will ever know," I grunted. Laurie sat up abruptly, with her legs still slung over my lap. Now, to see her face, I had to look past her breasts, two magnificent mounds encased in - I was sure - only the white sweater she was wearing. Her nipples were still poking through the material, and I guess the question running through my mind at that instant was whether I should stare at her nipples or at her ample chest. The father in me took over, (un)fortunately, and I turned my attention to Carla, who, I noticed, had noticed all of my actions with an amused expression on her face.

"So, my dear wife," I said before she could comment on anything. "What say we celebrate with a fine lunch at the best restaurant in town?"

She laughed pleasantly. "I get it - I won't say a word about you ogling our daughter. Unfortunately, I'll have to take a rain-check on that - an inspector from the Social Services wants to inspect my clinic's inmates, so I will be out until midnight at least - most of the patients come in only around nine pm, and this guy wants to account for every one of them and go over their records."

"Want me to sue the government, hon?" I asked. Even though I was disappointed, I knew how important Carla took her work and how she helped me with mine. Carla laughed again. "No thanks, I've got enough trouble as it already is, without you ruffling some idiot's feathers over in DC. Look, why don't the two of you go out? It's been a while since the last time the two of you did anything on your own. I am sure Laurie wouldn't mind putting up with her eccentric Dad for a day or two."

Laurie leaned over me, so I managed to avoid looking at her breasts while talking. "Sure," she said brightly. I nodded and smiled at her. "That sounds even better," I remarked, earning a playful jab from Carla for that quip.

Laurie kissed me on the lips again, though this time, she kept it well within respectability. After a quick peck on her mother's cheeks, Laurie ran to her room to change. My wife and I just lay there, watching our grown-up kid dash into the house. "She's growing up to a fine lady," I said, following the wiggle of her ass until the door closed.

"In case you haven't noticed it, luv," my wife corrected, "She's already grown into a fine lady. But I am sure that fact hasn't escaped your attention." Before I could give a suitable counterattack, she changed the subject. "I am sorry about lunch, Ray. But I do want you to know that your victory means as much to you as it does to me. It's just that - if I don't give a satisfactory picture of the clinic, they might close it down. There are a lot of people depending on me... just as Jose and Debbie depended on you. Besides, Laurie's bubbly nature should more than make up for my absence."

"Nothing can make up for your absence," I told her, clasping her right hand with my left. I gave a gentle squeeze, and continued. "I can understand your position. What do you say about dinner tomorrow at Porkinsons?"

"Sounds good to me. Anyway, you had better get dressed."

A short time later, Laurie and I were in downtown. If she had looked hot earlier, she was definitely a fusion bomb now. A thin sleeveless cotton blouse that left so much room at the armpits had replaced her white sweater and it hardly kept any portion of her breast from view, if you were looking at her sideways. The top three buttons were undone, and the depth they covered was surprising - it revealed a lot of her cleavage, almost all the way. Two slight discolorations showed that she was not wearing a bra. Not that she needed to, in any case, as I later found out, but I suppose as a father, I should have objected to such an attire. Especially since her shorts were hardly worth the name. At the back, they curved upwards so much g-string would have been a better description.

Since Carla hadn't objected, I hadn't found anything wrong with it, either.

We went to a drive-in restaurant, one very famous for its 'cuisine', and pretty soon, the two of us were merrily chomping away on burgers, fries, hot dogs, etc., etc., exchanging high-school stories and in other words, I was really enjoying myself. I had just drowned my fries in sauce when Laurie asked me to pass it to her. As it changed hands, the bottle suddenly tipped, sending a good quantity into her blouse. Most of it fell right on her cleavage, and I stared as some of it started to flow down the sides of her breasts into her tummy. "Great," muttered Laurie. The bottle, having fallen down, had emptied its contents on the floor mat.

I started to get another bottle from the booth when Laurie stopped me. "Don't bother," she said. With elaborate slowness, she picked up one of her fries, dipped it in the sauce that still remained on her chest, and ate it! The whole scene had been so incredibly sexy, and if she had not been my daughter, I am sure I might have followed her example. Laurie took up another fries, dipped it in the sauce and ate it.

After staring for some time, I finally got enough presence of mind back to resume eating my food. Out of the corner of my eye, I watched as Laurie unbuttoned a couple more buttons to get more sauce. Laurie cleared her throat, and when I looked at her, she grinned. "Want some more sauce, Dad?" she gestured towards my plate. I saw that my ration of it had pretty well run out. I thought about getting another bottle again, when Laurie held up a finger (of fries) with the sauce on it. "Try it," she suggested. "I don't think it tastes any different."

I reluctantly took it from her and nibbled on it. Laurie laughed at my tentativeness. "Go on, Dad, it's not like it's got MY sauce on it!"

"Laurie!"

"Come on, don't be such a prude. Sauce is sauce, whether you pick it off a plate, or lick it off my breast." The obviously sexual innuendo left me speechless. Laurie continued as if this was still a very ordinary conversation. "Is this my Daddy, the great Ray Wilkins, the man who legalized incest?" she taunted. "Or is it a very common man who still believes that such contact would make lightning strike him?"

I grinned back at her. The girl knew how to put a person at ease. "Actually," I said, getting into the act, "This tastes better." There! After all, we lawyers are trained in the art of repertoire. I should have realized that while I had only the self-taught aspects of law, Laurie had it in her genes. For the last eighteen years, she had always had the last word. This time would be no exception.

"Oh, really? In that case, I don't see why I should keep this damn thing on any longer..." With a single smooth motion, she took off her blouse and flung it into the back seat. Propping her legs up on the dash, she moved the tray aside and placed her head on my lap. She dumped the whole plate of fries on her stomach and spread her hands, as an invitation. "Enjoy the feast."