The characters in this story don't belong to me, they are owned by Erle Stanley Gardner's pen. I don't receive any economic good for them. I only write for the pleasure of doing it.

Excuse my failures is my first fanfic and I want to say that my native language isn't English. Hope you like. Many thanks to tengland2 for making me see my mistakes, all the constructive criticisms available well received.

Chapter One

Perry Mason was in his room, he saw his wife who was watching him while he was packing, to return to Washington after a complicated weekend, to leave again from the home they had shared for more than 9 years ago. Since the first day that they got married. She was the only woman he had ever loved. Perry had several women throughout his life, but none was as important as Della. Before Della, he only had passing loves or a night of passion. Since the first moment that Della came to his office for a job interview, as his personal secretary. He fell madly in love with her. Perry was always a pragmatic man and never believed in love at first sight. But his thought changed when he saw Della for the first time. He was dazzled by the figure of that beautiful girl. Her beautiful almond eyes and that beautiful smile that just seeing her could melt the harder ice floe. Perry at that time not only discovered that love at first sight existed, he also realized that he had it in front of him. This love was called Della Street. But not only did she hire Della for her beauty, but she was also an efficient and loyal secretary.

It was after working together for a year and a half that Perry dared to confess to Della the love he felt for her. This love was reciprocal. Because Della also confessed to Perry, that she felt the same for him. She had fallen in love since the first day she saw him sitting so imposingly behind his desk.

For Perry, it was very difficult to make Della accept her marriage proposal. Because she didn't want anything to change between them. Della really enjoyed being Perry Mason's personal secretary. She was happy accompanying her boss to all the adventures that arose to save a client. But that didn't change at all when they got married. Rather it was a perfect complement between personal and professional life. Della knew very well how to separate Miss Street from Mrs. Mason. What made Della change her mind about marriage and accept Perry's proposal. It was the discovery that she was pregnant. That baby would be the fruit of his great love. The perfect mix of both. But it was very difficult for Perry that Della accepted his proposal. She didn't want to harm the good name of Perry Mason. Mary Mae Elizabeth (Lizzie) came to their lives after two years of relationship and six and a half years after they first saw each other in the office during the job interview. Now the girl was 9 years old. She had the beautiful rebellious curls of his mother and his dazzling angelic smile. With his dark hair and his father's penetrating blue eyes. That penetrating look that hypnotized anyone. Lizzie was a really beautiful girl.

When Lizzie was 2 years old. A 12-year-old boy named Tomas (Tom) entered the life of the Mason family. Tom was the son of a client Perry had helped. Tom's mother was very sick and before she died, she asked Perry and Della to take care of him. Since the two of them were alone in this world and Tom had no one but his mother. Della and Perry accepted Tom as their son. Adopting the child. From the moment that Tom was officially his son. They loved and cared for his as well as Lizzie, for them there was never a difference. The two children were their children equally.

Tom was a noble and grateful child. He loved his little sister, took care of her and protected her. For him it was his little sister. "Tiny" that's how Tom told Lizzie. He overturned all the gratitude he had towards his adoptive parents in her.

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Perry looked at Della while he was still packing his bags. He did not want to leave because he knew that there were still things to be solved but he could not abandon his commitments. He had returned from Washington DC. Because he had to talk to Della about an issue that could radically change their lives and end their happiness. He had been offered several lectures and master classes at Georgetown University. He has accepted the proposal reluctantly. Because that means being away from your family for a little over 4 months. But Della convinced him that this will helped him a lot in his professional life. In addition, Della told Perry that she was very capable of taking care of office matters while she was away. Well, that wasn't weird. Because she was the one who really did the business from the first day she went to work with him. But Della never thought that this trip could radically change her life. If she had imagined at some point what could happen, she would never have convinced Perry to go to Washington.

Della and her daughter visited him every weekend. For Della it was very important to be together as a family. Tom also joined them from time to time. He no longer lived with them because he was in college so when he had a free weekend he agreed with Della and Perry to meet as well. But that last weekend, Della couldn't go to Washington. Lizzie, she had caught a bad cold and had a fever. When Della seeing his daughter in those conditions decided for the sake of her child, not to travel. It was better that she and her daughter stay in Los Angeles and so she let Perry know.

Thursday afternoon, Perry was in his assigned office in Washington. Thinking that soon he would meet again his wife and daughter, to spend the weekend together. When all of a sudden the phone bell rang taking out a Perry from his thoughts. He quickly picked up the telephone receiver knowing that it was his wife who was on the other side of the line…

"Hello... Della Baby! How are you and my princess? I was thinking of you my love... I want to know what time my women will arrive tomorrow to go pick them up. Honey, you don't know how much I miss them. You are the two women of my life. I miss you my angel, I want you to be here, to hold you in my arms and show me how much I miss you. You don't know how much I long to make love to you. I dream every day to wake up by your side. You don't know how I want to get drunk with your delicious aroma."

"¡Perry love! I just wanted to tell you that we can't go to Washington tomorrow. Lizzie woke up sick and with a lot of temperature. It would be very unwise to take her to Washington."

At that moment a deep silence was felt leaving Della surprised...

"Perry you are there ... Why don't you answer me...? What happens? Maybe you got angry because we're not going to see you. You must understand that Lizzie can't travel in those conditions that would be very bad for her."

Then Perry answered Della. Making an absurd proposal. Della couldn't believe what she was hearing, much less that it had come from Perry's mouth.

"Della, because you don't leave Lizzie with Paul and Margaret, you know they would take good care of her and she would be accompanied by Paul Jr. and Andrea."

"¡Perry Mason...! How can you say such a thing? How do you think I am able to leave our daughter sick? Just because you can't be a weekend without seeing us. You know I love you, but she is my priority, she really is very sick. Lizzie hasn't been to school today. Even I had to delegate all the work to Gertie so I could stay at home and take care of my daughter."

"Della, excuse me, you're right to get angry with me, I don't know what the hell I was thinking. It will be because I miss you so much and for me a week without seeing you is hell. Really forgive me please, I am all insensitive to the suffering of my princess."

"Perry I miss you too much and I would like to be with you this weekend in Washington. But I can't. I hope it Lizzie gets better and we'll go the other weekend to be together the three."

Releasing a strong sigh of resignation. Perry answered Della.

"Ok Baby, at night I call to see how my girl is doing, please kiss her my beautiful princess on my behalf. Tell her also that her dad loves her very much even though this is a complete idiot. Take care of her...! Baby a kiss and don't forget that I love you. Take care of yourself too! "

Della hung up the phone. Without even imagining at that moment. That he was about to begin a dark chapter in his great love story…