Disclaimer: The characters aren't mine, and no profit is made from these stories. (But I do have fun writing them: )
The cubicle was nearly empty. It hadn't held many personal effects to begin with; only a few photos and awards, which were now tucked into a cardboard box. All that remained in the desk were some unused office supplies. Unwanted papers were destined for the shredder.
Ben stood in the doorway, observing the scene. He wasn't sure how he felt; part of him was looking forward to new blood, another young attorney to teach. But the other, larger part of him was sadder than he expected.
Over the years, he'd had many assistants. He'd fired some of them; others left because he was too difficult to work with. Five years was a long tenure for any assistant, but it was extraordinary when one considered that Paul had turned down Wall Street for the opportunity to serve the People.
But Ben knew that opportunity would come knocking again, and when it did, that Paul wouldn't be able to resist the allure. So many former ADAs had opted for that same path; it was something that had been offered to him several times over the years, but he had always refused. Private practice paid well, but it could never replace the satisfaction of knowing that he was doing some good in the world.
"Shit, man. You startled me." Paul hadn't noticed his presence until now.
"Are you sure I can't convince you to stay?" Ben asked, not knowing any other way to address the awkward situation.
"Maybe, if Adam's willing to match the salary that Woodward, Martin, and Schwartz is offering," Paul replied, dropping a stack of files into a storage box.
"I highly doubt that will happen," Ben said, smiling. "But I'm sure I don't need to tell you that you'll be missed."
"If you think this means you're off the hook at tennis, think again."
Ben chuckled. "I wouldn't deny you the opportunity to humiliate me once a week."
Then, it seemed like there was nothing else to be said. They regarded each other for a moment or two; a handshake was too little for their long partnership, and an embrace too unmanly. So Ben reached over, squeezing the other man's arm.
"You know I wouldn't have this opportunity if it weren't for you," Paul said. "I was just a kid out of law school when I came here. You helped make me into what I am today."
And Ben was proud to have done so, for he fully expected to someday see the younger man's name among New York's best and most well-known trial lawyers. For Paul, this was the end of the beginning.
finis