"Are you coming, Della?"
Luminous hazel eyes met curious blue ones as Della turned back toward her boss' deep voice. She knew Perry would be in the mood to celebrate yet another courtroom victory, but she'd have to catch up with him and Paul a bit later.
"I'll catch up with you in a little while, Perry. I'm meeting Hamilton for coffee in a few minutes. I'll explain as much as I can later, but I learned this morning that one of my casual friends knew Hamilton back in their college days. She wants to talk to him about something that happened back then and asked me to set it up."
The skilled defense attorney nodded with a slight smirk. "Well, keep on your toes, Della. I'd hate for Hamilton to try and steal you away from me now that he's in the market for a new girl."
New girl? Did he mean now that the prosecutor was single or because Hamilton was also looking for a new secretary now that Mrs. Miller was retiring soon? Della was about to clarify, but Perry had already begun making his way to the elevator with that enigmatic smile still tugging at his lips.
Della shook her head, perplexed. Several years she'd worked for that man already and occasionally she still didn't understand him, especially his sense of humor that often employed the skilled use of double meanings. The experienced secretary picked up on the double meanings, but it was harder for her to ferret out which meaning Perry meant seriously. Hamilton seemed to find that easier than she did so perhaps it was a lawyer thing or even a guy thing.
"Hmmm…," she murmured as a gentle touch on her shoulder signaled that she'd been joined by her coffee companion.
"Hmmm…," echoed Hamilton Burger, district attorney and prosecutor, one each.
"Just something Perry said in that enigmatic way he has. He jokingly warned me not to get stolen away by you during this coffee break," Della clarified.
A bright, genuine smile lit up Hamilton's face, though his voice was tinged with self deprecation. "As if I'd have the stellar fortune to have that become a reality… Lead the way. I'm quite curious to hear what it is you need to tell me."
W^^^W^^^W
The cozied up in a corner booth. Della preferred booths as they were more comfortable. She also didn't want the table between them, both so she could keep her voice low and also because this conversation was going to feel too personal to have barriers between them. Hamilton was a heavy smoker though and the beautiful young brunette still found the smell made it hard to want to get too close to smokers. As fond as she was of Perry, Paul, and to a lesser extent Hamilton, she still sometimes didn't want too physically close to them after they'd just put a cigarette out.
Their orders given to the server, Hamilton looked over at Della expectantly. He didn't light up a cigarette. It just wasn't something he did sitting this close to a non smoker, especially of the female variety. He just hoped the topic of conversation wouldn't insist on that particular form of stress relief.
"So… what did you want to see me about, Della? Or are *you* looking for me to steal you away?" He teased gently. Part of him devoutly wished he could, but she had already had a job she loved, a boss she loved working for, and she deserved a better man than he was. The small ember of hope that had flickered inside him was quickly extinguished in that icy cold reality.
Della had been pondering how she was going to break this to Hamilton all day, but she found herself still stumped on the most tactful way to do it. Fortunately, the well timed arrival of their coffee gave her an extra moment as she took a cautious sip of the piping hot liquid. Hamilton waited patiently.
"This morning I had coffee with a casual friend. I hadn't seen or heard from her in years. There's a bit of an age difference so we hadn't grown up together, but I've known her because my mother and hers have been friends since they were little girls. Anyway, she just moved back to LA and I mentioned introducing her to you because I think you two have a lot in common."
"You're wanting to set me up, huh? Oh Della, you know things never work out for me, but thank you for thinking of me."
"Hamilton," Della said, laying a comforting hand on his arm. "Does the name Alexandra Mullen mean anything to you?"
The hapless prosecutor practically choked on his coffee and took the napkin Della held out to him. He didn't fail to notice the slight smirk on her face.
"Well, I'd take that as a yes," she joked.
She sobered up when his coughing fit had passed and the years of pain clouded his clear, blue eyes.
"That name means everything to me. Even after 20 years. The one that ran away. She just vanished into thin air one day, no explanation. No goodbye either." He stared down into his coffee just as he had his wine glass the night before. "For months I turned it all over in my head. Was it something I said. Or did. I couldn't pinpoint anything. I thought things were wonderful between us. I was even preparing to propose. I was absolutely gutted. Eventually though I had to move on with my life."
Silence hung between them like a dense fog for a moment with Della wishing she knew what to say to comfort him. She couldn't imagine trying to move on like that with no answers.
"Dammit, it still hurts," he murmured softly, the pain of rejection obvious in his deep voice. "Two decades later it still hurts just as bad as it did then. I've tried so hard not to look back and wonder what might have been; the family I envisioned with her. I've never stopped loving her. It's just so damned hard."
The last words were ground out with years of bitterness that Della couldn't begrudge him.
"She wants to see you, Hamilton. To explain. I know she hurt you, Hamilton, in ways that aren't easily forgivable, but she has the answers you've been searching for. It's not my place to answer for her. I'm only here to help set up a meeting between you two if you're willing to see her again."
"Of course I'm willing to see her again. I'm an attorney so naturally I want all the information. It will be painful, but the pain of answers would be much preferable to the pain of not knowing."
Della smiled. "You're such a brave man, Hamilton. I hope this time it all works out for you. She is still single, you know."
Hamilton smiled down at her with a bit of sadness, but also hope. "Well, what do you know, Della, so am I."
