It was a typical busy afternoon at Luke's. Business was brisk and Jess was feeling good. He got lucky last night. It had been awhile, but his luck was changing. The girl was some navy chick that wandered into his favorite bar. Jess instinctively knew that she most likely had as much desire to see him again as he had wanted to see her again; none.
Jess paused and watched Lane scurry around frantically. Lane was very sensitive to criticism so she over compensated. While watching Lane Jess noticed that the mail lady Mary Jo Rosen had entered. She would walk to the register and leave whatever mail was destined for the diner. But this time as soon as she deposited the mail Mary Jo looked around. Spotting Jess she approached him. "Registered letter Jess; you have to sign for it."
Jess's curiosity was piqued; who would send him a registered letter? "Sure." Jess signed the pink form, took the letter and shoved it in his pocket to read when he had more time, then turned back to Mary Jo and asked her if she was going to break down and have lunch. Jess knew very well that she preferred to eat at Al's Pancake World.
"Someday Jess, but not today" She then reached out and took the slip out of Jesse's hand. "Have a good one Jess."
Jess shrugged. "Yeah okay." Then he went back to work clearing tables. About two o'clock the lunch rush subsided and Jess had a chance to see who sent him a registered letter. A stool at the end of the counter was vacant so Jess grabbed a coke out of the cooler and claimed the seat. Opening the envelope he quickly read the contents of the letter. Shocked Jess read it again. "That damned bitch." He said under his breath. He was being subpoenaed to the Family Court in Hartford; for a review of his custody agreement with Rory over his daughter Lynn.
The only thing Jess could think about was a drink in the dark quiet bar he frequented so he could figure out what he was going to do.
"Lane, I'll give you a twenty if you finish my shift."
The harried housewife looked up. She needed the money. Zack her husband still had dreams of being a big time rock and roll musician. What he really needed was a steady job. "Yeah okay Jess let me call my husband and make sure he will watch the kids."
Lane turned away from the battle scarred wall mounted telephone. "Okay Jess, give me the twenty and go."
Jess took out two tens from his wallet and placed them on the counter by Lane. Wordlessly she scooped the bills up and turned away to tend to the customers.
Entering the dimly lit bar room Jess started to relax. A beer and a few shots and he'd be able to figure out what he was going to do.
Meredith had his beer waiting for him as he arrived at the bar and waited till he sat and asked him if he wanted a shot. "Yes, I'll take one." Jess replied.
The blonde bartender placed the shot in front of Jess and noticed he was reading something. Wordlessly she turned and walked away. It was the quiet time in the pub; the time between the lunch crowd and happy hour.
"Screw that bitch." Startled Meredith looked up from the crossword puzzle she was doing. "What's the problem Jess?"
Jess looked up and motioned for another shot. When Meredith arrived with the shot he replied. "It seems my ex-wife wants to change our custody agreement."
Jess rarely had long conversations with her so Meredith was curious. "Is it that bad, is she trying to take your daughter away from you?"
Jess threw back his shot and replied. "More or less she wants to move out of state with her. That was funny, you throwing her and her idiot husband out of here the other day."
"No Jess it wasn't. They were bothering my customers nothing more or less. Your ex-wife is pretty."
Jess smirked and replied. "Yeah, I don't know. I've had better."
Meredith shrugged her shoulders. "Whatever, so are you going to get a lawyer and fight this?"
"Jess shook his head. "With what Meredith, her moron husband's father is a millionaire and head partner of a big time Hartford law firm and my ex's grandparents are millionaires. They all hate me and I believe they would spend millions to beat me."
Without a word Meredith walked away and started to wash glasses.
This disconcerted Jess. "Come on Meredith, what would you do in my situation?"
Meredith hesitated and then sat the glass she was washing on the counter; she then turned to Jess. "Do you really love your daughter?"
"Yeah Meredith, of course I do."
"Whatever you say Jess, what I recommend is to find a large reputable law firm and present your case and hope they do pro bono work."
Jess was confused. "What is pro bono work?"
"You find a law firm that is interested in your case and is willing to represent you for free." Meredith hesitated and then continued speaking. "That is if they believe you."
"Why wouldn't they believe me Meredith?
Meredith hesitated. She wanted to say to Jess that he was an ass. "I'm not sure Jess but it may have something to do with your demeanor."
Jess didn't understand.
Lindsay and Shane
Lindsay left her office and was on her way to lunch when she noticed a familiar figure in the firm's waiting room. At first it didn't register who it was, but when Lindsay reached the elevator she knew. Turning back Lindsay entered the waiting room. "Shane what are you doing here?"
Startled at hearing her first name Shane looked up and into the friendly smile of Lindsay. Rising Shane spoke "Hey, hi; I'm here to sit in on a deposition on a negligence suit."
"Which case is it?"
"Johnson versus Beacon Construction."
"That's going to be a nasty one." Lindsay paused. "You work for a New York law, what are you doing here in Connecticut. How did you guys get involved?"
"We're representing a subcontractor from New York who is at this point is an interested third party." Shane smiled. "No we're not opposing you."
Laughing Lindsay replied. "Well in that case let's have lunch. I'm on my way out."
"I'd love to Lindsay, but I don't want to miss the deposition."
Lindsay walked over to the receptionist and softly spoke to her; then looked up. "You have time. It will be at least another forty five minutes before anything happens.
The two women walked out into the bright sunlight. Lindsay glanced around, and then pointed. "There's lunch."
"Shane laughed when she spotted the Sabrett hotdog push cart. "I get these all the time in the city."
After ordering their hotdogs the two women found a park bench and without much talking devoured their hotdogs. Lindsay waited till Shane finished. "I have a question."
Shane nodded. "Okay, ask away."
Lindsay wiped the last vestiges of mustard off her fingers and looked up at Shane. "You know we could have mailed you the deposition; so why did you come up?"
Shane shrugged. "I'm very good at reading people and my boss likes me to be present and give him my opinions on the participants."
Curiously Lindsay looked at her lunch companion. "So you can read minds?"
"Not at all, but I can usually tell when someone is lying."
"That's interesting."
Shane continued on. "I am sure you know I had a few pretty rough years-"
"I do know Shane, and-"
"Let's just say I developed a sixth sense about truth telling."
"I admire how you changed your life Shane"
Blushing, the paralegal replied. "Thanks"
Shane almost laughed when Lindsay's cellphone rang. It was some cute nursery rhyme that escaped her memory.
Lindsay said one word. "Thanks" Then turned to Shane. "Your deposition starts in ten minutes. I had the receptionist give me a heads up on the start. So let's go."
The two women briskly walked back to the three story building that housed the law offices. Upon arriving in the reception room Lindsay tore off a piece of notepaper from the receptionists pad and wrote her home number. "Call me, let's see if we can get together and drag our other halves out to dinner or something."
Shane smiled. "Thanks I'd like that and thanks for the looking out for me today. One question, what was the tune your cellphone played?"
"Oh it's a very appropriate tune for a lawyer; Three Blind Mice."
Shane was still laughing when she entered the conference room and received a few odd looks.
The Diner
Jess was waiting tables when Lindsay Forester walked in; actually in his mind it was more like she glided in. Her blonde hair was up and she was wearing a charcoal gray business suit with a white blouse. The skirt fell demurely below her knees. Jess sighed; he wished the skirt was about six inches higher.
Lindsay looked around the crowded diner and took a seat at the counter. Being the middle of the week Jess wondered what she was doing in Stars Hollow and it looked as if she was dressed for work. As soon as his uncle took the order Lindsay reached down and took a sheath of papers from her briefcase and started reading.
The diner was busy so all thoughts of Lindsay vanished from his mind. Twenty minutes later his ex-wife walked in, looked around and took the only available seat which was at the counter.
Jess watched in amazement as his ex-wife sat next to Lindsay. Obviously Rory had no idea. Jess stood motionless, transfixed waiting for the explosion. Lindsay just absentmindedly took small bites from her sandwich and continued to read whatever she was reading.
Luke approached Rory and he had an uncertain look on his face. Rory seemed oblivious to who she was sitting next to. "Hi, Rory what can I get you?"
As soon as Luke said Rory; Lindsay turned and stared at her. Rory gazed back at her unsure of what to do or say. Lindsay shook her head and started shoveling papers into her briefcase. She looked up at Luke, "Check please."
Silently Luke handed her the bill. Lindsay glanced at it and placed a twenty on the bar, much more than was needed. "Keep the change." Then without a further look at Rory she gathered up her stuff and quickly walked out of the diner.
Rory stared at Lindsay leaving and turned to Luke and shrugged her shoulders, I guess she's never going to get over it."
Luke turned his palms upward. "Rory, I'm not going to get in the middle of whatever you two are fussing about. In fact I don't want to know about it."
Jess noticed that in Lindsay's haste to depart a few pages of the brief she was reading had fell to the floor. With two quick steps he swooped in and picked up the errant pages and headed out the door to find Lindsay.
Lindsay was about a block ahead of him and Jess started running. His cigarette habit was catching up with him and when he caught up with Lindsay he was wheezing and panting. All he could utter was "Lindsay."
Hearing her name Lindsay turned and faced the panting Jess. "What do you want Jess?"
Jess handed her the missing papers, "These fell on the floor."
Lindsay took the papers from Jess and scanned them. She smiled at Jess. "Thank you I appreciate you returning them to me. Is there anything I can do for you?"
Jess wanted to say take me to the bar and buy me a drink, but he knew that wasn't going to work, besides he had an idea in his mind. "No problem Lindsay, I figured they were important."
Lindsay was puzzled, she never knew Jess to be kind or considerate of anyone. "Are you sure Jess?"
"Lindsay, you work for a law firm?"
"Yes I do, need some legal advice?"
"No, not right now, see you around Lindsay."
"Thank you again Jess, I'll see you." Lindsay turned and walked away.
Jess watched her walk and smiled. He had an idea. If he played his cards right his ex and her arrogant husband was going to be in for a surprise.
To be Continued….
