Reflections

by evitascarlett

A companion piece to 'Apologize'. Chronicling the lives and love story of Jim and Johanna Beckett through the years. See Authors Note at the beginning of Chapter One for more details! Cover art by LordofKavaka

48. Chapter 48 - McKenzie's Law

Authors Note: Thanks for your reviews!

Chapter 48- McKenzie's Law

Early Thursday afternoon, Jim carried his cup of coffee into Johanna's office and closed the door, ignoring Sharon's teasing look as he did so. The object of his affection was putting a law book back on one of the book shelves. Johanna turned as she heard footsteps, a smile spreading across her face as her gaze met his. "I was just thinking that it would brighten my day if a handsome man was to walk in here," she told him.

Jim grinned as he sat his coffee on the desk and made his way to her. "I guess we can add mind reader to my list of attributes," he quipped, his arms slipping around her; "Because here I am."

"Here you are," she laughed softly, her eyes sparkling as he dipped his head to kiss her.

"I've been waiting all morning for a chance to see you," he remarked quietly before stealing another kiss.

Her fingers trailed along his face. "I missed you last night," she murmured.

"I missed you too," he breathed, his lips claiming hers once more. He usually stayed with her on Wednesdays but a dinner meeting with a client had kept him from his usual habits. An 8 a.m. court appearance had kept him from driving her to work as well.

"We better stop," Johanna whispered after a few more kisses. "Anyone could walk in."

He nodded and released her. She was right; they couldn't get too carried away during work hours. She moved to her chair and sat down while he rounded the desk and took a seat in one of the chairs facing her. "Maybe I can come over tonight to up for last night," he commented.

Johanna smiled. "I'd like that. How did your meeting go last night?"

"It was tedious," he sighed. "It was a rehash of everything I already told him ten times…which led to the rehash of what I'm doing now and how long it'll take…you know the drill."

"Yeah; I know it chapter, song, and verse. Everyone thinks they're your only client that you have no other cases to work on."

"Exactly. There was also the added bonus of him telling me things that he should've told me back at the beginning when he first brought the case to me."

"I hate that. I don't understand why some clients withhold things. It usually always throws a wrench into the work that's already been done."

Jim nodded. "Or like in this case, it ends up being a piece of information that you've spent a lot of time working on when if you had already known, you could've used that energy for a different lead."

Johanna smiled. "You wanted to strangle him, didn't you?"

"Yes," he laughed before taking a sip of his coffee. "That restaurant was awful too. The food was bad; I'm not taking you there."

"That bad was it?" she asked; recalling that she had been slightly jealous that he was going to a new upscale restaurant without her. He had told her that he'd take her there if he thought it was worthy.

"It's terrible," he remarked. "The portions were small and bland. I would've much rather had my dinner at home with you. I'm never disappointed in your meals."

"So much for the hype of that place," she replied with a laugh.

"They must be paying people to generate that hype because believe me, it isn't worth it."

"How was court?" she asked.

"So far so good. How has your day been so far?"

"Well I haven't wanted to slam my head off the desk so I'd say it's going well at this point."

He grinned at her. "I'm glad you haven't injured yourself in my absence."

Before she could reply, Sharon's voice came across the intercom. "Sorry to interrupt but your mother is on line one and she's determined to talk to you."

Johanna sighed. "Alright."

"I'll come back," Jim told her.

"Sit down, you don't need to leave," she replied as she reached for the phone.

He settled back into his chair as she pushed the button that would connect her to her mother. "What's wrong, Mom?" she asked, dispensing with formalities.

"Nothing, dear; I just needed to talk to you before the end of the day.

"Why? Do you need me to do something for you before I head home?"

"No, not exactly."

Her suspicions began to rise. "What's going on?"

"Nothing, I just want you to come to dinner tonight."

"Tonight?" Johanna repeated; her voice void of enthusiasm. "I'll be there Sunday."

"I know but there's nothing wrong with you coming over tonight; you know we like to see all of you individually."

"Uh-huh," she said, sensing that she was being roped into something.

"I made your favorite cake," Naomi said brightly. "The lemon one."

Alarm bells rang loudly in her head. "You made my favorite cake?" Johanna said, her gaze flicking to Jim who was watching with interest, his lips holding a hint of an amused smile.

"Yes; I just put the glaze on it before I called. I made it just for you, darling."

Johanna sighed. "Alright, Mom; what are you trying to suck me into?"

"Don't be so suspicious. I just want you to come to dinner."

"Why?"

"Because I made your favorite cake."

"This is not about cake…cake is the bait, I know this game," Johanna remarked.

It was Naomi's turn to sigh. "Your father wants to see you."

She gave a short laugh. "Dad wants to see me?"

"Yes, dear."

"And you made cake."

"Yes, your favorite; and your father said he'll drive you home so you won't have to get a cab."

The alarm bells were getting louder. "So now we're up to cake and chauffer service from my father…who suddenly wants to see me…"

"Yes; and there's nothing wrong with that," her mother stated.

"Oh hell no," Johanna remarked. "You must think I'm stupid."

"Now, Bambina," Naomi coaxed.

"Don't you Bambina me," she replied. "I know a set up when I smell it. I looked in the mirror this morning while putting on my makeup and I didn't see 'sucker' written on my forehead."

Jim covered his face as he shook with quiet laughter. He could hear Naomi exclaiming 'Johanna Elizabeth!' from where he sat.

Johanna rolled her eyes. "You can call me by my middle name all you want but I'm not falling for this. Whatever it is that Dad wants to yell at me about, just tell him I'm sorry and I'll try not to do it anymore."

"He's not going to yell at you. He just has something he wants to discuss with you."

"Then why doesn't he just call me?"

"He wants to talk to you in person. He does like to see you, you know."

Johanna scoffed. "Have you been nipping at Dad's Jack Daniels again?"

Jim barely kept from laughing out loud. "No, I haven't," Naomi replied. "But I have a feeling I may need to before the end of the day. Now you're coming to dinner and that's final."

"I already made plans with Jim for tonight."

"I'm sure he'll understand that you have a family obligation."

"How do you know he'll be understanding? I'm supposed to cook him dinner; he had a terrible meal with a client last night. The poor man is starving. Do you really want to make him suffer?"

Jim winked at her as she met his eye.

"You can bring him along if you want," Naomi told her. "Your father probably should meet him anyway."

"I don't think so."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't think I should have to change my plans," she said curtly.

"It won't hurt you to do this," Naomi said firmly. "You know, I don't ask for much…"

"Oh God, not the 'I don't ask for much' speech," Johanna groaned.

"Well I don't," Naomi remarked before continuing on with the statement.

Johanna covered the mouth piece of the phone and looked at Jim. "Remember what I said about not wanting to slam my head off the desk?"

"Yeah," he replied in amusement.

"I take it back."

He chuckled quietly, watching the flicker of exasperation cross her features as she got back in the conversation. "Yes, I know how long you labored to bring into the world; 19 hours, no pain medication and during a blizzard. I know. Spare me the recap and just tell me what the hell is going on."

"Your father will explain it at dinner," Naomi remarked. "You may as well show up and have your cake…he'll find you one way or another so you may as well just get it over with. It's really nothing bad."

"This is so not good," Johanna muttered.

"It'll be fine, darling. Just don't come with an attitude and things will be fine."

'Are you giving that advice to your husband?"

Naomi laughed. "You're so much like your daddy."

"I am not! Insulting me will not get me to the table."

"It's not an insult; you two are a like in a lot of ways, it's why you don't get along. Now you be here at dinner time or he might just pop up in your office and I don't think you'd like that, now would you?"

Johanna bit back a few sharp retorts. "No, I wouldn't."

"Then I'll see you at dinner tonight?" Naomi asked.

"Yes," she said tartly.

"Good, I knew you'd see it my way. I'll let you get back to work now, darling. Give my regards to Jim and I'll see you later. I Love you."

"Goodbye, Mother," she stated, hanging up the phone before Naomi could reply.

"Well?" Jim asked.

She leaned back in her chair. "My mother sends her regards to you."

He laughed. "That's nice of her…and I'm assuming that we're off for tonight?"

"For dinner," she replied; "But my mother said you'd understand that I have a family obligation."

"I understand," he said humorously; "But my stomach is devastated."

"I'm sorry; believe me I'd much rather be home cooking for you. My father wants to see me…this is not going to be good."

"What do you think it could be about?"

"I have no idea," she replied; tension in her jaw. "Sometimes when I was a kid and my father wanted to talk to me, I'd imagine that he was going to tell me that he wasn't really my father and then my real father would come and buy me a pony."

Jim laughed. "Well maybe they want you to come to dinner because they finally bought you a pony."

"I'm not that lucky," she replied. "After all, he is my real father...my mother's far too loyal for it to be otherwise…although I'm sure he'd be thrilled if I wasn't his."

He held her gaze. "Then he'd be a fool; he couldn't ask for a better person to be his daughter."

Johanna gave him a small smile. "I love you."

"I love you too."

"I'm going to dread the rest of my day now," she remarked.

Jim smiled. "How do you think I feel? I'm getting deprived of you again."

"Well, why don't you just go over to my place anyway and raid my refrigerator; you can warm up whatever leftover of your choice you want…and then you'll be there when I get home."

"Sounds good to me," he replied; sensing that she needed to know he'd be there for her when she got home…that she'd be able to lay her burden at his feet.

Sharon's voice came across the intercom once again. "Jim; Sally called; you have an appointment in ten minutes."

"Alright, I'm going," he answered as he got up from the chair and grabbed his coffee cup. He rounded the desk and leaned down to kiss Johanna. "I'll see you later, sweetheart. I'll drive you over to your mother's at the end of the day."

"Thank you," she smiled. "I'm sorry that our plans got disrupted."

"It's alright," he replied. "We'll have time together when you get home."

"I'll be looking forward to it."

---

Johanna remained on guard as she sat at her parents dinner table that evening. She forced herself to take a bite in between pushing it around on her plate. It didn't escape her notice that the chosen dish for the evening was her mother's fettuccini with its light butter sauce that she loved so much. She put it on par with the fact that there was a lemon cake sitting in the kitchen. It was all a part of the plot. She found it hard to eat when she was waiting for the other shoe to drop. Her father was being unusually nice. He hadn't berated her for being a few minutes late. He had even smiled when she had arrived and said that it was good to see her. It was unnerving…maybe even a little terrifying.

"How was your day, Josie?" Frank asked, breaking into her thoughts.

'Josie,' her mind repeated. They were on nickname terms again? He was interested in her day? It all reaffirmed her assessment that what was coming wasn't good. "It was fine," she answered; refraining from saying 'until I got this invitation'.

"Any cases in court today?" he inquired.

"No, not today. I spent the morning taking depositions."

Frank nodded. "Big case coming up?"

Johanna subtly shifted in her seat. "Yeah, in a few weeks."

"Are you feeling confident about it?"

The question puzzled her but she answered anyway. "I feel confident but not overly confident. I keep in mind the judges and juries can surprise you."

"That's a good thing to remember," her father agreed. "It's very smart of you."

A comment about her being smart…when she was usually told she didn't have the sense God gave a goose? She glanced at her mother who kept her gaze focused on her plate. Avoidance, Johanna thought to herself, a classic Naomi McKenzie guilt maneuver.

Her father didn't seem bothered by the lack of response as he launched his next topic. "You're seeing someone now?" Frank asked.

Her stomach knotted; surely this meal wasn't about that, was it? "Yes," she replied cautiously as she reached for her glass to take a drink.

"And what's his name?"

"Jim," she answered while trying not to squirm.

Frank nodded. "How long have you been together?"

"About two months."

"But they were friends for a long time before they started dating," Naomi commented.

Frank's gaze flicked back to Johanna. "Friendship is a good foundation to build upon…it's smart to start out that way. At least you know you already have common interests."

"Uh huh," she responded, her suspicions rising by the second.

"Is he good to you? Does he treat you okay?" her father asked.

Her eyes met his. "Jim's very good to me; he couldn't treat me any better. I'm very happy with him."

"Good," Frank remarked. "We want you to be happy."

This all felt so bizarre, Johanna thought. Since when did her father take an interest in her life? "How was your day?" she asked, turning the tables on him.

"It was great," he said jovially. "I closed four big deals today…very lucrative deals, I might add."

She gave a nod. "Good for you, Dad."

"With things going so well with the biggest of the four, I'm going to treat your mother to a vacation for her birthday."

Johanna glanced to Naomi. "Congratulations."

"Thank you," her mother smiled; but her daughter noted that it wasn't her usual smile…it was the one she pasted on when she sensed things could go up in flames at any moment and she was preparing herself to run for the cake as a means of rescuing the evening.

"I'm going to send Frankie, Valerie and Greg on a vacation too," Frank commented.

"I'm sure they'll appreciate that," Johanna replied; wondering who the hell this man was that looked like her father but acted nothing like him.

"I'll have to find something for Colleen," he went on. "She'd want some big fancy vacation out of the country or something knowing her and I'm not paying for all that. I'm thinking maybe I'll find her a nice piece of jewelry or something."

She nodded. "Colleen does like sparkly things."

Frank took a moment to sip his coffee before picking up his rambling. "I'm going to get you something as well, Josie; don't think that I was forgetting you."

Generosity from him felt odd and out of place. Like she was somehow being bought for a reason she had yet to determine. "Oh that's okay; you don't have to give me anything."

"I'm sharing with the family," he remarked. "What would you like? A vacation? Jewelry? A designer handbag?"

Her brow rose. "When I carried a designer handbag into this house a few months ago, you said it was foolish waste of money."

"I'm allowing the family an amount of money to spend foolishly," he remarked. "How about a vacation?"

"I had a big vacation last year; this year will probably be quieter."

"Jewelry then? How about a pair of earrings to match your ring?"

"I already have a pair of emerald earrings; they were a gift from Jim last Christmas. You really don't have to give me a gift anyway."

"Why not?"

"Because you haven't given me a gift since I graduated from law school…why would you want to now?" she asked.

"Because I'm giving everyone a gift," he remarked.

She couldn't take this anymore. "Alright," she said, eyeing both of her parents. "Who's dying?"

"No one's dying!" Naomi exclaimed. "Why would you think such a thing?"

"Well let's look at the evidence," Johanna replied. "First, you demand me at dinner; you serve one of my favorite meals and bake my favorite cake. Second, my father doesn't yell at me about being late, says it's good to see me, asks about my day, my boyfriend and wants to buy me a gift. None of this is standard behavior…now what the hell is going on and what do you want from me?"

Her parents shared a look and fell silent. "Well?" she asked. "You didn't call me over here to ask about my day or offer me a gift."

"What makes you so sure?" Frank asked.

Her gaze met his. "Because I know you…and I know that you very rarely ever ask me about my day or what's going on in my personal life. You also don't offer me gifts...I'm lucky if you sign your own name to my birthday card. Mom said you wanted to talk to me so let's just get it over with. What did I do now?"

"Nothing," Frank remarked.

"Then what do you want?"

He shifted in his seat; his jovial expression fading into the one she was more accustomed to. "Your mother can probably explain it better."

Naomi shot her husband a glare as her daughter looked at her. "Your father has a little problem," she began. "He had an accident with the car about two months ago."

"You never mentioned that," Johanna replied.

"Well he was fine and it didn't seem worth worrying you kids about," she answered.

"Then why are we worrying about it today?"

Naomi folded her napkin and then interlaced her fingers at the edge of the table. "Well, darling, your father is being sued for the accident."

She was instantly on edge. "And?"

Naomi's gaze moved to her husband. "Frank."

He shifted in his seat, his fingers drumming against the table; a habit his daughter hated as it always seemed to be in tandem with some lecture or speech she wouldn't like. "I want you to handle the case," he remarked casually, as if he had done nothing more than comment on the weather.

Johanna gave a slight shake of her head. "You have a lawyer, let Carl handle it."

"Carl was handling it; but not to my satisfaction. He's better off attending to my business needs. I told him I'd rather you take over and he said that was probably a good idea."

"Bastard," Johanna mumbled under her breath. "Why wasn't Carl handling it to your satisfaction?"

"He wanted me to settle out of court," Frank said in outrage. "Can you believe that?"

She shoved her plate away, the small amount of appetite she had evaporating. "Then you must not have much of a case."

"I'd have a better case if someone would handle it properly!" he thundered.

"What kind of case are we talking about exactly?" she asked.

"They want five thousand dollars for damages and medical bills. They weren't hurt! They got out of the car and there wasn't a scratch on them! They found out I have money and they want to take me for a piece of it. Now you handle it and get me out of it."

She sighed; five thousand dollars was the maximum amount allowed in small claims court. "Dad, small claims aren't my area."

Rage colored his features. "You call five thousand dollars a small claim!?"

"In the eyes of the law, five thousand dollars is the maximum amount allowed to be sued for in small claims cases. But like I said, this isn't my area. I deal in civil rights, criminal, contract and the occasional family law case. I don't handle small claims traffic cases."

"So my case isn't good enough for your highfalutin ass?" Frank bellowed. "You only want the cases that bring you the big money?"

Johanna rolled her eyes. "Not all cases bring big money. My point was that small claims isn't an area that I concentrate in."

Frank eyed her sternly. "You went to law school, didn't you?"

"Yes."

"And they taught you the law…all of the law, not just certain areas, am I correct?"

"Yes," she said tartly.

"Then you'll handle my case."

Johanna met his gaze. "You can't just drop a case in my lap like that. I have an ongoing case load and my boss might not appreciate me taking an outside case."

"He's fine with it," Frank retorted. "I spoke to your boss this afternoon and explained things. He's perfectly fine with his associates taking on the occasional case for a family member; he says it shows the firm has family values and that he does it himself from time to time. He told me to tell you not to worry; there wouldn't be any trouble over it."

Fury filled her veins. "You called my boss?" she repeated, her jaw tight with anger.

"Yes; I knew it would be your number one excuse."

"You called my boss before you even consulted me?"

He shrugged. "What does it matter?"

"It matters because you set me up," Johanna replied angrily. "You go behind my back and talk to my boss; and that's going to make me look real good at work. People will be thinking I need my daddy to keep me out of trouble and to get permission for me. Then you have Mom lure me to dinner and I can't even believe she took part in this. You put on this big show of acting like you care about my life when we all know you don't and then you start offering to buy gifts. So basically you were trying to suck up and buy me in advance of your little bombshell."

"I never said I didn't care about your life," Frank huffed.

"Then why have you never asked about my day or my relationship before?" she asked.

"Because I don't have to!" he yelled. "Your mother tells me what I need to know!"

"Then why put on a show tonight? Oh wait, I know why," she yelled back. "Because you wanted something from me so now I'm good enough! I'm not taking your case; settle out of court like Carl suggested."

"You're taking my case, Johanna," he said firmly. "What would your boss think if you didn't? I'm sure he'll be asking you about it."

Angry tears stung her eyes as she realized he was backing her into a corner. She shook her head. "When you spoke to my boss, did he mention my fee?"

Frank surged to his feet in a rage. "Fee!" he spat. "You think I'm going to pay you a God damn fee?"

"All of my clients pay a fee, or a retainer, if you'd prefer to call it that; and then they get billed for the rest," she retorted. "Surely you're aware of that."

"I won't pay you one red cent!" Frank exclaimed. "How dare you charge your father!"

"Why should I have to do it for nothing?" she asked. "I'm the one being inconvenienced. This isn't like driving you home from your club because you're too drunk to do it yourself. This is my job; and now I'll have to work your case in with the rest of my case load which means I'll probably have to juggle my schedule. It's more work for me, more work for my secretary and my resources that are being used. Everyone else has to pay for my service!"

"I won't pay you anything," he remarked; his tone low and furious. "If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't have any service to offer because you wouldn't have a law degree. Who paid to put you through Columbia?"

She glared at him, her lips pressed into a thin line as she refused to acknowledge the remark.

"Answer me!" he yelled. "Who paid for you to go to an Ivy League school and get that law degree that hangs on your wall?"

"You did," she replied.

"And who gave you an allowance to supplement your waitressing earnings because your mother worried you wouldn't have enough to get you by? Who was it that put that money in your account every month?"

"You."

"And when you found your apartment right before graduation, who was it that paid the security deposit and the first two months rent so that you wouldn't run short of cash until you got on your feet with your new job?"

"You," she murmured angrily.

"You're damn right it was me, you ungrateful little brat! My money made you what you are; if it wasn't for me you'd have nothing! I won't pay you to take my case; you're going to take my case because you owe me. You owe me far more than your precious fee and any other charges that come to be. Who the hell do you think you are? You cost me more than the other two…and you deserved it the least! I should've thrown you out the door the night you graduated high school and told you to sink or swim."

The words sliced down to her soul but she refused to allow the tears that filled her eyes to fall. "Since I'm sure you have an exact tally somewhere of just how much I owe you, tell me what it is and I'll start making payments to pay you back," she told him.

Frank scoffed; "It would take you years to pay off the debt you owe. Now when are we going to start working on my case?"

She swallowed hard; she wished she could say never…but he had her back firmly against the wall and hung the debt of her education over her head. He had perfectly ensnared her, knowing exactly where to hit her the hardest to make her bend to his will…and her mother had sat there quietly and allowed him to do it and it hurt all the more. "When is the court date?" she asked, her voice taunt with tension.

"Next Friday."

Johanna shook her head. "Great, you dump it into my lap a week before it goes to court; like I don't have any other cases to work on and can just devote all my time to yours. That's real nice. A God damn week to get everything in order plus my normal caseload; but I guess you don't think about the time that goes into these things…no, not you; you're Frank McKenzie and things like that don't matter to you; you don't have to play by the rules, you just cut in line and demand and make other people deal with your messes whether they want to or not."

"It could be worse," he retorted; leaning across the table to be close to her face. "I could be you; a stuck up, ungrateful little brat, prone to dramatics and without an ounce of loyalty to her family. Sometimes I wonder how you can even be my blood. Now when do you start working on my case?"

"I'll be here Saturday," she said curtly. "Get the files from Carl; that is if it isn't too much trouble for you to do that much."

"I'll have them. What time can we expect you?"

"You can expect me when I walk through the door," Johanna retorted. "And now I'm going home."

"If you want me to drive you, you better have money to pay the fee you'd pay to any other taxi driver," Frank said sarcastically.

Johanna smiled but it lacked humor. "I wouldn't get in the car with you if my life depended on it."

"Let's just calm down," Naomi finally said. "You can't go yet, Johanna; you haven't had your cake."

"I don't want your lemon flavored entrapment," she retorted; "And the next time you bake a guilt cake, keep it to yourself. Why didn't you just tell me what he wanted? Why did you set there and let him put on a show like he cares a lick about me when you know the whole time that he's just trying to butter me up? How could you do that to me?"

Naomi reached out to take her hand but she jerked it away. "Your father does care about you; he's always interested in your life and well being."

"No he isn't and you know it! He just wants to use me!"

"Johanna, darling; it's not going to hurt you to do this for your father."

She scoffed; "That might be true if we were a different kind of family, but we're not."

"Don't say that," Naomi said sternly. "You're not innocent in these little battles. I told you not to have an attitude but you showed up with it and really you shouldn't expect him to pay you; he is your father."

"I wouldn't have asked for payment if he had been a man and told me from the get go what he wanted from me instead of going to my boss and then sucking up to me with his feigned interest and offer of gifts."

"One more word, Johanna," Frank said as he stabbed a finger in her direction; "And I'm going to crack you across your face just like I did when you were a teenager."

She rose from the table and walked away, her head held high and steel in her spine as she moved to the sofa to pick up her purse before she headed in the direction of the door. "Johanna," Naomi spoke up; "If you insist on going, I'll drive you home. I don't mind driving in the evenings during the summer, it's still light out."

"I don't want you to drive me," she said curtly. "I'll walk to the diner and get a cab like I always do. I wouldn't want to have to owe either one of you for the gas it would cost to drive me home."

"Johanna," her mother called after her as she jerked the door open and stepped outside. She ignored her, slamming the door shut behind her and then she hurried down the steps and the walk; only slowing her pace once she was a few houses away. Her throat felt tight and a few tears slipped from her eyes. If it took her the rest of her life, she'd make sure Frank McKenzie got back every dime he ever put out for her while she was in college. She wasn't going to spend her life being in debt to him…feeling forced into cleaning up his messes just because he had wielded the checkbook…and called her boss. She sniffed, his words had hurt and her mother's role in the whole thing had hurt even more. She hoped Jim would be waiting for her when she got home like he had promised. At least there was one person in the world she could count on.

---

Back at the house, Naomi felt the guilt of what she had done. While it was true that she didn't think it would hurt Johanna to defend her father, she shouldn't have gone along with Frank's underhanded way of springing the news on her. She'd made an error in doing things his way and she should've realized that sooner.

She glanced at the still half full plate her daughter had abandoned and then she looked to her husband. "She only asked you to pay her because you hurt her feelings by feigning interest in her," she remarked softly.

Frank shrugged. "Her feelings are always hurt over every little thing. That's your fault; you coddled her and made her too sensitive. She'll get over it eventually."

"If I coddled her too much," Naomi stated; "It was to make up for the lack of affection she got from her father."

"Don't start that again, Naomi; I'm in no mood. Everything I said was true, she's an ungrateful brat and my money made her what she is. She owes me and she's going to do this whether she likes it or not. I've had to do plenty of things I don't like and she can learn to do the same."

She sighed as she rose from her seat and began to clear the table. Things were never going to work out between her husband and their middle child. It made her ache inside…it made her heart throb with the guilt that she might've had a role in Frank's disdain for their child…and now she had guilt for participating in the events that had just occurred. She couldn't ever let that happen again…she had to be there on her side, fighting with her and for her. She was her mother, she was supposed to protect her from being hurt the way she had been that evening.

---

Johanna felt the weight of the world pressing down on her shoulders as she shoved her key into the lock and opened her door. A small smile touched her lips however as she caught sight of Jim stretched out on her couch while he watched TV. "Comfy?" she asked as she dropped her keys and her purse onto the stand.

"I'd be comfier if you were here with me," Jim answered.

"I'll be there in a minute, I want to change clothes."

Jim sat up and studied her as she walked toward the hallway. "Are you okay?"

"No; I've been pushed into a hellish nightmare of epic proportions. I'll tell you about it after I change."

That didn't sound good, Jim thought to himself; but she had said that she was sure that whatever her parents was springing on her wasn't going to be good…looked like she was right. He waited patiently as she changed into her nightgown and then went into the kitchen and poured herself a glass of wine before returning and settling down on the sofa.

"Did you eat?" she asked him after taking a sip of her wine.

"Yeah; you had some leftover lasagna in the fridge…it was very good…I left you a piece."

Johanna smiled and set her drink on the stand. "That was nice of you."

He gave her a grin. "I figured it was the least I could do. How was your cake that your mother baked specially for you?"

"I wouldn't know, I told her to keep her lemon flavored entrapment."

"If you really wanted to punish her for whatever she did, you would've picked up the entire cake and brought it home…I would've ate it."

She gave a soft laugh. "I'll do better next time."

He reached for her hand, sensing her inner turmoil as he turned serious. "What happened, sweetheart?"

Johanna blinked back the sting in her eyes, a short laugh crossing her lips as she shook her head. "Just what I figured…I was being set up. I didn't know how bad of a set up it was until my father started saying it was nice to see me and asking about my day and you and acting like the polar opposite of himself…which was slightly terrifying. It's like one of those movies where a wild animal is nice and kind and the next second it's ripping someone's face off."

He moved closer and dropped an arm around her shoulders. "You really know how to paint a picture, Jo."

"Well it felt like being in a horror movie," she retorted. "My father doesn't ask about my day and my personal life and tell me that it's nice to see me; we don't do that. He's not like your father…I keep trying to convince you of that but I don't think you believe me. I don't make these things up."

"I know you don't," he soothed as he rubbed her arm. "What did he want?"

She laughed. "Oh you'll love this. He's being sued and he doesn't like how his lawyer is handling it so he's dumping it into my lap. I have to be his lawyer…I'd rather scrape my eyelids on the concrete."

Jim grimaced at the thought. "Your metaphors are dark and painful tonight."

Johanna reached for her glass. "Sorry, I'll try to tone it down."

"What's he being sued for?"

"A minor car accident."

"Small claims?"

"Yes."

"That's not your area."

She laughed but it lacked humor. "Yes, I know; and I tried to explain that to that pig headed know it all but he wouldn't listen. He says I went to law school and they taught me all of the law, not just certain sectors. He said I'm handling the case."

"He can't make you do anything," he remarked. "Just tell him no."

Johanna pulled away from him and got to her feet to pace. "You don't just tell Frank McKenzie no. He doesn't take no for an answer. I tried to say no…and I'm still in it up to my eyeballs."

"Jo; it's not that hard to refuse. You already have a caseload; tell him you can't take on anymore, that Roche won't allow you to take on a case for a family member."

She smiled. "He called Roche and had it cleared before I even got my invitation to dinner."

"He called Roche!'

"Oh yes; he called and got it all worked out, and just for future reference, Roche says he doesn't mind if we take the occasional case for family; it shows that the firm has family values."

"I see he likes to cover his bases."

"Yeah…that's probably why he's a successful businessman."

"You could still refuse."

"No, I can't."

"Why not? Give me a reason why you can't tell him to open up the phone book and find someone else."

Anguish flicked across her features and he regretted the way he had phrased the remark. "I can't refuse because I owe him."

"You owe him?"

She nodded. "A law degree from Columbia isn't cheap, you know."

"He's holding the price of your education over your head?"

"That and the allowance he gave me while I was in school…and two months rent and a security deposit for when I first moved in here. I had a bad feeling about the rent money back then…I didn't really want him to pay those things for my apartment…but he said it was part of my graduation gift and my mother nudged me and I accepted it as a gift but I should've known better. Now I have to pay by taking his case."

Jim got to his feet and gently caught hold of her. "Jo; you don't have to do this. He's your father, paying for your education is what he's supposed to do. He said the rent money was a gift; you're under no obligation to repay anything in any way."

"Yes, I am…if he hadn't paid for my education, I wouldn't have a degree…I owe him…and I think he's just been waiting for the moment when he could tell me that."

"You don't owe him anything."

"I don't have a choice, Jim; he backed me into a corner. He already called Roche and cleared it, and you know that he's going to ask me about it at some point and what am I supposed to say? I refused to represent my father? How would that look? He made sure that I didn't have a way out and then he hung that money over my head and trapped me. I have to do it, regardless of not wanting to…if I don't, I'd never be able to go home and see my mother again because he'd be there making my life hell every time I walked through the door. This is one time when I don't have the option of saying no."

He pulled her into his arms and held her tightly. "I'm sorry," he murmured. "I'm so sorry that you have to have someone like that in your life."

She held on to him tightly; breathing in his scent and allowing him to soothe her with soft words murmured in her ear. "I should be used to it," she whispered.

Jim pressed a kiss against her head. "I'll take the case for you, sweetheart. He doesn't have anything to hold over me."

Johanna shook her head. "He wouldn't accept that…and I don't want to subject you to his behavior when he's got a goal in mind."

"I can handle him."

"I know you could…but I don't to push him off on you, not that he'd allow it. It would probably just make things worse."

He hugged her tighter, she was probably right; it would just make things harder for her. He released her from his arms but kept hold of her hand as he tugged her back to the couch. "When does the case go to court?"

"Next Friday."

"Next Friday!?" he exclaimed. "That's only a week away."

"I know; I'll have a ton of work to do and very little time to do it in. He has to get the files from his real lawyer and I won't have those until Saturday because I am not breaking our dinner plans for tomorrow. I'll have to have everything done by Thursday night."

"And that's combined with your regular caseload."

"Yeah…and he doesn't care."

"I'd be charging him overtime fees."

Johanna laughed. "I'm not getting paid; that's part of the 'you owe me' speech I got."

His jaw clenched, angry at the treatment she endured. "Did your mother say anything or try to intervene?"

"No; she went along with it…that's the other thing that bothered me. She could've just told me from the start instead of doing his bidding but that's how it goes. Since I'll have to give up my Saturday afternoon to go over there and start working on this damn thing, I won't be showing up on Sunday for dinner…I might not show up the week after that either."

"I don't blame you."

She sighed and laid her head on his shoulder. "I'll help you any way I can," Jim remarked as he wrapped an arm around her.

"I appreciate that."

"It'll be alright," he assured.

"A part of me wants to lose his case…but I can't."

"That would go against who you are."

She nodded. "Yeah it would…and then I think about how I'm not guaranteed to win anyway…and if I don't win, I'm never going to hear the end of it."

"All you can do is your best, Jo; just like you always do."

"I know," she sighed. "I guess we've had it rough the last two days. You had a bad dinner with a client last night; I had a bad dinner with my parents tonight."

Jim nodded. "You know what that means don't you?"

"No, what?"

"It means we aren't supposed to accept dinner invitations from anyone but each other."

She laughed. "That's a very good idea; no more dinner invitations. We only eat dinner with each other."

"We're guaranteed better food and conversation that way."

"Yes…make sure your stomach is taken care of with the better food angle."

He grinned. "Someone has to look out for my stomach."

Johanna patted his knee. "And someone has to look out for my sanity."

"That's what I'm here for, sweetheart."

She cuddled against him. "Thank God…I was so glad you were here when I got home."

"I'm here," he murmured; tipping her face up to kiss her lips. "Try to relax now and unwind a little; we'll worry about everything else tomorrow, okay?"

"I'll try," she promised. "Do you want me to get us some snacks?"

"I'll get them," he answered. "It's my job to cheer you up."

Johanna kissed him. "You're off to a good start just by being here."

---

Johanna knew where Jim was hoping the evening would go now that they were settled into her bed…and she was sorry to disappoint him but it just wasn't going to happen despite his success at cheering her up a little. She accepted his kisses and then pulled back from him, making a quiet show of making herself comfortable. He wasn't deterred, which didn't surprise her as he moved closer, his arm coming around her as he caught her lips in another kiss. She laid a hand against his chest and gently pushed him back. "It's not going to happen tonight, honey"

He gave her a grin. "Anything can happen," he replied, dipping his head to kiss her neck.

She pushed him back once again. "Trust me; it's not going to happen. I'm not in the mood."

"I could get you in the mood," he said lightly, his hand following the curve of her hip in a sensual caress.

Johanna shook her head. "You can't. The mood is so far away from here tonight that there's no hope of finding it."

His eyes danced with amusement. "Are you underestimating my mood finding abilities?"

"No; I'm just stating a fact."

"Sounds more like a challenge to me, sweetheart; and I do love a good challenge."

A smile touched her lips as she caught his hand and removed it from her body. "You know, it's okay if we just go to sleep sometimes."

"It's not nearly as much fun though," he teased.

"I'm serious," she said with a soft laugh. "Sometimes we can just sleep without anything coming before it."

"I know; we've done that before."

Amusement danced in her eyes. "Yes, but I believe you classified those occasions under medical reasons."

"Well medical reason does sound like the best distinction for those 3 to 4 days you're out of commission," he laughed.

"That makes me sound like some kind of ship in the Navy that everyone gets to board."

Jim shook his head. "I'm the only one that gets to board…I'm the captain."

"Oh God," she muttered. "I've created a monster somehow. I think you better find a new analogy."

"But I kind of like being the captain…"

Johanna nodded. "Then pretend you're the captain who's lost at sea tonight."

"That sounds lonely," he quipped. "I'd much rather have company."

She sighed but the smile on her lips dampened the gesture. "Honey, I know that all I'd ever have to say is the word 'go' and you're ready to spring into action…"

Jim smiled. "That's a great thing about me."

Johanna laughed and patted his chest. "Yes, it's wonderful. I love your enthusiasm and how wonderful and sometimes mind blowing it always is."

His brow rose. "Sometimes?"

"I meant always; always mind blowing."

"I was going to say."

A soft giggle crossed her lips. "Anyway, as mind blowing as it is and as much as I enjoy our time together…which happens a good bit if you think about it…"

"It's been a few days," he interrupted. "It's been at least four."

She laid a finger against his lips. "As much as I enjoy it," she said once again; "There are times when I don't want it…I'm sure you know that women like to be in the mood."

"I've heard that rumor," he replied; his lips pressing kisses to her fingers and then her hand.

"It's not just a rumor, it's a fact. Now I know that you love me and understand that and respect it…I also know that you're advocating on behalf of your…client," she remarked, her gaze moving down his body.

A grin spread across his lips. "He prefers the term 'associate'."

Johanna stifled a laugh. "Client, associate, partner in crime, second brain; whatever you want to call it…."

"Don't call him an 'it', you'll hurt his feelings."

She shook with laughter. "Well I certainly don't want to hurt his feelings; but you should inform your 'associate' that he shouldn't get too excited tonight because it isn't going to happen."

He laughed. "We like to have mediation about such strict judgments."

"There's nothing to mediate. I'm closed for business tonight. Tell your associate that he'll have to call at a better time to reschedule his appointment."

"We were under the impression that this was our rescheduled appointment."

"Did you have that in writing?" she asked.

"No; it just seemed like one of those things that was understood," he quipped.

"Well now you and your associate know not to assume without proper verification."

"So what you're saying is we can't claim breech of contract?"

"Exactly; there was no contract. I said you could come over…I didn't say we were going to do anything once you got here."

"Assumptions might have been made based on past history…when it was mentioned of making up for last night; certain expectations may have been in mind."

"So not my problem," Johanna quipped with a grin. "It's not going to happen tonight…you understand, right?"

"It's not me; I understand…it's the associate who gets disappointed."

She laughed. "Well do you want me to give you a moment alone so you can confer with him? Maybe you can explain and console all at once."

Jim shook his head. "He's heard you loud and clear…it's just that rejection hurts his feelings. He's devastated."

"Please extend my apologies," she giggled; "Since your stomach was devastated earlier, perhaps they can commiserate together. I can assure both of you that the rejection is only temporary. Maybe it would ease the pain to think of Thursday as my day of rest before the weekend gears up."

He nodded. 'Alright, we'll call back during business hours…if you'll tell us when they are."

Johanna grinned. "I assure you that you'll know when I'm available."

"We can't help it that we love you," he teased.

"I understand and I appreciate the love you have and want to give," she said with a laugh. "I love you too…but I'm tired and my mind isn't in the right place tonight. Believe me, there are times when I like for you to distract me from a bad day in your chosen manner…but it won't work tonight."

Jim gave her a smile. "All kidding aside, I do understand that you know? I might try to change your mind, but I'd never make you do something you didn't want…it wouldn't be enjoyable for either one of us that way."

"I know you wouldn't," she assured. "I know you respect me…just like I know and expect you to try to change my mind because that's your nature as a man, but I know that if no is my final answer that you'll accept that."

"Don't ever doubt that, Jo."

"I won't."

"Do I at least get to kiss you goodnight?" he asked.

"You better," she murmured; her hand cupping his cheek and bringing him closer for a kiss. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, sweetheart," he told her before wrapping his arm around her and making himself content with holding her.

---

"You actually showed up," Frank remarked Saturday afternoon as Johanna stepped into the living room, the handles of her briefcase clutched in her hand.

"I was under the impression that I didn't have a choice," she remarked tartly. "After all I 'owe you'."

Frank smirked at her. "Don't you forget it."

She lifted the strap of her purse from her shoulder and dropped it onto the coffee table. "I don't think I'll ever be in danger of forgetting it," she replied, her tone quiet and regretful; full of the wish that she had won more scholarships and that she should've looked for a job that would've paid more than waitressing. Maybe if she had done something more she wouldn't be in this position. "Did you get the files?"

"They're in the office on my desk," he said, gesturing in the direction with the remote.

"Get them."

Frank's gaze strayed from the TV. "You get them, your legs aren't broke."

Johanna grabbed the remote from his hand and clicked off the TV. "What the hell do you think your doing?" Frank demanded to know.

"Get the damn files and move to the table," she said sternly.

"You don't order me around little girl," he thundered, stabbing a finger in her direction.

"What's going on?" Naomi asked as she and Colleen stepped into the room from the kitchen.

"I'm here to work," Johanna stated. "Unfortunately that means I need his attention."

Colleen scoffed. "Good luck with that. I had to help Mom move the table in here so she could scrub the floor. He hasn't budged from that chair the entire time I've been here."

"It's about time you make yourself useful," Frank retorted; "And now that you've done so, you can leave."

Colleen glared at him. "No; I'm going to stay here and inflict my presence on you."

"Get the files and let's get started," Johanna demanded as she moved to the table and laid her briefcase on it.

Frank glared at all of them as he got out of his chair and stalked off to his office.

"Johanna, do you want something to drink? A piece of cake?" Naomi asked.

"No thank you," she said as she sat down at the table.

"I suppose you're angry with me…I tried to call last night but you didn't answer."

"Yeah; I'm a little miffed at you," Johanna confirmed. "As for last night, I was out. I spend Friday evenings with Jim."

"Did you have a nice time?" he mother asked as she wrung her hands.

"We always do."

Her mother sighed. "Bambina, I'm sorry. I'll never go along with blindsiding you like that again. I never meant to hurt you."

Johanna nodded but said nothing. Naomi released a heavy breath and continued on. "I see it's going to take a few days to earn your forgiveness."

"Most likely," she agreed.

Naomi moved toward her and pressed a kissed to the top of her head. "That's okay, I love you anyway."

"I love you too…I'm just not happy with you at the moment."

"I understand; you have every right not to be."

"I can't believe Dad conned you into this," Colleen remarked as she moved to stand by her sister.

Johanna glanced up at her. "Didn't you read the fine print on the tuition checks he wrote out?"

Colleen's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"His logic is that if he pays for your degree, you owe him. He already has Frankie working with him, which was planned since his birth; now I'm conned into being his lawyer. You're next baby sister."

She shook her head. "I'm a decorator; and he doesn't like my taste in anything so I'm probably safe."

Johanna wrapped an arm around her sister's waist and gave her a squeeze. "You were the smart one, sissy."

"I still can't believe he conned you with that excuse though."

Johanna took her legal pad and pen from her briefcase. "It's kind of a sore subject at the moment."

Her sister patted her shoulder. "I understand."

Frank returned from the office and threw the files on the table. "There; do what you need to do," he said as he began to drift back to his chair.

She smacked her hand against the table. "I told you to sit down at the table."

"And I told you that you don't order me around," he retorted.

She narrowed her eyes. "If you want me to handle this case, you'll do as I say."

Frank grumbled as he sat down at the table. "I'll be in the kitchen," Naomi remarked. "Colleen?"

"Oh I think I'll stay out here and watch a little TV," she answered. "Nothing Dad will like of course."

"Colleen," Naomi said, warning in her tone.

"I'm not going to miss this," she remarked as she settled down on the sofa.

"God help us all," Naomi uttered as she moved back to the kitchen.

Johanna put the files aside and uncapped her pen.

"Where did you get that?" Frank demanded to know as he caught sight of the silver plated pen that had McKenzie engraved on it.

"What?"

"My father's pen?"

"Aunt Bridget gave it to me because you didn't want it and neither did Colin; and no, I'm not giving it to you now. Now tell me about the accident."

"The police report is in the file, read it."

"I will after I have your version. You claim it wasn't your fault, I need to know what happened from your viewpoint."

"I was on my way back to the office but the stop light was still a good ways off. A car pulled out in front of me, which isn't unusual in that area. I was back far enough to avoid hitting them."

"Okay," she said as she wrote her notes. "Then what happened?'

"We continue on toward the light and they stopped short. I couldn't stop in time and slammed into the back of them."

"Why did they stop short?'

"How the hell should I know!" Frank bellowed.

Johanna sighed; feeling a headache coming on. "Was there an obstruction in the road?"

"No!"

"Was there a problem with their vehicle?"

"No!"

"What was the weather like that day?"

"What the hell does that have to do with anything?" Frank demanded to know.

"In a traffic case, the judge wants to know the driving conditions; now answer the question."

"It was raining," he said in annoyance.

"Was it a heavy rain, a drizzle, somewhere in between?"

"I have never heard such stupid questions in my life!"

Johanna gave him a pointed look. "You're free to look for another attorney if you find my questions distasteful."

"I don't have time for that," he retorted; "And your questions are stupid!"

"I'm waiting for your equally stupid answer," she shot back.

"It was a light steady rain," he practically growled.

"What was your speed?"

"I don't know!" he yelled. "I was watching the road."

"Fine," she huffed. "Were you driving at your normal rate of speed or had you reduced it due to road conditions?"

"What road conditions? What nonsense is that?"

"You said it was raining, therefore the roads would be wet, wet roads are a 'condition' and you're supposed to reduce your speed in regard to it!"

"You just think I'm guilty! You're hoping for it, aren't you, you little brat. You're mad because you have to lift a finger to do something for me so you want me to lose!"

"I never said that," Johanna retorted. "All I'm doing is my job; I have to investigate what happened so I can prepare your case accordingly; but if you don't want to cooperate, I'll be more than happy to walk out the door and let you fend for yourself."

"I wasn't speeding," Frank said sternly. "If I had been, I would've hit them when they cut me off. If you had the sense God gave a goose, you'd know that."

"I probably inherited my lack of sense from my father," she shot back. "Now what happened after the accident?"

"They got out of their car and I got out of mine."

"What was said?"

"The first thing out of their mouth was 'do you have insurance?"

"And what did you say?"

"I asked if they were okay and then I asked them why the hell they stopped short like they did."

"What was the answer?"

"They didn't give me one; that's when the cop showed up out of nowhere."

"Were there any witnesses?"

He looked at her incredulously. "This is New York City; of course there were witnesses, you twit!"

"If you want to start name calling, I'm going to give you a few choice names of my own and then I'm walking out of here. You're skating on thin ice; now answer my questions without your added barbs. Did the cop interview these witnesses?"

"Yes," he ground out.

Johanna was quiet for a moment as she finished making a note. "Is your insurance current?"

Frank's eyes blazed with outrage. "How dare you insinuate that I don't pay my bills!"

"I'm not insinuating that at all! I'm asking you a question that you'll be asked at the hearing."

"Of course it's current!"

"Did you provide your information?"

"Yes; but when I got back to the office, I called Melvin and told him I thought the whole thing was fishy and I didn't want them to pay it."

"And Melvin is?"

"My insurance agent."

"Did Melvin deny their claim?"

"Of course he did, he denied it on the grounds of insufficient evidence of fault. We've been friends since we were boys. Melvin trusts my word; he believes me; he has loyalty…traits you should think about acquiring."

"Some could make the case that you and Melvin might stray to the side of insurance fraud," she replied; "But that's not my problem at the moment…although it's why we're facing a lawsuit."

"We're facing a lawsuit because they're con artists! That cop was in on it and you haven't even asked about him!"

Johanna blew out a breath. "I was getting to it. Why do you feel like he's in on it?"

"He got there too fast."

"Maybe he was on patrol and saw the accident."

"He was entirely too chummy with these people. You could tell that he knew them and his arrival was too coincidental; he wasn't there on patrol to witness the accident."

"Did you overhear anything that would suggest a relationship between him and the plaintiffs?"

"No; I just told you, it was how he acted."

"Can you prove that they know each other?"

"That's your job!" Frank yelled. "Instead of sitting here asking me stupid questions, why don't you get out there and do something! You wanted the files and I gave them to you and you haven't even looked at them yet! What kind of lawyer are you! How did they ever let you out of school?"

Johanna surged to her feet; her hands slamming down on the surface of the table as she eyed him. "Let me tell you something Mr. High and Mighty; just because you think you know it all doesn't mean that you do. I am doing my job and I'm doing it the way I was trained to do. You don't get all of the answers from a file; you get them from the people involved. I have to ask you all of these questions because they're the same questions that you're going to be asked at your hearing. I have to be prepared for them and so do you! This is how I handle all of my cases and if you don't like the way I do business, then I suggest you go get the phone book and look for someone else. You might've paid for my degree but I'm the one who put in the work for it, not you. You think because you sit on your ass and watch Perry Mason that it makes you an authority on the law? Well here's a news flash for you, it doesn't. Now if we're going to do this, we'll do it my way; you might be the boss down at McKenzie-Thorton Industries, but when it comes to you being in my territory, I'm the boss and you don't tell me how to do my job when you don't know the first thing about it! And if you're convinced that you do, then walk in that courtroom and defend yourself!"

"I probably couldn't do any worse!" he sneered.

"Colleen, bring me the phone book," she said, her gaze locked on her father.

Colleen hurried to pull the phone book out from under the stand and she brought it to her sister; standing by so she could be close to whatever was going to go down. Johanna flipped through the yellow pages until she came across the section for lawyers. She threw the book in front of her father.

"There, Dad; there's where the listing starts for all the lawyers in the city; pick one and see how well you do with telling them how to do their job. I don't need this case and I didn't ask for it. I know what I'm doing but I'll be damned if I'm going to let you sit here and insult me for every move I make in regard to it. I don't tell you how to do your job and you don't tell me how to do mine…and I don't care if I have a debt hanging over my head. I'll walk out on you in a heartbeat and never feel a moment's regret. You talk about wanting loyalty, well where's the loyalty for me, your daughter! You say I don't believe you and yet you don't even trust me to do a decent job, which makes me wonder why you demanded I do it in the first place! But then I remember that you'd have to pay someone else and you don't like to crack open your checkbook too far, especially when you have someone in the family you can guilt into doing it…and believe me, it's the only reason I'm doing it…but if you push me too far, I won't…I'll go work for the other side and take you for every penny of that five thousand dollars! Now what's it going to be? Are you going to play by my rules or do I walk?"

"You tell him!" Colleen exclaimed in support.

"You can get out!" Frank said as he jabbed a finger at Colleen. "And you can quit with the damn dramatics," he said, turning his finger to Johanna.

"Meaning what?" she asked. "Am I the boss…or are you going to find someone else to do your bidding? I have a feeling I know why Carl told you to look elsewhere."

He glared at her as Naomi hovered in the doorway. "Frank," she said sternly, warning him that he better make the right choice.

"You're the boss," he spat.

"Good," she said with a nod; "And you're going to answer all of my questions, no matter how stupid you think they are, right?"

"If I must."

"Oh you must," she retorted. "And you're going to be nice about it…because the first derogatory remark you make, I'm out the door and I'm not coming back, so you better mind your manners."

"Johanna," Naomi said; "Don't push your luck."

Her gaze flicked to her mother. "This is a job, Mom; my job; and it's done my way or no way; that's how it is."

Naomi gave a nod of acceptance; she could understand where she was coming from…and far be it for her to deny her a chance to get ahead of Frank.

"Any other requirements, Princess?" Frank retorted.

Johanna gathered up the files and shoved them into her briefcase. "I'm not putting up with you anymore today. If I have a question about what I read in these files, I'll call, and you'll answer the questions that way, if you don't, screw your case, I don't care if you win or lose."

"Johanna," Naomi stated.

"You better win my case, because if you don't, there will be hell to pay, little girl!" he yelled.

"Like I don't pay it all the time now!" she yelled back as she moved to the kitchen and grabbed the cake container off the counter.

"Where are you taking my cake?" Naomi asked as she hurried after her.

"It's my cake," Johanna replied. "My lemon flavored entrapment and I'm taking it with me; you'll get the container back. Dad, I'll be in touch."

"I'll go with you," Colleen called as she hurried after her. "I'll drive you home."

"Go ahead and go, both of you!" Frank yelled. "I don't know what I ever did to deserve either one of you!"

"We wonder the same thing!" Colleen retorted before Johanna slammed the door shut behind them.

"You lasted longer than I thought you would," Colleen said as they headed for her car.

"I thought I could hold out for longer…but I just kept getting the feeling that it was only going to get worse if I stayed. He wants me to do the work but he doesn't want to do his share of it,' she remarked as she opened the passenger side door.

"Well of course not," her sister replied as she got into the car. "He wants you to do it all and he knows he can make you now that he's hung your tuition over your head. I'm surprised you didn't tell him to go to hell."

"Sometimes I'd like to," she admitted.

"What do we want to do now?" Colleen asked as she started the car.

"It's too early to get drunk, but I could go for a drink," Johanna replied.

Her sister nodded. "Yeah, I always need a drink after leaving here when Dad's home; besides, I'm sure it's 5 o'clock somewhere."

"Amen," she replied. "Let's go."

---

After having a drink with her sister, Johanna carried her briefcase and cake holder through the door of Jim's apartment. "I didn't expect you back so soon," Jim said from his place on the sofa.

"Sorry to disappoint you," she quipped.

"I'm never disappointed to see you. What do you have with you?" he asked, pointing to the cake holder.

"The lemon cake my mother baked."

"The entrapment cake?"

"That's the one."

"You took the cake?" he laughed.

"You told me I should've taken it," she reminded him; "And I figured I deserved some form of compensation."

"Things didn't go well?" he asked as he followed her to the kitchen.

"Do they ever?"

He gave her a sympathetic smile. "Do you want to tell me about it?"

Johanna sighed as she grabbed a soda from the fridge. "It's the usual story; father's a know it all and thinks the daughter is stupid. The daughter gets mad, the father gets madder, the daughter tells him off and leaves and goes out for drinks with her sisters."

Jim grabbed a plate and some silverware and then lifted the lid off the cake holder. "That was a good summary, can you fill in some of the details."

She grabbed her own plate and silverware and cut a piece of cake before sitting down across from him and telling him the story. "I don't know how you do it, Jo," he said after swallowing a bite of cake. "I don't know how you keep going back."

"I'm a glutton for punishment," she replied while reaching for her briefcase. She pulled out the files and laid them on the table. "I haven't even read the police report yet."

"You wanted to get your Dad's version first?"

"Yeah; it's a concept he doesn't grasp."

"I have a feeling he only grasps the concepts he invents."

"Pretty much," Johanna agreed as she pulled out the police report and read it. She then read the witness statements and the statement of the plaintiffs, Mr. Marcus Duncan and Mrs. Denise Duncan. Her father's statement to the police matched what he had told her.

As Johanna finished reading each document, she passed it to Jim to examine. While he read over the reports, she read the estimates from the garage for damages to the plaintiffs vehicle and she looked at the photographs. The estimate seemed a bit high based on what she was seeing in the pictures but she passed it along to Jim without comment and moved on to the medical bills.

When their reading was finished, Jim glanced to Johanna. "What are you thinking?" he asked.

"I'm thinking that I have a lot of work to do in a short amount of time," she replied. "I'm going to have more questions to ask my father…but I'll do that over the phone. We do better if we don't have to look at each other. I need to ask him if he paid the tickets he was given for 'failure to reduce speed' and for 'negligent driving'. If he paid those, it's going to look like an admission of guilt…and of course he neglected to mention them because he didn't like my questions but that's beside the point. I notice though that the officer doesn't mention speed in his report. The witnesses don't mention him speeding either…and I really don't buy that he was. He's not one to hurry."

"If he had been speeding, the damage to their vehicle would've been worse than it is," Jim commented.

"What do you think of the estimate?" she asked. "It seems high to me but you'd know more about that than me."

"It does seem inflated," he agreed. "And there are some things listed that I don't believe were damaged in regard to the accident…like the water pump. You should have another mechanic look that estimate over."

"Do you know anyone trustworthy that I could use as expert testimony?"

He nodded. "The guy I worked for in the summers when I was in high school. He's one of the best and he'll tell you the truth. He's closed tomorrow but I can call on Monday and arrange to take you to see him after work."

"I'd appreciate that," she gratefully.

"What else are you putting on your to-do list?"

Johanna blew out a breath. "I'll need to talk to the doctor…I want to see medical records too just in case there's a pre-existing condition they're trying to get paid for. I'll probably need a court order for that so I'll have to get the ball rolling on that first thing Monday morning. I want to talk to the witnesses. I'd like to find out more about the plantiffs…"

Jim glanced at her. "Sounds like you're going to be knocking on doors in their neighborhood."

She nodded. "Yeah…and one of the questions I'll be asking is if they remember that car having any damage prior to the accident."

"Good question."

"I need to talk to the cop too. Dad is adamant that he's in on it so I need to find out if he has a connection to the plaintiffs in anyway…not that he's going to admit to it."

"So what's your plan?"

Johanna bit her lip as she looked at him. "Do you think your investigator friend Leo would be able to find out anything about this cop and his possible connection to the Duncans…in the small amount of time I have?"

"I'm sure he'd do the best he could. I can call him this evening and ask him if you want."

"Yeah," she replied. "I feel like that might be my only option in that vein with the amount of time I have. I'll pay him of course; tell him to send a bill to my office."

"I'll get him on board; don't worry about it."

She blew out a breath. "I hope I can get this case put together in time…there's a lot of work to do."

Jim reached for her hand and gave it a squeeze. "You'll make it, you always do…and I'll help you."

"I'll probably need it," she admitted.

He leaned closer and kissed her lips. "You'll have it, don't worry; it's all going to work out. You've got this."

Johanna gave him a small smile. She appreciated his confidence in her…she just hoped she could live up to it.

---

The week started off with a feeling of trepidation for Johanna as she faced the task of preparing her father's defense plus the work of her usual case load. Of course she felt like her work week had never really ended since Saturday had been her first day working on the case and then glutton for punishment that she was, she returned to her parents house on Sunday, forgoing the planned phone call and faced her father to ask more questions. Questions that were once again deemed stupid and she ended up regretting being there and biting her lip to keep from saying something she'd regret. Sharon had grumbled on Monday morning when she learned of the extra work to be done and had the added aggravation of juggling the schedule to accommodate Frank's case. She also hadn't been happy about having to rush the paperwork to request a court order allowing Johanna access to the plaintiff's medical records. It couldn't be helped though, Johanna thought to herself. If Sharon thought she had problems she ought to try walking in her shoes. At least she was going to be paid for her aggravation, she, on the other hand, would only be left with a lingering headache at best.

Jim took her to see the mechanic he knew, Mr. Jake Doyle; who was a certified mechanic with an excellent reputation and good standing in the business community. She was relieved when he confirmed her beliefs that the estimate was inflated and that some of the repairs were in no way related to the accident. He agreed to be at the hearing on her behalf to offer expert testimony. It was one weight off her shoulders but so many remained.

On Tuesday she managed to carve out enough time in her schedule to go and talk to Officer George Klosterman who had written the accident report. As she figured, it ended up feeling like a waste of her time. The officer dodged her questions at every chance and in her opinion he made it his mission to disrespect her by acting as if she was beneath his notice. He also proved himself to be misogynic jackass when he implied that she couldn't do her job properly because it was 'a man's job and too complicated for a little girl like her to understand'. He had also made the comment that Frank should've been able to afford a better lawyer…one that wasn't 'still wet behind the ears'. It took every ounce of self control not to scratch his eyes out and she started to hope that her father was right and that the officer was involved. She didn't get a good feeling from him and she hoped Leo would be able to find a connection for her in time.

Johanna worked late on Tuesday, squeezing in a few interviews with witnesses and earning herself the quiet ire of her secretary who had to cancel a wedding planning session. She wasn't happy to upset Sharon's plans and she could've done without Phil's glowering look when he had learned the news but what could she do? Time was against her and she needed Sharon's help. She'd just have to make it up to her. What was one more debt to pay?

Wednesday was spent in court during the morning and meeting with clients in the afternoon…and in between all of it, phone calls pressing for her court order so that she could get access to the medical records. Her usual Wednesday night plans with Jim got turned into a fast food dinner at McDonalds and knocking on doors in the Duncan's neighborhood. Johanna had to give him credit, Jim never once complained about her turning their date night into a work session…in fact he hadn't complained at all even during her moments of ranting and raging at the burden that had been put on her shoulders. He listened, he consoled, he helped in any way he could, like with the interviews of neighbors. One woman they talked to, Mrs. Frances Reed, told them about how the Duncan's had sued her the year before in regard to a very similar accident. The woman was helpful, showing Johanna all the paperwork from the incident and the hearing. It was all very familiar, right down to the officer's name on the report. She asked Mrs. Reed if she'd mind coming to the hearing to testify that the Duncan's had a history of this sort of lawsuit and she agreed wholeheartedly. Their last stop was to speak to the plaintiffs and she didn't like the vibe that came from them. Their story seemed to change in little ways every time they told it. It felt like things were coming together but stress continued to knot the muscles in her neck.

Thursday afternoon finally brought her court order to access the medical records. She had almost given up hope and kept her fingers crossed as she called the doctor and asked for a meeting to discuss matters. She hadn't heard from Leo and her hopes sank in that area as she finished up her office work and then headed off to see the doctor and to examine the records. By the time she was finished with her interview and gathering the evidence she could use from the medical files, it was nearly seven…and she found Jim waiting for her in the parking lot of the doctor's office. Leo had come through after all and she had her final piece of the puzzle. She should've been happy…but as Jim left her at her door, all she could feel was the building pressure and dread of the day to follow. What if what she had wasn't enough? What if she lost…what if she failed her father? The thoughts plagued her as she organized and went over everything a hundred times. Loneliness and fear suffocated her as the hours dragged out. She had to escape her apartment and there was only one place she wanted to go.

---

It was nearly one in the morning when Johanna quietly crept through the door of Jim's apartment. She closed the door softly, making sure that it locked before she paused and allowed her eyes to adjust to the darkness of the living room. When she could make out the shadows of the furniture, she carefully moved across the room to the sofa where she sat down her purse and briefcase. Her task finished, she turned and bumped her leg against the corner of the coffee table. She bit her lip to keep from making a sound as she rubbed the spot, knowing she'd probably have a small bruise there come morning. With her minor injury soothed, she began her trek once again, her footsteps muffled by the carpet as she made her way to the bedroom.

Johanna peeked into the bedroom and saw that Jim was asleep, her presence going undetected so far. She tiptoed into the room and made her way to the dresser. Slowly, she opened her drawer and took out a nightgown and then carefully pushed the drawer shut. She stripped off her t-shirt and jeans as soundlessly as possible and laid them on the chair before dropping her nightgown over her head and then moving to the bed and slipping beneath the covers on her side. Her gaze darted to Jim's sleeping form, watching him as she slowly shifted about to make herself comfortable. He didn't move or give any indication of realizing she was there so she allowed herself to relax as she snuggled into her pillow, her eyes closing, relief filling her at being there with him instead of locked away in the loneliness of her own apartment.

Jim rolled over, his arm falling across her waist. "What are you doing out this time of night?" he asked.

His voice startled her and she flinched in response. "I couldn't sleep."

"Usually you just watch TV instead of running around in the dark," he replied.

"I can go back home and watch TV if you want me to."

His thumb rubbed against her side. "Why would I want you to do that?"

Johanna shrugged. "Maybe you want to be alone tonight."

He shook his head. "I'm always glad to have you here next to me…but if you wanted me, you could've called, I would've come to you so you didn't have to be out this late."

"Sorry," she whispered.

"It's alright," he said as he brushed a kiss against her lips. "Why can't you sleep tonight?"

"The same reason I haven't been able to sleep all week."

He probably could've guessed that, Jim mused. "It's almost over, sweetheart. You have the hearing in the morning and it'll be finished."

"I'm dreading it," she said softly.

"You're going to do fine, Jo. I've watched you prepare this case all week, it's strong. Leo came through for you too; he found out that the cop is their cousin."

"I know…but what if it doesn't matter?"

"You have the doctor's reports showing that the guy already had a pre-existing back condition and that there's no proof that the accident was responsible for any supposed pain he had or has."

"That could work in their favor too."

"You have witnesses; both from the accident and that one neighbor that they tried to pull this same stunt on. Jake's going to be there to testify that some of that estimate for the damage to the car is bogus. You've got this, sweetheart. You covered every base you can cover and I believe the scale has tipped in your favor."

The logical side of her brain could see that…but the part that functioned as a daughter only saw all the ways it could go wrong; all the ways she could anger her father. She could already imagine the disappointment she'd see in his eyes once she looked past the anger. She could take the anger…but she wasn't sure she could bear the disappointment…not when her law degree was the only thing he'd ever been proud of in regard to her. "What if the scale isn't tipped in my favor? What if it goes wrong anyway?"

"I can't say it won't happen; because there's always a chance of that. We both know how the game works…but if it does go wrong, it won't be your fault, Jo. Some things are out of your control. It wouldn't be the first case you lost."

"No; but it would be the first case I lost for my father," she muttered as she turned onto her side, her back to him.

"I'm sure he knows that even the strongest cases face the risk of being lost because of a judge's mindset."

"He'd blame me anyway…he's made that clear."

Jim was quiet for a moment. "Would it be the first time a client blamed you for losing a case?"

"No; of course not; but this is different. Regular clients just cuss me out in the hallway and go away. This is my father…he doesn't go away. I'd never live it down…he'd never let me forget what I had done."

"I know it isn't easy, and what I'm about to say is easier said than done, but maybe instead of thinking of him as your father, you need to think of him as just another client."

"You're right…easier said than done. Believe me, I wish I could forget that he's my father sometimes."

Jim moved closer, wrapping his arms around her as his chest pressed against her back. "It's going to be fine. I wish I could be there but my morning is packed with clients."

"It's okay," she whispered as her hand found his. "My schedule is jammed tomorrow too. I've got a hearing before my father's and one after it."

"Try to relax and sleep," he told her. "Worrying all night isn't going to help anything. You need to be rested."

"I know."

"Let me kiss you goodnight," he requested as his hand gently curled around her hip, urging her to roll over. She did as he asked and then she closed her eyes and curled up close to him as she listened to his breathing even out and sleep reclaim him. She tried to sleep but it evaded her; the minutes and hours moving slowly as she contemplated every scenario for disaster. She kept thinking about how disappointed her father would be if she lost and she ached inside. She already had so many black marks against her when it came to Frank McKenzie, she really didn't need another one.

She didn't know why it had to be that way between them; why she had to carry all of those black marks. What had she ever done to him besides being born? She couldn't really be held responsible for her birth, could she? She suppressed a scoff, with his logic, she probably could be. He had probably wanted a house full of boys and instead ended up with only one son and two daughters he had no use for…especially in her case.

Johanna wondered sometimes how a father could look at his child and decide that he didn't like her. What exactly had she done? The question had plagued her all her life and she doubted that she'd ever know the answer. She just didn't want to give him another reason to hate her. A few tears broke free and slipped down her cheeks. Sometimes when she thought of other people's fathers she felt jealous. Jim had such a wonderful relationship with Robert. His father would be there for him no matter what. Sharon's father might be a little demanding at times but they still had a loving relationship. He never belittled her; he never held the price of her education over her head. Sharon's father had even given her carte blanche for her wedding; she could have the wedding of her dreams. She doubted that Frank would contribute to her wedding if she ever got married. She wasn't sure she'd want him to even if he did volunteer. It would just be more money added to her debt.

Her debt made her think about the check she had written out and tucked into her briefcase that evening. She'd be able to cross off two months rent and a security deposit once she handed that check over to him in the morning. She should've never accepted it in the first place. Money would've been tight the first month or so; she would've had to pinch pennies to keep from dipping into her trust funds but she would've survived and she would've been better off. She swiped at her tears as Jim rolled over and pulled her close. She tensed for a moment and then realized he was still asleep and her thoughts returned to the money she should've never accepted. She wasn't going to allow herself to be in this position again…and if that meant paying back every dime of her tuition, so be it.

Johanna only dozed lightly for a few minutes here and there; jerking awake every time her dreams took a turn in the direction of her father's hearing. At five, she slipped out from under Jim's arm and made her way to closet. She took out one of her dresses for work and then tip toed to the bathroom. By the time the alarm went off to wake Jim, she was dressed, her makeup and hair done…and her spine steeled. She had talked herself into a state of detachment regarding her father and his case…she just hope she could maintain it.

---

Frank was already in the courtroom when Johanna arrived a few minutes before the hearing was to start; the people she was intending to call as witnesses filing in behind her and taking seats on the defendant's side of the courtroom. "Where have you been?" Frank hissed as she opened her briefcase and took out her files. "The hearing starts in five minutes."

"You're not the only client I have," she replied neutrally while she organized her documents. "I had a hearing before this one."

He grunted in response and she cut him a sharp look. "I advise being on your best behavior. You don't talk out of turn no matter what anyone says or how mad it makes you. I'm here to do the talking, that's my job so let me do it. Everything you say or do can be held against you; keep that in mind."

"I know how to act," he snapped in a hushed voice.

"It's advice I give all of my clients," she remarked.

"I'm not your client, I'm your father. I deserve more respect than that."

Her cool gaze met his. "Today you're my client and nothing more. When the case is over then you'll go back to being my father."

"You better win, Johanna. After all I put up with with you, you better win."

She steeled her spine. "And you better mind your manners like I said or you'll be the one to sink this case."

Frank didn't get a chance to reply as the bailiff's voice called out, "All rise."

Johanna exhaled slowly and focused her mind on the task ahead; forcing herself to forget that the man next to her was her father.

As the hearing progressed, Frank settled back in his chair and quietly watched his daughter as she worked. She was good; he thought to himself several times as she questioned witnesses and presented evidence refuting the claims of the Duncans. Anytime someone on the stand gave her attitude, she gave it right back to them, going at them even harder until they gave her the answer she wanted. She was relentless, driven, in control. He loved every minute of it as the scales tipped further and further in his favor. He could feel pride filling him as he watched and listened as she went about her task. She was calm, cool, and collected. She didn't give anything away. She played along until she was ready to pounce…and when she did, she went for the throat, taking her prey down peg by peg. It was a magnificent sight to behold. She exuded confidence, stubbornness, and control. She more than proved she was a McKenzie…reminding him of himself…making him so damn proud.

Johanna was like a different person in the courtroom, Frank mused. He liked seeing this side of her; it seemed to be the exact opposite of the emotional being he knew her to be. She wore a mask there, she somehow was able to hide what she was thinking or feeling and he couldn't help but think that if she was like that more often outside of the courtroom that things might not always be so bad between them…but then again he wasn't sure he'd like not being able to read her. He shook off his thoughts as he was called to the stand and as he was questioned by the Duncans lawyer and then by his daughter, his pride continued to grow. She wasn't rattled at all to have him on the stand; she didn't even betray the slightest hint of being connected to him by blood or emotion. He followed her lead, did as she said and advised and minded his manners. She knew what was best here; he'd chosen wisely when he put himself in her hands.

Finally when all the evidence had been presented and the witnesses all questioned, the judge got ready to make his ruling and they rose as they waited for it.

"Based on the evidence presented, I find in favor of the defendant," the judge announced. "Mr. McKenzie, I'm also clearing you of the fines that were issued to you as it's clear that the officer who issued them was a party to this set up. I'll make sure his superiors are advised of the matter and the plaintiffs will now find themselves facing charges of fraud…among others," he stated as he eyed the Duncans with disdain.

Frank breathed a sigh of relief as the gavel smacked against the bench, bringing the case to a close. Johanna began to pack up her files, relief filling her that the nightmare was over now.

"I knew you'd be able to handle this," Frank remarked as he rose from his chair.

"It's my job to handle things," she responded as she organized her briefcase, putting the files for her next case in front.

Frank didn't pay any mind to her demeanor; brushing it off as a form of professionalism on her part. He could understand that, there were some lines you couldn't cross in business even if it did involve family. She probably didn't want to be seen celebrating a victory with her old man, she had a reputation to maintain, it wasn't anything personal.

"I told you I'd have a better case if someone handled it properly," he stated; figuring she'd take that as her 'job well done' speech.

"I'm glad it turned out the way you wanted," Johanna replied as she picked up her purse. "But maybe next time you should be more careful."

"I wasn't at fault. You just proved that they do this for a living."

"It still wouldn't hurt to be more careful," she said as she pulled an envelope from her purse and handed it to him.

"What's this?" Frank asked.

"A down payment on my debt," Johanna answered as she moved away from the table. "The two months rent and security deposit I owe you. I'll get started on the rest when I get my next paycheck."

"Johanna," he said sternly as she began to walk away.

"I have another hearing down the hall," she said as she kept walking. "Have a nice day."

Frank picked up his briefcase and left the courtroom. He found an unoccupied wooden bench in the hallway and sat down, opening the envelope and pulling out the check that was inside. He stared at his daughter's elegant script on the lines of the check and the amount she had written, $1,050. He sighed deeply; he knew that Johanna was successful and by all accounts, a well to do young lady thanks to various resources. She could've used some of the money inherited from Naomi's side of the family to pay the expenses for her apartment when she first moved in, but after calculating what she'd have to put out to furnish the place, discounting the hand me downs she was given, he hadn't wanted her to dip any further into her bank account. He wanted her to keep her inheritances for her future or in case of an emergency…and so he paid the security deposit and the first two months rent, telling her that Naomi worried that she wouldn't have enough to get by until she got on her feet with her new job.

In truth, Naomi had no part in the decision, although she had approved of it when he told her about it. He never intended for Johanna to pay him back for it. He told her that they were making it a part of her graduation gift and she had accepted that…until now.

It was his fault, Frank mused. He had lorded the cost of her education over her head to make her do his bidding, knowing that she would feel guilty for the amount he had put out for her through the years. It had been an underhanded move but he had needed her and saw no other way as he could see that she wanted to refuse. Besides, wasn't there a ring of truth in the fact that she was who she was because of him? His money had paid for her to achieve her goal and he had been so very proud the day he watched her receive her law degree. He was just as proud as he watched her in the courtroom that day, he recalled. She brought him home a victory. He hadn't expected anything less…she was a McKenzie after all, and McKenzie's weren't failures. At least not the ones he raised.

But his girl didn't seem to take pride in their victory. She'd been cold and quiet…and the check in his hand hinted that her demeanor hadn't been about professionalism at all. She was hurt. The thought made him angry; she always seemed to be hurt…she always took things to heart. She was far too sensitive for his liking. That was Naomi's fault, he was sure of it, but still…he didn't want her emptying out her bank accounts and doing without for the sake of paying back the price of her education, and knowing her, she'd factor in the monthly allowance he had bestowed upon her during those years as well. He didn't want her money. He had only meant that she owed him a favor and now that it was fulfilled, her debt was paid. But she was so damn stubborn. Another sigh crossed Frank's lips. He'd like to blame that on Naomi as well…but he knew he couldn't. He had made her stubborn…he made her learn to be a fighter…he gave her that ability to turn as cold as snowy winter night…he gave her that McKenzie pride that refused to bend. He had turned a part of her into a being that was just like him…and he wasn't sure that was a good thing at all.

Frank shoved the check back into the envelope and put it in his pocket. He never knew how to fix things when it came to Johanna. He preferred leaving it to Naomi to smooth things over with their temperamental middle child…but he had a feeling that his wife wasn't going to do it this time. This time he'd have to do it on his own.

---

Johanna found herself sighing in relief as she made the trek to her office at the end of the work day. All three of her cases had gone well in court and thankfully her father's was no longer an albatross around her neck. As she stepped into the office, Sharon glanced up at her and smiled. "Congratulations on winning your dad's case," she told her.

"How did you find out about that already?" Johanna asked.

"Your dad was here."

She frowned and glanced toward the closed door of her inner office. "Please tell me he's not in there."

"He's not in there," Sharon assured as she picked up an envelope. "But he left this for you."

"What is it?" she questioned as she hesitantly accepted it.

Sharon shrugged. "I don't know exactly."

Johanna sighed and sat her briefcase down on one of the chairs and then slid a fingernail beneath the flap and opened the envelope. She pulled out the folded paper and slowly unfolded it, slightly fearful at what it might hold. The check she had given him for the rent she owed slid from the page and she just barely caught it before it fluttered to the floor. Her brow furrowed as she studied it, noting that her father had written 'void' across it. The sheet of paper bore his think, bold script and she had to read it twice for it to completely sink in.

Tuition, books, dorm fees, and monthly allowance for time spent at Columbia University in pursuit of a law degree – Paid in Full.

Two months rent and a security deposit to keep a roof over your head while you set up your office – Paid in Full.

Your debt has been paid and cleared from the books. You've done well and I thank you for your hard work and success at cleaning up this mess. Don't ever hand me a check again.

– Dad.

"Well?" Sharon asked.

"It's a thank you note," she replied as she tucked it into her briefcase. "My debt is now paid in full."

"You should probably hang on to that as proof," her secretary suggested.

"I intend to," she replied as the rest of the weight she had been carrying slid from her shoulders. Her father had taken away that price tag that had been hanging over her. It was the last thing she had expected…just like she hadn't been surprised when he hadn't thanked her in the courtroom…but he had now and she could move past it. It was good to have his appreciation and to know that they were even now.

"I have another message for you," Sharon announced.

"What is it?"

"It's from Jim; after learning of your victory, he took it into his head to plan a celebration for you. He told me to tell you that he'll pick you up at your place this evening. And before you ask, no I don't know what it was…no amount of cajoling would make him tell me what he was planning."

Johanna smiled. "I'm sure that whatever it is will be worth the wait…and hopefully it'll be just the thing to cap off a very long week."

Sharon grinned at her. "I'm sure he has plans for making you very relaxed this weekend."

She laughed. "We can only hope."

---

Johanna was relatively relaxed that evening as she sat in the passenger seat of Jim's car, wondering what this surprise of his would entail. She smiled a little, she liked when he surprised her...even if the wait did drive her crazy. Her smile faded however as she realized that his parents house was coming into view. "Jim," she said cautiously. "I thought you said you had a surprise for me."

"I do," he smiled.

"If it involves your mother I don't want any part of it," she replied. "I just got one overbearing, judgmental parent off my back; I really don't need another one."

"Relax," he replied as he parked the car in front of the house. "She's not here."

Johanna sighed; this wasn't what she had in mind at all. "Why am I here?"

"Because your surprise is here."

She frowned as she looked at him. "I love your family...most of it, but I was hoping we were going to be alone."

"We are going to be alone," Jim stated. "Trust me. Mom and Dad left for the cabin last night, they're gone for the weekend and my siblings have no reason to be here."

"I'm not sure I like where this is going," she remarked. "Your mother doesn't want me in her house when she's here...do you really think she'd want me in it without her presence?"

"You have nothing to worry about; I called Dad and asked him if it was alright if we came over. We're not going to be in the house much at all."

Puzzlement furrowed her brow. "Jim; what the hell are you up to?"

"You'll see soon enough," he said patiently as he opened his door. She followed suit and joined him on the sidewalk. He took her hand and led her through the yard and around the side of the house to the backyard.

A small smile touched her lips as she took in the sight of a large faded quilt spread out on the grass; votive cups holding lighted candles sitting on both sides of the concrete steps that led to the back door. "What's this?" she asked quietly, a flicker of anticipation building in her stomach.

"A picnic," he replied. "Dinner is keeping warm in the oven; I'll bring it out once I have you settled in."

Her smile widened. "This is so sweet."

Jim gave her hand a gentle squeeze as he led her to the quilt. "You've had a long, difficult week. I wanted to give you something special and relaxing instead of going out somewhere crowded and loud. For some reason I started to think of our picnic in Maryland...it's not exactly the same but maybe it can be close enough."

"It's perfect," she murmured as she settled down on the blanket and slipped off her shoes. "Something quiet and just for the two of us is just what I need."

Jim glanced up at the sky. "I think we'll have enough light to eat by; the candles should help a little if it starts getting dark before we finish."

"Did you cook for me?" she asked; wondering where exactly dinner was going to be coming from.

"No," he laughed. "There wasn't enough time for that, you know me, I'd have to consult my grandmother so I'd have something to serve you besides hamburgers."

"I like your hamburgers."

"Well I felt you deserved more than hamburgers...and since I know you liked that restaurant we went to for our first date so well, I ordered us dinner from there."

Johanna reached for his hand and tugged at it, forcing him to come down to her level. "You're so good to me," she told him as she caressed his face and caught his lips in a soft kiss.

He brushed his knuckles against her cheek. "I'll be right back."

"I'll be here." She smiled as she watched him hurry into the house and then she took the time to allow her gaze to sweep across the back yard. Expertly maintained rose bushes were in bloom; smaller multi colored flowers lined the flower beds at the foundation of the house. The chain link fence that lined the edge of the property was wrapped with vines, the tightly closed bulbs of morning glories in abundance. She wondered what colors they were, wished she could see them in full bloom but she brushed aside the notion. She couldn't and wouldn't be there in the morning. She breathed deeply; taking in the scent of roses and honeysuckle as they mingled in the summer air; the sky awash with pinks, reds and gold as the sun began to set. She tipped her face upwards and closed her eyes, allowing her skin to absorb the warmth of the light. The sound of the back door opening made her open her eyes and she turned her head to watch Jim make his way down the steps with a silver bucket in one hand and two champagne glasses in the other.

"Champagne?" she asked as he rejoined her on the quilt.

"Of course," Jim answered as he pulled the bottle out of the bucket and proceeded to open it. "It's a celebration."

A soft laugh crossed her lips as the cork flew out into the yard. "What are we celebrating?"

"You," he replied as he filled her glass first and then his. "We're celebrating your victory in court today and we're celebrating the fact that your nightmare is now over."

"Those are causes worthy of celebrating," Johanna agreed; raising the glass to her lips, but he reached out and caught hold of the stem, keeping her from taking a sip.

"A toast first," he stated. "To you, sweetheart; may your sassiness always reign supreme."

She laughed; "There for a moment I thought maybe you were going to give me some sweet loving toast that would bring me to tears."

He chuckled quietly; his fingers grazing against her chin. "No tears for you tonight...you've shed enough of them all week."

Johanna looked startled by the statement, her eyes widening as if he had just revealed a long kept secret.

"Did you think I didn't know you were crying last night?" he murmured. "I heard you; but I knew you didn't want me to so I pretended to still be asleep when I pulled you closer. I know how hard this has been on you...how you worried about losing and the wrath that would come with it. But I also know that you cried quietly in the middle of the night because you were so afraid you'd disappoint him...you could take his anger, but you couldn't take his disappointment. You wanted him to be proud, to know that the money he spent and was holding over your head had been worth it."

She swallowed hard; a sheen of moisture visible in her eyes as he held her gaze. "It was worth it, Jo," he told her quietly. "He might not ever tell you that, but it was; because you're incredible at what you do. You give a 110 percent to every case you take on; you dig and keep digging until you find the truth. You never settle without just cause. You fight and you keep pushing through every obstacle. I don't know what your father saw when he watched you in that courtroom today but I hope it was the woman I always see; the one who is smart and in control, the one that can take apart a liar in ten seconds flat, the one that never gives up until every part of the battle has been fought. I wish he could see the side of you that comforts witnesses and clients when they're in turmoil, the way you don't take any crap from anyone who tries to stand in your way when you're on a mission. You bring so much to the job you do that he can never think that the money he spent on your education was wasted in any way. He might've paid the bills but he didn't make you the lawyer you are, Johanna. You did...and he can never take that from you."

She leaned toward him and caught his lips in a lingering kiss. "I love you," she whispered.

"I love you too...and I'm always proud of you whether you win or lose. So here's to you, and how incredible you are in every way possible," he said as he clinked his glass against hers.

Johanna sipped her champagne; her eyes closing as the chilled liquid soothed away the tightness in her throat. She smiled at him as she opened her eyes. "You're going to spoil me," she told him. "That's the best champagne I've ever had, it must've cost you a fortune."

He shook his head as he swallowed the drink he had taken. "It was worth every penny; you enjoy it and don't worry about it."

Her gaze was drawn back to the rose bushes as their scent continued to cling to the air. "Those roses are beautiful," she remarked.

"They're Mom's pride and joy; she loves gardening."

"She's very good at it by the look of the things. All of the flowers are beautiful…but especially those roses."

Jim smiled at her. "Pick a color."

"What?"

"Pick a color, red, pink or white."

"Red."

Jim sat his glass aside and rose from the blanket. "Where are you going?" she asked.

"I'll be right back."

She watched as he pulled his keys from his pocket and went into the garage for a moment before coming back with a pair of scissors. He went to the bush that was full of red roses and cut one off. "Jim!" she exclaimed in a hushed voice. "Your mother will kill us both."

He laughed. "She's not going to know," he replied as he trimmed off the thorns just the way his mother had taught all of them. When he was finished, he put the scissors back and locked up the garage and then returned to the quilt. He tucked the rose behind her ear, admiring the way it looked against her dark hair before he caught her lips in a kiss.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"You're welcome; it suits you. I better get our dinner out of the oven, I'll be back."

"Do you want me to help?"

"No; you stay where you are, I'm catering to you tonight; you're supposed to just relax and enjoy."

Johanna smiled; that was music to her ears.

---

Johanna gave a soft sigh of appreciation later on as she and Jim laid on the quilt and stared up at the night sky as lighting bugs lit up around them. "Do you feel better?" Jim asked quietly.

"I feel…wonderful," she replied as she shifted and laid her head on his shoulder, her hand falling against his chest.

"I'm glad to hear that," he murmured, lightness in his tone. "I guess I'm a better planner than I thought."

She laughed softly and raised up on her elbow so that she could kiss him. "You're a wonderful planner. Dinner was wonderful, the champagne is excellent, the atmosphere is perfect. I've loved every moment of this."

He smiled, his hand rubbing against her back. "You deserved something special…I'm glad a spur of the moment plan turned out to be just right."

She held his gaze, a soft smile clinging to her lips. "You don't have to worry so much; you always do everything just right. You always know exactly what I need…even when I don't."

He was about to draw her closer for another kiss when a lightning bug landed on his nose, making her giggle. "Does this mean I'm blessed now?" Jim asked with a laugh.

"No; that's when a butterfly lands on you," she answered as she watched the bug light up on the tip of his nose.

"What does it mean when a lightning bug lands on you?"

She shrugged. "I guess it means he likes you."

"Cute," he said as he tweaked her side before moving his hand to swat the bug away.

"Don't," Johanna said as she captured his hand. "You'll hurt him."

"Well he can't stay on my nose all night…I'm not going for a Rudolph theme here."

"I'll get him," she said with a soft laugh as she nudged the lightning bug onto her fingertip. She allowed the bug to stay on her fingertip and she smiled as it lit up.

"It's funny how you'll hold that lightning bug on your finger but last week you were having a meltdown over a tiny little spider that you demanded I kill for you," Jim commented.

"That was different," Johanna replied as the bug flew away. "Spiders are ugly and scary…and since you're a man it's your job to kill them."

"It is?"

"Yes…especially if you want me to cook for you and sleep with you."

"I suppose vanquishing spiders if a fair trade for those kinds of services."

"I knew you'd see it my way," she laughed.

Jim smiled at her; his hand still moving against her back. "It's good to hear you laughing again."

"I feel like a weight has lifted from my shoulders."

"It shows."

She traced the line of his jaw. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For everything this week. You helped me prepare this case and you didn't get mad at me for turning our usual Wednesday evenings into a work session. You've been understanding and patient and wonderful as always."

"Anything for you, sweetheart," he replied. "You'd do the same for me."

She nodded. "Of course I would."

"It's behind you now; you won…probably in more ways than you think even if a certain person never says as much."

"Let's not think about him anymore," she whispered before catching his lips in a kiss.

"What do you want to think about now?" Jim asked quietly.

"This," she replied before kissing him again.

"I approve of those thoughts," he murmured as he adjusted his hold on her to keep her close.

Conversation ceased, their kisses continuing; lingering and slowly growing more passionate until finally Johanna pulled back and gave him a saucy smile. "What are you thinking about now?" Jim asked her.

"I'm thinking that we should take what's left of that bottle of champagne and go home."

"Why do we want to do that when things are going so well here?"

Her eyes sparkled with amusement as her fingers played with the buttons on his shirt. "Remember last week when we had that talk about how you and your friend would have to call back during business hours?"

"Associate," he corrected. "He feels more important with the term associate."

"Okay," she laughed; "That conversation about calling back during business hours…do you both recall that?"

He grinned. "Yes; we remember it well…we've been waiting for the sign on the door to turn over and let us know that business has resumed so that we can make that call."

Johanna laid her head against his shoulder for a moment as she laughed quietly. "Well I think we should take our champagne and go home…so I'll be in the office to take that call…I can't answer it here. I don't want to give the neighbors a show."

He couldn't resist teasing her a little. "I'm being advised to make sure you're serious about taking that call…because a sudden change in plans could result in more devastation and then we might have to sue for pain and suffering."

"Oh I'm very serious," she answered. "I wouldn't want to inflict unnecessary pain and suffering on you, nor would I want to face those charges. I pride myself on professionalism after all."

Jim gave her waist a squeeze. "Then we better get moving; I don't know how long this offer is good for tonight…it might be a limited time only offer."

She shook her head as she smiled. "The offer is good for the whole night…all weekend if you play your cards right."

"Talk about an offer that can't be refused," Jim said as he sat up. "You grab the champagne; I'll lock up the house."

Johanna laughed as she grabbed the bottle of champagne and hurriedly helped him clean up from their picnic. They made sure everything was turned off in the house and locked the back door and then headed for the car.

"Just out of curiosity, what's so important about hanging on to the rest of champagne if we have other plans?" Jim asked as they pulled away from the house.

She gave him a mischievous smile. "Well honey, we need it for the rest of our celebration."

He glanced at her quickly. "I'm not sure if I know exactly what that's implying but I can't wait to find out."

Johanna winked at him. "I'm sure we'll all be happy with how things turn out."

Jim laughed. "I'm going to take you on night time picnics more often."

"Please do," she replied. She had a feeling that moonlit picnics with him were something she'd never get tired of.

Authors Note: Coming up next…vacations rarely ever go as planned.