5
At ten of five, Susan saw her final client out and quickly began filing her papers away in a secure cabinet. Dana was already on her way out when Susan locked her office door and bid her farewell.
Making sure she locked the outer door to the offices, Susan tucked the key away carefully and hurried down the hall. She was aware of how safety-conscious she had become in the past three years, but had long ago decided that she would not become obsessive about it. Not that is was easy. Dark hallways still tended to make her skin crawl from time to time. Whether Susan liked it or not, the incident with Alex Wright had definitely left her with more than physical scars. But at least he was behind bars, and would never have a chance to kill again.
A recurring thought that filled Susan with dread was how very close she came to losing her life three years ago. Who would have found her lifeless body tucked away under her desk had that Waterford vase not been accidentally broken?
Don?
Her former secretary Janet?
Nedda?
A custodian or security guard?
And what would have then happened to Dee? Certainly Alex would have found her on that cruise she was taking, where a similar fate would have befallen her. And their family and friends would have had two deaths to mourn.
Dee…Susan remembered that her older sister had left a message. Wonder what she wanted, thought Susan. Whatever it was, it would have to wait. She had a husband to collect from the airport.
At 6:30 Susan was waiting at the arrival gate for Don. She could not suppress a broad smile that broke out on her face when she spotted the familiar 'leaf-brown' head, as she liked to call it. She saw the same smile mirrored on his face when they finally managed to make eye contact. From the weariness in his eyes, however, Susan could tell he was tired, and the jubilant expression that usually accompanied a court-case win when he was called upon to testify was absent.
Weaving his way through the other disembarking passengers, Don walked swiftly to Susan, and the pair embraced warmly for a few long moments, and then kissed before separating.
"It's good to be back home again," Don said as they made their way to the baggage claim area.
"It was only two weeks – did you really miss me that much?" Susan smiled.
"What makes you think I missed you?" Don replied with a grin.
"Oh, I don't know, but whoever it was you missed better not be getting hugged and kissed the same way I just did, mister," Susan teased. The two shared a chuckle, and stopped in front of the carousel to wait for Don's suitcase to arrive.
"The prosecution lost, didn't they," Susan asked finally.
"Yes…I tried to make out that the defendant was the extremely jealous type, and given to fits of violence, but the jury had to buy the 'reasonable doubt' card the defense trumped because it appeared that robbery was the initial motive, which would mean someone else could have committed the murder." Don let out a sigh.
"Yes, I know it can be rough…you already know that I saw my fair share of loses while with the D.A.'s office. The toughest ones are where you know the defendant is guilty as sin, but the evidence needed to convince the jury is either lacking or inadmissible. It can be especially rough on families of the victim if it's a murder trial…" Susan stopped, and both knew what she was thinking of. They politely turned the conversation over to the weather, and where they would dine for the night.
"Weather reports as we were flying in indicated there was going to be a blizzard," Don said.
"Yes, we're expecting it any time now."
"You know, darling, I was actually thinking we could just stay home, maybe order in something – oh, here's my suitcase – some pizza, maybe, and just avoid the whole snowstorm." Don snatched his suitcase off the carousel.
"Sounds good to me," said Susan.
"Besides," Don continued, "I really am beat. It'll be nice just to sit down and stoke up a fire in that nice, wood-burning fireplace of ours."
"Pizza and a nice evening spent at home in front of a fire it is, then," Susan affirmed.
The thick flakes of snow were just drifting down as they caught a taxi and left the airport, giving the address to their home on Christopher Street.
Nearly a half-hour later, Don and Susan entered their luxury home in Secret Gardens in Greenwhich Village. The three bedroom, two bath duplex was both spacious and convenient, as it was fairly close to their offices in Central Park West, as well as the radio station from which Ask Dr. Susan was broadcast. Their living room with the fireplace faced their private garden, which was a restful retreat for the busy couple.
It was a wonderful home for entertaining guests as well, which Don and Susan had recently taken advantage of during the previous week, celebrating Don's 43rd birthday. And if they ever started a family, which was one of the deciding factors in the purchase of the home, there was ample room for extra members.
"If my manly-man isn't too tired from his trip, I'll ask him to light the fire while I get the wine out and order the pizza," said Susan.
"Sounds like a deal," Don answered, setting his suitcase down.
Susan dialled the number to a favourite pizza place on Bleecker Street while Don busied himself with logs for the fire.
Later in each other's arms, the couple watched, mesmerized by the millions of flakes that swirled to the ground outside, and by the dying flames that sent lively shadows dancing in the dim living room.
"Mother called while you were away," Susan murmured, referring to Don's mother. She had taken up calling Elizabeth Wallace Richards 'Mother', as Don himself called her, because she loved how it sounded when he did.
"Oh? What did she want?"
"Just to know if you'd gotten in to Georgia alright."
"Was that all?"
"Well, you know, Mother's somewhat obsessed about grandchildren," Susan chuckled, "she says that we've already been married for two years, and that she's not getting any younger. So I keep telling her it's not from lack of trying."
"We could try tonight," Don said, brushing his lips against her cheek.
"I thought you said you were beat…or is that the wine talking?" Susan asked, returning his kiss.
"Susan, I'm crushed," Don responded in mock injury. "I'm never too beat when it comes to starting a family." He stood up, crossed to the fireplace and doused with water the last remaining embers to ensure the fire was dead. Susan stood, took his hands and followed him as they slipped into the master bedroom.