CHAPTER SIX

" I said it before and I'll say it again, we'll never get ready in time."

" I've only had one week to prepare hearings before so two weeks is actually a long time. " Morag said putting the paperwork away. They had just finalized the costs. Laura put her head in her hands and rubbed her temple.

" I need some paracetamol, I have one hell of a headache." She grumbled.

" I know a cure that's a lot better than paracetamol," Morag said and took Laura to Noah's Bar.

" Good idea Morag," Laura said smiling as she followed the other woman to the bar where Beth was serving. (From this day onwards she and Morag would meet every day around 6.30 pm for a drink or two).

They didn't talk about any legal stuff. Laura talked a little about her family. Her mother died years ago and her father was still around but Laura didn't talk to him. She hasn't talked to him since he remarried just a year after his wife's death. That was the main reason why she cut off all ties from him. He married a blonde bimbo who Laura loathed. Laura had a younger sister whom she didn't talk to either-her sister still contacted their dad and even approved of their father's second marriage.

Laura also had an older brother who shared the same opinion as Laura about their father's second marriage. He was the only sibling Laura still kept in contact.

" My family isn't…worth it." Laura shrugged, " We've basically lost all contact since my mother died. It was if when she died, the family did too." She laughed bitterly, " my father marrying that…blonde twit didn't helps matters. All it took was a year! He didn't even grieve for my mother."

" People deal with grief their own way. Everyone is different. Perhaps marrying that woman helped your father." Morag suggested.

Laura shrugged, " No…not my father. He basically married the woman for her money, she was wealthy and he wasn't. He always resented the fact my mother made more money than he did."

" What does your father do?"

" Oh, he's retired now. He used to be a partner in the software business. My mother was on the board of directors at our local hospital."

" And even after all these years, you still don't talk to him?"

" No. He's a stranger to me." She took a long gulp of her red wine, " I've talked about my family. Now tell me about yours."

" Well, you know my brother is in prison…he was setup by our esteemed mayor."

" Was there any proof?" Laura challenged her.

" Well yes, but the man who set him up was blackmailed by Josh so in the end we couldn't use him as proof." Morag said, " my brother is an innocent man Laura."

" I didn't say he wasn't," Laura protested.

" And Joshua West will get what he deserved, you can bet on that."

" Is that the time? I better get home." Laura said after glancing at her watch. It was almost seven thirty. She wasn't worried about Jacob and dinner, he could pretty much fend for himself. She was proud of her son.

" Laura…I'm sorry for snapping at you earlier." Morag apologized.

" Think nothing of it. That Josh West sounds very crooked. How a man like him became mayor is beyond me."

" It's beyond me too, but I have my suspicions that he fixed the election somehow." Morag walked her client to the car park. She now thought of Laura as a friend than just a client.

" Thanks for the drinks. It's my shout next time." Laura smiled at Morag before they said goodbye and headed for their cars.

" Jacob? I'm home!" Jacob heard his mother shout. He quickly hid the bottles of vodka under his bed and for good measure threw an old shirt over them. He took a deep breath and sauntered into the living room.

" Hey. Where were you?" Jacob asked her.

" I was with my solicitor. Going over some legal stuff."

" Is there anything I need to know?" Jacob asked her.

Laura paused. She had not told her son about his father suing her for sole custody.

" No. It's nothing to be worried about. Did you have dinner?"

" Yeah, I ordered pizza." Jacob gestured to the two opened pizza cartons resting on the bench.

" I'm famished. You got our favourite." Laura grabbed a slice of barbecue chicken pizza.

" How was school?"

" It's fine. I have some assignments to do. Can I use the laptop?"

Laura nodded and her son sat at the dining table and began working. She smiled fondly at him. So studious! She would be looking forward to his first report card.

Jacob kept his head down as he started his History assignment, glad his mother couldn't see the guilty look on his face.