Disclaimer: I'm still not Erle Stanley Gardner, so I still don't own.
A/N: And, here's the dinner. Well, part of it at least. I think this may the biggest role Little Paul is going to have. Also, thanks to Likes It Bubbly for a line I used! I hope you all enjoy!
"But, Dad, I'm angry!" Little Paul said.
Paul rolled his eyes. "I know you are, but good detectives don't let people know they're mad. They also keep their mouth shut about it!"
"Being a good detective is such hard work!" Little Paul complained.
Eve chuckled. "Only for you."
"Well, well," a voice sounded from behind.
The family turned around and saw Perry Mason. Paul and Eve smiled. Even Little Paul couldn't suppress a smile at seeing him.
Eve hurried to him and gave him a hug. "It's been much too long, Perry."
Perry hugged her back. "I know and I'm sorry. There's just been so much to do up here because my judgeship is so new."
Perry and Eve joined Paul and his son. "Well, look what the cat dragged in," Paul semi-joked. He was still a little angry, and still looking for a chance to really give Perry what he deserved, but he wasn't trying to ruin the dinner. Besides, he had missed Perry as well.
Perry raised his eyebrow at his old friend. "I could say the same about you."
In the next second the two friends were smiling at each other and even gave each other a (very manly, of course) hug.
Perry looked at Little Paul. "How have you been, Little Paul?"
Little Paul sighed. "Fine. You'd think I'd have grown out of that name by now. I am thirteen you know." When Paul caught his son's eye, Little Paul added, "But I guess if Della's still going to call me that, it's only right that you do too."
Paul rolled his eyes at Little Paul for mentioning Della. "Let's get a table." He hoped his son could keep his comments to himself for the rest of the night. Somehow, though, he doubted that.
-%
"Alright, spill," Perry commanded. "I know something's wrong."
Little Paul looked away from Perry's eyes to watch his parents dance. He wasn't sure why they left him, knowing how he felt, but they did just the same. He rested his chin in his hand as he answered, "Nothing's wrong."
Perry shook his head. "I don't believe it. I think you have a secret."
"I don't have a secret," Little Paul insisted. "And even if I did, I wouldn't tell you."
"Why not?" Perry asked. "You used to tell me a lot of things."
"Yeah, well, that was before," Little Paul said.
Perry raised his eyebrows. "Before what?"
Little Paul tore his eyes away from his parents to glare at Perry. "Just before."
Perry knew something was wrong for sure now and he was pretty sure he knew what it was. He knew enough not to assume though and to let the person he was questioning tell him for himself. He also knew how to get them to answer as well. "Little Paul…"
"Before you left!" Little Paul exclaimed. "Before you decided we weren't good enough for you anymore and decided a life here being a judge would be much more fun. Is it everything you hoped for? I bet it isn't. Maybe it is fun, but you definitely left a lot in Los Angeles. Do you eat out a lot now? You don't have Mom to cook you good dinners anymore. I also don't know how you figure anything out anymore, since Dad isn't your chief private investigator. Do you have one up here? If you do, I would bet everything he's not as good as Dad."
"No one is as good as your father," Perry admitted. "But I don't need a private investigator being a judge. I don't get to figure anything out anymore. It's my job to listen to what the prosecution and the defense think they've figured out. They are the ones in need of the investigator."
"Okay, that's true," Little Paul agreed. "But you still need a secretary."
"Not as much," Perry told the child. "But I have one."
Little Paul's eyes narrowed even more. "You don't have the right one."
Perry was beginning to see that this wasn't exactly about him leaving, but more about whom and what he left. He also knew this boy was more like his father than he knew and was pretty sure Little Paul didn't care that he was the one left behind. "And who is the 'right one?'"
"Who do you think?" Little Paul questioned. "Della, of course. You know, when Dad told me you left and went gallivanting off to San Francisco to be a judge I knew I was going to miss you and Della, but when Dad told me Della didn't go with you, I didn't believe it. But then Della came over to eat dinner with us the next day and I had to believe it."
"What happened when Della came over to dinner?" Perry asked.
"Nothing!" Little Paul cried. "And it's only about the third time she's come to dinner since you left. You guys used to come over every week. If you didn't eat dinner I would at least see you every week. I still talk to Della every week, but she doesn't come over as much anymore. When she does, she's not really the same Della Street either. Sure, it's not a huge change and she definitely doesn't want us to think anything about her has changed, but it has. Just so you know, it's all your fault. She doesn't laugh as much anymore and her smile always looks a bit forced. Her eyes aren't as bright as they used to be and the subject of you is like taboo. Mom and Dad just don't talk about it and I'm not allowed to mention it. Every time I do, you should see the look I get from Dad. Then he is quick to send me out of the room and change the subject. I can tell that she doesn't like to talk about it either and her eyes always get a bit sadder when I mention your name.
"So, yes, I guess you were right when you asked what was wrong, because there is something wrong. I am angry that you left me and I never get to talk to you anymore. You don't even call us anymore. But that really isn't the biggest problem. You definitely hurt other people more than you hurt me. I thought you were a better person than that. I didn't think you would just leave without a backwards glance and without a care about who you hurt. It's obvious I was wrong though. I haven't forgiven you, and I'm not sure that I will," Little Paul finished.
Perry slowly nodded and tried to take it all in. He had no idea this kid was harboring so much anger toward him. He was glad though that Little Paul had told him about it. He was also right when he figured Little Paul was angrier about what he thought Perry had done to Della than what Perry had done to him. Yep, he was definitely almost exactly like his father.
"Dad's going to kill me," Little Paul whispered.
"Why?" Perry wondered.
"Because I wasn't supposed to tell you how angry I was. 'A good detective keeps his mouth shut and doesn't let people know how angry he is,'" Little Paul quoted his father.
Perry smiled. "Well, if it makes you feel any better, back when I was a defense attorney I got confessions out of lots of people. When I decided I wanted to know what was going on, you really didn't stand a chance."
Little Paul sighed. He knew Perry was right, but he knew his dad would still be disappointed in him. "I think I'm going to head back upstairs to our room, I'd rather not be here when Dad comes back and finds out I told you everything."
"Alright," Perry agreed. "I'll see you tomorrow, Little Paul."
Little Paul gave a slight eye roll at the name. "I'll see you tomorrow."
Well, Little Paul gave it to Perry. For all of those who were hoping that would happen, I hope this suffices. In the next chapter Perry is going to give you the bare minimum of what actually happened. Sooo….stay tuned! Please review…so I can continue faster and thanks for reading!