A month later...
Today goals...
1. Meeting with Black and Abby (oh, boy)
2. Meeting with Harrison and Quinn about Lawson and financials on Ballard.
3. Interview with Jake Ballard.
4. Start planning dinner party. Preferably for two weeks from now.
There where levels of discontent that a person experiences. Career changes that seemed jarring to the usual routine. The routine that was not necessarily predictable, however they made for a "normal" notion of life.
For most if not all of her professional career, she lived in a level of chaos. There were the incessant hours, time (and gas) burned through tracking clients. She had been here own paralegal, assistant and attorney. Only four or five associates at her beck and call. Most importantly, she had been lonely. Sleepless nights and plenty of booze. There was the occasional bouts of phone sex and hookups with her Fitz, but otherwise it was a lonely, vibrator-friendly life.
To add to the stereotypical single black professional sob story, she had a fabulous wardrobe, a desirable penthouse in a swanky Georgetown neighborhood and a reputation of efficiency and ruthlessness. It was always a surprise to her to see her life, as it currently existed. She was married for godsake. When the fuck did that happen?
Olivia stood up, crossing her newly decorated office...
It was modern and minimalist, in stark contrast with the shabby chic sensibility the old office had. She had pictures of her with family, her parents in addition to the " wall". It was the wall that all Washington insiders had. Adorned with pictures of CEOs, world leaders and political figures. Centered were her degrees from Georgetown and Harvard. She would like to think herself above it all. Not beholden to her accomplishments but they made her proud. Her hard work and perseverance had made he what she had been longing for: formidable.
As Olivia's eyes wondered along memory lane, her eyes wandered to the sight of her daily peace of mind.
Her eyes traveled to her favorite picture of them all.
Her wedding picture.
There she was, all smiles in her custom Alexander McQueen wedding gown. A gown that she had sobbed in when she finally wore the finished product. She remembered that day like it was yesterday. It was a beautiful day in the Cape, perfect. Fitz looked phenomenal in his Tom Ford..
Then again him in formal wear always gets my blood going. He looks so happy, so tan. It is as if time stood still...
The tears were welling up in her eyes as sentimentally breezed over her body. She finally had everything she wanted. This feeling of contentment, yet overwhelming happiness was so foreign, she felt her soul at ease.
It was bizarre, yet quaint. Her she was-
"Olivia, whenever you are ready". Alyssa intoned brightly, her pretty face sticking in the room.
She had been so lost on her reflecting she had barely noticed the knock on the door that pre-empted Alyssa's presence.
" Send them in", she responded thickly, attempting to dab away her tears with discretion.
Pull yourself together, idiot you have a meeting to conduct.
Taking a seat behind her desk, she opened her thick binder of documents and began mentally preparing for her day. She breathed in and out, eyes close to rid herself of the nostalgic haze.
Before she could make any sudden movements, a lithe redhead and a short, severe man entered the room.
Abby Whelan, her trusted friend and Senior Associate had traded in her casual DVF wrap dresses for a sharp (from the Donna Karen) black skirt suit. Her normally youthful face was bathed in a coat of exhaustion. She took a seat and sighed deeply, as if to say "Fuck it" .
Olivia smiled, and recognized the feeling. The vetting process for new employees was no joke.
The man sitting to Abby's left and across from Olivia was Cyrus Black, the noted Washington power attorney who was a new addition to Pope & Associates.
His job as the Resident In- House counsel was simple; assist Abby with vetting and research of clients and use his contacts around town to glean info on prospective cases. Most importantly, he was to provide legal counsel to the firm and clients without representation.
Unlike the other associates who were cavalier and jolly, the intense former prosecutor had no time for games. Sure, he had dug up dirt on Olivia once upon a time, but he was the best at what he did. So if Olivia had to pay an arm and a leg (and she was) for him to be on the team and in Gucci loafers, she would.
"So, shoot, how are we looking?" Olivia demanded, crossing her legs and leaning back in her chair.
Abby opened her folder and began reading off her notes at her signature "gladiator" pace.
"Jake Ballard, age 45. Born in Greenwich, Connecticut. Son of William Ballard, a Hedge Fund Manager for Goldman Sachs. Mother was a homemaker-"
"Mary Steiner, daughter of a Jewish doctor, she grew up in Bedford, New York." Cyrus Black interrupted in his sharp, New York accent.
Olivia breathed in deep, anticipating the tension that enviably filled the room. Abby hated being interrupted, as evidenced by her icy blue eyes narrowing in annoyance.
Cyrus seemed unfazed by Abby's perturbed nature. His lined face and beady dark eyes betraying no sign of guilt for his rudeness.
"Um, this is a misnomer, but if we could wait until each person is finished with their presentation, that would be great." Olivia said authoritatively. She had to have a meeting on employee decorum one of these days.
"Yeeaeah...anyway, the guy was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, prep schools, country clubs, the whole routine." Abby finished, her voice uneven with irritation.
There was a beat following Abby's presentation. Clearly she had no intent of expanding on her information.
"His time at Doyle Inc. Should I be worried?" Olivia inquired, her eyes darting between her two associates."
Black hesitated, not sure if he was ready to proceed, but Abby began fiddling with her paperwork, avoiding eye contact with present parties.
"Not especially, he was effective with handling the Clean Energy rollout, had a write-up in the D.C Sun about his time. Anything else, pertaining to financials or stocks, Wright has a hold of."
"Harrison and I will meet later today about that. Abs, where are we on his personal life?"
Abby sighed, crossing her legs indifferently. They were clearly going to have a talk after the meeting...
"Married once to an accountant, Kali Edelstein in the late 90s, divorced in 2001. The divorced records were sealed."
That nugget of information made the hairs on Olivia's arms stand up. It had nothing to do with central air. She had been in this industry long enough to know when people were hiding things, it was never good. Her gut was screaming with apprehension.
Though as she thumbed through his file, the high profile celebrities and studios he had represented, his resume screamed "qualified".
Don't assume the worst...
" Well, I have most of what I need." Olivia picked up her phone, paging Alyssa."
"Yes Olivia?"
"Do we have a definite on Ballard's arrival?"
"2:00, his flight was delayed."
"Thanks, let me know when he gets here, that is all."
Olivia clicked the phone off ruminating on this. It was not definite, but she was mostly sold...
"Cyrus, could you give Ms. Whelan and I a minute." Olivia asked politely.
He nodded briskly, gathering his things and clearing the room. Olivia stood up and glared at Abby. However Abby glared right back.
She clearly will not give an inch.
"Really? Really?" Olivia asked in a sarcastic monotone. She understood Abby's position, but she had to work on the attitude.
Abby's mouth dropped in shock, as though she had been smacked.
"Yes! Really! He is disrespectful, sexist-"
"He's good at his job. He does not check out of important, very important meetings when he does not get his way. I have a business to run, and while we are friends, outside this building. In here, I am your boss! When I ask for your opinion-"
"I would be able to finish my presentation if Don Draper over there could wait his turn." Abby said coolly."
It took everything in Olivia to not fly of the handle. She understood how different the working culture was now that the firm was expanding. It was formal, a lot less friendly...
Not to mention the old heads, Huck, Abby and Harrison were bristling with discomfort at the structure, the careful doling out if duties and cases based on merit, not necessarily seniority.
Last week, Olivia had to intervene between the Office Manager and Huck when he refused to turn over receipts on cost he accumulated for a pricey hacking program. Now, there was a carved out budget in office expenses. Things were to be itemized.
"Look, I will talk to Black about his attitude, but you have to play nice."
"Good, and while your at it, try throwing a few more employees of the female persuasion on the shortlist. I don't want to be caught up in another episode of the White Man Power dance."
Olivia's browed furrowed in confusion.
"What do you mean?"
Abby sighed, standing up, her whole aura reeking with disenchantment.
"I mean we should get more color and less testosterone in here. We both know what its like working in the old boys club. And I would hate to see the new and improved Pope &Associates littered with a bunch of Fitz's old prep school pals."
It was a salient point. When she started this firm, the thought had been a large motivator in her hiring choices. Unfortunately, she had been so strung on expanding and building the best team, she had not thought about that much.
"Fitz and I are tennis buddies with Andrea Jackson." Olivia offered absentminded. It was as though Abby's concern for diversity had planted a seed.
"The former-"
"Head of the NAACP, yes."
"Doesn't she run EMILY's list now?"
"Not run, she does communication. Though if we are going to even consider her for anything, we need to rollout the red carpet. To be honest, I am more comfortable with her. She has a larger and more powerful circle of friends. And can pull more clientele."
"We would have to vet her." Abby said tightly. They exchanged a knowingly look. Andrea could be a backup. They would definitely keep her on the backburner. Matter of fact, a dinner party was in order...
"Abby, I need you to-"
"On it. I'm guessing I should so this vet alone?"
Olivia nodded firmly.
"You do realize this, in addition to the Lawson case, this and vetting Andrea Jackson, my job is preventing me from having a sex life?" Abby snarled.
Olivia chuckled, smoothing out her crème Valentino skirt.
"You and David will be fine. If Fitz and I can find time, you definitely can." Olivia retorted as the tension left the room.
They shared a smile as Abby existed the room.
As much as things changed, somethings would remain the same.
Olivia smiled as she picked up her phone to call the caterer's.
Yes...a dinner party was definitely in order...