"Lou looked good, don't you think, James?" Joanie asked me as we cuddled on the roof. Kid and Lou had gone back home after a wonderful and far too short few days with us.

"Yeah she did," I said not being able to get all of Lou's words out of my head. I knew Lou and I knew she could go off half cocked sometimes and more often than not, she'd come around once she saw she was being silly but there was something different in her tone when she spoke of her fears. She seemed desperate to protect me. I nearly laughed at that thought as I looked and the compact woman next to me on the roof. She barely cleared five foot and while she had curves in some very nice places and damned voluptuous curves at that, those were her only weapons. They were effective but still she had nothing else with which to hurt me. I didn't even see what Lou was so worked up about.

"I couldn't help thinking she was upset about something," Joanie said pulling me from my thoughts.

"She's just edgy with the pregnancy and knowing she'll have two so young at the same time," I lied. Well, it wasn't really a lie, she did mention that fear once or twice and it gave me a nice cover. I just couldn't come out and tell my fiancée that one of my best friends thought I shouldn't marry her. Don't even start reminding me about the promise I made to not keep secrets. There's plenty of times when we don't tell the truth, even to the people we love very dearly. More than once that woman came home from the beauty parlor and I wondered if a chimp had escaped from the zoo and came to the salon to cut her hair. I never said anything though. Some things you learn to keep to yourself if you don't want to end up single.

"Theresa's such a helper," Joanie said with such love in her voice. I think Theresa reminded Joanie of Judy when she'd been younger, well the good times they'd had and not the ones where Judy was a little pest. "I'm sure everything will be just fine."

"I know," I said, "I think she's also nervous how involved we are in Vietnam. She's thinking it's not going to be long before she and Theresa are on their own."

I could see the moisture form in those big brown eyes. I knew Joanie had many of the same fears. She didn't grow up with Kid but she knew what he was to me and she had a genuine affection for him herself. She hated reading the papers and knowing that it was only a matter of time before they sent him away. Too many of our young men right then were coming home in boxes and bags and the ones who didn't still didn't come home in one piece. They were fractured to their core. Not everyone was understanding it yet but those boys were seeing things that would curl your toenails.

"I'm scared for him," Joanie said.

"I am too," I said, "I've had this feeling for quite a while now that something bad's going to happen to him. I don't know if it's the war or what but I just have this terrible feeling."

I hadn't even told her that before and mostly that was because I felt kind of silly about it but I decided then that if I couldn't tell the woman I was to marry about my fears then I 'd have no one at all. Joanie just crossed to me and held me tight. She didn't try for words that she knew I wouldn't believe either. There was no assuring me he'd be fine when we both knew the odds and there was no telling me I was being silly when the feeling was possibly warranted. She just held me and that told me that no matter what did happen that I'd have her by my side. There was comfort in that knowledge and I was grateful she'd accepted the ring.

Later on I was driving Joanie to my place.

"Daddy wanted to know if you'd like to help Noah out on this new case. You'd get the chance to see what it would be like to work there. It's kind of fun actually."

I had ideas as to what I wanted to do, not that I had shared my ponderings with Joanie, but I thought it couldn't hurt to see what it was like at the firm.

The next day we went in and Joanie had decided to come too. Now it was me Mr. Cohen wanted to show the ropes but Joanie made some excuse like she thought she'd help me find my way around. I could see through it but Mr. Cohen didn't. Well, it seemed Mr. Shapiro and Mr. Cohen had some big case with the Anti-Defamation League and they needed a lot of research done. Noah was working his tail off but they needed things from him like writing the actual briefs where Joanie and me and Dan Shapiro could just set our minds to research. Aaron was spending the summer in Cambridge trying to make up for the lost semester from his recovery. I had only met Dan at my folks' funeral but he was a nice guy. He was just starting school in the fall. I think he was headed to Yale and he was intent on getting a law degree and working for his dad.

We walked in and Noah was the first one we saw. Joanie hugged him and I was taken aback for a second. I forgot that she did a lot for her dad and she had worked on a project with Noah at school. Joanie was a hugger anyway. Noah looked at me over Joanie's shoulder and I think my initial reaction made him uncomfortable and then that made him kind of mad. Noah was a proud man and it ticked him off something royal when someone acted strange around him because of his skin and I'll admit that was part of it but not in the way he thought. Still once I got over myself and started smiling at Joanie finally being able to feel comfortable hugging people again—she was always a bit more distant after Stan—I think he settled down too. It's not like he didn't know at least some of what had happened and I think he finally realized it was less that a black man was hugging on Joanie and more that any man was but then like I said, Joanie was a hugger and seeing her shy away from contact for so long hurt worse than seeing her run up to someone I still didn't know all that well and hug him.

"Jimmy," Noah said shaking my hand, "Jacob is going to be glad to see you. He's got plans for you."

"Aw, he's just making plans 'cause it's weighing on him that I haven't yet," I said, "Except planning to marry his first born and without any other plans that's making him nervous."

"Only partly true, James," I heard from behind me and turned to see Mr. Cohen standing there. "I know you'd come up with something and it's not like you're unemployed now. I just think this might be a good fit for you."

"I'm here to get an idea what it's about," I told him.

"Well, today we're going to have you around the office getting an idea of what we're doing," he said, "There's a lot of research that's already been done and just needs organizing so Noah can get some motions started. Tomorrow I think I'll have you over at the law library at U of M to get some more research done."

I had no idea what most of that meant. I mean we'd gotten lawyers when I was in trouble but I had no idea what they was doing most of the time and then most times they did what I now know is called a plea deal and that's where you agree to plead guilty to either what they accuse you of or something less in order to avoid a trial. I know now I probably would have been better off going to trial but I didn't then. Pretty much unless you did it and all the evidence says you did it, you're better off going in front of a jury. A couple of times I ended up pleading guilty to something when I was actually innocent. I can't blame the lawyers too much though. You don't know how overworked those public defenders are.

I spent the day finding out how tedious it can be to be a lawyer. Pages and pages of what they call precedent. See when you want to argue something like whether something is admissible or something like that, you have to find another court case that said that it is or isn't or that you can make sound like it said that. By the end of the day I wanted to claw my eyes out of my head with my fingers and the next day was worse yet. That was slogging through I think literally tons of big heavy books looking for cases that might have anything to do with our case. As much as I wanted to die of boredom, Joanie was eating it up. She loved research and she loved reading through all those books and she loved trying to put it all together. She and Noah were an inspired team and I was just dying to be anywhere but there. We got back to the office and Mr. Shapiro was there working away and going over an argument Noah had written.

"Do I hear my zeisele?"

"Uncle Eli!" Joanie yelled and ran to his office.

Dan rolled his eyes, "She always was Dad's favorite."

He was joking because Eli Shapiro had more than enough love and kindness in him to love his children and the Cohen children equally and a number of others as well. I think I even got absorbed in there somewhere along the line and I think if Noah hadn't already been a grown man, Mr. Shapiro might have adopted him outright.

I sat down and started going over what Joanie, Dan and I had collected with Noah and pretty soon I got my reprieve.

"Uncle Eli wants to talk to you," Joanie said to me as she sat down at the table where we were all working.

I wandered in. I liked Mr. Shapiro a lot and I know I earned a lot of points with him during the aftermath of Stan so I wasn't really all that worried.

"James," he said looking up from a stack of papers, "Close the door please."

That was a little unnerving to me. I started to wonder if he was upset with me for some reason. He got up and poured a couple glasses of scotch and set one down in front of me. That seemed not so bad. If you're about to lay into someone you don't share your good booze with them first.

"I haven't had the chance to congratulate you yet," he started and raised his glass. "L'Chaim!"

I raised my glass as well and echoed his sentiments.

"You're a good man and you'll take good care of Joanie," he went on, "Not that you needed my blessing. I understand you had Jacob's for quite some time now."

"I did sir," I said as I took a sip. Damn that was some good scotch.

"What is it with you and the formality?" he asked gently, "I thought all you kids were rebels fighting the man as it were."

"I think there's a saying about books and covers that answers that for you," I said smiling.

He laughed at that, "See, I knew there was a reason I liked you. Now there shouldn't be any more of this 'sir' business. You call me 'uncle' like my Joanie does. Your children, God willing, will be less confused that way."

"Yes si—Uncle Eli," I said and it felt strange but then sort of good too. I didn't have a hell of a lot of family and I don't think I'd ever had an uncle. Maybe I did but Polly and my old man sure didn't let me in on it if I did.

"You'll get used to it," he said, "I actually didn't even call you in here for that but things come up, don't they?"

I looked at him strange.

"You don't want to be a lawyer, do you, James?"

"I, well, what I mean is, well, no," I finally confessed, "No I don't. Please understand, I respect what you and Mr. Cohen do and you really help people but I just don't think it's my cup of tea."

Eli sat back in his chair and smiled at me.

"So," he said in a thoughtful sort of way, "That is one career you know you do not want. This is progress. But there are many more things out there. You are now a mechanic so do you want to do that for your living?"

"Not really," I admitted, "It's not a bad job and Al's good to work for and all but I feel like I sort of got it by default, you know? Like I didn't know what all was out there and I could either do nothing and get into more trouble and keep living at home with my folks which was not so good or I could work for Al. There's a lot more out there and I feel like I have choices."

Eli looked at me like he just noticed something.

"You know what you want, don't you?"

"I wasn't full sure of it before," I said, "But I am now, I want to study Psychology and then maybe go into social work. There's lots of kids out there like me and maybe I could help some of 'em."

The smile that spread across Eli Shapiro's face right then was one I didn't recognize immediately but I soon realized it to be one of pride. He hardly knew me and had no stake in my raising but he still was proud. At the time I thought he was proud of Joanie for picking me which was heady enough to have a man like him think that about me but he later explained he was proud to know me. When I heard that, months later, I think I could have fallen right over.

"You look worried, James," he said, "You have chosen a noble pursuit and you look worried. You should look happy and maybe even relieved to have made the choice."

"It's just that Mr. Cohen has been so excited to have me here working with him," I explained, "I'm not sure how to tell him that law isn't for me."

"I have known Jacob much longer than you and he will be just fine," he assured me, "If you tell him what you just told me, he will be as pleased with your decision."

"You really think so?" I asked.

"I know so," he replied, "Now, I believe you have a conversation or two to have with your young lady."

I looked up sort of questioning.

"You have not told her of your choice," he said simply, "And you have not talked about hers yet either."

I still had the dumbest look on my face you could imagine and Eli chuckled at me.

"I have not suddenly become a mind reader," he said, "I spoke with Joanie. She has not told me of her plans but I have a hunch. I think your news will please her."

I stood feeling as good as when I had problems as a kid and went to Al for advice. I know kids resist parents and grownups in general like the plague but there are many, many advantages to talking to someone with more life experience and Eli was about as unflappable as Al. I think that comes with age too.

I left his office feeling about a hundred pounds lighter and leaned over Joanie's shoulder.

"Are you about ready to call it a day?" I asked.

She looked up as if startled. Man, she really loved this stuff.

"Nearly," she informed me.

I went over to chat a bit with Noah.

"Is it just me thinking my fiancée is the greatest or is she really good at this?" I asked him.

"She's damned good at it," he told me, "Of course she's passionate about the subject matter too but I've seen her get like this over much less interesting stuff. She's something else that woman of yours."

"That she is."

Joanie wrapped up what she was working on and came over to the two of us.

"What are you two talking so quiet about?" she asked and she was tired from the work she'd done all day but looked somehow energized by it too.

"You," I said honestly and Noah chuckled a little bit.

She rolled her eyes.

"The two of you are incorrigible, you know that?"

We both smiled at her. I hadn't known Noah all that long but he was a pretty good partner in crime. I sort of had the same feel with him that I had with the other guys.

"Hey Noah," I said catching his attention, "I was wondering when the last time was you had a decent, sit down family dinner?"

"It's been a while," he admitted, "Sometimes Jacob or Eli bring me something but it's not the same. I sure do miss my auntie's cooking."

He'd been raised by his aunt outside Chicago.

"Well, she's not your aunt," I said, "But I know someone who's a damned fine cook and there's always room at her dinner table for another lost soul. If you can tear yourself away from this excitement next Sunday, Emma's is right around the corner from the garage just two houses in. The men are usually on the porch."

"You're sure this is going to be alright with her?"

"She'll be glad to have you," I said.

I got Joanie into the car and we drove a while before she spoke.

"What did you and Uncle Eli talk about?" she asked.

"He wanted to congratulate me on getting engaged to the best girl around," I said.

"That's not all you talked about is it?"

"No," I admitted, "I told him that I had decided what to do with my life, besides make sure you're in it, of course."

"You don't really like working at the firm, do you?" she said more than asked.

I shook my head and explained my plans. I thought she might be upset with me but she scooted across the seat and kissed my shoulder before placing her head there.

"You are a wonderful man, James Hickok," she said and she sounded like she was maybe crying or fighting not to.

"I think maybe you've made a decision too," I said, "I have an idea what it might be but I'd love it if you told me."

"I haven't made any decision at all."

"Yes," I said, "You have. I think it might push the wedding back some if I'm right and I think for some reason you're afraid to say it out loud and you're especially scared to tell your dad but I don't know why."

"I don't want to push the wedding back."

"So you think you're alright with law school while you're married?" I asked. I was a little out on a limb but it was impossible not to see how she lit up when she was doing all the research and everything.

"James," she said sort of shocked, "How did you know?"

"Sweetheart, people three counties over are getting blinded by how you brighten when you're working on this stuff," I told her.

"I really love this and there are so many ways to help people," she said.

"It's perfect for you," I agreed, "So why are you afraid to tell people?"

"I thought you'd want to push the wedding back and it sounds like that was a well founded," she said, "And Daddy has been so wrapped up in you being the son he didn't have to work alongside him and eventually take over for him like Dan is doing for Uncle Eli."

"You think he wouldn't be proud to have you work alongside?" I asked, "I'm sure he just hadn't noticed your passion. He might have just thought you liked spending time with him or something. I used to think that until I watched you the last two days."

"I hope you're right," she said uncertainly.

"I know I am," I told her, "But it looks like we both have some talking to do with your dad."

I took her hand and suddenly the world was instantly more certain and yet a little scarier. It is grounding to have a goal but also scary to set your sights on something knowing how many things can stop you from getting there.

Lots to talk about coming up...I think it was harder to figure their career paths than my own when I was their age. Loving you all!-J