Legally Bonded

Chapter 2 - Success Story

Present day

"On the count of 2nd degree murder, we the jury finds the defendant, not guilty." The jurer reads from his paper as the courtroom erupts in celebration.

I looked over at my client who had shock and tears on his face and I pulled him in a hug.

It has been a rough couple of months but it has finally paid off. Shawn has won back his freedom and I have another win under my belt. We were broken up by the judge beating his gravel to get us to calm down.

Silence settled over the courtroom as we all face Judge Brown. A no nonsense man who we have all come to fear in the legal system. After his final declarations, we quickly made our way out of the courtroom where we were greeted by Shawn's friends and family.

I'm left breathless as his mom attacks me with a hug so tight. Based on how her body is rocking I can tell that she is crying. She cried in my arms the same way four months ago when we met in my office. I had promised her then that I would do all I could to free her son from the shackles of the Jamaican judicial system.

Today I honored that promise.

I was so proud of myself. I've only been an attorney for the past two years but my growth and work has garnered me a long list of clients. Many of who were directed to me by HIM but still I have done all I can to ensure their freedom and my reputation.

I'm quickly making a name for myself as one of the top criminal defense attorneys to look out for.

Although I want to stay and celebrate with my client, I must go back to the firm for a debrief with Suzanne. She has been my rock this past two years as without her I would have been lost half the time. She is one of the many gifted paralegals at my firm Johnson's and Lloyds and I work with her primarily for all my cases.

Walking into the office, I'm greeted by a round of applause by my colleagues. The joy I felt in that moment was overwhelming as I stood there basking in their celebration of me.

"Thank you guys. As you know I couldn't have done even half of this without our very brilliant Paralegal, Suzanne!" I say turning the attention on the major introvert who stood at the back of the room.

As my coworkers turned to give her another round of applause she fixed me with a death stare and I know I will hear her mouth when we are alone.

I don't care. Gyal fi get big up.

As the applauses died down I quickly made my way to my desk. I wanted to check my emails as well as go over a few other cases that I have on my plate for this month.

"Hey Alex! Congrats on the win." Aaron, the guy who sits across from me says.

I look up from my screen to give him a brief nod of acknowledgment before looking back to what I was doing.

"We should get some drinks later to celebrate." He continues, failing once again to read the room.

We started here around the same time and he has been trying to get with me since then. Him hard of hearing bad as each time he asks me out, I turn him down.

"That won't be necessary. Plus, I have a ton load of other cases to tackle." I tell him, not even bothering to look up.

"God know? That sucks coming off such a big win. I was sure this would be your first lost enuh. Everything that the prosecution presented indicated that the Shawn guy committed the crimes." He says in his pompous uptown voice. Ugh

"Hmmm, well I didn't so, thank God you didn't bet on it." I say with a bit of attitude.

I hate these type of men. Dem grow up privileged as fuck and would take the first chance presented at wrongly judging people who don't fit into their mold. Mi know if him did know all my previous address him would a stop look mi long time.

Favah fart.

I didn't want to engage him any further so I didn't reply when he spoke next.

"I would never take a bet against you Lexie." Who the fuck tell him fi give mi nickname? After a never suh Angela name mi?

By the time Suzanne had joined me at my desk, I was done with my emails and was halfway through my dockets. I had two upcoming cases that I need to get down into the details of those soon.

"Hey girl! Sorry I got caught up a bit." She says as she takes a seat across from me. I looked up meeting her grinning wildly. It was so contagious that I had to grin too. We were the dynamic duo and it's obvious that together we will be a force to reckon with.

"That's fine babe." I tell her as I turned my laptop around to her.

"I got your case notes, I went over it and made some corrections. You can look over it now and then we can send off the report as soon as you're done." I tell her and she gets right to it.

After each case, we have to present a report to our seniors whether we win lose or draw. Based on those reports we would either have a follow up meeting to go over where we went wrong or we get an okay if it was a successful trial.

My trials have been pretty successful as you can tell.

Going back to my dockets I get into my zone once again while Suzanne does her thing. We typically work in silence, unless we are discussing strategy. She nuh love run her mouth and she nuh too question certain things and that's why mi rate her.

Everyone else always trying to pry into my business. How much student loans I have. How can I afford the designer that I wear. What's my car payments like for my luxury vehicles. Like bitch bye.

Suzanne has never questioned my lifestyle and I love that for her. She mind her business. For a fresh graduate coming out of law school it shouldn't be possible for me to change my car every 6 months. I should be swamped with loans and stress apparently, but that was never my case.

However, it's one thing I know, these bitches will never know my personal business. They are all haters and mi see that the moment I walked through these walls for my first interview.

"Alex, mi know yuh ago plan sumn classy fi wi this weekend." Sue says taking me out of my zone. I smiled at her because it is true. From the very first case that she has helped me with, I've been bringing her with me to celebrate and it's always something classy and bougie.

"Girl you already knew to clear your schedule Friday night so don't even bother. You just need to tell mi if you want me to pick you up or if you're driving so I can share the location." I say.

I noticed Aaron listening on our conversation but I don't pay him any mind. I don't give a fuck about nobody's feelings.

"Drive? Then me could a mad suh fi waah drive my likkle Honda Fit go par with you? You try come pick me up because a from when me a seh how I want to feel how your new Porsche drive." She says in a hushed whisper.

I laughed out loud at her antics. HE got me a Porsche last month for my birthday. I've been driving it here and there seeing that my Range was still new.

I guess it's a Porsche type of weekend then.

Before I could continue our conversation my personal phone pinged with a familiar alert. It's him.

I quickly pulled the phone from my purse to check his message.

🖤👑
I saw the news. Congratulations. I'm proud of you.

I read the text with a slight smile. I quickly responded telling him thanks before facing a now smirking Suzanne.

"Yuh sneaking enuh Alex." She whispered, trying to not draw anyone's attention to us.

I laughed out loud at her observation but I didn't give a verbal response.

If only she knew the half.