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Julie Lortimire walked briskly through the corridors and down the hallway of the courthouse. Her pumps clicked and clacked against the hardwood flooring as she increased her speed to reach the public rest room. She had almost waited too long, but that was her nature. It seemed all her life she was playing catch up and having to dash here and there just to arrive in the nick of time. She didn’t care as that was the way it had always been. It always worked out and she saw no need to change.
She burst through the rest room door hoping no one was immediately on the other side. There wasn’t, but if there had been, that person would have been sprawled on the floor from the impact. Though her immediate need was urgent, she stopped in her tracks when she recognized the man washing his hands at the sink. He looked up to see her in the mirror staring at him. After turning the faucet off, he shook water from his hands, nodded his head and coolly said, “Counselor.”
Not taking her eyes off of him, Julie slowly headed to the nearest stall and in her best professional voice returned the greeting. “Counselor.”
Once safely in the stall and behind a closed door she settled to take care of business and to silently curse at the chance meeting of Phillip Warren. “The pig!” she thought to herself. She knew she would have to face him in court and she was okay with a public meeting as her focus would be on the job at hand, but to meet him in such a private setting with the wounds he had inflicted still fresh was enough to make her Irish blood boil.
She knew him well. Over the years they had worked together and were on the front line in the fight for individual freedoms and liberty. They worked close to each other as associates and became good friends. At one time they became too close and became lovers. But, it wasn’t long before they both realized it had been a mistake. The only thing they had in common was their work and that wasn’t enough to build a permanent relationship on. So, they mutually agreed to a split but continued being partners as they continued to battle through the courts for all the causes they believed in. Their careers were headed up and the sky was the limit. There was even talk of one of them being the next US Supreme Court Justice nominee. Inside the DC beltway it was a given that it would happen. The only question was which one of them would rise to the occasion. Then he betrayed the cause. He betrayed her.
She was intent on finishing her business and quickly leaving before he attempted any small talk. It was the last thing she wanted from the man who used to be her mentor. She knew his vanity would keep him primping in the mirror long after she had left. Plotting her exit strategy she reached for the toilet paper only to find none there. Usually she checked before entering a stall, but this time, she had been distracted by the sight of Phillip and had forgotten to do so. Cursing to herself over her incompetence over such a small matter, she decided to ride it out and wait for someone else to come in so she could ask them for help, even if it meant getting to the courtroom later than she wanted. She was doing all she could to avoid any more contact than necessary with a man she had come to loathe.
“You’re going to need some paper,” he declared while still grooming himself at the mirror. “I know since I used the last of it when I was in there.”
She closed her eyes and deeply sighed. Even without seeing his smug face she knew he was thoroughly enjoying her predicament. Once again, he had gained the upper hand over her, and it was all over some stupid toilet paper.
She took a deep breath and replied, “Yes, if you don’t mind, please.”
“Not at all,” he said as he handed a roll over the top of the door. “Now, aren’t you glad we worked as a team and got that ‘Uniformity’ act through Congress?”
“If you say so,” she smirked.
“Why, if we hadn’t pushed to have all public rest rooms unisex then I wouldn’t have been in here to help you in your time of dire need,” he declared. “You would’ve been stranded.”
“I would’ve managed,” she weakly said in defense.
“Ah, but the thought of this brings back the memory of your outstanding argument to open the access of all rest rooms to everyone,” he declared. “Do you remember?”
“Yes, I was there,” she replied as she rolled her eyes in disgust. He hadn’t changed a bit from the last miserable time she had seen him.
“How can we deny the rights to unisex rest rooms and at the same time allow same-sex orientated people to use the same facilities?” he continued. “It was a brilliant argument. Men were barred from women’s rest rooms based solely on gender and vice versa. Yet, a woman with the sexual desires of a man could freely enter. A man could use the men’s facilities whether he was gay or not. Then, do you remember the little snippet I added to the discussion?”
“Yes, I do,” she coolly answered. She was now hiding in the stall to avoid facing him while hoping and praying he would tire of his dribble and soon leave.
“I elegantly added that to allow the status quo was the equivalent of state sanctioned sexual harassment,” he proudly remembered. “Yes, I could rightly feel harassed by being forced to share a rest room alone with a gay man. Therefore, to provide a level playing field for all, one that would deter the separation of the sexes, and thus, one that would deter sexual predators, all public rest rooms must be unisex, yes indeed, open to all genders regardless of sexual orientation. You must admit, my argument was absolutely brilliant.”
“It made an impact,” she allowed before she could stop herself. His self-importance was making her sick on her stomach. It was the same feeling she had in the final days of their working together. At least, she was in the right place if her breakfast forced its way out of her.
“And so, we come to the present day,” he continued. “Without our winning team you would be stuck in there for who knows how long.”
“Thank you, for your help,” she offered as she slightly pleaded for him to shut up and leave.
He didn’t reply right away, but after a while spoke just above a whisper, “You shouldn’t have left me, Julie. We could’ve done some wonderful things together.”
“I left you?!?” she blurted out. He had touched the nerve she had tried to hide since the day he walked out on their team.
“Yes, it’s true,” he asserted. “I may have physically walked away, but it was you who left me. I would’ve never said the unkind things about you that you so readily declared about me.”
She bit her lower lip to keep from shouting at the stupidity of his remark. Finally, still boiling mad, she declared, “Phillip, you’re still a pompous ass.”
“See, you make my point,” he declared with more than a hint of self-acclamation. “I would never make such a derogatory statement about you.”
That was all of him she could take. She hastily finished her business, adjusted her clothes, and burst through the stall door to face him. “Oh, no, you’d never say anything as rude as that, would you, Phillip?”
He was taken aback at her anger and forceful manner. She sensed his surprise and almost noted a spark of fear. It motivated her to continue her outburst, “Oh, no, not the great and wise Phillip Warren! He would never do anything as petty as that! No, he would only stab the people who trusted him year-in and year-out in the back. Oh, he would be so cordial to their faces while plotting how to completely ruin every decent thought anyone ever had about him!! That’s what you do, Phillip!”
“I’ve never done any...”
“Oh, save it for someone who cares!” she almost yelled as she interrupted him. It was feeling good to finally unload on him, so she continued, “They’re serial killers out there who could take lessons from you. You’re so charming to everyone’s face and so deadly when they’re not looking. So, don’t try and tell me I left you! You tried to make it look that way, but we both know who the lowlife is, and that’s you, Phillip!!”
He simply stared at her without uttering a word. She gave a huff and started washing her hands. After staring at her, he gazed into the mirror and pretended to groom himself again. She could feel his discomfort and she relished it. It was about time he realized how his actions hurt other people, especially those who used to care deeply for him.
He adjusted his tie and meekly offered, “You harbor a tremendous amount of anger, Julie.”
“Well, what do you expect?” she shot back at him. “You’ve given credence to every lawyer joke ever told and you’ve even given basis for some new ones.”
“That’s cold,” he huffed.
She took a deep breath and declared, “Yes, it was, but no colder than what you’ve done.”
“Look, all I did was go where the money is,” he offered. “You should have went with me.”
“Yeah, that’s all you did,” she smirked. “You did it without any regard with how it would affect people’s lives.”
“If I hadn’t, then they’d found someone else,” he said in defense.
“But, it wouldn’t have been you!” she declared. “It wouldn’t have been the great and fear-inspiring Phillip Warren. They would’ve hired someone else but that person wouldn’t have your skills. It would’ve made a big difference.”
“Is that a backhanded compliment?” he smiled.
“Take it as you want,” she coldly replied. “It’s the truth. You’re trying to set individual freedoms back a hundred years, and for something I know you don’t even believe in.”
“That doesn’t matter,” he asserted. “We can’t win if the country doesn’t want it. And if I make a handsome profit because of it, then so be it.”
She closed her eyes to control her urge to inflict bodily harm on him. “And thanks to you, all those cases we won together to give all couples, gay or straight, the right to marriage is going to be for nothing,” she declared between clinched teeth. “You’ve thrown us right back into the middle of the 20th century.”
“It’s just business,” he smirked. “It reminds me of the days when we were defense lawyers. You take the case and do your absolute best even when you’re convinced your client is as guilty as he can be.”
“But, what about your core beliefs?” she huffed. “Doesn’t that mean anything to you? You’ve reached the pinnacle of your career. You don’t have to cater to the lowest common denominator anymore. I thought we had got to the point where we could concentrate on what we believed in and work to make the world a better place.”
“Ah, my dear naive, Julie,” he laughed. “I’ve done that and now it’s time for me to reach for the clouds.”
“Hmmph, so long as they’re green with dollar signs on them,” she sneered. “It’s all about money with you.”
“As it should be,” he asserted. “I do the job. I do it better than anyone else and I get paid more than anyone else. I see no irregularities in that.”
“You’re not the man I once knew,” she shot back at him.
“I know,” he agreed. “I’m so much better.”
She slowly turned to face him as she seethed with the desire to try and cram his smug face down the lavatory drain. He had one eyebrow raised as if to indicate how precious and cunning he was.
“You make me want to puke!” she almost shouted.
He smirked and then glanced at himself in the mirror. “I suppose your moral virtues dictate you work for free.”
The subject changing to about her made her pause to think. “You know I get paid.”
“Yes, you do, and I believe if I recall correctly, you’re paid quite well for your services,” he declared. “In fact, I’m convinced your yearly income is substantially higher than the average attorney.”
“So, what?”
“So, your anger is not about me being paid, but evidently it stems from the fact that I earn more than you,” he asserted. “You’re no different from me. I’m only getting paid greater because I chose a different path than you.”
“No...no,” she sputtered. “I’m nothing like you! You turned your back on all the people who’ve helped you over the years. A more attractive offer comes along and you don’t even hesitate to throw away all the friendships and loyalties people had for you. So, don’t try and tell me that I’m like you!”
“Oh, don’t make me laugh,” he smirked. “You can spout friendship and loyalty all you want, but I did exactly what everyone in our group would’ve done if they were given the opportunity.”
“I didn’t,” she tersely declared.
He studied her face for a moment and then turned back to the mirror. Taking a deep breath, he finally said, “Yes, you did.”
“What are you talking about?” she cautiously asked.
He bit his lower lip before continuing, “Do you remember that evening at dinner when we agreed to end our romantic adventures?”
“Yes, I remember,” she replied. “We mutually agreed that it was in our best interest to concentrate on work without being distracted by a romantic entanglement.”
“A romantic entanglement,” he mused with a half laugh. “So, that’s what it was to you?”
“That’s what it was to both of us,” she answered. “You readily agreed right there on the spot that we should end our involvement.”
“Do you know why I agreed?” he asked.
“Because you felt the same way I did,” she replied. “We needed to concentrate on our careers.”
“No, that’s not the reason,” he asserted.
“So, what was your reason?” she impatiently asked.
“If you remember, it was you who approached the subject of us parting ways,” he explained. “When I realized what you were saying, I quickly deviated from my plans for the evening. You were adamant that we end our personal relationship, and so to avoid any embarrassing incidents, I agreed. But it was not what I had in mind.”
“What did you have in mind?” she asked.
He turned to face her and declared, “My left coat pocket housed a costly diamond ring.”
“What?!?” she stammered.
“Yes, I had planned to ask you to marry me,” he continued. “But, before I could, you made it quite clear you were not interested in marrying me, and indeed, no longer wanted to be involved with me. It was all about our jobs, your job. So, don’t chastise me about ending friendships and loyalties for a job when you chose a job over me.”
“I didn’t know,” she tried to explain as her mind raced to comprehend what she had just heard.
“If you had, would it have made a difference?” he quietly asked.
All she could do was stare at him. He stared back. This shook her deeply as she tried to work through what was and what could have been. She couldn’t find any easy answers and she was too paralyzed in thought to respond. Then it dawned on her he was using his tricks of the trade. He was good at it. She was almost taken in by his slick questioning and boyish charm. He had used it to his advantage many times over the years and it almost worked again.
“Always the ass, aren’t you, Phillip?” she grinned.
He shrugged and smiled back at her, “If you say so.”
“Well, save some for the judge,” she sneered.
“Indeed, I will,” he declared. “It’s what I do.”
She took one last glance in the mirror to make sure everything was in its proper place. With a smirk she declared, “You know gay marriage is the law of the land.”
“I know.”
“So, why are you even trying this?” she asked with a hint of disgust. “With marriage comes the possibility of divorce. History has shown you can’t have one without the other.”
“I beg to differ,” he replied. “I believe history has shown that God intended that only heterosexuals have the right to divorce.”
“So, gays can marry but they can never divorce,” she stated. “You and I both know this is just a sly way to erode the right to marriage. You can’t overturn the right-to-marry laws, so you go after the right to divorce knowing this will cause every gay person to think twice before trying to marry. You’re hoping they’ll hesitate to enter a union they cannot legally dissolve. This is about as devious as it gets.”
“Well, as I see it, we are morally obligated to preserve the sanctity of divorce,” he asserted.
“You know you’re full of it,” she sneered.
“No, my dear,” he continued. “Divorce is to only be between one woman and one man. That’s what traditional divorce has always been, and I intend to see we protect the holiness of that institution.”
She shook her head and looking him straight in the eye said, “So, only a woman can take a man to the cleaners in divorce proceedings.”
He smiled and declared, “Exactly.”
“So, if you win this, what next?” she sneered. “I’m sure you’ve got the causes lined up to keep the faithful coming back for more.”
“Yes, I do,” he admitted.
“So long as they keep writing the checks you’ll keep giving them a reason to do so,” she asserted.
“Once again, you are correct,” he smiled. “I believe there are moral people who are repulsed at the thought of carnal pleasures being enjoyed outside the bounds of holy matrimony.”
“So, sex will be legally limited to married couples,” she laughed. “Any sex outside of marriage will be a crime punishable by incarceration. I must admit, you are cunning and inventive in your diabolical way.”
“Thank you, I think,” he said as he joined her laughter.
“Are you going to try to make it retroactive so you and I both can be locked up, too?” she asked with a teasing tone.
“We’ll see how it goes,” he replied.
“What you mean is, you’ll see if there’s any money to be made from it,” she smiled as she shook her head.
“Yeah, pretty much,” he agreed as he allowed his eyes to explore her from her head to her toes. It was enough to stir feelings for her he thought were dead and buried.
“It won’t work, Phillip,” she declared as she took notice of his wandering eyes.
“Why not?” he asked as he became lost in her gaze.
“Because the fundamentalist you’ll be working with like to fornicate as much as us heathens,” she asserted as she became transfixed on his face.
He tilted his head and gave a sly grin.
It was a subconscious urge that took control of her before she even realized what had happened. His looks, his grin, and yes, even his smug attitude, drove her to react in such a way that a clear thinking Julie Lortimire would never have contemplated. In an instant, she was wrapped in his arms and their passions rose as they kissed and fondled each other as the lovers they used to be.
His hand had instinctively moved inside her blouse when they heard someone clear their voice. Both turned to look at the same time and saw a man with a bemused look staring at them.
They quickly turned back toward the mirrors and busied themselves in straightening their clothes. Phillip quickly said, “Sorry, Judge, I didn’t hear you come in.”
Julie worked hard to keep her face from turning bright red and simply muttered, “Sorry, your Honor.”
“That’s quite all right,” the Judge declared with a big grin on his face. “Were there some private negotiations taking place that I wasn’t aware of?”
“No, sir.”
“No, Your Honor.”
“Will you two be able to represent your clients in a professional, and shall we say, ethical manner?” he asked.
“Yes, sir.”
“Absolutely!”
“Good,” the Judge declared as he walked toward a stall. “I’m really not in the mood for a mistrial today.”
“Of course not.”
“No, not all, sir.”
Julie continued her primping until the Judge had closed and secured the stall door. She took a deep breath and whispered out of the side of her mouth, “Don’t you dare think of trying to call me.”
“I wasn’t.”
She quickly turned, marched to the door and flung it open. Stepping out into the hall, she paused as the door slowly closed.
Phillip watched her leave and with the door closing behind her a huge smile spread across his face before he returned to straightening his tie.
Out in the hall, Julie turned to look back at the rest room as if she was trying to peer inside. She gave a chuckle and smiled as she scurried down the hall toward the courtroom. Now, she was running late again. She had almost waited too long, but that seemed to be her nature.
THE END
Copyright ©2014 by Jerry W. Crews
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