A Seal Upon Your Heart (29 page)

Tim again had family court for the entire day. Martier accepted another lunch date with Karl and it was Korean
this time. He ordered something called ban chan to go along with the grilled meats and vegetables. She loved it, including the kimchee.

“You pack it away for such a small woman.” But his words were spoken with admiration. She found out a lot about him. He was 27, owned a $600,000 condo in the city. And he had a 4 year old son.

“His mother and I just didn’t work out. But I see him every other weekend and I get him two weeks in the summer.”

“That’s sad.” She said. He tilted his head at her. “I just mean that a little boy without his Daddy there.”

“I’m just a phone call away. But you are right. I’d love to have children with a woman who will actually stick around.” She gave him a rueful smile. He just watched her steadily. “Martier…would it be too forward if I asked you out to dinner tonight?”

“Tonight? Well, I’m not sure…”

“I know its short notice. But
one of my favorite places to be in the summer is one of the Jazz in the Park sessions. It’s just some local talent. It’s real casual, jeans and things. We’d pull out the lawn chairs and listen to some good music for a while, have a few drinks…?”

It sounded like fun, and she needed to do things like that; make new experiences. But maybe Karl was moving too fast. And she wasn’t sure if she wanted him to k
now that she rented Tim’s guesthouse. Also, he didn’t like Claudette and she wanted to talk to her about it. Not that she wanted to say, “Hey, Claudette, Karl French doesn’t care for you.” But maybe there was a way to find out what that was all about.

“You seem in deep thought.” He said with a smile. “Anyone who has to think about it that hard really should just say yes. It will be fun and I promise not to keep you out too late.”

Martier smiled. “Okay. Yes, it sounds like fun.”

“Great. I can pick you up at about seven?”

She nodded. “Seven.”

She explained that she was renting Tim’s cottage, which required her to explain that she had just recently lived in a convent, which required her to explain that she had been left orphaned . And that is how your entire life story gets told in one afternoon, Martier thought.

Karl reached out and took her hand, offering it a quick squeeze before politely releasing it. He had a serious expression when he told her that he was sorry for her hardship. Then he smiled. “I hope that things for you are only up from this point on, hmm?”

She nodded. “Me too.”

Upon returning to the office she checked to make sure Tim wasn’t in, which he wasn’t then she left a message for Claudette that she’d need her help to get everything booked for the New York trip. Claudette showed up at her desk ten minutes later.

“I’m never at my desk, but I have my messages forwarded.”  She explained. She came around Martier’s desk and sat down in the spare chair. “We’re going to have so much fun! New York is the big perk of being an assistant. They won’t really need us except to take care of little stuff at the end of the day. We can do whatever we want with a daily per diem. Ka-CHING!”

Martier laughed. “Well the firm has to be losing money on this trip. Why do they do it?”

Claudette shook her head. “Networking? They get lots of money and make mass connections. Plus it’s payment for all the hard work we do. Honey WE are Rangbo, Singleton, Bradbury and Marx, Attorneys at Law just as much as THEY are.”

Martier conceded to that. Short of passing the bar and going to court she did nearly everything for Tim. Claudette showed her how to use the company account to request a payment when you don’t have a credit card. Claudette saw something that made her brow move upward and she gave Martier a cheeky smile.

“Tim’s ordered you a cell phone.”

“Really?”

“Yep. Says it right here. You should get it in about a week. Blackberry. Nice.” Claudette gave her a brief smile. “How are things working out, hon?”

Martier’s smile faltered. “I’m sure I don’t know what you mean…” She picked with the corner of her notebook. She felt Claudette’s hand on hers.

“What’s wrong, sugar?”

“It’s just…” Her voice cracked and she couldn’t meet her friend’s eyes. “I thought—but he’s not interested.” Her eyes stung. She felt Claudette’s fingertips beneath her chin. When she met her friend’s eyes the other woman was smiling.

“I can guarantee you that you’re wrong.”

Martier shook her head. “I…we kissed.” Claudette’s smile deepened. “But then he backed off.” Claudette nodded, still smiling. “And then he went out with another woman…” She paused not able to meet Claudette’s eyes. When the other woman didn’t respond she looked up and Claudette was still smiling.

“What?” Why was she smiling? Tim loved someone else and her heart was breaking and she was smiling.

“He is just a man. And he’s going to make mistakes. But he generally doesn’t make them for very long…you mark my words.”

Martier frowned not sure what her friend was trying to say. “Are you saying I should wait for him to realize that I’m here?”

“Wait…no. What I’m saying is don’t give up on Tim.”

This had turned into the perfect segue to Karl French. “I actually went out on a few dates with someone else.”

“Oh?”

“Yes.” Martier fiddled with the notebook again. “An attorney from the firm.”

Claudette’s smile slipped away.  “Who?” She asked sternly.

“Karl French.”

“Karl French.” Her smile had completely disappeared. “Oh Martier!” She leaned forward. “That man is a WHORE.” She said quietly but insistently. “Karl is a pig! All he does is see a pretty face and goes after them. Girl, that man has had sex with half the woman that walks through the door.” Claudette sat back and shook her head. “You need to stay away from him, Martier, trust me on this. He is nothing but bad news. Martier, most of the attorney’s here are…” She cleared her throat.  “Well, Tim isn’t.”

She wondered about Aaron Rangbo. Was he one of the people that Claudette was talking about?

Martier closed her eyes. Why did everything have to be so difficult?  Once Claudette was gone she picked up the phone. She was going to cancel with Karl.

“Hi beautiful.” He said as soon as he heard her voice. “I was just thinking about you and looking forward to Jazz in the Park tonight.”

“Karl…about Jazz in the Park, I’m sorry but I have to cancel.” Karl was quiet.

“Is everything okay?”

“Yes…I just…” She cleared her voice and felt nervous sweat beads forming on her forehead. “I’m… I think things might be moving too fast for me.”

“Stay right there, Martier. I’ll be at your desk in sixty seconds.” The phone went dead.

Oh no.

She grimaced and looked around nervously. She was not going to hide so why was she looking around?! She smoothed out her hair and tried not to look as nervous as she felt. She heard Karl’s rapid steps a few moments later. He came to a panting stop in front of her desk.

“Martier.” His handsome face held a slight frown. “What’s wrong? We had a great lunch, right?”

“Um…” She rubbed her hands together. “Yes.”

“Well, I’d like to see you. I’m going to be honest, I find you to be very dynamic. A lot of people I meet act the same way, look the same way and it’s very refreshing to meet someone such as yourself. You are very unique. I know…your circumstances; the convent and all and I don’t want to push you but I do want you to see that I’m a bit more than just casually interested. I like you Martier.”

Her mouth hung open. She closed it with a snap. “Karl…” She didn’t have it in her to be completely deceitful. She had to tell him her concerns. “Claudette is a friend of mine-”

“Claudette?” His expression turned frosty. “I see she’s been poking her nose into other people’s business again. A friend of yours, huh?” She saw him clench his teeth. “Well that friend of yours is nothing but a white man’s whore!  She accuses me of doing the same thing that she is doing. But she whores herself just to be his assistant and get fake status. Claudette is nothing more than Aaron Rangbo’s black bed wench!”

Martier came to her feet quickly. His words sickened her. “Karl leave.”

He gave her a cold look. “Maybe I misjudged you, Martier. Maybe that’s all you want, too. You’re living in Tim’s house, are you warming his bed, too?”

A deep voice spoke. “What did you just say? What in the hell did you just say?!” Tim rounded the corner carrying his briefcase and jacket in one hand. He dropped them on the floor and loosened his tie his feet moving rapidly. His eyes were bright red.

Karl looked at him. “Back up old man. This is none of your business.”

“The hell it isn’t.” Tim’s fist landed square in Karl’s face. His head jerked back. He held his nose and a trickle of blood flowed freely. Karl gave the older, larger man a surprised look.

“You broke my nose.” Tim’s hand was still formed into a fist. “Thank you Mr. Singleton.” Karl smiled as his mouth filled with blood. “This firm will now be known as Rangbo, French, Bradbury and Marx, Attorneys at Law.”

Tim smiled evily and Karl looked suddenly less smug. “Thank you Karl. Now I can freely kick your ass without worry since you plan to sue my ass anyway. Might as well go out with gusto!” His fist landed in Karl’s stomach. Karl went over with a loud whumpf and then with a banshee yell he ran forward and tackled the bigger man.

Tim spoke between gritted teeth. “College football, asshole!” Then he slammed the younger man to the floor using his elbows and his powerful body. Karl went flying across the room and landed with a loud crash into the dry flower arrangements.

Martier was huddled in the corner so that she wouldn’t get struck by a flying body. Four men suddenly arrived, one was Jakob Marx and they grabbed the two men and kept them apart.

“You’re fired, muther fucker!” Tim yelled.

“No you’re not!” Jakob yelled.

“I quit!” Karl yelled right back.

“You’re not quitting, Karl!” Jakob spoke angrily. “Go to your office!” The younger black man jerked out of his grip. He gave Tim a spiteful look. “I’m going to sue the fuck out of you, Singleton.”

“Try it, asshole!” Tim tried for him again and it took all four men to hold him back. “Sexual harassment?! I heard what you said to Martier.” He pointed to the ceiling. “And the security camera caught it too. You can’t talk to my assistant like that and get away with it. It’s me that will sue the shit out of you! And win, because I’ve been doing this a whole lot longer than you, buddy!”

Karl gave him a wary look. He turned and spit a wad of blood on the carpeted floor and then pushed through the crowd angrily.

Martier quickly began picking up the over-turned furniture and broken pottery.

“Martier, are you okay?” Tim asked. Jakob was directing everyone to get back to work. She nodded her head quickly as she moved about trying to get everything put back in order. Tim reached out and gripped her arm. “Martier?”

“I’m really sorry for all of this.” She said with big tears in her eyes. “I am more trouble. It seems to follow me. I don’t know why. I’m not trying to do anything wrong. I’m not trying to cause trouble-“ She said speaking quickly. He could see she was losing it.

“Come on.” He put an arm around her and led her into the office. He knew how it would look to everyone, the fight, his arm around her. And he didn’t really care.

Once they were in his office he rubbed her shoulders. She was trembling. “This is not your fault.”

She was looking at him as if trying to will him to understand. “I broke a date with him. I didn’t want to go out with him. And then he started acting really…aggressive. And I asked him to leave.” How could he have been so nice only to turn so vile? How could she ever trust herself to judge anyone’s character again? He had seemed so nice…