Broken Faith Page 14

  She grinned when she reached the front door and found a note that read We're out back. She walked around the side of the house and immediately saw Dana at the barbeque and Lee and Danny tossing a football between them. Danny saw her first and whooped a greeting. Marika waved and smiled as he missed Lee's next toss because his eyes were on her. Lee rolled her eyes and turned to greet the newcomer.

  "Hey, 'Rika. Glad to see you're still in the land of the living."

  Marika returned Lee's hug warmly. "No thanks to you, you old reprobate. The next time you go out of the country, try bringing back something a little less lethal."

  Dana walked up grinning. "Oh don't worry. She paid for your little party too. Should've seen her yesterday. She..."

  A large hand cut off the rest of her words, as her mate growled, "No telling tales out of school!"

  Marika could see the twinkle in Dana's eyes and knew she'd get the whole story later. The stocky woman squirmed out of her partner's grasp, gave the lawyer a quick hug and linked arms with her as they walked over to the deck.

  Settling into lawn chairs, Dana offered, "Can I get you something? A beer?"

  Both Lee and Marika groaned and Dana giggled. "Okay, how about a Coke then?"

  "Do you have a Sprite or something?" Marika asked, her stomach still a little sensitive.

  "I'll get it," Danny volunteered eagerly, pushing open the sliding glass door to the kitchen.

  His mother smiled indulgently and called after him, "Bring two!"

  "Oh," Marika exclaimed. "I almost forgot. Your other guest is sitting down in the park."

  "Rhiannon?" Lee asked in puzzlement. "What's she doing there?"

  "I have no idea. I just noticed her there when I drove past."

  Lee frowned a little. "Why didn't you stop and offer her a ride?"

  Marika fidgeted and then gratefully looked up at Danny's return. She accepted the pop that he carefully handed her, smiling her thanks at the boy. She realized that Lee and Dana's eyes were still on her and she sighed. "I don't know. I mean, I didn't know why she was there instead of here, and I didn't know what to do."

  Lee stood decisively. "C'mon, Danny. You and I are going for a little walk."

  The lawyer watched the two leave out the back gate, unpleasantly aware that she'd disappointed her friend. Glancing sideways, she eyed Dana who was calmly sipping her drink.

  "Um, so what's for dinner?" Marika asked.

  "Marinated flank steak and slow-roasted veggies. Lee and Danny picked up some fresh strawberries, so we're having those over ice cream for dessert." Dana chuckled a little. "For some reason Lee asked me not to make my brandy glaze for the strawberries."

  Marika smiled in understanding. "It sounds wonderful. Did you make your mustard sauce too?"

  "Of course," Dana answered. "I don't think Lee would eat the steak without it."

  About to ask Dana how Danny's game had gone the previous night, Marika was surprised when the other woman asked her directly, "So what gives with you and your assistant?"

  "Nothing 'gives'-- I don't even really know her that well." Marika knew she sounded a little defensive.

  "Well that's the whole idea of tonight. So you two can get to know each other a little better." Dana forestalled Marika's protest with a raised hand. "I know you're not thrilled with the idea, but I want you to consider something. Lee thinks there's something very worthwhile about that young woman; and if I've learned anything in our years together, it's to trust Lee's people instincts. I've never seen her be wrong about anyone. Have you?"

  Marika shook her head silently. Dana was right. Lee had a keen insight into people, and the lawyer knew that was a large part of why Lee had given her a second chance at being friends after their romance had fallen apart all those years ago. Sighing, she acknowledged to herself that she was simply being stubborn because she hadn't made any headway with Rhiannon herself and it was easier to assume that it was all due to her assistant's prickly personality rather than accepting she might have been equally at fault.

  "Tell me, 'Rika, do you treat her the way you treated Marian at the office?" Dana's question was calm and non-judgmental, but it still made the lawyer squirm.

  "Well, I'm always polite to her." It sounded weak even to her ears, and she wasn't surprised to hear a small snort from Dana.

  "Uh huh," her friend said dryly. "And when was the last time you left a treat on her desk?"

  Marika stared at the oak-stained planks under her feet. It was true that it was a longtime habit of hers to occasionally leave a latte or a muffin or a flower on Marian's desk. She was very fond of her assistant and made the extra effort to let her know how much she was appreciated. The lawyer wondered if part of her problem with Rhiannon was resentment over Marian's absence for the next six months. Her new assistant was every bit as competent as Marian, but she missed the other woman's warmth.

  "You know," Dana said speculatively. "It can't be easy for her either. If she has an ounce of sensitivity, she has to be aware that you're comparing her unfavourably to Marian. She was probably sitting in the park trying to work up her nerve to join a bunch of near strangers for dinner."

  Marika found the image troubling and looked up at Dana apologetically. The stocky woman just smiled at her and said, "All I'm saying is to give her a chance. She may surprise you."

  The lawyer nodded in agreement and ten minutes later, when they heard Lee's booming laughter in the alley, she resolved to try to make her assistant feel welcome, both here and in the office.

  She watched as Lee, Danny and Rhiannon entered the yard and saw the surprise on the young woman's face as she saw her boss. Marika wondered momentarily if her assistant would have accepted Lee's invitation if she'd known that the lawyer would be here, but she put that thought out of her mind and smiled warmly as the group approached.

  "Hello, Rhiannon. I'm glad you could make it," she offered sincerely.

  "Hi, Ms. Havers," the assistant answered hesitantly. Marika noticed that the young woman glanced up at Lee as if looking for support.

  Lee grinned down at her. "Oh no, Lady Mouse. No formality at our house. C'mon, let me introduce you to my partner. Dana, this is Rhiannon Davies, aka Lady Mouse. Rhi, this is Dana Cochrane, Danny's Mom."

  Dana smiled sweetly and extended her hand, which Rhiannon gingerly took. "Hi, Rhiannon. Lee speaks so highly of you that I've been looking forward to meeting you."

  Marika was observing her assistant closely and noticed with interest, the blush that quickly coloured the woman's face. Suddenly, Rhiannon seemed less formidable and more approachable as the lawyer was struck by how young she was. She wasn't much taller than Danny and standing beside Lee, looked decidedly slight. Reminding herself of exactly how tough and resourceful this diminutive woman really was, Marika was nevertheless amazed at how effortlessly Dana and Lee appeared to have pierced Rhiannon's defences. Her assistant was now seated between the two women and was responding haltingly to their conversational gambits.

  Marika resumed her seat and watched as her old friends worked smoothly to make their new guest comfortable and draw her out. She was impressed, having forgotten how well Lee and Dana operated together socially. Even Danny was on his best behaviour, though Marika suspected he'd been well briefed in advance.

  By the time dinner was ready, Rhiannon readily joined Dana in setting the table. The lawyer noticed she still listened more than she spoke, but Marika could see how much more relaxed her assistant was now. When the two women disappeared into the house, Lee grinned victoriously at her friend, and Marika smiled in acknowledgement.

  "Yeah, yeah, I know. You were right," she said to her smug companion.

  "I do so like to hear you say that," Lee chortled, and then ducked the pretzel Marika threw at her. "Tut tut," she chastised indulgently. "What kind of example are you setting for the child?"

  "Hey, who you calling a child?" Danny protested indignantly. Lee wrapped an arm around him and knuckled his head affectionately.

  Just then
Rhiannon returned with an armload of dishes, cups and cutlery. Marika jumped up and held the door open for her. "Can I help you with some of that?" she offered, extending a hand to relieve the smaller woman of some of her load.

  She almost dropped the dishes when she was rewarded by a brilliant smile that lit her assistant's face and illuminated those remarkable dark blue eyes. Blinking, she stood aside so Rhi could get by only to see Dana grinning at her from inside the kitchen. Flustered, she turned away and hurriedly deposited the dishes on the table where Danny was helping Rhiannon set them around.

  Still stunned at the transformation that smile had wrought on her assistant's customary countenance, Marika remained mostly quiet while serving dishes were passed around and plates were filled. It was only when Danny returned to his ongoing campaign to get a dog that she began to relax. For a year he'd been agitating for a dog. His parents were amenable to getting a small dog, but he had his heart set on a German shepherd and wasn't about to settle for less.

  Marika knew his arguments by heart having heard them repeatedly, usually with small variations that he thought would augment his case. He'd confided to her once that he was pretty sure he was wearing them down. Now he was extolling the advantages of having a guard dog even as Lee laughingly reminded him that they had the most up-to-date security system her company could provide.

  Sighing, Danny turned to Rhiannon. "Did your parents let you have a dog?"

  That caught Marika's interest and she listened keenly, curious to see if her taciturn assistant would be forthcoming with any personal details.

  "Not a dog, no," Rhiannon told the boy. "I did have a white mouse named Elrod, though."

  "Ewww, Elrod?" Danny's nose wrinkled in disgust.

  The others laughed and Rhi said with a smile, "My Dad named him. He had a thing for funny names. I'm amazed I didn't end up as a Hermione or Hildegard."

  "Or Phyllis," Dana chuckled as she got an indignant stare from her partner.

  "Like Timothea is all that great," Lee groused.

  When Marika saw the puzzled look on Rhiannon's face, she leaned over and whispered, "Their middle names."

  "Oh," Rhi said, as her face cleared. Then much to Marika's surprise, she looked at the lawyer shyly and asked, "What's yours, Ms.–um, I mean, Marika."

  Marika smiled, pleased that her assistant had finally used her first name. "Kathryn. Marika Kathryn. What's yours?"

  "Ardith. It was my mother's name."

  Marika saw the flash of sadness in her face as Rhiannon lowered her eyes, and glanced up to see that Lee and Dana had seen it too. Dana quickly interjected, "Well, who's for dessert? I've got ice cream and fresh strawberries."

  Lee and Danny jumped up to clear dishes. When Marika started to stand and help, Dana shook her head and glanced significantly at Rhiannon who was still quietly staring at the table. Marika nodded her understanding and sank back in her seat.

  "So was it a good weekend, Rhiannon?" Marika asked, hoping to distract her assistant.

  The young woman glanced up and nodded. "It's certainly ending well. Actually, I picked up some extra work, so it was a good weekend."

  Marika raised one eyebrow at her assistant's definition of a good weekend and decided to tease her a little. "What, I don't keep you busy enough?" she remarked lightly, pleased to see Rhiannon react to her words with a small smile.

  "No, that's not it. It's not really a big deal. I'm helping a...friend...at the neighbourhood church. I'm going to be refinishing some pews. It's only a few days work, but he's going to pay me for it."

  "Have you ever done that kind of work before?"

  Rhiannon frowned and looked uneasily at her boss. "No, but David assures me it's not hard, and that he and Tupper will show me what to do."

  "I wouldn't worry too much, Rhiannon. I don't think there's anything you couldn't do once you set your mind to it." Marika meant the casual words sincerely and was gratified to see a return of the brilliant smile she'd seen earlier. God, she's cute when she does that. I've got to get her to smile more often.

  The lawyer blinked in astonishment at her unbidden thoughts but before she could say anything more, Rhiannon was scrambling to open the door for Dana, who had a tray of ice cream, strawberries and small dishes in her hands. Lee trailed after with a pot of coffee and Danny followed with cups, sugar and cream.

  Dessert was consumed enthusiastically, and Marika was unaccountably pleased when her assistant shyly ask for seconds which Dana cheerfully supplied. The lawyer caught Lee grinning broadly at her and stuck out her tongue at the big woman who just laughed.

  The rest of the evening passed so pleasantly that Marika was surprised when Rhiannon checked her watch and said apologetically, "It's been wonderful, but I'm going to have to go to catch my bus."

  The young woman stood and began to thank her hosts when Marika interjected, "I'm about to head off myself. Why don't I give you a lift home?"

  She was startled when a look of near-panic crossed her assistant's face and Rhiannon hastily said, "Oh no, that's all right. I mean, thank you, but I don't want to take you out of your way. It's no problem to take the bus."

  "Lady Mouse," Lee chided affectionately. "Quit being so stubborn and let Marika give you a ride home."

  The lawyer could see that her assistant was torn. For whatever reason, she obviously didn't want Marika to take her home, but she also clearly didn't want to offend Lee.

  Surprising herself, Marika stood and laid a hand on Rhiannon's arm. "C'mon. It's silly for you to have to take a long bus ride when I've got my car here. Let's go." For an instant she thought the young woman would reject her offer, but then Rhi abruptly picked up her knapsack and joined the three older women as they walked around the house and out to the lawyer's car.

  Marika hugged Lee and Dana, thanking them for another wonderful evening and promising to call later in the week. She half-turned to unlock the passenger side, keeping an eye on her assistant.

  Rhiannon offered her hand to Dana and said, "I really had a great time. Thank you very much for inviting me."

  Dana ignored the hand and pulled the smaller woman into a warm hug. Marika almost laughed at the look of surprise on her assistant's face, but she noticed with approval that Rhiannon returned the embrace and even produced another of those brilliant smiles that the lawyer found so charming.

  Lee beamed and swept Rhiannon into a bear hug, practically lifting her off the ground. "So will you come again sometime, Lady Mouse?"

  Rhi grinned up at her and said, "If you ask, I will come." That earned her a burst of laughter from Lee and Dana. Lee slid an arm around her partner and the two of them waved as Marika and Rhiannon climbed into the car and pulled away.

  Marika asked for directions and was instructed to head downtown. She drove by the small park and glanced sideways to see a small smile lingering on her companion's lips. Quietly she remarked, "They're wonderful people, aren't they?"

  Rhiannon nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah, they sure are." Half turning towards Marika, she asked, "Have you known them long?"

  "Quite a while," Marika answered absently, pulling up to a four-way stop and checking in all directions. Without thinking, she added, "Lee and I dated several years ago and we've been friends ever since."

  When silence met her words, she realized what she'd said. She'd been so relaxed by the end of the evening that she'd forgotten that Rhiannon might not be aware that she was gay. She wasn't necessarily closeted at work, but neither did she advertise her orientation. She generally kept her personal and professional lives well separated. The senior partners knew, as did Marian, but she doubted any of them had been indiscreet. When it was necessary to attend social functions concerning the firm, she either went alone or took a male friend.

  Clearing her throat nervously, Marika searched for words only to have Rhiannon say casually, "I'll bet she was a lot of fun to go out with."

  "Um, yeah, she was," Marika confirmed, shooting a glance at her assistant, who looked remarkably calm about th
e whole matter.

  Rhiannon smiled reassuringly and then remarked as she stroked the leather seat she occupied, "This sure is a nice car.

  Bemused by the change of topic, Marika nodded. "Yes, I like it. It handles beautifully, inside and out of the city. Do you have a car?"

  "No. Actually, I don't drive."

  "Not at all?" Marika asked in surprise.

  "I never had a car to practice on, so I just never bothered to get my licence," Rhiannon explained with a touch of embarrassment in her voice. "I get around pretty well with public transit so I never even miss it, though I imagine I'll want to get one some day."

  "Hmm," Marika murmured, mildly amazed that anyone in today's world didn't drive. She was approaching the centre of the city and asked, "Where do I go from here?"

  "You can drop me anywhere downtown."

  Marika sighed. "Oh no, I'm not about to explain to Lee how I dumped her Lady Mouse out in the middle of nowhere. Where do you live, Rhiannon?"

  For a moment she didn't think the other woman would answer and then her assistant muttered, "Victoria Park."

  The lawyer hid her surprise and simply nodded. Victoria Park was one of the poorest sections of town and usually only made the news when the police periodically tried to move the hookers off their stroll in the district. City Hall often received complaints about used needles and condoms around neighbourhood schools and playgrounds, but aside from the occasional politically imposed and short-lived initiative, nothing ever changed in that region of the city.

  Following Rhiannon's mumbled instructions, she made her way to the area and through the impoverished neighbourhood, keenly aware that the closer they got to their destination, the more her assistant slumped down in her seat.

  Finally, half way down one shabby street, Rhiannon jerked her thumb at a house and said, "That's it, but if you don't mind, would you drop me at the alley?"

  Marika eyed the tall, narrow, seedy house and made no protest. Turning the corner, she was about to pull into the alley when a small hand on her arm stopped her.

  "I'll get out here," Rhiannon stated firmly, and Marika could tell that her assistant wasn't going to be swayed. She pulled the car to the curb and stopped.