Chapter 36: Christmas Surprise GuestEarly Christmas morning, Maggie was up checking on the turkey in the refrigerator. She'd dressed in a long black and white striped sweater over black leggings, slippers on her feet. She had the table linens ironed and ready, waiting in the bedroom for the time to put up the tables in the living room. She plugged in the lights on her small tree in the front window, for the millionth time adjusting the decorations, many of which came from her childhood tree. A glance out the window told her that snow was still peppering down. A massive storm had hit the northeast the day before, dumping the white stuff in feet rather than inches. Thankfully, Casey and John were safely ensconced in their hotel room, having taken the train into the city the day before the storm hit. Most transportation had been shut down since early Christmas Eve.Maggie had braved the snowstorm on foot yesterday to get the final items she needed for today's big dinner. She wou
Chapter 37: Happy New YearHis charter from the city had taken him to Norfolk, Virginia, where he'd caught a commercial flight to St. Bart's. He'd arrived more than a day later than he'd expected, and Jana had been none too pleased that he didn't land in St. Bart's until 9:00 Christmas night. She'd been there since Christmas Eve and had spent most of the day alone. At least as far as he knew. Maybe she'd hooked up with some guy before he arrived. She'd been somewhat mollified by his Christmas gift to her.They'd enjoyed a late locally-sourced seafood dinner from room service and he'd given her the earrings. She'd thanked him but hadn't seemed that thrilled with them. On the other hand, her gift to him had been a blow job. "Just what I've always wanted," he'd joked.He loved it when Jana went down on him. It was, perhaps, her one true talent. She had a way of working him with her tongue and she could take all of him without gagging. Michael watched as her blonde head bobbed o
Chapter 38: What's Good for the GooseOne afternoon in late January, Maggie's office phone rang. "Maggie Flynn," she answered."Hi, this is Joe. Joe Santiago?"Maggie frowned. The name was familiar. Who is this again?When she hesitated, he continued, "I teach history at Kennedy High. You and Mr. Rannigan were kind enough to come and speak to my students?""Oh! Joe. I knew I recognized your name. How are you?" Maggie asked"I'm good. Did you have a nice holiday?"Maggie rolled her eyes. What do you need Joe? I'm kind of busy. "I did, it was great. So what can we do for you? Do you need another speaker?"Joe laughed nervously. "No, nothing like that. It's just… Well, I was wondering. Someone gave me two tickets to a new play and I wondered if you'd like to go with me."Maggie sat blinking, her jaw hanging slack. Did he just ask me out? "Uh, wow…I don't know. When is the play?""It's this Friday night. It's supposed to be really good. I know we only met that once,
Chapter 39: Being PettyShe and Joe left shortly after that. The theatre was a short cab ride from the pub. They quickly found their seats and began to scan the Playbill. The play was a modern avant-garde sort of thing, not really Maggie's cup of tea, but she was always up for a live performance. There were brief breaks in the performance, allowing her and Joe a chance to engage in small-talk.Out on the sidewalk after the play, Joe turned to Maggie. "Are you hungry? Would you like to get something to eat? Or drink? Or both?" he asked, laughing at his awkwardness.She smiled. "Sure, that sounds great." They ended up seated in a booth at a cafe not far from Doc's. Over pie and coffee, Maggie answered his questions. She'd grown up in North Carolina, she'd graduated from NYU Law School, she'd worked with Murphy, Rannigan since graduation.He told her that he'd been raised in upstate New York. She learned that he'd been teaching for about eight years, since his graduation from
Chapter 40: Curiosity Killed the CatMichael arrived at the office early on Monday morning. He was anxious to see Maggie and ask about her weekend. He'd briefly toyed with the idea of Snapchatting her on Sunday but then thought better of it. He was standing by Karen's desk perusing some documents when Maggie stepped off the elevator. "Howdy, Mags. Good morning."Maggie was juggling her purse, her case, and a huge coat she'd apparently removed in the elevator. "Hey, Michael. Happy Monday."He followed her to her office, holding open the door so she could enter with her arms full. She put down her purse and case on her desk and hung up her coat in the small closet near the door. Casually, one ankle crossed over the opposite knee, Michael leaned back on the sofa across from her desk. "So how was your weekend?" He aimed for nonchalance.Maggie turned and smiled radiantly. "It was great!" She returned to her desk and locked her purse in the bottom drawer, placing the case on th
Chapter 41: I Just Hate Feeling StupidIn the following weeks and months, with Dan as their third, they found their groove again, working cases, searching for precedents, poring over documents, interviewing clients and witnesses. In court they worked together flawlessly, winning most of their cases, occasionally losing, but always ready for appeal.Maggie went out with Joe several times over the next few months, sometimes to a movie or to dinner, but it always seemed to Maggie that it was just an excuse for them to get together to have sex. She knew she didn't love him, wasn't really attracted to him beyond the physical if she was perfectly honest, but she rationalized it to herself. If it's good enough for Michael… It was mid-April when she realized that it had been a while since Joe had called. I haven't heard from him in about a month, she mused. She didn't waste time or energy worrying about it. He's probably busy with school.One Saturday morning, she and Michael met at th
Chapter 42: Maggie in Court"I feel like shit," Michael groaned. It was halfway into the fifteen-minute recess the judge had granted at his request. In the privacy of the courthouse's lawyers' lounge, Maggie touched the underside of her wrist to his forehead."You look like shit. Your eyes are all glassy and you're warm," she said, shaking her head. "You should be home in bed. Ask for a continuance."That morning he'd come to the office with a slight headache which he had ignored. Now his head seemed ready to explode and he felt both cold and hot at the same time. His body ached, and he felt shaky."I don't want to do that. This little shit has taken up enough of my time. Our time." In the eighteen months that Maggie had been with Murphy, Rannigan, this was the third time Nathan Menzel, errant son of Councilman Robert Menzel, had been arrested for criminal stupidity. The last time, the charge had been trespassing and mischief at the home of a former girlfriend. This was hi
Chapter 43: House CallWhen they reached his apartment, Michael sank onto the living room couch, resting his head on an overstuffed throw pillow and automatically clicking on television sports. Maggie stood uncertainly. Now that he'd made it home, she could probably leave him to himself. He'd refused to go to an urgent care doctor, instead calling his own physician, who made house calls. "Would you like a blanket while you're waiting, Michael?" she asked him."That'd be great, Mags," he said. "There's a linen closet down the hall past my bedroom." He pointed vaguely without sitting up. Maggie looked to her left. She'd seen a hallway when they first entered the apartment. She moved in that direction, passing a huge bedroom, and found the linen closet a bit further down the hall. Choosing a white cotton blanket from the shelf, she couldn't resist peeking in the other rooms before returning to the living room. She counted three large bedrooms, each with its own ensuite bathroo
Chapter 131: EpilogueIt was a crisp fall day as the new black Range Rover made its way carefully through the narrow lanes, coming to a stop at the base of a hill. The deep cerulean sky was accented by the vibrant scarlets, pumpkins, and golds of autumn leaves. Bobby shifted into 'Park' and looked over at Maggie.She chewed her lip anxiously. "I won't be long.""Take your time, cher." He smiled at her reassuringly. "We're not in any hurry."Maggie sighed deeply and unfastened her seat belt. She stepped out of the car and opened the door to the backseat, leaning in to retrieve a small bundle before closing the door again. "I won't be long," she repeated.Bobby watched as she carefully picked her way up the hill. "Daddy, can I go, too?" Savannah chirped from the back seat."No, June bug, let Mommy have a minute. Then we'll go to the country. Are you ready to pick some apples?""Yes! Apples!" she responded, and she began to sing a song about picking apples.At nearly the crest
Chapter 130: So Typically MichaelBrian smiled warmly as he welcomed Maggie and Bobby into his office. "I'm happy to have you here," he said, "I only wish it were under different circumstances."Maggie nodded mutely as she took in her surroundings. The law offices of Brian Murphy & Associates occupied a converted three-story building on W. 79th. The building had once been residential. The outer walls were exposed brick, and Maggie found that along with wood accents and details, everything worked together to create a comfortable, relaxed feel. Brian himself was casually dressed in khaki slacks and a white button-down shirt topped by a forest green V-neck cardigan. "This is a nice place," she murmured thoughtfully.Brian gave her a curious look and smiled again. "Well, it's not Murphy, Rannigan, but I think I actually like it better. We don't stand on formality around here. We're a small firm, and we like to think of ourselves as the friendly neighborhood lawyers. You know, whe
Chapter 129: HeartbrokenSean Michael Rannigan was buried on a cold morning in late March. The frozen ground was bare of snow, but flurries swirled through the air on a biting breeze. Maggie found the grey day fitting for a funeral. As she watched the assortment of mourners gathered around the grave, her thoughts went back four days earlier to the day Michael had died.There had been a blur of activity. Rosalie had made the necessary calls to the necessary parties. Attendants from the funeral home had come and discreetly ushered his body away. Maggie had been disconsolate. Bobby had held her until she'd run out of tears.By the time they'd left to pick up Savannah from school, the apartment had been restored to normal, the medical equipment packed up and hauled away. Maggie had sensed the emptiness of the place and insisted that they pack up their things and return to her apartment.She'd forced a smile when Savannah came running up to the two of them in front of the school. "
Chapter 128: Michael's JourneyMaggie clasped and unclasped her hands as she sat anxiously beside the hospital bed in Michael's bedroom. Michael lay propped up against a mountain of pillows, his grey t-shirt showing above the crisp white cotton blanket that covered the rest of him. He'd insisted that the bed be placed beside the window and the drapes be left open so he could look out over the city. He drifted off now and again, but he seemed determined to be awake.It had been a rough night. Maggie and Bobby, along with the overnight nurse, had tag-teamed sitting up with Michael, who had alternated between sleeping fitfully and waking to spells of deep coughing and ragged wheezing.Bobby went to shower and get Savannah ready for school while Maggie and Michael watched the sun come up over the city. The colors were extraordinary, washing the sky in shades of pink, orange, purple, and blue. Maggie couldn't recall the last time she'd watched the sunrise. Michael watched the scene a
Chapter 127: Michael's Family By ChoiceSavannah's clear blue eyes were huge as Bobby introduced her to Michael. "Savannah, you remember Mr. Michael. We met him at the airport that time. He's invited us to stay here with him for a while until we find our own house."When the doctor had released Michael from the hospital, he'd given him a timeline of a few weeks. Maggie had approached Michael, asking if she and Bobby could bring Savannah and stay with him for a while, and Michael had balked. "I don't want a bunch of people waiting around for me to die."She'd convinced him that he'd be doing them a favor, buying them time to find the right place. The truth was, she couldn't bear to think of being all the way in the East Village when he might need her.Now, the little girl regarded Michael solemnly, taking in his gaunt appearance, his grey sunken cheeks and his eyes with their dark circles. Her little brow wrinkled. "What's wrong with your face?" she asked."Savannah!" Bobby excl
Chapter 126: FamilymoonMaggie sat up on her beach blanket and hugged her knees, wriggling her toes and burying them in the cooler sand below the surface. Further down the beach, Bobby dutifully carried a small pink plastic pail as Savannah gathered shells. Maggie gazed past them to the sailboat anchored a few hundred yards offshore. It was their home for the week, and they'd sailed it to remote coves and empty beaches, relishing the quiet and the opportunity to bond as a family. Her gaze returned to Bobby and his daughter, and she smiled contentedly. It wasn't conventional, but it was just right.As if he felt her eyes on him, Bobby turned and smiled knowingly. He bent and said something to Savannah who looked to Maggie and waved. Maggie smiled and waved back as the pair returned to where she sat, Savannah scampering along while Bobby strolled purposefully, dropping his tall frame to the empty space beside her on the blanket."You've worn me out, June bug. Let me sit here by M
Chapter 125: Michael, Back in the SaddleMichael sat back in his chair at the large oak conference table and relished the feeling of being in control. It had been too long since he'd done real casework. He'd forgotten how it felt, the rush of knowing that he held all the right cards. His charcoal grey suit hung a little loose due to the weight he'd lost, but he still knew how to project a confident presence. Figuring it would negatively impact his intimidation factor, he'd left his oxygen in the rental car.Bobby sat quietly beside him, tension radiating from his body. Michael had thoroughly prepped him. "Don't say anything. If they speak to you, look at me. Above all, don't let them bait you."Across the table, Deanna, in her white blouse and navy-blue knee-length skirt with her honey blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail, looked more the sad abandoned single mother than the scheming opportunistic gold-digger that she was. Her gaze flitted nervously between Michael and Bobb
Chapter 124: Custody IssuesThe deceptively bright sun and cloudless blue sky seemed at odds with the brisk cold day. But it made for a perfect afternoon spent skating at Wellman Rink in Central Park. Savannah squealed in delight as she struggled along on her ice skates. She was in no real danger of falling, safely tucked between her father and Maggie who each held a hand. She looked up, and Maggie could see the child's pink cheeks and sparkling eyes. "Are you having fun?" she asked the little girl."Yeah! This is awesome!"Bobby looked at Maggie over his daughter's head and winked, smiling. He was beyond grateful to Maggie for taking the unscheduled visit in stride. She'd even taken off work on Friday afternoon so that she could stay with Savannah when he'd had to leave for the studio. He'd arrived home late that night to find the little girl fast asleep in a makeshift tent constructed out of a blanket draped over a card table. "We decided to pretend we were camping," Mag
Chapter 123: EngagedBobby's eyes twinkled with mischief. "How's that?"Illuminated only by the handful of candles scattered about the room, Maggie pulled against the restraints that bound her wrists to the bars of her iron headboard and giggled softly. "It's fine.""No, you're fine," he murmured as his hand lightly traced along the side of her body. He continued down her leg to bind first one ankle then the other to the corners of the bed. He stood at the end gazing over her nude body spread out before him, candlelight bathing her skin in a soft glow. "Aiee, cher, how did I get so lucky?"Slowly, keeping his eyes on hers, he removed his shirt, jeans, and boxer briefs. His impressive erection stood at attention. "Where do I even start?" he whispered, and she giggled again.Bobby crawled onto the bed between her open legs, moving up over her body until he reached her face. Leaning down, he kissed her deeply. "Oh, Bobby," she whispered against his lips.He lightly nipped down t