9. THE MIRACLE

"Morning Akua." Louisa greeted her assistant as she briskly walked to her office. The poor woman could barely keep up.

"Morning Louisa. Here's your coffee"

Louisa gratefully took the plastic cup from her assistant and quizzed her on the day's itinerary.

"Uh...you have to meet up with Mr. Asante and his lawyers, and you promised to be on Jeannette's co-defense council meaning you have to go to court."

"Ughhh." Louisa groaned.

"It's today? The days seem to be flying by so fast."

Placing her bag down and settling down in her chair, Louisa massaged her temples as she waited for her assistant to get comfortable in the chair opposite her.

Akua scrolled down her iPad .

"Oh and Louisa, one Mr. Ayettey called to book an appointment. Should I clear him for today?"

Louisa sipped on her coffee with an indecipherable look on her face. Oh so he still has my card. After a whole week, he calls to make an appointment and thinks I'll be at his beck and call just like that. Well he's got another thing coming. She thought to herself.

Taking a small sip of her coffee she replied. "Mm. No Akua. This week won't be good. You know that. Why don't you refer him to Peter or Ella? You know we recommend them every time I'm too busy to take on cases."

If he thinks I'll want to see him now that he's ready, well then he's in for some shock. She thought to herself wickedly.

Her secretary shook her head. "I tried Louisa, believe me I really did. But he was adamant. He insisted it had to be you and no one else."

Louisa sighed as she took another sip of the hot beverage. "Alright, place him somewhere next week. If he wants me and no one else he'd have to understand that he can't just book appointments without notice. I'm sure he'd understand. Is there anything else?"

"No Louisa....Uh.... That's all for today." Akua with a final glance at her iPad confirmed.

Louisa nodded. "Alright then. Could you get me Nate? Tell him it's about the Pro Bono cases."

"Sure thing Louisa. Anything else?"

"Yes....Please hold my calls for the next two hours."

"Will do Louisa." The pretty assistant mock saluted causing her boss to let out a snort.

Just a teeny little one.

You know the one where you find something funny but don't really want to indicate that it is?

Yeah, that one.

Louisa spun around in her chair for a few minutes after her assistant had left. Her mind flitted back to her reaction when Akua had told her about Chris. Why had she been angry? Even though she didn't want to admit it, she had been really looking forward to his call. It was disappointing then that he didn't call the day following the weekend they'd met, or the next, or the next.

What does this mean? She thought anxiously as she drank her coffee. She didn't even like him. Well she did, but not in that sense. As a friend. Nothing more.

She sighed heavily. Naa Larley is getting to my head.

She slipped out of her thoughts when she heard a knock at her door and Nate's face peeked in from behind the door.

"Hey." She smiled. "Come on in."

**********

"Alright. Alright. Thank you very much." Chris concluded as he placed the receiver in it's cradle. That had been Louisa's assistant, and apparently her boss was packed for the week.

Chris sighed as he ran his hands across his bald head.

The thought of seeing Louisa again had been the highlight of his week, and now it seemed the sunlight had been sucked out of his life.

He had wanted to call on her right on the Monday after the weekend they'd met again. But he had held back.

He knew Louisa.

One wrong move will send her scurrying in the opposite direction. It was why he had kept their relationship platonic during their university days. But it seemed fate had given him a do over, and he wasn't going to mess it up.

He had a second chance and this time he was going to do everything to make it right. Louisa was going to be his; his lifelong dream was soon going to become reality.

*******

Louisa tiredly kicked off her shoes as she stepped into her office and slipped on her comfy slippers. It had been a really good day. She had been in court and they had won Jeannette's case. The defendant had been charged with murdering her husband but she was completely innocent. They had successfully proven her innocence and she got to go back to her three little kids once again.

This was why Louisa loved the law. She loved the thrill she got when justice was served; when she saw smiles on the faces of her clients and their families, it was unexplainable really, but she saw it as another way to do God's work and save souls.

Settling down on the couch in her office, she grabbed the takeout Akua had ordered for her and dug right into the jollof rice and chicken. She was really famished, having not eaten since morning, well save for coffee and it was three pm already.

She heard her phone ring and hurried to her desk to answer it.

"Hey girl. How's it going?" Naa Larley shouted as soon as she answered.

"I'm alright. Is everything okay?" Louisa asked anxiously.

"Why won't everything be? Why a girl can't randomly call her bestie for no reason now huh??" Naa quizzed with a laugh.

Louisa joined on on the laughter. "Well when you say it like that, it makes sense I guess. Alright what's up? You gotta make it quick though. I have a meeting in thirty."

"Mike and I just want to invite you over for dinner tonight. No biggie. He just hasn't seen you in a long while."

Mike was Naa Larley's husband.

You know the guy she went to meet at the club years back? Yeah, they knew they were each other's soul mates after a couple of dates and had gotten married. It pleased Louisa greatly to see that they were still going strong even after 15 plus years of marriage with no kids.

"Oh okay." Louisa said as she sat down on the couch to continue with her late lunch.

"I'll be there but I'll be a little late." She conceded.

"Wonderful." Naa Larley gushed over the phone. The duo exchanged small talk for a while and then Louisa hung up.

She was just about done with lunch when she heard a knock at her door.

Akua peeped in. "Mr Asante and his lawyers are here Louisa."

"Oh."

She seemed confused for a moment as she wiped her lips with a tissue.

"Uhm.....take them to conference room C and tell them we'll be with them shortly."

Akua nodded. "Right on it."

Louisa quickly cleaned after herself and freshened up. She popped a mint gum into her mouth and reapplied her lipstick. Confident with her look, she waltzed out of her office and headed for the conference room.

*************

Louisa parked her car at the driveway of the Wilson's residence at exactly 8pm. She was super late and she could only hope that Naa Larley didn't kill her.

"Yaay, you're here." Naa rushed to hug her friend as she locked her car door.

"And here I was thinking you'd kill me for running late." Louisa teased.

Naa Larley grinned. "Oh I was contemplating it to be honest but today is a wonderful day so what the hell huh?

The duo went indoors and Louisa exchanged pleasantries with her best friend's husband as she gave him a crushing hug.

"It's been really long Mike. A big mouthed birdie told me you were missing me so I had to grace you with my presence." Louisa teased making Mike shake with laughter. "Touché."

Naa Larley rolled her eyes dramatically and smacked her friend. "You can't come in here and be calling me an animal. I won't have it."

Louisa raised her hands in mock surrender. "I'm sorry your highness. It'll never happen again."

All three burst into another round of laughter as Naa led them to the dining room for dinner.

After a wonderful meal and excellent conversation, Mike cleared his throat nervously.

"Louisa, Naa and I have something to tell you." He reached out and held his wife's hands as tears streamed down her face.

Louisa was concerned. "Are you both, okay? What's going on? You're freaking me out."

Naa Larley laughed through her tears. "It's actually good news Lou. I'm pregnant."

Louisa screamed in jubilation as the couple laughed along with her. They all joined in a big hug with tears running down all of their faces.

"I'm so happy for you guys. This is the best news I've had in years. Congratulations to you both." Louisa spoke out.

After they settled down in their seats again, Louisa continued. "Mike, you have no idea how thankful I am to you. Other men would have left, some would have cheated, but you stayed on and continued to give my dear friend hope. I was praying for you guys and I'm very happy that God has answered my prayers."

The couple smiled warmly at their friend. Naa could remember those sleep overs she had at Louisa's.....where she'd cry till she couldn't anymore, where she'd contemplate ending it all so Mike could have someone better to fulfill his lifelong dream of having children and through it all Louisa had been there to help her out. Sometimes it had been hugs...Other times too slaps...anything just to snap her out of her depressions.

"Why are we all crying like someone just died?" Naa quizzed causing her friend and husband to quickly wipe their tears and plaster smiles on their faces.

Mike laughed as he stole a brief kiss from his wife. "You're right honey. This calls for celebration. I'll get the champagne and the glasses." He said standing up.

Louisa stood up as well. "And I'll clean up."

Naa Larley moved to the den to wait for her husband and friend to join her. She settled down in the couch and turned on the television.

After a few moments, the two joined her and everyone cheered as Mike opened the champagne and the cork popped out.

"It's non alcoholic so you can drink too, honey." Mike whispered as he handed his wife a glass. He held her in his arms and lightly kissed her forehead.

Louisa secretly gushed as she watched the couple gaze at each other lovingly. She was really happy for her friend.

"A toast." She interrupted excitedly.

Everyone raised their glasses, waiting for Louisa to continue.

"To miracles." She whispered.

Mike gazed adoringly at his wife.

"To miracles." They chorused.