Interference

©
2
016 Maddy
Roman

A
ll Rights Reserved
. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

T
his book is
a work of fiction. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locations is purely coincidental. The characters are all productions of the author's imagination.

Please note that this work is intended only for adults over the age of 18 and all characters represented as 18 or over.

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I
swallowed
down the bitter taste as I pulled open the center drawer of my desk and rifled through the contents, scattering pens and paper clips. Surely there was an antacid in here somewhere? I pressed my finger down on some of the pastel colored crumbs and licked them off my fingers. Impatiently I yanked the drawer all the way out and one lone pink tablet flew out, up over my head, and then down to the floor and under the windowsill behind where I was sitting. I shoved the drawer back into place and spun in my chair, falling to my knees, and scrabbling after the one elusive remaining pill. I had to reach behind the heater but I managed to grab it. I brushed the lint off, eyed the tablet skeptically, then popped it in my mouth. Leaning back against the wall I chewed the fruity flavored chalk, waiting for the acid in my stomach to abate.

Happy Monday.

There was a knock at my door and I peered around the desk, unfortunately the wall was glass and my would-be visitor, my boss of course, could see me.

I stood as gracefully as I could and simultaneously brushed off my skirt and snatched the door open to let Barton Connor in. Judge Barton Connor.

"Your honor, sorry, I, um, dropped some paperclips, c'mon in," I said as I moved back so he could get past me.

He eyed me skeptically, and I was sure he didn't believe me. But to be honest he always looked at me like that. I’d never felt like I had quite gained his approval in spite of the fact that he had just promoted me, and had taken me out to dinner to celebrate just last night. "Just stopping by to make sure you're ready for the meeting today."

"Yep," I stood and straightened my skirt, grabbing my blazer from the back of my chair, "Shall we go?"

"After you," he paused as he waited for me to slip on the blazer on and grab the leather portfolio from my desk. He distributed those liberally and expected his staff to carry them at all times. It had nothing important in it today, but it looked like it did and that was all that mattered.

My heels clacked noisily on the marble floors of the courthouse, the echoing making me feel conspicuous. Usually I didn't mind, attorneys like to be the center of attention as a general rule, but today I was feeling some of that old imposter syndrome creeping in. I knew I was good enough, and this step up to assistant magistrate was another step on my dream path to becoming a judge, but there were a couple of loose ends I would need to tie up just as soon as I could before I could relax into my new role.

The press conference began right on time. I was faced with a few flashing bulbs as the cameras went off, and a news video camera or two. Nothing huge, but this is a small town and I wasn't expecting much. It was mercifully brief actually, with Barton, the Chief Magistrate, making a short announcement about me, and me saying not much more than thank you.

As we returned to my office, Barton put his hand on my shoulder and I shivered as I felt his hot breath on my neck as he whispered "good job" to me. I'm sure he didn't mean to be creepy, but he definitely was creeping me out. Some people have no idea how they make others feel. Barton is one of those people.

When we got to my office, I turned to face him.

"Thank you again, this means the world to me," I extended my hand. He ignored it and moved in to kiss my cheek. I dodged just enough to create an air kiss situation, and quickly stepped back.

"I'm going to be leaving shortly, but I'll be back in a couple of weeks."

"Perfect," he said, "good luck with the move and visit home. In the meantime, we'll finish up the background check and get your new offices ready."

"Right, background check," I nodded stiffly.

"It's nothing, don't worry, just a formality. We'll see you when you return. I'm looking forward to working more closely with you."

I'm sure it was a smile on his face, but it looked like a sneer. The poor guy had no game. He was also old enough to be my grandfather.

I slipped into my office with a wave before he managed to put his hand on my shoulder again, and closed the blinds that covered the windows to the hallway. With a sigh I tossed the portfolio on my desk and opened it to a fresh blank legal yellow pad. I didn't really need a list; I knew what I had to do.

1. Pack.

2. Drive home to Bloom, GA.

3. Get Daire Raiin, hockey god, a leading scorer in the NHL known simply as Raiin, Raiin, storm god of the NHL, to sign the divorce papers.

4. Live happily ever after.

Simple. Right?

T
he drive
down the interstate was best very early in the morning, and by best I mean least awful. When I was offered a job north of the city, I had accepted partly based on avoiding the drive downtown in metro Atlanta traffic.

I turned the radio up as I headed home to my town on the far edge of Atlanta. Even with its proximity to the city, it had a small town feel. There was a college rink nearby that was used by the school where Daire did some volunteer work, and I probably could have found him there if I wanted to see him right away.

Which I didn't. Not yet. Reaching into my purse I found an antacid, this one in a pocket. I wiped it off and chomping down on it, I tried not to think about how much lint I had ingested in the last few days. I really needed to buy a fresh bottle of those things. I ate them like candy these days.

I could feel my shoulders relaxing as I drove into town. Even though I had some unpleasant chores ahead of me, home was still home. I drove past the revived main street and smiled at the flowers blooming in half whiskey barrels that lined the street. There was a coffee/bookstore/antique shop at the corner now, replacing the tea/penny candy/antique shop that had been there last time I was home.

I drove down quiet well kept streets and stopped at a southern style ranch house with a front porch featuring rocking chairs and tables for sweet tea. I rapped gently on the screen door. The big wooden door behind the screen swung open slowly, and a little boy with a mop of blond curls and saucer blue eyes looked up at me.

"Aunt Savannah!" he yelped as he turned and ran down the hallway, "Mama Aunt Savannah's here," he called, leaving me standing on the porch. Laughing I pushed the door open and stepped into the living room.

"Hey, girl," my best friend, Ally, emerged from the kitchen in the back, wiping her hands on a dishtowel. "I see Grady let you in."

"Actually no, he took one look and ran for you. I let myself in. How the hell are you? Oops," I glanced at Grady who was back in the room, "I mean how the heck are you?"

"Savannah said a naughty word!" he beamed at his mom. He loved tattling on me.

"Yes she did, and she hasn't even been here two minutes, go put your money in the swear jar girlfriend, then come see me in the kitchen."

I went to the shelf in the closet that held the swear jar, mostly reserved for me, and put in my dollar. "So what's going on today?" I asked as I followed Ally and Grady to the kitchen.

"Honestly I was just doing dishes. Here," she said tossing me a hand towel, "make yourself useful."

"So let's see, your long lost best friend shows up and it costs me a dollar, and now I'm doing dishes? Welcome home Savannah!"

"You know we love you, and you're not that long lost anyway. I mean I know where to find you. How about some coffee? And I have fresh blueberry muffins, want one of those?'

"No on the coffee but the muffins sound lovely, I'll have one, where does this go?" I asked holding up a freshly dried piece of plastic-ware.

"Grady will take it, won't you baby?"

"Yes, mama," he said taking the container and opening a floor level drawer and putting it away.

"So, to what do we owe the pleasure?" she said as she shooed Grady toward the TV room. "C'mon honey, let us chat, and you go play for a while, ok?"

"Can I go outside?" he asked, blue eyes shining.

"Later. We'll go swimming, ok?"

"Yeah!"

I laughed "He's getting so big!"

"Four going on sixteen. He told me the other day I was being unreasonable," she laughed shaking her head.

"What'm I doing here," I mused out loud while I peeled the wrapper off my blueberry muffin, "well, I'm being promoted to assistant magistrate. So, ya know, that's cool!"

"Girl, that's awesome, it's just what you wanted!"

"Yeah, it really is. A few years at this, then Judge Connor retires, and I am in line for the Senior Magistrate job. I just have to tie up a few loose ends down here before I can start. I have a couple of weeks here, then back to work."

"So, by loose ends I'm guessing you mean your divorce."

I looked down and picked at the wrapper from my muffin. "Yeah, I have to get that finished. It's not good for my law career to be married to a rough and rowdy hockey enforcer. And we've been separated longer than we were married, which was like, a hot minute. It's been long enough. It's time."

She looked at me and moved my hands aside, and with a sweeping motion brushed the wrapper, which I had by now torn into about a thousand pieces, into her hand and walked to the trash.

"Is that what you want?"

"Of course it is, I mean, why wouldn't it be? He's reckless and he's trouble, I don't need that in my career. Or my life, we weren't married 48 hours before he forgot to come home. Well you were there, you know. "

"Damn straight you don't need it." she agreed. "Although he hasn't signed your divorce papers yet—so I don't know why he would now."

"Mama, swear jar!" we heard from the other room.

"Right kiddo, yep, hang on,"

"Right, I need him to sign these," I said as I extracted our divorce papers from my handbag. Setting them on the counter I got up to find some milk, my stomach was on fire.

"Well, he agreed to everything, right? So it shouldn't be a big deal, just get him in a room, ask him to do you a big favor.... Hmmm, yeah, I'd rather not have your day, thanks," she arched an eyebrow, "what's up with the milk? I have coffee."

"No, my stomach ..." I trailed off.

"I keep telling you to listen to your gut. It's been up in arms since you moved north and took that promotion. Honey, this stress is gonna kill you."

"It's not, really, it's just a tough transition." I sighed.

"How many years can one transition go on?" she asked, then without waiting for my answer, she continued, "So, how's your love life?" she said, changing the subject.

"Well, other than my lecherous boss, I haven't got one, and you wouldn't like anyone I brought home anyway!"

"No, that's true, we're, uh, we were, the gruesome foursome, didn't we have a ball?"

I smiled "Yep, we did. No question there."

"I miss those days; I have to admit."

"Me too, but you're busy with Grady, and well," I sighed, "we've all moved on I guess. Great muffin by the way, I was starved!"

"Here, have another," she said pushing a plate of them toward me.

"Well, at least it gave me a reason to come home for a few days, so there's that," I said while smashing the crumbs on my plate together with a fork and licking the tines clean. "I think I'll let that muffin settle, thanks though. Anyway, I'll be around for a week at least, maybe we can go out or something?"

"Let's do a girls’ night! Justin can bond with Grady for a few hours and we'll go hit up the Tavern. It will be just like the old days!" She paused, "But with more wrinkles and less booze, and an earlier bedtime."

I crumpled my napkin and tossed it at her. "You're on, how 'bout tonight? And no early bedtime for either of us! We'll be wild women for the night. Just like the old days."

"Yeah, well, not until you get your errands done. It was great to see you, but we both know you're stalling! Get out of here sistah, you have things to do!"

I sighed, "I know, you're right. I mean, I'd never come to town without seeing you, and you're always my first stop, but yeah, I'm stalling. I don't want to go do this."

"Do you have to?"

"Have to what?" I was confused.

"See Daire, make him sign the papers, take that job, whatever it is that's making your stomach all raw nerve endings is what I mean. Do you have to? Is this your path?"

I looked at my friend as she shook her glossy brown curls at me. Her brown eyes offered nothing but compassion, she was one of a kind and I was lucky to have her.

"Smile for me! I'm fine, show me your dimples," I teased her.

"Oh you, stop, I do not have dimples! It's unbecoming for a grown woman!"

"You're adorable Ally. Never change," I checked my watch. "You're right though, I should go. When are we going out? What time?"

"I'll talk to Justin, probably 8:30-ish works best for us though. I'll let you know."

"Okay! Hey Grady, I'm leaving, you take good care of your mom now, I'll see you soon!"

"See you Aunt Savannah! Don't forget to bring dollars for the swear jar!"

"I won't forget, ya little munchkin," I said as I slipped off my shoes and chased him around the den. When I caught him I planted a big smooch on his cheek. "Later big guy!"

"Later," he said as he wiped the kiss off his cheek with his shoulder.

"You get this started, you hear me! The sooner you see him, the better you're going to feel. Go … now!"

"Yes ma'am," I mock saluted, and left to put the final nail in the coffin that had been me and Daire Raiin, hockey god.