Leave it to Max (Lori's Classic Love Stories Volume 1) (25 page)

“To the assumption that Rosie isn’t normal
and they are.”

The sisters’ gasp was loud in the sudden
silence. Then they both began to talk at once.

But the judge thundered, “Quiet!” and
amazingly they were. “I want to hear this. Go on, Counselor.”

Livy glanced at Kim, who gave her the high
sign, and Rosie, who gave her a smile. Livy wanted to make this
point for her mother. Rosie deserved justice. Everyone did.

Though Livy had gone into law for some
measure of control, lately she’d begun think that the more you
tried to control things, the less control you had. And while this
should have turned her off the job she’d always loved, instead she
saw the law in a whole new light. Because justice—fairness,
equality, decency— while at times as much of an illusion as
control, was still worth fighting for.

Livy approached the bench. “This case is
about one woman’s word against the word of two others. Three women,
who, as everyone knows, do not get along.”

“Our word against
hers,”
Viola stated.
“Whose are you going to believe?”

Livy remained silent and just looked at the
judge. McFie glared at the sisters. Since he was older than their
father, they subsided, though they grumbled words no one could make
out. Livy took the small favor and ran with it.

“Sure, Rosie has been complaining about that
goose to everyone who would listen. She
said
she was going
to do something, although she never said what. Even if she said she
was going to take it, that doesn’t mean she did. I’ve been saying I
was going to throttle her for years, and she’s still
breathing.”

The judge didn’t think she was funny, so Livy
cut to the chase.

“Rosie says she didn’t take that goose. The
sisters say she did.” Livy tossed her hands up and shrugged. “Who
will you believe? The sisters, because their father was a judge,
instead of Rosie, because hers wasn’t? Rosie dresses strange and
believes in ghosts. So what? If you want to get technical, so do
they.”

The sisters gasped again, but this time no
one listened. Livy pressed her advantage and positioned herself in
front of the sisters’ table.

“They’ve got a trained goose and a father who
comes for tea, despite the fact that he’s buried in the family
plot. Not too odd in Savannah. Eccentric. And that’s fine. In fact,
it’s good. Part of the ambience around here.”

The judge nodded, so Livy kept on talking as
she walked toward Rosie. “I’m not saying my mother doesn’t drive me
crazy with her causes and her crusades. But that’s her right. She’s
my mother.”

She winked at Rosie before turning back to
the judge. ‘‘How she dresses, what she believes in, how she chooses
to live her life, has nothing to do with her word or its weight in
a courtroom. In America everyone’s word weighs the same. That’s why
it’s America. She’s innocent until
proven
guilty.
Proven.
And I’ve seen no proof here. So if you’re sitting
for justice, for truth and right, for the American Way...”

Kim snorted.

Maybe she
had
gone too far, so Livy
finished quickly. “Then you have to release Rosie Frasier.
Today.”

As she sat down, the utterance “Cool!”
floated from the back of the room. A glance over her shoulder
revealed that Klein sat right behind her. Since she couldn’t
imagine him saying “Cool!” with quite that level of enthusiasm,
Livy looked farther afield.

Max and Garrett had snuck into the cheap
seats near the door. The proceedings had started late, leaving them
time to arrive after school let out.

Garrett’s dark eyes, intent on her face, made
Livy remember a few other family things that had been going on all
week. She was glad she hadn’t known he was watching her or she
wouldn’t have been able to think straight.

She was also glad Max had caught her little
speech. It was one of her best. He’d heard her defend his precious
Rosie. Now if only he could see justice in action.

“Your Honor, if I could speak?” The assistant
DA stood.

“This is only a hearing, junior, not the
trial. Though Ms. Frasier seems to have made an excellent stab at a
closing statement, regardless.”

“But it’s only fair—”

“I think the people have said enough.”

“But—”

“Sit!”

Someone in the back snickered. Funny, but it
didn’t sound like Max, and she doubted Klein even knew how.

“While I have to say that Mrs. Frasier’s
antics have been a constant thorn in my side, as well as the side
of every judge in Savannah, I must also concede that Ms. Frasier is
right. I have no business making a decision based on my level of
annoyance, however high that level might be. Justice is what we’re
here for. Justice will prevail. Without witnesses or proof, I see
no reason to charge Mrs. Frasier under section 16-8-20 of the
Criminal Code of Georgia, neither felony nor misdemeanor.
Therefore, Mrs. Frasier is released.” He slammed his gavel and fled
the room.

“Wasn’t that fun?” Rosie stood.

“I enjoyed it,” Kim said.

Livy took Rosie’s face between her hands and
kissed both her cheeks. “Nice job.”

“That was all you. And I must say, your daddy
would be proud.”

“Of a lawyer?”

“Of you. Justice. Now, that would have been
right up his alley.”

“It would have.”

“Mom!” A whirlwind hit her legs and wrapped
itself around her waist. Dark happy eyes met her own. “You were the
greatest!”

“I was, wasn’t I?”

“I always thought so.” She met the equally
dark, nearly as happy, eyes of Max’s father. She wanted to touch
him right there in front of everyone, kiss him in celebration and
tell the entire world the truth. But first they had to tell
Max.

“Just who might you be?” Rosie asked.

“Livy,” Kim purred. “You’ve been hoarding the
baby-sitter.”

Klein cleared his throat, and Livy glanced
his way, but he scowled at the approaching sisters.

“I remember you now,” Miss Violet
chirped.

Max still hung on tight to Livy’s waist, a
warm solid presence, as Livy went cold inside.

Both Miss Violet and Miss Viola stared at
Garrett. “You’re that young man Livy spent the summer of...of...
Ach, what was it, Sister?”

Miss Viola’s head swung back and forth
between Max and Garrett. “The summer of 1992.”

“Yes. We only saw you those few times,
walking hand in hand. It was sweet how much in love you were.
That’s why we were so sad when you—” She broke off as the light
dawned and her gaze met Livy’s. “But you’re—” An eyebrow went up;
her lips turned down. “I see.”

The coldness inside Livy spread, making her
feel distant, a watcher, as her world imploded.

Rosie and Kim stared at Garrett, then Max,
then Livy. The hurt in their eyes made it hard for her to breathe.
Garrett appeared as frozen as she was, uncertain, alarmed. Klein
stepped forward as if to help, but there was nothing that could be
done to stop Livy’s house of cards from tumbling, tumbling
down.

She’d thought the worst pain of her life had
been standing in J.J.’s empty room, but she’d been wrong. The worst
pain of all was the sensation of small hands releasing her waist,
the sight of dark eyes filling with understanding and the sound of
a whisper dripping with accusation. “Mom?”

“Max, we need to talk.”

And she discovered she was wrong again,
because the worst agony of all was watching Max run away and
knowing that was justice.

Garrett caught Max before he reached the
door. Livy remained frozen, the sound of her son crying—sobbing,
really—rendering her unable to move or to think.

Max fought Garrett for a minute, then threw
himself into his father’s arms, hiding his face against Garrett’s
stomach. Garrett picked him up, and Max wrapped himself around his
father with complete trust.

She’d been so afraid that Max would be
betrayed by the person he loved the most. She hadn’t expected that
person to be her.

“We need to go somewhere and talk,” Garrett
said.

“I—uh, there’s...” Why couldn’t she
focus?

Garrett turned to Klein. “The three of us
need a private room.”

“You admit you’re his father?”

“I never denied that. I never will.”

Klein gave Garrett his piercing cop’s glare,
then with a sharp nod accepted his words and him. “Follow me.”

Garrett followed with Max. Livy couldn’t seem
to move.

Max still hid his face, as if he couldn’t
bear to look at anyone. Livy knew how he felt. The accusing stares
of her mother and her partner were beginning to make her skin
crawl.

“Maybe you should talk to him alone,” Livy
said. “I don’t think he wants me right now.”

“I
hate
you!” Max shouted, though he
still refused to look at her. “You lied and you told me he was
dead!”

The wail ricocheted off the ceiling and
seemed to slither down Livy’s spine. She hugged herself against the
chills.

“He hates me,” she whispered.

Rosie’s arm came around Livy’s waist, giving
her support when she needed it the most. “All children dislike
their mothers now and again. You know that. But I seem to remember
someone telling me that we all have our reasons for the things that
we do. Max needs to hear yours.”

Livy shook her head, but her mother shoved
her forward. “Olivia, get in that room and talk to your son. Do not
make the mistake I did and let things fester too long.” When Rosie
spoke like that, the appropriate response was “Yes, Mama.”

Livy followed Garrett, Max and Klein to a
conference room. She had been there several times before with
clients. She wished she were with clients now.

“You going to be okay?” Klein asked.

“Probably not.”

He put a finger beneath her chin. “Chin up.
Face the music.”

“I take it that’s your version of ‘I told you
so.’”

His answer was to pat her awkwardly on the
shoulder. “I’ve got to get back to work. If you need anything, all
you have to do is call me.”

Then he shut her in the room to face that
music.

“Are you really my daddy?”

Max’s tear-clogged voice wavered, and Livy
leaned her head against the closed door. She deserved this, but
that didn’t make it any easier to bear.

With a deep breath, she turned. Max still
clung to Garrett’s waist like a koala cub to its mother. At
Garrett’s questioning glance, she nodded.

“Yeah, I’m your dad.”

“But I thought your name was James.”

“It is. James Garrett, Jr. I changed it for
the books.”

Max thought about that a minute, then
shrugged. “’Kay. I’m glad you aren’t dead.”

“Me, too.”

“And I’m glad you’re my dad.”

“You couldn’t be more glad than I am.”

Max’s face, puffy and wet, lightened. He
rubbed his eyes with the back of his uncasted arm. “Really?”

“Of course. What guy wouldn’t be thrilled to
have a great kid like you for a son?”

“I’m not that great. I’m little, and geeky,
and scared of a lot.”

“You’re perfect and I...” Garrett’s voice
trailed off; he glanced at Livy again, and she smiled, even though
she wanted to cry. “I—I—” He cleared his throat, seemed to struggle
a bit, then blurted, “I love you, Max.”

Livy caught her breath. Now that he’d broken
the “I love you” barrier for his son, was there hope he’d break it
someday for her? And if he did, should she believe him? Or would
she always wonder if he loved her merely for Max.

Max, oblivious to the undercurrents, led with
his heart. “I love you, too. I loved you when you were Garrett, but
now that you’re Dad, I love you even better.”

The wonder on Garrett’s face was priceless,
the love in his eyes true. Livy wanted to join them, but at that
moment Max glanced her way and proved that she was an outsider
still, at least where love was concerned.

“I want to live with you now, Dad.”

“Why would you want to do that? Your mother
needs you. She loves you.”

“She lied and said you were dead. I haven’t
had a daddy because of her.”

“Max, I—”

“No.” Garrett gave Livy a warning look. “Let
me.

Even if the truth pulled Max farther away
from her than ever, Garrett deserved to say his piece.

Garrett sat Max on the table and took a
chair. “That’s not true. What happened was my fault, not your
mother’s.’’

Livy had expected to be the bad guy, maybe
because she was.
She’d
lied;
she’d
tried to keep them
apart;
she
was wrong, not him.

“
My
fault,” he repeated. “I ran away
and I didn’t come back for a long, long time.”

Max’s face scrunched up. “Like I was gonna do
but you caught me?”

“Kind of. Except I left Savannah, and your
mom had no idea where I’d gone.”

“She couldn’t have found you if she really,
really tried?”

“I don’t think she could have. I went from
place to place. I was not a responsible guy. I was scared of a lot,
just like you.” He smiled a gentle smile that tugged at Livy low
and deep. “Your mom trusted me, and I broke that trust. She thought
it was better if you believed I was dead. Then you wouldn’t miss me
so much because you’d never had me. Do you understand?”

“No.” Max’s bottom lip jutted out in a
belligerent pout that usually made Livy want to shriek. Now she
just wanted to...shriek. “Mom lied.”

“She did, and that was a mistake. But we all
make them. Don’t you?”

Max hung his head. “All the time.”

“And your mom loves you always, right?”

“Forever and ever, no matter what.”

Livy smiled even though it hurt.

“She did what she thought was best because
she loved you so much. And though she lied, I’d cut her some slack
if I were you, because she’s your mom.”