Disclaimer: Don�t own characters, just muddle on through the plot� For lyrics to Send in the Clowns visit my Lyrics page. S e n d i n t h e C l o w n s P a r t T e n �You�re getting a new assistant Jack, now don�t pull that face, it�s only for a while and by all accounts she�s very good.� Jack finally lifted his head from inside his drawer and looked up at his boss. �How long for?� �Just a few months, until she graduates. Then we�ll assess how she�s doing, may offer her a position.� �Doug you can�t afford the staff you�ve got now.� �Don�t I know it. That�s why I�m participating in this scheme, they work for free.� �But at what cost to the sanity of your paid workers. I don�t need some young jumped up wannabe lawyer under my feet. I�m busy enough as it is.� �Jack � just try it, if she drives you crazy, then we�ll get rid of her.� �She, it�s a she?� �Yes, I told you that.� �Great, as if I don�t have enough nagging women in my life.� �I told you to stay away from marriage.� Doug opened the office door and prepared to leave. �Now just try to be nice to her.� Jack had long since returned to searching his drawer. �Yeah, yeah.� He was aware of Doug leaving his office when something suddenly occurred to him. �Hey, what�s her name?� �Nora, Nora Lewin.� �Great, sounds like she�s a snob.� * * * Although Jack had long since lost the thrill of being married there was something undying and wondrous in having the responsibility of parenthood upon his shoulders. He watched his little girl running across the grass toward him, shouting with her friends and immediately the day�s stress dispersed. He didn�t often get the chance to collect her from school but as his wife was attending some �women � only� party he had actually looked forward to spending some time alone with her. �Hi dad.� She climbed in next to him, face flushed with running. �Hi sweetie, what�s this?� He asked pointing to the stains on her top. �Erm painting. Will Mummy be angry?� He smiled reassuringly. �Who says she has to know anything about it?� �Now, just a quick trip to my office and then out for some dinner I think.� �Where to?� she squealed. �Anywhere you choose.� * * * Sarah always loved visiting her father�s work place, probably mostly due to the fact that each member of staff spun her round as she raced along the corridors. Jack as always lagged behind, struggling to keep up with his daughter�s enthusiasm. He kept a careful eye on her as she dodged desks and legs and found her way to his office door. She stood on tiptoes to reach the handle and swung it open, racing in to sit high up in his chair and spin herself round, but when she got there a strange woman was already occupying that position. �Hello.� She said nervously noting the little girl. �Hello, who are you? Why are you in my Daddy�s chair?� She stood up as the man entered the room and stared at her shocked. �Hi, I�m Nora, you�re new assistant.� She shuffled from foot to foot. �Oh, I didn�t expect you today.� Jack dropped Sarah�s jacket and various paintings onto his couch. �Sorry I didn�t realise this was your chair, I was just waiting.� �That�s ok.� He smiled. �No need to be nervous.� �Thanks, I had one hell of a day.� Sarah ignored their conversation as she pushed past Nora�s legs and climbed up into the chair and began to spin herself round. �I couldn�t find the place, then couldn�t get a cab. And I was so weighed down with books and I�d had no lunch and then you weren�t here I thought I�d really messed up our first meeting.� She stopped for breath. Jack couldn�t help but laugh at her mindless chatter, did she even think through what she was saying? �What? You�re laughing at me?� He shook his head. �No, at the situation, it�s my fault. I completely forgot you were coming by, had to pick up my daughter.� He gestured towards Sarah. �Oh, that�s ok then. Should we reschedule for tomorrow or something. I�m free in the afternoon again.� �Sure, that will be fine.� He opened his cabinet drawer and began searching through the hundreds of files present there. She watched him intently. �You know who they all belong to?� �Hmm kind of, they get a little mixed up occasionally.� He looked up at her as she brushed the errant hair back from her face, she was pretty, she looked untidy, but pretty. �You should go home, and try and relax.� �Why? Do I look terrible? She held her face. �No, just if you�ve had a hard day, that�s all I meant.� �Oh, I see, thanks.� He looked past her. �Sarah don�t swing so much you�ll make yourself dizzy.� �She�s having fun, aren�t you dear.� Sarah nodded as her stomach completed another round of somersaults. �We�re going out for dinner.� �Are you � anywhere nice?� �For ice cream.� She smiled jumping up. �Daddy I�m going to the bathroom before we go.� �Alright, don�t go wandering into Doug�s office, he�s probably busy.� But she�d already skipped away ignoring his warning. �She�s sweet � and very polite.� �You should see her in a bad mood.� �She looks like you.� �You think?� Nora nodded. Jack studied her properly now as she gazed round his office, staring at the books stacked up on every available surface. She couldn�t have been much younger than him, perhaps a few years. �Tell me, why did you decide on the law?� �Is this my initiation?� Jack shrugged. �Just curiosity.� �Well I left school and worked in my Mother�s store for a few years, got bored and decided to do what �I� wanted to do for a change.� �I see.� �Wasted a few years I think.� �You�re still young, plenty of time left. Nice to have somebody more my own age.� Nora smiled, the first time he�d seen that breath-taking smile. Her eyes shining, her features warm and friendly. �You�re not exactly old.� �I suppose not.� He smiled in return, suddenly worried about being in his old jeans and t-shirt. �Well I got to get going I suppose.� He said holding the file up he�d found. �Yeah sure, I�ll see you tomorrow. Around 3, will that be ok?� �Fine. Look forward to it, we�ll have a good chat and I�ll take you through the cases I�m working on at the moment.� �Great. Thanks for being friendly, most lawyers I meet can be real pains in the ass.� She smiled and left his office. The first time he�d met her, the first time he�d felt that magic and taken part in the meaningless yet easy banter that existed between them. Saying nothing yet everything all at the same time. P l e a s e r e v i e w S t o r i e s |