1-2-3 Years...
Chapter Two
Alexander Cabot was a lawyer. She was a lawyer because she loved being a lawyer. But more than just the law itself she loved litigating. She loved every part of litigation. She loved the scene of the courtroom, with a judge and the jury, with the guilty and the victim, and then the lawyers. The lawyers both armed with same facts in the arena of law, yet attacking at opposite directions and for complete opposite verdicts. Courtroom was her element where she had perfected herself the best. That was the reason why she always tried to imitate courtroom scenario even in her real life whenever she was faced with problems. She knew that in life there were not always guilty and innocent but with all the facts drawn out and when both the parties faced with each other, more than once a conclusion could be reached. That was her problem solving method. And that is how she wanted to solve the problem between Olivia and her old friends. By having them all in one room, and talk it out so that they could have all the facts straight and somehow find a common ground.
Olivia on the other hand had perfected herself in avoiding. It wasn�t because she wanted to avoid. In fact confrontation was one of the requirements of her job and when she had to, she had it in her. She never shied away from it. Yet, in her real life, even though she never wanted to, she always ended up avoiding. Just like she always wanted to confront her mother but she always avoided it. She always wanted to confront her friends once they had turned their backs on her, but she just avoided it. When she had first met Alex, she had always wanted to confront Alex and ask her out, but she had avoided that too. So, the idea of facing her friends for dinner wasn�t really making her all smiles. But there was very little she could do as the hour for their arrival approached.
�It�ll be good for all of you.� Alex said for the hundredth time, trying to wipe Olivia�s frown.
�You should have asked me before you invited them.� Olivia still complained.
�You cannot avoid them forever.�
�I did it for 14 years.� The avoiding part of Olivia was dominating her thought process like a stubborn child.
�Yes, but you can�t anymore. They mean a lot to me. I faced death with them.� Alex walked away from the mirror and joined Olivia on the edge of their bed. �Sweet heart, you need to do this; for us. I don�t want to keep people that mean the most for me apart. Or live two different lives. I mean its bad enough to have two lives because we are not out, but also to divide the life that I have with you into another two slices, it�s just too many divisions.�
Theoretically Alex sounded hundred percent correct. Yet, even with Alex�s hand gently soothing her back and her eyes comforting her, Olivia had a feeling the evening wasn�t going to be good for either of them.
Chris did not want to be there. She had actually fought not to come. But, Gina like Alex felt that the meeting was due, so she had enforced her best friend. She had practically dragged her to Olivia�s door and now in their dinning room.
As awkward silence cloaked their meal Gina once again wished that Chris would not use Olivia as a scapegoat. And that was exactly what she did. If one looked for fault, Gina and Adam carried a much larger burden of it but to Chris it all boiled down to Olivia. She figured that if Olivia hadn�t hidden Jena from them, there would never been a fight. And if somehow Olivia had chosen her friends over Jena, then she would have forgiven her, but when she didn�t. To her Olivia was the easiest person to blame. And even though she was sitting right opposite Olivia, in Olivia�s home at that moment, she was not budging. And nor was Olivia.
Gina figured it was up to her to break the ice or the iceberg in their case. So, she searched for a topic. Any topic that was neutral for them both. Nothing past, something present. She could comment on the food, but she knew that it was a take out. She had known both the women well enough at different point in her life. And by just the smell of food she knew that neither of them made it. That wasn�t a good idea.
But she could talk about Olivia�s place. Which somehow looked more expensive than something a NYPD detective could afford. Even though it was in downtown but it was nothing less than posh. It was on the 9th floor of 24-floor building and had all the perks of Upper East Side apartments. She had also noticed the simple but expensive furniture the moment she had walked in. In Academy Olivia never talked about being from money so she wondered if the place was actually Alex�s. But, she knew that wasn�t so because Alex had told her that she was the one who moved in with Olivia. That meant that the place was definitely Olivia�s. She just wondered where the money came from.
�You really have a great place.� Gina finally decided to comment. �Though I moved out of the city, I can�t believe that you got this place on a deal. Rent must be sky high.�
�I don�t pay rent. I own the building.� Olivia answered surprising everyone in the room.
�You own this building?� Alex asked for that was the first time even she heard that. Of course she had wondered about Olivia�s financial standing the moment she had walked in that downtown apartment building, but she never thought it was appropriate to discuss finances so early in the relationship. When she had moved in she had said she would help with the rent but Olivia hadn�t said anything. So she put it off thinking she would bring it up around the end of the month.
�Yep. I invested in it about ten years ago. No, actually I partly invested in it with Jena. Then later she transferred me the rest.� Olivia stated as a matter of fact. The detail she left out was that after she had broken up with Jena, Jena had mailed her the documents transferring everything in her name.
�Jena is the same Seven Eleven woman right?� Gina asked trying to reconfirm her connection.
�Yes.�
�Wow� she moved up from just a convenient store.� Gina marveled looking around.
�Jena the same one because of whom the fight happened?� Alex had to ask. After all that was basically the only information she had about the above-mentioned woman. And the fact that she was Olivia�s ex. She wasn�t about to ask her that.
�Fight didn�t happen because of her.� Olivia snapped instead of answering. She didn�t care if it was Alex who had asked. She wasn�t going to let anyone blame Jena for anything.
�Of course not. The fight happened because of you.� Chris spoke jumping in at the chance to accuse Olivia.
�Because of me� or your homophobic friend here?� Olivia pointed to Gina as she allowed her own suppressed anger to surface.
�Definitely me.� Gina�s hand grabbed Chris� before she could retort back. �It was entirely my fault and if I could take back anything in my life I would take back everything that I said or did that night.� Gina confessed honestly.
Once again silence filled the room. Gina gave up thinking that there was no topic safe at that point. But, Chris felt otherwise.
�So, how did she move up from doomed businesses to buying buildings? The insurance money must have given her a real good boost.� Chris was in the prowl to hurt and she was throwing anything she remembered.
Olivia knew exactly what Chris was trying to do. She was stooping low and hitting her below the belt but Olivia remained silent. She would sit that one out. But of course Alex didn�t know that, that was another touch� topic.
�What insurance money?� She asked feeling happy that Chris was trying to start a conversation.
�The insurance money that made her girlfriend rich.� Chris replied with sarcasm, allowing her reply to mean more. �So, what happened to her� don�t tell me. Cops actually figured out the truth and incarcerated her?� Chris added basking at the fact that the woman Olivia had left them for was no longer with Olivia, and she could say whatever she wanted about her.
�She never did anything wrong. That was all a mistake and you know it.� Olivia said glaring at her once friend. �And she was and is a very good business woman. She has done well for herself and she made some good investment for me as well, because of which I can afford this apartment and maintain this building.� Olivia answered with pride in her voice.
�Wait.� Alex was the one who stopped Chris from replying back this time. �First tell me what the whole story is before you two start to argue about it. Remember persecutor�. Like to have the facts before I hear the case.� Alex said pointing to her self, hoping that she could change the mood of the room lighter.
�They found drugs in the Seven Eleven that Jena had bought. They were looking for the guy to whom the drugs belonged. She was a suspect because she was making over triple the amount of money through insurance because of the bust. So, one of the possibilities that the cops looked into was that she might have staged the whole thing for insurance money.� Gina outlined the case so long ago, which had first divided their friendship.
�But the guy who was responsible, the former manager confessed. So, it wasn�t her.� Olivia once again defended Jena just like she had done while reading the case file as a recruit.
�That was just so convenient wasn�t it? A guy that the cops didn�t have a shred of evidence against just walks into the police station and confesses.� Chris was in a mission to aggravate Olivia and she had found a perfect way to do so. �Call me crazy but it still doesn�t sit right with me.�
�It doesn�t have to sit right with you.� Olivia was getting aggravated. Her hand unconsciously grabbed on to the ring that she wore on her chain. �But it did more than sit right with the authorities that is why he was convicted.�
Chris certainly wasn�t going to let go of the subject so she had to speak. �I was just saying��
�You aren�t saying anything.� Olivia snapped standing right up. �You are not going to say� or imply anything about Jena in our home.� Olivia�s hand was pointing at Chris with a threat.
She had also said �our� which Alex had caught on to. She wondered if �our� was said as Olivia and her or Olivia and Jena. At the same time Olivia was holding on to the ring on her chain, it seemed as though she desperately needed strength, and the ring was the source. Alex could not help but wonder the significance of the ring and its origin. Her worries settled within herself as she watched Gina get up to defend Chris.
�Liv, calm down.� Gina said protectively covering Chris behind her. �We were just making conversation. It�s all water under the bridge; we don�t have to be this way.�
�No, she was trying to aggravate me and she did. Falsely implying anything on Jen is not what I call trying to make conversation.� Olivia wasn�t stupid. She knew how Chris was. And she knew exactly what she was trying.
�God Liv will you calm down. You are acting as though you are still in love with THAT woman.� Chris definitely wasn�t getting the hint that she was crossing her boundaries.
�GET OUT.� That was all Olivia had to say. She was not going to hear anything else.
�Olivia please, let us not go over board here.� Alex said plastering an artificial smile on her face that she had learned to do from her mom in their numerous tea parties. But in actuality Chris� sentence had set a doubt in Alex�s heart. Even Alex was wondering why Olivia was reacting so extremely. Her doubt resulted in her wanting her friends to stay even though Chris had crossed her boundary.
�They are our guest honey.� Alex said looking directly at Olivia. Giving her an exact look that her mother would give her dad, whenever he caused any small commotion in her perfectly planed social gatherings.
�Then fine.� Olivia wasn�t Alex�s dad who cared about social manners. �I�ll leave.� She said walking past the shocked women and right through the door.
Alex learned a lot from that dinner. She learnt that Chris blamed Olivia for almost everything and was not ready to forgive her. She learned that Olivia never sought her forgiveness or cared for her forgiveness. But those were the things that both Chris and Olivia had told her over and over before she had put them in the same room.
Apart from those she learnt about one addition person that night. She learnt about Jena. Olivia�s ex girlfriend, who Chris had only mentioned saying that she was a part of the fight, and Olivia had only taken her name once when she had gone over the list of people she had dated. Neither her friends nor her girlfriend had emphasized enough on the name for her to worry or wonder about. But now she did both.
Not to mention the fact that a lot of questions that she should have asked before she jumped into relationship with Olivia was now answered. Of course thousands other questions had arisen because of that night too. Questions that asked everything that Olivia felt about Jena then, now and ever to simple practical questions like, why didn�t Olivia move out of the place that she shared with a woman she clearly still cared for. Or, where was Jena and if she still kept in contact with her? But the important question that she needed answered was about the ring that Olivia grabbed on to.
The ring hanging on her chain, which was the source of her strength. She had noticed Olivia grabbing on to the ring many a times before that night. Even in interrogation room, when she was stuck or aggravated, her hand always went to that ring. Even when she was shot the first time, and she was lying on the streets in Olivia�s arms, she had seen that ring circle before her eyes, till Olivia enclosed it within her fist and screamed for help. Alex was beyond getting jealous of an ex girlfriend from Olivia�s past. But if that ring was given to her by Jena and unconsciously if she still sought Jena for strength, Alex had something to worry about. So, she waited. She waited for Olivia to come back.
About 2am she heard the door open. The place was still lit so Olivia knew that Alex was still up. Olivia guiltily walked into the living room where the blonde was cuddled up in the corner of the couch with her file. As soon as Alex saw Olivia enter she put down her file and walked inside the bedroom without any word. Olivia followed her silently too. Alex pulled back the sheet and slipped into the bed, while Olivia walked into the bathroom to change.
When she returned Alex was turned away from her and appeared to be sleeping. But Olivia knew better. She knew that as much as it was easier to avoid Alex�s questions, it was worse to not say anything. And because she was the one who had stormed out, she needed to be the one to start.
�I am sorry.� Olivia said sitting as far away from Alex as she could in their queen size bed.
Alex did not say or react. Olivia needed to say more than just sorry.
�Chris just made me so angry. She always had the knack for saying just the wrong thing.�
�What wrong thing?� Alex turned right around and asked. She needed to look into Olivia�s eyes when she said the next sentence. �That you were still in love with your ex.�
�No, I am not.� And that was the truth. She still loved Jena but she was not IN love with Jena.
Somehow Alex had already known that. Otherwise she would not have waited for Olivia, she would have left. But regardless of what uncertainty or doubt Chris had managed to instill in her, she never doubted that Olivia was in love with her. The whole year of hiding had brought about such impatience in them both that they had hastily jumped into a deep relationship with their eyes closed. Now that things were unraveling, it wasn�t a surprise that friction was caused between the two. So, Alex didn�t need to push the subject any further. That was sufficient for her. Without another word Alex pulled Olivia closer and trapped her in a much-needed hug.
�Thank you for waiting for me.� Olivia said holding Alex tighter being thankful. �What if I hadn�t come back?� Olivia asked feeling a little playful and hoping to hear some mushy sentiment as answer, like �I�ll always wait for you� or �I know you would never leave me.�
�I knew you would come back�.� Alex said instead but with a smile. �After all this is your home remember. You own the building.� Alex pointed out the little fact that she had known that evening. She also said it to lighten both their moods.
But to Olivia, Alex echoed the hope that she had once held about seven years ago.
�She has to come back mom, this is her home.� That was her reasoning whenever her mother insisted that she move out of Jena�s house. If not for her, she had hoped that Jena would come back for the house. And she religiously waited for Jena to come back. Until the day she had received the papers transferring their home to her name. Then she had known that Jena wasn�t coming back, ever.
Olivia�s hand once again reached for the ring on her chain as the thought passed through her.
�Olivia, one more thing.� Alex said now steadily staring her Olivia�s fist that had the ring enclosed.
Alex did not need to ask. Olivia knew what the question was going to be. She also knew that more than the previous question, their relationship hung on the thread of this answer. And she wasn�t sure if it could withstand the weight of the truth.
�Honesty is highly over rated.� Jena�s infamous dictum resonated in Olivia�s conscious before she answered. �This ring belonged to my mother.�
Regardless of her conscious finding solace in Jena�s words, her answer wasn�t entirely a lie. It just wasn�t the entire truth. And that was all she could manage to answer at that point.