Fiction

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Chapter 1
"Innocent until proven guilty…!”

The voice echoed across the courtroom as Walter Jones was taken into custody and court adjourned for the day. Laveda smiled to herself at the statement. Patriotic as the phrase was, she was certain of Mr. Jones’ guilt.

Laveda Callidora’s one year as an assistant County attorney in Lincoln, Nebraska had not been fruitless; she won the majority of cases. The few she lost were due to an obtuse jury, choosing likability over evidence presented. Lack of evidence never posed a problem for Laveda. There were too many loopholes in the law for the guilty and she worked hard to close them up. Her sharp tongue was put to use, knowing when to speak and when to still. She used any possible foothold to make the jury see things her way, including manipulating their emotions against the defendant. Although this was a tactic she rarely resorted to, she enjoyed creating animosity between the two sides. In this case the jury seemed to be on top of things. She could already see them fitting an orange jumpsuit on Mr. Jones.
Laveda had little time for friendships and disliked the idea of vulnerability. This trait suited her career well, but was a source of great distress in her relationships. She placed great value on acting rightly. She had never been stopped for speeding, had never been in a real argument (that she could remember), had never cheated on her taxes, always left a tip, gave to the poor and had certainly never been accused of a crime. For six years she had kept her nose clean while pursuing a place in the courtroom. Lincoln provided the challenge she was looking for, and she knew this was where she was born to be.

The court was adjourned and Laveda made her way through the halls to the parking lot. It was late afternoon and she hadn't eaten all day. Maybe she could swing by SubKing and pick up a meatball sub. She felt comforted just thinking about the steaming mound of meat, cheese, and sauce piled high on soft bread. She was unable to continue her dream, as someone approached her from behind.

"Hey, Laveda! Wait up!"

"Sorry, I guess I was distracted and didn’t hear you. What's going on?"

"Well, I know you’re a champion of information, but I just heard something and I thought you might want to know before you see it for yourself. Brice is back in town."

Laveda felt her stomach drop. She had done so well the past several months with him gone. Why did he have to come back so soon? "Oh?" She couldn't form any other words.

"Yeah... Lav, he brought someone with him." Amy formed her words cautiously, knowing the storm that was brewing beneath the calm exterior of her friend. "Her name is Melinda. According to the rumors, an engagement is pending." She kept her eye on Laveda's face as she took the news.

Laveda cleared her throat in an attempt to clear her mind of the hundreds of thoughts that tried to reach the surface. She appreciated Amy’s directness, but she wasn’t prepared for the news and could not fully maintain her composure. "That's great. I'm sure they'll be happy together." She opened her door and climbed in. Before she could leave, Amy approached the window. “Are you free for coffee on Sunday?”

"Sure, hon. That would be great. Give me a call, okay? Laveda’s casual tone did not fool Amy. Though it was an admirable display of apathy, Laveda would not be winning an Oscar for her performance today. Amy knew she was desperate to hide her feelings.

“Hey… Don't worry about Brice." Amy stepped back and watched as Laveda drove away, forcing a smile and a wave. Her friend needed her and she was determined to be there.


As Laveda merged into traffic, got dinner and headed for home, she thought back over the last two years. She thought she'd gotten over him, so why this feeling of bittersweet excitement and pain?

Pleasant Dale was a small city to the west of Lincoln and had proven to be a place of refuge for her. After a long day at the office, it was always refreshing to escape the busyness of the city and retreat into peace. She took great pride in the comfortable home she had made. It had taken her several years, but she was finally pleased with what she saw when she came home. Even though she wanted to soak in a long, hot bath, there was a lot of reading she had to do to prepare for closing statements the next day. As she began pouring through documents, her mind kept returning to Brice and their... what was it, anyway?

For a year, Brice Burkett had pursued Laveda. They had met four years ago in the law office. He was the adorable mail man and she was the attractive young lawyer. At the time, she was focused on nothing else but succeeding in her career, but Brice became a good friend. She had found it easy to talk to him and soon they were spending time together outside office hours. Over time, he revealed his feelings for her and she was absolutely floored by the thought. She had never thought of him that way.

Soon after the declaration, the flood came. Words of praise, gifts, flowers, long evenings out and sweet poetry worked to soften her heart. She tried to keep him at arm's length, but she eventually came to have feelings for him, too. Finally, after three months of debating the issue, Laveda worked up the courage to tell him it was over. She told him they weren’t right for each other. He took it fairly well and soon left for a trip overseas. She missed him, but only for the first couple of weeks. Then she had thrown herself into work.

He'd said he loved her, that he wanted to marry her, that he couldn't see himself loving another besides her. At first, she'd believed him. But as time went by, her heart began to cast doubt on his sincerity. She had to end the relationship before she invested too much. What if he was lying to her? Did he really love her? Did he want to marry her? Of course he could love someone else. There were plenty of women looking for a romantic, tender, caring and kind man like Brice. And his eyes were so blue. She often found herself lost in them…

Maybe she could ask Amy for a number where he can be reached…

No. Amy wouldn't give it to her and would scold her for even considering it. It just wasn't fair. Maybe she could have been different. Brice's love had given her new life for a time. Yet here she is, all alone on a Thursday night, with no hope of a social life, and getting through each day only by ignoring the emptiness that grew. And where was he? Practically married.

She's blonde. Laveda though. Blonde and beautiful and perfect. Well, I'm glad he found a girl like that. I wouldn’t want him to waste his life on a person like me. Too many people waste their lives on the wrong person. Good thing I'm sticking it out alone.

Laveda grew angry at herself for letting her thoughts wander that far. She had to focus. "Forget it," she rebuked herself, "There's no sense talking about it. You let him go, remember? Get over yourself." She shifted in her chair and resumed reading, determined not to let Brice interfere with the task ahead.

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