Page 76 of Marcel

Marcel nodded. “Ihave assigned several of her clients to a few partners.” Afrown touched his brow. “Peter is still a problem, and I am toblame for it. I don’t know what the hell I was thinking.”

“Simone leavinghim is not on you.” His father pointed out.

“Isn’tit?” Marcel’s voice was grim. “I started this thingwith her, and I told myself I believed her when she told me they wereseparated. I am happily married, and he walks around like a shadow.He blames me.”

“No,”James told him firmly. “He blames himself. The good thing aboutit was the prenup; we insisted on him making her sing. That woman wasan opportunist.

She has run off witha man old enough to be her grandfather, and I want to say happyriddance to bad rubbish. Peter is slowly getting over her betrayal.He is more embarrassed than anything else and confessed to me that hehad misgivings about the marriage and still went through with it.”

Marcel stared at hisdad. “I am happy she is gone.” A bemused smile touchedhis lips. “My wife is insisting that we go trick or treatinglater.”

“What on earthfor?”

“To get intothe role of being parents,” Marcel told him with a grin. “Eversince Matthew and Grace had their daughter last month, she has beenobsessed with learning all there is to learn about being a mother.

And she has so farchanged her mind about wanting a son. She has fallen in love withAbigail and now wants a daughter who looks exactly like me, but withher smarts, as she puts it.”

“But, ofcourse, you want a son.”

“It does notmatter to me. Nikki claims she wants four children.”

James burst outlaughing, slapping his hands on his thighs. “Four.”

Marcel grinned. “Sheis on her own when it comes to that decision. I am not evenentertaining any of it.”

James stared at hissecond child with a fond expression on his face. “I am veryproud of you.”

“I almostruined my life and the reputation of this firm.”

“That’sin the past now. You are married to a wonderful woman and expectingyour first child.”

“And I keepwondering what will go wrong,” he admitted. Lunging to hisfeet, he went to put the glass away. “I cannot believe I am sohappy, and Dad, I am happy. Nikki is my best friend. I used to lovegoing out to functions, mixing and mingling with other lawyers, butnow I am like an old married guy who just wants to be with his wife.”

Shaking his head, hecame and sat back down. “She has me doing projects. We havestarted on the nursery.”

“So soon?”

“My wife wantsto get a head start on the room.” His phone pinged just then.“I have a meeting I am running late for.”

“Dinner thisSunday.” James reminded him.

Pushing the chairaway from the table, he poured himself a glass of orange juice.Marcel was not the only one over the moon. He and his wife werebasking in the pleasure of seeing their children happily married andsettled.

*****

He was stuffing somethings into his briefcase when his door was pushed open. “Darling,I am running late. I-” His voice trailed off as he looked upand saw not his wife but Peter Wellington standing inside thedoorway.

“I am on my wayout.” Marcel straightened, looking at him warily. The manlooked haggard and had aged in the past two weeks. Grooves ranbetween his nostrils, and his eyes looked sunken. Marcel knew his dadhad urged him to take some vacation time, but Peter refused.

“I heard. Iassumed you thought it was your wife just now.”

“Yes. A meetingran over. We are supposed to be heading home.”

Shoving his handsinto the pockets of his dress pants, Peter rocked back on his heels.“I have been at this firm for almost thirty years,” hesaid.

“I am aware.”Marcel was desperately hoping for an interruption. He had sent hisassistant home for the day, and his wife was waiting for him in heroffice. “You are an excellent lawyer.”

Amusement flickeredover the older man’s face. “Flattery? Really?”

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