Page 49 of Noah

Which reminded me.

After wiping my hand off with a tissue, I rolled over and flipped open my laptop. I wanted to find out more about Brody and his job as a crown prosecutor. I searched for a list but there was no such thing. Just the contact information for the office of the Crown Counsel in Victoria.

I looked up the requirements for a position with the crown. Brody had done a fair amount of schooling. I wondered how it had been for him to be at school for years. How he had navigated the stress of being at university. His perseverance made me admire him even more.

I typed Brody and crown attorney into the search engine. Now we were getting somewhere. His last name was Carlisle. I typed in his full name. What popped up was story after story about cases he had won for the crown, putting a multitude of bad guys in prison.

I was awake for another two hours, reading the details of his most notorious cases. I would have kept going if I hadn't started nodding off, my head violently jerking each time my eyes closed on me. I can't say I was surprised that Brody was as good at his job as it appeared.

I closed my laptop and let sleep take me.

I could read more about him tomorrow.

I slapped around looking for my phone. I wasn't sure if it was my alarm or if it was ringing. My brain was muddled from sleep. The little amount I'd given myself time for after stalking Brody's career last night. The annoyance sounded two more times. It was ringing.

I found my phone and held it to my face.

Mother, the screen displayed.

Sun was streaming through my window, so it wasn't too early for her to be calling. The possibilities behind why she was calling me in the morning made my head hurt.

"What can I do for you?" I was too tired for niceties.

"I'm going to ignore your surliness."

"I had a late night."

She sighed. In her favour, she didn't mention that I wouldn't be working so late if I was working for the family law firm. "Darling, your father and I are putting on a gala."

"Who is it for?'

"Underprivileged children."

God.

"You know we have those in the LGBTQ community too, right?"

"Of course, dear."

"The youth centre had all its computers stolen."

"We've had this discussion before. Your little organization doesn't hold the same appeal for the donors as what it does for benefitting normal children."

"Fuck, mother! Normal? You didn't seriously just say that."

"I'm sorry. Slip of the tongue."

Yeah, but she bloody well meant it. My mother was an A-class-level bitch. Not sure why I cared so much about what she thought of me.

"You're expected to be there," she continued.

"Am I now."

"Noah, don't be difficult. The whole family will be there including your sister's fiancé."

I jammed my hand through my hair. My sister and I were close, but I hadn't spoken to her in weeks. I hadn't even met the guy she was engaged to. I felt like a shitty big brother.

"Who will you be bringing?" she asked.

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