Page 11 of The Kat Bunglar

Laila Malik

Something about him made her feel undone. Laila adjusted the hem of her skirt and smoothed down the fabric of her blazer for the fifth time in the last ten minutes. She inhaled shakily. She knew what to expect—she had handled hundreds of immigration cases, met countless clients, and negotiated hard terms—but today, waiting for Gabriel by her office door, she felt strangely unprepared.

“Carol, what time is it now?” Laila called out to her administrative assistant.

“Still 9:56 in the morning,” Carol replied wearily. “And the last time you asked it was 9:55. Did you want me to announce every minute?”

Laila rolled her eyes. “No, Carol. That won’t be necessary.”

“Are you sure? Maybe I could bark out the time every minute, just for the sheer fun of it. I mean, it’s not like I have any actual work to do,” Carol grumbled.

“I’m sorry to have bothered you, Carol.” Laila’s assistant was a tank of a woman—she moved very little and did even less. Laila had inherited her when she joined the firm last year. Most days, Laila spent her time doing her own casework and apologizing to Carol for some offense or another.

She heard him before she saw him.

“Hola, I am here to see Ms. Laila Malik.”

His voice triggered the fantasies she had been trying to repress all week—his eyes, those fingers, and that mouth. Oh my God, she had been so close to—no, no, no! She sternly reprimanded herself.I am his lawyer. A full-fledged, adult lawyer. And he is my client.

Laila heard Carol make a sound she had never made before—a guttural giggle. “Oh well, you’ve come to the right place, darling.”

“Darling?” Laila mouthed silently.

“Laila is a little tied up at the moment. Can I get you anything while you wait? Sparkling water or coffee?”

Carol hadn’t offered anyone anything in the company since 1989, when she accidentally performed the Heimlich maneuver on one of the senior partners—slapping him on the back so hard that his gum popped out and landed on a client’s forehead. Laila was curious to see how this would play out.

“Oh, no thank you. I’m fine,” Gabriel replied.

“I can tell—you’re a man who likes to keep hydrated,” Carol responded coyly. “I, too, try to keep up with my girlish figure, if you know what I mean.” This was followed by another burst of giggles.

Laila shook her head in silent laughter. She needed to reign this in. Stepping outside her office, she said, “Hey, Carol, have you heard back on the Kumalo case?” Then, glancing over at Gabriel with a cool gaze, she added, “Oh hey, you’re here.”

Carol’s giggle quickly became a grumble. “Haven’t had the chance, what with you asking the time every five seconds.”

“Mr. Santos, please step into my office,” Laila greeted him courteously. She closed the door and took her seat, letting her desk loom authoritatively between them. She was in charge—and he was just another client.

He cleared his throat uncomfortably, sensing the shift between them.

“So, last week you mentioned bringing your family over. Whom specifically do you want to bring? And what is your current status in the U.S.? Are you a citizen or a resident alien?”

“I currently have a green card.” He handed her a manila envelope filled with documents. “I would like to bring my two sons into the U.S.”

She tried to focus on his words, but her eyes wandered over him instead. His hair was slightly damp and even curlier than last week. He kept rubbing his right eye uncomfortably—had he not been sleeping well? Had she been on his mind?

He looked at her expectantly, and she realized she hadn’t heard a word he’d said. Fumbling, she managed her next question, “And, um... who are they currently staying with?”

Gabriel hesitated before responding, “Their grandmother.”

“And their mother?” she inquired delicately.

Gabriel’s face went impassive as he looked out the window behind her. “My wife’s name is Maria Sofia.”

Laila inhaled sharply and jotted down the name. The tip of her pen broke. She took another deep breath to steady herself.

Gabriel cleared his throat and waited until she looked back up at him. When he caught her gaze, he began, “I say is because she stays with me no matter where I go. She is the love of my life—I carry her in my heart, always.” Gabriel broke eye contact and looked down at his shoes. “Maria Sofia passed away five years ago from breast cancer. That’s why I ended up taking the job here—I needed to start again. Everything reminded me of her. But I didn’t mean to leave the boys behind for that long. It’s something I regret. I didn’t think things through.”

Laila exhaled in relief that he wasn’t married, then immediately felt guilty for that relief. She took another deep breath and tried to summon the right emotions. Her heart broke for Gabriel—yes, that was the right thing to feel. Glancing up, her chest tightened with a sudden squeeze. She could see the pain in his eyes, even after all these years.

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