Page 71 of Someone Just Like You

“Whoa!” Jude held up his palms. “Take it easy there, Mollyplana. I haven’t worked it all out yet.”

I laughed. “Sorry.”

He reached for my hand again. “Let’s go downstairs.”

This time I let him lead me into the hallway. Jude’s forgiveness and assurance of his happiness was the best Hanukkah present ever. There was only one more gift I could ask for on this year’s Festival of Lights, and when Jude and I reached the bottom of the stairs, I realized it was within my reach.

“Dad!”

As if reading my mind, Jude whispered, “One reconciliation at a time.”

Chapter Thirty-Two

While I was at work a few days after Hanukkah, my office phone rang. “Molly Blum.”

“Hi, Molly. It’s Kevin from Pro City Sportswear.”

I returned his greeting, disguising my surprise at his call. I’d sent several résumés to him months earlier and never heard back.

“Sorry for going dark on you. For internal reasons, we had to pause hiring new legal counsel, but the search is on again, and I wondered if any of those résumés you sent previously were still available by any chance. They were great.”

I found the listing in our internal database. “I’ll follow up and see if they’re still interested.” I, personally, hadn’t placed them anywhere else, but that didn’t necessarily mean anything.

“We’d love to start interviewing as soon as possible. This week or next preferably.”

“Let me know the available dates and time slots and I’ll reach out right away.”

After he gave me the information, I called the original candidates. Two were still in the market and excited for the opportunity, including Romero Vasquez. He’d been in my first-year class at Fitzpatrick & Green.

“Yes! I’m definitely still interested,” he said. “Big Law is a hamster wheel and I’ve been too busy to jump off and follow up with you. This is the push I needed.”

“Fingers crossed!” I hated to play favorites, but I too would love if Romero got the position. During an associates’ retreat when I was still practicing, we’d taken a lawyer personality assessment test. Romero and I were the only two in our class who had fallen under the “Advocate” umbrella, known for their idealist temperament. Back then, I’d never confided in him about Maxine, my abusive and gaslighting client, despite being tempted. Maybe he wouldn’t have looked down on me for allowing a “mean” client to be the driving force for leaving the legal profession when many, I suspected, would judge me for being what they considered “soft.”

We ended the call, and I sent the details for both interviews to Kevin just as my phone rang.

“Hi, Mom.”

“Have you been avoiding me? I wanted to make sure you’re okay.”

“Okay about what?” And then I remembered. Ignoring Jude’s advice to focus on one reconciliation at a time at Hanukkah, I’d made my parents open my present in front of everyone. Apparently, a couples massage wasn’t an appropriate gift for a separated couple.

Without even bothering to pull me to the side, Mom had said, “You need to stop, Molly. This is not a cute look for you.”

Dad was more sensitive. “I always think you’re cute, Squirrel.” His eyes had creased with a combination of love and exasperation. “But your mom’s right. It’s time to accept reality and grow up.”

The public lecture had made me cry even while I was still celebrating Jude’s forgiveness.

“I’m over it. I promise to keep my Hallie Parker and Annie James personas in the drawer moving forward, but can I ask you something?” I chewed a fingernail.

“Your father and I hate that you’re hurting about this. The least I can do is answer a question.”

“What really went wrong with you and Dad?” I waved at Cindy passing in the hallway, then stood to close my office door to sidestep any unwanted interruptions. “Was it something we did?” I sat down and braced myself.

“Who’s we?”

“Your children!”

She tutted. “Of course not. Is that what you think?”

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