Page 9 of Lost Room Lawyer
It took her less than three minutes to fall asleep again. A talent I envied. But sometimes she worked thirty-hour shifts at the hospital, so it was probably no wonder she’d learned to sleep on command.
I often had nights when I lay awake for hours. Sometimes, I could sense during the day that winding down later would be difficult, so I’d skip going home. Instead, I’d ask Linda, my secretary, to reschedule any early appointments and work late into the night. I’d usually stay in Zurich, sleeping in the city apartment, and wouldn’t return to the office until around noon. This arrangement was feasible because Viktoria’s parents lived right next door.
I would have loved to savor the memories of Rossi and his irresistible, nonchalant smile a bit longer. But tonight, of allnights, it took less than five minutes before I, too, was fast asleep.
3
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Hector
I was glad to be back in the office. Two days of playing babysitter had been exhausting for me. I loved my two daughters more than anything, but with Luna’s friend Melanie falling ill and going home, the dice had rolled in my favor, and I ended up playing board games all weekend in what felt like an endless rainy marathon. When my mother-in-law stopped by on Sunday evening, I was relieved, yet almost too tired to make polite small talk.
As I got dressed on Monday morning and slid into my car, ready to start the engine, it felt like I was heading off on vacation. But I was just going back to the office.
Today, I was early, which was a good thing. It gave me time to take care of a few important tasks before the intern arrived. His name was Nico Simeon, and I was curious to finally meet Leo’s eldest son.
After parking the car, I took the elevator to the fifth floor. Landing a few big clients early on in my career, who consistently returned for my services, allowed me to afford these exclusive office spaces, and I loved them!
I recently installed cherry wood floors and had the walls freshly painted. However, what truly sets the rooms apart are the large windows and the richly adorned stucco ceilings, adding a distinctive charm to each space.
There were three offices that had always remained unused, but I never had the nerve to hire additional staff, let alone seek out a partner. The sign on the door read “Hector Lando – Attorney at Law,” and it had served me well for years. I had both a secretary and an assistant, paying them far too much, but I couldn’t imagine life without them anymore.
You could hire me for almost anything, but my strengths primarily lay in criminal and business law. I thrived on court cases, which was one of my strongest skills. For long-term clients, I occasionally served as an advisor for estate planning. While I found commercial and contract law boring, that didn’t stop me from offering my services in those areas.
It was still dark when I stepped out of the elevator. I turned on the lights and walked past the reception desk, heading straight to the small kitchen to start the coffee machine. Afterward, I continued on to my office at the end of the hallway.
As I passed my assistant Gerry’s office, I noticed how tidy everything was. Over the weekend, he had actually cleared off the second desk to make space for the intern. Though the room still resembled a jungle, I had to admit that Gerry had every reason to take pride of his green thumb. Although he was rarely in the office, it was clear that keeping the intern in the same room was a smart move. When Gerry was around, the intern would have the opportunity to learn from him.
I set my bag down, hung up my coat, and opened a window to let out the stale air from the weekend. It was still far too cold for the season outside, but I generally didn’t mind. I enjoyed my work, and the weather was of little concern. Before grabbing an espresso, I turned on the computer. This was a kind of ritual for me—no matter whether I arrived at the office at six in the morning or closer to noon, no one had to ask me for anything for the first thirty minutes.
I calmly answered emails, read the newspaper, and as I was getting my second espresso, Linda came out of the elevator.
“Hello, Hector,” she greeted, following me into the kitchen.
“Morning,” I replied, making room for her to store her lunch in the fridge. “Had a good weekend?”
“Yes… well… Moritz had a fever and colic, so we had to go to the children’s hospital. But otherwise, everything is fine.” Shelaughed and tucked a blonde strand behind her ear. “Aside from the fact that I barely slept.”
I nodded with a knowing laugh; I had been through the newborn phase twice and was relieved it was behind me. “Don’t overdo it. If you need to, feel free to go home.”
“I have plenty to do, boss, but thanks.” She placed a paper bag with croissants on the kitchen counter. “This is my debt from last week. Help yourself.”
“Oh, thanks.” I fished a croissant out of the bag and took a bite.
“And how was your weekend?” she asked as she filled the kettle.
“Viktoria had a shift, so I got to be the dad.”
“Oh, so you didn’t work? That’s something new.”
“Yeah, yeah, go ahead and make fun,” I replied, laughing.
“The intern is coming today, right?”
“Yes, I think he should be here around nine. Just send him in.”
“Will do.”
