Elly was used to busy days. She was a single mom, after all. But for whatever reason this particular day has been heavy with walk-ins. So heavy that even Xi, her wonderful receptionist, and sometimes medic, was beginning to tire. Thankfully, though, the day was about to end and they would be free of work and Xi would be free to go out and enjoy a night with friends whilst Elly would go home to see Rue, Cryo, and her kiddos.
Having Cryo around wasn’t the worst, but she had to admit, it was starting to get awkward with the way she and Rue would look at each other at times. She didn’t have the heart to tell them to save hanging out for the days Rue wasn’t watching the kids, especially since she couldn’t be home to watch over them because of work.
Ellisyn’s thoughts were interrupted by a knock on her door. Xi quickly entered afterwards “I’ve got one last one for ya. A lady named Antonia. She says you two know each other?” The Pantoran’s question was answered when her boss sighed, a slight blush on her cheeks.
“Send her in,” Elly said. The night she had shared with Antonia was wonderful but she couldn’t help but feel a slight amount of shame for how she treated her date that night. A devious smirk crossed Xi’s lips before she turned around to lead Antonia in, theories forming in her head. <@315438760428961793>
An actual firm? Huh.
Antonia, clad in a loose fitting white blouse and black pants which hugged her skin, strolled into the office. Her arm bore a sling as she smiled at the receptionist.
When it was apparent that at least Ellisyn’s name was known her brow lifted in surprise.
So. It seemed the Firrerreo was telling the truth. Her suspicion was temporarily assuaged.
Especially after she was offered an escort directly to the lawyer. She made light banter with the receptionist until they reached Elly’s office.
Once they arrived, her brows shot up. She wasn’t sure what she had been expecting but she was glad the lawyer was there.
“Hello,” she greeted with a light tap on the door’s frame. “Long time no see.”
For a moment, green eyes traced the familiar form of the lawyer. Memories of their first night flooded her mind. That was the first time she actually felt sore in ages. Very few possessed the ability to accomplish such a feat.
.
“Long time no see,” Elly parroted as she motioned to a seat in front of her desk. It was much longer of a time than the Firrerreo would’ve preferred. She didn’t know what about the woman tempted her so much but she couldn’t help but yearn for more time, more attention. The adrenaline that came with every interaction, the uncertainty, it was addicting.
“You could’ve called first, I would’ve made an appointment for you. I’m assuming it’s something to do with your arm?” Elly got right to the point, prioritizing work while she was still on the clock
“Why would I call when I could just surprise you, Ms. Lawyer-Kendis?”
She grinned, taking a seat in the offered chair.
“You assumed correctly. Some bantha hit me while I was on my speeder. He wants to sue. But I’m the one who’s got a broken arm,” she said, waving her good hand. Her green eyes steadied on the lawyer whose gaze didn’t move as she briefed her. Being under that gaze was starting to do something to her. She crossed her legs, using her knee as a rest for her elbow.
“Are you able to help me?”
“Because it’s common courtesy,” Elly replied rather bluntly. Antonia would be able to tell she was at her wits end. She was tired and the day had been long. She didn’t have time for Toni’s antics when Xi had to go home still.
Despite Ellisyn’s frustration, she listened. Not only did she need the credits but she liked Antonia. The time they shared was nice, although a bit more adventurous than she was used to. That and she couldn’t deny the feeling of possessive defensiveness she was beginning to feel as she heard the receptionist’s story.
“I don’t work for free, but I can help. Do you have any of his contact information? Maybe his attorney reached out? Any information on the day of the crash and the kind of speeders you both were driving?” Elly began her rounds of questioning, getting out a pad of paper and a pen.
Free?
Antonia flinched slightly, ready to leave. She didn’t know if it was the long shift, or just her being tired on the job, but the audacity of the assumption made her skin crawl.
“Let me make myself clear,” her smile faltered, her gaze icy. “If I wanted free I would have gone with a public defender, let the court decide. But no. I came to you.”
The impatience was palpable. But she was willing to entertain the questions she asked.
“I was riding my 74-Z,” she started, watching as the lawyer took notes. She told Elly as much as she could but, “…he was gone before I could get his contact.”
Elly’s heart sunk at the woman’s state. She didn’t mean to offend but she was too used to people asking for handouts and as much as she enjoyed Antonia, she couldn’t let their prior altercations get in the way of her work.
“I’m glad we’re on the same page.” Elly’s voice was stern. The Firrerreo was hopeful that Toni would respond well to stern. Her pen stopped when the woman said the man had simply sped off.
“How do you know he wants to sue, then?” She asked
“Kind of hard to miss a guy getting out of his speeder yelling, ‘I’m going to sue you.’”
Antonia sighed. “Look, if it’s too much to ask, I can find another lawyer.”
The pen in Ellisyn’s hand strained under the pressure it was being put under. She couldn’t take a deep breath, she couldn’t let Toni see just how much she was getting to her. So, Elly set her pen down on the table and pushed her pad of paper to the side.
The Kendis looked directly into Toni’s eyes, her gaze firm but without anger. “Look. I want to help you, I do. But you need to cooperate. Any lawyer is going to ask you these same questions. You hadn’t yet shared that information and as irrelevant as it may seem, him stopping to engage with you like that before driving away helps your case.”
The Kendis sighed and leaned back in her chair. “If you want to find another lawyer, I won’t stop you. Just don’t come crying to me when you lose.”
Antonia’s gaze was sharp as she looked at the larger woman. “I really hope you don’t speak to all your clients this way.”
She shook her head and rose to her feet. “I’m a big girl. I will figure something out.”
She would rather do it alone than to deal with arrogance.
“Sorry for wasting your time.”
With that, she spun on her heel and strode to the door.
“Just the ones who come into my office unannounced right at close thinking they’ve got some privilege because they slept with me.” Elly said, her words extremely blunt. She couldn’t even hide her disbelief at how Antonia was acting. She growled before she continued.