Rick Alderson, Senior Associate, Litigation Team -- this is actually how he thought of himself -- paused to splash a bit of cologne on himself. Fresh out of his post-lunch workout and post-workout shower, he paused to admire his physique in the mirror, his perfect hair, his square jaw. You probably need to have a bit of an ego to litigate, but Rick Alderson had more than a bit.
Rick was a star, even though it was doubtful he'd make partner. Clients loved his take-charge, through-a-brick wall attitude, but they also realized he was a bit of a schmuck. The partnership of Malvane & McKinney loved his billables, but would have worried about his workaholism if they'd had any inclination to ever make him a partner themselves.
Rick knew all this, and didn't particularly care. He'd won 12 jury trials in a row -- jury trials being rare by themselves these days, that was a pretty nice accomplishment. He was already planning a lateral jump to a boutique that wouldn't have the prestige of MM, but would pay more money, and, most importantly, where he could think of himself as Rick Alderson, Partner, Someday Chair, Litigation Team.
He was busy enough with his simply awesome jawline that even if he could have seen her, he wouldn't have noticed the blank-eyed teenaged girl walking to his locker and dressing in his suit. He was about to scratch a stray hair he'd somehow missed this morning when his eyes went blank, his hand dropped to his side, and he walked out the door, in search of a new identity.
--
Marvin Black, not long before Marvin McMillan, Sarah's cousin, smoothed his skirts as he raced to school, his black hair starting to curl around his ears as he went. He had no idea how he'd overslept that morning, but he needed to get to class as soon as possible.
Marvin had been a bit of a black sheep in the McMillan clan, not least because of his pitch-black hair in a family teeming with blondes. His first year of college had gone soaringly -- he was quite bright -- except that he'd dropped out of his econ major to start a theology course instead. He was toying with the priesthood (though really only toying with it -- he hoped to marry and have kids some day), which was a no-no because the McMillans (1) weren't Catholic (except Marvin) and (2) were some of the shrewdest, most determined businessmen out there. Their family name was their hard work and the money that came from it. Marvin was a spiritually, socially conservative fellow who had no real interest in money, but loved working with people.
As he raced into the school building, he saw a young man, early thirties, wearing only a towel around his waist, walking dazedly into the school. For some reason, this didn't strike him as odd, so he just bounded up to class, trying to formulate an excuse for his tardiness and to figure out where the heck his books had gone.
As he opened the classroom door, his hair fell around his shoulders and his Adam's apple disappeared.
--
Michelle Casey shook the junior partner's hand as they both stood up. "It was great meeting with you," she said, smiling that radiant smile that had carried both sisters so far through life. She gripped her folder of resumes and writing samples a little more closely than she realized, but the fellow didn't comment on it. He remembered being the eager young lateral candidate years before.
"It's been a pleasure," he said with a smile. "We'll get back to you in a couple of weeks." Sooner if possible, he thought, still smiling. This girl was a real find -- brilliant, beautiful, self-assured. Quite aside from the improvement in the aesthetics in the office -- he was happily married, but he could look -- Michelle was one of those gifted young attorneys every firm wants. Clients would love her, and her experience was a perfect fit for the corporate team.
Michelle walked back to the parking garage, her heart in her throat. She hoped "in a few weeks" was a good thing. She knew better than to bargain with a rooting interest, but she really wanted this job. She was so lost in her own thoughts that she didn't even see the tall figure come around the corner. The collided with each other dead-on, Michelle falling back and dropping her folders and papers. "Oof," she grunted as she landed on her shapely rear.
A strong, feminine hand helped her up. "I'm so sorry," a deepening female voice said. Michelle looked up and stared into beautiful blue eyes. "Um." she said.
Karyn Alderson smiled a dazzling smile and said, "Let me help you with those papers -- the mess is my fault." Senior associate or not, that was just the kind of person Karyn was.
