AT A CLASSIC RESTAURANT
Bridges walked alongside Mr. Lambert and Attorney Malcolm, their faces serious as they made their way into the upscale restaurant. Bridges decided to break the ice by asking, "Are we back at this place again?"He tried to keep his tone light, but he couldn't help but feel a bit of trepidation. He had a lot riding on this dinner, and he hoped it would go well.Lambert looked at Bridges with a pout on his face, then turned to Malcolm, who was still silent. He turned back to Bridges and said, "Yes, we're here to see a client, and that's why we're here again."Bridges shook his head, rolling his eyes. "Why are the three of us going to see this client?" he asked. "Why can't you go with someone else? Why do I have to come along?"Lambert sighed and said, "Well, the client said he wanted to see the two best lawyers at L&J, so I told him we had an ace, and I also told him we had someone who was very good. And that's you and Malcolm."Bridges still looked unconvinced, but he knew he had to play along. "Alright, fine," he said with a sigh. "But I hope this client is worth all the trouble.”Bridges glanced at Malcolm, who was still eerily silent. Everyone needed him to be a quiet, intelligent attorney, but Bridges always felt like there was an unspoken animosity between them.Whenever they were together, Malcolm always avoided him, and when it was time to take their seats at the dinner table, Malcolm would make sure to sit as far away from him as possible.He wondered what it was about him that made Malcolm so uncomfortable. Was it something he had said or done? Or was it just the way he carried himself?And this whole situation made Bridges remember something his father had once told him: ‘Two perfectly parallel lines can never meet. They can only be close together, but they can never blend, never mix.’Was that what this was? Was that why he and Malcolm just couldn't seem to get along?Bridges looked around the table, and his eyes landed on Malcolm again. He sighed, he cared less.As the three of them were seated, Lambert on his phone, Malcolm's hands folded, and his eyes gazing into space, Bridges remembered something his best friend, Barry, had told him once.Barry was no longer with them - he had passed away six years ago - but his words still rang true. "Always be aware of your surroundings, no matter what the situation," Barry had said.Bridges scanned the restaurant, his eyes alert and watchful. His friend's words had stuck with him, and now, they were serving him well, as Bridges scanned the restaurant, his attention was drawn to a man who seemed to be watching them intently.The man was seated in the far corner of the restaurant, and he was staring at their table with a strange, almost unsettling intensity.Bridges felt a sense of unease wash over him. Who was this man, and what did he want?Suddenly, the man brought out his phone and started recording them. Alarmed, Bridges tapped Lambert on the shoulder and pointed to the man.Lambert clicked his fingers, and immediately, two security men approached the man and escorted him out of the restaurant.It turned out that the man was just a fan of Bridges, and he had gotten a bit too excited at the sight of him. The whole thing was a misunderstanding, but it was still a little unsettling.After a few minutes of waiting for their client, an old man and his son walked into the restaurant and approached their table. The old man introduced himself and his son, and it seemed like he took a particular liking to Bridges.They had a pleasant conversation, and then Malcolm excused himself and said he had to leave. Lambert gave him permission to go, and the man left the restaurant."Can I leave too?" Bridges asked Lambert, sounding a bit exasperated after the clients and Malcolm had left.Lambert smiled, and there was a mischievous glint in his eye. "I'll let you leave if you promise to piggyback my daughter tomorrow," he said. "You're lucky I'm in a good mood today. I would have taken you along with me to her girl time princess party."Bridges rolled his eyes. He knew Lambert was just teasing him, but he couldn't help but feel a little annoyed. Still, he knew it was all in good fun."Besides, You wouldn't want to leave me all alone in this restaurant, would you?" Lambert asked, putting on his best pouty face.But Bridges just rolled his eyes. "Mr. Lambert, we're in public," he said. "You wouldn't want to stir up another scandal, would you?"The comment made Lambert burst out laughing. "Oh, you just reminded me of that whole ordeal last year," he said. "Remember how the news and the public were speculating that we were gay?""I could never forget that ridiculous rumor," Bridges said, shaking his head in amusement. "It was quite the scandal, but we cleared the air pretty quickly. Thankfully, people are a lot more open-minded these days."Lambert nodded in agreement. "People are definitely more accepting of different lifestyles these days," he said. "But it's still important to be respectful of others' privacy. We can't go around making jokes about people's personal lives, even if they're in the public eye.""So, did you bring Malcolm along just to avoid any potential gossip?" Bridges asked, finally piecing it together. "You were worried that people would start speculating again if they saw us together?"Lambert paused for a moment before answering. "I won't lie to you," he said. "That was part of the reason. But it's not the only reason. I also wanted to give Malcolm a chance to network and make connections. He's a good lawyer, and I want to help him succeed."Lambert put his hands up in surrender, a mock-defeated expression on his face. "You got me, boss!" he said. "No one can outsmart the great detective, Bridges."Bridges laughed. "Flattery will get you nowhere, Lambert," he said. "But I appreciate the effort."Despite the fact that Lambert was eight years older than Bridges, he always seemed to be in a good mood. He laughed, talked, and was friendly with everyone he met.Bridges, on the other hand, was reserved and serious. He barely laughed or talked to people, and was often labeled a perfectionist by the media.Some said it was because he was so good at his job, while others speculated that he was simply shy or introverted. Whatever the case, Bridges was an enigma to many.While Bridges' serious demeanor might have made him seem unapproachable to some, those who knew him well knew that he was a kind and thoughtful person.Underneath his stoic exterior, there was a beautiful soul locked in. He was just not one to show his emotions easily, preferring to keep them close to the chest.But for those who took the time to get to know him, Bridges was a loyal and trustworthy friend.Lambert had been close with Bridges ever since he joined L&J Laws. He was drawn to people who were excellent at their jobs, and Bridges was no exception. Malcolm was another such person - he was an exceptional lawyer.As Lambert continued to stare at Bridges, who was preoccupied with checking his wristwatch, he noticed the intense gaze.When Bridges looked up and met his gaze, he rolled his eyes bored and asked, "I saw your ex-wife go into your office yesterday. I hope she didn't cause any trouble?""You mean Jenny?" Lambert asked. He looked at Bridges expectantly, and the latter nodded."Of course. Who else could it be? Is there another wife you divorced aside from her?"Lambert held his gaze for a moment before continuing, "She didn't cause any trouble, just the usual threats and intimidation." He laughed but his laughter was tinged with bitterness."She's relentless, isn't she?" Bridges said. "I don't know what her problem is, but it's getting old.”"Jenny is the last person I want to think about right now," Lambert said. "I don't even want to talk about her.""Did she come to see Peony, too?" Bridges asked, referring to their daughter.Lambert nodded. "Yes, she did. But I'm done talking about her. She was a mistake in my life, a mistake I wish I could go back and change."His voice was heavy with regret, and Bridges knew that the topic was difficult for him. He hoped they could change the subject to lighten the mood.Bridges too didn't fancy talking about Jenny at all. He had grown to dislike her for doing what she did to Lambert so he tried to change the subject, but Lambert beat him to it. "So, are you planning to date anyone? Anyone I know, I mean, we know?" he asked, a mischievous grin on his face."Who are you referring to?" Bridges asked, suspecting his grin."Laurie, of course!" Lambert replied, winking at him."No, no, no! That would never work. Laurie's like a sister to me!" Bridges protested. But his words only made Lambert more insistent."Geez, Bridges, what do you mean 'like a sister' to you? Does she even feel the same, I mean, like you're a brother to her?" Lambert asked, still laughing.But it wasn't funny to Bridges. He stood up, annoyed. "That's not true! She's really like a sister to me!" he said."Come on, lighten up!" Lambert said, standing up as well. "I'm just messing with you." But Bridges was already walking out the door.Lambert rushed to catch up with him, grabbing his arm. "Remember what you said before?" Bridges said, pulling his arm away. "No public displays of closeness, remember?"Lambert raised his hands in surrender. "Alright, alright! You're no fun," he said, but his smile showed that he was only half-serious. "Let's go eat. I'm starving."Bridges grumbled, but he let Lambert lead him back to their table. They sat down and resumed their meal, the incident mostly forgotten.Just then, something caught Lambert's attention. He cleared his throat, remembering something. "Oh, a new case came in a few days ago, and I think I might want to give it to Malcolm," he said, looking at Bridges. "What do you think?"Bridges felt a flash of irritation. "You're going to trust Malcolm with this one?" he asked, his tone slightly accusatory. "After what happened last time?"Lambert looked at him, surprised. "Come on, that was an isolated incident,” he scoffed inwardly and continued. “After all, he's just a little bit off, you both are not so different.”Bridges looked at Lambert, studying his face. He was silent for a long moment, then finally said, "Yeah, I guess you can try it. I think I might need a break anyway."Lambeth smiled, relieved. "That's the spirit! You deserve a vacation but sadly I can't grant that," he said, picking up his fork again.They resumed eating, the tension broken. But Bridges couldn't help but wonder what this new case would mean for Malcolm. And more importantly, for him.He could only hope he stayed above every other attorney in all of Swansea, not just L&J Laws.(L&J LAWS)It was early morning, and Bridges was getting ready for work. He pulled out a baby blue shirt and a crisp black suit from his closet. As he scanned his tie collection for one that would match his outfit, he thought about the week-long vacation he had just returned from. He needed to get to the office early to catch up on what he had missed.Dressing quickly, he headed out the door. The morning air was crisp and fresh, and he felt a sense of anticipation as he walked to the subway station. His car had been broken down for over a month, and he had been relying on the subway to get around. It had its pros and cons - he liked being able to people-watch and observe the city around him, but he didn't always enjoy the stares and attention that came with being a celebrity. To avoid any unwanted attention, he would often wear a face mask on the subway.Today, he made his way to the office, feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the day. He was determined to catch up on everything
Bridges wondered what his uncle could possibly want. His uncle was his father's younger brother, the baby of the family. They had never been too close, but they had spoken a few times. He felt a mixture of apprehension and curiosity as he waited for his uncle to arrive..ATTORNEY MALCOLM'S OFFICEMalcolm's desk was immaculately arranged, his papers neatly stacked and organized. He was all set to go speak to his client. Malcolm straightened his tie and checked his appearance in the mirror. He wanted to look his best, as he was about to meet with a client. The case Lambert had assigned to him was a serious one, involving a sexual assault, and he wanted to be sure he was prepared. He took a deep breath and opened the door to his office.As soon as Malcolm opened the door to his office, he saw Laurie, the secretary, and Molly, a junior associate, walking past. Laurie was leading the way, while Molly followed closely behind. It seemed that Molly was trying to follow in Laurie's footst
The day had almost come to an end, and Bridges was at the door of his house. He turned the doorknob, and the door opened easily, since it wasn't locked. Bridges was not a forgetful person, so he wondered why the door was unlocked. However, he reasoned that whoever might be inside the house must have a key, so he did not panic.He entered his house and recognized the first voice he heard. It was his mother. He took off his shoes and placed them by the front door. He walked fully inside his luxurious yet small and comfortable house. There, he saw his mother, who was bending over to pick up a book from the floor. “Hey, Mother,” Bridges said. “Good evening. What are you doing here?” Bridges asked, not sounding happy to see her, but not angry either.He wasn't surprised that she was in his house. She often showed up without telling him first. He walked past her and went into his room. He dropped his bag, changed his clothes, and his mother ignored him. He knew that when she showed up at
Bridges scoffed. “She divorced me, not the other way around.” He folded his hands on his chest and tried to prove his point to his mother. But his mother wouldn't accept it. “Yes, she divorced you because you couldn't hold her down,” Flora, his mother wouldn't have it as an excuse. “Do you know how many times I told your father I'd leave him, but he's the one who left first, before me. He could hold me down, but you couldn't hold your son's mother down.”Bridges just sighed and gave up. He knew there was no point in arguing with his mother. “Mother, can we just please stop fighting?” he asked, a hint of exhaustion in his voice. “I don't want to argue with you.” But his mother wasn't done yet. “We will stop fighting when you finally accept the truth,” she said.Bridges replied, “Fine. I accept it. I can't change history now, can I?” His mother just looked at him, unable to counter his statement. In his thoughts, Bridges reflected on how this conversation about his divorce had been
It was lunchtime, and the law firm was still quiet, as usual. L&J Laws wasn't a noisy law firm. Everyone was sensible and well-behaved. Most of the lawyers knew what had happened between James Luther, one of the partners of L&J, and their ace lawyer, Attorney Bridges. Most of them, in fact, supported Bridges.Everyone was on their lunch break and taking a break from work. Well, except for some of them who used their lunch time to do extra work. One of the lawyers, Attorney Malcolm, was on his way to Bridges' office. They didn't really talk or interact much, but this time, the lawyer had a case he thought Bridges was way ahead of and experienced. He wanted to talk to a like-minded lawyer about it.As he walked to the office, the junior and senior lawyers greeted him. But he just smiled and nodded. He didn't say anything in response. When he got to the door labeled "Attorney R. Bridges", he decided to put his ear to the door to listen for anything before he knocked. He didn't hear a
Ivan was in the middle of a very productive work session. He'd been working for over an hour and a half without stopping. Suddenly, one of the paralegals came over to his desk. She was standing with her arms crossed over her chest and a worried expression on her face. Ivan wondered what was wrong.Ivan tried to sound friendly as he greeted the paralegal. “Hello, Miss Madison,” he said, forcing a smile. But he was a little worried about what she wanted. He noticed that she seemed upset about something.Madison rolled her eyes and uncrossed her arms, letting them fall to her sides. “Didn't you hear me, Ivan?” she asked. “It's not like you have something blocking your ears. Yet you still didn't hear me, or you chose not to.” She sounded frustrated and upset.Ivan couldn't figure out why Madison seemed so upset. They didn't know each other that well, and he couldn't think of anything he'd done to make her angry. She must be upset about something else. “I've been calling your name for ab
It was past 6:00 PM, and most of the legal professionals had already left the office for the day. However, Ivan still had one last task to complete - a meeting with the managing partner of the firm. He wasn't looking forward to it, but he knew it was important. He made his way to the managing partner's office, feeling the weight of the day's events. When he reached the door, he took a deep breath and knocked. There was a moment of silence, and then a warm yet, domineering voice called out, "Come in." Ivan opened the door and stepped inside. As Ivan entered the office, he saw his boss, Attorney Bridges, sitting elegantly across from the managing partner, Mr. Lambert who sat behind the desk. Ivan tried to keep his composure, but his heart was racing."Close the door," Lambert, the big boss, said, and Ivan did as he was told. Lambert gestured to a chair in front of the desk, beside Bridges and Ivan took a seat. Ivan's eyes met Mr. Bridges' gaze, and he immediately felt a sense of d
A knock on the door broke the comfortable silence between the two men who were quietly having tea."I'll get the door," the butler said, walking towards the door. He opened it slightly and muttered a few words to the person outside before looking back and saying, "He's saying that he came with your guest, sir."The older man, to whom the butler had spoken, turned to the younger man seated across from him. "Is he the little friend you spoke about?" he asked the younger man, wearing a teasing smile.Bridges, the younger man, raised the cup of tea to his lips, taking in its herbal aroma and feeling its warmth against his skin.In response to the old man, he replied nonchalantly, "He's the one."The old man chuckled and instructed the butler to admit the visitor. "Let him in; he's the one.”The butler nodded and opened the door wider to reveal a young guy standing in the doorway, drenched from the downpour outside. His damp clothes clung to his body and his dark hair was matted to his for