Is there one?
It’s not a subject that’s come up often in paperwork nor is there a box I’ve ever had a client need to check.
Legally, I understand how thisdoesn’twork; however, the law is not always up to the true realities we face.
And even when it is…it can be slow to change.
Which is how we get loopholes and exemptions and cracks that allow justice to slip through our fingers or verdicts to be manipulated into our favor.
I can’t let the former happen to Zero.
Iwon’t.
Scribbling another note on the legal pad in my lap barely precedes his toes wiggling beside it, a tell that tells me his brain is overworking…overthinking…overanalyzing.“Respirar.”
“I am breathing,” he argues in a mumble.
“Respira,” my fingers abandon the pen to gently kneed the arch of his closest foot, “major.”
“Idono how to breathe better,” Zero grouses on a head roll.
“Quiero que lo intentes.”
“You want me to try,” mockingly escapes my favorite hacker over the sounds of the big cat documentary I’ve been ignoring all morning.“You.Want.Me.To.Try.”
“Sí.”
“Why?”Gets barked in my direction in tandem with his glare darting away from his main laptop over to me.“Why do you always do that?”
“¿Qué?”
“Insist on talking to me only in Spanish at the worst time, my guy.”
“It’s actually thebesttime.”
“Dis,” he grunt moans as I continue to lovingly glide my thumb up towards his toes.“Hard.Dis.”The slight hooding of his eyes and dropping of his shoulders can’t be stopped.“It basically interrupts whatever I’m doing and creates a 404 code that then requires an F5 refresh and that’s not convenient when I’m in the middle of something.”
“Not convenient butnecessarywhen you’re in danger of overheating that beautiful, brilliant brain of yours.”His mouth twitches, clearly prepared to argue, prompting me to cut him off.“Which you are.”My thumb rubs the backside of his toes.“These,” a tiny tap is executed, “always tell me what your mouth won’t.”
To no surprise, his bottom lip pokes out.“You’re not supposed to know me that well.”
“I know you much better than I get credit for.”
“You need more credit?”His eyebrows playfully waggle.“You wantextracredit?”
“I want…” I indulge in a long, slow lick to aid in keeping me focused, “to know what you were reading.”Switching to the other foot occurs next.“What’s got you so worked up?”
“I’m just…hung up on the last piece of this riddle.”
“Have you asked Salay?”
“Yeah, it’s what she disappeared to meditate on in the pool.”
“It’s raining.”
“And as long as it’s not lightening, she swears she’ll survive.”
Curiosity outweighs my displeasure.“What’s the line?”
