“But nothing. You give her a call.”
Julia read the card aloud. “Jamie Aldeen.”
“She was just starting in a local firm when I was on my way out of the courthouse. But I worked with her a good deal on some family cases in my last two years. She’s sharp. And she’s passionate.”
“Are you not those things?”
Roberta pushed her glasses up on the bridge of her nose. This child was something else. “Who I am is a retired judge. There is nothing I can do for you.” Roberta pointed at the card in Julia’s slender hand. “But she can!”
Julia looked deflated, but she kept the card. “On one condition.”
Really, this child was too much. Roberta chuckled. “You’re giving me a condition?”
“I am. I will call this Jamie Aldeen. But I want to be able to talk to you, too. As, like, a consultant.”
Roberta considered. It would get this girl out of her living room for the moment, if not entirely out of her hair. Besides, once Julia met with Jamie, she could sink her teeth into Jamie, who would know how to handle her. Roberta couldn’t blame Julia for being so bold, if uninvited and sitting here in her living room; the girl’s life did depend on it. “Very well. I will take your calls. If,” she emphasized, “you use the phone first and don’t just pop by.”
Julia found this amusing. “You don’t like people popping by.”
“I do not.”
“My mother used to say that the things we don’t like are often the very things we need.”
Roberta raised her eyebrows. “Like broccoli?”
“Not exactly what I meant.” Julia laughed. “But yeah. Broccoli works.”
After Julia left, Roberta found she could not go back to her book. Nor could she sip the cold tea. Rather, she sat, feeling a change of energy about the room. It had been a long time since she’d allowed herself to think of anything to do with the law. Or family courts. But something about her unexpected visitor had filled her with an odd sensation. Odd but familiar. Eventually, Roberta did return to her book. And she spent the rest of the day the way she always did: cooking, walking Maisey, watchingJeopardy!after dinner. But later, when the sky was growing dark and the first stars began to twinkle overhead, Roberta picked up the phone.
Wendell answered right away.
“I met a friend of yours today.”
“Oh?” He sounded wary. “Who was it?”
“A real piece of work.” She smiled, recalling the meeting. “Julia Lancaster.”
Wendell sounded as surprised as she’d been. After hearing the whole story, he grew quiet. “She’s a good girl, Bertie. I know you’ve put that part of your life behind you, but this kid has been through a lot. If there’s anything you can do to help, she deserves it.”
Roberta did not object, at least not out loud. “I’ve heard you out,” was all she would say.
Wendell was not one for the phone, but to her surprise, he didn’t seem to want to rush off. “Remember Ginny Feldman?”
It had been years since she’d heard that name. Oh, there were times she’d wanted to bring it up, but she hadn’t dared. “Of course,” she said, trying to keep the flutter of curiosity out of her voice.
“Apparently, she’s home for the summer. We ran into each other at Audrey’s Café.”
“Well, that is a turn of events.” To her relief, Wendell did not seem shaken by Ginny’s surprise return. But she knew it must affect him on some level. “Maybe you should give her a call. Ask her to come visit.”
Wendell was quiet for a long while, and she feared she’d offended him. Oh, she was so good at being so bad at conversations!
Finally, he spoke. He sounded tired, but there was a playful lilt to his tone. “Maybe you should focus on the visit you just had. Sounds like she got to you.”
Roberta dismissed this. “I’ve got zero desire to get involved,” she reminded him. “I referred Julia to an attorney over in Litchfield.”
“And yet you’re on the phone with me. Let me ask you something, Bertie. When was the last time you called me?”
She thought a minute. Once a month, they had breakfast at the café. Sometimes he stopped on the road to chat if he caught her in the yard. But they never called each other up. Ever. “I don’t recall,” she said, growing frustrated.
