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I went easy on the seasoning, not sure how much she could take. Cheese was a go, as I’d seen her eat it without any sort of accompaniment, as well as part of an ensemble piece.
Once the eggs were at a perfect level of fluffiness, I served up sensible portions for each of us onto the stoneware plates.
“Yummy!” Gen declared, after a couple of forkfuls.
“Good, I’m glad it’s such a hit.”
She went into a little song about how yummy everything was, which couldn’t help but swell my ego a bit. Once she was finished, I cleaned her up and sent her off to play for a bit.
The ring echoed like a gong through the mostly quiet kitchen. As with late night visits and phone calls, early morning ones weren’t much better. Particularly because there were only two people who ever called me on my cell.
Helena’s name appeared in black on the white screen, causing a whoosh of relief to escape me. Probably still not good news, but at least not the Armageddon that I might have otherwise feared.
“Ms. Bouhcher?”
“Yes.”
“It’s Helena Ashcroft-Belmont, from The Carrot Seed day care.”
“Yes, hi, what can I do for you?”
“I’ll have to be closing for the foreseeable. There was just a notice that the city is going into lockdown.”
“Oh,” I try not to sound too surprised.
I’d heard a little about the spreading virus, but it seemed like some of the ones of the past, bird flu, swine flu, things that would pass without much issue. Apparently, I’d been gravely mistaken.
“So, I’m so sorry, but I’m afraid you’ll have to find alternative arrangements for Genevieve.”
“Okay.”
The line died in my hand with no further fanfare. She no doubt had lots of other parents to inform.
“Mommy?” Gen’s little face popped up in the doorway.
“What honey?”
“Something bad?”
“No,” I half-lied.
I didn’t like lying to her, but how could I explain things to her? Best just to keep things normal, at least until I knew what was going on.
The bing echoed off the walls, bringing undivided attention to the phone once more. The sound like a bell to a Pavlovian dog. At least emails were easier to deal with. The advantages of phone and text with few of the drawbacks.
Finger quivering, I tapped the icon bearing the surname of the people who gave me office space and signed my paychecks. Though they also did a lot more as well. Previously, it really was a weird hybrid of both independent and supervised work, cases coming either by dictate or finding my own clients, and the pay coming from either the partners or the opposition in terms of the ‘court costs’ after we win.
I wasn’t in a position to do pro bono work, but my work was basically on result anyway. The lack of out-of-pocket costs making clients more likely to come to White & White, and the results-based pay serving as a motivator to win and win hard.
I could only imagine how much someone like Niles the Nuke made from a case. I didn’t think he charged by the hour either, he wasn’t that much of a bastard, but he was the king of the countersuit. His skill was coming up with some very convincing arguments as to why the people who had so recently been suing his client should pay him for the trouble of proving them wrong.
Considering most of his adversaries were millionaire celebrities and corporate media presidents, it was a mark in his favor as far as I was concerned. We actually did fairly similar work, he, and I, particularly with copyright increasingly being used as a new and insidious form of censorship. Usually, to try and silence criticism the creator or, more likely owners, didn’t like. Never mind that U.S. copyright law had specific provisions specially tailored to allow such criticism. Some people just seemed to think that the law didn’t apply to them. Which was good news, really. At least for those of us who made a living out of proving them wrong.
The email was succinct and to the point. From the computer of Ann White herself, the missive informed all concerned staff that the White & White offices would be closed for the foreseeable future due to the lock-down. The clerical and café staff would be given paid vacation, their positions held for them until the lockdown was over. The lawyers in their employ, particularly those with children would have the option to be placed in a co-op living situation, so they could continue with their work, while sharing the child-care responsibilities.
I should have known they would have some kind of plan. The White siblings were the best bosses I ever hadn’t and didn’t seem to mind at all going out of their way for those under their employ.
“Mommy?”
“What, honey?”
“Good?”
“Yes, at least I hope so.”
It was later that afternoon when the knocks came, firm and professional. Following the rules as usual, the Whites couldn’t let us into a co-living situation without a COVID test. Just to make sure we didn’t have it right then. Gen really wasn’t likely, but you could never be too careful.
