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“Thank you.” She planted herself in front of me.
“I’m Emily Charles.
Before we get started, I want to explain a few things about how this process works. As you know this is a clinic run by attorneys to help women in the community who may not otherwise be able to seek legal advice.” I said the same speech I had repeated yesterday to the women I saw. “Everything we discuss is confidential.”
She nodded. “I understand. I didn’t know where else to go. I-I need someone who isn’t … isn’t already bought.”
“This is a free service. There are no fees.”
“That’s not what I mean.”
“All right. What brings you to the clinic, Mrs. Foley? Tell me.”
“I was fired from my job yesterday.” Her eyes were hard and her lips formed a thin line. She didn’t weep, and her voice didn’t crack.
“I’m sorry to hear that.” I started taking notes. “I assume you are here because you believe it was a wrongful termination?”
She nodded. “It is. One of my co-worker’s found out I was pregnant and told my boss.”
“And you were let go immediately?” I asked.
“Yes. Immediately.” She pressed her palms into the pleats of her skirt.
“Did you have any prior written warnings, any kind of verbal indication that your job was in jeopardy?”
“No.” She was crisp. “I haven’t even told my husband about the baby.” Her eyes locked on mine.
“Oh.” I placed my pen on the desk and stopped writing. “Did you tell him last night after you were let go?”
She shook her head. “I couldn’t.” She spun the solitaire diamond on her left ring finger.
The conversation was becoming delicate. “Mrs. Foley, if you are asking me to provide legal advice and possible representation for you, then I need to know the factors that led to your release. The first would be how someone at work would know about your pregnancy and not your husband.”
She looked me straight in my eye. “Because my boss is the baby’s father.”
“I see.” I took a deep breath. Complicated did not begin to describe the complexity of this case. There were going to be layers I needed to peel back.
“Mrs. Foley, wait just a second.” I walked around behind her and stuck my head out the door. Meg was writing down the name of the women as they walked into the lobby.
“Meg,” I called her toward me.
“What is it?”
“This is going to take a while.”
Her eyes darted with panic. “But we have all these clients and no Addie.”
“I know. I know. But I can’t rush through this. Will you please field these the best you can? Take as much information down for me and then I’ll have a brief prepared at least when I sit down with them.”
“We are never leaving today are we?”
“Do they have cots in this place?” I joked.
“Don’t ever say that out loud or someone will order them.”
“I’ll do my best, but you’re right. It’s going to be a long day.”
I closed the office door, thankful I had the office to myself today so I could discuss this case without other clients walking in and out.
