Page 94 of Objection to Love
But who was right?
“Oh, Ms. Miller, what are you doing here?”
Em looked up to see Mr. Standson standing in the door to her office. She stopped shuffling papers. “Just thought I’d get a jump start on next week’s work.”
Mr. Standson nodded. “You did great work at the trial this week. As I knew you would.”
Em nearly scoffed, but that would be rude. “I apologize for my mistake in the evidence. It won’t happen again.”
“It might,” Mr. Standson said, but before Em could get up in arms, he continued. “That’s the way of things. The law isn’t always cut and dried, and humans make mistakes. But you did your job well with the information you had, which is all I’ll ever ask. But, Ms. Miller?”
Em was gaping at him, not able to fully process what he’d just said. She’d screwed up… majorly. But… he didn’t care? He didn’t blame her? She realized he was still watching her. “Yes?”
“Don’t work on the weekends. You’re one of my best prosecutors. I don’t want you to burn out.”
“Oh… ah, okay. Thank you.”
He nodded again, then started to back out of her office. But something he’d said sparked a memory.
“Mr. Standson?”
“Yes?”
“Did someone named, ah, Jenkins ever work here?”
Mr. Standson thought for a moment. “Oh. Yes. Robert Jenkins. He was a great attorney.”
“Did he retire then?”
“Nope. Changed jobs.”
“Oh. Why? If you don’t mind my asking.”
Half a smile crossed her boss’s face. “Well, to be honest, he worked a bit too hard. It’s not my place to share details, but it was clear his overwork was bleeding into other areas of his life. He was a great attorney, like I said, but ultimately, he realized prosecution wasn’t for him. He’s a guardian ad litem now and really enjoying it, as I understand. In Boulder, I think. Has a couple of kids. His wife sends us Christmas cards.” He paused. “Why do you ask?”
Uhhhh. “Just heard his name somewhere.”
Mr. Standson accepted that response. “Well, have a great weekend, Miss Miller.”
“Thank you. You too.”
He left, went into his office to grab something, then left the building altogether. Em watched him go.
So Jenkins had “worked too hard” and ended up leaving the position. But he hadn’t left law completely, just prosecution. That wasn’t really burning out… Something had just needed to change in his life, so he’d changed it. Like Em had.
Except, his change had been work-related, and hers had been personal.
That didn’t mean her change was wrong though.
But it might have been.
The next week was a blur of monotony. Em spent her mornings awkwardly trying to avoid Garrett—who seemed to be doing the same with her—and her days working on various cases. Her evenings were passed at April’s or at home either watching a show or taking a bath in an attempt at easing the knot that seemed to have taken up residence in the base of her neck. She was trying to work a little less. Only a little… Really, she’d just replaced her nightly looking over of cases. But it was something.
Thursday was the day of April’s surgery—exactly one week after they’d found out about their baby’s heart problems. As Em understood it, the little unborn baby girl had some sort of obstruction of her aortic valve that could lead to the left side of her heart not forming properly and causing lifelong heart problems. Modern medicine was incredible, and April and Jackson’s baby could be operated on while in utero. And then, should everything go well, they would be able to finish off the pregnancy normally and deliver the baby full-term.
Though everyone was grateful there were doctors skilled in correcting the problem, no one felt easy about the surgery, which would take place in Denver.
Em drove herself to the hospital in the early morning; April and Jackson had gone the night before and stayed in the city. The silence of her empty car amplified her nerves. But then she would think about how nervous April must be… and Em’s own nerves would grow even more. Her sister had seemed constantly on the verge of tears all week. And neither Em, Jackson, nor April’s best friend, Natalie, seemed capable of relieving any of her fear for more than a few minutes.
