Phoenix Rising I (23 page)

“That’s why I wanted to stop you before we went in,” San de said. Juliana reached out and hit the scanner that would call the elevator platform to take then up. “I know you contested the first Assets Distribution Agreement thingy, but it would really be great if you could sign the papers right away today. My parents are coming into town and I was hoping that Jeff would be officially free, before they got here tonight.”

“Are you jesting with me?” Juliana looked at her.

“No, they’re really coming to the planet today.” San de nodded enthusiastically. “And it’s been so long since he sent you those last papers. I mean, ugh…”

“It’s been three months.” Juliana arched a brow. Was this woman serious? Sadly, it was clear by her vacant, expectant look that she was.

“Exactly, I know.” San de nodded. “A really long time.”

“We were together for eight years.” Juliana frowned. “I hardly think three months is considered long in comparison.”

“Oh, but that wasn’t a real marriage. Jeff says you were just a starter wife and that his parents made him marry you. Poor man. Forced marriages are so nineteenth century Earth--that’s what Jeff says.”

Okay, that stung. For the most part Juliana didn’t give two comets what Jeff thought about her, but even she could admit being called a ‘starter wife’ stung--even if she and Jeff both knew the words weren’t true. The fact that he even discussed her with San de was annoying.

“I’m sure he has told you that we are engaged to be married.” San de lifted her hand. Juliana wondered why she hadn’t noticed the ring before. It shone almost as bright as the yellow jumpsuit and hair. The champagne diamond was huge, cut into a large square and held in place by bright gold. “He’s told everyone about it. Well, everyone but my parents. We’re going to tell them tonight over dinner. That’s why I need you to make it quick today. I would really like to make it official, for my parents. You know how parents are.”

“Uh-huh,” she mumbled, more in disbelief than in agreement of the babbling twit’s words.

“Oh, and another question, can you give me the program codes to the cleaning droids? Jeff’s pants aren’t coming out right. No matter what I tell it to do, the droid won’t listen to me. I’ve been yelling at it day and night.”

“Are you living at my house?” Juliana tilted her head to the side.

“I’m living in your old house.” San de nodded. “Jeff says it’s mine now. Well, ours. As soon as this is final, I’m going to redecorate. No offense, but it’s so … unmodern.”

“It’s called retro-Earth.”

“Whatever. It looks old.” San de snorted.

“Let me see if I understand this correctly. This is my Assets Distribution Hearing and you’d like me to make it more convenient for you after you started dating my husband, while he was still by all accounts my husband, after you moved into my house and are wearing one of my old rings on your finger and,” Juliana leaned forward, sniffing, “my imported perfume, which was missing the day I was asked to leave.”

Juliana’s lips pressed tightly together as she stepped onto the elevator platform that appeared. Why continue talking? The woman wouldn’t ever get it. Her type never did.

“Uh-huh.” San de came with her. “I guess that’s what I’m saying.”

Juliana looked through the transparent walls as it took them up to the fiftieth floor. The ground level got smaller and smaller and she entertained thoughts of pushing the woman off the platform.

“So we’re agreed? You’ll make this fast so Jeff and I can get out of here?”

Juliana desperately wanted to ask San de how in all the known galaxies she’d managed to live as long as she did being as stupid as she was. She refrained, but it was hard. No part of her wanted to sink down to San de’s level or Jeff’s for that matter. She was only here to do what she had to do. If Jeff was fair, she wouldn’t fight it and let him take exactly half. But, if he refused to see reason, she’d have no choice but to defend her position.

“You know what, San de, forget I said anything. I don’t want Jeff, you can have him. He’s all yours.”

“So you--”

“Wait,” Juliana said, her tone falsely pleasant. “I wasn’t done speaking.”

“Oh.”

“To answer you’re inquires. No, you can’t have the program codes for the cleaning droids because you’re not old enough to legally operate much more than a tooth cleaning laser. No, I won’t go into the courtroom with the aim of making your life easier. This has nothing to do with you and, I can assure you, when I’m in there today, you and your parents will be the last thing on my mind. If you want this over quickly, tell Jeff to stop being a greedy little rocket boy and to give me a fair division of assets. All I’m asking for is fair and equal.”

Do not let her get to you,
she told herself, trying to calm her nerves. How could she not be hurt by being called a ‘starter wife’?
Do not get in the muck. You don’t want Jeff. These last few months with Maverick have taught you that you there is a better way to live. Let this atrocious, airhead of a woman have Jeff. They deserve each other.

“You know, he’s right. You act like he’s been unfair to you or something. You just cleaned the house. At most, all he owes you is a wage for services. I mean, he already told me he’s been giving you credits all these months out of the goodness of his character. He’s already given you five hundred space credits,” San de said, as if that made a difference.

“Ah, actually no,” Juliana took a deep breath. This not being angry was hard. Jeff hadn’t given her a single credit. “He originally offered a hundred and then tried to buy me off with a measly twenty-thousand.”

“Oh.” The woman looked lost.

Thankfully, the platform stopped and they could get out. Juliana paused only long enough for the security droid to scan her for weapons. At the end of the hall, a woman was in tears, being comforted by a group of friends. The floor was designated wholly for familial domestic affairs--marriages, divorces, asset disputes, custody and any other type of disagreements between family members.

The walls were dark brown, making San de stand out even more in her yellow. The woman tried to hurry past the security droid and Juliana hid a smile as the droid forcibly stopped her. Going down the long hall, she spotted the courtroom labeled for Asset Distribution and went inside. Jeff was already there. His insipid brown eyes found her and she frowned back at him, returning his look.

She thought of Maverick, missing him terribly. The months had been hard, but she’d gotten though them. And all because of Maverick. He left her alone when she needed to cry and be alone, gave her passion when she needed sex and when she needed someone to hold her, he held her. For three months, he hadn’t demanded anything from her. He hadn’t even insisted she help with bills, even after she’d gotten a job at a local school, working with troubled children. The job came from his recommendation, and was one of the most rewarding things she’d ever done. His not asking for money didn’t stop her from helping out. She liked contributing. In fact, just doing that had made her more confident in herself.

Giving a stern look, she stepped inside, walked boldly to the court’s record keeper and let her thumb be scanned for the record. Then, turning to Jeff, she asked, “Are you ready to make a fair division? All I want is half.”

“You don’t deserve a single credit,” Jeff answered, his tone confident.

Juliana shook her head, truly disappointed in him. She hadn’t come here with the intention of being a bitch, but he wasn’t going to leave her a choice. Knowing Jeff, he would never know what hit him, she reached into her pocket and she handed over a chip to the judge, who in turn put it into her reader so everyone could see the contents on the viewing screen behind her. “I seek only to fully reclaim what is mine, your grace.”

“Which is nothing,” Jeff said. “I’m the one who works for a living.”

The door in the back of the courtroom opened and San de called, “Wait for me. I’m here!”

“And you are?” the judge asked.

“San de Val le,” San de answered, holding out her ring finger. “I’m Jeff’s fiancée.”

“Quiet, Miss Valley,” the judge said, her tone stern. San de opened her mouth to speak. Jeff shushed her and told her to sit down. She did, sulking.

“Your grace, I have proof that my marriage to Mr. Harrison was never legally binding. He used a fake scanner print in what I’m guessing was an attempt to hide some very unsavory arrests on his record involving women of, ah,” she paused looking at San de, “low morals.”

“What?” Jeff demanded his face red. He looked down at his table and tapped his pockets, as if searching for some defense. He’d come unprepared, clearly thinking she would be blindsided by the proceedings and not have a clue.

Juliana knew he’d never find a defense for it. In her search of the documents for their assets, she had found Jeff’s print. She didn’t know why she never caught it before, but there was an obvious difference in the marriage contract and the documents he’d signed after becoming a lawyer. It took some doing, but Maverick was able to look up his old record for her. It would seem Jeff was a very bad boy, one who probably thought that he’d erased his record when he became a lawyer. But, electronic records never really went away.

“As you can see, we were never married legally. All the documentation is there-affidavits from the arresting officers and a denouncement by the clergy. The only legal thing was when I changed my name to fit his.”

“Who wrote that for you?” Jeff demanded.

“I did,” Juliana smiled, moving to take her seat. “I warned you. I paid attention when doing your homework. By the way, Jeff, you should really call your parents. They would like a word with you.”

“You called my parents?” he gasped, appearing very much like the child about to be scolded.

“The clergy did, sorry,” she said, not really sorry. He’d lied to all of them for years and it was time to face his deeds.

“Do you have a list of your personal assets?” the judge asked.

“I do,” Juliana said. “Screen two is a list of what I brought with me into the marriage, itemized and documented. As you see, it includes Ms. Valle’s ring, which I’d be willing to sell to Mr. Harrison for fair market price.”

San de pouted, but looked relieved when she didn’t have to give it back right away. Jeff sulked, looking miserable.

“Screen three is a copy of my inheritance and the purchase documents for my home using the money from it.” Juliana continued to list her case. Jeff had no defense.

“In light of there not being a legal standing marriage, all personal property is hereby returned to the original owner. As for assets shared or purchased during the time of co-habitation, they will be divided equally as it appears Mrs. Harrison was one half partner in the business of your law position.”

“What? This is--” Jeff was cut off by the judge’s hard look as she continued her ruling. The ruling was fair, as the judge let him keep the hover car and a good portion of the house’s furnishings.

“Jeffy?” San de asked, her voice a whine. “But what about my parents? If we don’t have a house where will they stay?”

Juliana didn’t speak to Jeff as she thanked the judge and left. Within seconds the judge had her half of their credits instantly transferred to an account under her name and police officers dispatched to assure Jeff left her property and her belongings without incident.

As she left the elevator platform and walked into the lobby, she smiled. Maverick was waiting for her on the outside steps. She saw him clearly through the front lobby windows. He was always on her mind and seeing him in his uniform still made her shiver every time.

Nodding his head, he smiled as she came out. The small dimple showed on the side of his beautiful lips. She’d spent hours kissing that mouth. In fact, since their very first embrace, she couldn’t seem to stop kissing him. It was crazy to jump from a nonexistent marriage straight into a relationship, but that’s exactly what had seemed to happen. Only, neither one of them had ever talked about it.

Pushing through the door, she started to go to him, only to be stopped by a familiar voice.

“Juliana?”

Juliana was surprised to see Arielle, the wife of Jeff’s boss. She hadn’t seen the woman since before the restraining order. They’d served on charity boards together and Arielle was one of the few women Juliana had missed talking to in her exile. The woman was stunningly beautiful, with a slender, graceful body and a delicate bone structure. Her brown hair was pulled back into a bun, but she by no means looked dowdy with the tame style.

“Juliana,” Arielle said, hugging her. “I was so worried about you. No one knew where to find you. When I found out the proceedings were today, I came down to see you. How are you?”

“I’m good. It’s thankfully over and I … I’m good.”

“I can’t believe Jeff. When I found out what he’d done....” Arielle shivered, shaking her head. “Why didn’t you call me?”

“You’re married to--”

“Pish!” the woman dismissed, as if knowing what Juliana was going to say about her being married to Jeff’s boss. “But, that is exactly my point. I am married to his boss and have some authority over the business. I may be a housewife, but my husband lives in that house and I’m ruler there. When I found out what happened, that he had evicted you without a credit to your name, I made sure my husband was aware of the situation. Jeff is about to get his just reward. Mortimer is going up there right now to have a word with him.”

“You didn’t have to do that,” Juliana said.

“Oh, but I did. Besides, it wasn’t hard. I just used the skills all women have to negotiate.” Arielle leaned in and said quietly, “I refused sexual attention until I got my way. It only took about five minutes.”

Juliana laughed.

“My husband quickly saw the light and agrees with me. A man who doesn’t take care of his family obligations wouldn’t be a team player and the firm needs someone reliable. He will still have a job, but a woman will be promoted into his spot as a partner. Lacy Vanders.”

“That will be a real sting to his ego,” Juliana said.