Olivia 101

It was the second grueling week of yet another controversial murder trial...The Mark Dawkins case.....It was a carbon copy of the Willie Childs case almost...A Determined ADA, Ron Harper

Young talented and without a loss...against my wife and her niece..

Olivia Bennett-Alexander and Beverly West-East....

Beverly's husband, Attorney Nelson East had of course helped us pick a jury....

and para-legal, Josie Boyd was helping us as a par-legal...

When they first got the case...I thought the young man was guilty...my cops instincts...I'm Donnie Ray Alexander, Olivia's husband...and investigator for her firm... I used to be a Homicide Detective..I was pretty good at it..

I dug and dug deeper and found a lot of disturbing discrepancies and a lot of lies told by so called witnesses...plus a lack of any forensic evidence.

Olivia, Beverly and Nelson were doing a great job of showing this to the jury during the Prosecutions case...

Much to Harpers chagrin and the arresting detective..

Good Old Lieutenant Tragg...

Another Attorney was working second chair with us...A bright young Public Defender named Eric Barnes...He had brought the case to Liv and Bev.....He was very eloquent, very well spoken and analytical..and a very nice guy to boot...

We were being paid through the Innocence Project here in Philadelphia.....

Court adjourned for the day....

''Auntay, it's been a grueling two weeks...but I think we are starting to get to that jury.." said Beverly...

"Right now the way I'm reading them...It's seven to acquit..four to convict and one undecided...That's got to swing in our favor.."said Nelson..

"I agree..but we've got to shore up our defense...Hit them hard with the facts and the facts presented that just don't add up...I have a feeling Harper is going to rest his case soon..."said Olivia.

"Didn't he used to be kind of sweet on you Liv?" asked Josie..

"Years ago when he first heard that Elwood and I were divorcing, he put his bid in..but I wasn't interested in him at all..He asked me out on several dates and I declined..I was nice about it,  I didn't want to get his hopes up...Besides..My mind was on getting out of that prison of a law firm I was in and starting my own..All of my energy went towards that..."said Olivia.

''Beverly told me you kept a lot of guys at arms length right after your divorce.."I said.

 ''For about a year ,I didn't date at all..Then I dated a little bit but not much.."said Olivia..

"So when she went on a VACATION to New Orleans and came back raving about this MAN she met ,who was so handsome and so well dressed and so sexy...Naturally, those of us who knew her like me, Ms. Yvette, Zoey and Celeste couldn't believe it..

I remember saying...

"Auntay ,You only like him cause he's long distance and you don't have to deal with him on an everyday basis" and she said..

"Noooooo, he calls me every night and we talk for hours.." laughed Beverly...

`

"Then you came up here and she met you for herself...and uh the rest is uh as they say history.."laughed Olivia..blushing..

Eric Barnes...The young Public Defender who came to us with this case about a month ago was soaking it all up as though he was in class...Olivia 101.

So how long were you married to husband number one?" he asked.

"Too damn long...Worst years of my life...The man never met a woman, who he didn't feel it was his duty to liberate her from her bra and panties.."said Olivia..

Eric Barnes Laughed.

"It's true...When she was married to her butthead loser first husband...she found panties and bras that weren't hers in his car, IN HER CAR and finally in their house."said Beverly...

"Oh damn...He was greasy as hell and sloppy too!"said Eric Barnes..

"He was...He caused me to have two miscarriages.. The stress of him and my job at that racist corporate law firm I worked at caused me to leave them both...for my peace of mind...but you know what? I forgave him over time....He is just who he is...I even represented him, when a woman accused him of fathering her child...For once..He was innocent of something.."said Olivia.

"Yeah for once."said Beverly...

"Yeah, for once.."muttered Eric Barnes.

I don't know what it was..Call it cops instincts...I just got the feeling that Eric Barnes knew all of this..When he got this case...He could have called any number of attorneys for help...He went to the Innocence Project here in Philadelphia and demanded that Olivia and Beverly help him on the case..They called and he gave us a visit..

Olivia and Beverly liked him...His forthrightness..His honesty...And they agreed to help him with the case...

He asked that they be first chair and he would be second chair..

He wanted Nelson in on it also...

He knew about our whole operation, where we lived, some of our most famous cases, everything...He reminded me of young  Attorney, Beatrice ''Bee Bee" Evans..

The other authority on Olivia and Beverly...

He seemed to be a little sweet on Josie...She told him she had a boyfriend, but he seemed undaunted..He showered her with compliments and bought her breakfast every morning...

He was two years younger than Josie and Beverly.

"Our young Attorney friend has a crush on you Josie girl.."joked Beverly...

"He's just being nice.."said Josie, blushing..

 "Paris had better step his game up.."I whispered to Nelson..

''Yeah man..Ole Boy is sweet on Josie..."laughed Nelson...

"Let's go get some food and some adult beverages..."said Olivia..

"Great Idea..I know a new place..."said Eric Barnes..

ADA Ron Harper stood by the courthouse door staring at Olivia and us as we left the courthouse...He turned to Lt. Tragg..

''Artie, I don't want to lose this case...Especially not to her..Go over that crime scene again with a fine tooth comb...Talk to those witnesses...She and her niece are killing me.." he said.

"This is an open and shut case...We got this guy cold.."said Lt. Tragg....

"Just Make sure.." he said.

II-

In the judges chambers of that same courthouse...ADA Miles Ellis and Attorney Alexandria Miller were kissing passionately...devouring each other's lips..

"Ouuuuuuuuuuuuuu Miles, we've got to stop baby....We've got to stop...I've got to meet with a realtor today.."said Alex..

"I can't stop, this is too good..ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu.."he moaned...

as they continued to kiss passionately...

"Come on baby...soon I'll have my own place and you can come over and make love to me all day.." she cooed..

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh lawwwd!" he moaned....

"You were great in court today...You won your case.."said Alexandria..

"I did, didn't I?" he said...continuing to kiss her..

"Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.."he moaned..

Alexandria eased out of his embrace...

"Okay....that's enough...I gotta go...Text me.." she said..

He stared at her...

"I will.." he whispered..

Sepia Morris was waiting outside in her car as Alexandria came out of the courthouse..

''Hi Alex..I'm Sepia..We talked on the phone the other day.."said Sepia.

"Hey girl..pleased to meet you..."said Alex..

"Hop in, I've got some really nice lofts to show you.."said Sepia..

"That's just what I'm looking for."said Alexandria as they pulled off..

III-

Later on that day...Eric Barnes was in his apartment...Alone..On his wall were large glossies of all of us..

Olivia Marissa Bennett-Alexander

Graduated , Philadelphia High School for Girls

B.A. Administration of Justice, Pre-Law-Temple University..

J.D.-University of Pennsylvania Law School

Passed the Bar, Speaks French and Spanish Fluently...

Worked as a Public Defender, Worked for Bach and Roach LLC,
Founding partner-Alexander & West ,attorneys at law..

Divorced- Elwood Barnes..

No Children, two miscarriages..

Married-Donnie Ray Alexander

Beverly Cheryl West

Graduated , Philadelphia High School for Girls

B.A. Administration of Justice, Pre-Law-Temple University..

J.D.-University of Pennsylvania Law School

Passed the Bar, Speaks French and Spanish Fluently...

Worked as a Public Defender, Founding Partner-Alexander & West Attorney's at Law.

Daughter of Olivia's Older Half Brother, James West... Niece

Married to Nelson East.

Nelson Sean East

Graduated, West Catholic High School-Philadelphia PA.

B.A. Administration of Justice, Pre-Law- St. Johns University, New York City
Psychology Minor...

J.D. -St. Johns Univeristy, New York City..

Passed The Bar
Speaks Spanish Fluently...

Worked as Public Defender, Presently Associate Attorney at Robert Foxworth and Associates.

Married to Beverly West

Donnie Ray Alexander

Born and Raised in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Educated in New Orleans Public Schools..

Associates Degree New Orleans Community College-Administration of Justice, Pre Law

Homicide Detective, New Orleans Police Department, Retired.

Principal Investigator, Alexander and West Attorneys at law-Philadelphia PA.

Married to Olivia Bennett

Also a semi-professional musician

Josephine Boyd

Born in Philadelphia PA.

Raised in Red Hook Section of New York City

Bachelors of Science from Fisk University

Master in Business Administration- University of Pennsylvania.

Currently in accelerated law school program at Drexal University.

Para -Legal -Alexander & West Attorneys at law.

 He looked over our pictures and the information the private investigator had shored up on the five of us as well as the anecdotes he'd heard from our own mouths...He smiled..

He liked us...

He got in his car and drove for awhile...He saw three familiar figures..Me , Nelson and Elwood Barnes..Olivia's first husband..

"I really want to thank you guys for doing me this solid...I never thought I'd be asking you Donnie Ray of all people to help me pick out an engagement ring set and wedding bands.."said Elwood..

"Yeah, funny how things turn out.."I said..

Nelson passed him the Tiffany box..

''So you're really going to do this huh?" said a skeptical Nelson..

"Yeah, it's time...They say the third time is the charm...This time I'm gonna get it right...I managed to blow two marriages....and one very good well, it might have been a very good relationship....Alex has been living with me for three years now man and I only cheated on her once..just once...It was an uh out of town thing...I think I've got all of that out of my system now..I'm ready to finally settle down.." he said..

"Well good luck to you man...I hope this works out.."I said..

"Yeah man..good luck.."said Nelson..

None of us knew Eric Barnes was sitting feet away in his car and had heard the entire exchange..

"Ready to settle down...Ready to settle down...READY TO SETTLE DOWN..You creep...it's not in you to settle down..." he said to himself and drove off...

IV-

A little while later...LOUD LAUGHTER WAS HEARD AT OUR HOME...

"SETTLE DOWN??? SETTLE DOWN?? SETTLE DOWN??? ELWOOD?? Hahahahahahahahahaha."laughed Olivia..

"Oh My god...And you two believed him? Oh My God!Auntay...HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"laughed Beverly...

"Look, he put out some good money for those rings...I think he's serious...I mean look, the girl has been living with him for three years.."I said..

"I met her...She's a nice girl,She's an Attorney like us...I wonder how many pairs of panties that weren't hers she's found???...."said Olivia

''Or Bras, that weren't hers has she found in that loft he lives in.."asked Beverly...

"Oh My God...He is sloppy...and Greasy just like Eric said.." laughed Josie..

"Well she aint left him yet..She's still with him..." said Nelson...

"Not yet...but trust me...It's coming...Ask Zoey...

Elwood had her about to commit to a relationship and the night she came to tell him her answer was yes, she found a pair of Aqua panties lying on the chair of his hotel room..and they weren't hers....She said she never said a word...He was on the phone and she got up and left that night on the train..She never had anymore dealings with him again..."said Olivia..

"DAMN! "said Nelson...

Alfreda, our Office manager and Beverly's mother heard some of our conversation and shook her head..

''Nothing is worse than a low down nasty dog...Except a lyin low down nasty dog.What kind of women does he go out with anyway, that leaves their panties and bras behind?"she asked....

"Women in a hurry: I said dryly...

We all busted out laughing..

and at Elwood's loft...

 Clerow and Owen Todd packed the last of her things in the U -haul truck...

"This is Everything Ms. Miller.." they said..

"Thank you guys...You can pull off, take it to my new loft...I'll be there..I want to do one last thing.."said Alexandria..

She put her key on the night stand..

She dropped the pair of panties she found in Elwood's luggage on the bed...

She walked out...She closed the door quietly...She was free..Free of Elwood..She no longer lived under his roof..All of her clothes and things were gone..It hadn't been a completely bad three years...but it was a chapter of her life that had ended...She vowed that the next man she lived with would be her husband...Until then, She was on her own..

She got in her car and pulled off..She was glad he wasn't home..She didn't want an emotional good bye or any begging and crying...

She had gotten a new smart phone with a new number and had turned her old phone in...She had even changed work phones..She didn't want any bother out of Elwood for awhile..

Elwood was walking down the street..He didn't know he had missed Alexandria by minutes..Wait til she saw the size of the ring he brought her...

He walked in his loft to shock..  All of her things were gone.. Clothes, toiletries...Pictures...Everything.. Her keys were on the night stand and a pair of panties were on the bed...

He stared at them...They weren't any he had seen on her..and he hadn't had anybody over here..Then he thought..Glenda....She wore those the last night in Boston...GLENDA!!!!

FROM OUTSIDE YOU HEARD A SCREAM!!!!

"OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!"

 Sitting across the street taking it all in was Eric Barnes..

He laughed until he cried!

(TO BE CONTINUED)