Olivia stood outside the Hall of Justice in San Diego with Me and our client, Quenterro Castile...
I passed her a tumbler of steaming hot coffee..
There was a Dunkin Donuts , about a block from the courthouse...
"Thank you baby!" she said.. She had the newspaper...She showed Me and Quenterro the latest news..
"That detention center you were in has been closed...and all of the detainees have been transferred to this place..
She said showing us a photo of a modern detention center.
"It looks like a jail Ms. Olivia." said Q.
"It probably is...but it's air conditioned, clean and those guys will get two showers daily, three hot meals and a bed..a big improvement over where they had you."I said..
"I know it's not much, but it's something...It shows me that we were very successful in what we tried to do.."said Olivia..
Our mini bus drove up.. Beverly, Nelson, Josie ,Yvette, Keith, Bee Bee, Sofia ,Kahlil and Jade got out... Gary had been driving. They had all went to Breakfast... Olivia and Quenterro were both too edgy to eat...So trooper that I am...I stayed with them..
''We are ready Auntay.."
"I heard the news on the radio about them closing down that dilapidated old detention center and putting them someplace else more humane." said Nelson..
"That's great news."said Josie..
"That means we have been a total success so far...Things are looking up." said Yvette..
"It's basically because we shined a light on the situation.. and it got national attention, otherwise.. We are dead in the water,,,"said Keith Jones.
"Hey Don't be a Debbie Downer Hot Stuff..A win is a win.."said Bee Bee to Keith..
"Yes...Now let's go in here and win this.."said Sofia..
"Yeah...let's beat the pants off of old Conneticut.."joked Kahlil..
"His name is Boston, Silly..."laughed Jade hysterically...
"Well guys...Let's do this."said Gary....
We all filed inside the massive Hall of Justice...
Olivia passed an envelope to Quenterro...
"What's this?" he asked..
"That is a one way airline ticket back to Philadelphia PA. I bought it for you...That's how sure I am we are going to win this case..And you're flying back with us."said Olivia..
''Well you achieved all of your other goals so far...I might as well roll the dice with you."said Quenterro.
Olivia rubbed his hands softly..
"That's the way to think." she said..
II-
We entered the packed courtroom...Keith , Bee Bee, Sofia,Kahlil,Jade ,Gary and myself sat behind Olivia, Q., Yvette, Nelson , Beverly and Josie.
''Where is Boston? I didn't expect him to be late." said Keith...
"Yeah ,how about that..."said Bee Bee..
''Probably out drinking and canoodling with some woman and over slept." said Sofia.
"He Might have been out drinkin, but he wasn't with no other woman.."said Kahlil.
"Oh How do you know?" laughed Jade..
"He's probably right, that guy has Yvette on the brain...He wasn't with no other woman."said Gary..
''Still, it seems odd that he's not here."I said.
Olivia, Beverly, Yvette and Nelson looked worried.
"What is Boston doing, trying to make a dramatic entrance to un nerve us?" asked Olivia..
"I knew an attorney that used to do that...Come in late just to rattle the other attorney."said Beverly..
"But that's not Boston...He's punctual if not anything else." said Yvette..
"I'm getting worried...I hope this thing isn't postponed and dragged out another day.."said Nelson..
''Why? you in a rush to go home? Leave all of this?" joked Josie..
Just then the Judge walked in...He was a Black man, Not the same Judge we had the two days before.
We all rose for him and sat down...
"Good Morning...Uh The original Judge you had will not be presiding over this case...He was arrested last night...with uh er ah prostitute....He's in jail....So I will be taking over...I've looked over your transcript from the previous days so I'm up to speed.." he said..
A white woman walked in...
"Your Honor I am Attorney Pauline Gable, representing the Government...I will be standing in for Mr. Bishop..." she said..
''Where is Mr. Bishop?" asked the Judge.
"He wrapped his car around a pole early this morning..
He was not harmed....but the officer who arrived at the scene tested him positive for not only alcohol, but marijuana..He's in jail sir...So I have been asked to take over." she said.
Gary laughed loud and hard, not realizing how loud he was...he slapped his knee...Beverly,Nelson, Josie,Keith, Bee Bee, Sofia and Kahlil
held their heads down in their laps and also laughed...They were not as noticeable...
Quenterro also laughed...
III-
Yvette and Olivia gave me a glimpse of what a great team they would have made, arguing their points..
with Beverly and Nelson backing them up...
and Josie, Bee Bee, Sofia, Kahlil and Keith feverishly taking notes and passing them papers..
Pauline Gable was good, very capable and very prepared considering she had been called in on this at such short notice, but she was no match for Olivia, Beverly, Yvette and Nelson's well prepared and researched arguments..
The Judge thought so too! It took this Judge
little over a half an hour to rule in Olivia and Yvette's favor...He voided Quenterro's deportation order..
"Listen Son...This is serious...You go back to Philly and start working on your citizenship and keep those visas up to date and keep your nose clean...No more ouuuuu weeee...you hear?" he said..
Quenterro wanted to laugh, but he realized the seriousness of the matter..
"Yes Your Honor...and Thank you sir." he said..
He turned and hugged all of his lawyers and support staff...
"Thank you guys too! I owe you." he said...
"The Judge said Ouuuu Weee." said Beverly laughing...Remembering when she and Kayla used to smoke in High School and Freshman year of college.
"He's probably smoked before."said Bee Bee...who hadn't smoked since freshman year of college.
"Oh you know he has.." said Sofia..who also hadn't smoked since freshman year of college.
"Probably still gets down.." said Kahlil..who smoked all through law school....before stopping.
"Ouuuu weeee." laughed Keith..who also smoked all through law school...before stopping.
"You guys are so cool...Not the type of attorneys I expected..."laughed Quenterro..Meaning we weren't old and white and humorless...We were younger and African American, Latino like himself, Arab and female as well as male..
"I know it feels to good to be free and clear."said Nelson...who unlike the others had never smoked..
"Oh you just don't know.." said Quenterro..
Yvette passed him another envelope..
"This is your student visa and your work visa...Keep these on you and keep these up to date until we get you your citizenship." Said Yvette..
"Here is our card..Call Us."said Bee Bee..
"We can get you set up for your citizenship exam." said Keith Jones.
''We are pretty good at that."said Sofia.
''And we bill reasonably...we'll put you on a payment plan."said Kahlil.
"And this is our card...You have any trouble out of ICE...Give me and my Auntie a call."said Beverly..
"That's right." said Olivia..
''Well, our work here is done...Let's get back to the spot and parrrrrrttttyyyyy!" I said.
"I'm down for that." said Josie..
"Best part of the day!"laughed Gary,....
"But you know...I wanted the pleasure of sticking it to Boston....but that's okay..a win is a win." laughed Yvette.
IV-
That night we hung one on...
Once again we had a catered meal, Bar becued Ribs, Chicken, Cole Slaw and Burgers..Yvette put this one on her tab...
Cokes on Ice...
and cold brews...
We had Alexa playing the jams.....And of course the young people danced the night away..
"We used to have energy like that, ten years ago.."laughed Yvette..watching the young people dancing.
"Girrrrlll, you aint never lied." said Olivia..
"I almost hate to leave...I've enjoyed this trip so much.." I said..
"Yeah Me too.."said Gary,who was still laughing about Boston's ordeal..
''Oh stop laughing silly.."said Yvette..
who gave him a soft kiss...
"It is funny when you think about it..He was prosecuting Q. basically for smoking weed and he gets busted for DUI and smoking weed himself...."laughed Olivia..
"Yeah how about that.."I said..laughing myself..
EPILOUGE--
Ironically enough, Boston Bishop was detained in the exact same detention center where immigrants waiting to be deported or for hearings were being held..
He was released four days later...By then we were all long gone and back in Philadelphia..
To his dismay he found that we had won our case and got Quenterro freed and had taken him back to Philadelphia with us...
His car was totaled, but he was insured and within a day or two he was driving a new car..
His Attorney got the Marijuana charge dropped and the DUI reduced to a minor misdemeanor..
He thought about calling Yvette several times , but then thought better of it..
A quiet day at the office.....Found Olivia sitting on my lap with her arms around my neck..
""Oh you're just so satisfied...Look at you.." Olivia joked, smiling at me..
''Right now I am.. After last night? Yes I am." I said ,holding her tightly like I didn't want to let go...
"Well I'm happy I made you happy..."said Olivia..
'Everyday I wake up next to you...I'm happy." I said..
"Awwwwwwwwwwwwww now that makes me satisfied."said Olivia...
Who gave me a soft ,slow kiss.
Alfreda...Beverly's mother and our office manager smiled..
''I'm just glad you guys are all back...I was getting lonely." she said.
''We'll be around for awhile now.. We don't have anymore trips planned." said Olivia..
"How's that Boy doing?" asked Alfreda,
she was speaking of Quenterro..
"He's doing good...I got him a job at Josie's and he's in school, Community College during the day...And he goes to drug counseling.....He's keeping his nose clean "I said.
"And Hopefully out in California, a certain Attorney is keeping his nose clean too."said Olivia.
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