Sometimes, Things Just Happen

Early in the morning.. Mellissa Lewis, our client was in a coffee shop , having her morning cup of joe..

She had no reason to worry, despite the fact that she was being charged with a crime that could land her in prison, potentially for the next ten years of her life.. She had complete faith in her legal team..

OLIVIA BENNETT_ALEXANDER

HER NIECE , BEVERLY WEST-EAST

MYSELF, DONNIE RAY ALEXANDER

NELSON EAST

and JOSIE BOYD..

The Best legal representation money could buy, she was told..She had complete faith in us rectifying this situation,.

Which was basically an attempt by an ambitious new Assistant District Attorney to make a name for herself with a half baked trumped up case at her expense..She resented that.

She inhaled the smell of the coffee, which she loved, before adding cream and sugar and sipping...

Her back was turned, so she didn't notice the tactical squad officers that began seeping into the coffee shop...

Other employees and customers did.. 

She turned just in time to see their guns drawn and Homicide Lieutenant Tragg entering the coffee

shop... She knew him from his many appearences on Television..At news conference after a big trial where the press ridiculed him to the point of the press conferences turning into mellees and of his appearences on HARD BOTTOM in the past..

She looked at him..

"Really? All this for little ole me?  Who did you guys think you were after, Ma Barker?" said Mellissa Lewis, sarcastically..

"Knock off the sarcasm Little lady...I have a warrant for your arrest on charges of Involuntary Manslaughter.." said Lt. Tragg.

"You've got to be kidding me...Really? Over something that happened three months ago ,something I had absolutely nothing to do with, really?" said Mellissa incredulous. Now she knew why Olivia and Beverly had told her to keep a low profile..

"You have the right to remain silent, understand that from this moment on..anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law...You have the right to an attorney, if you can not afford an attorney, one will be provided for you..Do you understand your rights as I am reading them to you?" said Lt. Tragg..

Mellissa Lewis sighed..

"Yes!"

"Okay boys, hook her up (Handcuff her) and let's go." said Lt. Tragg 

as they left the coffee shop..

A little while later at our Duplex/Office..

Nelson and I were spreading Cream Cheese and Jelly on bagels..

We were alone in the office today... Olivia and Beverly were in court filing a brief in another case and they had taken Bresha with them..

Josie, who was allowed to sleep late was just coming downstairs..She was still yawning..

"Good Morning guys...where is everybody?" she asked.

Liv and Bev both had to file briefs in two other cases they had, they took Bresha to court with them..They didn't want to wake you up...You were sleeping so good.. Paris left for work about an hour ago.."explained Nelson..

"There is coffee in the kitchen.. Sit down and have some of these bagels with us." I said.

"Ouuuuu..Okay."said Josie..

Alfreda was just arriving at work...

"Hey Guys...Rockland just called me... Lt. Tragg just arrested Mellissa Lewis.. She was spotted in a coffee shop in Northern Liberties.." she said.

"Damn it!! I was afraid this was going to happen." I said. "Liv and Bev had briefs to file in seperate cases..They're in court...They took Bresha with them.." I said.

"It's Okay Donnie Ray...Josie and I can go get her and get her arraigned..We got this." said Nelson.

"Yeah, let me finish this bagel." said Josie. 

II-

DISTRICT COURT-

Olivia stood in the back of the courtroom with Bresha waiting for her niece Beverly...She had already filed her brief..

"When I was a Public defender...I sometimes had three or four cases pending at a time..And it was nothing for me to be up here filing a brief ,while prepping for a case..Much like we are doing today..Except that this rarely happens like this now." said Olivia.

"Plus you have a team and it's not all on you." said Bresha.

"Hey guys...Sorry I took so long...I'm finished.. Let's go and get some breakfast.." said Beverly..

Just as they were leaving the courtroom they saw a familliar figure.

Elwood Barnes, Olivia's first husband..

"Olivia, Beverly...How are you doing?  Long time no see." said Elwood..

"Not long enough.." whispered Beverly to Bresha..

Bresha smiled..

"Old Client?" she asked.

"No, My aunt's first husband.." said Beverly...

''Fancy seeing you in a courthouse Elwood, aren't you more of the litigating type?" said Olivia.

"You know I am Olivia..You know I hate going to court but every now in then, You know, you have to." he said... There was that awkward silence...

''So How's Married life?" Olivia asked..

"It's Great..Uh, she..Alexandria..

is uh pregnant! Her second month..." he said..

"I'm....I'm so happy for you!" said Olivia.

"Liv...If I...If I hadn't of been such an asshole, this could be us..We'd be on our third child by now.. I am so sorry.." he said.

"It's the past Elwood..Don't dwell on it.. Tell Alexandria I said good luck.." said Olivia.

He looked lustfully at Bresha..

"You've added a new Attorney?" he asked.

"This is Bresha...Bresha Williams, she recently graduated from Middleton Law School and passed the bar..She's clerking for us for awhile.."said Olivia.

"Where are your uh hubbys?" asked Elwood.

"They're both at home , minding the store.. Bev and I had to file some briefs in other cases today and we decided to take our new intern with us. Show her the ropes."said Olivia..

"Yeah, good idea... Show her the not so glamorous stuff about being an Attorney, Heh Heh heh, Ohhhhh...Well it was nice seeing you guys again...Be well."said Elwood as he walked off..

''And you as well."said Olivia..

She looked at Bresha..

"That was my ex-husband..Biggest mistake of my life.. The entire time we were married, He cheated on me...He never met a woman who he didn't feel he should liberate from her bra and panties.. In fact, I found other women's panties and bras in his car, under the seat and in MY CAR, under the seat, in the back seat...And one time in our home.. He got me pregnant twice and twice I had miscarriages..I finally had to let him go..The money I got in the divorce settlement paid for that Duplex and that law office we work in.. I got remarried  and brought my niece, her husband, both of whom I had worked with at the Public defenders office in and Josie, who had been with the two of us, Bev and I since the day we opened the doors and that is our story." said Olivia.

"My mother used to say...You have to kiss a lot of frogs before you meet your prince. Donnie Ray is your prince.. You're clearly the only woman on his mind.. I see the way he still looks at you."said Bresha.

''Auntay used to tell me that too! You have to kiss a lot of frogs before you meet your prince." said Beverly..."Come on...I'm starving.." she said..

They went upstairs to the Cafeteria.. They Ordered a harty breakfast

of  Omelettes to order

Hash browns

Sausages

and Grits..

"Let's not tell Donnie Ray and Nelson that we had such a big breakfast...If I know right they are probably munching on Bagels." laughed Olivia.

"I wasn't planning on telling them...I do feel kind of guilty."laughed Beverly...

"You two are too much.."laughed Bresha.

They had finished their meals after awhile and ordered some coffees, when they heard their names being called.

''Ms Olivia...Ms. Beverly!" came the voice of Attorney Melody Brown.

''Heyyy Liv, Beverly.." came the voice of  Attorney, Eric Barnes.

"Oh My goddddd..Melody...Melody Brown.." said Beverly...

"And Eric....How are you guys doing? We haven't seen you in a minute...We just saw your father, you just missed him.."said Olivia.

"I didn't really miss him." said Eric.

"You still haven't introduced yourself to him yet have you?" asked Beverly, who was no fan of Elwood.

"Nah...I'm still working that out and the fact that he's going to be a grandfather soon.." said Eric..

"Melody? You're pregnant??/Ouuuuuuuuuuu"said Olivia, who hugged her....

''We just found out...I'm only a few weeks gone.." she said.

Beverly looked at her hands..

"Is that an engagement ring?" she asked.

"Yup! I'm gonna make an honest woman out of her.." said a smiling Eric Barnes..

"You guys...This is Bresha..Bresha Williams, she just graduated from Middleton Law School and Passed the Bar..She's clerking with us for awhile.. This is Eric Barnes, son of my ex-husband ,who you just met...We all worked a case together about three years ago and found out who he was by accident..

My ex-husband fathered him before we even met. and this is Melody , who clerked for us, just like you're doing now and worked a case with us once.."said Olivia.

"Nice meeting you Bresha and nice seeing you guys...Hey look, we are going to invite you guys to our wedding..We haven't set a date yet, but you're tops on our list..Nice seeing you again.."said Eric Barnes.

"Yessss...Please come."said Melody..

"Wouldn't miss it for the world." said Olivia.

She and Beverly hugged them both and waved as they left..

"You guys world is interesting to say the least." said Bresha.

"Bree, you don't know the half..Imagine Elwood of all people, about to become a father and a grandfather..."said Beverly..

''Yeah, Imagine that!" said Olivia, thinking of the two children she might have had...but was robbed of.

"Let's get out of here." she said.

III-

In the "Fishbowl" the nickname the detectives gave to the interrogation room,

Melissa Lewis was defiant...

"Look, you said I didn't have to say anything...That I had the right to remain silent...Well I'd like to do that, Stop asking me stupid questions." she said.

"Look!  That attitude is not going to help you at all." snarled Lt. Tragg..

"LAWYER!!! That's all I'm gonna say." she said.

"Lawyer? Yeah, like you got a lawyer!" Lt Tragg snickered.

''Actually she does! That's why we are here.."said Nelson.

'.

"Sit tight...We got you arraigned before a judge...We'll see him in an hour." said Josie.

"WHATTTTTT?" screamed a livid Lt. Tragg.. "Sooo this isn't a high profile enough case for Olivia ,Beverly and even Donnie Ray, so they send the bench players huh?" he snarled.

While Beverly would have definitely had a snappy comeback for him..Nelson and Josie remained unflappable..

''We'll see you in a few hours , just sit tight."said Nelson.

''Remember, you don't have to say another word." whispered Josie to her..

Mellissa did wonder why neither Olivia nor Beverly showed up...but they would be running her trial..They probably were working on more important things right now.

Lt. Tragg was a bit perplexed himself..

It was almost noon..

They all found themselves in front of Judge Percy Reynolds.. he wondered where Olivia and Beverly were..but he recognized Olivia's right hand man, Nelson East and her newest Attorney, Josie Boyd..

ADA Jennifer Thorne argued that the suspect was indirectly responsible for three deaths and should be held without bail..

Nelson argued eloquently that the defendent was a Barmaid who served the killer drinks and who followed him home to make sure he was alright...She had no priors and was not responsible for the carnage he caused afterwards...

Josie had rounded up all of the employees of Josie's Bar, Mellissa's boyfriend and some relatives as character witnesses...

Judge Reynolds had heard enough, plus he saw Lt. Tragg

sitting out there.. He set bail at $800.00 dollars...

Nelson wrote a check for $80.00

Mellissa glared at both Lt. Tragg and ADA  Jennifer Thorne..

Josie took Mellissa by the arm and they walked out of the courthouse..

On the way home from court , the girls stopped in the dry cleaners to pick up their clothes..

They were at the counter..

"Oh while I'm here..Can I get my husband's dry cleaning?" said Beverly...

"Yeah...I might as well get my husband's things too." said Olivia..

"You two are good wives...but then of course." came the voice of Dr. Wallace Anderson...

"Wallace?" said Beverly...

Bresha could look at Beverly's expression and tell that this man meant something to her..

"How's it been?  How is...How is married life?" said Beverly.

"It's great,,,Hopefully the second time is the charm...Gotta go!  We are going out tonight...Nice seeing both of you! " said Wallace..

"Byye Wallace, give your wife my best!" said Olivia..

"Before I met Nelson...Oh years before...That was my guy...I was starting Law School and he was starting Med School...We were going to be a power couple like Cliff and Claire Huxtable..He was one of two men who understood me, who didn't take crap from me...He was my first true love.....but uh, I was immature..He was the one who uh got away...Nelson , was the other man, who understood me, who put up with my crap and still managed to love me anyway.."said Beverly, a tear running down her face.

"Both of you phenomanal women's past collided with you today....but that's just it..Your past...Look what you've built together.. A great law practice, great reputations and great families.. Whatever happened in your past, yo both have two great husbands who adore you...That's got to count for something..whatever mis steps you made in the past is just that....See, sometimes, things just happen."said Bresha.

Olivia smiled..

'' Niecey Poo , this girl is wise beyond her years.." said Olivia.

"She sure is." said Beverly, with a smile.

Bresha smiled.

IV-

A light rain descended on the city...

in a downtown Philadelphia bar..

Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Thorne walked in and sat at the bar.

"I'm here....What do you want?"

"I thought we should talk Norma."said her estranged husband, Ro Thorne from Oklahoma..

"Don't call me Norma" said Jennifer Thorne.

"That's your name!  Norma Jennifer Gibson of Boley, Oklahoma.. I'll bet none of your fancy dan friends even know that...do they? That's right, here in Philly you're Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Thorne.. It took me a lonnnnng time to find you.. I was looking for Norma Gibson , or Norma Thorne...It took me awhile, but I found you." said Roy Thorne.

"Thorne is MY NAME!!!"he said..

"Okay!  You've found me...what do you want?" asked Jennifer.

"For Starters...A DIVORCE!" he said..

It was pouring down rain....We had dinner in our domicile..

We had Spaghetti .....

"Dig in guys....There is plenty of food." I said..

"Ummmm, everything is delish  Donnie Ray.."said Bresha.

''Nelson, Josie...I'm soooo proud of the way you two handled business today...I had no idea Lt. Tragg would stoop so low.."said Olivia.

"I think this was more Jennifer Thorne..She is really pushing this and I can't understand...She's got next to nothing." said Nelson.

"She really is starting to get on my nerves with this." said Josie..

Her boyfriend Paris hugged her..

"It's really raining out there." said Beverly, who sat on her husband's lap and leaned her head on his shoulders..

"Well we are nice and dry and snug as a bug in here." said Nelson..

''Amen!"said Olivia, who sat on my lap. and leaned her head on my shoulder..

I hugged her...

Bresha looked at all of us and smiled..

As rain poured down heavily in the street.

(TO BE CONTINUED)