The Awakening by Lorhainne Eckhart Page B

striking features, and he appeared born to wear the finest suits.
    “So, what can I do for you?” Clint, dressed in dark slacks and a green sweater, sat in his firm leather chair.
    “I wanted to touch base about Laura and the lawyer you assigned to help Diana with the upcoming hearing to get her child back.” Andy wondered, by the way Clint watched him for a second before tapping a few keys on his computer keyboard, if he suspected that wasn’t why he was really here. But he didn’t know how to jump into, so what are my parents and the senator really up to?
    Clint read something on the screen before replying, “Everything’s set. But you should know that it’s unlikely she’ll get her kid back before the holidays. Child Services take every emergency situation seriously, and once they have your kid, you have to jump through a lot of hoops to get him back. Staying at her lawyer’s house, which, from what I understand, is barely big enough to house Diana and Jed, isn’t going to fly with any judge, let alone social services.”
    Andy wondered if Diana knew that Clint had information on her household.
    “You know, Andy, your cousin and his wife, what they are doing is admirable. But without this girl having steady employment a decent roof over her head, which is going to take some time… I hate to tell you this, but I wouldn’t count on her getting him back until she has all these things in place. She’s got too many strikes against her. She’s only twenty, a relative minor, under the legal drinking age of this state. The court does take all that into consideration: age, wisdom, knowing the best for her child. She’s barely getting by, forced to live on the street because she couldn’t pay rent, couldn’t feed her child. Child poverty is taken seriously, as is the fact that, through careless actions, she was fired with cause by your mother.”
    That last comment had Andy gripping the chair arms. “Where are you getting all this? First of all, what my mother did was unfair. That was not Laura’s fault, and my mother withheld her salary…”
    Clint cut him off. “For damages, which I understand doesn’t begin to cover the cost. She’s darn lucky your mother hasn’t gone after her for the rest.”
    “What the hell, Clint? I was there. Where are you getting this from, anyway? My mother?”
    Andy pulled back when he realized Clint knew something that he wasn’t telling. “You’ve talked to my mother, haven’t you?”
    “Look, Andy, I’m the family lawyer. Your father and mother are the heads of the household. I have a responsibility to report to them.”
    “What about lawyer-client confidentiality?” Andy didn’t like where the conversation was headed when Clint sighed.
    “Andy, your mother is my client.” Clint tapped his fingers on the desk.
    “Are you telling me you informed my mother of Laura’s situation?”
    Clint stared for a minute and then nodded. “I had a duty, Andy. So is there anything else I can help with tonight?”
    “Yeah, you can tell my mother she can…” He stopped and stood. He knew better. Clint may have been their family lawyer, but Andy now knew where his allegiance lay. “You know what? Never mind. Thanks for coming in, Clint.” He left, pausing just outside the door in the hallway, where he heard Clint speaking.
    “He was just here. I told him… Is there anything else you want me to do?”
    Andy felt poleaxed; he knew Clint was on the phone. He didn’t know who he was talking to, but he had a pretty good idea. He didn’t linger when Clint hung up the phone. He hurried out, taking the stairs and sitting in his truck for a few minutes before starting it and pulling out. It was too late to go out to Diana and Jed’s. They’d all be asleep, so he went home, but instead of going in, he went to the stables and lit up the round ring. He led Sugar, his Quarter Horse, into the ring and worked with her. It always helped him gain perspective.
    After the guests started