Fine

Fine

By

Sydney Canyon

Fine © 2014 Sydney Canyon

Triplicity Publishing, LLC

Smashwords Edition

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form without permission.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination and are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Printed in the United States of America

First Edition – 2014

Cover Design: Triplicity Publishing, LLC

Interior Design: Triplicity Publishing, LLC

Also by Sydney Canyon

Igniting Temptation

One Night

Shadow's Eyes

Acknowledgements

Although it is fiction, this story is similar to the health problems that I've personally experienced. I learned firsthand, that it's okay to not be fine all of the time. I would like to say a very special thank you to the doctor that took care of me. She is a woman with more heart and dedication for her patients than I could ever imagine.

Also, to the Canuck Down Under, thanks for being spot-on with your eagle eyes. I truly value your opinion.

Dedication

This book is dedicated to my partner, for being by my side through every medical test, diagnosis, and procedure, and for understanding when everything wasn't fine.

Chapter One

I can't believe this, Mom. Why didn't you tell me you were having health problems?

Honey, I never realized it was this bad. I'll be fine. But, I do want you to go get checked out. My doctor says you could be at risk, even at your age.

The blond woman paced the floor of her townhouse overlooking the cliffs of Laguna Beach. I haven't had any of those type of symptoms in a few years, Mom.

Yes, Collin, I understand that, but you have had them off and on all of your life just like I have.

What exactly is going to happen now that you've been diagnosed?

Clara Anderson ran a hand through her light brown hair and sat comfortably on the couch in her living room. Well, I'm going to have a hysterectomy, and then they will check my lymph nodes to see if the cancer has spread past my ovaries. They're not sure if I will need chemo or radiation yet.

Oh my God, Mom. Have you told Dad about any of this? Collin watched the predawn sun move over the Pacific Ocean. She knew it was close to nine o'clock in Allentown, Pennsylvania where her mother lived and she'd grown up.

I barely talk to your father, you know that, Clara answered with a sigh. Since their divorce, close to fifteen years ago, she had kept minimal contact with her ex-husband for the sake of their only child.

I still think you need to tell him. I would, but then you'd be mad at me for the rest of the year.

Collin Anderson! Her mother scolded. Don't you dare do any such thing. If I want your father to know, I will tell him my damn self.

Knowing her mother never cursed, Collin didn't bother retorting. She knew Clara was mad.

Fine, I won't say anything.

Thank you. Now please go see your doctor and get checked out. I'm worried about you, honey.

I will, Mom, just as soon as things settle down in the office. I promise. Collin stared at the beautiful scene of the ocean basked in an orange glow.

Don't make me call Lisa, Clara said with authority.

No, I'll tell her tonight after work. Don't call and freak her out. You know how she is.

Yes, don't I know. But, she's your wife and you had better let her know. If anything, she'll make you go get checked at least.

Mom, I will go, I promise. Leave Lisa out of it. Collin let out a long sigh. I should get going. I'm meeting a client at seven.

Oh, I always forget the time difference. You're always up though. Sometimes I think you don't sleep, child.

I do sleep. I love you, Mom. Let me know when they schedule the surgery so I can come out there.

Aunt Abby will be here with me, you don't need to fly all the way home. I will only be in the hospital a few days.

Mother, I will not argue with you on this. I am coming home when you have the surgery and that's all there is to it. If I have to call your doctor myself to get the date I will.

I swear you're as stubborn as a mule. I have no idea where it comes from. Must be your father's side, Clara said, shaking her head. Clear across the country Collin did the same thing, knowing damn good and well she was just like her mother.

Goodbye, Mom. She said as she closed her cell phone. Minutes later, she let the tears trickle from her blue eyes and roll down her cheeks.

She gave herself a little more time to overcome the devastation of her mother having been diagnosed with a form of cancer that is the number one killer of women. She realized that she'd had similar problems to her mother's most of her life and this meant she may never have children and worse, she was at risk for developing the same form of cancer. Collin wiped the tears from her face and turned away from the beautiful view from her living room.

~

Collin stepped out of her closet dressed in black slacks and a peach colored blouse. Her short, wavy blond hair was cut above her ears and lazily styled. It always looked sexy whether it was tucked under a ball cap, windblown from riding in her convertible Porsche, or styled for work or a night out on the town. Her five foot seven inch frame was lean and muscular, but still held soft feminine curves in the right places.

She walked downstairs, grabbing her black suit jacket and briefcase as she headed out the door.

Twenty minutes later, Collin arrived in front of Vespera and Anderson, Criminal Defense Attorneys at Law. The two story, glass and steel office building was located in ritzy Newport Beach, California, roughly fifteen miles from her house up in the hills of Laguna Beach.

Chapter Two

Morning, Collin. How's it going? Bernard Vespera, her law firm partner of three years, passed her on the way to his office.

She was standing in front of the coffee station pouring a steaming cup of hazelnut flavored coffee for herself. His wine colored tie stood out from the dark gray suit he was wearing and his jet black hair was combed perfectly, as always. Bernie, as he liked to be called, was twelve years her senior and had been a partner with the first firm she'd joined out of law school. When he had wanted to venture out on his own a year later, he offered her a partnership and she had jumped on the opportunity. Now, after three years together, they were quickly becoming established defense attorneys with most of their clients coming from Los Angeles since it was barely thirty miles away from the office.

Hey, Bernie. She returned his smile and went to her own office.

He quickly popped his head in as she was sitting down.

You're meeting with Hastings Bennett this morning aren't you? he asked as he sipped his own coffee.

Yes, he'll be here in about half an hour. Would you like to sit in?

No. I have some calls to make. Let me know how it goes though. He smiled and walked back out of the room. She knew he wouldn't want to sit in, he always let her handle her own cases. He only appeared with her when she needed to go to court, which was generally once a week.

~

Two hours later, Collin had taken three pages of notes from her new client. Hastings Bennett was a young black man, who had been accused of breaking and entering and attempted murder on a Spanish woman in her home in the middle of the night, three weeks ago. Collin had gotten him out on bond for a first time offense and had quickly gone to work conjuring up witnesses and looking at key evidence.

She leaned her blond head against the backrest on her leather chair. The large Chippendale desk in front of her was impeccably kept. Her laptop was sitting in front of her with a few stacks of papers to each side. Two large bookshelves were along the wall to the right and her degree and certifications were framed on the wall behind her. Ivory colored carpet covered the floor of the entire building. Four more attorneys worked in the building under the two partners. Those four shared two legal secretaries and Collin and Bernie each had their own. The firm also had three paralegals and two office assistants who handled various filing and typing duties.

Ms. Anderson, you have a call on line two. The intercom chirped and a middle aged feminine voice spoke with a slight Spanish accent.

Thank you, Christine, Collin said to her assistant through the speakerphone.

Christine was a fifty year old woman with as much motherly love for the young lawyer as her thirty years of legal secretary experience could muster. She had also left the same law firm as Bernie and Collin when they'd offered her a position with them.

The blond reached over, picking up the receiver. Hello, this is Collin Anderson.

Hey, babe.

Hey, how's your day going? Collin continued to lean back in her chair as she talked to Lisa, her wife of close to seven years.

I'm headed home today, so I should see you before dinner time. Will you be late?

Lisa ran her hand through her shoulder length black hair, scrutinizing herself in the mirror. She hadn't been to the gym in over a year and as a result had a gain a few pounds and gone up a pant size. Being a real estate agent with her own company for the past six years kept her far busier than she ever thought she'd be in her career. She seemed to spend more time away from home and out of town than she did at home or even in her own city. But, she followed the money and her clients when they wanted something in particular. She was good at what she did.

I'm meeting my last client around four, so I'll be home after six probably.

Alright, I'll see you then. Love you.

Love you too. Collin hung up and closed her eyes.

~

True to her word, Collin's black Porsche pulled into the garage at six o'clock. She parked next to Lisa's dark blue Lexus SUV and quickly grabbed her briefcase.