Authors: Krysten Raine
Valerie's funeral was two days later. Jack made arrangements with work to shift his clients to other partners for a few days and he stayed with Alyssa the whole time. She went through different periods of emotions. One minute she looked strong and she would smile and offer loving gestures toward Jack. Seconds later she would be sobbing again or she would be angry or defiant. Jack knew that it would take Alyssa some time to come to terms with what had happened. She was clearly starting to go through the five stages of grief and he was determined to see her through it.
Alyssa barely spoke the morning of the funeral. She tried to smile at Jack when he touched her or talked to her, but for the most part the pain was too great and she just stared at her feet or out the window. Jack made sure that Alyssa had
everything that she needed. He even went out and bought her a beautiful black dress since she didn't own anything that was appropriate for a funeral. He presented it to her that morning and it fit perfectly. Alyssa was grateful for Jack's caring and patient ways in her time of need. When she came out wearing the dress, Jack told her how beautiful she was. Alyssa managed a slight smile and then she sat down to look at herself in her vanity. Her face was puffy and she had bags under her eyes. The week she had spent crying had made her look ten years older. Disgusted, she started putting on her makeup. Jack sat behind her and gently brushed her hair as she did this. Then he reached for a black, silk ribbon that rested on Alyssa's headboard. He gently draped it over her head and tied it under her hair so that it rested like a headband, leaving a long tail that hung down on her shoulder.
Alyssa smiled when she saw her reflection in the mirror. She thought it gave her a youthful, almost European look, like a young girl walking the streets of Paris in hopes of finding love. She reached into her jewelry box and she pulled out a simple necklace and earring set that her mother had given her for her sixteenth birthday. They were just small, round diamond studs and the necklace was a small golden heart with three miniature diamonds on the top, left arch. Now that Alyssa was a grown woman, she had much nicer and more elegant pieces but she felt that wearing the ones that came from her mom was the most
appropriate. Maybe her mother's spirit would see them and know that they were worn in her honor.
Valerie's body was transported to a Catholic Church right down the road from the prison. Valerie had always called herself a Catholic but she almost never went to church and it had been nearly twenty years since her last confession. Although Valerie believed in her faith, her addiction and lifestyle outweighed any desire she might have had to find religion. Alyssa was never really exposed to the church as a result.
When they arrived, Alyssa was overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of the structure. The church itself towered above all of the buildings. Alyssa thought maybe they were trying to build their way into heaven. The mighty stone giant featured stained glass windows and magnificent arch ways. With her hand on Jack's arm, they walked through the arches that ended with wooden double doors that were adorned with carvings of Christ and the Virgin Mary. Jack reached out and opened the doors for Alyssa. Together they walked past endless rows of pews before joining a very small group of people for Valerie's funeral. Including Alyssa and Jack, only about ten people had arrived at the service. The incredibly small turn out pained Alyssa, but what did she expect? She was Valerie's only living relative and her only friends were junkies and drug dealers. In fact most of the people who were there fell into one of those two categories, if not both.
The priest stood in front of Valerie's casket in silence for about ten minutes. Alyssa figured he was delaying the proceedings in case more people arrived, but none one else came. Alyssa and Jack sat up front and a small
group of people sat together toward the back. A few solitary people sat spread out from everyone else. The priest moved through the service with dignity and grace and he was overly respectful of Valerie. He spoke of her not as a junkie who finally lost her battle with her addictions, but instead he referred to her as a 'lost child of God' who had found her way home to the Heavenly Father. He prayed for forgiveness of Valerie's sins and Alyssa hoped in her heart that these prayers would be granted. When the priest was finished he asked if anyone wanted to say a few words. Alyssa was very uncomfortable at the idea of coming up to speak but she knew that no one else would do it and the idea of no one speaking for her mother seemed disturbingly wrong. So cautiously Alyssa raised her hand and the priest invited her up. She wiped away her tears, grabbed a tissue from her purse just in case and she made her way up to the platform.
"I don't know most of you, but thank you for coming. My name is Alyssa. Valerie Snyder was my mother. I'm not really good at public speaking, so bear with me. Um…my mom had some problems, heroin mostly. They tell me that is what killed her. She was clean for the first time since I was a little girl. She was finally getting her life back together but I guess she had a relapse or something. I don't know. I don't know what happened. Uh…but she um…she always tried her best with me. I know she loved me even if there were times when she wasn't really there for me as a kid. I
just… I hope she knows that I loved her."
Alyssa started to cry and then she returned to her seat where she sobbed softly. Jack put his arm on Alyssa's
back and gently rubbed it as she tried to get a hold of herself. Then the priest opened the casket for viewing. No one went up to see Valerie's body. The people who were scattered left one by one, but the group that was seated together just remained in their seats, staring at Jack and Alyssa.
"Come on, let's go say goodbye to your mom," Jack urged and then he helped Alyssa to stand and he walked with her to the casket. Alyssa gasped when she saw her mother's body. She felt like someone had reached inside her chest and was squeezing the life out of her heart. She just stared at her mother's remains for several long moments. Jack kept rubbing her back and telling her that it was okay. Alyssa whispered goodbye to her mother and that she loved her. Then Alyssa reached up and removed the earrings and the necklace that her
mom had given her. She placed them in Valerie's hand and then closed her fist around the jewelry.
"I want you to have these, Mom. This way we will always be connected," Alyssa said in a quiet and mournful voice. Then she leaned over and kissed her mother on the forehead and then she told Jack she was done. Alyssa was shaking, so Jack wrapped his coat around her and then he held her close to his chest as they
walked out of the church. Alyssa thanked the priest for the lovely service as they exited through the courtyard with the archways. The group that had been seated in the corner got up and followed Alyssa and Jack outside. They kept a good distance behind the couple until they walked outside and then they started walking much faster. They came up fast behind Jack and Alyssa. One girl bumped hard into Alyssa's back as the group split to walk around them, effectively surrounding them on both sides. The girl who had crashed into Alyssa turned around to address her as they walked.
"Maybe next time you'll think twice about talking to the cops. Too bad mommy had to pay the price, huh bitch?" the girl said threateningly as she and her friends ran away. Alyssa and Jack just stared at each other with shock and horror plastered on their faces like bad Halloween masks.
"Oh my God! Oh my God!" Alyssa cried out and then she buried her face in Jack's chest and started wailing. Her body trembled
with fear.
"Oh Baby, I am so sorry!" Jack replied through tears of his own. The two of them were both so shocked and upset that they were in no shape to drive and so they sat
huddled together on the concrete bench in the church courtyard for nearly three hours. Finally Alyssa looked up at Jack and asked him to take her home.
Chapter Eighteen: The Firm Falls
Immediately upon their return to Alyssa's apartment, Jack turned on his cell phone and discovered that he had 111 missed calls. Jack was floored by the
call volume but he did not have time to go through his voice mail. He took the incident at the church very seriously and he felt that Alyssa was likely in danger. Jack ignored the numerous messages and he called Valerie's lawyer and informed him of the threatening comment that was made toward Alyssa. Jack was starting to say that it was possible evidence that Valerie's death was murder and not an overdose but his friend interrupted him.
"You are really worried about this right now with everything else that is going on?! Seriously man I know
you're into this girl but you got bigger problems right now than idle threats from low class junkies," his friend said in an urgent tone.
"What are you talking about?" Jack asked with a marked amount of concern in his voice.
"You don't know? Dude, call your father, or better yet turn on the news and see for yourself! Shit is hitting the fan, man and I am sorry but I can't associate with you until this mess blows over. It's nothing personal but I can't have you dragging me down with you just cause we're friends."
Jack's friend hung up the phone as soon as he said these words. Jack just stood there looking puzzled for a few minutes, trying to process what had just happened. Alyssa noticed Jack's reaction to the phone call and she asked him what was going on. Jack just said he didn't know and then he turned on Alyssa's TV and started looking for a news station. It didn't take him long to figure out what was happening. The story was being broadcast on every single station. Jack's face turned white and he dropped his phone on the floor as he watched. Alyssa came over to stand next to him and together they heard the terrible news.
"This morning tragedy struck New York State as infamous serial killer Sam Masterson shot and killed 19 hospital workers and wounded another five as he escaped from the New York Correctional Hospital for the Criminally Insane. Blame is being placed on the law firm that represented Masterson for their instance on having Masterson incarcerated in the hospital as opposed to a maximum security prison. They have also been accused in aiding and embedding the killer as the only records of visitation for Sam Masterson included lawyers from Coleman, Patters and Schleicher. At this time no charges have been brought against the firm or their employees but they are currently under investigation. In the meantime, Sam Masterson remains at large. Citizens are asked to stay vigilant and be on high alert until this vicious offender is apprehended," the news caster finished her report and the news shifted to the weather report.
"Son of a bitch!" Jack exclaimed and then he sat down on one of Alyssa's chairs and just brooded.
"What exactly is happening, I mean in terms of the firm? We didn't do anything wrong. I just don't understand what this means exactly," Alyssa said hesitantly.
"It means we are probably both out of a job," Jack said in a clearly irritated tone. Alyssa sank down on the chair next to Jack. He looked over at her, and noticed the worry that mixed with the grief that was already plastered on her face.
"I'm sorry, Baby. This is the last thing you needed today," Jack said and then he walked over and kissed Alyssa. He promised her that everything would work out and that he would take care of her, but she shot him a look like she didn't believe him for a second. Jack breathed in a deep sigh and he rubbed his forehead for a second.
"Give me some time to find out exactly what is going on," he said with a frustrated sigh. Jack started listening to the countless messages. They were all from the firm and most of them were directly from Jack's father. They started out with news of Masterson's escape and that there were shootings. As the messages progressed, they started to include updates as to how many casualties there were. Then later the messages started to say that clients were dropping them left and right due to the media saying that they were involved. Stocks were plummeting and the firm was bleeding money as a result. By the time Jack was done listening to his voice mail messages, the expression on his face was stone cold. Alyssa didn't know what to say or what to do. She had never seen him like that before. He just sat in silence for a few minutes and then he called his father on his personal line. He got the machine.
"Dad, it's Jack. I just got your messages. I'm not at the office so call me back on my cell," Jack recorded his message and then he hung up. He saw Alyssa staring at him and he just shrugged his shoulders, then he told her what the messages said. She just sat there shaking her head and trying to fight back tears. The last thing she wanted to do was to cry anymore. A few minutes later, Jack's father returned his call.
"Dad?" Jack answered.
"Where the hell have you been? Have you any idea what kind of a media shit storm is going on around here? What is so goddamned important that you had to have a few days off? If I find out that you had anything to do with this Masterson mess, I'll…" Edward Coleman was clearly scolding his son, when Jack interrupted.
"No, Dad! I had no idea about Masterson! I certainly wouldn't help him!" Jack was clearly offended at the accusation.
"Well Son, I gotta tell ya, I doesn't look good that you took personal days right when this happened. People are saying that since you two were friends growing up and that you represented him, that you might have been the one who gave him the guns," Edward said sternly.
"What?! I didn't! I would never!" Jack didn't even know how to respond to the accusations that were coming out of his father's mouth.
"Well where have you been? You had better tell me what has been going on, because you are clearly keeping something from me!"
Edward was prompting his son to disclose his whereabouts for two reasons. First off Edward Coleman was the man who started Coleman, Patters and Schleicher. It was his name that was first on the door. Jack, his only son was bred to be his successor. From
the tender age of twelve, Jack was given lessons in the law. By the time Jack was ready for college, he was more experienced and versed in the intricacies of the law that he could outdo nearly any practicing attorney. Up until the last few months, Jack Coleman had not only lived up to his father's expectations, he exceeded them. He was truly one of the best trial and litigation lawyers that New York City had ever seen. However, since Jack and Alyssa had begun their secret tryst, Jack had been distant, secretive and downright deceptive about where he had been and what he was doing. Edward had noticed and when his son's innocence had been questioned in terms of Sam Masterson's escape, his gut wrenched with fear that Jack was somehow involved. Now he was determined to get to the truth, regardless of the consequences. The second reason why he was questioning Jack was because the police were listening in on their phone conversation and Edward knew it. He felt that if jack was innocent, having him confess whatever he was hiding might clear his name. If he was guilty, well then he deserved the consequences after all 19 innocent people lost their lives during Masterson's escape.
"I'm not going to ask you again, Son. You need to tell me everything about where you have been and what you have been doing over the last few months, right now!" Edward demanded.
"Okay, Dad. I have been hiding something but I swear it doesn't have anything to do with Sam Masterson or anything illegal whatsoever, but it is blatantly against company policy," Jack began.
Alyssa's eyes grew wide as Jack started talking. She tried desperately to convince Jack not to reveal their
secret but he just motioned for her to be quiet. Alyssa let out a frustrated groan and she went and sat down on the couch, fearful that Jack was about to compromise their relationship. Jack drew in a deep breath as he prepared to tell his father everything that had been going on.
"Dad I promise that I was not with Sam Masterson and I promise that I did not have anything to do with what happened. I had no prior knowledge of what he was planning. I swear with my hand to God, I am innocent of that. In fact I only found out about it right before I called you. I had my phone off because I was at a funeral," Jack started to say when his father interrupted him.
"A funeral? Whose funeral?"
"Dad what I have been hiding from you and everyone at the firm is a personal relationship. I fell in love with one of the paralegals that was working for me. I kept it hidden because I know that office policy prohibits interpersonal relationships and that the other paralegals and secretaries would think that I was giving her special treatment because of my feelings for her," Jack said with fear in his voice as he prepared himself for what his father would say.
"Wait you're fucking a paralegal? That's it?! That is the reason for lying about where you have been and for all the secrecy? Thank God!" Edward said with a relieved laugh.
"Wait, you're not mad? I kinda thought you'd fire us both if you knew," Jack said with a nervous laugh of his own. He looked at Alyssa who was staring at him wide eyed, anxiously waiting to find out what was happening.
"Son, it is somewhat unethical but I am so glad that this is what is going on with you and not that you were involved in something illegal or something that hurt someone else."
"Okay, good. Well anyway her mom died and I took a few days off to comfort her and to escort her to the funeral. So that's where I have been and why I didn't know about all of this. I was just trying to take care of my girl. Listen Dad, I want you to know that this thing with me and Alyssa, it's not just a fling. I really love her. What I have with her is so much more real and so passionate than anything I ever felt for Jade. I can see myself being with Alyssa for the rest of my life. I wouldn't have taken the risk if my feelings for her weren't genuine," said Jack in hopes that his father would understand.
"That's good, Son. You and Jade were never right for each other. She was trophy wife but you guys never had real love, there was clearly no connection. I am truly happy that you have finally found that. You know your mother and I have been together more than forty years, and that is because we have something real. We always wanted that for you," Edward said with a level of sincerity and compassion that Jack was unused to hearing in his father's voice.
"Thank you for understanding," said Jack.
"Well none of it matters right now, because this Sam Masterson mess is a far bigger scandal than whatever is happening between you and this girl. I honestly don't know if the firm will survive as we have already lost a good 75% of our clients. Everyone is bailing on us and it is a real possibility that we are going under. Our stocks sank like a rock and the firm is worthless in the market right now. Ironically though, Sam Masterson's father owns most of those stocks so it seems that Sam ended up hurting his own family as well. They lost millions this morning alone. Fortunately I was smart enough to think outside the firm in terms of investment and even though our family took a hit, we still have a strong enough portfolio to withstand a total loss in this area. So you will still have the means to maintain your lifestyle. Your girlfriend though will probably lose her job, so if you were planning to put a ring on her finger, you might want to consider doing it sooner rather than later," Edward said and Jack laughed a little bit to his response.
"Actually I have been thinking about that a lot lately," Jack admitted.
"Good for you! But wedding plans later, right now I really need you here to help me to deal with this. You can bring your girl if you want."
"All right, we'll see you soon," Jack said just before hanging up the phone. Then he turned to Alyssa and he told her everything his father had said, with the exception of the marriage thing. Jack wanted to marry Alyssa, but he wanted to
propose properly with a grand romantic gesture on a good day that was special to both of them. Telling Alyssa that he had those thoughts the day of her mother's funeral with everything else that was happening seemed like a huge mistake. He did tell her though, that they no longer had to hide their relationship and that she could come with him to the office if she wanted to. Alyssa said that she would come and help. She didn't want to be alone and she thought that helping out might take her mind off of her mom and the threatening comments that came after the funeral.
When Jack and Alyssa reached the office, it was an even bigger media circus than it was the day that Masterson was arrested. There were at least twenty news vans parked outside and around a hundred reporters all clamoring about just outside of the building. To make matters worse, a huge group of protestors and angry citizens had gathered there as well. They were shouting and marching along with signs that accused Coleman, Patters and Schleicher of everything from contributing to injustice in America to actually placing the guns in Sam Masterson's possession. The police presence was fully adorned in riot gear and they had taped off the entrance to the building and only authorized personnel were being allowed inside. Jack and Alyssa had the displeasure of seeing all of this as they drove to the building at a whopping two miles per hour due to heavy foot traffic and crowd clusters that spilled onto the street. When they finally made it into the parking garage, Jack used his key pass to get them to the restricted levels. At least no one was up there. Jack turned to Alyssa and he placed his hand gently on her knee.