I Trust You

The evening air was heavy with the remnants of a day that had stretched too long. Leaving Racer Law firm's office, I let the glass door swing shut behind me, its muted thud almost drowning out the buzz of the city. The weight of the meeting with Karina pressing against my chest like an iron hand.

The streets were alive but subdued, a strange balance of chaos and calm that only the city could manage. In the distance, I could see many neon signs flickering, colouring the streets of Toronto. The people in the city walked in clusters, their laughter spilling into the night air, contrasting with the storm brewing in my head. Most people wouldn't be working tomorrow, since it was a Friday night, so the crowds were bigger than usual.

I reached my car, pausing for a moment to lean against the driver's side door. The firm's building loomed behind me, its cold, sharp edges a stark contrast to the warmth Karina had tried to offer during our discussion. She had said all the right things, presented the strategy with her usual precision, and reassured me in that calm, measured tone of hers. But as the reality of the trial loomed closer, I couldn't help but feel the fear of losing everything. What would Brooke do without a smart, caring, hilarious, handsome brother like me? 

Sliding into the driver's seat, I started the engine. The low rumble drowned out the thoughts I had in my head, and for a moment, I just sat there, hands gripping the wheel, staring at the dashboard like it held the answers I was searching for. Obviously, it didn't. The streetlights cast long shadows across the interior, dancing faintly as cars passed by. I closed my eyes, trying to organize my thoughts.

Suddenly, my phone buzzed in the cupholder, snapping me out of my daze. I glanced at the screen.

Renee: hope youre still breathing. karina didnt scare you off, did she?

I rolled my eyes, a small smirk tugging at my lips. Typical Renee.

Me: still here. just left the firm. did u know she was gonna be here?

Her response came a moment later:

Renee: yah, its my dads firm after all

Me: u shouldve told me

Renee: christmas surprise?

Me: its the middle of october

Renee: whateverrr. dinner on me as an apology?

Me: haha no, need to decompress

Renee: fine, but don't stew too much. and call if you need a distraction

I reacted to her text with a thumbs up and tossed the phone back into the cupholder. 

The drive home was a blur, the city lights blurring into streaks of gold and white as I navigated the familiar roads. My thoughts raced faster than the car, darting between the trial, Karina's voice, and the growing weight of everything left unsaid.

By the time I reached home, the exhaustion had settled deep in my bones. Once I stepped inside, I kicked off my shoes and let the silence wrap around me like a blanket. The sound of Brooke's music filtered faintly from her room upstairs. Ugh. Use headphones or something, geez.

She appeared a moment later, her head peeking out from the hallway.

"Hey," she said, eyeing me curiously. "You look like crap."

"Thanks," I responded sarcastically. "Really needed that." I made my way to the kitchen, grabbing a Sapporo from the fridge.

"Long day?" she asked, following me and hopping onto a stool at the counter.

"Something like that," I said, cracking the can open. "What about you? What'd you get up to?"

She shrugged. "Nothing much. Went out for a bit, and saw some friends. Mom called earlier. Said she's worried about you."

I sighed, leaning against the counter. "When isn't she?"

"Fair point," Brooke said, grinning. Her smile faltered slightly, her tone softening. "You sure you're okay, Yuri? You've been… off lately."

I stared at the bottle in my hand, the condensation dampening my fingers. "I'm fine, Brooke. Just tired."

She didn't look convinced but didn't push further.

"Alright, but if you ever need someone to talk to, I'll always be here," Brooke reassured me. "Unfortunately." 

She smiled at me, and I let out a small chuckle.

"Will do, sir."

Brooke playfully threw a pillow at me and went to take a shower.

I took the remote off the table and jumped onto the sofa. I opened up Netflix played Inglourious Basterds.

At some point, my eyes drifted shut. The sounds of explosions and cheesy one-liners faded into the background, replaced by an oddly comforting silence.

***

I woke up on the couch, a blanket draped over me and the TV still playing an infomercial for some ridiculous kitchen gadget. Brooke must have covered me before heading to bed. What a great sister. I'm going to splurge for your Christmas gift.

I grabbed my phone out of my pocket. 11:33. Thank god I didn't have work today. I put my phone on the coffee table and went to take a shower.

While I was showering, a sudden memory of yesterday popped into my head, reminding me of the lawsuit. I remembered that I still hadn't got back to Karina. I quickly finished up and took my phone off the table to call her.

Oh no. I forgot to ask for her number.

Panicking, I tried to figure out how to get in touch with Karina without seeing her physically.

I paced back and forth in the living room, wracking my brain for a way to contact Karina. Showing up unannounced at her office seemed too desperate, and I didn't want to go through Renee or her father. Just as I was about to give up, my phone buzzed with a text.

An unknown number.

Unknown: Hey Yuri, it's Karina. Hope you don't mind, I got your number from the case file. Let me know if you've decided on representation.

I stared at the screen, a mix of relief and anxiety washing over me. Of course she'd be proactive enough to reach out first. That was so like her.

Me: Thanks for reaching out. I've thought it over and I'd like to move forward with you as my lawyer.

I hit send before I could second-guess myself. A moment later, my phone rang.

I answered immediately. "Hello?" 

A gentle voice replied. "Good morning, Yuri. There's no need for you to text me so formally if you don't wish to."

"Noted. Also, I have made a decision. I would like you to be my lawyer. I don't have the money for one anyway. " 

"Good," Karina replied, her voice softening slightly. "I'm glad you've decided to let me represent you. I think it's the right choice."

I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding. "Yeah, well, I figured if anyone could get me out of this mess, it'd be you."

There was a pause on the other end of the line. When Karina spoke again, her tone was carefully neutral. "I appreciate your confidence in me. We should meet again soon to go over the details of our strategy. Are you free this afternoon?"

I glanced at the clock. It was just past noon. "Yeah, I can make that work. Same place as yesterday?"

"Actually," Karina said, "I was thinking we could meet somewhere less formal. There's a café not far from the office—Cafe Pamenar. It might be easier to talk there."

I hesitated for a moment. Meeting Karina in a more casual setting felt risky somehow, like crossing a line we'd silently agreed to maintain. But I knew we needed to discuss the case in-depth, and maybe a change of scenery would help.

"Alright," I said finally. "Café Pamenar it is. What time?"

"How about 3 PM?" Karina suggested. "That should give us both time to prepare."

"Sounds good. I'll see you then."

After hanging up, I stood there for a moment, phone still in hand. The prospect of seeing Karina again so soon left me feeling unsettled. Our history hung between us like an unspoken challenge, threatening to complicate what should be a straightforward professional relationship.

I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts. This was about the case, nothing more. This wasn't a social call - we had serious business to discuss.

I spent the next couple of hours reviewing the case file and jotting down questions. At 2:30, I headed out, giving myself plenty of time to find parking near the café.

***

Café Pamenar was a cozy spot, with exposed brick walls and an eclectic mix of vintage furniture. The smell of coffee and freshly baked pastries filled the air. I found a quiet table in the corner and ordered an Americano as I tried to calm my nerves while waiting for Karina to arrive.

Right at 3 PM, I saw her walk through the door. She scanned the room and her eyes locked with mine. For a brief moment, I was transported back to high school—the way my heart would skip when I'd see her in the hallway between classes. I quickly pushed those thoughts aside as she made her way over.

"Hi Yuri," she said with a small smile as she sat down across from me. "Thanks for meeting me here."

"Of course," I replied, trying to keep my tone neutral. "I figured this would be a good place to talk through everything."

Karina nodded, taking off her coat and settling into her chair. She ordered a cappuccino when the waitress came by, then turned her attention back to me.

"So," she began, her tone shifting into something more professional, "I've been reviewing the details of the case. The Petals family is pushing hard, but I think we have a strong defence. Your actions were clearly in line with police protocol, and we have witness statements that corroborate the threat level of the situation."

I nodded, trying to focus on her words and not the way the afternoon light caught in her hair. "That's good to hear. What's our next move?"

Karina pulled out a folder from her bag, spreading a few documents between us on the table. "We need to prepare for their attempts to discredit your character. They'll likely try to paint you as trigger-happy or unstable. We need to 

get ahead of that narrative."

I frowned, leaning forward to look at the papers. "How do we do that?"

"First, we gather character witnesses - colleagues, supervisors, anyone who can speak to your professionalism and judgment. We'll also need to address your military background head-on. Frame it as valuable training that prepared you for high-pressure situations, not as something that made you more prone to violence."

As Karina laid out the strategy, I found myself studying her face. The determined set of her jaw, the intensity in her eyes—it was all so familiar, yet different. She had always been driven, even back in high school. But now there was a sharpness to her focus that spoke of years of experience and hard-won victories.

"Yuri?" Her voice snapped me back to attention. "Are you following all this?"

I cleared my throat, embarrassed at being caught daydreaming. "Yeah, sorry. It's just... a lot to take in."

Her expression softened slightly. "I know. But we need to be prepared for anything they might throw at us."

I nodded, forcing myself to focus on the documents in front of me. "So what about the footage from the café? Doesn't that pretty much exonerate me?"

Karina nodded, her expression thoughtful. "The footage is certainly helpful, but it's not a silver bullet. The prosecution will likely try to argue that you had other options, and that lethal force wasn't necessary. We need to be prepared to counter that narrative."

I leaned back in my chair, running a hand through my hair. "So what, we need to prove that I had no choice? That if I hadn't taken the shot, Renee would be dead?"

"Essentially, yes," Karina replied. "But it's more than that. We need to show that your decision was made in a split second, under immense pressure, and that it was consistent with your training and department protocols."

I nodded slowly, trying to process everything. "Okay. So what's our next step?"

Karina took a sip of her cappuccino before continuing. "We need to gather more 

Karina took a sip of her cappuccino before continuing. "We need to gather more evidence to support your decision-making process in that moment. Witness statements from others at the scene, expert testimony on police protocols in hostage situations, and possibly a psychological evaluation to show your mental state was sound."

I grimaced at the mention of a psychological evaluation. The thought of having my mind picked apart by a stranger made me uneasy. "Is that really necessary?" 

Karina's eyes met mine, her gaze steady and reassuring. "It could be very helpful, Yuri. It would show that you were thinking clearly and rationally, not acting out of some hidden trauma or instability."

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "Fine. If you think it'll help, I'll do it."

Karina nodded, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "I know it's not ideal, but trust me, it could make a big difference."

As she continued outlining our strategy, I found myself marvelling at how easily we fell back into sync. Despite the years apart and the circumstances bringing us together now, there was a familiarity to our interactions that was both comforting and unsettling.

"Yuri?" Karina's voice snapped me back to attention. "You seem distracted. Is everything okay?"

I blinked, realizing my thoughts had wandered. "Yeah, sorry. It's just... strange, isn't it? Us, working together like this after everything."

Karina's expression softened slightly. "I know what you mean," she said quietly. "It's not exactly how I imagined we'd reconnect."

There was a moment of silence between us, heavy with unspoken words and shared history. I found myself studying her face, noticing the subtle changes time had brought - a few faint lines around her eyes, a new confidence in her posture. She was still beautiful, but in a more refined way now.

"Can I ask you something?" I said, breaking the silence. 

Karina nodded, her eyes meeting mine. "Of course."

I hesitated, not sure if I really wanted to know the answer. But the question had been gnawing at me since I first saw her in that conference room. "Why did you take this case? You could have passed it off to someone else at the firm."

Karina paused, her eyes dropping to the table for a moment before meeting mine again. "When I saw your name on the file, I wasn't sure if it was really you. But something told me I needed to take this case."

She took a deep breath before continuing. "I guess part of me felt like I owed it to you, after everything that happened between us. And... I wanted to make sure you had the best defence possible. I know how much your career means to you."

Her words hung in the air between us, heavy with implications. I found myself at a loss for how to respond. Part of me wanted to thank her for caring, while another part wanted to remind her that she had no obligation to me after all this time.

Instead, I settled for a simple nod. "I appreciate that," I said quietly. "And I'm glad it's you. I don't think I could trust anyone else."

Upon hearing my words, Karina froze up. I assumed she didn't expect me to tell her that I trusted her, and neither did I, but it was the truth. 

"Thank you, Yuri. That... means a lot." Her voice was quiet but sincere. "I promise I'll do everything I can to help you through this."

We held each other's gaze for a moment, the air between us charged with unspoken emotions. Part of me wanted to say more, to bridge the gap that years and circumstances had created between us. But I held back, reminding myself that this was a professional relationship now. We had a case to focus on.

Karina seemed to sense the shift in mood and smoothly transitioned back to business. "We should start preparing for depositions soon. The prosecution will try to catch you off guard, so we need to be ready for anything they might throw at us."

"Right. Tell me what I need to prepare for."

***

As we wrapped up our meeting, the afternoon light had faded to a soft golden glow filtering through the café windows. I checked the time on my phone. 4:45 PM. Karina gathered her papers, sliding them neatly into her briefcase.

"I think we've covered everything for now," she said, standing up. "I'll start working on our strategy and keep you updated on any developments."

I nodded, rising from my chair. "Sounds good. Thanks for...well, everything."

Karina gave me a small smile. "Of course. That's what I'm here for."

We walked out of the café together, pausing on the sidewalk. The evening air was crisp, hinting at the coming fall. For a moment, we stood there awkwardly, neither quite sure how to say goodbye.

"So," I began, shoving my hands in my pockets. "I guess I'll see you soon?"

Karina nodded, adjusting her bag on her shoulder. "Yes, I'll be in touch about scheduling our next meeting. We'll need to go over your statement in more detail and prepare you for potential questioning."

"Right," I said, suddenly feeling the weight of everything we'd discussed. "I'll make sure to clear my schedule."

She looked at me for a moment, her expression softening slightly. "Try not to stress too much about this, Yuri. We have a strong case, and I'm going to do everything I can to make sure we win."

I managed a small smile. "I know. Thanks, Karina."

She hesitated for a moment, as if debating whether to say something more. But then she simply nodded and turned to go. "Take care, Yuri. I'll be in touch soon."

As I watched Karina disappear into the evening crowd, I felt a strange mix of emotions churning inside me. Relief at having her expertise on my side, anxious about the upcoming trial, and a lingering sense of nostalgia for what we once were. I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts. This wasn't the time to dwell on the past. I had a case to focus on and a career to save.

I made my way back to my car, the weight of everything we'd discussed settling heavily on my shoulders. As I drove home, the city lights blurred together, mirroring the jumble of thoughts in my head. I tried to focus on the road, on the steady rhythm of the engine, anything to keep my mind from spiralling into worry about what lay ahead.

The house was dark and quiet as I entered, amplifying my restless thoughts. I grabbed a beer from the fridge and sank onto the couch, pulling out my phone. My thumb hovered over Renee's contact. She had offered to be a distraction, after all.

After a moment's hesitation, I hit call. It rang twice before she picked up.

"Yuri! To what do I owe this pleasure?" Renee's voice was bright, a stark contrast to my mood.

"Hey," I said, my voice sounding tired even to my own ears. "You still up for that distraction?"

There was a brief pause. "Of course. What's going on?"

I sighed, taking a swig of my beer before answering. "Just got out of a meeting with Karina. Going over the case, you know."

"Ah," Renee's tone softened with understanding. "Heavy stuff, huh? Want to talk about it?"

I hesitated. Did I want to talk about it? Part of me wanted to unload everything - the stress of the case, the weird tension with Karina, the fear of losing everything I'd worked for. But another part of me, the part that had learned to keep things close to the vest, held back.

"Not really," I admitted. "I think I just need to not think about it for a while."

"Say no more," Renee chirped. "I know just the thing. How do you feel about terrible B-movies and even worse takeout?"

Despite myself, I felt a smile tugging at my lips. "Sounds perfect, actually."

"Great! I'll be over in 30 with enough greasy food to put us both in a coma. You supply the booze and the couch."

"Deal," I said, feeling some of the tension ease from my shoulders. "See you soon."

As I hung up, I realized I was actually looking forward to Renee's company. Her boundless energy and refusal to take anything too seriously was exactly what I needed right now.

True to her word, Renee showed up half an hour later, arms laden with bags of takeout. The smell of Chinese food filled the air as she bustled into the kitchen, chattering away about her day and the "absolutely atrocious" movie she'd picked out for us. 

Renee bustled around my kitchen, pulling out plates and utensils as if she lived here. In a way, I suppose she did - she'd been a fixture in my life for so long that her presence felt as natural as breathing.

"Alright, Detective Grumpy," she announced, plopping down on the couch next to me with a plate piled high with lo mein and egg rolls. "Prepare yourself for the cinematic disaster that is 'Sharknado 5: Global Swarming'."

I couldn't help but chuckle. "Seriously? There are five of these things?"

"Oh honey, there are six," Renee grinned, hitting play on the remote. "But I figured we'd start with the cream of the crop."

As the ridiculous movie played out on screen, its over-the-top special effects and laughably terrible dialogue drowned out the thoughts that ran through my mind.