At four o'clock the next day, Karen stepped into my office with a pleading look on her face.

"Hey, Karen. What's up?"

"I wanted to ask you a favor," she replied hesitantly.

"Anything."

"There's a work happy hour tonight, and I was wondering if you'd come with me."

"Huh? I didn't know there was a work happy hour." I furrowed my brow.

"I sent you the invite on Outlook last week," Karen said.

I scrolled through my messages and lo and behold, there was the invite. I'd skipped over it in a mad rush to respond to all my messages the previous Wednesday.

"I don’t think I can make it. I have to prep for Leo’s case."

"You already have everything worked out. I looked at the files! Plus, you could use a little fun."

“How do you know?” I teased.

“Because I sit right out there and rarely see you get up from your desk, missy!”

“I don’t know,” I said carefully.

“You really should come. It’s an attorney event, and it will give you the chance to meet the others in different practice areas.”

She had a point; I hadn't met everyone yet. Being introduced to Lucy the day before was a prime example of me needing to expand my network.

"I'll be ready about five fifteen as long as I can get a sitter."

When I moved here, I found a few sweet college-aged girls in the neighborhood who said they'd watch Charlie anytime I needed them. I wasn't sure if I could trust them, being so young and at the age when partying can be a top priority, but both girls proved to be diamonds in the rough. Sometimes, trials ran longer than I expected, and it was a relief to know I'd found reliable help. Plus, it didn't hurt that Charlie had a crush on both girls even though he was adamant they had "cooties."

"Hi, Carrie? Yes, would you mind watching Charlie tonight? I have a work thing."

"No problem, Amelia. Do you need me to pick him up from school?"

"That would be perfect! I'll call and let them know you'll be there to grab him instead of me. Thanks again!"

I gave Karen the thumbs up from my office, and she smiled gleefully.

At half after five, Karen and I rushed into the bar and out of the cold for the happy hour. Our rosy cheeks disappeared in the dim lighting of the establishment, and we saw the group of attorneys and a few paralegals gathered in the corner. Some I knew; some I wanted to meet, and most I couldn't put a name to.

Miniature chandeliers hung from the delicate ivory ceilings, and a saxophone player crooned in the corner. The windows were tinted so pedestrians couldn't leer inside. Most patrons were dressed in business suits and skirts, and even the waitstaff and bartenders wore bow ties. The air reeked of superiority and money.

"I'll get us something to drink. What would you like?" I asked Karen.

"Oh, I'll just have whatever you're having." She scurried off to jabber with her other work friends while I stood at the bar and waited to grab the bartender's attention. I had a crisp twenty dollar bill in my hand which, when it caught his eye, brought him right over to me.

"What can I get for you?"

"Two glasses of Pinot Grigio, please." The bartender, young and handsome, winked at me as he poured the wine into glasses.

"On the house." He smiled.

"Wow, thank you!" I left him the twenty on the bar, anyway. I believed in tipping graciously.

I joined Karen and the other attorneys in the group. Karen introduced me to the dozen or so lawyers, and all seemed happy to finally meet me. Then, Lucy appeared with a glass of red wine and a toothy, white smile upon her flawless face.

“Amelia, you made it,” she said.

“Mhmm. What are you drinking?” I asked awkwardly. Still confused about the nature of her relationship with William, my thoughts turned jumbled and blurry around her.

“The house red. It’s to die for,” she cooed.

I nodded and smiled politely before turning around to converse with another attorney, whom I recognized as being in my same practice. I felt Lucy’s eyes watching me, but I tried to ignore the anxiety rumbling in my belly.

Amelia Montgomery wasn’t the jealous type, so why was I feeling so envious of this woman? I was strong, intelligent, and a good mom—I shouldn’t doubt myself. I tried my best to push away the thoughts of Lucy and focus on my other colleagues. After all, we’d be working together, and Lucy and I might not ever collaborate on a case.

At about seven o’clock, my body jolted as I remembered there was one more piece of research I’d wanted to finish before the day’s end. Panic swept across my mind as I realized I needed to cut the evening short and return to the office.

“Amelia!” Karen whined. “Tonight was supposed to be about less work and more socializing!”

“I know, but I need to go back. I only have the sitter for a few more hours. I could use the extra time to work.”

“Don’t think this is your ‘get out of jail free card,’” Karen said, her eyes narrowed.

“Yes, Mom,” I teased.

After a quick goodbye to the other attorneys, I walked briskly back to the office and spent the new few hours in the firm’s library. Part of me wished I could let myself enjoy a few drinks with co-workers, but the other, louder part of me knew this is where I needed to be.