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Allisonme this opportunity"

"You’re welco you’d like to ask irl offered her a tentative sned to you specifically You oa divorce"

That hy the name seemed familiar Olivia did recall the couple and their situation

"Mom and Dad had decided on joint custody of my brother andbetween houses every few days, so you gave us the house and had Mom and Dad move in and out"

Olivia smiled "I re any case if there’s a possibility the parties ain"

Allison nodded "They remarried, you know"

Olivia didn’t, and was pleased to hear it "That’s wonderful" Checking her watch, she stood and reached for her black robe Pulling it on, she left her chairl to the court reporter, who escorted her to a seat near the bench

The court cases on that ’s schedule probably opened Allison’s eyes wider than anything she’d read or seen on television The child custody cases always tore at Olivia’s heart The state’s position was to leave the child with the primary residential parent, inas the child’s welfare wasn’t in jeopardy More times than she cared to ad parents and ask the to themselves and their children Too often, their s or alcohol Sadly, she doubted anything she said would sink in Of course she dealt with other cases, too, but these were the ones that stood outcopious notes and could only i at the ravaged lives of those who stood before her

Shortly after court went into session, Charlotte Jefferson-Rhodes slipped onto a bench at the back of the courtroo Olivia smiled Charlotte was an inveterate knitter More than that, she was exceptional in every way, and Olivia’s adrow

Case in point, her mother and friends were responsible for the new medical clinic in town It’d taken a senior citizens’ deet the council to respond Word of Charlotte’s arrest had spread faster than chicken pox through their s afterward, the council had made some major concessions that allowed the establishment of a medical facility in town

The irony of it was that this same medical center had saved Jack’s life Olivia’s husband had suffered a heart attack the year before, and the EMTs had told her that if they’d had to drive him all the way to Bremerton, Jack wouldn’t have survived

At the time of the demonstration, Olivia had been erateful that there was a medical clinic in Cedar Cove, and it was mostly due to Charlotte, her second husband, Ben, and their friends

Olivia was accustoh she didn’t come by as often as she used to Since Ben Rhodes had entered her life, Charlotte had better things to do than sit and listen to Olivia

At noon, the court broke for lunch Allison and Charlotte met Olivia in her chambers, and Olivia made the introductions

"Would you care to join us?" Olivia asked the teenager She didn’t expect the girl to accept, and she was right They agreed tolady," Charlotte commented after Allison had excused herself

"She is," Olivia agreed "Where would you like to have lunch?" Her favorite place had always been The Lighthouse Olivia ht

"How about the Wok and Roll," Charlotte said "Grace tells me Maryellen likes their chicken hot sauce noodles, and I have a hankering to try that"

"Sounds good to est The Taco Shack, which happened to be Jack’s favorite She’d had about all the tacos and enchiladas she could stand for a while

"Speaking of Grace, have you seen her lately?" Charlotte asked as they walked through the courthouse and to the parking lot behind

"She’s so busy, we haven’t talked all week She’s had to teht aerobics class"

"My goodness, you two have been going to that class for years," Charlotte exclai her all to hi her reer side for herJon and Maryellen as nant, too, you know" Olivia slid into the driver’s seat "Grace rented out the house on Rosewood Lane and you won’t believe who her tenants are The Randalls! Do you remember them?" At her mother’s blank expression, Olivia elaborated "You were in court the day I denied their divorce A young navy couple Apparently they have a baby now and were looking for a house to rent and Graceto Mrs Randall, my name came up That’s when Grace learned this was the very same couple It’s a small world, isn’t it? Grace wantedworked out"

"That’s good news And how’s Maryellen?" Charlotte asked, concerned about Grace’s oldest daughter

"She’s doing well, especially now that Jon’s parents have arrived They showed up last week and Grace told me it’s made a world of difference"