Baby Love (Baby #2)(77)

He explained to me that during the wait most attorneys take care of other legal business through use of their Blackberry or laptop remotely; they do not enjoy the leisure of simply sitting in the courtroom to observe other case motions until their docket is called. This remote activity is done out in the corridor as the judges frown on the distraction from beeping phones or hushed conversations within the courtroom. He also explained that entering and exiting the courtroom repeatedly is frowned upon as well.

I told Trey that once he got me seated he was free to go out in the corridor until his docket was called. I wanted to watch the proceedings. This was something new for me. Aside from that I wanted to observe this Judge Tylar. I had pulled a picture up of him when I did an internet search of his name. There was no obvious resemblance to me but the picture didn't divulge a lot of detail. I guessed his age to be late forties; he seemed handsome enough I guessed for an older guy.

I had dressed conservatively in a black turtleneck sweater dress. I had pulled my hair back into a ponytail. As I finished getting ready in the bathroom I removed the two blue velvet boxes from my carry-on bag. I put the pearl drop earring in my ears, and fastened the single tear-drop pearl necklace around my neck.

Trey came into the bathroom asking me to tie his tie.

"What did you do all those years before I was in the picture?" I teased him.

"I had girlfriends," he replied snickering.

I smacked him playfully on the shoulder.

"There," I said, straightening his tie and smoothing it out.

"You look very handsome counselor. What judge could possibly refute your argument?"

He leaned down and kissed my lips several times. "What's with the earrings and necklace?" he murmured softly against my lips.

"Is it too much?" I inquired looking up at him.

"You're too much baby," he replied kissing me again.

"I know you think this whole thing with the names is weird and meaningless Trey; but at the very least we get to spend some quality time together and I am looking forward to seeing you in action."

"Baby you see me in action on an almost nightly basis."

"I meant in the court room counselor."

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Trey and I ate breakfast at the hotel. We decided to walk the few blocks from the hotel to the Russell B. Long Federal Building on Florida Street. It was a sunny and pleasant November day. I was excited about this excursion.

Once at the courthouse, Trey went to the clerk's office to sign in and confirm which court room was assigned for these oral arguments. Trey said it was on the third floor. We took the white ornate railed staircase instead of the elevator to the third floor. There were already plenty of attorneys milling around in the hallway their cell phones up to their ears. I was surprised by the number of female attorneys that were present. I guess I had still considered it to be a male-dominated profession but that trend seemed to be changing.

We found the double doors to the court room and went inside. There was still ample sitting room available. I told Trey I wanted to sit as close as possible to the bench.

The seating reminded me of church pews. We took a seat in the best available which was second row front.

I hadn't worn a coat because the weather was so pleasant. Trey took his suit jacket off and left it folded on the seat next to me.

"I'm going out in the hall with my laptop Tylar. I'll be back before court convenes," he whispered.

"Why are we whispering like we're in church?" I asked him.

"Courtroom protocol," was his response.

Trey returned about thirty minutes later and took his seat next to me. The courtroom had filled up significantly; I was glad that I had persuaded Trey to get here early. It appeared many of the attorneys did have the leisure time to observe other case proceedings. Perhaps it helped with their nerves. I couldn't imagine it was easy getting up and arguing something in front of a panel of judges. Trey had said there was a twenty minute limit and that equal portions of that time had to be divided up between all parties.

"Did you put your Blackberry on vibrate?" he whispered to me.

"Yes. Did you?"

He rolled his eyes at me smiling. He put his suit jacket back on right as the bailiff came out and told everyone to rise.

The seven federal judges garbed in their long, black robes filed out of a side door near the front and took their seats at the bench. Each judge had a nameplate in front of their seat. I quickly saw Judge Tylar. His seat was the third from the left. I nudged Trey and nodded toward Judge Tylar as he took his place by his chair. Once all of the judges were at their assigned seats the judge that was the chairman told everyone to be seated.

I saw the light that Trey had told me about. It was exactly like a traffic signal having a green, yellow and red light.

Trey had explained that when the yellow light illuminated it meant there was thirty seconds left on the clock and the attorney speaking needed to wrap it up.

We spent the next two and a half hours listening to various oral arguments on cases involving anti-trust issues, conspiracy to commit treason; there was one Title VII class action case that involved a third-party administrator over employee health insurance for several major U.S. companies whose plaintiffs spanned seventeen states.

Occasionally one or two of the judges on the panel would ask questions of the attorney presenting. So far Judge Tylar had remained quiet. He seemed bored with the whole thing. I supposed like anything else the excitement faded after awhile and one case morphed into the next. The oral argument taking place right now was some boring one about a monopoly involving aluminum recycling equipment.