593 Riverside Drive - 16. Chapter 16

“That was quite a morning,” Herbert began at dinner. “And Steuer went right to the medical information – everything that was personal.”

“Yes,” Ella agreed. “Though he warned me he’d have to do that. He said our bedroom was, unfortunately, the center of his argument.”

“I’m still amazed you could say all those things,” my mother admitted. “And in front of strangers, and in a courtroom. I couldn’t have,”

“There weren’t that many people I didn’t know,” Ella pointed out. “I’d been introduced to the judge before, and Joe and I knew Benno Lewinson and his wife socially. So it was only the bailiff and the stenographer who were new. And she was busy with her typing, and he seemed like a very nice man.”

“And you stayed so calm,” Mama went on.

“What else could I do?” Ella asked. “Joe and I need to end our marriage, and this seems the simplest way.”

“Steuer seems very good at what he’s doing,” my father also praised. “He introduces what needs to be discussed and does it cleanly and simply.”

“I noticed that, too,” I agreed.

“That’s one of the reasons I chose Max,” Ella acknowledged. “He’s kind, and discrete, and quite a gentleman.”

“Except when it comes to your bedroom,” Herbert teased. “Then he races through.”

I laughed because I liked Herbert’s little jokes. But Essie and my father seemed less pleased.

“I notice Laurie wasn’t mentioned,” Essie quickly went on.

“Yes,” Ella allowed. “Max said he hoped to keep Laurie out of this. We all know that my adopting him is our weakness, and my refusing to give up custody makes that worse. Though Max has advised that if I’m challenged about either of them to be honest and open in my answers.”

“Somehow that sounds too easy,” Mama observed.

“I see nothing was said about your daughter and father-in-law, either,” Essie continued.

“Fortunately, the divorce isn’t about them,” Ella explained, “so they don’t directly affect our case. And to be truthful, they’ve both been kinder to me during the last few months. Also, Laurette’s been busy with her drawings, and teaching now, and she’s still taking classes as well. And Ira’s been distracted by Katie.”

“She is a pretty girl,” Herbert quipped. “Maybe Joe could learn a few things from his father.”

“It’s not Joe’s interest that’s lacking,” Ella assured us, smiling slightly. “It’s his accomplishment.”

My mother looked mildly embarrassed, but maybe only for my father’s sake.

“Something else that you may not realize,” I politely redirected, “especially when you’re just reading the words. And I noticed this while I was typing them up, transcribing from my notes. But you can’t see how modest and soft-spoken Max Steuer is.”

“And how well he presents himself,” my mother attested. “He’s a handsome man and always very well-dressed.”

“Still, sometimes charm isn’t the surest way to win an argument,” Herbert warned. “And no matter how much I’ve liked Benno Lewinson personally when we’ve met, you have to admit that he’s not afraid of being rude in the courtroom.” He turned to Ella. “He certainly didn’t give you an easy afternoon.”

“No,” she admitted. “I can’t said that was comfortable.”