Matilda: Part 3 - An Attorney

    

          The attorney walked into the courtroom with a purposeful stride. His slightly wrinkled Gucci suit suggested he suffered a long commute, or perhaps an accident-related traffic delay. A quick glance at his Cartier watch prompted him to expel a long sigh, and then his eyes searched the crowd. His knuckles whitened around the briefcase handle as he set it on the table opposite the impressive judge’s bench. Pumping his jaw muscles, he reached into his briefcase and took his time arranging files on the wooden surface.

            The attorney was irritated. His client was late. He did one more sweep of the people filing into the room and then dropped on the chair. Agreeing to take this case was a mistake. He didn’t study the details. He had enough time but no inclination to deal with it yet.

Something about his client repulsed him, a rare occurrence. He was used to criminals and all sorts of deviance, but this particular client irked him in a strange way. If his client didn’t show up for court, it would be a relief. The case would be postponed. He would find a way to dump the case on a sad fellow attorney in the firm, someone he held a grudge against. Of course, he could ask the judge to reset the hearing for a later date, but this particular judge was well know for disliking unprepared attorneys. He couldn’t simply state he needed time to get better acquainted with the case. The judge would have harsh words for him and he would be humiliated in front of everyone.

Who is the attorney’s client? Matilda or Thomas?