Post by M.A.Y. on Aug 16, 2002 19:34:20 GMT -5
It is early Sunday morning and Nick Fallin is at home sweating in the dark. In the basement of his house he is boxing furiously. Against the solid weight of a heavy bag, suspended from the rafters in the ceiling, he purges his anger and frustrations. With each jab, cross and hook his mind becomes more clear. But the memory of the kiss will not leave him. Not the churning of his guts as he leaned in to kiss her, not the feeling of her skin against his, not the sound of her gentle sighing as he worked his lips along the length of her neck. Not the look on her face when she realized what he was about to do.
Exhausted, he stops his arms slung around the canvas bag as he tries to catch his breath. Disgusted at his own weakness he pushes himself off the bag and launches another attack: a flurry of blows against everything in his way. That guy doesn't deserve her he tells himself over and over.
Dressed and on his way to the office, Nick mulls over the messages on his answering machine. Two from his father looking for him, and one cryptic message from Mandy: "Don't get too comfortable...see ya soon Mr. Fallin." His first thought was to call the police, but he decided not to. Nick decides that the cops can handle Mandy. If they know that Mandy called him at home it might make them suspect that he is much more involved with her than he first told them. Feeling now that his earlier statement to the police was forthcoming enough, Nick tries to put the trouble from his mind. To his surprise it is easy since the one person he was hoping to hear from was noticeably silent.
The offices of F&A are quiet this Sunday, a few junior lawyers looking to impress Burton with "face time" and of course Jake. Nick avoids Jake and heads directly for his father's office. The door is ajar and Nick peers through the crack. His father has his head tilted back instilling some eye drops. He pushes the door open without knocking and enters his father's office. Burton is startled and quickly puts the tiny bottle of medication away in his desk drawer. Nick inquires about the eye drops, but Burton dismisses it as nothing, saying that he is fine.
"Nick, I want you to have the firm if I get this federal appointment." Nick, completely nonplused by his father's announcement simply stares. This man, who has more times than he can remember, told him that he wasn't ready, that he was not partnership material, now wants to give it all to him. At the same time Nick can't remember the last time he felt like a son. And now, standing before Burton, in this moment, he feels as though this man is his father.
Later, back in his own office, Nick let's his father's request sink in. Initially he felt overwhelmed, but he was soon seized by a feeling of entitlement and a burning desire to prove himself, to his father and the others at the firm. Mostly, though he is yet to realize it, he wants to prove to himself that he can handle something this big--successfully. Hidden behind his arrogance and aloofness is the irritating thought that people see him as nothing more than the drug addicted son of Burton Fallin. And as always, his mother is not far from his thoughts.
Just as Nick is about to get down to his work, the phone rings. He answers--it's Lulu.....
Exhausted, he stops his arms slung around the canvas bag as he tries to catch his breath. Disgusted at his own weakness he pushes himself off the bag and launches another attack: a flurry of blows against everything in his way. That guy doesn't deserve her he tells himself over and over.
Dressed and on his way to the office, Nick mulls over the messages on his answering machine. Two from his father looking for him, and one cryptic message from Mandy: "Don't get too comfortable...see ya soon Mr. Fallin." His first thought was to call the police, but he decided not to. Nick decides that the cops can handle Mandy. If they know that Mandy called him at home it might make them suspect that he is much more involved with her than he first told them. Feeling now that his earlier statement to the police was forthcoming enough, Nick tries to put the trouble from his mind. To his surprise it is easy since the one person he was hoping to hear from was noticeably silent.
The offices of F&A are quiet this Sunday, a few junior lawyers looking to impress Burton with "face time" and of course Jake. Nick avoids Jake and heads directly for his father's office. The door is ajar and Nick peers through the crack. His father has his head tilted back instilling some eye drops. He pushes the door open without knocking and enters his father's office. Burton is startled and quickly puts the tiny bottle of medication away in his desk drawer. Nick inquires about the eye drops, but Burton dismisses it as nothing, saying that he is fine.
"Nick, I want you to have the firm if I get this federal appointment." Nick, completely nonplused by his father's announcement simply stares. This man, who has more times than he can remember, told him that he wasn't ready, that he was not partnership material, now wants to give it all to him. At the same time Nick can't remember the last time he felt like a son. And now, standing before Burton, in this moment, he feels as though this man is his father.
Later, back in his own office, Nick let's his father's request sink in. Initially he felt overwhelmed, but he was soon seized by a feeling of entitlement and a burning desire to prove himself, to his father and the others at the firm. Mostly, though he is yet to realize it, he wants to prove to himself that he can handle something this big--successfully. Hidden behind his arrogance and aloofness is the irritating thought that people see him as nothing more than the drug addicted son of Burton Fallin. And as always, his mother is not far from his thoughts.
Just as Nick is about to get down to his work, the phone rings. He answers--it's Lulu.....