We were all sitting in the courthouse waiting area drinking coffee...eager to get started....
''Well this day is here finally...I thought I'd be anxious to get started with this and get it over with, but I must admit..I am nervous...I could go to jail for the rest of my life..." said Anna, who had a look of dread on her face...
"Now Now Anna...Have a little faith...just a little faith in me, in us...We've been working hard on your defense.." said Ms. Yvette..
"A really good chance."said Bee Bee."The State is limited...They don't have motive....They don't have one eyewitness...they don't have a murder weapon..."said Sofia..
"And the arresting officer is Lt. Tragg....That's a handicap right there." said Kahlil.
''Well look who it is.. You guys are hard to find, especially during a big case and your client here has been even harder to find....I hope you 've enjoyed your weeks of freedom because where you're going...Either Dolly Madison or the Women's Correctional Institute at Muncy, you're going to have limited walking space... Maybe Yvette's Office Manager, Virginia has told you....She did 7 years in both I believe...Heh heh heh....
"You know...each time I see you, you become less and less attractive...You know that?" said Anna.
"You know...each time I see you, you become less and less attractive...You know that?" said Anna.
"No comments from the peanut gallery?" snarled Lt. Tragg.
"Ugh Uhh...We plan to do our talking and arguing in the courtroom..."said Yvette.
"Come on everybody, let's head to the courtroom.." said Bee Bee, totally ignoring him."That's a good idea Bee." said Sofia ,following her along.
"Yeah come on."said Kahlil.
Jade said nothing...She followed us inside the courtroom..
Lt. Tragg saw the pretty Blonde, D.A.'s investigator and the Deputy D.A. Brandon Briggs heading into the courtroom and he followed them inside.
The Judge was someone we knew...Julie Wong...a tough , but fair judge and sometime friend to us.
"Good Morning, Good Morning, Good Morning Attorneys and perspective jurors...I am Judge Julie Wong...Some of you know me..This is beginning to sound like a broken record but Welcome to my courtroom....Due to courtroom crowding of cases , we are going to bypass a preliminary hearing...We know that a crime, a henious crime has been committed..The murder of Radio Producer, Corey Ruffin in his bath tub....We will review what happened here and try to come to a conclusion. So we are going to go straight to trial.. We will have Jury selection today...We will begin with trial tomorrow morning at 9:00 pm." said Judge Wong "We will start today with introductions.." she said.
"You know me Judge Wong...Representing the commonwealth, I am Deputy District Attorney Brandon Briggs..." he said.
''Yes I do know you....I haven't seen you in awhile." said Judge Wong..
"Ingrid Stevenson, Investigator for the defense , your honor..." said Ingrid...who removed Lt. Tragg's hands from under her skirt...got up and sat on the other side of Brandon Briggs...
Both Ingrid and Brandon Briggs stared balefully at him..
Lt. Tragg smiled sheepishly.....
"Yvette Jones -Lockwood, Lead Attorney for the Defense your honor." said Ms. Yvette.
"Beatrice Evans-Jones, Attorney for the Defense your honor."said Bee Bee.
"Kahlil Ahmed, Attorney for the defense your honor." said Kahlil.
"I do know you all...How about that?" said Judge Julie Wong, smiling...."Okay...We'll recess for a half an hour....then we'll come back with jury selection."said Judge Julie Wong.
II-
Jury selection began....
Kahlil and I were a fantastic team....We never got in each other's way and we played off of each other well. Having been trained in Voir dire by Ms. Yvette, a master herself.. We both already knew all there was to know about the jurors and which ones we'd find acceptable and which ones we wouldn't...We both had carefully worded questions ready for each person we talked to...
Sofia and Bee Bee both were helping us today...They sat behind their laptops and whispered certain things we had talked about into our ears.. we both smiled.
Deputy District Attorney Brandon Briggs was a savy attorney...He had his own questions and challenges...He was no push over...Our teamwork paid off. We wound up with a 7-5 split going in our favor....Not bad, not bad at all..
Ms. Yvette looking at us like a proud mother beamed with pride...with how far we'd call come since she hand picked us, right after we passed the bar and gave us jobs....She took a tremendous chance with us...We were happy to be paying back her faith in us...
"Alright...We have a jury. Trial will begin Tomorrow Morning at 9:00 AM, Be on time and Be ready for trial." she said.
We all poured out of the courtroom.....
"They don't want us to eat breakfast.."laughed Sofia.
"I feel you girls.."laughed Ms. Yvette.
''And Lt. Tragg and nobody else will disturb our meal..we'll just ignore him." said Kahlil.
"Heads up Anna...it's your husband.." said Jade.
Jason Collins her husband held both of his palms up....
"Anna, baby...I uh I'm sorry...I should have never of struck you or embarrassed you the other night...I just want you to know that I've had a change of heart...I uh...I don't want a divorce...I want to work on our marriage...I'll go to Anger Management, Couples Counseling...Anything ...I just want us to be together,,,I'm here to support you and I hope you are acquitted...I never believed you killed anybody." he said earnestly....
Lt. Tragg walked over toward us...
''Why are you coming over here? You've said all you need to say to us." said Kahlil.
"Yes...you heard her, GO AWAY!" I said.
"Muzzle your snot nosed kids Vettie..."said Lt. Tragg..
"They're not snot nosed kids...That's the last time I'm going to tell you that...They're married, they're homeowners and they're professionals...."explained Yvette.
Yvette got in between them...
"Muzzle your snot nosed kids Vettie..."said Lt. Tragg..
"They're not snot nosed kids...That's the last time I'm going to tell you that...They're married, they're homeowners and they're professionals...."explained Yvette.
"Vettie you don't have to explain anymore to him..He can see that....Now if you really have nothing more to say...Why don't you walk away?"said Jason....
''Why don't you button it pal?" said Lt. Tragg.
"Because I don't have to...We were over here talking, we weren't bothering you...NOW WALK AWAY!!" said Jason firmly as the two men stood each other down...
"Come on everybody....let's get out of here.." she said diplomatically....
We all turned and followed Yvette out of the courthouse.....
Leaving Lt. Tragg standing there ,staring balefully at all of us...He didn't realize that Yvette had saved him from another embarrassing beat down....Jason had a hair trigger temper and was close to knocking him out.. We had avoided that.....
And Back to Olivia and Beverly's Office/Duplex where they had dinner with Olivia and crew, and we also again joined them for dinner...
"I sincerely want to apologize to all of you and especially to Anna here for my behavior...both that night in Josie's and my behavior with her in the past....I am seeking help of a theraputic kind...and I've withdrawn my petition for divorce...."said a very contrite Jason Collins..
''We've been talking all afternoon."said Anna. "I've made my mistakes too...and after this trial..I'm going to be getting help and we are going to go to couples therapy." said Anna.
"That's all good....I hope everything works out for you..."said Olivia.''Well you guys are taking a great first step."said Donnie Ray.
"Yes....and when Ms. Yvette and the guys get you off...you'll be free and clear.. "said Beverly.
"Your job is safe...they've been running reruns of your best shows."said Nelson.
"Imagine that , Reruns on the radio."laughed Josie.
"Hey, that's better thasn not being on at all."said Paris.
"Paris is right...That keeps your name on everybody's mind." said Bresha.
"You still thinking about taking the bar?" asked Tony.
"Yes she has..." said Alfreda.
"That's good...If you need any help...I'm across the street." said Rockland.,
"Vettie tells me she saved Lt. Tragg from another possible beatdown today in court."said Gary..
"Oh my God, he was really asking for it." said Jade.
"When isn't he?" laughed her husband Danny...
"Now there is someone who needs psychiatric attention....it's almost like he begs for a beatdown of some kind."I said.
"I think he was looking at Jason today and thinking about his past beatdowns and reconsidering."said Bee Bee.
"Bee Bee is right...I think he was glad Ms. Yvette rescued him today..."said Sofia.
"Yeah man...he was...You see he didn't resist or say anything more." said Kahlil.
"No , she did the right thing....I think his new thing now would be arresting someone and charging them with felonious assault...best to avoid physical violence with him...unless he strikes first."cautioned her husband Jetty, who himself had thrashed Lt. Tragg in the past.
He offered Jason and Anna a bottle of wine...A good port he said..as a closing dinner gift
TENDER WAS THE NIGHT!
Everyone had left and gone home...
Jason Joined Anna in the Sub-basement apartment in Olivia and Beverly's office duplex.
"This is nice isn't it?" said Anna, pleased to have her husband here..She had been so lonely at night after everyone had gone to bed..All alone down here.
"Yes, this is some set up Olivia has....I'm impressed...She and Donnie Ray and Beverly and Nelson living above their office, the law library and media room in the adjacent building and this set up down here....Niceeeeeeee...You've been very comfortable the entire time." he laughed..
They talked and talked and laughed and killed the bottle of wine Jetty had given them...Jason Joined Anna in the Sub-basement apartment in Olivia and Beverly's office duplex.
"Yes, this is some set up Olivia has....I'm impressed...She and Donnie Ray and Beverly and Nelson living above their office, the law library and media room in the adjacent building and this set up down here....Niceeeeeeee...You've been very comfortable the entire time." he laughed..
"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU...UMMMMMMM JASON, TAKE MY CLOTHES OFF!" she begged him...
"AWWWWWWWWWWWWWW,,,,OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH ANNA, I CAN'T WAIT!" he moaned..
"YOU'RE HORNY AREN'T YOU??? I KNOW I AM!" she cooed.
"YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!! YESSSSSS!!" he moaned...
He marveled at her pretty bra...
"Are you going to stare at it or take it off.?" she asked..
He marveled at her pretty bra...
"UMMMMMMMMMMMM"he moaned and slipped her panties down...
"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU..OOOOOOOOOOOOOOP!" she cooed loudly...
Her body began to tremble something terrible, her head turned from side to side and she began to cry tears of joy......
"I MISSED YOU SOOOOOO MUCH!" she cried out..
"I MISSED YOU TOO!! I'M NEVER GONNA NEGLECT YOU AGAIN!" he cried out...
He placed her on the dresser and spread her legs.....
He began thrusting inside of her wet center again....Losing his mind, not knowing if he was coming or going....
He turned her around and entered her doggie style..
He placed her on the dresser and spread her legs.....
He began thrusting inside of her wet center again....Losing his mind, not knowing if he was coming or going....
He turned her around and entered her doggie style..
"OHHHHHHHHHHH MY DAMNNNNNNNNN!!!" he cried out..
"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU PUT IT IN ME!!! YESSSSSS!" she cried out..
They were soon on the floor really going at it...
"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU YOU NASTY DOGGG...."OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU JUST PUT IT IN ME!!! YESSSSSS!" she cried out..
"AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW LAWWWWWD!" he cried out.....
"Let's get in bed." she whispered...
"YESS!" he agreed..
In the bed....once again...entered her slowly.....Her body was wet with anticipation.....
They both laughed and cried as they made sweet love...
Goin at it for NINE TO TEN HOURS
"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU..OOOOOOOOOOOOOOP!" she cooed loudly...
Her body began to tremble something terrible, her head turned from side to side and she began to cry tears of joy......
Goin at it for NINE TO TEN HOURS
And ending with her sleeping on top of him...cuddled up in his arms.. The most peaceful sleep she'd had in ages...
III-
The next morning they both took a nice warm soapy shower together and got dressed....
"You look good...Thank you baby for last night.."said Jason.
"Thank you." said Anna.
They kissed passionately and she waved and walked out the door..
Jason watched her as she walked up the stairs....Her lipstick imprint still on his face.
Deputy District Attorney Brandon Briggs didn't like this and begged him to stop talking to the press..
So did Judge Julie Wong.....
At any rate Deputy District Attorney Brandon Briggs began trying this case...The first case he had personally tried in three years...
He had no motive, first of all and Yvette and us attacked him all that the entire time he was making his case..
He tried to paint Anna as an opportunist who slept her way to the top.....While that was partially true...
we still hit home the one main point...WHY WOULD SHE KILL HER BENEFACTOR?? The prosecution didn't have an answer for it!
They had not one eyewitness and no murder weapon....Only film footage of our client ,leaving the building at the Estimated time of death , getting in her car and pulling off... Bee Bee interviewed several Radio station employees, Black and White who said Corey Ruffin, a white man had a "taste for Black women" and was flirtatious with a lot of Black and Latina female employees.
Sofia interviewed several Black and Latina females who all told tales of Cory Ruffin's flirtatious ways.
Kahlil argued that Corey Ruffin was a single man who liked the ladies and while nothing was wrong with that, he often used his position to get these ladies jobs they wanted ,promotions and such in exchange for sexual favors...He interviewed several males , disgruntled males who said "If you wore a skirt and high heels you had it made."
Yvette argued that there was no motive...She presented several employees of the radio station thattestified that Anna rejected Corey Ruffin's advances for years before recently giving in to them and that they were not even aware that she had given in.
I interviewed the Manager and Maintenance people in the building who said they had only seen Anna in the building maybe one other time and that it was another Black woman who was a more frequent visitor.
Sofia interviewed several Black and Latina females who all told tales of Cory Ruffin's flirtatious ways.
Kahlil argued that Corey Ruffin was a single man who liked the ladies and while nothing was wrong with that, he often used his position to get these ladies jobs they wanted ,promotions and such in exchange for sexual favors...He interviewed several males , disgruntled males who said "If you wore a skirt and high heels you had it made."
Deputy District Attorney Brandon Briggs tried his best to break all of our witnesses down on cross examination, but we had prepared them very well...Too well...He realized he was in the fight of his life and that this was not the case he should have gotten himself involved in...These lawyers were just too sharp, too prepared.
Anna felt as though we were doing as good a job as possible, but wondered if it was enough to convince people she didn't kill Corey...She wanted to take the stand.
Ms. Yvette didn't think that was a good idea...and said that she would only put Anna on the stand if absolutely necessary.
Lt. Tragg couldn't keep his hands off of D.A. Investigator, Ingrid Stevenson...He snaked his hands up her skirt every chance he got...He rubbed her legs and tried to palm her butt despite her many protestations...
She finally forcefully removed his hands, pulled her skirt down and slapped the hell out of him twice.."OOUUUUUUUUUUUUF!" he said and fell out of his chair ,making a thud on the floor..
Lt. Tragg couldn't keep his hands off of D.A. Investigator, Ingrid Stevenson...He snaked his hands up her skirt every chance he got...He rubbed her legs and tried to palm her butt despite her many protestations...
At one point he had her skirt hiked so high, you could practically see her panties..
"VA VA VA VOOOOOOOOOOOM!" he moaned lustfully.
"WOULD YOU STOP IT PLEASE?" she said loudly.
The jury gasped... We all burst into loud laughter....
"GET OUT! GET OUT!!!! LT. TRAGG GET OUT OF MY COURTROOM NOWWWW!! AND TAKE A COLD SHOWER!" Judge Wong yelled..She had seen the shenanigans at the Prosecution table.
Especially seeing us laughing.....
He had broken our concentration......
"Did he? Did he do what I think? He had his hands up that girls skirt...I could almost see her panties..She kept removing his hands..."said Anna.
"Yes....She told him to stop...but talking to him is like talking to a brick wall."said Yvette.
"I think he got the message this time."said Jade.
"Look if he's bothering you....I won't have him in this courtroom again.."said Deputy District Attorney
Brandon Briggs..
ONE WEEK LATER-
It had been a week....I felt as though the trial had been going good..
But I wasn't sure how my colleagues felt about the trial or our client..We had one day left....
IV-
TWO DAYS LATER-
Lt. Tragg sat with him and without the company of D.A. Investigator, Ingrid Stevenson, who had left the courtroom a week before.. He was silent and contrite and certain at best...they would get a conviction, at worst a mis trial...
Everly Castor walked to the stand and was sworn in.... She looked at the four of us, Myself, my wife Bee Bee, Sofia and Kahlil...She had been watching us the entire trial...She thought we had done an amazing job considering how little evidence we had of Anna's guilt or innocence for that matter. She thought her testimony was going to be worth a good laugh..
The four of us watched with eager anticipation....This was our case right here.
"No I was not.." she said defiantly...
"I have the Building manager here and he will testify that you were a frequent overnight guest for close to two years...and that you visited and stayed often so much that you had an entire drawer in his apartment with your underwear in it..."said Yvette..
Bee Bee presented an enlarged photo of the drawer containing panties and bras.....
"These photos were taken by the police and crime scene investigators on the day of Mr. Ruffin's murder..
"This is another photo taken by police a day after my investigator made a remark to you about your panties being in this drawer...You came and collected them..We have two witnesses to testify to that...but the damage was already done...We have proof through credit card receipts and sales tags that these bras and panties are yours and that some of them hadn't been worn yet...."said Sofia.
"And you can prove this how?" she laughed.
"That Smartwatch you're wearing right now...It has a GPS tracker on it...Our investigator tracked your movements that day...You shadowed everywhere Anna went and you waited outside in this car This rental car caught on the Street Camera and rented by you , which sat across the street from his apartment."I said.
"I don't believe I am uh going to answer anymore questions without talking to my attorney."said Everly..
"In Lieu of the overpowering evidence to the contrary, The Commonwealth moves to dismiss 2nd Degree Murder charges against Anna Collins...." said DDA Briggs, furious with Lt. Tragg for not getting him this information and for bocking Ingrid Stevenson from going over his crime scene or questioning his witnesses.. He never wanted to work another case with Lt. Tragg again.
''And the Court concurs...Case dismissed...Mrs. Collins, you are free to go..."said Judge Julie Wong.
Where reporters snapped photos of us all..
"Vettie....Thank you guys sooooo much.." said Anna.
"You're so welcome Anna." said Yvette.
"Not Curleys....Not yet...Josie's.."said Bee Bee."Yeah, Josies." said Sofia.
"Josie's...It's unanimous.." said Kahlil.
"It's unanimous..."said Jade.
Assistant District Attorney Michael Lawrence walked up also and he was furious..
"Artie!!! I've told you to keep your hands off my girl...I've warned you.." he said.
"Mikey, I don't wanna hear it right now!! I'm not in the mood, now back off..."said Lt. Tragg..
"I don't care if you're in the mood or not!!" said Michael Lawrence.... Angry he punched Lt. Tragg in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him and knocking him into a row of seats....
"Keep your damn hands to yourself.." he snarled..
"WHYYYYYYY YOUUUUUUU!" said Lt. Tragg, getting to his feet...
He hit Micheal Lawrence with 17 lefts and 17 rights to his face, Micheal Lawrence countered with 17 lefts and 17 rights of his own...causing Lt. Tragg to spin around like a top..
Lt.Tragg hit Micheal Lawrence with another 18 lefts and 18 rights...but Micheal Lawrence, responded with another 18 lefts and 18 rights to Lt. Tragg's face, knocking him back into a row of chairs....He stumbled to his feet....
Lt. Tragg swung a haymaker at ADA Lawrence that missed by a mile... He then went for an uppercut, like he had used to floor both Petey S. and Jumpshot Jim in past fights..but ADA Lawrence blocked him both times...
ADA Michael Lawrence hit him with three rights and three lefts to his face and then a right cross which knocked Lt. Tragg to the floor and out!!!! Out Cold!!! The fight had been violent and swift....
"KEEP YA DAMN HANDS OFF MY GIRL!!" he bellowed , walking away! His left eye was nearly swollen shut.. The side of his face was swollen...but other than that....he appeared to be alright....
The other jurors and reporters gasped...Some laughed and high fived... Others just stood stunned.
Lt. Tragg lay on the floor ,his nose bleeding profusely, both of his eyes blackened and swollen shut nearly and his right cheek, swollen and purple...
"Ughhhhhhh! UMMMMMMMMMMM!" he moaned....then was out like a light.
Both sleeves had been torn off of his suit jacket once again...the back of the jacket was split...his shirt was out of his trousers and his tie was loose...
"Yeah and he doesn't know how to slip a punch effectively."Observed Kahlil...
"I hear em."laughed Sofia...
"Come on you guys...let's get out of here and get some cold ones."said Yvette.
"Sounds like a plan to me. WOWWW..So much drama..." said Anna.
"Yeah.."said Jade as we literally stepped over Lt. Tragg to leave the courtroom...
He was just starting to stir...He was on all fours...his nose bleeding, his face horribly swollen....
Yvette stepped over Lt. Tragg's body...
"Seems like this is how it always ends for him." she said.
"Pathetic!" scoffed my wife, Bee Bee."Just pathetic." agreed Sofia.
Kahlil just shook his head...
Jade and Anna just chuckled.
EPILOUGE-
She was sentenced to 5-15 years....a lot less than she deserved.....
Anna Collins took the bar exam again for the third time and as they say, the third time is the charm...She passed with the second highest score in the room! and was sworn in as an attorney...
Her fellow law school graduates were there to cheer her on and congratulate her... Olivia Bennett-Alexander, Ms. Yvette, Karen Page, Detective Tony Hopkins, who didn't graduate with them, but went back, got his J.D. and took the bar also...and his wife, FBI/ATF Special Agent in charge, Sharon Hopkins, who also graduated with them...
"CONGRATULATIONS ANNA, I'M SOOOOOO PROUD OF YOU!!" said Olivia, hugging her..."OUUUUU GIRL, YOU DID IT! "CONGRATULATIONS ANNA, I'M SOOOOOO PROUD OF YOU!!" said Ms. Yvette, hugging her.
"CONGRATULATIONS ANNA, I'M SOOOOOO PROUD OF YOU!!" said Karen, hugging her.
"My Husband says he has a spot for you at his TV station..if you want it." said Karen.
"WE DID IT GIRL.....ALL OF US MADE IT!" said Hop, who hugged her...
"CONGRATULATIONS ANNA, I'M SOOOOOO PROUD OF YOU!!" said Sharon, hugging her.
Also present was Dabnis Coley and his wife, Jasmine and Ms. Virginia...All three of them had tutored her at Olivia's law library nightly...getting her ready for the bar.
"I HAVEN'T LOST A STUDENT YET! YOU PASSED LIKE I KNEW YOU WOULD." said Dabnis, hugging her...
"CONGRATULATIONS ANNA, I'M SOOOOOO PROUD OF YOU!!" said Jazzy, hugging her.
"YOU DID IT!! YOU PASSED THE BAR....YOU DON'T KNOW HOW HAPPY I AM!" he said..
"From that bulge in your trousers....I can uh feel how happy you might be." she whispered in his ear and smiled.
"I HAVEN'T LOST A STUDENT YET! YOU PASSED LIKE I KNEW YOU WOULD." said Dabnis, hugging her...
"CONGRATULATIONS ANNA, I'M SOOOOOO PROUD OF YOU!!" said Jazzy, hugging her.
""CONGRATULATIONS ANNA, I'M SOOOOOO PROUD OF YOU!!" said Virginia, hugging her.
"I KNEW YOU COULD DO IT!" she said.
Her husband, Attorney Jason Collins was there....He was overjoyed..
"From that bulge in your trousers....I can uh feel how happy you might be." she whispered in his ear and smiled.
"Might as well make the best of it." she giggled.
one last time.....
up against the wall..
"Ummmmmmm I wore this just for the occassion..." she cooed..
"AWWWWWWWWWWWWW LAWWWWWD!" he moaned...
"You're so silly." she giggled.
"OHHHHHHHHHHH MY DAMNNNNNNNNN!!!" he cried out..
"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU PUT IT IN ME!!! YESSSSSS!" she cried out..
In the bed....once again...he entered her slowly.....Her body was wet with anticipation....."OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU..OOOOOOOOOOOOOOP!" she cooed loudly...
Her body began to tremble something terrible, her head turned from side to side and she began to cry tears of joy..
"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU YOU NASTY DOGGG...."OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU JUST PUT IT IN ME!!! YESSSSSS!" she cried out..
"AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW LAWWWWWD!" he cried out.....
"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU..OOOOOOOOOOOOOOP!" she cooed loudly...
Her body began to tremble something terrible, her head turned from side to side and she began to cry tears of joy......
They made sweet love for the next NINE TO TEN HOURS....
Anna cuddled peacefully on top of her husband, in his arms...She had passed the bar and was a newly minted attorney, She had a new job, a television show that paid more and most of all, her fractured marriage was back together..
She had been most fortunate!
FOR SASHA C.