However, I got so embroiled in some messy proceedings relating to a large estate that her birthday arrived before I could make the arrangements.

And now the female lead is in the midst of potentially messy proceedings in the divorce of her husband of 10 years, Tom Cruise.

In a public ward the messy proceeding would have taken place a whole unnecessary hour earlier.

That was what Claire had said, speaking urgently but somehow absentmindedly, during the messy proceedings following the impromptu tracheotomy.

Besides being appropriate, the call perhaps served notice that despite their ties to the metropolitan area and the uncanny circumstances that brought them onto the rink, the three were of a mind to bring a touch of professionalism to these messy proceedings.