The holiday party
Her assistant was waiting for her when she returned from court on Monday.
- Ms. Lockhart, we may have a problem.
- Okay, what's up?
- The holiday party on Friday.
- I thought it was totally booked? Diane answered absentmindedly.
- Well, something happened. Something bad.
- Please don't tell me the caterer had to cancel like last year? Diane asked, her attention now fully on her assistant.
- Oh no, the food is fine. It's...did you know Florrick Agos and Associates are having their holiday party this Friday as Well?
- I did in fact know that, Diane answered. Her mind went back to an evening a few weeks ago, when Kurt had received and invite to the FAA party. He had shown her and she had dared him to accept and miss the red outfit she was planning to wear at the Lockhart Gardener holiday party. He promptly threw out the invite.
Diane smiled to herself and looked expectantly at her assistant.
- Peter Florrick just announced he'll be attending the FAA party. We had 500 guests RSVP for Friday and they all changed their yes's to maybes. My guess is the RSVP at FAA has just gone through the roof.
Diane got up and motioned for her assistant to follow her into Will's office. She was dialing Kurt as she walked.
They entered will's office.
-Listen to this; Diane motioned for her assistant to let Will know what was up as she got through to Kurt.
- It's me. Just wondering if you by any chance got a RSVP reminder from Florrick Agos and Associate today?
- I sure did. Letting me know Governor Florrick will be attending as well, Kurt answered her and continued, but I'm guessing you're not calling to secure your place as my plus one?
She laughed out loud as she hung up on him.
Will looked at her.
- Kurt, he asked. She nodded.
- Kurt got a RSVP reminder for the Florrick Agos party today, letting him know the governor was going to be there.
- So, Will looked at her, what do you wanna do?
- No worries little Willie, let me handle this one. Diane turned on her heel and walked back into her office, her phone already close to her ear.
- This is Diane Lockhart…
-
Four days laterWill had just hung up the phone. Talking to Alicia was almost painful nowadays. He leaned back in his chair and drowned most of the champagne in his glass.
A knock on his door had him look up. Diane was standing outside, an eyebrow raised in question, as she pointed towards the many guests in the conference room.
Will stood up and straightened his jacket. He'd deal with Alicia later, now it was party time.
He opened the door to his office and marveled at all the people around him. Diane sure knew how to throw a party. She had upped the ante by changing the Lockhart Gardner holiday party to a last minute happy hour inspired theme starting at 6.00 instead of 8.30. Thereby ensuring that all the guests that planned on attending the Florrick Agos party at 9.30 had plenty of time to mingle at Lockhart Gardner first. As it turned out, a lot had even decided to stay at Lockhart Gardner, once they had arrived.
She even had the caterer change the menu and the event planner change the invite by telling their guests, the happy-hour holiday party would reveal and pay tribute to their newest adventure – opening new offices in New York. And of course she spiced everything up by inviting several New York celebrities, lawyers and potential clients to the party. A bunch of New York royalty, so to say. Giving both them and their guests a chance to do some actual networking. The RSVPs to their party had immediately changed back to all yes's.
Will walked up to Diane and handed her a glass of champagne.
- Kudos for a great party.
- Kudos, what a great word, she laughed out loud. Her laughter filled the hall way and several heads turned their way.
- So that's quite a pair, Will nodded towards two men.
- Yeah, I'd better go run interference, Diane said with a smile. She walked towards the two men.
- Gentlemen, she said, as she reached them.
- Ms. Lockhart, allow me to say you look pretty darn good in that dress, Lemond Bishop told her. She was wearing a beautiful white dress with black tights, high black heels and huge diamond statement earrings.
- Well, thank you, Diane said, as Kurt turned around and put his arm around her.
- I'd have to agree with you there, Kurt told Lemond Bishop. Diane felt her face grow warm as she smiled at Kurt. She had gone back and forth on what to wear but as soon as she had found out about the Florrick Agos party she had felt like wearing red. If nothing else to show everyone at the Lockhart Gardner party, she didn't give a thing about the competition.
- If you'll excuse me, I'll go find a refill, Kurt said and left the two.
- So, Alicia Florrick left you guys? Lemond Bishop said.
- Yes, I hope you won't hold it against us? Diane asked, feeling a sting of insecurity. Alicia and Lemond Bishop had formed some kind of bond, when she helped look after his son a year or so ago.
- Not at all, he told her, but I have to be honest and tell you I'll be going by their party later tonight, he told her.
- I see, well, I hope you'll find that what we have to offer is the best deal in town, Diane answered him and excused herself.
She walked back to her office, thinking about what they could do to convince Lemond Bishop to stay with Lockhart Gardner.
She paused in the doorway and looked back at the party. It was almost 10.00 and all in all it had gone way beyond her expectations. Honestly, she had dreaded the party. Wondering if everyone would prefer the governor over New York royalty. She was pretty sure, the party at Florrick Agos must have been the hottest ticket in town tonight but she had saved the day, once again.
- Hello, earth to Diane. Kurt walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her.
She smiled at him.
- Let's go home, she told him.
- Now? It's only 10.15, he said, what about the rest of the party. For as long as Kurt had know Diane she was never the first one to leave a party, nevertheless a party she was hosting. This was truly a first.
- Will can handle it, I'm tired and I just want to go home with you, she said and was about to turn around to grab her coat and bag when Kurt tightened his hold on her.
- What? She asked.
- So you know I'm a pretty old-fashioned guy right?
- You keep telling me so, but I don't understand?
Her eyes followed his hand as he raised it and pointed to something above them. Someone had hung a mistletoe in her doorway.
- Seriously, she asked, her eyes meeting his.
- Seriously, he told her just before he leaned in and kissed her. When he started to draw back she leaned back in and kissed him again, deepening the kiss.
- Wow, he said when they parted.
- And so well spoken, she said and giggled slightly, let's get out of here.
On the way back in the car, they didn't speak much. They arrived at home and it wasn't until they were walking towards the apartment, he suddenly remembered something.
- So, I thought you were wearing red tonight? He asked her as they were riding up in the elevator.
- Not that I'm complaining, you look amazing in that, he said and looked at her dress.
She smiled at him and leaned into whisper something to him, as another couple entered the elevator.
- Who says I'm not? The elevator arrived at their floor and he followed her, as she threw a smile over her shoulder and opened the door to their apartment, pulling him into it and slamming the door behind them.
-
Wrapped in Red by Kelly Clarkson
Everybody's happy
Snow is falling down
Prayers are being answered
Miracles all around
From afar I've loved you
But never let it show
And every year another
December comes and goes
Always watching
Never reaching
But this Christmas
I'm gonna risk it all
This Christmas
I'm not afraid to fall
So magical and nothing more
Than words I never said
In all this white, you'll see me like
You never seen me yet
Wrapped in red (ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh)
Blue is where I've been
Green can't buy me you
Silver does remind me
That mistletoe's for two,
So I found a color
That only tells the truth
That paints a picture
Of how I feel for you
This Christmas
I'm gonna risk it all
This Christmas
I'm not afraid to fall,
So magical and nothing more
Than words I never said
In all this white, you"ll see me like
You never seen me yet
Wrapped in red (ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh)
I'll never feel you
If I don't tell you
This Christmas
I'm gonna risk it all
This Christmas
I'm not afraid to fall,
So magical and nothing more
Than words I never said
In all this white, you see me like
You never seen me yet
Wrapped in red (ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh)
Wrapped in red (ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh)