Friday. Last day before Christmas. Deck the halls was playing somewhere in the office. Everyone was all smiles and anticipation. In five hours Christmas break would embark on Lockhart Gardner.
Diane was standing in her office watching the snow falling slowly outside the windows. For once she'd actually been looking forward to Christmas. Usually, Christmas meant dinner with her brother and his family. That was if she travelled to Washington D.C. where her brother worked on the Hill and her sister in law taught at Georgetown. Christmas was nice. She liked it, a lot but it had never been that special thing everyone seemed to think it was. At least not to her. Until this year.
The phone in her hand hang dangled from her fingers before she placed it back in it's place.
Working. On Christmas.
She blinked rapidly, trying to disperse the tears she felt gathering in her eyes. This was stupid. She never used to care that much about Christmas anyways, and Kurt would be home on again on the 26th of December. They would celebrate when he got back to Chicago.
She closed her eyes and replayed their conversation in her mind. A death row case being retried in California. Kurt had worked on the original case years ago.
The appeal is up on Sunday December 24th and the case may run through Christmas, since his execution date is on December 25th, Kurt had said.
What a way to spend Christmas, she had replied with a ironic laugh. Then silence had fallen over their conversation, as they both contemplated what this would mean for their Christmas plans.
- Diane, are you sure it's okay? I can ask them to get someone else? Diane wanted to ask him to come home. To drop the case. But she knew how important work was to Kurt. To her as well and normally, she would not have hesitated when the appeal had to do with a death row case - even on a holiday.
- Of course. This is important, she answered him.
- I'll be back home the morning of the 26th and we can celebrate then, he said. She agreed and they said their goodbyes.
Diane opened her eyes and saw that the snow fall was increasing. Her back stiffened and straightened a bit as she walked around her desk towards the front office. There was no way, she was ending up whining and sad. Her entire adult life she had hated the stereotype so many people had her down as. Independent, successful, and single, hence she must be a rich, bitchy, drunken, bitter woman.
She opened the door to the front office and glanced at Will's empty office.
- Nina, she asked her assistant, where is Will?
- Oh, he already left. He said, he told you he'd be leaving early to fly out to his sister in New York. You were in court ,when he dropped by with this, Nina said and handed Diane a small package.
Diane accepted the package, went into her office, placed the package in her bag before picking it and her coat up and then reached into her drawer to pick up a gift, before she walked back to her assistant and said:
- I'm about to leave for the Severin-case meeting at Florrick Agos and Associates and I won't be back afterwards, so I wanted to wish you a happy Christmas and thank you for taking good care of me this year, Diane handed Nina the package.
- Thank you Ms. Lockhart, Nina said with a big smile, I love working as your assistant and if you need me during Christmas please let me know.
Diane smiled and thanked Nina before she walked to the elevators.
Diane exited the elevators at Florrick Agos and Associates and asked to see Alicia.
- Mrs. Florrick will be right with you, the receptionist told her. Diane looked around. The place was starting to look pretty good. Rough, industrial and edgy but good. Secretly, Diane admired Alicia's guts but at the same time, she couldn't help the feeling of betrayal that came over her, whenever she thought back to the day Alicia and Cary left Lockhart Gardner.
Alicia rounded the corner.
- Diane, welcome. Let's go into my office, Alicia said, I'm sorry but I only have 30 minutes before Peter arrives. He's picking me up for a holiday event at our kids' school.
- That's okay, this wont take long, Diane said. The Severin case was a big case the two companies were working on together, since both had been approached by individual plaintiffs, who had had children with severe allergies because of a skin care line sold to pregnant women that claimed it was organic, when it was in fact highly enriched with chemicals.
- We are asking for 4.5 million dollars in damages and 25 million in punitive damages, since the company knew about the chemicals but marketed the products as organic, Diane suggested.
Alicia nodded.
- We had 4.3 million and 25, but 4.5 is fine. I'll have one of our paralegals draw up the papers, Alicia offered. Diane nodded.
- Okay, that's it? Alicia asked.
- Yes. We'll be ready for court on January 4th, Diane agreed as she rose to leave.
Alicia held out her hand and Diane eyed it for a moment before she shook it.
- Happy Christmas, Diane.
- You too, Diane answered and turned around to leave.
- You and Kurt celebrating Christmas here in Chicago? Alicia asked.
- Well, Diane hesitated for a second, yes.
- I thought so, Alicia said and continued, Peter just told me on the phone he ran into Kurt at The Sax Hotel just now.
Diane stopped in her tracks.
- Did you say The Sax Hotel, she asked. Alicia nodded not noticing the way Diane went pale under her impeccable makeup.
- Sorry, Diane, I have to go. Peter just texted me he's here. Alicia picked up her coat and bag and walked along Diane to the elevator.
The two women took the elevator down together. Diane lost in thought and Alicia checking her phone.
- Goodbye Diane, happy Christmas, Alicia said as they exited. Diane made a non-committable sound as she waved to Alicia and Peter before she got into her car.
Once inside her car she took out her phone and called Kurt. The phone went straight to voice-mail. For a long time, Diane said in her car thinking. Then she drove home.
Diane woke up to her phone ringing. After she got home she ended up laying down for an hour and quickly fell asleep. Wondering if she could sleep so long, Christmas would be over, when she woke up. She picked up the phone. It was Kurt. She sighed but still answered the phone.
- Hello.
- Hi, it's me. Just calling in to wish you a nice evening. What are you doing?
- Sleeping.
- You? Sleeping? You okay, Diane? Silence met him.
- Diane?
- I don't know, she answered.
- What's wrong?
- Alicia mentioned Peter saw you at The Sax Hotel this afternoon, she said. No use beating around the bush.
Kurt said nothing for a second.
- And you're telling me this is a thing? Kurt was trying to decide how to answer her without ruining the surprise. What were the chances Peter would have seen him, talked to Alicia and Alicia spilling to Diane?
- Kurt, I don't really know what to say, Diane's voice blended into his thoughts.
- Diane no matter what's running through your head right now, give me a chance to explain okay? I'll be home in 20 minutes okay?
Okay, Diane said and hung up.
Exactly 20 minutes later Kurt walked through the door. Diane sat waiting for him on the couch. Kurt came in and sat down beside her. He handed her an envelope.
- Open this. She did as he said and as she read the words on the invite inside, her hand came out to grab his.
- Kurt, I don't know what to say. He smiled at her.
- The great Ms. Lockhart speechless, Kurt said with a smile but then seriousness crept into his eyes.
- Diane, I know Alicia's words must have had you thinking about what I might be up to. But there is never going to be any reason for you to worry, his eyes caught hers making sure, she understood exactly what he was talking about.
Diane took a deep breath and said:
- I know. It just threw me. But this, you did this? She held up the invitation.
- Well, me and Will, Kurt answered, I'm guessing Peter and Alicia didn't know it was a surprise party to celebrate your 30 years as one of Chicago's top litigators because, frankly they weren't invited.
- Good, she answered and leaned in to give him a sweet kiss.
- I must admit, party is nice but all I really care about is that you'll be home for Christmas, she rose and took his hand, pulling him up so they faced each other.
- Wanna dance, he asked, and she laughed out loud.
- Sure, let me put on some music. She walked over and turned on the radio. A song about coming home for Christmas filled the room as the pair slowly danced the night away.
Christmas (baby Please Come Home)
Oh, Ohh
Yeah, ohh
Ooh yeah
(Christmas)
The snow's comin' down
(Christmas)
I'm watchin' it fall
(Christmas)
Lots of people around
(Christmas)
Baby, please come home
(Christmas)
The church bells in town
(Christmas)
Are ringing in song
(Christmas)
Full of happy sounds
(Christmas)
Baby, please come home
They're singing "Deck The Halls"
But it's not like Christmas at all
'Cause I remember when you were here
And all the fun we had last year
(Christmas)
Pretty lights on the tree
(Christmas)
I'm watching them shine
(Christmas)
You should be here with me
(Christmas)
Baby, please come home
They're singing "Deck The Halls"
But it's not like Christmas at all
'Cause I remember when you were here
And all the fun we had last year
(Christmas)
If there was a way
(Christmas)
I'd hold back this tear
(Christmas)
But it's Christmas day
(Please)
Please
(Please)
Please
(Please)
Please
(Please)
Please
Baby please come home
(Christmas)
Baby please come home
(Christmas)
Baby please come home
(Christmas)
Baby please come home, oh yeah yeah
Christmas
Christmas
Christmas