Chapter Nine
"Good evening, Mrs Florrick," Diane says, standing up from her seat to great the older woman.
"Haven't I told you to call me Jackie?"
She did in fact tell her to do so the last time they met, but that happened before she and Peter started this still unresolved thing. Calling his mother by her first name feels inappropriate for her under these circumstances.
"You have, I'm sorry. Let me introduce my law firm partner, Will Gardner," she motions in Will's direction who is standing already.
"It's nice to meet you, Mr Gardner," Jackie says as she shakes hands with him, "I heard that you don't have a reason to celebrate tonight."
"You heard it right," he replies, looking at Diane.
"Normally, I'd say I'm sorry, but it is a murderer we are talking about, it's probably best for the society if we keep him locked."
"I'm sure your son will take care of that."
"That's his job," Jackie says smiling at him then turns her attention back to Diane, "Anyway, it's lovely to see you, Diane. Maybe we should get together for a coffee sometime."
"It would be my pleasure," she replies smiling, but she feels kind of embarrassed, as if she was hiding something from the woman, something that hasn't even happened. As she walks away her thoughts go right back to Peter. She was supposed to have dinner with him that night or some other night. She just can't help thinking about what if they ran into Jackie like this, what the woman would think. She never really cares about other people's opinion, but if she ever started anything with Peter, she knows she should care about what his mother thinks.
"So she is your future mother-in-law, huh?"
"What?" she is shocked to hear his question, feels like as if he read her mind, that's why she doesn't react the way she should, with laughter.
"I was joking," he replies chuckling and motions her to take a seat before he does.
"Very funny," she says, sitting down and grabbing her wine glass again.
"Then why aren't you laughing?"
"If I say mind your own business, would you consider it offensive?"
"No," he shrugs.
"Then do me a favour, will you?"
"All right, let's get back to dinner then."
She knows that he knows there's something going on between her and Peter, even if he was just joking this time. She doesn't want to discuss it with him, partly because there's almost nothing to discuss and partly because she feels there's also this unexplainable sympathy between her and Will and it starts to confuse her. It is just so easy to be with him, to talk to him, to laugh with him, to feel good in his company. If Jackie hadn't shown up she probably wouldn't have thought of Peter during the night at all.
She chose to go out with Will instead of him. When Peter walked up to her after the verdict to remind her of her promise she brushed him off telling him she had plans, of course she didn't tell him who she was going out with. He obviously didn't like her response and she didn't like the way he reacted. He has always been so confident that he'd succeed with her and each time she looked into his eyes she was also sure he would, but she isn't so sure anymore. They have been playing too many games lately, it is hard to find back to where they started. Maybe it is the case or Will or just her realising that something is wrong with this picture. Whatever it is she knows they need to talk about it, she has to be fair with him, the game has to end.
But right now she just wants to forget about this whole thing and enjoy the dinner as she did before. She looks at Will, who's obviously trying to hide that she did in fact offend him with what she said. She decides that it's time to take her mask off for a short while and be honest with him, because he deserves it.
"Remember when you asked me if there's something going on between me and Peter and I said no?"
"Yes."
"I lied."
"I figured."
"But since I don't know for certain what is going on between us, I really prefer not to talk about it."
"I understand."
"Thank you, and now I want to hear your funniest law school memory."
As they share a short smile she feels that she's forgiven and hopes that they can continue the dinner in nearly the same mood as before.
