11. We Follow The Law
Prompt: Could you please write a Good Wife Spin? I love the idea of Sharon Raydor achieving her dream of being a lawyer. I see her as Diane Lockhart.
A/N: My god. Sorry, but I've been grieving Sharon Raydor for so long, I almost forgot how to write her. Can't believe I haven't written anything since that terrible Major Crimes end. I only wish I could have written that...
She liked it best after hours. The phones didn't ring, the halls were deserted, and the few who stayed late worked quietly in their offices.
It reminded her of when the firm was just a start up. The open floor plan in that rundown building on the outskirts of town.
But she liked this better. The skyscraper that overlooked the busy city, the fame that came with having a big firm, but most of all she liked helping people. That's what being a lawyer is like; helping people.
She stayed late not because she had work to do, but she knew that there was a letter written half-heartedly on a piece of yellow legal paper, sealed hastily in a stark white envelope that she didn't want to read. Another letter. Another lonely night.
Another reason to get a divorce.
Just down the hall, where the lights to the family law department were off, she thought of leaving her paperwork there.
Her fingers brushed over the sign that had been saved while the building tenant reclaimed the twenty-sixth floor.
Raydor, Baker & Hobbs.
The three names held more weight in Chicago than any single politician. It put them under constant scrutiny, but at least they could keep doing what they loved.
A corner office was her highest demand when Hobbs and Baker brought her in. Both were happy to give it to her. Between her connections and clientele, she was offering them more than what the whole office was probably worth anyways.
Gavin's office was across the hall from hers while Andrea's was down a floor with the first years.
Sometimes she wonders if her and her husband's firm would have ever taken off and grew to the magnitude of this one.
Sometimes, she's happy it did not.
Gavin has been pushing for her to divorce her husband for years— almost a decade. There were some personal reasons, some financial ones, a lot of social ones, and some she just couldn't explain.
Jackson Raydor was Attorney General, hand picked by the governor. If they got a divorce, the scandal would be immense. Very few people knew of the troubles between them. They always attended social parties and events together; papers loved pegging them against each other.
Chicago loved them, but neither loved each other.
Gavin started to really press the option of divorce once the new private investigator came in.
She needed information on a company Hobbs and Baker were thinking of taking on— one that seemed a little off but were offering to pay a good sum. She had spoken to the PI over the phone to see hoe soon the file would be ready.
The next day she walked into her office as if he did that everyday. She was angry her meeting was disturbed, but the minute her eyes laid on him, with his mirror reflective sunglasses, black leather jacket and dark-was tight jeans, her mouth went dry. He was incredibly handsome and extremely cocky.
The company they were going to represent had a side business, one that involved drugs and large amount of cash. She was opposed to it immediately.
She called a partner meeting and laid out what the PI had relayed. Surprisingly, it was a practically unanimous vote. They were going to take the company on regardless.
Sharon kept the PI, Andy, on. She wasn't going to allow herself to be blindsided and she needed the "I told you so" rights.
That day came faster than she predicted.
"We've got a problem," Andy said over the phone.
"We?" Sharon said, slightly amused.
"Well, you," he said.
"What is it?"
"They're selling internationally. Wanted by the Mexican government as of an hour ago."
"Fuck," Sharon whispered, a hand running through her hair as she sat straighter in her chair.
"I hope you know how to defend in Mexico."
She sighed, "Alright. I need to speak with the partners."
"One last thing," Andy said.
"No more bad news," Sharon warned.
"Let's get dinner tonight." Sharon stayed silent for a minute.
"Fine. Pending the partner meeting, I should be out of the office by 7."
"Okay if I pick you up from there?"
"Sure," Sharon said.
"I'll see you then," Andy said. He ended the call without another word.
"Okay," Sharon whispered. She set her phone down and spun in her chair. The sun was slowly setting in the distance. It was only four o'clock, but there was a lot to be done.
"Assemble the partner for me please," Sharon said into the intercom to her assistant.
"Yes ma'am," was her quick response.
The partners were in an uproar. Gavin and Andrea were pissed she had kept surveillance on their client. She knew they were secretly pleased this didn't blow up in their faces. At least they were ahead of it.
"Who'd you put on the surveillance?" Gavin asked her later as he and Andrea followed her back to her office.
"Andy."
"Is there a conflict of interest?" Andrea asked.
Sharon squared her shoulders, "No. It's not like I'm sleeping with any of the interns. My personal life, if I even have on anymore, does not conflict with my career."
"Does Jack know who Andy is to you?" Andrea eyed her suspiciously as she asked the question. Sharon resisted rolling her eyes.
"No," Sharon said slowly, "because there is nothing for him to know."
Gavin nodded slowly, "Good work."
He tapped Andrea on the shoulder to get her to follow him out. She followed him reluctantly. Sharon slumped into her chair.
Don't pick me up. I'll meet you. Text an address.
Serve, it's on the riverwalk. She smirked at his fast response, but was pleasantly surprised by his choice. Serve was a new restaurant that had opened not long ago, but it was quickly pegged as 'the most romantic meal place.'
"What do you have?" Sharon asked as she took her seat across from Andy in the busy restaurant. Andy slid his folder across the table. Sharon opened it carefully to reveal nothing.
"I can't work for you anymore."
Sharon felt her heart drop. She searched his eyes as he took a slow breath. "I've taken a job with your husband. Seems he wants to keep the enemy close."
"I see," Sharon said, reaching for her glass of wine and letting the noise in the restaurant surround downed the glass, her green eyes on his the whole time. With a sigh, she lowered her glass and pulled a twenty from her purse. She was standing in the cool Chicago night air before Andy reached her.
"I don't like things complicated. Working for you would make things complicated."
"And what? Working for my husband doesn't complicate things?"
"No!" Andy said, drawing out the vowel, "you're husband doesn't think things through."
"How so?"
"He hired me on suspicion of being with you. If he finds that to be true, he won't be able to fire me. I'd know all his secrets."
Sharon smirked at his logic, "If Jack finds out..."
"I know," Andy said as she trailed off, "let him find out."
His kiss surprised her. It was deep and powerful.
In a city of lies and secrets with a job protecting the people, she could get used to this.
A/N 2: To my faithful followers and reviewers- I am grateful for your support and love. It's what got me back into the swing of things. To my prompt sumbitters- I swear I'm getting there! I had started a lot of the prompts you gave me, but could never end them. There's more from where this one came.
As always,
Please review!
DON'T FORGET to submit any prompt of your choice via PM or tumblr (akmarceau-writing)