Elizabeth stared at him for a moment completely shocked. She didn't really know why she was so surprised about this because she knew half way through his little speech that his plan was to give her the case. Maybe she was shocked because she didn't think that he would actually have the guts to go through with it. "He must know what's coming next." she thought to herself.
"Your kidding right?" she questioned even though she already knew the answer.
"No I'm not kidding and you know it Elizabeth. I'm giving you the case." Mike sounded far more cogent than he really was.
"I'm not going to take it Mike. I hate these kinds of cases. I refuse." she was trying to keep herself calm as she said this but she noticed that her outright refusal had ruffled Mike's whole forceful appearance.
"I need you to take it Elizabeth. This case can't get screwed up! It's going to be publicized. If we mess up this case it could ruin us, but if we win..." his voice trailed off as he thought of what would happen if they won. This was the biggest case the firm had ever had since it started ten years back. He knew Elizabeth knew this since she had been with the firm for about six years. She had managed in the course of these six years to go from being an intern to being one of their best attorneys. She had to take this case.
"Mike, I don't take these cases. I hate having to work to get rich people more money, which is what this whole case is about. I can't take it." Elizabeth's voice wavering now as tried to keep herself under control. She still couldn't belived that Mike Weiner had actually asked her to do this.
"I know you hate these cases and I know that your probably hating me for giving the case to you but you have to take it. I can't just give it to anyone since it will effect the firm so much.'
" Then put someone like Charlette on the case or something but not me." Elizabeth hadn't really thought about this statement before it came out of her mouth, but she wasn't really regretting it. Charlette would be good for the case if not better. She would have no problem taking it and she wouldn't screw it up. She was a good lawyer.
"I know Charlette's good, that's why i already have her on the case. I'm pairing the two of you up for this, but she's really just there to help you and I've already talked to her about this and she accepted it all, including the case." the last part of the staement was said very forcefully as Mike stood right over Elizabeth. He had never seemed exceedingly tall to Elizabeth, but that was because when they were both standing his height of six foot and two inches wasn't really much bigger than Elizabeth's height of five feet eight inches. However now that she was sitting down his towering height was sort of intimidating.
"Charlette's on the case with me..." this had actually thrown Elizabeth. She hadn't been expecting another person to be put on this case with her, but she woudln't mind it.
"Yes, and she already accepted it."
"She's definitely on the case?"
"Yes! I thought that we already went over this!"
Elizabeth looked around the room as she began to think about what to say next. The whole last part of their conversation ahd thrown Elizabeth into a totally dazed stae of confusion and finally she decided on whether or not she would just walk out the door or accpet the case. Slowly she rose from her chair and stood at her full height in front of Mike. "Fine," she said, "I'll take it this time but never again. Do you underatnd that?"
A wave of relief seemed to come over Mike as he replied, "Thank God, and yes I do understand, never again."
"Set up a meeting for me with this Mr. Bingley."
"No problem. I'll try and get something for tommorrow. I'll let you know what time so that maybe you could call your sister. After all she's following the case so your first meeting with him could be good for her next article."
"Yeah, I guess. I'll give her a call." and with that Elizabeth strode out of the office and entered into her own office a few doors down.
thanks for the reviews. i hope this chapter continues to please people.