Chapter 5

Alicia walked into Florrick/Agos two days later feeling hopeful. Will was getting discharged later that day, and she had agreed to help him get home.

Cary saw Alicia as she walked out to her desk. "You look pleased with yourself," he said with a smile.

Alicia immediately tried to resume a straight face. She debated about making up some story, but then she just blurted out, "Will's getting discharged today. He asked me to help him recover once he's an outpatient."

Cary laughed. "Alicia, you look too pleased to be doing that."

Alicia gave Cary a look. "Look, Cary, I was so emotional when I wasn't sure if he was going to make it that I'm kind of over the moon now that he's made it."

"I see," Cary said, still smiling. "Remember we have a deposition in half an hour."

"The divorce case?"

"Yep. The one with lots of money involved."

"Fabulous," Alicia agreed. "Divorces are much complicated when there's lots of money involved."

"Agreed," Cary reaffirmed. "See you in thirty minutes."

Alicia sat down, went through her desk phone voicemails, ordered another coffee, and tried to kill time before the divorce deposition.

"My wife is trying to take all my money!"
"I made most of it!"

"Before we had kids!"

Alicia shook her head and then yelled, "Stop! Stop. We can work this out without yelling."

"Well then, I'm not willing to settle for your terms."

"Then we'll see you in court!"

"I don't want to go to court!"

Both Cary and Alicia had to calm down the husband and wife, and they took five minutes to stop yelling at each other. After they were both out the door, Alicia and Cary both sighed. The deposition had taken four hours.

And had gotten nowhere.

"Well, that was certainly interesting," Cary commented.

"More like a screaming match," Alicia replied. She checked her watch. 1:05pm. He will be getting discharged soon, Alicia thought.

"Cary," she called as he was walking back to his desk. "Yes?" he replied. Just as Alicia was about to speak again, Cary's facial expressions changed as he observed Alicia's facial expressions. Cary smiled. "What?" Alicia asked in response to Cary's smile.

"Go," he said. "Go, Alicia."

Alicia smiled. "Thanks Cary. Have a good weekend."

"You too, Alicia. Take care. Oh – can I call you if a case comes up?"

"As always, Cary, I'll still take calls on the weekends." Alicia waved goodbye to everyone in the office as she headed down the lift.

Alicia walked up to the third floor of Chicago General and walked straight down to the room 324. But when she got there, there was no name below the room number. What is happening?, Alicia thought to herself. She turned around and walked back towards reception.

"Excuse me?" she asked a nurse at the desk. "I'm looking for Will Gardner?"

"Oh yes, I can look up where he is for you," the nurse replied as she typed some stuff into her keyboard. The nurse frowned. "Ma'am, it appears that Will Gardner has already been released."

"Sorry?" Alicia was surprised.

"He was discharged about an hour ago." Alicia's brain processing was slowing. "Who did he leave with?" she asked.

The nurse scrolled with her mouse a little bit, then replied, "Ma'am, he left with Mrs. Josephine Brown."