Chapter 8

Two weeks after his evening talk session with Diane, Will sat in an exam room at the doctor's office, awaiting the results of his doctor's examination of his bullet wounds. He hoped that he would be cleared so he could officially start going back to work. He had hung out at LG and Florrick/Agos a couple of times to chat and enjoy some company, but he wanted to be back in court.

His doctor walked back in and shut the door. He put his papers down on the counter and looked at Will with a straight face. And then he smiled. "Well, Will, I'm happy to say that you've improved so much that I think you can go back to work. But take it easy the first few days, okay? We don't want you to burn out after you just recovered."

"Thank you so much, doctor!" Will was so happy. He said thank you, paid with all the necessary insurance cards at the front desk, and drove straight to Lockhart and Gardner. He had worn a work suit to work because he had been feeling so optimistic. He parked in the parking lot below the building and managed to get a quick elevator ride to the 28th floor. When he walked out of the elevator, he smiled to the receptionist, said good morning, and walked around the corner towards his office.

Diane saw Will walking into his office as she was talking to a client. Naturally, Will chose to walk in and surprise her when she was talking with a client who brought in millions of dollars of revenue for the law firm. She couldn't cut off the meeting for fear of putting the client off staying.

After trying to concentrate on her client for the next twenty minutes, she almost ran into Will's office as soon as her client had left her office. "Will?" she asked with a smile, "What on earth are you doing here?" He stood up and she gave him a hug.

"I got the 'ok' this morning. I just wanted to be back so bad."

"And you seem over the moon to be here. Good for you," Diane replied with a smile.

"Sorry if I distracted you by my surprise entry," Will said with a bit of dry humor.

"Oh, please, Will," Dian said, putting her hands on her hips, "If that client hadn't been the fourth highest source of revenue for this firm, I would have sent her off on her way right away. But you know that we have to do all we can right now to preserve our clients."

"Yes, I understand," Will said. "Do I have any appointments today?"

"No, since we didn't know that you would be showing up today," Diane said. "I have a deposition this afternoon that you're welcome to tag along on. A DUI lawsuit."

"Fun stuff," Will said as he checked that everyone was in order around his office.

Diane interrupted Will's inspection of his bookcase. "Will?" He turned around in response. "Yes?"

"Does Alicia know that you got cleared to get back to work? I'm sure she would like to know," Diane said encouragingly.

"I actually called her on my way over here. She was really happy for me," Will replied with a big smile.

"I'm glad," Diane replied. She looked at her watch, and then realized that if she didn't leave soon, she was going to be late for lunch. She turned around to her assistant. "Alison, could you please check what time I reserved for lunch?"

"Of course, Ms. Lockhart," Alison replied. After a few clicks of the mouse and some scrolling through Diane's busy schedule, she looked up and replied, "You booked a table for two at Romeo's Italian for noon, and it is 11:10 now."

"Thank you, Alison," Diane replied. She turned back to Will, and then said, "Alison, could you please get Romeo's on the phone?"

Will turned around as he heard Diane's words. "I just dialed," Alison said as she handed Diane her desk phone. "What are you doing?" Will asked his co-partner, walking towards her.

"Changing my lunch reservation," Diane replied, smiling, "To a table for three."

"Sorry?" Will was confused.

"I'm having lunch with a good friend who manages another firm. You're now coming with me," Diane said while she waited for the phone to be picked up on the other end of the line.

Will was about to ask who, but Diane got engrossed in talking to the restaurant hostess. She put the down the phone, and went back into her office to grab her coat and purse. She walked out of her office and paused, noticing that Will was still standing outside his office. Although, he had resorted to looking at something on his phone. "Will," Diane said lightly.

Will immediately looked up. "What?"

"We're going to lunch now," Diane said, motioning for Will to come. She turned to Alison and said, "I'll be back in at two, so please tell anyone important who calls that I will return their calls when I return."

"Yes, Ms. Lockhart," Alison replied. "Will Mr. Gardner be gone too?"

"Yes, but I don't think where I am really matters today because I don't have any appointments," Will cut in, smiling at Diane. After that, they got into the elevator and headed for Diane's car.

Once she arrived at Romeo's, Alicia parallel parked next to the curb and walked in to the restaurant. The weekday lunch rush was in full swing, and Alicia was happy that Diane had booked a table. She walked up to the hostess stand and said, "Hi, can I check in here? The reservation should be under Lockhart."

"Yes, I see your reservation right here," the hostess replied. "For a party of three, correct?"

"Sorry?" Alicia replied, confused. "I thought it was only for two."

"I believe she called a little while ago to change the number of people in the reservation. Would you like to wait for the rest of the party to be seated or would you like to be seated now?"

"I'd like to be seated now," Alicia said, and as she walked to the table, she thought, who is Diane bringing with her? She didn't say anything to me about this.

She said thank you to the hostess as she took off her coat, hung her purse around the top of her chair, and sat down at a square table in the middle of the restaurant. She looked at the drinks menu first, and ordered a glass of red wine when a waitress arrived a few minutes later. She saw Diane walk up to the hostess stand after she had ordered her wine, but couldn't fully see who was with her.

The hostess motioned for Diane and her guest to follow her to the table where Alicia was sitting. She waved hello to Diane, and as soon as Diane's companion came into view, she couldn't believe who it was.

The third person in the reservation was Will.