Medical Center. VIP Ward.
Rachel and Jill chatted with Leonard, who'd just woken up, for a bit before heading out. Tonight was little Emma's first birthday party, and they'd invited a bunch of friends and family to celebrate. Since Leonard's condition was stable now and Adam was keeping an eye on things, there was no way they'd cancel the party.
"Don't worry about it," Adam said reassuringly after the girls left. "A Jill who's got that fighting spirit is way better than one who's just spiraling downhill. She'll learn a ton along the way—stuff that'll stick with her for life. That's more than enough."
"Hope you're right," Leonard sighed. "I just worry she's setting herself up for a bigger fall if her hopes get too high and things don't pan out."
"Nah, she'll be fine," Adam said with a grin. "I've seen it—Jill's got real talent. Who knows, she might just pull off a miracle. Plus, I've got her back."
"Man, I hate to keep leaning on you like this," Leonard admitted, a little embarrassed. Back in the day, he'd only thought his three troublemaker daughters might need Adam's help down the line. Now, even he was relying on the guy.
"No big deal," Adam laughed. "It's all small stuff. Just focus on resting up, okay?"
After chatting with Leonard a bit longer and seeing he was doing alright, Adam gave the nurse some instructions and stepped out of the ward. He pulled out his phone and dialed Matthew. If he was going to help Jill, he figured he'd start by getting advice from someone in the know. And in his circle of friends, Matthew—the future "Marshmallow Justice" of the Supreme Court—was the obvious pick.
"Hey, Adam!"
"Hey, Matthew…"
Once the call connected, Adam laid out the situation.
"Hmm, got it. I could make some time to tutor her," Matthew mused after a moment.
"Nah, no need. Your school load's already insane," Adam said, shaking his head with a smile. "Plus, she's pretty hot—I'd hate to mess up your happy little home life."
"Come on, man!" Matthew groaned, clearly annoyed. "You know me and Lily are solid. No chance I'd go falling for someone else…"
"It's not you I'm worried about!" Adam teased, dragging out the words.
"…"
Matthew froze, then quickly pivoted. "You know what? You're right! I'm just a Columbia Law student—how could I possibly coach someone aiming for Harvard Law?"
No way around it! Whether it was Adam as a friend or Matthew as a devoted husband, neither of them fully trusted Lily's… charm.
"Don't sell yourself short," Adam chuckled. "You only stuck with Columbia because you didn't want to leave New York—or Lily. With your genius—cranking out a 25-page paper in one night after chugging three beers at three different parties, still half-drunk, and still getting a B- from Professor Panther's brutal grading? Dude, Harvard Law? Yale Law? You could've waltzed into either one."
In the world of TV dramas, law school rankings go like this:
- Yale Law: #1.
- Harvard Law: Forever #2.
- Stanford Law: #3.
- Columbia Law: #4.
Funny thing is, #1 Yale and #3 Stanford go for that elite, small-class vibe, while #2 Harvard and #4 Columbia play the "strength in numbers" game. The future "Marshmallow Justice" wasn't about the marshmallow part—it was all about the justice. Not just anyone can climb to that level!
"Columbia's pretty great, though," Matthew said, scratching his head with a goofy laugh on the other end.
Adam could practically feel the lovey-dovey vibes radiating through the phone. Matthew and Lily were so sweet it was almost sickening. Columbia wasn't the draw—Lily was!
Take Jill's jerk of an ex-boyfriend: dumped her without a second thought to chase Harvard Law and a future as a senator. Then look at Matthew, a legit genius who could've gone to Yale but chose Columbia—#4—just to stay with Lily. In the cutthroat, cliquey legal world, that ranking could shape his whole career. Walking away from the top took guts and heart.
"Since she's your friend, why don't you just tutor her yourself?" Matthew asked after a few more goofy chuckles, suddenly cluing in. "You've got every legal statute memorized. If you wanted, you could turn into a top-tier lawyer overnight. Sure, you don't have a law degree to argue in court, but being the ultimate private law prof and helping her with homework? Piece of cake!"
"No time, man," Adam said, throwing up his hands.
"Uh…" Matthew blinked. "You had time to memorize every law book out there, but not to tutor her?"
"Memorizing laws is easy—just speed-flip through those giant tomes and done," Adam grinned. "But teaching someone? That's not quick. It's not up to me—it depends on how fast Jill can pick it up. You think I've got that kind of time?"
"Fair point," Matthew conceded, at a loss for words. "Still, memorizing all that just as a 'just in case' move? That's wild, dude!"
"What can I say?" Adam smirked. "You know what they say about you lawyers out there, right?"
"Yeah, yeah—'lawyers play dirty,' huh?" Matthew grumbled, clearly not thrilled.
"That's a bit of an overgeneralization," Adam laughed. "I know you're not like that. But you can't deny most lawyers would do anything for a paycheck! They've got their前辈—uh,前辈—sorry, their seniors—handing them airtight excuses: 'Everyone has the right to a legal defense!' 'We're protecting rights and freedoms!'"
"Ugh, it's not that dramatic…" Matthew sighed.
"Oh, really?" Adam teased. "You buying that? Lawyers aren't like doctors! Sure, there are jerks among doctors too, but overall, they're saving lives, meeting a basic human need. Lawyers, though? They're mostly sorting out man-made messes—half the time ones they stirred up themselves! They'd love nothing more than to double-dip, representing both sides over and over. No, scratch that—representing everyone over and over, all while sticking together in their little cliques.
A newbie lawyer might start out with big dreams, but how long can they hold out in that environment before they're corrupted? If they don't play ball, they get no backup and can't survive. They're shoved into a corner, barely scraping by. How many rich folks have been screwed over by their own lawyers? How many innocent people tried to get help, only for their lawyer to be bought off and tank them instead?
Me, a regular guy with a bit of cash? I've gotta know the game so I don't end up getting played by my own lawyer. It's just a matter of reading a few extra books—no biggie!"
"...Ugh, that's why I've always wanted to work for a nonprofit green organization, doing something for the planet," Matthew sighed again, out of comebacks.
"Heh, I'd say aim for a judgeship instead," Adam suggested with a laugh. "Become a judge someday. That way, you can stick to your principles and help way more people for life."
He eased off the harsh reality talk—after all, he'd called Matthew for help, not to shatter his worldview.
"Matthew, you're the insider here. Can you ask around for someone who fits this vibe?
1. Super sharp on law.
2. Perfect LSAT score, ideally from Harvard Law.
3. Willing to tutor Jill in their spare time.
Pay's no issue—I'll make sure they're happy. Oh, and 4—bonus points if they're a young, good-looking guy. I'm hoping it'll help Jill get over that jerk ex. So 5—decent character's a plus too, just so she doesn't jump from one mess into another."
"Dude, that's a tall order!" Matthew laughed, warmed by how much Adam always looked out for his friends despite the grim lawyer talk earlier. "I'll ask around, but don't expect every box checked."
"No worries," Adam grinned. "Just scout for the first three. The last two are nice-to-haves—extra cash if they fit, but no pressure if they don't."
"Deal!" Matthew agreed cheerfully.
(End of Chapter)