In The Spotlight Extras

Better Call Leafy

What's up? Here's some backstory! Also, credit to @Leafcake for coming up with the joke that I used as the title lol. Anyway, I wrote this on a very long, very annoying flight.

I am a lot of things, and I've been called even more than that. But a failure is not, and will never be one of them.

My client has suffered years of torment and abuse from his ex wife. His family and colleagues both attest to this. The notion that these same children, who witnessed their father's torture throughout their life, should be in her care is downright cruel, so...

The case was pretty simple, really. The only thing the opposition had is a potential bias toward the mom. The woman was crazy- or at least bold- to try to argue at all, let alone in court.

Plus, her husband had hired the best divorce lawyer in the city. According to the last People's Choice in the paper anyway. And the one before that.

"How's the closing statement coming along? Try not to make her cry, Mathewson." I looked up from my WIP to find Clock, one of my first, and definitely my most trusted coworker friends. Technically an employee. He always kept the firm running smooth when I was sick or had to ease tensions in my family or a college friend was having a crisis.

"How do you think it is?" I smiled.

"Well, I won't keep you for long, but I figured I should at least tell you about the um, gambling? Betting, I guess," Clock said, rolling his eyes. I gave him a questioning look.

"Typical work antics?"

"Typical work antics," he confirmed, nodding slowly, sucking his lips in.

Our office was a happy place, as far as they go. It helps that I was young when I took over. Most people in the firm, myself included, didn't really see me as the boss. I liked it that way. It had only been two years, but I like thinking they saw me as a friend. The downside? There were constant shenanigans.

"They're all betting over some ad David saw," Clock explained. "Some game show is doing an online audition. Trivia. They're trying to decide if you'd get in." Silly bet.

"Well obviously I would." Clock shook his arms, spilling some coffee over the side of the mug. His face contorted and his eyes widened in embarrassment. I made a mental note to wipe that up soon.

"Sorry. Anyway, that's what I've been saying! How is there any debate? You're literally a walking encyclopedia on pretty much everything. Basketball- you know how she gets- was all 'she's not into pop culture' and some idiots agreed." He shrugged and took a sip of the coffee remaining.

I pushed my chair back. "Time to prove them wrong, then," I said. I'm not one to back down from a challenge. 31 year olds in charge of a law practice don't do that.

Clock, on the other hand, looked at me with an expression that asked 'Are you crazy man?' He swallowed, then said, "This was just supposed to be your daily Underling Update! You're insane."

"Where are they?" I don't know why I thought he would answer.

"I'm not telling you. This is dumb, Leafy!" Unfortunately for him, he glanced quite obviously to the right. Doubly unlucky, I do not miss details.

"Nice chat! Remind me to clean that spill, please and thanks." Clock sighed, rubbing his forehead.

"Whatever."

With that, I was off to prove some 'underlings' incorrect. The first draft would have to wait.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

Lying in a stiff, uncomfortable, and likely cheap hotel bed, I had only the memories of the fun days. When things were unpredictable in that I might get screamed at by a lesser attorney, or an investigation could open up about TD's missing ice cream.

Now, they were unpredictable in that I could lose my gig at any moment. With no warning, Bubble could drop some crazy dirt, making it my problem. I longed for California. I longed for my job.

But I had left. I had left Clock to deal with everything and everyone. I had left a half finished closing statement for some tired employee to edit. I had left clients unsure of who their lawyer would be. I had left a sticky puddle of coffee on the floor.

No more moping. I decided the best thing to do was get some sleep.