good at arguing just about any case handed to him.
“Hey Becca, how’s life in Seattle and what the hell do you mean by withdrawal?”
“Busy, busy. You haven’t rubbed elbows with enough money since you took off, so I figured you’d be stressing out about that. I know you can afford not to work with what you charge, but a month off? That’s strange for you.”
Garrett plunked down on the couch. “No withdrawal. That’s kinda why I called.”
Becca’s tone softened. “You okay?”
He took a breath and gathered himself. “I’m fine. I’m just confused. I figured it was time to call you since I can’t seem to think my way out of this.”
“What are you talking about?”
“All I know is the day I left, I couldn’t get out of the courtroom fast enough. I figured I just needed a vacation, but now that I’m here, every time I think about going back to work, I couldn’t give a shit.” He paused. When Becca didn’t say anything, he continued. “You remember much about my accident?”
“Of course. I probably remember it better than you. I begged mom to let me stay at the hospital. She finally worked it out so I could stay a few nights there. You had your legs in stationary casts. When you finally got home, I helped you learn how to walk with your brace. Don’t you remember practicing in the hallway?”
He had vague memories of walking painfully back and forth in the hallway, but he didn’t specifically recall he’d been practicing with his leg brace. “Kinda. Gage thinks I got freaked out about my last case because mom and dad had to fight with the insurance company after my accident. Know anything about that?”
“Back up a sec. What do you mean you got freaked out about your last case?”
“It was a lawsuit against a health insurance company. I won the case and when I was on my way out of the courtroom, I couldn’t even look at the woman who lost. Usually, I go over and make nice, but I couldn’t.” He shifted uncomfortably. It was a small thing really. Yet, it bothered him nonetheless.
“Oh.” Becca’s tone was soft, but it spoke volumes. She’d railed at him after law school when he set up his practice and went after corporate clients. She’d told him he was wasting his talents. Over the years since, she’d kept quiet, but he knew she was disappointed in him. Becca loved a cause and corporations weren’t a cause to her. She thought they abused their influence and clogged up the legal system.
After a quiet moment, she continued. “Gage was right. Mom and dad had to fight like crazy to get your surgeries covered. I don’t remember all the details, but it had something to do with the fact that the driver who caused the accident was uninsured. Their insurance company didn’t want to pony up. I’m pretty sure they got most of it covered in the end, but it wasn’t easy. Maybe that had something to do with how you felt. I said it way back when you started the whole corporate law gig, it’s not your personality. You actually have a heart, Garrett. The money’s nice and all, but I figured you’d reach a point when it wasn’t enough. I think you managed to stay with it as long as you have because you were so driven to be the best. Now that you’re sitting pretty with your pick of clients, there’s nothing to drive you anymore. You can’t tell me you care about what happens to your clients. Every time I hear about one of your cases in the news, it’s because you beat back some lawsuit. I didn’t ride you about that before because I wanted to give you a hard time, but because I didn’t see how you could stay interested over the long run.”
He listened to Becca’s words and leaned his head against the back of the couch. “Maybe you were right.”
“I didn’t say it because I wanted to be right. It’s because I know you. I can’t see you doing what I do because that’s too gritty for you, but maybe you should branch out, take some non-profit cases, do some pro bono
“Hey Becca, how’s life in Seattle and what the hell do you mean by withdrawal?”
“Busy, busy. You haven’t rubbed elbows with enough money since you took off, so I figured you’d be stressing out about that. I know you can afford not to work with what you charge, but a month off? That’s strange for you.”
Garrett plunked down on the couch. “No withdrawal. That’s kinda why I called.”
Becca’s tone softened. “You okay?”
He took a breath and gathered himself. “I’m fine. I’m just confused. I figured it was time to call you since I can’t seem to think my way out of this.”
“What are you talking about?”
“All I know is the day I left, I couldn’t get out of the courtroom fast enough. I figured I just needed a vacation, but now that I’m here, every time I think about going back to work, I couldn’t give a shit.” He paused. When Becca didn’t say anything, he continued. “You remember much about my accident?”
“Of course. I probably remember it better than you. I begged mom to let me stay at the hospital. She finally worked it out so I could stay a few nights there. You had your legs in stationary casts. When you finally got home, I helped you learn how to walk with your brace. Don’t you remember practicing in the hallway?”
He had vague memories of walking painfully back and forth in the hallway, but he didn’t specifically recall he’d been practicing with his leg brace. “Kinda. Gage thinks I got freaked out about my last case because mom and dad had to fight with the insurance company after my accident. Know anything about that?”
“Back up a sec. What do you mean you got freaked out about your last case?”
“It was a lawsuit against a health insurance company. I won the case and when I was on my way out of the courtroom, I couldn’t even look at the woman who lost. Usually, I go over and make nice, but I couldn’t.” He shifted uncomfortably. It was a small thing really. Yet, it bothered him nonetheless.
“Oh.” Becca’s tone was soft, but it spoke volumes. She’d railed at him after law school when he set up his practice and went after corporate clients. She’d told him he was wasting his talents. Over the years since, she’d kept quiet, but he knew she was disappointed in him. Becca loved a cause and corporations weren’t a cause to her. She thought they abused their influence and clogged up the legal system.
After a quiet moment, she continued. “Gage was right. Mom and dad had to fight like crazy to get your surgeries covered. I don’t remember all the details, but it had something to do with the fact that the driver who caused the accident was uninsured. Their insurance company didn’t want to pony up. I’m pretty sure they got most of it covered in the end, but it wasn’t easy. Maybe that had something to do with how you felt. I said it way back when you started the whole corporate law gig, it’s not your personality. You actually have a heart, Garrett. The money’s nice and all, but I figured you’d reach a point when it wasn’t enough. I think you managed to stay with it as long as you have because you were so driven to be the best. Now that you’re sitting pretty with your pick of clients, there’s nothing to drive you anymore. You can’t tell me you care about what happens to your clients. Every time I hear about one of your cases in the news, it’s because you beat back some lawsuit. I didn’t ride you about that before because I wanted to give you a hard time, but because I didn’t see how you could stay interested over the long run.”
He listened to Becca’s words and leaned his head against the back of the couch. “Maybe you were right.”
“I didn’t say it because I wanted to be right. It’s because I know you. I can’t see you doing what I do because that’s too gritty for you, but maybe you should branch out, take some non-profit cases, do some pro bono
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