SHOULD HAVE BEEN A SOCIAL SCIENTIST

BY ELIZABETH TIEDE

THIS STORY TAKES A FEW YEARS AFTER SEASON 1 OF HELLCATS

Julian was in the kitchen making his breakfast. He was having three pancakes, bacon, sausages, hash browns and orange juice. "Darling, you're going to be late. You'll be held in contempt and the judge and jury won't take you seriously."

"Shut up!" His wife Marti yelled from upstairs.

Julian laughed. He loved or making fun with Marti when she was late for court.

Julian sat down at the kitchen table and started eating. Marti came down the stairs all frustrated. "I can't find my shoes."

Julian looked at Marti and tried not to laugh. "They're in your hand."

Marti looked down at her hand and rolled her eyes. She sat across from Julian and put her shoes on.

"Nervous?" Julian said. "Have you eaten anything this morning? I can make you something. You have a little time."

'No, I'm not," Marti helped herself to a sausage link from Julian's plate and took a bite of it.

"No, I'm not hungry."

"Why are you worried? You've got this case, sweetie."

Marti grabbed a piece of bacon from his plate. "It doesn't feel like it this time. I feel like the prosecution was better than I was, and also my closing argument felt weak."

"Besides all that, today you will be great and win."

"Julian..."

"Marti, you always think you're going to lose. You have been winning since your first case."

"Macal Tech Heckle?"

"No, Lancer College vs. Savannah Hastings."

"Julian, I wasn't a lawyer back then. I was part of the Honor Corps at Lancer, representing my friend, trying to make sure she didn't get suspended for cheating."

"It counts."

Marti picked up Julian's fork and started eating his hash browns. "Speaking of Savannah," she said with a mouthful of food. "I'm going to be late coming home. I have to go shopping. Saturday is her baby shower."

"That's fine. Why don't we meet at The Rat for dinner?"

Marti sipped some of Julian's orange juice. "That would be great. I really don't feel like cooking tonight."

"It will be a celebration for winning your case."

Marti shook her head. Julian would never let her put herself down. She got up, grabbed a napkin and put one of Julian's pancakes on it. Then she kissed him. "Love you."

"Love you too."

As Marti let left the house, Julian looked at his half eaten food, that he had barely touched. He thought of the same question he'd been pondering for years. Why do women say they're not hungry and then eat off the man's plate?. Julian laughed. "Definitely should have been a social scientist instead of a lawyer."