Medical Center. Outside the Operating Room.
Adam and the crew overheard Jill's big, bold declaration.
Jill Sansa Green was gunning for Harvard Law School!
"Dad doesn't believe in me…"
Jill finally caught on, and a flash of annoyance crossed her face.
"Come on, Jill, it's Harvard Law!"
Big sis's hubby Ross couldn't help but laugh. "Even for me back in the day, it would've been a stretch…"
"That's you," Jill shot back, giving Ross a side-eye. "Everyone knows your whole 'genius since diapers' thing is mostly hot air!"
"I'm a PhD!" Ross snapped, fuming.
"In archeology," Jill quipped. "And this is a hospital—don't throw 'doctor' around like it's nothing. It actually means something here, so don't just slap it on yourself!"
"…"
Ross's face went pitch-black.
Whatever awkward, complicated vibes lingered from their past? Poof—gone. This little sister-in-law was way too annoying! 😤
"Jill, you…"
Rachel took a second to recover before jumping in. "Forget Harvard Law—just hearing 'you' and 'law school' in the same sentence is wild. You're dreaming way too big!"
"Warner can do it—why can't I?" Jill fired back.
"You know what it takes to get into Harvard Law?" Adam couldn't help but chime in.
Sure, in the TV-drama legal world, Harvard Law's the eternal runner-up, always getting smoked by Yale Law.
They go the "strength in numbers" route—recruiting a bigger crowd every year, hoping to outmuscle Yale's elite, tiny-class vibe (like 20 students per batch).
But even with their "big crew" approach, Harvard only takes about 150 students a year. Globally.
That's a crazy high bar.
And here's Jill—a soon-to-be LA University fashion buying grad—casually declaring she's joining Harvard's "old-school gangster" squad.
Is that even a thing?
Anyone with half a clue would call it pure fantasy.
No wonder Leonard got so rattled hearing this—it's a shock!
Especially since he knew she was chasing this insane, laughable dream just to run after that jerk ex.
He couldn't tell if he should be mad she was too ambitious—or not ambitious enough.
Double whammy—bam, heart attack city.
"Why's everyone asking the same thing? Of course I know!"
Jill blinked, surprised, then grinned at Adam. "I need killer prof recs, a top-notch admissions essay, and at least 175 on the LSAT."
"Out of 180!" Ross blurted, unable to hold back.
"Your SAT was 1600 total, and you got 1250—or, what, you claimed 1400? Either way, proportional conversion puts your LSAT at like 157.5."
Jill glared at Ross. "So what's your point?"
"I'm done talking," Ross muttered. "Love makes you blind."
"You serious about this?"
Adam didn't know what to say. In his head: "If she asks me for a rec letter, what the heck do I even write?"
A big-name rec from someone like Adam could carry weight with Harvard's mass-recruitment style.
But if the person he's vouching for is too out there, it could backfire and get flak once word spreads.
Still, Jill's Leonard's youngest. If she asked, given how Leonard had his back way back when, Adam couldn't say no.
"Yup!"
Jill beamed, radiating confidence. "I'm set! Warner wants a serious woman who can help him—I can be that too!
175+ on the LSAT? Tough, sure.
But not impossible.
You get four shots a year—February, June, October, December.
Warner's starting Harvard next fall.
That gives me December this year, plus February and June next year—three chances!
I know I can hit 175+.
I mean, I'm the LA University Delta Sorority president and a fashion buying genius!" 😎
"Sounds like you've done your homework," Adam said, starting to believe she wasn't just messing around. He smiled.
Ignoring how her goal gave Leonard a heart attack—wanting to improve herself? That's a win.
Maybe in all this hustle, she'd grind so hard she'd forget that jerk ex altogether.
It's not like that's rare—plenty of folks chase a crush, dive into studying, then realize learning's way more fun and ditch the crush entirely!
Maybe Jill really would end up the Green family's shining star!
"Obviously!" Jill said, smug as ever. "I'm prepping for the LSAT, snagged glowing prof recs, and even got my Harvard admissions video essay ready. Wanna see?"
"Once Leonard's awake, we'll watch together," Adam said with a grin, but then he backtracked. "Actually, I'm too hyped for your big performance—can I sneak a peek now?"
Emmm.
God knows what Jill's admissions essay was like. Better check it first—don't want Leonard keeling over again!
"Perfect! I was hoping a fancy grad like you could give me some tips," Jill said, thrilled.
"He's a Columbia alum—and so am I!" Ross, the hothead, couldn't resist jumping in again.
"You and Adam are both guys too—does that mean you're on the same level?" Jill said, genuinely puzzled.
"…"
Ross's face turned coal-black, like he'd tanned too hard and flashed a goofy white-toothed grin.
He had no idea his little sister-in-law's tongue was this sharp.
"Maybe she could make it as a lawyer…" Ross thought, weirded out.
Adam led them to Leonard's office and popped in Jill's admissions video.
"…"
Everyone watched, speechless.
On the tape:
Jill, rocking a bikini by a pool, arms spread wide, staring into the camera with total confidence. "I'm Jill Green, and I'm here to tell you Harvard folks why I'd be an amazing lawyer…"
Ross's eyes bugged out, glued to the screen, one thought looping: "Man, it's been years—Jill's really grown up. This glow-up is wild…"
His goofy, lovestruck look pissed Rachel off so much she twisted his ear like it was a game of extreme Twister.
Adam cracked up, dumbfounded.
Jill's play here? Way too obvious.
But glancing at a certain NYU paleontology prof drooling over it, Adam figured—sure, the tactic's old-school, but if the crusty old profs grading this were anything like that guy, all Jill needed was a 175 LSAT.
Her fashion buying background might be a joke next to law school's seriousness, but with that? She'd be in, no question!
(End of Chapter)