Again, there are different levels I at least paid rent in the city vs commuting an hour from upstate NY. After 25 years SC is what we called Bridge and Tunnel people those people are beneath people who actually live in Manhattan. Now I could be wrong maybe he is commuting from his McMansion but I don't think that is the case either.
This is Hankins thinking he's NYC man instead of a guy that was in deep suburban NC for 15 years. The areas SC has mentioned and shown in posts before, are essentially NYC suburbs. The costs aren't going to be spectacularly cheaper than most areas in the actual city, etc....
Now, I hate to do it, but BW should be lecturing his wife the way he lectures SC. She's been a lawyer for 10 years, and only now seems to be tip toeing into 6 figure territory. Before that, she looked to be a office drone in private practice, fixing parking tickets in small town North Cacklacky.
Of the state jobs she had, you can look up the pay rate in state databases.
Drug Court Coordinator is a good title, but was decidedly very average in pay, a high 50's - 60's. You'd have to think this was a step up or lateral move from what she was doing in private practice. She only made a big jump in pay, and in prestige after Big Josh Stein took her under his wing.
Many here feel like Em was / is using Brian for his money, but I'd also propose something else. She needed a house husband. She needed a house husband to watch the kids, etc..... while she tried to advance her career. Brian probably seemed like the perfect candidate for this, as he looked rich, and at his core, he's a whiner, and not actually threatening. So while he's an oaf, he could probably be trusted to pick the kids up and order pizza.
But Brian is Brian, and that personality can wear anyone down. And that is why we see her being driven into the arms of friend, mentor, and noted Alpha Male, Stein.
