See chapter one for disclaimer and other information.
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Dinner that night was an awkward affair. Leo had dissolved into a grumpy depressed mood that he rarely displayed around his close friends. His breakup with Jenny was playing over and over in his mind. He blamed this all on Abbey and was giving her evil glances. Leo's mood wasn't helped by the fact that Margaret wouldn't let him have the saltshaker. She kept taking it out of his hand or passing it further down the table. Jed just drones on ignoring the under current floating around the table.
"The Greeks understood what democracy was. The...," Whatever point he was trying to make was lost when the baby monitor resistors Zoey crying. Abbey excuses herself, but not before sticking her tongue out at Leo. She has concluded that he is being a jackass. Liz and Ellie sneak off with their mother.
Jed has worked out that his wife is somehow responsible for Leo's foul mood. However, he trusts Abbey so he figures she has a good reason for whatever she has done. He decides the best thing he can do at this point is talk with Margaret as much as he can. Leo isn't going to be good company when they get back to the office and he knows better than to think Leo ever let's her out of the office long enough to have a social life.
"Margaret could you pass the salt?"
Margaret takes the saltshaker out of Leo's hand and gives it to Jed. He smirks while Leo just scowls.
"Margaret have you met Representative Rodgers?"
"Yes, sir."
"Margaret..."
"Sorry, um...Jed. He was at the breast cancer fundraiser."
"What did you think of him?"
"He was polite. He didn't speak to us long because Senator Maravic pulled him away."
"Ah, that's what it is. He's on the agriculture sub-committee with me and his proposals seemed to be coming out of the blue."
"How does Senator Maravic fit into that?"
"The Oil Industry..."
At this point Leo has had enough. Jed can babble on to Margaret all he wants. Leo stalks off to his room.
Jed sees his friend leave and figures leaving him out of the conversation probably wasn't the smartest thing he had ever done, but is confident everything will work out in the long run.
"The oil industry," he repeats, "shouldn't be a major concern for an agriculture sub-committee, but Rodgers has been bringing it up in meeting's. Maravic's family owns an oil company and I suspect that Rodgers is trying to force farmers to buy off that company."
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I want to put Margaret's famous list of rules for scheduling meetings in this story, but my mind keeps going blank on what they could be so I'm asking for reader suggestions. I would greatly appreciate anyone who could spark some ideas for me. Please e-mail them to the address in my profile.
Thanks everyone for the wonderful reviews!
TBC
While I write because I enjoy it, I don't mind reviews at all.