Chapter 41. Cooking Lesson
Donning blue medical scrubs and a pair of red running shoes, Bennie exits the elevator on the third floor of City Hall, hoping he does not run into Marion because that will ruin everything. He walks quickly down the marble hall toward the President of City Council suite of offices. He needs to see Fitz, he needs his brother's help.
"Hello – excuse me", he says, trying to get the woman's attention who seems to be focused on whatever she is typing. "Excuse me", he repeats a little louder, causing Victoria to look up from the monitor. She smiles politely when she sees the handsome man standing in front of her workstation.
"How may I help you, sir?" Surreptitiously sweeping her eyes over his body. Although he is wearing hospital scrubs, she can tell the man spends a lot of time working out.
"My name is –"
"Bennie", Fitz shouts as he walks from his office with a wide smile and open arms. The two men hug, slapping each other on the back.
"I'm sorry to interrupt your day –"
"Nonsense - you're my brother – you can never interrupt me. Come on in – come in. Victoria, I don't want to be disturbed", he says as he closes the office door.
Victoria nods her head now seeing the resemblance between the two men. She wonders why she did not know his brother was coming here today.
"Sit down, Bennie. Do you want something to drink – water, coffee, tea?"
"Nothing for me, Fitz", sitting down at the conference table. Fitz grabs a bottle of water from the credenza and joins his brother at the table.
"How are things going, Bennie? I haven't seen you since – well since you and Marion were over for dinner. Is everything all right?" Looking at his brother curiously. It is unusual for Bennie to call him mid-morning wanting to meet him at City Hall.
"I'm good – everything's fine. I guess you heard about Nora – she's back home."
"I know", Fitz' countenance darkening. "Liv stopped by to see mom - and Nora - of all people - opened the door. Needless to say Liv was shocked." Bennie nods his head.
"I wonder why mom and dad kept her return a secret."
"Liv said they didn't want Nora to get stressed."
"Well, I'll call mom in a few days and find out when it's okay to stop by to visit Nora."
"I don't want to see her anytime soon, Bennie", Fitz says angrily.
"She's our baby sister, Fitz – she needs our support."
"Bennie, you don't know half the shit she did. I don't want her around my family. Liv is still upset."
"Just give it some time, brother."
"You didn't come all the way over here in the middle of the morning to talk about Nora", changing the unpleasant subject and taking a sip of water.
"I need your help, Fitz", Bennie says nervously, pressing two fingers against his temple.
"Of course - anything", Fitz responds without hesitation, watching his brother engage in the nervous habit he started as a child. "What do you need?"
"I need you to help me to cook - prepare a meal. I want to cook dinner for Marion tonight but I have no idea where to begin", he adds quickly.
"Wow, you must really like Marion because you know absolutely nothing about cooking. Are things getting serious between you two?"
"I don't know – I guess – maybe", Bennie stutters. "We've been seeing each other for about three months now - the make or break period", he says sheepishly.
"Well, it sounds like you really like her."
"Last night we were supposed to prepare our first meal together, but after we finished shopping for groceries it was much too late to cook. I – we had no idea it would take so long to buy food."
"The supermarket can be a daunting place if you're not used to it", Fitz says, reflecting on the time when he and Cena shopped together while Olivia was away at Mirage.
"You're telling me. We were at Bryson's for three hours last night."
"Bennie, you can't learn how to cook in a few hours – it takes time."
Bennie looks down at the table, brushing his hand back and forth on the warm wood. The disappointment on his brother's face makes Fitz realize cooking dinner for Marion is really important to Bennie and, therefore, it is important to him.
"What did you have in mind – what do you want to cook?" Bennie slides out his phone and shows Fitz the recipe for the dish he wants to prepare.
"Wow, that's pretty ambitious of you, Bennie", handing the phone back to his brother.
"Can you help me – show me how to make it? Bennie says in desperation. "Besides, it's your fault I'm in this predicament."
"My fault? What are you talking about?"
"Marion was so impressed by your culinary skills I started thinking I should learn how to cook, too."
"Bennie, it took me a long time to learn how to prepare a meal like that. I even took a few cooking classes."
Bennie looks at his brother in surprise.
"Ask Liv - she'll tell you. She even went to class with me. The class is quite exciting - you get to learn techniques from some of the area's top chefs."
Bennie nods, thinking a cooking class is not going to help him tonight. Fitz looks at his brother's crestfallen face then down at his watch.
"Okay – I'll help you prepare dinner - I owe you anyway", Fitz says, standing from his seat and throwing the empty water bottle into the waste bin.
"Owe me - for what?" Bennie asks with a look surprise on his face.
"The chef-owner of that fancy new restaurant down on the waterfront – "
"Chef Trudeau? I gave him a new heart last year. He'd been eating way too much of his own creations – he's a real character."
"Well he saved me my ass. I took Liv there for dinner on Valentine's Day – it was almost a disaster. Somehow our reservation got lost and there was not an available table in the place – of course. I thought Liv was going to kill me on the spot, but the chef recognized me – I guess from the campaign - and realized I was your brother - the doctor who saved his life. So I owe you."
"Thanks, brother", Bennie says, smiling in relief."
"Let me finish up a few things here and I'll meet you at your place in an hour."
XXX
Fitz sweeps his eyes around the apartment and sees his brother still has not bothered to decorate. The place looks as empty as it did on the first day Bennie moved in.
"Bennie, when are you going to get some furniture in this place? How long have you been living here anyway?"
"Marion and I are going to shop for furniture next week. We're going to Feingold's." Fitz nods his head in approval as he walks toward the kitchen.
"Maybe you and Marion should take cooking classes together", Fitz says, rolling up his sleeves preparing to get to work.
"Marion really doesn't have a lot of interest in cooking. In fact, she doesn't care if she ever learns how to cook – and I'm okay with that", Bennie says, pulling the food from the refrigerator he and Marion bought last night. Fitz nods as he washes his hands.
"Let me see the recipe again, Bennie. Do you have shallots and peppers?" Slowly nodding his head up and down as he reads the instructions.
"Got 'em right here", Bennie says, proudly holding up four bags of peppers and a bag of shallots." Fitz looks at his brother in surprise.
"My god, Bennie, why did you buy so many? You'll never use all of those peppers."
"We didn't know how many to get", Bennie's face flush with embarrassment. "Marion also liked the colors."
"We're only going to need two. Rinse one red and yellow and I'll show you how to slice them."
Bennie slides a red and yellow pepper from the plastic bag, walks over to the sink, and holds the peppers under the running cold water. Fitz opens and closes the cabinet doors looking for the pots and pans.
"Bennie, you're not prepping the peppers for surgery, you can stop rinsing them now", Fitz says with a chuckle as he sets a pot and pan onto the stove. Bennie nods and sets the peppers onto the counter.
"Where's your cutting board?" Fitz asks, looking around the kitchen.
"I don't know if mom bought one", looking at his brother apologetically.
"You should start a list of kitchen utensils you're going to need."
"Here it is", Bennie exclaims, pulling the wooden cutting board from the bottom cabinet and setting it onto the counter in front of his brother.
"This is how you slice bell peppers", Fitz directs, setting the fat yellow pepper on its side and cutting off the top. He halves the pepper then slices it into strips. "Now you try it."
Ben holds the knife precariously in one hand and sets the red pepper onto the cutting board with the other hand.
"Watch your fingers, Bennie, you're going to need them at work tomorrow", Fitz chuckles again.
Bennie ignores his brother's lame joke and focuses intently on slicing the red pepper. Fitz looks at him with a raised brow, thinking the rate at which Bennie is slicing the pepper he is going to be here all day.
"I'm going to chop the shallots while you finish with that pepper. One of the keys to cooking, Bennie, is prepping everything you need before you actually start to cook. You want to have all of your ingredients ready to go when you need them."
Bennie simply nods, not looking up as he continues to concentrate on the task of slicing the pepper. Fitz slides a couple of shallots and the ginger root from the plastic bags.
"Why did you did you decide to prepare this dish?" Quickly chopping the shallots and ginger.
Still focused on slicing the pepper, Bennie does not bother to respond. Fitz pulls the bok choy from the plastic bag and looks over his shoulder at his brother as he holds the leafy vegetable under the running water. He wonders if Bennie heard him, so he repeats the question.
"So, why did you want to prepare this dish, Bennie?"
"I can't talk right now, Fitz, I'm trying to slice this pepper."
Fitz smiles, shaking his head as he sets the bok choy in the colander to drain. He wonders where Bennie stored the chicken broth, but he dare not interrupt him while he is still slicing the pepper. After opening and closing a few cabinet doors he spots the container of broth, the seasonings, and the rice he is going to need. He shakes his head when he sees his brother still likes to organize everything with labels facing forward and in alphabetical order.
"Okay, the pepper is all cut up", Bennie exclaims, looking down at his handiwork with pride.
"Nice job, Bennie, you made each slice the same length and width. Now let me show you how to slice the mushrooms", Fitz says, grabbing a handful of shitakes from the container and rinsing them under the running water.
"Do you always have to rinse the vegetables?"
"Yes, you wanna to remove any debris. Get your knife any do what I do – and watch your fingers", he cautions again. "That knife is really sharp."
Bennie nods, carefully sliding the chef's knife through the mushroom's flesh, making perfect slices. Fitz wonders how Bennie can make such perfectly even slices.
"That's good, Bennie, you're getting the hang of it. Now you're going to chop a clove of garlic. Smash it with the knife like this", Fitz says, placing the knife's blade onto the clove of garlic and banging his fist on the blade. "Smashing it makes it easier to peel."
Bennie nods and smashes the garlic the way Fitz did. He smiles, thinking cooking is going to be fun.
"Next, you're going to sauté all of the vegetables", and Bennie looks at his brother in panic.
"Don't worry, I'll show you how to do it."
"Pour about two tablespoons of EVO – extra virgin olive oil - into the heated frying pan. Once the oil is hot, you're going to drop the vegetables into the pan. Start with the peppers first, after about a minute add the mushrooms, shallots, then the bok choy. Always start with the vegetable that will take the longest to cook. The garlic and ginger go in last."
Bennie nods and begins to drop the peppers into the frying pan one slice at a time. Fitz watches his brother with furrowed brow.
"Bennie, you can put them all in at once - then stir them around quickly with the spatula."
Bennie timidly slides the peppers into the hot frying pan, smiling when he hears the sizzling sound. He is really cooking.
"I'm going to get started with the chicken while you sauté the vegetables. Always remember to rinse your meats before cooking", Fitz instructs as he holds the chicken breasts under the running water. "What time do you expect Marion to arrive?" Patting each breast dry with the paper towels.
"Around 5:30", Bennie says, amazed how the vegetables are beginning to transform. Fitz nods and glances over at the clock on the stove.
"We have plenty of time. We'll get everything ready before I leave."
"Take the vegetables out the pan, Bennie. You don't want to over-cook them. They'll finish cooking in the oven with the chicken."
Bennie nods as he carefully scrapes the vegetables onto a plate and sets it on the countertop. He leans against the counter and watches his brother season the chicken breasts.
"How do you know how much seasoning to put on each side?"
"You'll learn in time - better too little than too much. You can always add more at the table but you cannot take away."
Bennie nods again, wondering if he should be writing down his brother's cooking tips. He watches intently as Fitz begins to pound the chicken with the mallet. He never knew what the mallet was used for.
"When did you know you were ready to get married?" Fitz stiffens, but continues to pound the chicken. He is not sure where Bennie is going with the question.
"You want to pound the chicken to flatten it – but don't overdo it - got it?"
"Got it", Bennie nods, watching his brother bring the mallet down onto the chicken breast again.
"You're going to brown the chicken on each side. Add a little more oil to the pan, Bennie", trying to hurry his brother along. Bennie nods and slowly drizzles the oil into the pan. "You can pour it, Bennie – not too much though – about two tablespoons", Fitz says, sneaking a peek at his watch.
Ben nods again, carefully pouring the oil into the hot pan as Fitz stands next to him holding the plate of chicken breasts.
"Hold this, Bennie", Fitz says, giving his brother the plate. "The oil has to heat a bit more before you can add the chicken. I'm going to start the salad. So – are you thinking about -?"
"No – nothing like that. I'm just curious."
"But it seems like you really like Marion if you're going to all of this trouble to cook for her", Fitz says, washing his hands before dumping the mixed lettuces into the colander.
"I guess I do", Bennie replies, somewhat embarrassed. Fitz nods as he rinses the lettuces.
"Put the chicken in the pan, Bennie. You're going to brown them quickly for about a minute on each side – just enough to give them some color. They'll finish cooking in the oven with the vegetables."
Bennie nods, carefully setting each breast into the hot pan.
"And Bennie, always - always, wash your hands after handling any kind of meat – before touching anything else. And, don't reuse platters that have held raw meat until you wash them thoroughly. This platter holding the chicken, you have to wash it before using it again. You don't want to contaminate anything – get Marion sick", he smiles. "Use the fork to turn over the chicken, Bennie."
Bennie nods as he turns over the chicken to brown the other side.
"That's good – that's good. Let them cook for another minute." Bennie looks at his watch again, waiting for a minute to pass.
"I owe you an apology – Fitz - Liv too. I never apologized."
"Bennie, you don't owe me anything."
"I do", Bennie says, looking into his brother's tense face. "My therapist helped me to understand that I mistook our - Liv and mine - friendship for something more than what it was." Fitz' eyebrows raise because he had no idea his brother had been in therapy.
"Take the chicken out, Bennie", handing him a platter lined with paper towels. Amazed how he transformed the raw chicken to an almost edible food, Bennie smiles as he places each piece of chicken onto the platter.
"This looks good, brother. Everything smells so good."
"We're not done yet. You'll have to finish it in the oven. Do you have a baking dish?"
"I don't know", looking around the kitchen. "Maybe mom bought one when I moved in." The brothers open and close cabinet doors until Fitz finds a baking dish.
"This ought to work", setting the glass dish on the counter.
"My therapist helped me to realize while I loved Liv – I wasn't in love with her. Back then we were both in similar situations. Liv was lonely because her parents relocated to Church Falls and she didn't know anyone – have any friends. I was lonely, too – not because I didn't have friends – but because I didn't feel like I fit in our family. Dad, you, and John were so outgoing and athletic—and well – as you know - I wasn't. I preferred spending time alone and reading - for the most part. But dad wasn't having it. All of his sons were going to play some kind of sport – come hell or high water. More than once I felt like ending it all."
"Bennie – I had no idea things got that bad for you."
"Liv saved me, Fitz – not that she knew it – but she did. When she suggested I get my butt up and start running - she changed my life."
Fitz smiles, happy that Bennie and Olivia had each other during what was a difficult time for both of them.
"So it was easy for me to mistake our bonding and similar circumstances for something more. We spent a lot of time together back then and at some point I confused our friendship for something else. She had no idea really - never sent those kinds of signals. Our relationship was always platonic."
"I know", Fitz says softly.
"But - if I'm to be honest - I will always love Liv – but as my best friend", he adds quickly. "Are you okay with that?" Staring into his brother's eyes.
"I understand, Bennie, and I'm okay with it", giving his brother a hug.
"So, I'm sorry. We – I – wasted so much time - I don't want that to ever happen again."
"It won't", Fitz gives his brother a reassuring smile as he opens the container of chicken brother. "We're going to make the sauce for the chicken. Put two teaspoons of that cornstarch into the frying pan and stir it quickly. Then pour half of the broth into the pan and stir it until it begins to thicken, then turn the flame on low and let it simmer. After you're done, we're going to make a quick lime vinaigrette for the salad."
"You mean you don't use the stuff in the bottle?" Thinking his brother rattled off the instructions for the sauce really fast.
"God no, Bennie. I'll start squeezing the limes. Do you have a whisk?" Bennie shrugs his shoulders as he stirs the sauce. Fitz opens and closes drawers until he finds what he is looking for.
"Mom really set you up with a lot of the basics. You just need a few more things." Bennie nods, focusing on stirring the sauce and watching it begin to thicken.
"That's good, Bennie", looking over at the sauce. "Pour it into that saucepan and let it simmer on the lowest setting until you're ready to serve the main course."
Bennie follows his brother's instructions then joins Fitz at the counter to help make the vinaigrette.
"Okay, what do I do next?" Bennie asks, rubbing his hands together with excitement.
"You're really liking this - aren't you?" Fitz says as he quickly chops a clove of garlic and adds it to the lime juice along with the salt, coriander, and sugar.
"I am. I can't wait until we do it again." Fitz nods, thinking he is creating more than a meal – he is creating an Iron Chef. He wonders if Bennie likes risotto.
"I'm going to slowly drizzle in the olive oil, Bennie, and you whisk quickly until the mixture starts to thicken."
Bennie nods and begins to stir the mixture.
"You have to whisk it, Bennie", taking the whisk from his brother's hand to demonstrate the technique.
"I see", Bennie says, taking the whisk from his brother's hand and rapidly whisks the mixture. He smiles when he sees liquid begin to thicken into a vinaigrette. "This is really cool, Fitz. I think I'm going to like cooking."
"I knew I wanted to marry Liv when I didn't want to be with another woman – and I had my share of women while in the Navy."
Bennie nods as he continues to whisk the dressing.
"But more importantly - I didn't want Liv to be with anyone else. The thought of her being with someone else was driving me crazy so I let her make an honest man out of me" Bennie nods again, watching his brother pour the vinaigrette into a jar.
"You're going to pour this over the salad just before you serve it. Make sure you shake the jar to blend all the ingredients again before pouring it onto the salad. Then you're going to transfer the salad to this nice serving bowl. Got it?"
"Got it", Bennie says, getting excited. Fitz looks at his watch again. He has to get home soon. "Do you still feel that way? You and Liv have been married for awhile."
"I love Liv with all of my heart – nothing or no one will ever come between us. Put the chicken in the oven, Bennie."
Bennie opens the oven door and heat warms his face. He sets the baking dish onto the top shelf and Fitz sets the timer.
"When I leave, all you have to do is cook the rice – I'll show you how to do it - and take the chicken out the oven when the timer goes off. And Bennie, don't forget to turn off the rice when the timer goes off – you don't want to burn it. It smells something awful when it burns. And don't ask me how I know", he says, flashing that crooked smile.
"Okay", Bennie says, pressing two fingers against his temple. He is getting nervous again.
"You're going to be fine", Fitz says, patting his brother on the back. "Let's clean up this mess and you'll be good to go. What are you having for dessert?"
Bennie's face drains of color. The recipe did not mention anything about dessert.
"You finish cleaning the kitchen and I'll run down to that bakery at the corner and pick up something.
"Thanks, brother", Bennie says in relief.
"What does Marion like?"
"She likes those miniature fruit tarts."
Fitz nods as he walks from the kitchen.
"Wait – wait", Bennie yells out, running behind his brother. "Make sure they're dairy-free – Marion is lactose intolerant."
Twenty minutes later Fitz exits the elevator with two white boxes, one contains four miniature fruit tarts and the other a Black Forest cake that Olivia and Cena really love. Holding a box in each hand, he rings the doorbell with his right elbow.
"Here you go, Bennie. Four dairy-free fruit tarts. "I can't come in –but you're all set. Remember, you going to spoon the rice onto the platter, place the chicken breasts and vegetables on top of the rice, then pour the sauce over the chicken. It will look just like the picture. Got it?"
"Thanks, brother. You'll never know how much this means to me."
"We're brothers", giving Bennie a hug. "Call me if you have any questions – I gotta get home."
"Thanks for the cooking lesson, brother."
"Anytime. And Bennie - don't burn the rice."
XXX
Bennie is feeling good, really good. The chicken casserole is in the oven, the rice is cooking, and the salad simply needs to be dressed. Everything should be done by the time Marion arrives. He cannot wait to see the look on her face when she realizes he cooked dinner for her. He walks to the living space, turns on the music, and then dances his way back to the kitchen to set the dinner dishes onto the counter. He really has to get a table so they can have a proper place to eat their meals. Fifteen minutes later the doorbell rings, and with a big smile on his face, he dances his way over to the door.
"Ben, what's going on? I can hear the music in the hall", Marion asks, wondering what is going on.
Ben pecks her on the lips, pulls her into the apartment, and spins her around as he dances. Marion follows his lead as they laugh and dance to Poison blasting through the speakers.
"Something smells good", she says, moving to the pulsating beat with him.
"I cooked dinner", moving his feet and hips the way he learned long ago.
"You did what?" Laughing and dancing with him. "I'm impressed", continuing to glide around the apartment as the next song starts. The music is blasting and they are dancing and laughing as if they do not have a care in the world. Two songs later they are still dancing around the large open space and laughing.
"I didn't know I would be walking into a nightclub when I came here", Marion says over the loud music. "I guess all of this open space actually serves a purpose", slowing down and trying to catch her breath. "Ben, I had no idea you could dance. You're a really good dancer."
"Liv taught me", still bouncing to the beat - a long time ago. "We used to dance with her mom and dad all the time. Mr. Pope loved his old school music – Marvin Gaye, The Four Tops … Once Mr. Pope started playing those albums on that old turntable the four of us would dance for hours."
The smile slowly fades from Marion's face and she stops dancing. Her jealousy is rising. The gaiety is over. He has ruined the moment.
"What's the matter?" Bennie asks, seeing the change in her demeanor.
"Nothing. I just have to go to the bathroom", rushing from the room.
"Well hurry out, I've been slaving over a hot stove all afternoon", he says playfully, continuing to dance around the room for a few more minutes. Shit freezing mid-stride when he smells an odor coming from the kitchen. "Dammit", he shrieks, running into the kitchen, hoping he has he burnt the rice.
Marion leans against the counter in the bathroom and stares at her reflection in the mirror. She knows she is going to ruin whatever she has with Ben if she does not get ahold of her irrational jealousy. He is happy and proud of cooking his first meal. And she is going to ruin the evening because Olivia taught him how to dance when they were teenagers. She bangs her fist on the counter trying to control her anger.
"Mar, what're you doing in there? Dinner is going to get cold."
"Coming", she calls out, swiping the tears from her cheeks.
As she makes her way toward the kitchen, she hears the melodic sounds of smooth jazz and she smiles. She stands in the doorway watching him light the candles and feels like an absolute fool. He is here with her. He did all of this for her.
"Ben, everything looks so beautiful. I can't believe you did all of this."
"Have a seat, madam", he says with a big smile, bowing as he pulls out her chair. "I wanted to do something special for you", kissing her on the neck. He fills a glass with her favorite white wine and places it in her hand. She thinks a drink is exactly what she needs right now.
"Ben –"
"We'll start with the salad, then the main course, and top it off with your favorite dessert."
"You made dessert, too?" Her eyes widening in surprise.
"Not exactly. Fitz bought it", he admits.
"Fitz?"
"I cannot tell a lie, Mar. My brother spent the afternoon here showing me how to prepare this meal. Then he ran down to the corner bakery and bought dessert, too."
"Oh, Ben, that is so sweet", standing from her seat and sitting on his lap. "Everything is wonderful - you're wonderful", kissing him deeply. "I have to thank Fitz, too", she says with a big smile.
"I hope you don't thank him the same way you're thanking me", he laughs, pulling her in for another kiss.
XXX
Fitz sits at the granite island top and texts Bennie the link to Cook's, the demonstration cooking school. Classes sell out fast and he wants Bennie to register before it is too late. After pressing the green arrow to send his brother the message, he sets the phone onto the island and watches as Olivia feeds Jolie. He is trying to figure out how to tell her he has to go to California.
"Do you want me to finish feeding Jo so you can eat a hot meal for a chance?"
"That's okay, babe. You finish eating - we're almost done here - right Miss Jo?" Jolie smacks her lips and gives her mommy a toothless smile.
"I have Black Forest cake for dessert", he says, laying the groundwork for the unpleasant news he has to deliver.
"Yeah, I want cake", Cena yells.
"What's the occasion?" Olivia asks as she slides the spoon into Jolie's mouth.
"You can have cake after you finish your dinner, Princess." Cena nods and quickly shovels the rest of her food into her mouth.
"Slow down, Cena. You're going to make yourself sick", Olivia warns her excited daughter. Fitz rubs the top of Cena's head and kisses her on the cheek. Then, he inhales deeply before delivering the news.
"I have to go to Cali - California - in two weeks", he says quickly.
"What?" Olivia says, turning to look at him in surprise. He has not traveled since – well since forever.
"I want to go to Cali, daddy", Cena yells. She does not even know where California is.
"Not this time, Princess. Daddy is going on businesses. Two days tops", he says to Cena but the message is really intended for his wife.
"Why – why do you have to go to California?" Olivia asks, crinkling her brow.
"I need to meet with some of my clients—"
"Your clients? I thought Geoffrey was handling everything at Grant Enterprises."
He hates when she cuts him off, does not allow him to finish his thought.
"You know I had to separate myself from the business, Liv. What I was going to say, I need to meet with some CEOs, former clients, about city business—get their take on economic development opportunities for the city. These CEOs run some of the largest technology companies in the world - they know what it takes to stimulate growth."
Olivia nods, sliding a spoonful of mashed potatoes into Jolie's mouth.
"When do you have to go?" She asks sadly.
"Two weeks."
"Two weeks? Why am I just hearing about this?" Glaring at him.
"I've been busy, Liv. I just need to talk to these guys to finalize my thinking on policies to increase the economic viability of the city. This is the only time I could get on their calendars."
She frowns and nods slowly, not liking what she is hearing.
"I saw Bennie today", he says, trying to change the subject.
"You did?" Looking over her shoulder and holding the next spoonful of mashed potatoes midair.
"He stopped by the office."
"That's unusual", giving her husband a curious look. "Is everything okay?"
"Everything is fine. He wanted me to help him to prepare dinner for Marion tonight."
"What?"
"Bennie wants to learn how to cook – stop eating out so much. He was inspired by his big brother's cooking skills."
Olivia rolls her eyes and Jolie bangs her hand onto the highchair tray and smacks her lips repeatedly, and everybody looks over at her.
"Mommy, JoJo wants more mashed potatoes", Cena yells, and Olivia slides the spoon into Jolie's mouth.
"I went over to his apartment for a few hours this afternoon and helped him cook. Apparently they went shopping for groceries last night. They bought a lot of food, Liv."
"Aww, that was sweet of you, babe. I think Ben and Marion really like each other."
"Look", he says, walking over to Olivia with his phone. "Bennie sent me a picture. He did a pretty good job pulling everything together."
"Wow, that's pretty impressive, babe", nodding her head as she looks at the picture.
"I keep telling you, Liv, I'm a man of many talents", kissing her on the cheek and running his tongue around her ear. Jolie bangs her fist on the tray again and puckers her lips. She wants a kiss, too. Fitz pecks his baby girl on her potato-covered lips and she and Cena laugh out loud.
"Daddy, you have potato lips", Cena giggles.
"I do, and I'm going to give you potato lips, too", tickling his older daughter and gliding his mashed potato-covered mouth over hers.
"No – daddy – no", Cena squeals and Jolie bangs her fist onto the tray again, laughing as she watches her father rub his lips over her sister's face. Fitz snaps a picture of a mashed potato-covered Jolie and posts it onto his Instagram account.
"Who's ready for dessert?" He says, holding the box in the air by the thin string.
"I am – I am", Cena squeals, clapping her hands, and Jolie claps her hands, too.
Olivia gives her husband a look that says don't think that I've forgotten about the California trip.
XXX
With one foot planted on the edge of the desk, Fitz reclines in the comfortable leather chair in his office on the third floor of City Hall reading over the teachers' union contract that expires in a few months. Having drafted, negotiated, and executed numerous business contracts for some of the top multinational companies, he is flabbergasted by what he is reading. The deal the city made with the teachers' union three years ago is one of the worst agreements he has ever seen since he started practicing law. For some reason, the city agreed to all of the union's demands when they fundamentally knew they could not pay for the contract. He shakes his head in dismay and glances down at his watch. The head of the teachers' union should be arriving within the hour. Fitz sighs, thinking how he has watched the pugnacious union leader for years, on local newscasts, preening himself for once again getting a contract that benefitted his union members. He never imagined that one day he would have to negotiate with the colorful, yet vicious man.
Harrison Ventnor, the president of the teachers' union, is a bombastic showman who has never seen a television camera he did not like. He fights dirty and hard for his members, using unscrupulous tactics he calls negotiating. From what Fitz has witnessed, the man clearly knows nothing about Labor Law, but he has a lot of political clout that he does not hesitate to wield. Ventnor's political is derived from the significant campaign contributions his 18,000-member-strong union has made to aspiring and current politicians. The teachers' union supports politicians at election time, who in turn agree to support union-friendly legislation.
Victoria knocks on the door and announces the head of the teachers' union has arrived. Fitz flashes her a polite smile and asks her to show the man in. He does not bother to put on his suit jacket, he senses this is not going to be a pleasant meeting.
"Come in Mr. Ventnor. It's a pleasure to finally meet", Fitz says, extending a handshake.
"And you as well, Council President Grant."
"Call me, Fitz", flashing his politician's smile as he sizes up the big, burly man who is known for wearing garish three-piece suits.
"And call me Harry", the rotund man says, displaying a tight, closed-mouthed smile.
"May I offer you something to drink, Harry?" Fitz asks, walking toward the credenza that houses the beverages.
"Water, please", Harry responds, quickly glancing around the spacious office thinking the décor is definitely not his style. He did not like the décor when Marla was president and he does not like it now.
"Have a seat, Harry", Fitz says, handing the man a bottle of water before taking his seat behind the desk.
Harry sits in one of the chairs in front of the desk and sweeps his eyes over the family photographs on the desk and credenza behind Fitz' chair. He does not bother to acknowledge the photographs as he unscrews the bottle of water, and tosses the plastic top onto the desk. He takes a long swig of the cool water and smiles. Fitz watches as the bottle top spins around and around until it finally settling onto the desk. Although subtle, Harrison Ventnor has just taken the first shot.
"This is good – refreshing", Harry says. Fitz returns a crooked smile and leans back in his seat. It is time to get down to business.
"Harry - as you know the city is in crisis - teetering on the brink of bankruptcy."
Harry sets the bottle of water onto the desk, leans back in his seat, readying himself to hear the usual spiel about how broke the city is. It does not matter who sits behind that desk, the story is always the same.
"The school district is already facing a budget shortfall - even before negotiations with your union are scheduled to begin."
"Fitz, the district wants to extend the school day and school year, increase co-payments for health insurance, institute a pay scale based on teacher performance rather than years of experience and level of education. They want us to do more and pay us less."
"The trade unions, firefighters, police – are all being asked to do more, Harry. It's just where the city is right now."
"Fitz, I'm sure you didn't ask me here to discuss the other union contracts", taking another swig of water, and Fitz nods his head in agreement.
"Harry, some question if the teachers' performance warrant an increase in salary. The state is not satisfied with the performance on standardized test, in fact, the numbers are declining. No longer satisfied with the quality of education their children are receiving, more and more families are opting to send their children to charter schools."
Harry grimaces.
"Fitz, from the first charter school legislation, unions and charters have been at odds because, unlike traditional schools, where my members teach - charters are unregulated - not held to the same standards as traditional public schools", waving his hand in the air dismissively.
"Charter school operators argue they've been able to succeed to a large extent because they don't have to consult a union on how to run their schools."
"Nonsense", Harry protests. "Besides, some charters have begun to join our union. They want the protection."
"Not many are joining", Fitz retorts. "In fact, most charters are resisting unions, which some say diminishes your political power", staring at the man hard.
"You keep telling me what other people think and are saying - what the hell do you say, Fitz?" Leaning forward in frustration and glaring at the Council President. He is tired of playing games. Are you trying to break my union - is that what you're here to do?" Harry lashes out angrily.
"I want to do no such thing. I want us to find a way to work together – for the good of the city and the children. The city cannot afford another deal like the last one, Harry. Taxes had to be increased to pay for your contract."
"Not my problem", Harry says nonchalantly, grabbing the bottle of water from the desk and leaning back against his chair.
"The state – families – are not satisfied with what they're getting for their investment. Families and businesses have been leaving the city for decades – in part - because of the poor product your members are producing - you've seen the data."
Harry shrugs his shoulders with disinterest.
"Don't you care about the children of this city – care that they are properly educated?" Fitz asks with incredulity.
"I care about my dues-paying members", Harry retorts. The Republican-dominated statehouse has been expanding charter school and choice programs and making budget cuts leading to teacher layoffs. We've had enough and we want what is due to us. Besides, my union has an understanding with officials we helped to elect, and nothing's going to change. We always get what we ask for, Fitz. So you better get onboard and be prepared to dig deep when the contract talks begin in a few months", Harry says brusquely.
Realizing the soft approach is not going to work with Harrison Ventnor, Fitz ups the ante. Harry might be tough, but Fitz has played hardball with a lot tougher.
"Your business model is no longer sustainable, Harry", Fitz says flatly, without batting an eye. "The schools are called dropout factories. Many freshmen never make it to graduation. Test scores have continued to drop over the past decade – the list goes on and on."
"That's because right-wing conservatives like you have co-opted the charter school idea and used it as a way to get around unions. You damn Republicans have been trying to dismantle - do away with traditional public schools - which means you want to do away with the teachers' union. Well that ain't gonna happen. If the city can find money to help renovate the waterfront then they can find the money to pay our educators. You and that man upstairs on the fifth floor, who my people helped to elect, better go to the state or float a damn bond", Harry shouts with finality as he pulls on the hem of his brightly colored vest.
"That won't be happening – not this time. The jig is up - the city won't be floating a bond or raising taxes to pay for your teachers."
"Are you threatening me, Grant?" Harry demands with bluster.
"No threat – just a fact", Fitz says, leaning forward and resting his forearms on the desk.
"You come riding in here on your white steed trying to tell us how to run our schools when your child doesn't even attend a public in this city. Who the hell do you think you are?"
Fitz does not take the bait, but he is weary of the chorus singing that damn song about his children not attending the city's public schools.
"It's over, Harry."
"Then I'll take my 18,000-members and we will walk – I'll shut down the whole damn school district. So you better be prepared to explain to all of those parents why their children won't be in school and getting an education."
"If you walk, I'll put you and all 18,000 of your members out of work – permanently. I'll make sure every damn school in this city becomes a charter – no union allowed. The days of holding this city hostage with the threat of a strike are over."
Harry's portly body tenses and he squeezes the water bottle until the plastic crackles loudly.
"You don't know who you're fucking with, Grant", quickly regaining his composure before standing stomping toward the door.
Fitz stands abruptly from his seat, sending his chair flying against the credenza behind him, causing the family photographs to shift. Victoria looks up from the document she is typing when she hears the commotion inside the office.
"And Ventnor", Fitz yells out, stopping the man before he leaves the hand gripping the brass door knob, Harrison Ventnor turns and looks at the red-faced Council President.
"Don't you ever fuckin' mention my children again."
Ventnor swings open the door, allowing it to slam against the old Second Empire table he has always hated, and Victoria looks up at the obviously upset union president as he storms through the reception area. She jumps from her seat and rushes into Fitz' office.
"Is everything all right, sir?" Victoria asks in concern as he stares out the window with hands stuffed deep into his pants pockets.
"Everything is fine, Victoria", he says without turning around. "Can you let me know when Councilman Moton arrives?"
"Of course", she says, turning slowly to exit the office.
"And Victoria, close the door please."
Victoria looks at him again with concern then slowly closes the door behind her. Once the door is closed, he pulls open the desk drawer and slides out the small brown bottle. He pops a pill into his mouth and downs it with a swig of water from the glass on his desk. He closes his eyes and thinks 12 minutes.
XXX
Olivia leans back in the chair in their home office and rolls her neck from side, trying to remove the kinks. She has been sitting at the desk all morning, researching corporate philanthropies and, with each passing minute, she discovers how little she knows about how to start a corporate philanthropic program, and that makes her nervous. She is quickly learning that designing a philanthropic program is so different from managing her small foundation. While both are rooted in the desire to ease the burden of those in need, she sees the difference lies in the method that philanthropic entities and small non-profits use to reach that outcome. The Olivia Grant Foundation is focused on fixing specific problems that prevent families from having access to clean and safe water. She has obtained funding to repair the wells for senior citizens and replace the old lead plumbing in some homes in Springfield Heights. But multi-millionaire dollar philanthropies are about so much more than fixing defective well pumps or replacing corrosive lead pipes in homes. They are about systematically seeking out root causes of issues and developing permanent solutionsthrough strategic, large scale and collaborative efforts. Philanthropies are not about making sure these kinds of problems do not happen in the first place.
She expels a heavy sigh, stands from the comfortable chair, and looks out the window, allowing the sun to warm her face. Establishing Bryson's philanthropic program is going to be a major undertaking and she is not sure she has what it takes to pull it off. She wants to call Fitz to discuss her uneasiness with him, but she knows he is busy working on preparing his legislative policies.
XXX
Councilman Darius Moton has been in meetings all morning with the Appropriations Committee and now he is hungry – ready for his weekly lunch meeting with the Council President. Ignoring Victoria as usual, he walks past her workstation, knocks on the office, and then enters the office.
"Enjoy your lunch, Councilman Moton", Victoria says under her breath without looking away from the monitor.
"Okay, Grant, let's get to it - I'm starving", Darius says, rubbing his hands together as he eyes the lunch spread on the credenza.
"Hello, Darius", Fitz says solemnly, standing from his seat and walking across the room toward the credenza. He watches as Darius pile his plate with a few sandwiches, green salad, and orzo salad and shakes his head in amusement. He cannot understand how Darius can eat so much food at lunch, surely the man dozes off in his office around three o' clock.
"What's the matter with you, Fitz – not hungry today?" Darius says in a jocular tone as he sits at the conference table ready to eat.
"I met with the head of the teachers' union this morning – it wasn't pleasant."
"Ventnor is an ass", Darius says, biting into one of the sandwiches.
"That's putting it mildly", Fitz says, setting a sandwich and orzo salad onto his plate. His stomach begins to growl because he has not eaten since breakfast. "The man doesn't give a damn if the children of this city "get educated, Darius. He only cares about his members' dues and the power he can wield.
"The teachers' union was one of Wilson's largest contributors, Fitz. Ventnor has a lot of power - he directs his members who to vote for", Darius says, stuffing a forkful of salad into his mouth.
"Some charter schools are beginning to erase the achievement gap, Darius. That's all that should matter", Fitz says, wiping his mouth with the coarse paper napkin.
"You have to understand, Fitz, politicos and union leaders derive power and resources from keeping things the way things are. They're not interested in the children fulfilling their potential outside the district system - that will disrupt their influence. You're lucky you don't have to worry about that." Fitz crinkles his brow wondering what Darius meant by that statement.
"Well I told Ventnor not to expect the city to acquiesce to his threat to strike – the money just isn't there", Fitz says biting into his sandwich.
"That's a powerful union, Fitz", Darius reiterates. They help to get a lot of politicians elected."
"So nothing changes then", Fitz says angrily, and Darius remains silent.
"How's your policy agenda coming along – you only have a few more weeks to submit it to the Council."
"I have a few more meetings to take before I finalize my thinking", Fitz says, smiling as he scoops a forkful of orzo into his mouth.
"Well you better get moving – you won't get an extension. Wilson damn sure won't sign off on that."
"Got it teach." The two men laugh out loud as Victoria knocks on the door before entering the office.
"Sir, I'm sorry to interrupt, but if you're going be on time for your meeting with Councilman Howry, you'll have to leave within the next 10 minutes."
Fitz frowns and looks down at his watch, wondering where the hour went. After this morning's clash with Ventnor he needed this break with Darius.
"Thank you, Victoria", he says, walking his unfinished lunch over to the waste bin. He wipes his hands onto the napkin and grabs his suit jacket from the valet. "Same time next week?" He asks, looking over at Darius who is stuffing the last of his sandwich into his mouth.
"You know I would never miss a free lunch", Darius says as he stands from the table, leaving his leftovers for Victoria to discard. He pushes past the Council President's assistant, who is waiting in the doorway with her hand on the doorknob.
"Hold on, Darius, I'll walk out with you - Howry's office is near yours."
"After your meeting with Howry you have a 30-minute break before your next meeting, sir."
"Thank you, Victoria."
"You'll need your portfolio", she says with a smile, pointing to the leather case sitting on one of the piles on his desk. He nods and hurries back to the desk to retrieve the leather case.
"I don't know what I would do without you", giving her a wink before jogging from the office to catch up with Darius.
XXX
After a stressful day at the office, it feels good to just sit around with his family and do absolutely nothing – think about nothing of consequence. The pressures of the new job are beginning to take its toll on him, in ways he never imagined. Everything seems to be a battle and it is no wonder why nothing ever seems to get done in government. It seems like those who were elected to office are all playing some sort of game, and at the expense of those they are supposed to serve. It is disheartening at times. Some days he ponders if he made the right decision, giving up his business to run for public office. Everything would have been so different if he had continued to run Grant Enterprises. Charlie Barber would not have tried to kill his family and he would not be carrying around daily the guilt for not protecting his family. He knows the stress is not about the job.
Olivia has been watching her husband all night and she knows something is wrong – something is off with him. She slides her hand across the sofa cushion, intertwining her fingers with his, silently asking with her eyes: are you all right, do we need to talk? He gives her hand a reassuring squeeze and a weak smile, attempting to signal that he is fine, but she knows otherwise; his eyes reflect the truth.
"Livvia - how is the new job going? Are you getting the program underway?" Gwendolyn asks, lifting her after-dinner tea to her lips.
"I have quite a bit to learn about corporate philanthropy, mom. I have a meeting in the city next week with Diatell, the CSR Think Tank. I want to discuss some of my ideas with the director."
"I'm sure you'll have that program designed in no time", her mother adds.
Fitz lifts his wife's hand to his lips, giving her a genuine smile of encouragement. He knows she is feeling unsure about her new role.
"Look, Cena", Calvin says with a proud smile as he points to the television screen. Cena stops practicing her routine Miss Ebony taught them for the upcoming dance recital and looks at the television.
"Wow", Cena says, transfixed by the airborne ballerina who lands on her feet then jumps at a rapid pace across the stage. Wondering what has captivated Cena's attention, her parents and Nana look up at the screen.
"Do you know who that is, Cee?" Olivia asks, looking at her daughter who is mesmerized by the young woman spinning her body on one foot. With eyes and mouth wide open, Cena shakes her from side to side, continuing to stare at the television screen.
"That's Misty Copeland – she's a ballerina", Olivia says, smiling at the look on her daughter's face.
"She's dancing on her toes, mommy."
"She is. She has to practice a lot – just like you and Asha."
"She's so pretty."
"She is", Gwendolyn agrees, smiling at the television screen. "It looks like she's going to be dancing at the Seattle Ballet Company in July."
When the commercial ends, Cena resumes practicing her dance routine, trying to incorporate into her routine the moves she saw the ballerina perform.
"Babe", Olivia whispers to her husband, who is now staring down at his tablet with a slight smile on his face.
"Hmm?" Posting a picture on Instagram of Cena prancing around the family room.
"We should take Cee to Seattle in July to see Misty Copeland perform."
"Okay", he says without looking up, posting another picture of Cena online.
"Maybe we can treat Asha – bring her with us", Olivia continues.
"Cee, would you and Asha like to go see Misty Copeland perform?"
"Yes, daddy - yes, daddy", Cena replies, jumping and spinning excitedly and causing Bowtie to jump up and down. Jolie claps her hands because Cena and Bowtie are excited about something.
"Well I guess we're going to Seattle in July. Maybe we can stay a few days – make it a mini vacation. Would you like that?" Giving his wife a genuine smile.
"I would like that very much", pecking him on the lips. Gwendolyn smiles, then looks away as her son-in-law deepens the kiss.
"Can you call Frank to make the arrangements?" He asks in a whisper, stroking his hand up and down the back of his wife's neck.
"Do you think we need to use our travel agent – it's only Seattle?" She asks, still whispering.
"It'll be easier. You're a busy executive - you don't have time to search the internet for flights and hotels. Frank can also get our tickets to the show."
"Okay, but I have to get permission from Kelly - Asha's mother - to see if she is okay with Asha traveling with us."
Fitz nods as he posts the picture of Cena, Jolie, and Bowtie jumping up and down with joy.
XXX
Mayor Wilson closes the black folder and tosses it onto his desk in disgust. He feels like he is being attacked from all sides. The Feds are coming after him with trumped up charges of selling his office for favors, Grant is trying to undo everything he and Marla built, and now his Director of Public Health is sleeping with the brother of his archenemy, which means she is conspiring against him, and that is not acceptable.
Wilson walks over to the bar and pours another drink, his third of the evening. Raising the heavy crystal tumbler to his mouth, he takes a long swig of the amber-colored liquor then walks over to the window. He grimaces as he stares into the darkness. He is fighting for his freedom and he will not tolerate a member of his team sleeping with the enemy. He takes another swig and closes his eyes, savoring the smooth liquid as it flows down his throat. He has to keep his emotions in check, think strategically about how to handle Dr. Harris - too much is at stake.
Across town in her quaint apartment, Victoria prepares to engage in her nightly routine, spending a quiet evening with the man with whom she spends her days. She takes a sip of scotch then sets the glass onto the small table next to the sofa. She climbs onto the seat 'cushion, leans back against the armrest, and sets the opened tablet onto her bent knees. She taps the Instagram icon with her long, well-manicured finger and a smile spread across her face when she sees the latest pictures he has posted. Cena, Jolie, and Bowtie are all jumping up and down in a room that appears to be the size of her entire apartment. She reaches for the glass and takes another sip, continuing to scroll. She can only imagine the size of the rest of the house. One day she will have a house like that, but one that is bigger and better.
She stops scrolling and smiles when she sees his face with a big toothy grin, holding both of his girls on his lap. Staring into his blue eyes, she picks up the sweating glass, takes a long sip, and slowly runs her tongue over her top lip. She stares at his handsome face and slides her hand between her legs, slowly rubbing the wet fingers up and down her clitoris. Resting the tablet onto her stomach, she spread her lips wide with the other hand and closes her eyes, imaging his warm, wet mouth pleasuring her. She inserts a finger deep inside and gasps, slowly thrusting in and out of her wetness, and she moans in pleasure. It feels good.
She lifts her bottom from the cushion and the peach-colored silk robe falls open, revealing her full, round breasts and taut stomach. She massages the hardened nipples and opens her legs wider, thrusting her long finger deeper and deeper. The feeling is amazing, it always feels amazing. She loves the control she has over her body, the power she feels dictating her own pleasure – deciding when she is going to cum.
She rubs her flattened hand up and down the swollen nub, moving her hips faster and faster. Writhing and moaning with pleasure, she strokes with more intensity, she is ready. Silent screams escape her throat and her body jerks as she releases. Her firm thighs twitch uncontrollably as she collapses onto the cushion. She feels wonderful, gloriously really. Unaware the tablet with the smiling face has fallen to the floor, she brings her wet fingers to her mouth, inhaling her scent, as she slowly sucks the essence from each digit. Thoroughly satisfied, she smiles as she wraps the silk robe around her body and curls into a ball. She has to get to sleep, they have a busy day at the office tomorrow.