A Match to Remember

Chapter 16

Adjusting to Country life

Olivia could not figure out what the noise was. Did the early morning garbage pickup and the fighting cats somehow meet under her window? She pulled the sheet tighter only to have it offer resistance…the sheet would not move, and neither would the arm holding her. It was only when she heard the baritone voice did any of what was happening in her head make sense. She got married two days ago …or was it one…. either way she was now married and from the noises she wasn't in Kansas, but she wasn't in Chicago either. …she was in Iowa. When asked the difference between Iowa and Kansas Fitz responded in Kansas they grow less useable products and elect more useless leaders.

"Morning sunshine the voice said…. you want breakfast before I leave for work?"

"Fitz what day is it?"

"Friday…."

'" Friday…. what happened to Thursday…. And where are you going ?"

"To a meeting about the farm today….…. the wedding threw us off so now we must make sure everything is running as it should. Tomorrow it's about the spring semester at the college. We will talk tonight about us…where we will stay, children."

Olivia laid back grimacing.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing I forgot real life is about to catch up with us. "

Fitz rolled over on his back and pulled Olivia's head on to his chest

"We talked a little but decided to have one day not filled with future…housing …. children. that was Wednesday on your parents' floor…. Fitz would you fill me in about Thursday.

."Before or after the stripper's pole."

"What strippers' pole?"

'" Oliva Grant…. what did you have to drink and how much?"

Olivia kissed he husband's chest…" Just teasing I remember everything about Thursday…. especially the pole..."

"if not, I want a do over…tonight"

"you will get many do overs husband but not tonight."

"so, it's true…. before the wedding a man gets all, the sex he wants …. after rationing sets in."

With that comment Olivia slid down Fitz and took his partially filled penis in her mouth and started to suck as hard as she could, this was entirely unexpected, and Fitz did not have any time to prepare. Between the suction of her mouth and the massage of his balls by her hands he erupted in less than 20 seconds. By the time he got the first moan and so good out it was over leaving him with is mouth open and eyes closed. Olivia gave him a deep bedroom kiss then got out of bed …. "what was that about rationing again she mocked hm as she headed for the bathroom. Better get up…. you have a meeting."

By the time Fitz could get enough energy together Olivia was through with her shower and back in the bedroom. A disheveled Fitz watched her as Olivia propped one leg on the bed as she dried off the other…. leaned over and gave him a kiss….and with a dare in her voice she asked "seconds". One thing Olivia decided less than a week ago when she got her first sample of Fitz…rationing would not be allowed in this marriage.

Fitz, at ¼ speed made his way to the bathroom ,,,,,he only had time for coffee. When he arrived at the meeting his family all gave him a smile…he looked like something the cat had drug in….it as more like something the cat had let loose. …a cat with a pole…

Olivia busied herself with taking down the stripper pole and packing away the disco lights but not before turning Tina on full blast.

Margaret made enough food for the meeting with a dish set aside for Fitz and Olivia's dinner. When Fitz returned her checked the bedroom …he was disappointed to find out the pole and disco lights from last night were missing. Olivia saw Fitz as he walked out of the room…" ...looking for something sir?"

"yes, I am but I'll look forward to it as a surprise….is that ok."

"Yes…..."

"the look on your face was priceless…I hope I can duplicate Last night …."

Fitz pulled his wife close " Olivia just having you in my life is more than I could ever ask…"

As they relaxed later the sofa he told her he was the butt of a few jokes about his late appearance at the meeting. Olivia looked at him. "'That will not be the last time Mr. Grant you show up late and looking like you lost the fight to a very tough cat."

"Enough talking about sex…lets get back to this morning's talk about our future housing arrangement."

"wait…it seemed our conversation this morning included words about rationing shouldn't we finish that discussion first."

"Nope…...you ended that conversation earlier…. I have no more comments and absolutely nothing else I could possibly give… Back to housing and children please."

"Housing is open I thought we decided to wait a while for children…we need to figure out where we will raise them." Olivia responded as she propped her head up on her arms, so she could look Fitz in the eye.

'OK…Mrs. Grant where are we staying?"

"You first…. I'm flexible."

"Flexible but opening a new business and you already have people who need your help."

"I can be flexible…. Marcus said he would take two months to close out his affairs in DC, but I bet he will be back in Chicago long before that. Between Marcus and Prof. Beene, we should be able to find a couple of people to staff the office.

.

How did the day go?

Good…things look good for next planting season…dad picked up a couple more contracts for organic vegetables. It's a small market and not a lot of profit but the positive exposure for the farm is as important as money. We decided to put another field into no-till.

"what's no-till Fitz?"

"let some of the farmland return to its natural state. "

"is it a better way?"

"we will see…we are trying it on our organic plots…..Billy asked if he could come over to talk to you…. I'm not sure what it is…but he and Raven said they want to talk to you together…. alone just the three of you."

"Any idea about what?"

"I guess it's about Georgetown ."

"But why all the secrecy I feel like I'm keeping something from the family…..I still have my temporary Grant identification…I have to be careful.

"Billy is like that, and Raven, …. he likes to really think things out before he makes a final decision."

"And Raven….?"

"She's the same but worse…. I am not sure this farm…. even this state is big enough for the two of them."

By the time the Thanksgiving rolled around ….like Olivia said Marcus was back in Chicago a month early. Dr. Beene found a grad student who was interested in settling in Chicago. The good thing he was single…. even better he was a trust fund baby and was willing to work for the experience of working for a wanted to one day open his own foundation ….this was perfect.

The Grant family spent Christmas in Iowa and came to Chicago for the new year. They all recognized the travel was not safe enough to travel on Hwy. 80 during January and February…so wherever they were they were by mid January they are planted until the end of February. Driving was not advised….if the weather took a bad turn cancelled flights could leave one stranded. Fitz had a big responsibility…..with Mary helping Olivia he had to do her job and his.

For Fitz it was the start of a new school semester and he needed a replacement for Mary… Abby helped with that….no not Abby…but a fellow transplanted New Yorker who wanted to get out. He, Andy, like Olivia had burned himself out .

Mary went with Olivia to get the office going in Chicago and for other reasons. As the office was furnished, cards printed, and staff hired clients flocked in…mainly from Montgomery Place. The people there trusted Ms. Smith….Ms Smith trusted Olivia. Many were seniors either without family or family they did not have a great relationship with. Olivia with her staff talked to them about what they wanted…letting them have as much input as they wanted or was able to give.

The new trust fund hire, Stephen, was in his own world. He grew up in a small family , so he was more than happy to act as go between. By April they had a fully functioning office with someone certified to help whoever walked into their doors. Belle's parents came in once a month to lend their expertise. James was always on call to help when needed. He helped Fitz in Iowa.

Time flew…the newlyweds had not seen much of each other since Christmas. The winter had been bad…a couple of ice storms when Olivia was free…black ice when Fitz was free. …Both absolutely forbade the other to drive or fly. Finally, Fitz had enough…...his wife said no phone sex and he was desperate…. if only she would give him a peep. He asked Huck is there was a safe way to skype without danger of a third party. Huck gave him a long hard look. "Fitz there is no way for absolutely guarantee safe phone sex…" that was that.

Each time Olivia talked to him she could hear the frustration in his voice…Thy both had responsibilities…. none they had ever envisioned to take them away from each other like this . Finally, Fitz decided desperate times call for desperate means…. he told Olivia to meet him in Atlanta. They both decided it was well worth the wait.

Both decided they could not have another January/February like this so Olivia decided in the future she would spend those two months in Iowa…. Showed in but snowed in with each other. Marcus, Mary , Stephen and James could take care of most problems. They could teleconference and if all failed Cyrus was their emergency contact.

Olivia was still talking to Billy and Raven. No-one was saying why they were talking about. During college Easter week the three took a trip to DC, on the pretense of scouting housing but the three were meeting with Cyrus who had been included into their discussion. Eli Pope was included in their group because they were going to stay at his house rather than on campus and they needed his address for their base. No-one knew what was going on…. Olivia, Billy, Raven, Cyrus and Eli all refused to talk about their alliance.

Finally, after he graduated Billy decided to share his idea with his immediate family… mom, dad, siblings no in-laws except of course Olivia. He and Raven had decided to go into politics. They flipped a coin…. Billy would be POTUS Raven would work her way through Iowa politics and be his right hand "man". The family looked at this eighteen-year-old like he told them he was going to go a fifty-year space mission to the outer limits of the known universe…. Once he took center stage they knew he was serious. They were all sworn to secrecy until Raven's family could be told…. being a female, her convincing her family was a bit steeper.

Olivia remained silent as the family talked but soon all eyes turned to her …they knew Olivia was the person Billy had turned to months ago about his plan. She explained it was possible. The Grants were a well know family in four states when they owned property. if they wanted to why not let them….. Go all in…. win or lose. Either way they should get at least a congressman out of the deal. Hearing this Gerry and Margaret…. simply asked…. what can we do?"

Olivia then knew it was her time to step up….

"'nothing new …. the same as you have been doing all your lives. Good honest people can be created in a focus group but good honest people like the Grants were created at birth. Billy will have to be careful with his friends ….but that's not something he hasn't been doing already. You have taught him well….he's from good stock and this is his dream it's not a dream you have forced on him."

Gerry asked Olivia" Olivia I have to ask…are you a republican?"

"Nope…. Gerry I am not."

"He shook his head….so, as a democrat, why would you encourage our son, a republican to strive for the top job in the land."

"…..why do you assume I'm a democrat…. I'm a-political as are most of my friends who would help. We work for the candidate with the best ideas…not the party..."

"But you lose a lot, right?"

"Yes…. but many of our ideas get through without actually being in power."'

"So, you…. the a-political…you are the puppet masters?"

"Yes, Gerry we are."

"We were the puppet masters who were there with the eight-hour day and the forty-hour week…. something today that your workers enjoy. They are more productive and happier. Carnegie, a very mart man who helped build his country and has more libraries and foundations than one can count. But it was the forty-hour week that helped more people than his foundations and libraries ever could... His employees worked twelve hours a day seven days a week for the same pay. Building the country…. manning the steel plants….. Which worker do you think is happier …. which make better citizens…...yours or Carnegie's. A-Political is not bad …it leaves space for a compromise for the best solution for all. His steel built a country but how many minds did his eighty-four hour wee destroy. How many young men like William were sacrificed."

" If you are willing I will set up an outline right now for '" William". I will set aside space in my office in Chicago for the goals for William and Raven…...If they decide to not pursue their goal it up to them. Lets get them through their first two years of undergrad …then take another look. In the meantime I will put a basic outline in place. "

The meeting broke up with a promise to meet in a week after tonight had soaked in. The ride home for Olivia an Fitz was silent almost eerie. Olivia did not have any idea what Fitz was thinking. Was he thinking she had bought her radical city ideas to Iowa, but his brother had long ago said he wanted to be POTUS…. Olivia just gave him an opening to express it.

The silence remained through dinner and their shower. Olivia was worried. Finally in bed Fitz wrapped his arms around her.

"Are you sure you want to take this on…. you do know it will take up the next 20+ years of your life if they decide this is what they want.."

"Our life…." Olivia interrupted.

'" It's my brother's dream so I must support him…. did you expect this drama to come with your marriage to me?"

Olivia shook her head…" honestly, I did not but I knew about William's dream long before I met you. It may be his dream, but I signed on a long time ago. Plus, you said once you are in this family you are in?"

"Olivia I am a happy man…. when should we consider starting a family that will work around my brother's dream….I want us to have some Us time together before we take on children and the presidency?"

Olivia laughed…."Fitz it's the same thing….only it's a bigger family."

"Let's get the first two years of undergraduate done then we will see where his, and Raven's focus, is."

The next few months Olivia was preoccupied with her business and spending time with he husband. They now had it almost down to a science but real life doesn't always agree with man's timetable. …She would fly out to see him every other weekend….he would take her on a short weekend getaway when possible. This was the middle of planting time….new calves were being born…decisions needed to be made about adding new crops with low income value but high recognition value It was not the time Fitz could easily get away . They both were getting restless….Olivia while she had access to all her clothing felt like she was living out of suitcase. Fitz on the other hand was up at four am. and never got home before eight pm.….then he was bone tired. Sometimes Olivia felt like they were two ships passing in the night….Fitz recognized her frustration. He was a farmer…he knew the work that came with maintaining a farm…especially one as diversified as theirs. The more he tried as a husband he less successful he felt. Olivia tried to tell him it was ok….but he knew it wasn't ok…..she did not sign on to this.

Finally Fitz told Olivia to take a couple of weeks put a priority on her business. That way he would feel less guilty…..about leaving her alone all day then coming home dead tired. . She helped Dot and Margaret but he knew it wasn't the same.

They talked daily and always kept the other updated. If Fitz could get away for a day he flew in to Chicago if only for a few hours. Even Sundays were taken …crops don't know days of the week. They were now more frustrated than during the water…then it was the ice and snow….now it was the ran , or lack of rain….new calves…..a windstorm that destroyed half of their designer organic vegetables. Thanks to Olivia's suggestion they had planted some in the barn which weathered the windstorm.

When they ended their nightly call….Fitz seemed ready to get Olivia off the phone. He just did not want her to know how tired he was…..how much he missed he but he knew she needed some city stimulus, some Olivia time.

What Fitz failed to understand Olivia was growing into her marriage better than he was. He wanted so bad for her to be happy he failed to see…she as happy. He wanted everything to be perfect all the time which is impossible.. Saying goodnight she promised she would see him the coming weekend where they had a dual birthday and anniversary celebration planned.

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