"They say I stank last night, don’t they?" Jason looked up to where she was standing on the steps. Carly had on a paisley silk nightgown and wrapper, but she had no makeup and her hair was badly mussed. She had dark circles under her eyes and she was holding a cup of coffee like a life preserver on the Titanic.

"Why don’t you come down here and have some breakfast?" Jason asked, avoiding her question. Carly gave a long sigh and came down the stairs slowly. He patted the couch next to him, but she just put her cup down on the coffee table and picked up a newspaper

She read silently for a few minutes, and then smirked caustically. "Well, listen to this one. "In last night’s first debate for the office of state representative, Jasper Jacks was informed, witty, and persuasive in his answers to questions. Carly Morgan’s performance could charitably be described as dry, dull, and dumb. Mr. Jacks should have his wife pick out the draperies for his new office in the state capitol, since it appears he’ll be needing them shortly."" Carly slapped the paper down. "See – I told you. They think I stank."

She sank down on the couch next to Jason and buried her face in her hands. He rubbed her back consolingly. "Now, honey, don’t take it so bad. It’s just your first time out, that’s all. Besides, those debate things are hard. You’re under a lot of pressure." He turned her face to him. "Once you give some speeches and people get a chance to read your proposals in detail, they’ll realize that you’re right and he’s just a spoiled rich kid." Jason took the paper and shook it, straightening the pages to fold it again.

Carly sighed. "They think I’m an idiot. And I tried, Jason, I really tried! I even practiced with Johnny and Renaldo watching me." She propped her chin in her hands. "It’s that bimbo he’s got. She’s the one who makes him look good."

Jason frowned. "Excuse me? You mean Brenda?"

Carly slapped his arm. "No, you dummy. That political consultant he’s got – the one with the big jugs."

Jason raised his eyebrows. "Oh, her. Yeah, I saw her." He smirked. "It’s kind of hard NOT to notice her with those two big…." Carly shot him a dirty look and he stopped. "…..two big qualifications she’s got." He started looking through the newspapers for a file, not really looking at Carly. "Well, honey, if you really think that having someone like that helps the campaign, why don’t you get one, too?"

Carly sat up straight. "You mean it?"

"Yeah, sure. Why wouldn’t I?"

Carly’s eyes were sparkled for the first time since coming down the stairs that morning. "That’s it! I’ll just get myself one of those political consultants and then I’ll look just as good as old Jasper Jacks!" She rose from the couch and went to the desk. She began flipping through the phone book, still talking to Jason as she did. "In fact, I’m not just going to hire myself one of those consultants, I’ll get a whole OFFICE of them." She looked into the phone book and then back at Jason. "Do you know anyone particular we should use, Jason?"

He sat and thought for a moment, and then rose from the couch. "Now that you mention it, I think Benny did mention to me that there was a firm that was sympathetic to our side, if you know what I mean." He came and started going through his rolodex. "He talked to me about it when you first decided to run, you know." He kept looking, Carly anxiously staring over his shoulder. "Ah, here it is." He pulled out a card. "Siebert, Sheffield and Company." He pointed to the card. "Larry Siebert. Call him. Benny said he was the one we should deal with. He would know exactly what kind of help you need."

Carly squealed in delight and jumped up to give Jason a kiss on the cheek. "You’re the best, you know that, honey?" She took the card from his hand. "I’m going to go upstairs and call them right now. Maybe I can meet with this Mr. Siebert this afternoon." As she turned to leave the living room, Renaldo put his head in the door.

"Mrs. Morgan, a package just arrived for you."

Carly looked excited, but Jason put out his hand. "Did you check it?"

"It’s clean, boss," Renaldo answered. He came into the penthouse carrying a large box. "It looks like it came from the state capitol, Federal Express first thing this morning."

Carly put the card into the pocket of her wrapper. "The state capitol! Jason, this is a good sign! I wonder what it could be?" Jason gave her a look, so she started pulling at the sealing tape. When she finally got the box unwrapped, she opened it and pulled out a huge bound book of fabric samples.

"What is it?" Jason asked.

"It looks like fabric," Carly said in bewilderment. She looked deeper into the box. "It’s just books and books of fabric." She reached deeper into the box. "Wait a minute….here’s the card." She pulled it out and opened it, her face growing more and more pale as she read it.

"Well?"

Carly’s mouth was set in a grimace. "It IS fabric samples. They’re from Governor Moyer."

"Yeah, so?"

Carly held the card out and read dramatically. "Dearest Mrs. Morgan. Here are some fabric samples for the new drapes for the capitol building. I would tell you what to do with them, but I’m sure you already know. And I doubt that they’ll fit." She gave a huge sigh and threw the card back into the box. Jason looked into the box as she spun and her gown fluttered behind her as she sped upstairs.

"What are you gonna do?"

She stopped at the landing. "I’m gonna hire a political consulting firm that will BURY Jasper Jacks!"

"Mail’s finally here," Brenda sighed as she walked into Jax’s study. She had a large stack of envelopes in her hands and could barely shut the door behind her. Jax didn’t look up from where he was sitting at the desk. Brenda finally got as far as the chairs in front of his desk when she dropped the envelopes. She looked at him, head still down, put her hands on her hips and cleared her throat loudly.

He looked up with a start. "Huh? I’m sorry, did you say something to me?"

Brenda crossed her arms. "Yes, I said that the mail arrived." She looked down at the pile on the chair. "Most of it looks like invitations to attend political functions or requests for you to speak at upcoming events." Jax gave a sigh and looked back down at his paperwork. Brenda watched him for a few minutes, and then said sarcastically, "I also said that if you don’t mind, I’ll be leaving now to have that mad passionate affair with the new gardener."

Jax still didn’t look up. "That’s nice, Brenda. I’m sure you’ll have a good time."

Her mouth dropped open in shock. She came around to sit in one of the chairs directly in front of his desk, but he still didn’t acknowledge her. "And then Angie, Neera and I are going to go down to the new male strip club and see if we can pick up some of those Chippendale men. You KNOW how much I love a man with a well-developed chest."

Jax flipped the page he was looking over and made some notes in pencil. Brenda crossed her arms in disgust and began tapping her foot on the floor impatiently. "That’s nice, dear," he said absently.

Brenda’s eyes widened and she gripped the arms of the chair to keep from strangling him. "Yeah, well we shouldn’t have any problem since Lea is meeting us there to introduce us to a couple of the really hot stud puppies. She knows them personally, you know." Brenda could have died when Jax just nodded his head wordlessly and kept looking through the papers. "And then," she said through grit teeth, "we’re taking the whole bunch of them back to your mother’s house so they can put on a private performance for her!"

Jax nodded, but then his blue eyes widened and he looked up at her. "Excuse me? Did you just say that you were taking the Chippendale stud puppies to meet my mother?"

"Yes, Jax," she growled, "and your mother insists I invite them all to Thanksgiving dinner, too!" Jax shook his head and buried it in his hands, rubbing his temples.

"I’m sorry, Brenda. I know I haven’t been paying much attention to you the past few days."

She sat back and tapped her hands on the arms of the chair. "You mean just because you’ve had dinner with Kimberly more times in the past week than you have me? You mean because I’ve gone to bed alone five nights out of the past seven?"

Jax put his hands flat on the desk and looked at her beseechingly. "I’m sorry, Brenda. You know I would much rather have dinner with you and the children. You don’t think I ENJOY those dinners with those stuffy political big-shots, do you?"

"Oh, I don’t know. Kimberly seems to."

Jax folded his hands deliberately on the desk. "Kimberly has to be there, Brenda. She’s the one who sets up the dinners. She’s the one who knows how to steer the conversation to topics that interest these political types."

"She’s also the one who’s kept my husband out late five nights out of the last seven. Can’t she set these things up any other time? Does it always have to be drinks or a late dinner?"

Jax massaged his temples again. "I don’t know, sweetie." He sighed and looked down at the papers in front of him. "But all I know is that there’s going to be h*ll to pay if I don’t finish this speech before she gets here."

Brenda grimaced. "A speech that I won’t get to hear…..AGAIN!"

Jax slapped his pencil down loudly. "Brenda, you know I have to address this group of veterans and the only place I can do it is at their local chapter meeting in Kingston. I know it’s out of town and I know you wanted to go, but….."

Brenda threw up her hands. "I know, I know. It’s just for one night, and Jaz has been running a fever with the teething thing. He’s crabby and only seems to want me when he doesn’t feel good."

Jax flashed Brenda a wry smile. "Can’t say I blame the little guy. He’s got excellent taste in women already."

"Now….don’t give me that look, Mr. Jacks. Flattery will get you nowhere this time." He held his arms out to her and she reluctantly rose from the chair. "I don’t want you to think that just because you bat those baby blues at me that I’ll just melt into a puddle and agree to anything you want."

She came around the desk to sit in his lap and he pulled her to him, sliding his right hand up her back under hair to grasp the nape of her neck. As she wrapped her wrists around the back of his neck, he pulled her to him with the left hand and really kissed her for the first time in days. Brenda moaned as Jax teased her lips with his tongue before deepening the kiss. Hungers that had been building flared as Jax strained to taste every inch of her mouth. He finally broke the kiss, staring into her brown, passion-glazed eyes. "I’ve missed you too, Brenda. You know this much separation makes it hard for me too, don’t you?"

Brenda smiled at him wickedly. "Really? It makes it hard for you? Just how hard is it?" She reached her hand down towards his lap and slid it under the waistband of his dress trousers, sliding the button open and beginning to lower his zipper.

Jax looked around the office. "Brenda? What do you think you’re doing?"

She began to slide out of his lap onto the floor in front of his chair, pushing it away from the desk slightly. "I’m just going to give you a little attention while you’re working, that’s all." She lowered the zipper all the way, using both hands in a way that made him grip the chair and roll his head back, closing his eyes. "I thought maybe you could work on your speech while I work on you, honey!"

Jax’s breathing was becoming more and more ragged as her head disappeared beneath the desk. Just when he thought he was going to lose his mind in ecstasy, there was a knock at the door of the study. His eyes flew open and he cursed softly. When Louise poked her head inside the door, Jax was just pulling the chair back to the desk and picking up his pencil. "Did you need something, Louise?" he asked in a strangled voice.

"I’m sorry to disturb you, Mr. Jacks, but Ms. Forsythe is here." Before Jax could say another word, Kimberly barged her way into the office.

"I’ve been thinking about that speech, Jasper, and I….." She stopped short, noticing Jax’s red face and labored breathing. "Jasper, are you OK? Is something wrong?"

Jax opened his mouth to speak but no words came out. Just then, Brenda came crawling out from behind the desk on all fours. She knelt up and held up one finger. "See, here it is, honey! I knew I could find that missing contac lens if I just looked long enough!" She made a great show of putting something back into her eye and then looked at Kimberly. "Oh, hi, Kimberly." She got up off the floor, dusting off her hands. "What’s new?"

Kimberly looked at Brenda strangely. "I never knew you wore contac lenses, Brenda." She looked puzzled for a minute, but then shook her head and directed her attention to Jax, effectively treating Brenda like she wasn’t even in the room. "So, Jasper, are you ready to go?"

Jax looked down at his watch. "What are you talking about? It’s only a little bit before 2 o’clock. I don’t have to speak to those folks in Kingston until tonight at 8."

Kimberly put her hands on her hips, causing her jacket to gap open and the blouse she was wearing to pull away from her extended bosom. "You mean that speech isn’t ready yet?" She tapped her foot. "Well, we’ll just have to work on it on the plane."

"What plane? I thought you were driving up there this afternoon and I would take the chopper later tonight."

Kimberly smiled serenely. "Now you see, that’s where all of these dinners and cocktail sessions come in handy. I just happened to place a call to Randy Guthrie of Guthrie Technologies, and he’s more than willing to loan us his private jet to fly to Kingston."

Jax looked skeptical. "What does he want in return?"

"Nothing crucial," Kimberly said in an off-hand manner, pausing to look down at the mail in the chair in front of the desk.

Brenda, who had moved next to Jax behind the desk, leaned down to whisper in his ear. "Or nothing that Miss Kimberly isn’t willing to give away for free." Jax slapped Brenda lightly on the behind, and when she caught his look of displeasure, she silently mouthed "Sorry!"

Kimberly looked back up at Jax. "So, are you packed? We can work on the speech on the plane and get there a few hours early so that you can have dinner with the head of the veterans’ group, Mr. Falstaff."

Jax looked around on his desk. "Uh….yeah….I guess I can do that." Brenda sighed in disappointment as Jax rose. He took her in his arms. "I’m sorry, honey. I promise we’ll have more time after this speech is over. There’s nothing on the calendar then for a few days, what with Thanksgiving coming up and all. I promise we’ll spend some real family time together. OK?" Jax kissed her on top of her head and, gathering his papers into a briefcase, came around the desk. "I’ll just be a few minutes while I grab my suitcase upstairs." Before he left the room, Brenda stopped him.

"Oh, honey, what about today’s mail? It looked like there were some invitations in there for you to speak."

Kimberly cut her off with a wave. "You go on and get your suitcase, Jasper. I’ll take care of these." She looked back at him sweetly. "That IS my job, you know." Jax nodded and left the room.

Kimberly sat down in the other available chair as Brenda sat in Jax’s chair. "I’m really sorry things have been so crazy lately, Brenda," she said in a whiny voice. "But politicians don’t always follow a clock, you know."

Brenda returned the smile. "Neither do teething babies."

Kimberly kept sifting through the envelopes, separating them quickly. After she had a stack of about two dozen set off to one side, she picked them up and deposited them on Jax’s desk in front of Brenda. She glanced down at her watch and then back up with a smile. "Oh, my – look at the time – we’ll never make that flight if we don’t leave right now. But those DO look important….." She rose and re-adjusted her jacket, picking up her briefcase. "Brenda, would you be a DEAR and go through those for me? Just separate them by date…..check Jasper’s calendar and if he already has an engagement, call them and politely decline…..and keep the ones that are possible off in a separate stack." She whirled to leave, as Brenda sat with her mouth hanging open. She stopped when she got to the door, raising one finger in a gesture of something else she forgot. "Oh, and the ones that ARE a possibility …. Would you be a dear and call them and tell them we’ve received their invitation and I’ll be getting back to them shortly? You are an absolute SWEETIE for doing that for me!" She waved a farewell as she breezed out the door.

Brenda sat back in Jax’s chair, slapping her hands on the arm rests in disbelief. As she sat there for a few minutes, James appeared in the door of the study, holding Jo’s hand. He peeked in, and then pushed the door open wider and the two of them came into the room. "Something wrong?"

Jo looked up at him. "Mommy’s got the look."

"What look?" James appeared puzzled.

"The same look Greaty-Grandma gets right before she says the name of a big dam." Jo scampered over to sit in Brenda’s lap. "You wanna say "Hoover" mommy?"

Brenda smiled and combed her fingers through Jo’s hair. "More like Grand Coolie, sweetie." She gave a big sigh. "Did you see Daddy for a kiss before he left with Miss Kimberly?"

Jo nodded, looking serious. "Yeah."

Brenda pulled her closer as James settled back in one of the side chairs, hands folded. "What’s the matter, sweetheart?" Brenda said softly.

"Today is a good-bye day. I don’t think I like good-bye days," Jo said, sticking out her lower lip in a way that reminded Brenda of herself. Brenda hugged her and petted her hair.

"I know, Jo darling. We’re all sad that daddy’s been gone so much lately."

"He hasn’t had dinner with us or played Candy Land with me or ANYTHING!" She pouted. "And now Ted is leaving, too."

"I know, Jo, but Ted has a daddy of his own, and he can’t stay with us forever. We knew that when he and Miss Neera came to stay with us. And besides – Miss Neera says that his daddy was so happy that he was feeling better that he says he can come and spend some time with us over the Christmas holidays. Won’t that be nice?"

Jo shrugged her shoulders. "I guess."

"Hey, there, kiddo!" James interrupted, leaning forward in his chair. "What about me? Don’t I count for anything around here?"

"Aren’t you going with my daddy and Miss Kimberly?" Jo asked, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.

"Nope," James shook his head. "I’m staying here with you and your mommy and your brother this time."

Jo sniffed and tilted her head flirtatiously. "Will you play my favorite game with me?"

"Yep."

"Right now?" Jo bounded off her mother’s lap and into James’ lap so fast he had to catch his breath.

"Well, maybe not right now, but I promise I will later, OK?" Jo nodded enthusiastically.

"I think that sounds like it will work out perfectly since it’s just about your naptime, isn’t it, young lady?" Brenda asked.

"Aww, mommy, do I have to take a nap? Naps are for babies, and I’m not even tired." She rubbed her eyes and James had to stifle a smile.

"Well, why don’t you go off to your room and just lay down on the bed and think about playing your favorite game with James. If you are such a big girl that you don’t need naps anymore, then you can just rest and in a little while I’m come and get you for dinner. OK?

"OK, mommy." She jumped down off James’ lap. "Be sure to get everything ready cause I’ll be back REAL soon!" She ran out of the room and James finally let go with his smile.

"She’s a real pistol, that one," James shook his head. "I pity poor Jax when the boys start coming around. Beauty and brains to match."

Brenda smiled warmly. "Thank you." She tilted her head to the side. "You’re very good with children, you know. Do you have nieces and nephews, or maybe younger brothers or sisters? You never talk about your family."

James folded his hands and after looking down into his lap, gave Brenda the hint of a smile. "That’s because families….." he cleared his throat dramatically, "…..are a hindrance to being a successful operative. Too many emotional attachments to get in the way of clear thinking." And I quote, from the gospel according to Robert Scorpio."

"Yes, but doesn’t Robert Scorpio have a family?"

"Ahhhh, but he’s in a management position now. He’s not out in the field, relying on split-second reflexes to save someone’s life. He can AFFORD to have a family." James smiled down ruefully at his folded hands.

"He said, as he carefully avoided telling me if he has a family or not." Brenda returned his half-smile. "Well, whether you have one or not, thank you for being so nice to Jo. Today’s not an easy day for her."

James’ face grew serious. "Not an easy one for anyone in the family, I take it." He looked at her with a something that Brenda realized was almost compassion.

"No." She fiddled with some of the papers on Jax’s desk, finally beginning to open some of the invitations in nervous energy. She gave a long sigh. "All of these nights away from home are beginning to get to me. I didn’t realize that a political career would cut Jax off from his family this quickly."

"Is it the career cutting him off, or Kimberly?" James asked quietly.

"Good question," Brenda said with grit teeth. "Her little games of spending more and more time with him are beginning to get on my nerves, too." She flipped one of the envelopes into a pile and then looked at him curiously. "So….why aren’t you going with them this time? How come Paul gets this assignment?"

James shrugged his shoulders. "Director Scorpio wanted to talk to Paul in person and since he was in Albany, it was easier for him just to drive to Kingston than to drive all the way here. And it’s a fairly easy assignment for Hobson – Jax sticks to fairly high-profile places. And it’s just one body to cover. He should be able to handle it." He reached out and patted Brenda’s hand. "Don’t worry about it. Jax is perfectly safe with Hobson guarding him."

Brenda snorted as James stood to leave the room. "I’m not worried that Paul won’t be able to protect Jax." She gave James a look and he raised his eyebrows.

"You’re worried who’s going to protect Jax from Kimberly."

She sighed as he left the room. "You’re very perceptive, Mr. Delvecchio." She reached out to take the photo of Jax and the children off of his desk and hug it to her breast.

Kimberly craned her neck to make sure that Jax was still having a drink with Mr. Falstaff of the American Legion while the front desk clerk checked their reservation. He came back to her. "This is all I could find, Ms. Forsythe. I apologize, but the only room we’ve got left in the hotel is a one-bedroom suite. I don’t understand how we could have lost your reservation like that."

She reached out and patted the clerk’s hand, slipping a twenty dollar bill inside. "That’s OK. Just put us down for the suite." She looked back towards the hotel restaurant. "That ought to work out JUST fine."

To be continued…..

Author’s note: I know there will be some readers who will find Jax’s behavior hard to accept – they won’t believe that he could have such a blind spot when it comes to Kimberly’s blatant actions. I’m just writing Jax with the same malady that seemed to afflict all of the males in our office when they came into contact with Kimberly – temporary lack of the ability to think clearly. The women in the office frequently discussed this fact during lunch hour (while sympathizing with me for having to put up with her), and none of us could understand how even the most intelligent male seemed to lose all brain function when Kimberly entered a room. Jax will NOT be unfaithful to Brenda – but that won’t stop Kimberly from making it look like he was.