Jason left a few minutes earlier than everyone else. Jenny was dragging her feet this morning and it was obvious. I didn’t say anything, but I was sure that she would spill the beans soon. Not only that, Jenny was decked out to the nines in a new business outfit she had bought the other day.

I didn’t need to, Lisa Coles walked through the door saying, “I’m sorry I am late, I wanted to make sure Jason was well on his way. They are having the party at eleven. We need to be there at 10 for the meeting. The governor wanted to make sure we were there and is going to hold the start of the meeting for 30 minutes.”

We were there in plenty of time; Jenny drove at her usual break neck speed. Lisa was going to leave hand grip marks in the upholstery in Jason’s new Suburban. I prayed that Marcy had put plenty of insurance on our executive fleet vehicles. The trip normally took 40 minutes when I drove. Jenny was sitting in her parking spot in 25.

Lisa and I were seated in the visitor and guest’s section of the governor’s administrative building to watch an abbreviated criminal taskforce business meeting. It was a few minutes before the governor and the task members took their seats. Apparently there were a few things going on before the meeting. This public meeting was just for show; there was no real business carried out.

I knew this because Jenny had given me blow by blow accounts of some of the meetings. The important business was done behind closed doors. Sometimes she had come home so frustrated she just had to unload on someone. I always let her unload on me. Then afterwards we would either work ourselves into the ground in the gym or have a marathon sex session. We always liked those best.

At 10:45 the VIPs started to come in. Senators, Delegates, and some I knew to be QA County past and current commissioners. Lisa went to be with Jason. Then began the speeches; it was all the normal retirement starting with an overview of Jason’s life as a public servant and the like. There was a list of all the jobs he had held and all the committees he had served on.

Then there was the list of all the community groups and associations he belonged to and the long list of all the positions he had held in those groups.

Somewhere along the way they started telling all those quirky and embarrassing stories of things that happened to you along the way that you hoped everyone had forgotten about.

There were several about hunting trips that had Lisa squirming in her seat. I was sure Jason would have some explaining to do. Judge Slaughter had the best ones and everyone was in stitches the whole time he was speaking. Jason turned three shades of red at some of them.

They finally started passing out the wall plaques and desk ornaments that most politicians give at these affairs. These were accompanied by more quick speeches.

At 11 the Governor, accompanied by Lisa and Jenny, stood with Jason as he turned in his gavel – the symbol of the chairmanship of the Governors task force. The governor made a great show of reluctantly accepting it and then gave a lengthy speech.

The final paragraph of the speech was the one that caught me off guard:
“Although the gavel changes hands the work of the task force continues on. I place this gavel in capable determined hands once more. I have chosen a proven prosecutor that has led the taskforce to some of its greatest victories in the courtroom. It was by a unanimous decision of the nominating board that Special Prosecutor Jennifer Coles be the next Chairperson of the Governors Criminal Taskforce.”

I never thought Jenny had any chance of being nominated for the chair. I thought the job was super political. I sent a text to the rest of our mates with the news. I wondered what changes this was going to make in our family.

I made my way to Jenny through the crowd of well wishers. Jason and Lisa were beaming like the proud parents that they were. I congratulated Jenny, only to be grasped in a tight hug. As if she had read my thoughts she whispered, “Nothing changes but the pay and I get more help,” then she added “I Love you” before she moved away to the next person seeking a moment of her time.

After the commotion had died down and well wishers had left, the Governor, his aids, the Taskforce and invited guest were walked into a private dining area reserved for official state business.

It was buffet style; steaks were already on the grills, you just had to tell the chef how you wanted them cooked. Crab cakes, salads, sweet potatoes, white potatoes, and all the fixings you could ever want were there. There was even a big table of any desert that you wanted.

We sat the table with the governor. He asked how I made out with the FBI the day after the college demo. We all had a good laugh as I recounted my experience with the Barney clone and the Laurel and Hardy fire department.

After the fancy lunch Jenny gave us a tour of her old office and where her new office would be. She had overcome the shock of the promotion and now had to deal with the reality of having control of the taskforce and responsibility for it and its actions.

At the end of the tour Jenny called the taskforce crew together for the first meeting with her as the new boss.

At 3 Jenny, Jason and the Governor were scheduled to have Jenny’s first news conference with a question and answer session. She was worried but I knew she could handle the pressure with no problems. I felt sure that the media would be on good behavior this go round. All the reporters wanted to have open door access and they would not risk closing it in the first press conference.

I also knew Jenny had stood with Jason during his and she had plenty of experience as prosecutor dealing with the media and knew all the tricks to the trade.

I received a text from my clerk to make sure that I read the log on my desk tonight. There were several things that need my attention and several more that needed my approval. I had left notice at the gym and with Patti that unless it was an emergency not to bother me today.

I drove home so the Cole family could have some family time and conversation.

Edit by Alfmeister