Senator

Chapter 11

"Hey kid!" Jack said. "Jack? What are you going here?" she replied. "I wanted to ask you for a favor." he replied. "You do know that's what telephones were invented for right?" "Yes, yes I know but I was in the area.  "Alright well, come on in," Natalie said, "so what is this favor you speak of?" "Well, I need to speak in front of some French representatives next week, and I was wondering if you can translate my speech since I don't know a word in French..." he said. "Oh, sure!" she said as he handed her the paper. "Thank you." he said. "I'll drop it off by your office as soon as tomorrow." Natalie said. "Great!" he said. "I forgot to ask, how did your parents take the news?" Natalie asked. "Just as I expected... jumping and toasting and of course my father is planning announcements." Jack replied. "Mm, okay then." Natalie replied.

Natalie translated his speech that evening and headed to his Senate office the next day. She walked through the halls of the building and finally got to his office only to see his secretary working on some paperwork. "I'm afraid the senator has gone to lunch, but you can wait here as long as you'd like." she said. Natalie sat down on the wooden chair. She waited, and waited, and waited some more. She thought this was penance for all the times she made men wait for her. Natalie was about to leave when she heard Jack's infectious laugh. "Hello Jack." she said when she saw a tall blonde leaning on him, with his hands on her hips. "Natalie. What a pleasant surprise! This is Inga Arvad." he said.

She fluttered her fingers, "Fancy meeting you here, Natalie." "Hello, Inga." Natalie replied. Inga too worked at the Boston Gazette. Although worked was a generous term. The editor thought she was pretty and experienced enough to land good interviews. She was also on her third husband which really made her more experienced. "I brought the translations for you." Natalie said and placed them on his desk as Inga-Binga started perusing them. "I owe you, Natalie." Jack said before his secretary pulled his attention away, even though he continued looking over his shoulder at Natalie and Inga.

"Did you know Jack and I dated at the beginning of the war?" she said with an accent. "We're still close. Very close. Yet you two just met... And you did this for him? Why?" Natalie answered, "Oh, you know anything for my husband-to-be." Inga slightly scoffed and said, "I've always thought you were cute, Nattie. Don't take it as an insult. I think you'll make a perfect little wife for an ambitious man like Jack."

"Inga." Jack started to turn red. "I don't think this is a conversation—" Inga touched Jack's lip. "Sooner or later, you're going to need a wife."