ODDS OF LOVE : SEASON ELEVEN

Episode 160

Friday March 21 , 2025

Jeremiah felt like he was in that one old movie where someone was experiencing the same day over and over again. He couldn't remember the name but that was his general feeling as he sat once more in the conference room at Norland , Stone and Lowen for a meeting with the senior partners and all the junior partners.

He leaned back in his chair and shrewdly watched the faces of everyone seated at the long imposing table. Especially Claire who just looked way too confident for his own liking. And , Ethan who appeared nervous as well as oddly unhappy about something. Of course Ethan Stone was always a very serious plainspoken man who nobody really knew that well. Well , maybe Richard himself since they went back years to law school. And Claire.

Claire sat in Richard's chair once more and tapped her gold ballpoint pen idly on the table top. " I don't want to take up too much time with this. What I want to do is take an official vote on the removal of Richard Norland as a name partner and a senior partner at the firm on the basis of his being incapacitated due to his memory loss. Yes. He has been important to the firm before but that's the past. This is now. I don't believe the clients will continue to have confidence in our firm under his leadership as managing partner. That could affect the profit margin for us all. " She glanced over at Ethan who sat with his dark blue eyes closed. He looked like he was in pain. " Ethan and I have determined that if the majority vote is for removal we will quite generously give Richard a parting settlement of ten million dollars. With his health issues, the man had  a heart attack not long ago, he will most likely enjoy the prospect of early retirement at forty three. Anyway. No need for discussion. Let's put this to a vote. I vote to remove him. Effective immediately. For the benefit of the firm.  Ethan, how do you vote? " Her last words seemed almost a challenge to the man and Jeremiah thought he saw Ethan flinch slightly in his chair.

Ethan opened his eyes, ran his hand through his salt and pepper hair and sighed deeply. His next words were low and soft but also firm as he spoke them. " I vote that..... that..... he stays at the firm. "Then he shifted his eyes from Claire's cold almost condemning glare.

Claire then turned her attention to everyone else and went down the line of partners. One by one. And, each one voted.

Finally they came to Jeremiah who narrowed his eyes at Claire and said steadily," I vote Richard stays with the firm he created. He made this place. "

Claire curled her lip at him. " Well. It appears of the eleven of us here seven voted for his removal and four voted that he remain. So Richard Norland is no longer a senior partner at the firm of Lowen and Stone. Ethan, I think you should be the one to tell him this. Do it today. "