Wedding Dates
GOVERNOR AND GIRLFRIEND, IS IT A ACT?
Question have been raised about whether Governor Tancredi and his girlfriend Jane Phillips are really a item at all.
It is no secret that the Governor is polling very far behind his opponent. While his relationship with his daughter is even further behind than his ratings, something middle class voters have not been impressed with.
But the fairytale like relationship with Jane Phillips, who Governor Tancredi met just three months ago has provided a small boost to the Governors election campaign. Critics say the relationship is just a publicity stunt for voters looking for a more wholesome image.
For more turn to page six.....
It had been one week since Micheal and Sara had finished their visit and gone somewhere else. Aldo and Lincoln had gone to their apartment to check they had arrived safely, but they had found the place locked up and no one home.
Aldo and Lincoln returned back to the Governor's mansion very confused until Bruce Bennett, who always made a effort to keep in touch with Sara, had told them that Micheal and Sara were spending the summer with Micheal's foster parents in a quiet Chicago suburb as they both worked through the summer break.
Aldo noticed a bounce in Jane's step as she came down the stairs, "Well someone got laid last night" Lincoln commented then grimaced "Ew, I don't want that idea in my head"
Lincoln saw Jane as a older sister and had been quite vocal in her 'hooking up with a dirty old man' as he termed it, and while Aldo had never said anything about it, he did privately agree with Lincoln on this matter.
Jane rolled her eyes at Lincoln and turned to Aldo as Frank came into the room "We are getting married!" Jane said excitedly jumping up and down. Both Aldo and Lincoln's mouths fell open as they suddenly noticed the ring on her hand.
"We will announce it today" Frank told them in a commanding voice.
"Are you going to tell Sara?" Aldo asked.
Frank shrugged "She wont care" He answered as he walked into the kitchen.
They all looked at each other in shock as Bruce raised his voice to talk to Frank "Sir, if she hears it from a reporter instead of you, she is quite likely to tell that reporter exactly how she feels"
Frank paused as he walked back in with his coffee cup "She would do that to me wouldn't she?" Frank commented after some thought "Alright invite her to dinner tonight, we can hold off on the announcement until tomorrow" Frank looked towards Aldo "I suppose you better invite his son as well"
"I am sure they will both be honoured" Bruce muttered as he walked out of the room.
Micheal and Sara arrived early that evening curious to find out what was happening. Bruce met them at the door "What is going on?" Sara asked him straight away.
Bruce shook his head "I can't tell you your reactions need to be genuine but you better brace yourselves"
At these words Micheal and Sara's curiousity heightened as they followed Bruce through to the living room, where they had time to greet Aldo and Lincoln civilly before the housekeeper announced dinner.
Predictably Micheal noticed something different straight away, he looked to his left and realized Sara had not noticed. Micheal thought carefully through his options before deciding to say something "That is a big ring" He commented a mere couple of seconds after they had entered the dining room.
Sara's eyes widened as she looked at the ring on Jane's finger "That was my mothers" She commented in surprise.
"We are engaged" Frank told them both in a tone not to be argued with.
Micheal raised his eyebrows "When is the big day?" He asked in a strange tone.
"23rd of August" Frank replied as everyone raised their eyebrows at the quickness of the date.
Sara actually giggled "You seriously think that he is not playing you?" She asked Jane.
"That is enough Sara" Frank boomed from the top of the table.
"He played my mother too" Sara continued to Jane "My mother was young enough to fall for it, romance is good for approval ratings"
"Sara that is enough!" Frank shouted before taking a deep breath to calm down.
Aldo was surprised to see that Sara wasn't the only one having a problem with this news, next to her Aldo watched as Micheal's eyes widened before hardening and looking down appearing to be deep in thought. When Micheal looked up again Aldo braced himself "How is it that a older couple like yourselves are considered a fairytale happy ending while even now if Sara and I take the next step we are considered young and stupid even though we have been together ten times longer?" He asked calmly.
Frank's reply was scathing and hurtful "Well we all know that Sara has made some amazingly stupid mistakes in the past"
Jane watched as Sara bowed her head and set her jaw, obviously upset with the reply as was Micheal on her behalf "Sometimes we need to make these mistakes so as we can learn and become better people" Micheal looked at Frank levelly "And some people just keep making the same mistakes over and over again"
Frank bristled at Micheal's insinuation "I have never done anything as stupid as Sara did" He replied angrily.
Micheal raised a eyebrow "And perhaps if Sara had the support of a loving and respectful father then she wouldn't have made the choices that she did" It didn't take a genius to work out that Micheal was struggling to keep his own anger in check.
"I do not need your help to raise my daughter thank you very much" Frank spat.
"Well whether you did a good job or not it is done now and we definitely don't need to put up with this" Micheal stood up and offered Sara his hand.
"Thank you" Sara's gratitude to Micheal was barely audible as the young couple left the room.
Jane's gaze was hard as she looked at Frank "We need to talk" She told him in a icey tone.
"Can we start eating now?" The always hungry Lincoln asked Aldo after Frank and Jane left the room.
"I guess so" Aldo got up and looked out of the window as his oldest son started eating like a starved man. From the dining room window he could see Micheal and Sara in the carpark, it looked like she was sobbing on his shoulder and Aldo wondered what she had done in the past that was upsetting her so much now. Whatever it was, Micheal was obviously willing to stand by her and support her where her own father wasn't.
After the disastrous dinner Bruce called Sara and organised a shopping trip for her and Jane. He also negotiated a unlimited budget for the ladies so after agreeing not to talk about their significant others they found they actually enjoyed each others company. They were also snapped by a news photographer which made Frank happy when it reached the front page.
The wedding was surprisingly low key with only about one hundred guests. The bride and groom only had two attendants each, Jane had Sara and a woman called Aimee from the AntiCompany while Frank had Bruce and his bodyguard Paul Kellerman attending him. Frank had also allowed just one photographer at the wedding and no other press which was lucky as it was impossible to miss the animosity between Frank and Sara.
As Frank and Jane got up for their first dance Paul Kellerman leaned in and asked Sara something which Aldo at the closest table couldn't quite catch, it was hard to miss Sara's reply though "I woulld rather eat glass!"
Aldo realized as he continued to watch Sara that he felt sorry for her, She may be the priviledged only daughter of the Governor of Illinois but years of fatherly neglect had obviously taken its toll on her.
Deciding not to dwell on the similarities between the young couple and their problems with their respective fathers. Aldo watched with a smile as Sara's face lit up when she saw Micheal approach, Aldo chuckled as Micheal bowed and offered her his hand which she accepted gracefully.
The photographer had got tired of the newlyweds and had gone on to photograph some of the guests. Aldo watched as he zeroed in on Micheal and Sara and their obvious chemistry, he frowned as he wondered what the media would make if they found out Micheal was his son.
Later that night Aldo walked around some of the tables on his way back from the bathroom "Aldo! Aldo Burrows!"
He looked around curiously to find a couple around his own age waving for him to come over.
"Hello" he said politely after he navigated towards them "Have we met?"
They both smiled and shook their head "My name is Judy Pope this is my husband Henry" they shook hands politely as Judy continued "We are, were Micheal's foster parents"
Aldo's eyebrows shot up "Can I have a seat?"
They both nodded "There are some things you need to understand about Micheal" Judy told him as he sat down.
"Like what?" Aldo asked curiously.
"Micheal divides his life into two things, what he does and what he doesn't understand" Judy explained "Since he doesn't understand you or your reasons then he doesn't want to know and nothing will convince him otherwise"
"So what can I do?" Aldo asked a little bit distressed.
"He doesn't want to know you but he may want to know Lincoln" Henry Pope explained in a deep voice "And you will just have to build from there"