More Chapter Beats

Chapter Nine: Falling in Love

Okay, some new territory here, I'm definitely departed from the former outline for Chapter Nine.

1. We've got to talk--all night. Pol goes to Aaron's house. Probably surprises him there. She wants to spend time talking to him, but doesn't want to be seen "out" with him. It would be bad for the political image to date an employee. They talk all night, obviously falling completely in love with each other. But there is an unspoken barrier between them that prevents anything more than a passionate kiss.


2. After Aaron drops Pol off at the airport (she has to go back to Washington), he stops to see Mad Aunt Hattie again. This time, she deftly describes to Aaron what it was like to fall in love with her disappearing boyfriend. The story is remarkably the same as what has just happened to Aaron. Hattie tells him that he just has to keep her away from "that church."


3. Pol, in Washington, meets with Alex to discuss Aaron's proposal. (It now has to do with exploiting a division in the coalition between the Steel Mills and the Harbormaster). In the course of the conversation, Pol reveals her feelings for Aaron. Alex is appalled. Tells Pol that she has to cut it off or he'll be forced to take action. This is where he refers to humans as plants. She adds his addiction to human food to her arsenal of arguments. But in the end, she agrees that she has to back off from the relationship.


4. Aaron and Jack. Aaron confesses that he's falling for Pol. Jack suggests a little investigation. Aaron suggests that he start with Uncle Alex.

Well, this is certainly taking a new twist, but it's keeping with the general points of the outline. I'm pretty much through both 9 and 10 in the original, but there are some new things here and the original chapters were pretty weak and unifocused. I think some new things will be brewing there.