Chemistry Ch. 03 - Final

She looked over at me. I smiled and nodded to her.

She stood. "George, thank you. You don't know what this means to me. I hope to do as good a job as you have done over the years." She walked over and hugged him. They whispered a few words to each other. Susan glanced at me and then at Jennifer. I again nodded, knowing what was being discussed.

"Jennifer," she said. "We need to backfill my position as VP of Operations. Do you think you are ready for that?"

Jennifer looked even more shocked at yet another big revelation at the dinner. She also looked at me. I gave her a big smile and nodded my approval. She smiled and said to Susan. "Yes, I would be happy to. Thank you."

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More changes happened to the Hogan-Prentis Chemical company. Jennifer had a long conversation with Heather. She knew that Heather had a lot more ideas beyond the fuel and talked her into taking the position of Head of Research. Heather had been properly humbled by the failure of her project. They butted heads a lot but produced a lot of new innovations that enriched the company. Heather stayed in San Francisco at the original Prentis location where the research division for the merged company was located. She has also moved on from me and has been dating a Mathematics professor at Stanford.

My mother moved to Boston and accepted an advisory position at Harvard. Her experience in both business and Chemistry was sought after by the Business, Chemistry, and Chemical Engineering departments.

3 months after the merger was completed, Jennifer and I were married in a wonderful ceremony. Harper was her maid of honor and Jose served as my best man. He and Patricia had married 2 months earlier. We honeymooned by doing a tour of Thailand, Jennifers parents joined us for part of the trip to show us their country. We had 3 wonderful children over the next 5 years.

My mother became sick and before she passed, we announced the Prentis Research Complex at her beloved Harvard. She was very happy knowing that the family name would be forever linked with Harvard and passed away peacefully.

When Susan retired, Jennifer took over as President. The company continued to grow under both of their leaderships. I stayed at UCLA until I retired. Jennifer and I had the George Hogan Research building built at UCLA.

We relaxed in our retirement sitting by the pool admiring the view and watching our grandchildren.

Jennifer still rocks a bathing suit in the hot tub.

Authors Note: Hope you liked the story.

As an aside, I have been talking to other authors, curious about how they approach the writing of their stories and how the stories evolve. If anyone is curious, below is the rough original story idea that I had that led to "Chemistry". I find it interesting after I finish a story to go back to my original notes.

• 2 phd chemistry students in love. Finishing their dissertations. After graduation, she has an idea around my dissertation to create a new synthetic fuel. I see her idea and see where that could be taken further.

• My mother is CEO is a massive chemical company. We take our proposals to her. She is enthusiastic of hers. Less so of mine. 2 years later she has a breakthrough. Mine is taking longer. Goes to file patent. Her assistant comes to me. Sees issues with the patent. Comes to me. I go to her and mother about the patent issue. They ignore me as well. My now fiancé is becoming arrogant like my mother.

• Company announces discovery. fiancé goes on press tour. Asked about relationship with me. Makes comments that sound like me, but also don't.

• Ask mother about it. She downplays it. I'm reading too much into it. Approach fiancé. She says that it was mother's idea to not mention me. Might be credibility issues if discovery from fiancé of CEOs son. Not convinced

• Go to mother. Another delay in my research. Getting on the verge. Delays because there was support that I need from fiancé research that I am not getting from her team. So having to do work workaround. Mother says she will think about it. Over hear call with fiance. Mother is canceling my project. Just funded it to keep me happy while the focus was on fiance.

• I start to collect copies of my stuff. Mother announces that she is cancelling my project. Also reading more items about fiancé that make it sound that she has someone on side. Assistant to Fiance also believes in my research and leaves as well. In fight, mother signs off releasing my research to me. Isn't going to work. Breakup with Fiance since she doesn't support my stand

• Quit. Take research to as competitor. Point out a hole in patent and that my research only needs 4-6 months to complete. Favorable profit negotiation since they thought that if my mother wasn't sold, but then promised I would work for 5 years for them to cover the costs of it doesn't work out.

• Me and my now assistant put our heads down. Almost 24 hours together. Finally make that breakthrough. So excited that we kiss

• Bring to execs. File for patent.big press tour. Me and assistant start dating.

• Sued by mother's company

• After lots of lawsuit. Mother ousted as CEO. Fiancé also ditched due to issues with patent that the tríal showed they were made aware of

• I get married to assistant. She turns out to be very good at reviewing proposals. Eventually prompted to vp research

• So not to have conflict. I accept professor position at university. Company funds research

• Later at conference, run into fiancé. Her and my mother are working for a small chemical company. Mother is VP of something. She notices ring. I confirm that I am married. She says she has an idea, but it wouldn't work at her current company. Asks if I could look at it. I said that I could, but she would need to run it by the companies vp of research. Oh. Here she is.