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As the Poole family sat down for dinner that night, the atmosphere was fraught with a peculiar kind of tension that hung over the dinner table like a wet blanket.

Grandma Muffin hadn’t said a word all evening, and neither had Tex, still sore that his trusty secretary and receptionist had deserted him during business hours, not to return.

“Amazing pork chops, Marge,” said Uncle Alec, valiantly trying to break the ice.

“Thanks, Alec. Want some more?”

“Don’t mind if I do,” he said gratefully, and offered his plate for replenishments.

Uncle Alec has always been a good trencherman, and even though Chase had been trying to make him adopt the fitness lifestyle, so far it hadn’t really worked.

“So how is the case, boys?” asked Marge now. “Have you found Grace yet?”

“Not a trace of Grace, I’m afraid,” said Alec. “I’m seriously starting to think Jock was right, and that she ran off with this Fabio guy.”

“Is that the same Grace you were friends with back in high school?” asked Tex now. “The Grace who married Jock Farnsworth?”

“The one and only,” said Marge, suspiciously chipper.

“Your wife’s ex-boyfriend Jock, you mean,” said Gran.

“Ma!” said Alec sharply.

“What? It’s common knowledge that Marge used to date Jock long before there was any mention of Tex.”

Dooley and I, who were lying on the carpet, shared a look of concern. Marge had specifically asked Odelia not to mention that she’d gone out to the Farnsworth house that morning, so as not to make her husband jealous, but she hadn’t told Gran, which she probably should have.

“So did you and Odelia find something at the Farnsworth cottage this morning?” Gran now asked. “I’ll bet Jock was happy to see you, huh? I’ll bet he’s still got the hots for you.”

Tex looked up as if stung.“You went to see Jock Farnsworth this morning?”

“Well, Alicia asked for our help, so…”

“Who’s Alicia? “asked Tex suspiciously.

“She’s Grace and Jock’s daughter,” said Odelia, “and also Dan’s goddaughter. So when her mother went missing she turned first to her father, but he claimed Grace was probably on holiday and had neglected to tell her daughter. Alicia didn’t buy that explanation, so she turned to her godfather for help, and then Dan asked me, and then I asked Mom to make the necessary introductions.”

“So you met Jock,” said Tex, staring down at a big glob of mayonnaise. He’d dabbed his index finger in the glob and was making circular motions for some reason.

“Tex is playing with his food. Marge isn’t going to like that,” said Dooley.

“I think that’s probably the furthest thing from her mind right now,” I said.

“Oh, honey, don’t be upset,” said Marge, placing a hand on her husband’s arm. He jerked it away.

“So did you and Jock have a good time? Reminisce? Talk about the good old days?”

“Oh, Dad, don’t be that way,” said Odelia.

“Yeah, Tex, don’t be an asshole,” said Gran.

But Tex’s face had taken on a mutinous expression. “Thank you all for your concern, but I just lost my appetite.” And with these words he pushed back his chair, got up, and walked off.

“I guess he didn’t like those pork chops,” said Alec, untroubled by the events that had just transpired. He eyed his brother-in-law’s plate. Marge took it and handed it to him.

“Thanks, honey,” said Alec. “Sure he doesn’t want them anymore?”

“Pretty sure,” said Marge.

“Why is Tex behaving like a moron?” asked Gran.

“Oh, Ma, please,” said Marge, and also left the table.

Now it was just Gran, Alec, Chase and Odelia. And Dooley and me under the table.

“He can’t possibly still be jealous after thirty years, can he?” said Gran. “Only an idiot would feel threatened by a boyfriend who dumped Marge three decades ago.”

“Tex has always felt threatened by Jock,” said Uncle Alec. “And why not? Jock is successful, rich and handsome. And Tex always felt he played second fiddle to the guy, and that Marge only picked him because she couldn’t have Jock. So she settled for less.”

“Tex was the rebound guy?” asked Gran.

Alec nodded.“At first I think he was, and it’s always made him feel insecure. Tex has never been Mr. Popular the way Jock was. Jock was the kid all the girls wanted to be with, the kid all the boys wanted to be. And so when Marge got dumped, and hooked up with Tex, he was always looking over his shoulder, afraid Jock would decide to take her back.”

“She would never have done that, would she?” asked Odelia.

“I’m not sure. She took it pretty hard when Jock dumped her for Grace,” said Alec, “especially since Grace held onto him, and eventually married the guy. Marge probably wondered why she hadn’t been able to do that, and what Grace had that she didn’t have. But I say it was all for the best. Tex is ten times the man Jock Farnsworth is, and I’m sure Jock would never have been able to make Marge happy the way Tex has.”

“A pity he doesn’t realize that himself,” said Odelia.

“Yeah, but isn’t that always the way, though?” asked Chase. “The best guys don’t realize their own value?”

“I realize how valuable you are,” said Odelia, smiling at her boyfriend. “And how lucky I am.”