Author's Note: Thanks for reading and reviewing! Leave a review or suggestion if you want! Greatly appreciated! Enjoy!
"Hey, what are you doing?" Alexis said opening the door to the guest bedroom door. I had just finished making the bed.
"Just getting cleaned up."
"Why?" She asked.
"I have to go back to my apartment sometime." I said with a smirk.
"You don't have to leave you know." She said walking up to me and putting her arms around my neck.
"I have to face reality sometime. Besides I have some business to take care of."
"Business?"
"Funeral arrangements. I don't want my…him to do it."
"I can help you if you want."
"Actually, I'd prefer to do it alone. But, I want to go to dinner with you tonight."
"What kind of dinner?"
"I was thinking fast food, oh, and you'd have to order of the dollar menu." She smacked my chest playfully. "No, like a romantic dinner. Just you and me." I said laughing.
"I'd like that." She said smiling.
We walked down the hallway hand in hand. Kate, Martha, and Castle watched us come down the stairs and walk to the door. I stopped and turned.
"I'll pick you up at eight. Ok?"
"Perfect." She leaned in and kissed me lightly.
We pulled apart quickly when we heard Castle clear his throat.
"I can't wait till I get my dorm room back." She whispered.
"I'll see you tonight." I said smiling. I turned to Castle who was watching us from the barstools. "Thank you Mr. Castle."
He nodded and I left.
I was at a funeral home in the Upper East Side meeting with the director. It was lavish and glamorous. Everything my mother would have wanted. When I had gotten home from the Castle's home, paparazzi were waiting at my doorstep. They also followed me everywhere I had went this morning. Asking questions about if my father was continuing his run for governor or how he was doing. No one had asked how I was doing, no one had gave their condolences to me. It was only about him and I'm sure he loved it.
I had a meeting with the family lawyer for lunch to read my mother's will. Then, the painful day would end blissfully with Alexis at dinner where I was going to take Kate's advice and just say those three simple words.
"Mr. Bracken?" The man asked getting my attention.
"Yes."
"Shall I make the reservation for Sunday?"
"Yes, sir. Thank you."
"Any flower arrangements?"
The rest of the meeting proceeded as such, making minor detail decisions. I shook the man's hand and walked out of the building. As I was walking through the hoards of reporters, my phone rang. I pulled it out of my jacket pocket and answered without looking at the caller.
"Jasper." I said professionally.
"Jasper, where the hell have you been? I have been trying to call you." Ted's voice came over the phone.
"Sorry, Ted, been busy fighting off cameramen all day." I said getting into the town car.
"They just want answers. Listen, Mayor Weldon is addressing the topic this morning on steps of City Hall. I want you over there. Say a few words. Give the people what they want."
"I am not going to put on a show just so you guys can get ahead in the polls. I just lost my mother."
"Just do it. We will be watching." He said hanging up.
"Driver, take me to the City Hall building please."
"Yes, Sir."
We pulled up to the building. Cameras were lined up, a podium with microphones sat on the steps, security held reporters back. I hopped out of the car and buttoned my suit jacket. I walked around the reporters and behind the building.
"Jasper!" Mayor Weldon greeted.
"Mr. Weldon." I said as he pulled me in for a hug.
"I'm sorry for your loss. Your father looked very distraught on his statement to the press yesterday."
Of course he did.
"So am I making a statement?" I asked following him to the front doors where we would walk onto the steps.
"I talked to Ted. He said that I will announce you and then you will make a quick statement and then let major networks and reporters ask a few questions."
"Ok."
He walked out onto the steps and up to the podium.
"Yesterday the people of New York and Bracken family lost a very influential person. An activist, a chairwoman, a wife, and more importantly a mother. Her son is here today, Jasper Bracken." He said stepping to the side.
I walked out. Cameras flashed and people clapped. I stepped up to the podium and cleared my throat.
"Thank you, Mayor Weldon for the kind introduction. Thank you people of New York for the words and support of my family in this time of tragedy." I paused and thought of what to say. "Yesterday afternoon, I was sitting in a classroom listening to my professor lecture us about political science. And I thought to myself, I would give anything to be out of this classroom. And I did get out of that classroom early where I was met by the news of my mother being in a car accident. Later, I learned of her passing. But, now as I think back to that day; yesterday. I would give anything to be in that classroom again." I looked down, my composure was becoming weaker. "Thank you. I'll take questions now." I said trying to speed this up.
Hands shot through the air.
"Yes you?" I said pointing to woman with a pixie cut and glasses.
"Mr. Bracken, is your father ending his run for Governor?"
"I do not know." I said. "Yea, you."
"Tom Clark, CNN. Are there any leads on the man who committed the crime?"
"Not at this time." I looked straight into the eyes of the camera he was standing by. "But, I do hope whoever committed the crime; is found and prosecuted to the fullest extent. Justice will be served."
God, I hope he was watching.