Mac woke up the next morning to someone knocking on his room door. He looked at his watch and it was 8 am. He realized Jo was not in the bed. He had not even known when she got up. He thought he was getting lazy. The knock came again. "Who is it?" he asked.

"It's me, your son."

Mac sat up in bed and yawned. "Well, come in," he said as he put his t-shirt on.

Jason came in and closed the door. "So, are you getting up yet?" he asked.

"Why? Is everyone down there at the table waiting for me?"

"Well, they don't usually eat until everyone is down there."

"Jo didn't wake me up."

"You mean you didn't know when she got up?"

Mac looked at him. "No, I didn't."

Jason put his hands in his pockets and walked over to the window. Mac looked at him. "Okay, Jason," he said. "I know something is bothering you so just tell me what it is."

"I'm sorry I asked you such personal questions yesterday," Jason replied.

"No, I shouldn't have ignored you. Now just tell me what is going on."

"I don't really want to now. It's kinda embarrassing."

"Embarrassing? Why?"

"Because I'm twenty-five years old, almost twenty-six."

"What has that got to do with anything?"

Jason finally looked at Mac. "Well…" He walked over to the door. "I'll talk to you later."

Mac sat there with his mouth open a few moments as Jason went out the door. He thought that was an odd conversation. He got up, got a shower and got dressed and went downstairs. "It's about time," Jo said. "I thought I was gonna have to come up there and drag you out of that bed."

"Sorry," Mac replied. "You didn't wake me up."

Jo kissed him. "You were resting so good, I couldn't."

Mac smiled. "Thanks."

They went into the dining room where Jo's mother was already at the table and Jason was sitting down. "Good morning," Mrs. Danville said. "How did you sleep?"

"Very well, thank you, Ma'am," Mac answered.

"Must you call me 'Ma'am' all the time? Makes me sound like an old woman."

Mac smiled. "I'm sorry, Ma…I mean…"

Jo laughed. "He's a Marine, Mama," she said.

"Oh, yes," Mrs. Danville said. "Well, that is okay then."

Mac looked at Jason who was looking down at his plate. He wondered what had him so depressed. He wondered what happened on that date last night…but this had started before the date. He would have to talk to him after breakfast.

After they ate breakfast, Mac noticed Jason going outside. "Jo, I need to talk to Jason," Mac said. "I would help you with this but I need to talk to him."

"Of course," Jo replied. "Go ahead."

Mac went out the door and saw Jason walking out toward the barn. "Jason!" he called.

Jason looked around and stopped to wait for Mac. "What?" he asked as Mac came over to him.

"Let's take a walk together and talk."

Jason shrugged. "Sure."

Mac frowned as they started walking again. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"It doesn't matter. You don't want to talk about personal stuff."

"Is that what this is about?"

Jason looked at him. "I wanted to talk to you about something but you won't talk about it."

"Sex?"

Jason blew out a breath and walked on. Mac followed him. "Well, if you don't tell me, I sure can't read your mind," Mac said. "I have my limits."

Jason looked at Mac and realized he was sincere. "I'm sorry," Jason said. "I don't think I want to talk about it anymore."

"Why?"

"It's embarrassing, like I said."

"I think this conversation is getting nowhere. We keep getting right back where we started."

"So stop asking me."

Mac scowled at Jason. "Don't talk to me like that," he said. "I'm trying to talk to you and you're being difficult now."

"Difficult? What do you call yourself? You're like a hard-shelled nut and everybody has to pick the good part out because you won't let it go yourself."

"I resent that. Where do you get off talking to me like that?"

Jason stopped and glared at Mac. "You have been the hardest person I have ever tried to get to know," he declared. "You don't want to share your feelings with anyone. I'm surprised Jo got you to share anything with her, let alone sleep with her."

Mac folded his arms. "I can't help it. I've been trying to be more open with you," he said. "It's hard to do that! You didn't grow up with me."

"It's a good thing I didn't! I think it might have been like not even having a father!"

Mac could not believe what he just heard. "You just wait a minute, young man! I had no idea that you existed until three months ago but you are not going to talk to me like that!"

Jason stepped closer to Mac. "What are you going to do about it?" he asked. "I'm an adult!"

Mac glared at him. "Are you challenging me?"

"Yeah! I would like to see you get mad at me just once!"

"You're getting close to that now!"

"Good! Cause I never see any other kind of emotion out of you! I have to almost force you to hug me!"

Mac looked around them. "What!" Jason said. "Are you afraid someone will hear us? Afraid that they'll know we're having an argument?"

Mac stared at him. He got him by the arm and headed for the barn. "Let's go out here," he said.

Jo looked out the window. She had seen that argument. She wondered what it was about but she was sure Mac would not tell her. He would not even tell her what he and Jason had been talking about last night.

Mac and Jason walked into the barn. Mac looked around to make sure no one was in there and then he looked at Jason. "You know what would have happened if I had talked to my father that way?" Mac asked.

"What?" Jason asked as he stared at Mac.

Mac looked into his eyes. "What's wrong with you?" he asked.

"I want you to treat me like your son."

"I thought I was. You're living with me and we talk and everything."

"Sure we do. You know we did not go out to eat together one time during this past three months?"

Mac thought about that. "I'm sorry," he said.

"You were too occupied with Jo even when she wasn't in New York, and now we're down here where she is. You're not going to have any time for me down here. I think I'm going back to Chicago. At least my dad over there has time for me."

"He's been your dad for twenty-five years, Jason! That makes a big difference!"

"How long does it take for someone to get used to something?"

"Do you realize that you remind me of Claire so much sometimes that it hurts?" Mac asked.

"Then why can't you accept me then? I'm part of the woman you loved so much! And part of YOU!"

Mac could see the hurt in Jason's eyes now. "I'm sorry," Mac said. "I didn't know you felt that way."

"That's cause you never ask! You never pay attention! You're caught up in your work."

"My job is important. I have a big responsibility."

"More important than your own son."

Mac frowned. "No, it's not. I guess I didn't know how much you needed me. You're an adult. I guess I didn't think you wanted me to interfere in your life."

"Is that what you call it? Interfering?"

"I guess."

"I call it trying to be part of my life; trying to help me through difficult situations."

Mac sighed. "I'm sorry. I should have remembered that I wanted my dad's advice."

Jason backed up. "You know, I would like if just one time, you would actually hug me instead of me having to hug you every time."

Mac went to the door of the barn and looked out across the pasture. "So I'm a bad father," he said. "What can I do?"

Jason sighed. "I didn't say you were a bad father," he said. He walked over to Mac. "I just want to think that you're proud of me."

"Are you kidding? Of course I'm proud of you."

"I don't feel like that most of the time. I feel like you don't really want me around. You've never had to put up with kids or anything."

Mac looked at him. "I am proud of you, Jason," he said. "You're a good man. You do your job well, you're respectable. What more could I want out of a son?"

"I guess I expected too much. I thought you would be happy to know that you had a son from my mother."

"I 'am'," Mac said. "Don't you understand that?" Mac looked at Jason. "I'm in love with Jo. I can't help if you think I'm ignoring you some of the time but I want to be with her."

"But you stayed at the office most of the time during the last three months."

"I had hard cases to deal with. I have to keep on top of those things, but I guess I could have taken more time to spend time with you."

Jason sat down on a bench inside the barn door. Mac walked over and sat down beside him. "I can't believe you're jealous of Jo," he said.

"I'm not jealous of Jo," Jason informed him. "I just want you to have some time for me too."

"Listen…I promise we'll do something together during these three weeks. It will be just you and me. I won't bring Jo with me."

Jason considered that. "Good. I hope we can spend a whole day together."

"We will."

Mac put his arm around Jason's shoulders and pulled him closer to him. "I do love you, Son," he said. "Even if I don't say it all the time, I am glad you're here. I love watching you investigate crimes and evaluate evidence. It makes me proud and sometimes I want to say 'that's my boy', but I don't want to embarrass you."

Jason smiled and put his arm around Mac. "Thanks, Dad," he said.

"Oh, so you wouldn't want me to say that?"

Jason considered that. "I don't know. You've never said it."

"Okay, the next time I feel like saying it, I will."

"Good."

Mac cleared his throat. "So, how did your date go last night?" he asked.

Jason sat up straighter. "Great," he replied. "She asked me to go out with her tonight too and go to church with her in the morning."

"Oh. Well, I guess she likes you then."

"I like her too." Jason sighed.

Mac looked at him. "What is it?" he asked.

"I don't want to sound stupid."

"What are you talking about?"

"I shouldn't have brought it up." Jason looked at Mac. "We're different and I guess I'll just have to do things my way."

Mac scowled. "I don't know what you mean. I wish you would just tell me what you're talking about. Why would I think it's stupid?"

"Cause, you just would."

"You're my son. I am not going to think you're stupid. Now, who doesn't want to share?"

"I guess we're alike in a lot of ways."

Jason looked at his watch. "I'm going out there to see her in the greenhouse again. She really likes her job."

"I'm sure it is a very good job."

Just then, they heard a car horn and went to the barn door to see a florist van out front. They saw the florist get out with a big bouquet. "Did you send that to Jo?" Jason asked.

"No," Mac replied. "Maybe they ordered some flowers for something."

"Why? They have a greenhouse full."

"So? Maybe they wanted some different ones. I don't know."

Jason looked at his watch again. "I have to get on down there," he said. "I'm going to spend the day with her."

"Well, enjoy yourself."

"I will."

Mac watched Jason leave the barn and then he went to the house. Jo was in the living room. "Who are the flowers for?" Mac asked.

"You," Jo replied.

Mac scowled. "Me?"

"Yes. At first I thought you had sent them to me but they're for you."

"From who?"

"I don't know. I didn't take the card out."

Mac looked at the flowers, remembering the situation he was in when Ella sent him flowers. He took the card off to look at it. Remembering our night together. Mac stared at the card and Jo read it over his shoulder. "What!" she said. "Who is this from?"

Mac looked at Jo. "I don't know," he said.

"What night together?"

"Now wait a minute," Mac said. "I have not spent any nights with any women except you…in a very long time."

Jo folded her arms. "Then who is this from and what is she talking about?"

"I told you I don't know. Maybe Ella found a way to send some flowers."

"How would she know you're here?"

Mac considered that. "How would anyone know I'm here?" he wondered out loud.

Jo knew Mac would not cheat on her. She looked at the card. "Obviously someone is playing a game with you," she said.

Mac sighed. "Not again."

"I hope not again. Not here. How would they know you're here?"

"I don't know but I have not spent any nights with any women."

"I know but someone is wanting it to look like you have."

Mac dropped the card on the table and put his hands on his hips. "I have no clue who this is."

"Has anyone been talking to you?"

"No…well, I did get a friend request on that website where you and Lindsey put my profile up."

"You did? Who?"

"Well, she wouldn't do this but I can't think of who would."

"We'll figure it out later. Right now, I want us to enjoy this day and then go out tonight and have a good time."

Mac nodded. "Me too."

Mac stared at the bouquet. He could not help but wonder who that was from and how they knew he was there…