Chapter 32 – Jason

He rolled over in his bed and banged off the alarm clock. It was his first week home from college and his first day of his internship. His ran his hand through his disheveled mess of his hair. Picked up his phone and checked that first. Holding his phone up with one hand and petting Hope with the other. She had taken to sleeping in his room since he had been home.

The last month at Harvard had slowed Jason down quite a bit. After his verbal lashing from his mother the last time he was home, His workload increased and his social life did as well. He had moved on from having the "girl of the month club" to a more serious relationship with Claudia Wilson. They had been dating for two months now but for Jason he felt like she's the one.

The only problem was when he texted Allie the photo of her. She immediately wrote back "Long blonde hair and blue eyes? Dating Mom much? You were always a 'Mama's Boy!'"

He texted Claudia, who was back home in Boston. "Good Morning, gorgeous. What is on your agenda for today?"

He put his phone down, putting on his running clothes and told Hope to "C'mon, Dad's waiting."

Henry met them right outside his door. "You ready, kid?"

"Yeah." They walked out of the residence and met their detail right outside the door.

"Dad's with us today, guys. Hope you can keep up."

The men laughed shaking their heads. All of them were super fit same as Henry and Jason.

When they started out running, the two of them talked. Henry gave Jason reminders that even though he is the President's son, he shouldn't act that way. He would definitely hear criticism of his mother's policies working in the International Law department of one of Washington's largest firms. He needed to learn to listen to it and not defend so brazenly. Or better yet, not defend at all, just turn the other cheek. It was a lesson they had been trying to teach him for years. But, much like his father, Jason was smitten and would always defend his mother.

Once they were well into their run, the chatter stopped and the real exercise began. Making it back to White House they stopped on the porch outside of Elizabeth's office. She opened the door and met them there.

'Good Morning, Jace! Ready for your first day?" Elizabeth smiled but knew to steer clear of both of them.

"Yep, I am just going to run up and shower and they head on over there."

She turned to Henry. "You had the talk?"

"Yes, Mom, I won't get mad and try to defend you all the time. Just some of the time," Jason rolled his eyes.

She checked her watch. "Go! You don't want to be late."

Jason chuckled and teased, "I am the President's son. I can do whatever I want." He looked back over his shoulder as he went through her office to head up to the residence. She rolled her eyes at him. All her children knew when they said that it was her pet peeve.

When he got back he had a text. Opening up the "Good Morning. Wish you here with me" text along with a photo of Claudia lying in bed. He sat down on his bed and sighed. He took a selfie and wrote, "In a few days, you"ll be sleeping in the White House with me."

She wrote back, "Lincoln Bedroom?"

Jason threw his head back, "Rumor is my parents have used it so…NO! Mine will have to do!"

He hopped in the shower. When he got out she had written back, 'I'll go anywhere with you, Jason McCord."

He was brought back to his parents' vow renewal years ago, as much as he loved Claudia he thought to himself, "Maybe I am dating my mother."

It was a brutal few days getting through the beginnings of the internship, it was Friday and Jason could not wait to leave work, pick up Claudia at the airport and bring her home to meet his parents. Tomorrow was Allie's wedding. They would spend a few days after in D.C. and then he had asked his father for the keys to the farmhouse for a few days.

He stepped out of the silverish, gray building onto the K Street sidewalk, his detail led him to the SUV that would take them over to National Airport. Claudia texted him that her flight had landed. "Wheels down. Can't wait to see you!"

It was 4:30. That would give them a few hours to meet his parents and get ready for the rehearsal dinner.

Claudia Wilson grew up in Brookline, Massachusetts. Her mother was a partner at one of Boston's largest law firms while her father spent his days as an orthopedic surgeon at Mass. General Hospital. Claudia, the oldest of four children, was following in her mother's footsteps and going into law, as was Jason's plan. She was beautiful, stylish and graceful but it was her intelligence and humor that attracted Jason the most. He first laid eyes on her in a Constitutional Law class. She wasted no time jumping in to debate a fellow male classmate on the Second Amendment. Jason had been sitting in the third row. When she turned from her front row seat to look at the other student in the fourth row. Jason hadn't paid much attention.

"Massachusetts holds the least amount of gun deaths in the nation. Why? Because of background checks and strict gun laws. It is necessary if we are going to try and stop the blood shed of mass shootings."

Jason sat up and looked at her. As she turned back to face the professor, their eyes met. She immediately looked down knowing she had impressed the son of the President. He could sit in class and pretend to blend in, but everyone knew who he was.

They ended up in a Thursday night study group together. As normal for Jason, he was a bit oblivious to her attraction to him. The group ran late one night. He got up and was packing his backpack when she put her hand on his arm. He felt the connection and stared at her eyes. She felt it too.

"Jason, my friends and I are meeting for drinks in the Square. Do you want to join us?"

He pointed to himself putting his finger on his chest, "Me? You probably don't want to do that." Moving his fingers towards his two agents, "These guys follow me everywhere and besides my parents are urging me not to drink in public anymore."

"Well, then how about we hit Dunkins then for a late night coffee and a walk?"

They walked through a bustling Harvard Square, coffees in hand and backpacks on their backs.

"So what brought you to Harvard? Or is it just a given if you are the President's child?" she asked looking straight ahead and not at him. If she did, she might melt.

He laughed. 'No, I spent my first year at Villanova and the atmosphere just wasn't for me. So, I transferred here." His voice dipped down a bit, "where so so many presidential children have gone before me." He leaned into her and whispered, "Honestly, they also denied my sister entrance to law school so maybe they owed my Mom a favor."

She laughed at his joke and put her hand on his arm again. They talked about their lives having very ambitious and busy parents. Claudia talked about life with three younger brothers. While Jason, talked about living with sisters, one who wanted to change the world and the other who wanted to change the fashion world.

"If you ask me, I question Allie's intentions over Stevie's any day."

Claudia stopped and laughed, 'Wait, clearly you are clueless because I have seen your sister's work. Her clothing line is solid. Clean and classy. I love the ball gowns she makes for your mother."

Jason nudged her shoulder and said, "Play your cards right, maybe you will get to wear one someday."

She smiled at him. A smile that stretched forever. If he could make that happen everyday, he'd be a happy guy.

The door to the SUV opened and there it was. The smile that could launch a thousand ships staring back at him.

"Welcome to D.C." he said as she jumped into the SUV. "Sorry about the entourage. It's always worse when I am home."

"No worries," she said, leaning into him and sharing a quick kiss. "it is so hot."

"You or the weather?" he asked.

"Well played." She laughed as the SUV jolted them back in their seats as it took off for the White House.

Claudia wore a blue and white striped Vineyard Vines dress with white sandals. She had simple diamond earrings in her ears and her hair was pulled up into a messy bun.

They pulled up to the White House. Oscar the butler greeted them at the door.

"Miss Wilson, I am Oscar Jacobs, White House butler."

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Jacobs." She stretched out her long arm to greet him.

He chuckled, "The kids all call me Oscar. You can too."

"Jace, your mother is attending to business. She said for you to head straight up to the residence."

Claudia turned to check on her bags but Jason put his arm on her back moving her to the elevator.

"They have to go through screening. They will bring them right upstairs when they are done." He guided her on to the elevator. Oscar watched them and admired Jason. He had met him so many times as a teenager coming here with his mother. Now, he was all grown up and looking very much a man in his gray suit. So much like his father.

Walking into the residence, they were greeted by Hope, who could not contain her excitement for both Jason and a new human to play with.

The dog followed along consistently trying to lick Claudia's hand as Jason gave her the tour.

They entered the kitchen and Marie greeted them. "You must be hungry from your flight, I made cookies."

"I'm starving," Claudia answered. Jason pulled out a chair for her at the round kitchen table. It didn't go unnoticed by Marie.

He grabbed two glasses from the cabinet and poured them water.

"No milk with your cookies today, Jace?" Marie asked giving him a smile while calling him out.

"Claudia can't have dairy, so…" he began.

"Did I hear cookies?" Elizabeth voice came billowing through the residence.

Claudia looked at Jason her blue eyes wide and they both started to laugh as he shook his head.

"My mother is driven by food." Jason whispered.

"I heard that," Elizabeth said as she came into the kitchen. She immediately went over to the table and introduced herself to Claudia.

"It is so nice to finally meet the person who tamed my wild son," she reached her hand out to Claudia.

"Mom!" Jason was as red as can be.

Claudia laughed and said, "It wasn't too hard, Madam President."

Elizabeth looked back at her and said, "It's Elizabeth and I appreciate all you have done for him."

Jason now looked even more like his father as he had his face in his hands.

Marie laughed. "How are the plans going downstairs?"

"It is absolutely nuts down there. Blake is going to need a week off after this. Did you see those tents? They are massive. I tell you, I am not looking forward to doing table greets tomorrow. Doing the seating chart was long enough." Elizabeth rolled her eyes.

Jason asked, "How long did that take?"

Elizabeth, who was now sitting at the table with the new couple, turned to Marie. "What would you say a week?"

Marie didn't look up from wiping down the counter, "Something like that."

"I'm sure Dad was a big help." Jason laughed.

"Not at all. That is one thing he stays far away from!" she laughed.

"So. Claudia while I have about 10 minutes tell me about yourself." Elizabeth smiled at her.

"I guess I will go with the things Jason may not have told you. I am the oldest of four. I have three brothers, no sisters. So, I am looking forward to meeting Stevie and Alison. I grew up in Brookline so my parents could have an easier commute to work. But, we have a home on the Cape in the summer. I usually spend most of my summer there working at a camp for disabled children."

Elizabeth turned to Jason, "Very nice."

"Do you play sports?"

"I golf. I was on my high school team but I'm not good enough for the Harvard team."

Elizabeth's eyes grew wide. "Really?" She turned to Jason, "Are you going to finally learn how to play?"

Jason smiled at his mother and put up his hand, "Mom, stop."

"Oh we've already been out. Jason might be better than me. He's a natural." She said as Elizabeth sat there with her mouth open.

She turned to her son. Just then Henry walked in. He smiled his million-dollar smile but gave Elizabeth the "something's wrong look."

"Hey Everyone. You must be Claudia. We have heard so many wonderful things about you. I'm Henry." He shook her hand.

"I can say the same Dr. McCord. Jason talks about you all the time." Now a stunned Elizabeth turned to Henry.

"Well, that is good to know." Henry reached down and put his hands on Jason's shoulders. "How was your first day, son?"

"Oh we're ready to talk about me now." Jason said sarcastically.

Everyone laughed.

"It was really good. I learned way more than I thought I should. My supervisor is their partner Martin Geisman. Oh and guess what? Not everybody hates Mom!"

Claudia laughed with the rest of them. Elizabeth watched her and was very impressed by how well she just fit in. She wasn't star struck by Elizabeth. It was nice to not have one of Jason's girlfriends fangirling over her for once.

Henry moved his head towards the doorway giving Elizabeth the sign they needed to talk.

"We are going to let the two of you finish your snack and go get ready for the rehearsal dinner, " Elizabeth followed Henry out of the kitchen and into their bedroom.