"Yes, mom, I told him about my talent," Minerva told her mother over the computer screen using a video conference program that they both had on their computers. "I must say, he took it rather well considering."
"Considering everything we told him," Shonda said and Minerva nodded.
"Exactly," Minerva said.
"So has he proposed yet?" Shonda asked her daughter.
"No, but there's a reason for that," Minerva said. "It has to do with Stephen, his son, as Jason has not yet had a chance to introduce me to him."
"Of course, not with him being away at college right now," Shonda said in understanding.
"They don't communicate much from what I know," Minerva said. "Jason thinks that Stephen is still hurting from his mother's death and he probably is, even though it happened years ago. It's likely that Stephen doesn't want his father to get involved with anyone as it happens all the time."
"Yes, it does," Shonda agreed gravely. "You know the family has never been involved with anyone that was married before much less had a kid."
"I know," Minerva said. "Jason's already said that he wants to marry me, when I brought the subject up, but I need to meet his son first and see if we can come to an understanding."
"So it's possible Stephen might think you're some kind of gold digger, even though Jason isn't rich," Shonda said understanding in her expression.
"No, he's not, but there is a life insurance policy that's worth quite a bit, but if Stephen has someone run a background check on me he'll find out my finances are more than healthy."
"I doubt a 20-year-old has those kinds of connections," Shonda said.
"Probably not," Minerva admitted. "I was just thinking he might have a friend that knows someone that could get that kind of information. A father or a brother, even a cousin that is attached to the police department, as a civilian consultant or even on the force."
"Well, we'll see, I suppose," Shonda said not disagreeing, as you never knew after all. "I'm glad everything is going so well with you and Jason."
"It's going excellently, mom, even if we can't get married right away, it doesn't really matter. Yes, I do want children, but I can also be patient until I meet Stephen. It's not like I can turn Jason. It's not like I have the same problem that all the males in our family do," Minerva said.
"True," Shonda agreed. "I hadn't thought of that, but you're right. Back to Stephen, maybe having a financial statement ready for him, might be the way to go as that will probably alleviate his suspicions right away."
"That's an idea," Minerva mused. "I'll talk to Jason and see what he thinks. I've got to go mom, but we'll talk sometime soon. I'll let you know how things are going with Stephen."
"I'll tell your father, aunt, uncle that Jason took the news pretty well considering," Shonda said.
Minerva nodded knowing that her mother meant about her seer ability, but didn't want to say over the video conferencing program, as just like the portalinks communications could be listened to as they were hardly private.
"Love you. Tell dad I love him too," Minerva told her mother before signing off.
~~~Jason and Minerva~~~
Several months later
Stanford university
Jason's office
There was a knock on the door and Jason looked up. His face lit up when he saw Stephen standing there.
"Stephen what are you doing here son?" Jason said. "Don't you have classes you're missing?"
"This is Thursday dad no classes," Stephen said, as he entered his father's office. "I wanted to come and see you."
"Since when? It's not like we communicate on a regular basis. I don't believe I've talked to you in at least a couple of months," Jason said his expression rather suspicious. "We don't exactly have the closest father/son relationship."
"I know and that's mostly my doing," Stephen said looking rather ashamed. "I was just so hurt when mom died that I kind of withdrew into myself."
"I know you and your mother were close Stephen and I realize that a lot of times one parent is closer to their child than the other. I don't hold it against you," Jason said.
Jason didn't tell his son how he had been hurt at the fact that Stephen didn't call him very much and didn't seem to want to talk to him at all. Even before he'd gone off to college their relationship hadn't exactly been the best.
"I'll do better dad promise," Stephen said. "I know you did your best after mom was gone and that you were mourning her to."
"So how are classes going son are you enjoying the college experience?" Jason asked.
"Everything is going fine and yes, I do enjoy most of my classes," Stephen said.
"There's usually at least one class that a college student doesn't enjoy," Jason said with a reminiscent smile. "I know from students here at Stanford that don't like history or math or chemistry just because they're not as good at them, as they are at other classes. History for example can be boring if a teacher doesn't know how to make it interesting."
"For me it's math, calculus," Stephen grimaced.
"Believe me, I understand, as that wasn't my favorite class either when I was in college. Like father, like son," Jason grinned at his son. "Now, there has to be another reason you come to visit your old father, especially since you have to get back to campus in order to attend your classes tomorrow. You could've come up for the holidays when there were no classes and I would've been happy to see you."
"It's about this woman you've been dating," Stephen finally admitted.
"I figured as much son. I might be old, but I'm not stupid Stephen and I knew you had to have an ulterior motive for visiting someone you hardly ever talk too," Jason told him bluntly. "I know you haven't met her, but I'm sure you'll like her."
"And why would he be interested in you? You're a widower in your 40s. Are you sure she's not there just are steal all your money?" Stephen suggested.
"Stephen you know nothing about her," Jason told his son firmly causing Stephen to look away from his father's eyes, which were suddenly hard. "I knew you would probably be suspicious about Minerva's motives. She has a very successful career of her own, just so you know. She doesn't need my money son.
"Also, I'm not rich Stephen. I make enough to live on certainly and I do have investments, but I am no one anybody would be interested in to try to fleece for the money in my bank account. I'm basically a nobody to people like that son," Jason said.
"You should meet her and form your own judgment, but don't judge her before you even have a chance to talk to her, to get to know her at least a little," Jason added.
"So you said she had a successful career," Stephen said changing the subject.
"She does," Jason said. "She has enough money in the bank that she doesn't need mine. She's a very successful writer she goes by M.A.S Hotchner."
"I believe I've actually read her," Stephen said after a moment looking rather surprised. "She's very good."
"I'd read her to, long before I ever met her in person," Jason said.
"OK, if she's so successful why would she get involved with a 43-year-old man as I'm assuming she's in her late 20s.
"She's actually in her 30s and our age difference isn't that much son. About 10 years more or less," Jason said. "If you dare try to tell me she's too young for me you're going to be disappointed Stephen. You and I might not exactly communicate, but you don't hate me enough to try to break us up, just because of the age difference. You would have to find a honest, genuine reason to tell me in order for me to break up with her and since I know that's not gonna happen..."
"I don't hate you dad I just don't want you taking advantage of by some flimflam artist," Stephen said.
"She's not a flimflam artist son. Do you think I would be fooled so easily? I am far older than you are son and I've seen a thing or two in my time. I might be a old dinosaur, but I am well aware of the way the world works. I know there are plenty of criminals out there that like to attach themselves to people, especially those with money, but I'm a college professor Stephen, not a rockstar or someone famous."
"I know exactly what your problem is," Jason told Stephen after studying his son. "You don't want me to get involved with anyone ever, even though your mother is dead. You just don't want to see me with anyone, except Sarah, even if she makes me happy."
"Can you blame me?" Stephen shot back.
"No, I can't, but don't I deserve to be happy? It's been years since Sarah passed son and I'm still relatively young," Jason said. "I could live to at least 200 years son and do you really want me to remain alone for the next 150 years or so just because you don't want to see me with another woman that is not your mother?"
Jason didn't say that sounded pretty selfish to him, but then, he reminded himself that Stephen was all of 20 now and that was still really young. Minerva had been right on the money about Stephen being young and immature at least in some ways.
Also, he didn't bother to tell Stephen that he would be alive long after he was dead since he was going to become immortal. Stephen would likely never believe that though and since it wasn't his secret to tell he said nothing else
"I hadn't really thought about it that way," Stephen said hanging his head in shame.
"I know you're just looking out for me Stephen and I appreciate it, but at least meet Minerva before you make any judgment calls," Jason said.
"Are you going to marry her dad?" Stephen asked sounding rather subsided.
"I would like to, but that can wait until after you meet her get to know her a little. I want you to be OK with our relationship."
"So long as I'm sure she's not trying to take advantage of you then I'll be OK with it," Stephen said not sounding entirely convincing.
Jason said nothing, but knew that Stephen wasn't entirely sure about Minerva no matter what he said. Hopefully, once Stephen met her he would make peace with him marrying again. He wanted his son to be OK with him going to marry the love of his life. It would hurt him if Stephen never spoke to him again, but he also knew he'd be unhappy, no, make that miserable if he broke up with Minerva, just to make Stephen happy as he loved her, deeply and truly loved her.
Minerva had already said that most mortals who were the mates of immortals didn't have family ties like a wife, even if that was former and children. In fact, he was the first, at least in Minerva's family.
"Don't lie to your father Stephen," Jason told him. "You don't have to be OK with it, but yes, I do intend on marrying her. The only reason I haven't proposed yet, is because she has yet to meet you. I hope that you can stay long enough to at least meet her before you head back to campus."
Stephen wanted to protest that he wasn't lying about liking his father's girlfriend, but his father always knew when he was so he said nothing.
"Yes, I can certainly stay long enough to meet this Minerva you told me about, but then, I really have to get back to campus," Stephen said.
"You should've waited at least until the weekend instead of coming on Thursday, Stephen," Jason told him. "I understand that you were anxious to try to stop me from making what you thought was a mistake, but if there's one thing I know, it's that marrying Minerva is not going to be a mistake. I know you might never be OK with Minerva, because she's not your mother, but Sarah is gone Stephen. She died way too young, but while we can cure many things in this century there are a lot of things we can't. New diseases will pop up every once in awhile no matter how much we have advanced as a society."
Since that was the truth, Stephen nodded. He didn't particularly like the fact that his father was dating, but his dad was also right that his mother was no longer with them. She's been dead for years now and his father had been alone for all that time not even dating, as far as Stephen knew.
Of course his father probably wouldn't mention if he was dating or not unless it was fairly serious like with this Minerva.
Now there was an old fashioned name, but it also might be a family name so Stephen wouldn't judge. It's not like his father's girlfriend could help what her parents had named her.
"So you said your girlfriends name is Minerva Hotchner?" Stephen asked.
"Yes," Jason answered. "Why do you sound so unsure of her last name?"
"You said that she's a writer and I thought she might be using a family name for a pseudonym or something like that," Stephen answered.
"If you're thinking of having someone you know run a background check, don't, as that's an invasion of privacy Stephen," Jason told his son firmly.
"Do you think I would do that dad?" Stephen asked amazed at his father's insight.
"If you thought you were protecting me yes, you would and I know very well that you had a friend years ago whose father was a cop," Jason answered. He sounded amused now Stephen noticed. "You really think I don't know my own son? I know we're not close, but I'm also not totally oblivious. You just want to come up with a legitimate reason that you can tell me so that I'll break up with her not caring of course, if you break us up you'll be breaking both our hearts. Don't try to come between me and Minerva, Stephen."
The warning in his father's voice was obvious to Stephen making him feel deeply ashamed of his momentary impulse.
"Don't force me to choose between you," Jason said. "You can at least come and meet Minerva and have an honest conversation with her instead of checking up on her background, as if she's a criminal."
"I did promise to come and meet her," Stephen said, "so I will."
"Good, I should be able to head home in about an hour if you're willing to wait that long I can introduce you. Or if you want to go meet her on your own that's fine too. I'll just text her and tell her you're coming."
"You don't want me surprising her," Stephen asked with a raised eyebrow. His son's voice sounded very cynical Jason noticed.
"You won't surprise her, Stephen. She knows that you'll probably show up out of the blue just a check up on her," Jason told his son clearly amused. "She's very intelligent and knows a lot about human nature. She knows you're likely resent her at the least, because she's not your mother. She would like the two of you to get along. We've had several conversations about you."
What Jason didn't say was that the woman he loved was at least 300 years old and so was vastly experienced with multiple facets of the human condition.
"I'll go see her and I'll see you when you get home, dad," Stephen decided.
He didn't want his father present for his conversation with this Minerva, so that she wouldn't necessarily watch what she was saying. If he got even the smallest hint that she wasn't what she seemed well he wasn't sure what he would do as his father was a grown-up. He'd figure something out though.
"I'll see you when I get home Stephen, it's good to have you home, even if that's only for a few hours," Jason said.
The two men hugged before Stephen left his father's office.
Once his son was gone, Jason took out his link and sent Minerva a quick text before he went back to grading homework assignments. At least all homework was done electronically now, as that made it much easier to read a students paper. He didn't envy those teachers of the past that had had to grade homework assignments when so many students had bad handwriting.
Jason concentrated on his screen and when it was time to go home he didn't linger in his office like he had used to do before he had met Minerva. He had never wanted to go home to an empty house once Stephen was in college, but now he was eager to get home to make sure his son and the woman he loved hadn't come to blows.
Minerva had come along at exactly the right time and he'd always be grateful.
~~~Jason and Minerva~~~