Unintentional Heart's Desire

Like mother like son.

Jason had gone back to the night's event with the intent of putting out the fire he set.

Any bad press that involved him affected the company and he'd readied himself to say just about anything to make it all go away.

Not only were thousands of people's jobs at stake, but the press was inevitably going to start harassing Amy if he didn't end the speculations before they began.

He couldn't keep her away forever if he tried.

But upon returning to the extravagant affair, Jason was far from appalled to see his mother had already taken over the duty of putting out the fire.

She was always great at that; diverting the attention to where she wanted it to be.

Jason cared not to find out what she'd said to the guests and he'd instead headed to his chambers to allow his brain's full functionality to return.

He'd made contact with his most trusted security guard to make sure Amy was looked after until he was able to do that himself.

Seeing her tear-filled face earlier that evening had jolted his heart.

He never wanted to see her go through that ever again, he put that on his life.

"Do you remember when you were 13 and we took you to see Elon Musk for your birthday?"

Mrs. Cooper stood tall in the corner of her son's childhood bedroom as she stared through the window at the guests below.

Jason shut the door behind him after entering and then,

"Mother."
There was much to say to her but he knew he needed to be less... angry before he said something he knew he would regret.

There was nothing his mother wasn't prepared to do and his well-being wasn't the only thing at stake anymore.

"You thought it was the worst birthday ever... I guess they do warn against meeting your heroes.

But I remember something else that day.
I remember the excitement on your little teenage face when we told you about the surprise.

You jumped on my lap and hugged me like you never did before.

I made a promise to myself that day; I was going to protect that dream of yours at all cost... even if it was the last thing I did."

A rare sight of his mother shedding a tear was eminent, but also very much ineffective.

Jason looked back at the woman who raised him and said,

"So that's what you've convinced yourself all of this is? A mother caring for her child?

A mother caring so much about her child she threatens the love of his life?

Is that it Mom?
What's next? Hold your grandkids hostage when they don't finish their meals?"

He'd meant to sound melodramatic but he didn't know if he could even rule that out.

He didn't know the woman who now stood facing him anymore. Perhaps he never did.

"What have you become mother? What is this? What are you doing?