potus } { of dinners out and future plans

[hereditare]

Jason: [which it is, and to make security relax a bit more he will meet her there waiting at the hostess stand]

Laura: [and she will make her way over when she arrives, greeting him with a smile] Lance Corporal.

Jason: [he will smile back because yup, just as beautiful as he remembered] Laura. I think your team has given the place their blessing.

Laura: They have. They even picked our table for us.

Jason: As we've been told. [and he will hold out his arm to Laura as the hostess goes to seat them]

Laura: [and she will take his arm and follow his lead back to the table in question]

Jason: [and he will hold out a chair for her to sit in before sitting himself, and they are given the wine menu] So I meant to ask if you've been here before.

Laura: I think so? [it's ... been a while] For a work dinner, a few years ago. The space seems familiar at least.

Jason: Oh. [so it's not memorable. That's not good]

Laura: [look restaurants change in New York all the time. The chef could have changed since then] I'm sure it'll be great. It's just that I eat out a lot.

Jason: How often?

Laura: ... Most work nights?

Jason: So every night then?

Laura: [a bit of an embarrassed look] I do know how to cook. I just can also be really lazy and they won't let me do my own grocery shopping, because I always have to go during peak hours and it makes it harder to protect me.

Jason: Sounds like you need to invest in a personal assistant to do all of that for you.

Laura: [she laughs] If I could afford one, I would.

Jason: Obviously you need to charge your clients more then.

Laura: I'm not in it for the money. I make enough to support myself and my dining out habit. I would rather make a little less and have the people who need my help able to afford it then be able to pay an assistant.

Jason: That's a good point.

Laura: I thought so. And I feel bad enough that tax dollars are allowing me to live my life in New York rather than DC, so I might as well make the most of it, right?

Jason: Well, you were already here before your mother got elected, right?

Laura: [she nods] I was just getting my practice going when she decided to run for Senate.

Jason: So it's not like you relocated after she became president.

Laura: No. But it did mean that Cora didn't get to go to MIT.

Jason: Cora is your younger sister, correct?

Laura: [she nods] She's getting her Masters at Georgetown.

Jason: But you feel guilty she had to sacrifice where you did not?

Laura: [she shrugs a little] A little bit. She kind of got railroaded into all of this because she was the only child left. I was already in New York, and Derek was already a Marine.

Jason: But that still doesn't make it your fault. Your mother did not have to run for President.

Laura: No, she didn't. But I could have made other things easier on Cora.

Jason: So could have Derek.

Laura: He did. When he was in town, he would fill in for her at political functions so she could do things like study for finals.

Jason: But he reenlisted as well during that time, yes?

Laura: He did.

Jason: So didn't that make it harder on you both in relation to this issue?

Laura: I don't know. I just know that all of this was definitely hard on her.

Jason: But your mother only has two more years in her administration, so it won't be forever.

Laura: It's true. I think she's counting down the days.

Jason: And you?

Laura: [she shrugs] I'll miss having fun at my detail's expense, but it might be nice to have my life to myself again.

Jason: You must enjoy torturing your detail. [laughs]

Laura: [she laughs] They've kept things interesting.

Jason: You will have to find new amusements once they move on.

Laura: It's a big city. I'm sure I'll be able to figure it out.

Jason: I'm sure you will too. And if I happen to become a resident of this city as well, perhaps I can help.

Laura: Are you considering it?

Jason: I think I am.

Laura: So you're starting to like it here, I take it?

Jason: I have. There's a lot more I would like to see but I only got a week this time. But I think I'll be coming back in six months.