Family Ties

Part 31

"Why are you so touchy these days?" Kelley asked sitting down next to Raymond with a bowl of ice cream.

"I'm not touchy, that's your imagination talking." He grabbed her spoon to take a bite.

"Hey, get your own!" she moaned, pulling the bowl away from him. "But seriously Ray, you've been kind of off for a while now. Is it Tom?" She carefully prodded.

"Tom? No, he's the perfect gentleman. Mom's already started looking at wedding venues." His grin was back in place.

"That, I can believe. Do you know she still has a reservation for that hotel in Hawaii for our wedding reception? One thing you have to admire about her is her tenacity," she laughed. "But come on Ray, I know when you're off and even Skye has started to notice. What's up?"

"Nothing much. Did I tell you that Jackson showed up at my place the other night? He seemed right pissed the moment he saw Tom, though."

"So why was he there?"

"He came to ask me out for some obscure reason."

"And, are you going to take up his offer?" When she saw his incredulous look, she continued, "When a man that I've missed turns up at my door and asks me out, then you'd bet your ass I'd say yes! So what's your excuse, since it can't be the family or Skye."

"For some reason, he simply pisses me off every time I see him. I mean, he was the moron who ghosted me after I told him what I did for a living," he leaned over, grabbed the spoon of ice cream from Kelley and shoved it into his mouth.

"And," he spoke through a mouthful of ice cream, "He hasn't actually asked me out without getting pissed off himself." Finally swallowing the last of the ice cream, he continued, "That doesn't sound like a healthy start to a relationship to me."

"Why are you guys making things so complicated? It's not rocket science!" She punched him on the shoulder. "You like him, he obviously likes you if he's asking you out, so get with the programme and get together already."

"You make it sound so easy," he smiled at her before throwing his head back onto the couch.

"Oh my god! Are you serious right now?" She sat up straighter. Was he being morose on purpose? "Go up to him, say, I think I like you and would you go on a date with me? It's not that hard Ray."

Before he could answer, Skye came flying into the room, squealing with delight, with Eric following close behind. Both out of breath, they flopped onto the couch.

"What's not so hard?" Eric lifted his head.

"Your brother asking the CEO out." She pulled the ice cream out of Raymond's hands and got up. "It's your turn to talk some sense into him. Come on Skye, let's go make some prank calls to Uncle Eric's friends!" She laughed, motioning for him to follow.

"Do you want me to set his house on fire and make it look like an accident?" Eric sat up on the couch.

"Why do all your solutions always lead to violence?" He asked laughing. "Is that what you guys get up to at the lab when you're not building rockets?"

"I'm giving you options bro'. Don't act like you didn't think about it at least once." His easy grin was back in place. "So, if you don't want him dead, what do you want?"

"Your guess is as good as mine." He let out a slow breath.

"What about that Tom guy?" He changed tack. "You two seemed to be getting very cosy."

"Tom is a nice guy. Good looks, great with children, responsible and great in bed..."

"Whoa, bro'!" Eric stopped him, fingers in his ears. "I didn't ask for that much detail. Have some respect for these virgin ears."

"Piss off you second-rate mechanic!" Raymond threw a pillow at him, to shut him up.

"Mom! Ray's calling me names again!" He wailed loudly over his shoulder, with a grin.

"Raymond, stop calling your brother names!" They heard a muffled shout coming from the back of the house, while Eric's grin widened in delight.

"Tom sounds boring. Ditch him and ask the CEO out, it's not that hard. Stop being a pussy."

"Mom! Eric called me a pussy!" Raymond wailed much louder, barely suppressing his laughter.

"Eric, what did I say about swearing?! Apologise to your brother!" Another shout came from the kitchen this time.

"Seriously Ray, just take a chance. You've got nothing to lose, right?"

"I suppose you're right." He sighed, leaning his head back on the pillows. It all sounded so easy on paper, but every time they were in the same space, something set off a charge, causing one of them to explode.

"Of course I'm right, dimwit," he laughed but immediately stopped when he felt a sharp slap against his head. "Ow! Mom! What was that for?" He moaned, rubbing the back of his head.

"What did I tell you about being nicer to your brother?" She snapped at him.

"He started it! Why am I always to blame?!" He pointed at Raymond who was snickering at him, but stopped when he felt the sting of a slap on his shoulder.

"Ow! Mom, what was that for?"

"For being a smart Alec." She retorted, sitting down. "Now, how are things going with Tom? Jackie was saying that the two of you have been getting along together quite well."

"Of course!" He laughed. "How do your gin ladies know so much?"

"Don't go changing the subject, tell me, how are things with Tom?" She asked with a sweet smile and innocent eyes.

"Tom's a really nice guy," he started

"He is, and he's a doctor! Those are very hard to come by," she added knowingly.

"All he's got is student debt. Trust me, a doctor isn't such a great catch." Eric interrupted his mother.

"What would you know?" She snapped back. "If you had paid more attention at school, maybe then you could also be a doctor!"

"I build and send rockets to space for a living and I've paid off my student debt a long time ago. How is being a doctor better than that?" He asked incredulously.

"Well, maybe Kelley would have married you by now if you were a doctor." Gillie glared at him, watching as he rolled off the couch and onto his feet.

"Ray said Tom was boring and that he was going back to the CEO," was his parting shot.

"Raymond!" Gillie admonished him. "Tom's a very nice boy, from a good family and did I mention he was a doctor?"

"Mom, I know Tom is a nice guy, but why does it feel like an arranged marriage?"

"Don't be silly dear. I only want you to be happy, that's all. But if you're open to an arranged marriage..."

"No Mom, don't even think about it."