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Post by Cara Ferrera on Dec 29, 2008 1:07:08 GMT -5
"I try," Cara replied. "It's the only way I can be absolutely sure you eat anymore, since you don't live at home. A mother worries, you know."
His half empty plate did not go unnoticed, and she made no movement to end dinner, hoping that during more conversation, he would actually eat more.
"You could come home more often. You are always welcome here."
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Post by Roland Ferrera on Dec 29, 2008 12:06:48 GMT -5
Roland smiled softly. "I eat, mum. Maybe not always well... but I eat. And I know it's pointless to tell you not to worry about me, but I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself."
To appease her, he ate a little more off of his plate, even though he really wasn't hungry anymore.
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Post by Cara Ferrera on Dec 29, 2008 13:29:37 GMT -5
Cara smiled, but it slowly turned into a sly grin as an idea came to her.
"Roland, you know I want you to come home for Christmas dinner, so please don't forget. I'm even making that potato dish you like so much."
She would start off easy, and then strike.
"And I would like you to invite Riley."
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Post by Roland Ferrera on Dec 29, 2008 13:55:18 GMT -5
Roland had expected the Christmas invitation and had already planned to attend. Although not given to sentimental traditions, he actually did enjoy spending time with his family at the holidays. Not that he would ever admit it. He started to nod in the affirmative and was about to comment on the "famous" potato dish (with lots of cheese and sour cream), when he heard her say that he wanted her to bring Riley along.
Immediately, he stopped and stared at her, wide-eyed. "Wait... what?" he sputtered. "Mum, you're kidding, right? She's my partner, but we're not friends. In fact, we only talked for a few minutes today and it was an argument. Besides, I'm sure she has other plans."
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Post by Cara Ferrera on Dec 29, 2008 18:36:08 GMT -5
"Oh, darling, I know," Cara said, her face looking sympathetic. "But the more you work with her, you'll get to know each other better and learn how to deal with each other and even if you never become friends, she is still your partner. Poor dear is far away from her family, and she probably only plans to work, anyway."
Cara would guilt him into it if she had to, but she honestly thought it would be a good idea. "And anyway, the invitation might make things more hospitable between you. If you don't invite her, I will."
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Post by Roland Ferrera on Dec 29, 2008 19:28:13 GMT -5
And how would she react if he told her that the main reason they had fought was because he had been acting like a jerk? That it was pretty much his own fault that they didn't get along?
He knew how she would react; she would be disappointed in him. There had been many times when he was younger when she'd had to lecture him about his attitude, and his encounter with Riley was an example of that. Looking back on it, he could see more clearly that he had been the one in the wrong. "No... you don't have to. I'll ask her," he said reluctantly. "I can't guarantee she'll say yes, though."
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Post by Cara Ferrera on Dec 29, 2008 20:23:40 GMT -5
Cara continued to smile, a cruel streak showing in her sometimes. She was a loving, caring mother and she would kill to protect her own, but she had some of that same rebeliousness that Roland had.
"Persuade her," Cara suggested sweetly. "Why don't you make it very difficult for her to say no?"
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Post by Roland Ferrera on Dec 29, 2008 21:47:00 GMT -5
Roland looked at her suspiciously for a moment. If she was thinking for even one second about trying to play matchmaker for him, he was not going to be happy. He had just informed her quite plainly that he was not interested in a relationship with anyone, and that he and Riley did not get along. The last thing he needed was for her to start trying to meddle into his nonexistent love life.
"And how do you expect me to do that?" he said.
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Post by Cara Ferrera on Dec 29, 2008 22:44:46 GMT -5
Cara shrugged. "I don't know, darling. Be sweet and charming like I know you can be. She'll never be able to say no."
Cara honestly thought that her son was exaggerating about his dislike of Riley Neves, and given a few more days together, they would be working together marvelously. "Just ask her what she has planned if she says no. If she doesn't have an answer, there you have it. We'd love to have her. Just imagine spending Christmas alone."
Granted, she knew that Riley's family lived far away, but she had no idea if the girl would spend Christmas alone or not.
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Post by Roland Ferrera on Dec 29, 2008 23:10:30 GMT -5
Roland thought himself neither sweet nor charming, and was seriously beginning to wonder if his mother knew him at all. But he sighed. "OK, look... I'll try. But I'm pretty sure she'll just think I'm setting her up for something. And Mum, please... if you're thinking what I think you're thinking, please don't, OK? I don't need you to play matchmaker for me."
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Post by Cara Ferrera on Dec 29, 2008 23:26:13 GMT -5
Cara gave him a shocked, offended look. "I'm honestly offended that's what you think I'm doing Roland."
She sat back and took a long drink from her glass, eyeing her son over the rim of it, and then she set her eyes on her husband, who Roland took after much too much. "Do you think he should invite the girl over?" She raised an eyebrow.
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Post by Mathieu Ferrera on Dec 30, 2008 0:44:07 GMT -5
Mathieu chuckled. He knew Cara was doing exactly what Roland was accusing him of doing. And he didn't blame her. He remembered all too well how he and Cara had fought in the early days of their relationship, and Roland was just as hard-headed as the both of them combined. It was going to take a litttle push or two to get him to lighten up and at least give the woman a chance.
"Yes, I do," Mathieu replied. "Not only is it polite to extend an invitation to someone who lives far away from her family, but I think that, at the very least, it will help your working relationship with her. Just give her a chance."
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Post by Roland Ferrera on Dec 30, 2008 0:48:46 GMT -5
Roland held up his hands in surrender. "OK, OK, you win. If you're both going to gang up on me, I obviously don't have a chance." He smiled slightly. "I'll invite her over, and I won't take no for an answer. Happy now?"
He shook his head and leaned back in his chair. "Really, I'm lucky you two are on my side. If I had to face you in an interrogation, I'm not sure I'd last."
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Post by Cara Ferrera on Dec 30, 2008 4:01:15 GMT -5
"And we weren't even trying all that hard," Cara replied, and she nodded.
"Good, then, it's settled. We're going to have quite a few people over, or at least, I hope they all show up, so even if you do have a disagreement, you won't have to be at her side the entire night... just enough to make sure she doesn't feel uncomfortable."
And just enough to make Roland squirm, she thought to herself. Besides, even if all it did was, like Mathieu suggested, improve their working relationship, wouldn't it be worth it?
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Post by Roland Ferrera on Dec 30, 2008 13:16:07 GMT -5
Roland just looked back and forth between them. Adding Riley into the mix was sure to make things uncomfortable for him at Christmas, and he was reasonably certain that his mother knew that, and had insisted on inviting her just to mess with him. Still, the reasoning made some sense... he just had no idea how to ask her. After their first and only conversation, he couldn't even imagine them having a civil discussion, much less exchanging pleasantries.
"As it is, I'm sort of dreading going to work tomorrow, because I'll have to start working with her," he confessed. "I kind of... wasn't very nice to her. I'm pretty sure she hates me. And who knows what Angelique told her about me."
Normally, Roland didn't really care what others thought of him, but they were going to have to work together no matter what, and a bad first impression could be hard to overcome.
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Post by Cara Ferrera on Jan 2, 2009 2:47:58 GMT -5
Cara sighed and leaned back. "Why were you mean to her?" They had not raised him to be rude to anyone, and she was slightly disappointed in him.
"Roland, I like working alone, too, or, I did before your father and I were married. But that's really no excuse to not work with her. You're both working towards the same goal. I definitely want you to invite her for Christmas now."
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Post by Roland Ferrera on Jan 2, 2009 3:07:23 GMT -5
Roland heard the note of disappointment in her voice, and he sighed. His parents had never really seen that side of him, and he wasn't entirely proud of it. His parents had taught him better than that, and he knew it. But he could be very moody, and so far, Riley had been the victim of one of his moods.
"I already said I'd ask her," he said quietly. "And I'll try to apologize to her tomorrow... I'm just not good at being friendly all the time."
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Post by Cara Ferrera on Jan 4, 2009 23:52:24 GMT -5
Cara shook her head slowly. "No, I don't think it's a problem with being friendly. I think you just have a hard time relating to someone who wants to do things by the book, which is surprising to me. When you're not working, you're always so controlled."
She sighed. "Anyway, you're both working towards the same goal. Just remember that. Is there anything else you want to make a requst for on Christmas?" She asked, adeptly changing the topic to the meal on Christmas.
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Post by Roland Ferrera on Jan 5, 2009 0:50:47 GMT -5
Roland pressed his lips together. As much as he loved his family, he really hated when anyone--even his own parents--tried to probe into his head and figure out what he was thinking. But he didn't say anything, not even to acknowledge whether she was right or wrong.
Luckily, she changed the subject quickly. He managed a small smile. "Well, you know I've always loved that apple crumb cake of yours," he said.
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Post by Cara Ferrera on Jan 6, 2009 22:50:55 GMT -5
"Apple crumb cake it is," Cara replied with a very matronly smile. The woman certainly knew how to bake. "I'm also making pecan pie. It's your father's favorite."
Christmas dinner with ther Ferreras was usually a big event, with enough food to feed an army. Granted, Cara used magic to help her... it would take a month just to make that dinner otherwise.
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