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Peja's Wonderful World of Makebelieve Import
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Published:
2020-11-05
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The Honeymoon's Over

Summary:

Summary: Ray has a morning ritual that helps he get through the day.

Work Text:


The Honeymoon's Over
by Lopaka Tanu

The sound of pins cracking as a ball barreled in to them made Ray sigh in pleasure. More than half the lanes were full and it wasn't even ten a.m.. This was definitely a good day.

Stepping in to his office, he closed the door behind him. The sounds of the alley were muted almost to the point of non-existence. That was one of the reasons he had opted for the heavy wooden door over the metal that had originally been there.

Walking over to his desk, he jerked the lamp's chain, turning it on. Ray eased himself in to the desk chair with a sigh. For a moment, he sat there in the relative peace and quiet. It was rare these days that he got a moment alone.

Three and six kids under foot, only the first being his, drove him nuts. Sure, he wasn't going to complain. At least, not to anyone who would dare report it. He was already in enough trouble with Ma, thank you very much, Tony. That was one sorry man he was glad to have no dealing with again.

He was just grateful for the business. That and Ma. God help him, but if she hadn't come with Frannie, he'd have sent his sister and her brood packing a while back. Just thinking about them brats made Ray shudder.

Enough of that! Ray had business to attend.

Glancing to his clock, he counted down the ticks. There were eight more until ten in the morning. Leaning towards the desk, he held his hand over the phone.

At precisely ten, it rang.

Grabbing the receiver, Ray cleared his throat. He put it to his ear as he took a quick breath. "Benny?"

"Hello, Ray." Fraser's voice was nervous on the other end. "It is good to hear your voice."

"I feel the same, believe me." Feeling a little nervous, Ray swallowed.

"How are your family?" The Mountie's voice cracked a little on the last word.

This made Ray swallow. "They're good, Fraser, real good."

"I am pleased to hear this, Ray." He didn't sound pleased at all. In fact, it sounded like the thought hurt him. "How are you doing?"

Ray didn't answer right away. He glanced back at his office door as he tried to come up with a suitable response. Eventually, he exhaled in to the receiver. "I'm in good health, can't complain about that."

"No, you most certainly cannot." Fraser sighed. It was obvious something was weighing on his mind.

Not that Ray had to ask, he already knew what the other man wanted to ask. "How goes it there? Still colder than hell?"

"Ray." Fraser's tender admonishment held no hint of true rebuke. "It is indeed extremely cold here. This winter has been more harsh than I have experienced in a long time."

This made Ray smile. Their old banter began to pick up, feeling like a friend in itself. "That's why you should come to Florida. No snow here, ever."

"Technically, that is not true. In the northern parts of the state, there has been marked snow fall in the winter. Just this year, in fact, there was..." The line became muffled.

Concerned, Ray frowned at the phone cradle. "Fraser?"

There was no response.

Pulling the receiver from his ear, Ray stared at it to make sure it was still working. He tapped it twice against his desk before putting it to his ear once more.

Still nothing could be heard over the line.

Ray was about to reach out and hang up when he heard a sudden intake of breath. He recognized that sound immediately. "What happened, Benny?"

"I'm afraid I must hang up now, Ray. A situation has arisen that requires my attention." Fraser half covered the phone, but his voice could still be made out as he spoke to someone else. It wasn't a pleasant conversation. When he returned, he was a little short of breath. "I shall call again."

"Yeah. I'd like that." A thump on the line made Ray jerk the phone away from his ear. As he stared at in confusion, the dial tone started. What the hell was that about? Fraser never let someone interrupt their calls without a damn good reason. They could forget about him being rude.

Fraser not saying goodbye, what was the world coming to?

As he hung up the phone, Ray hoped the person that did it this time got shot. Judging from experience, that was an appropriate punishment. He hardly got to talk to the man as it was. It seemed like something always had to come up during their time. May be it was a sign.

Growling to himself, Ray turned off the desk lamp. He had a business to run. Add to it all those kids underfoot and he was lucky to have any hair left. Exhaling through persed lips, he stood up and headed for the door.

He had made it through another twenty-four hours. Now, he just had to get through this one.

 

 

THE END.............................