Sudden Response (EMS 1)

That sent Nathan into a fresh round of laughter.

Oh, she had a strong feeling that she wasn't going to like this. Not one bit.

"Care to explain how I was in the room with the two of you while you broke off your engagement without getting woken up by a woman who never said anything below a shriek?"

Nathan grabbed his chest as tears rolled down his cheeks. He started laughing so hard that he actually fell out of his chair and hit the floor with a loud thud.

"Oh, brother," Alice sighed, taking another large sip of wine.

"How?" she demanded.

Eric gave her his best charming smile. "I made sure you wouldn't wake up."

"How?"

He picked up his fork and started pushing around his food, keeping his gaze off of her. "I, uh,....I may have," he cleared his throat, "had to um, place a pillow over your head just for a little bit there."

She gasped. "You smothered me?"

"Yes!" Nathan somehow managed to say through his uncontrollable laughter.

"You bastard," she breathed.

"Oh, come on! I made sure you were still breathing! You only turned blue once and that was because I was too busy defending you to notice!"

"Oh, gee, I guess that makes it okay then," she said dryly.

Chapter 6

"Thanks a lot, ass**le," Eric said, snatching the cake knife out of Nathan's hands.

"Hey!" Nathan made a grab for it and missed.

Eric glared at his older brother as he made short work of cutting a huge slice of their mother's triple layered double chocolate cake with fudge and peanut butter frosting. He plopped the huge slice of cake in a bowl and tossed the knife behind him into the sink.

Nathan rolled his eyes. "Real mature, dip shit." He made a move to steal Eric's cake only to have his hand slapped away. "Ow! What the hell?"

"What is going on in here?" Alice asked in the same exasperated tone she used when they were teenagers and she caught them smoking. At least she didn't look like she was about to make them smoke an entire carton of cigarettes this time.

"Nothing," both men grumbled.

"Uh huh," Alice said absently as she walked around the counter and grabbed a clean knife out of a drawer. She looked at Nathan and frowned. "Sweetie, shouldn't you be getting Caitlyn a slice of cake?"

"I was trying to," Nathan bit out as he rubbed the back of his hand, scowling at Eric.

Their mother let out a pained sigh as she grabbed several plates. She raised an eyebrow as she glanced at Eric. "I'm assuming you're getting Joe a plate."

Eric gestured towards the large slice of cake with his chin as he scooped out some M & M ice cream.

"Are you getting Camie a slice as well?" she asked, sounding hopeful.

He snorted. "What? And encourage her stalker tendencies?" He shook his head.

Nathan chuckled softly as he looked quickly over his shoulder to make sure the three of them were still alone in the kitchen.

"Seriously, mom, what were you thinking? That woman is frightening," Nathan said, feigning a shudder.

Eric sucked ice cream off his finger. "Thank god, I thought it was just me," he said with a sigh. "Seriously, mom, what the hell were you thinking?"

"I was thinking," she said as she expertly sliced and placed four slices of cake onto small plates, "that it would be nice to see my youngest son settle down and give me some grandchildren before I die."

"Jeez, ma, I'm only thirty. Besides I don't see you getting all desperate about Nathan. He's not married either."

"I don't have to set Nathan up-"

"Something I truly appreciate by the way," Nathan muttered.

"-because he puts himself out there and doesn't have a problem keeping a steady girlfriend," she finished as she began scooping ice cream onto the plates, making sure to give Nathan an extra scoop of chocolate swirl.

"Fine, but you don't do this to Joe either. Only me, why?" he asked as he grabbed two spoons and stabbed them into the large slice of cake.

She waved his comment off like it was nothing. "I'm not worried about Joe. She dates when she wants to. When she's ready to settle down she will."

Eric gaped at her. "How exactly is that different from what I'm doing?"

"Because you, my baby boy, have never had a steady girlfriend." She held up her hand to stop his protests. "Beth doesn't count, sweetie. You dated for maybe a month before you got engaged and then were together for another two weeks and I don't think I heard or saw you treat even her anything other than just a friend. You keep all your relationships casual, sweetie. It's past time you had a serious girlfriend. Then we can work on getting you married off," she said with a hopeful smile.

"I just haven't met anyone that I want to get serious about. Has that occurred to you?' he asked.

She smiled. "That is exactly why I invite woman over so that you have a chance to meet someone."

"Mom," he growled softly. "I meet new people every day."

"It doesn't kill you to meet more people," she said, placing two plates into Nathan's hands.

"Well, maybe he'd be more receptive to your matchmaking if,....gee, I don't know, maybe if they weren't nut jobs and frightening as hell," Nathan said wryly.

Alice gasped. "She's not that bad.....is she?"

Both men stared at her.

She nibbled her lip. "Well, she seemed so nice at the grocery store. We talked a few times and she expressed that she would like to meet a nice guy, so," she shrugged her shoulders, "I thought I'd introduce the two of you." She gave him a sheepish smile.

"I'm touched," Eric said dryly.

She sighed warily. "Here." She thrust one of the plates in his direction. "Bring this to Camie so I can get coffee."

Reluctantly he took it, hoping she didn't think this meant they were engaged. The thought made him inwardly cringe.

Grumbling to himself, he carried the two plates into the living room. He found Camie sitting on the love seat, glaring at him like he'd just forgotten their anniversary or something. Without a word he handed, well, more like thrust, a plate into her hand. He ignored her gasp of outrage and walked over to one of the two large overstuffed grey couches, wondering where the hell Joe was.

It had been a good twenty minutes since she discovered he sort of smothered her with a pillow. You'd think she'd be over it by now. Such a drama queen, he thought as he plopped down on the couch.

"Where'd Joe go?" he asked around a huge spoonful of cake and ice cream.