Raven

Chapter 2

Arriving home after lunch with Jax, I drop my keys into the bowl on the shelf by the front door before toeing off my sneakers. Letting out a long, soft sigh, wondering what my life is going to be like once we're living with Kyle and his son on their ranch. Are they going to expect me to help on the ranch with every free minute I have? I don't have a problem helping, I really don't mind help, not that I even have a fucking clue what I'll be doing. I've been a city boy my entire fucking life.

"Raven, is that you?" mama calls from somewhere in the house.

"Yeah, it's me!" I call back, wandering toward the kitchen for a drink of water.

"How was your visit with Jax? Did you tell him we're moving to the ranch in a few weeks?" mama asks as she enters the kitchen, and I turn to face her while leaning my backside against the counter as I take a long drink.

"Yeah, I told him," I mumble, avoiding her happy expression. "He said he'd come and visit as long as you and Kyle are okay with this. He doesn't want to cause any problems by visiting."

Mama is beautiful if I do say so myself, but not in a creepy, perverted way. She's around five feet five inches tall with medium, straight brown hair that reaches her shoulders, and she has dark brown colored eyes. I'm five feet nine inches tall, shaggy, dark brown hair that is 'emo' style, and bright, sky blue eyes, and I've got a lean build.

Mama is silent for several minutes, so I bring my head up to look at her, and she's intently staring at me with a frown etched on her face; "Why would we mind? Jax was your father's work partner, and best friend. We wouldn't deprive you of visits from Jax."

Silently nodding, I chew on my lower lip in frustration at the entire situation for a few seconds before murmuring; "I'll let Jax know the next time we speak."

"Ray, can I ask you a question?" mama quietly asks, crossing her thin arms over her chest with her right eyebrow raised.

Nodding, she asks me the one question I was hoping she wouldn't ask; "Are you upset about everything new that's happening?"

Letting out a loud sigh of frustration, I honestly answer her; "Not mad per-say, but more upset that I wasn't brought into a discussion about all the changes that are being made. I was just told, 'hey, Kyle and I are getting married in a year, we're moving to their home six hours away, and we're gonna change everything and everyone you know'. I wouldn't have fought or argued with you about this, I just wished I would have been talked to about the changes before these were made for me. I get I'm your son, and you make the final decisions, but it still would have been nice to have been talked to about everything before the final choices were made. I want you to be happy, and I'm glad you've found this in Kyle, but it just sucks that everything is being changed so suddenly."

Tears fill my eyes in frustration, and I quickly lower my gaze to the floor so mama doesn't see the few hot tears spilling from my eyes. Damnit, I hate being such a cry-baby over this because I feel I don't have the right to be upset over this if doing everything that's gonna happen makes mama happy. Her happiness is more important than mine. Kyle's the first guy since my daddy that mama's been this happy, and this serious with, so why do I feel like I should have been talked to by her over all of this?

"Raven James St. Cloud, look at me," mama demands in a soft whisper, and I can't help but sniffle as I bring my eyes up to meet her eyes. "I'm sorry for not discussing this with you before changing everything you know in almost an instance. I didn't think about how you'd feel or are feeling over all of this sudden changes."

Shrugging my shoulders as I harshly wipe my face free of the tears with the left shirt sleeve, mumbling; "It's fine, really. I just have to get used to all of what's gonna happen, and how quickly it's gonna happen."

"How do you feel about going to Kyle's ranch this weekend to visit, and you can officially meet his son?" she asks hopefully with a tiny smile, and I just shrug my shoulders in response. "Kyle also said he wants to show us how the ranch works, and take us into town on Saturday for the festival that's happening then."

Giving her a small, fake smile with a fake, 'sounds good!' that seems to make her happy, and I'm glad that worked.

"Great! I'm going to pick you up from school Friday afternoon, and head out," she rambles on, and she's freaking over-the-top excited. "We're gonna stop at a restaurant in the town where Kyle lives, and have dinner with him and Kyler, and then afterwards, follow them to the ranch."

Frowning at her in confusion; "Who is Kyler?"

Mama frowns at me for a second before saying; "Kyler is Kyle's son. I thought I told you his name before?"

"Maybe, I must have forgotten his name," I whisper, not sure if she really did tell me his name or not, but I don't want to make her feel bad if she didn't.

She nods while cheerfully asking me; "What do you want for dinner? I'm thinking we will order for delivery, or go out to eat because I don't really feel like cooking."

"Either is fine with me, mama," I reply, shrugging my shoulders, knowing that I'm not overly hungry, but I'll still eat something to fill my belly a little, and to make her not worry about me.

"Dinner out it is then," she grins, clapping her hands together once in excitement. "Get ready so we can leave because I'm hungry. How about we go to the pizza place you like on Main?"

"Sure, mama, that sounds good to me," I answer, giving her another small, fake smile because I know she suggest the pizza place because she feels guilty, which isn't what I wanted for her.