EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND
The First Date
A work of fan-fiction by:
sortitout (Samantha: nexisfan@yahoo.com) and urhash (Dan: urhash@hotmail.com)
Story continued from: "Occupational Hazard"
1 - Opening Vignette
"Debra, wait!" Ray Barone shouted uselessly. His wife had already left and there was nothing he could do to explain what she had just seen.
Jodi, Ray's new personal assistant dusted herself off the ground and got up. "What was that all about?"
Ray shook his head gravely. "This is bad. This is very, very, very bad."
"I'm sorry, Ray. I didn't know this would happen. I mean, I thought you were interested in me..."
He looked up at his assistant and sighed. It never occured to him that Jodi would get the wrong impression from his deliberate scheme to manipulate Debra. "I know. I'm sorry, it was all just a huge mistake. I didn't mean to give you the wrong idea."
She nodded quietly.
"Listen, Jodi I'm sorry but I don't think that we can work together anymore," Ray said at last. He glanced at the door in desperation, wondering how far Debra had gotten.
As he began to head out, Jodi called out, "Wait, where are you going?"
"Uhm, don't worry about it. Talk to Mildred on your way out, she'll give you a recommendation--" his voice trailed off as he was already halfway down the hallway.
Jodi pursed her lips and shrugged, now alone in Ray's office. "Damn, just when you think you've got a promotion..."
As Ray peered in through the window frame of his back door, he saw Debra repeatedly bashing in a piece of dough with the roller. Perhaps this isn't the best time, he thought to himself. Oh well, beggars can't be choosy, and I sure as hell have a whole lot of begging to do.
Muttering a few curses under his breath, Ray turned the doorknob and walked in. He almost turned right back around when he saw the glare Debra gave him as she looked up.
"Um.....listen Deb... I know you're upset. But what you saw today--" began Ray.
She gestured with the dough roller. "Yes Ray, I have two eyes, I know what I saw! Now GET OUT!"
"No, no... it wasn't what--"
Debra cut him off sharply. "Don't give me that 'it wasn't what it looked like' cliche crap. What, you think we're in some TV show, Ray? Well I don't want to hear it! Now BEAT IT smash your already flat cheating ass with this roller!"
Ray sighed in frustration. "Okay, okay... I just want you to know--" He stopped short when Debra suddenly started towards him with the dough roller, yelling for him to leave. She didn't stop until the door slammed shut and he was completely out of sight. Slumping down against the kitchen counter, she dropped the roller and slowly curled up into a ball.
Debra had no tears to cry. She rarely chose to express her pain in that manner, as she often masked it with anger and denial...