Category: Gen
Setting: Pre-series
Characters/Pairings: Eric Green, Gail Green
Rating/Warnings: K+
Summary: In his panic, Eric had forgotten how similar he and Jake sounded over the phone.
Note: In "Rogue River," Eric commented to Jake that he rarely called home while Jake was away because of how similar they sounded. This sprang from that and is set two years after Jake left Jericho.
Disclaimer: Neither Jericho nor its characters belong to me.
Calling Home
Eric ran his hands over his face. The mounds of paperwork in front of him was beginning to hurt his eyes, but it had to be done. He briefly wondered why his dad the mayor couldn't do this—it did pertain to him, after all—but he didn't dwell on that thought long as he knew his father was heading to Topeka the next day on official business. Eric's head shot up at that thought and snapped to clock, cursing as he realized it was five till six. His mom had wanted to have a family dinner before Johnston left. At six.
Knowing he was in trouble, Eric reached for the phone and dialed the number. As he waited for an answer, he mentally went over the paperwork he had left to do. If he skipped the dinner he could be finished by 8:30 and stop in for a beer or two at Mary's before heading home. A smile crossed his face as he thought of Mary.
"Hello?
"Hey, Mom."
"Jake?!"
Eric barely bit back a curse. In his panic over missing dinner he had forgotten how similar he and his screw up of a brother sounded over the phone. The pure hope and joy in his mother's voice—something that had been missing for the past two years along with Jake—cut through him like a knife.
"No, Mom. It's Eric."
"Oh."
Just like that, his mother's voice fell flat, all hope and joy gone. Eric closed his eyes, reminding himself that it was Jake who made his mother this way, not him. She was still happy to hear from him. It was Jake who was the cause. Jake. Not him. Easier thought then accepted.
"When are you coming over, sweetheart?" Gail carried on as if nothing had happened, but the disappointment that it was him and not his brother was evident in her voice. "The food is almost ready."
Eric's shoulders dropped as he prepared himself to disappoint his mother again.
"I'm not going be able to make it tonight, Mom. This paperwork has to be out by tomorrow for Dad's trip and there is still several hours left of work to do."
"Oh Eric." There it was. The utter disappointment. She sighed. "I'll send a plate home with April for you."
"Thanks Mom." He took a deep breath, closing his eyes. "I'll stop by tomorrow after work."
"I'll keep you to that."
"Bye, Mom."
"Bye, Eric."
Eric hung up and leaned his elbows on the table, cradling his face in his hands and rubbing his temple. The disappointment in his mother's voice, the disappointment for him, hurt more then he cared to admit. Leave it to Jake to still be screwing things up even when he wasn't around. Looking back up at the clock, Eric sighed and grabbed his jacket, turning the light on his desk off as he went. He could use that beer now.
