no flip of a coin

"Did you do as I told you?" Mannie looked at his nephew who was back in the kitchen with him helping him with some herbs that needed to be drying. He didn't like buying anything off the Internet, but as it was, Ziggy was looking on his netbook.

"Just read my mind, will you." Ziggy gave Mannie a glare.

"But I told you, it was very important that you smooth things over with Alice." Mannie reminded him.

"So. You know..I'm not..made that way." Now Ziggy was sulking. "You can do what ever you want to me, but its not gonna happen."

"But you made contact with her brother. That went well?" Mannie just wanted a conversation.

"What do you think?" Ziggy scowled.

"Stop it, with the dysfunctional teenage angst, will you?" Mannie carefully laid his herbs out to dry.

"What does it matter? You never let me do anything I like. Its either you..you..you or..that family of ours." He snapped his netbook shut.

"All right," Mannie sighed. He couldn't change him. "Just be careful. You will be careful, won't you?" Mannie looked Ziggy over.

"Yes." Ziggy looked up at him as if he'd never ever do anything wrong.

"I do worry about you, you know." Mannie told him.

Ziggy smirked then.

"But I want you to be happy. I'm just not sure, he's the one. If you know, what I mean. I get the distinct impression, he has no idea what you could do to him." Mannie reminded him.

Ziggy only smiled as if he liked the idea of Mannie being on his side.