| Fan Fiction |
by DTLCT
“What?” Ray asked, turning to her.
All the guys stop to wait for Mandy’s next words.
“Jacky is really going to the police station right now?” Mandy asked, eyeing Ray suspiciously.
Ray nods.
“But I thought the cases are already solved.”
Ray shrugs. “How should I know?” He looks around, not meeting her eyes. “Maybe he decides to say goodbye to Joey and Kenneth before he leaves tomorrow.”
“Hmm…”
“What?” His nervous increases as Mandy continues stare at him.
“Nothing.”
“That doesn’t sound like nothing.”
“No, I just thought that Joey and Kenneth are coming later so why would Jacky need to go say goodbye now if he can do it later?”
Ray shrugs his shoulders. “How should I know? Maybe he likes to say those words in private?”
“Hmm…okay then. I’ll go help set up the rest.”
Ray breathes out as soon as Mandy walks away from him.
“You sure know how to lie,” Wallace complimented him, hinting sarcasm in his voice.
“It’s not easy, especially when she looks so alert.”
“Look at it this way. Jacky will explain it later when he brings Jan back to us, right?”
Ray grins. “It’s worth it, right?”
Kevin nods. “Right.”
The guys go back to help the girls unpack stuffs from the car and set up their picnic table. They finish setting up after another 20 minutes. The guys work unusually fast and offer to help the girls that it’s getting quite suspicious, but somehow the girls decide to shrug it off. Kevin and Ray are at the grill right now, so the girls just chip in their part of setting up the table since everything’s brought to the table already.
“This is strange,” Ray said suddenly, sounding almost like Mandy when she suspected the guys earlier. “The grill works just fine. But now it’s…”
The others could see that the flame dies down for some odd reason. The other guys crowd around it to check.
“I wonder what’s taking Jacky so long,” Ray pondered to the others.
“Maybe they got together and decided to ditch us and go to the beach for a long walk or something?” Kevin suggested.
“Hey! That’s something I’m supposed to say. We switched personalities?”
Kevin just laughs without answering.
“But Ray’s right,” Wallace said.
“See? I’m right,” Ray jumped in before Wallace could go on.
“Anyway,” Wallace continued. “Do you think we should call him?”
“No,” Gallen objected. “They might be in the middle of something.”
“Why are you crowding around the grill?” Mandy asked out of nowhere. “That’s supposed to help the fire?”
Ray jumps. “You scared me!”
Mandy gives them all a look. “Are you guys hiding something from us girls?”
“Nothing!”
“No wonder! I was suspecting something before but didn’t say it. Now that you’re all rattled, I guess I’m not paranoid after all. What are you guys up to?”
“We’re probably just preparing a surprise for you girls.”
To make it more believable, Ray smiles innocently at Mandy.
“Ray, knock it off,” Jessica said from the table.
“Don’t believe me?” Ray asked. “Wait until Jacky gets here.”
“No wonder Jacky disappeared without telling us,” Mandy said.
“Yup. That’s it. But of course if we tell you girls, it wouldn’t be a surprise. But now that you girls know there’s surprise already, we won’t say anything further until Jacky gets here.”
“All right then.” She walks away from the guys, mumbling to herself. “Trying to be all secretive.”
“Okay, move out guy,” whispered to the guys. “The girls are onto us. I have to get the grill working again.”
After that, they go back to getting the food ready. When they’re done, they sit down at the table. Another half an hour passed by already. What’s taking Jacky so long? The guys keep looking at their watches that made the girls even more suspicious, thinking it’s not only about a “surprise.” But they decide not to ask for the time being. Wallace is the first one to speak up while they’re eating.
“So…how’s everything at work, everyone?” Wallace asked casually – on the edge of randomness and lameness. He fidgets his fork a bit, not meaning for the question to come out that lame.
“As far as I know, we’ll be starving again in awhile,” Ray replied cooperatively instead of jumping at the opportunity to point out the context of the question.
“Is your project done?” Mandy asked.
Ray shrugs. “In a week or so.”
For some strange reason, Mandy suddenly realizes that the guys – except for Ray and Jessica, Wallace and Cyndi – are all on one side of the table while the girls are on the other. Maybe it’s just a coincidence so she lets it pass.
“What’s taking Jacky so long anyway?” Jessica asked. “Don’t tell me has to go all the way to Beijing to get us our surprise.”
Ray lets out a nervous laugh.
Finally someone asks the question they all have in mind, but they don’t even know the answer themselves or how to answer exactly.
“You should try to go into comedy, hon,” Ray said – another attempt to divert the subject into the zone of plain randomness.
“Whatever,” Jessica said. “Answer me first. Where is Jacky exactly?”
“He’s probably delayed in traffic,” Wallace said quickly.
Ray slaps his forehead. “What if he took ‘the shortcut’?”
Wallace wrinkles his face. “He’s not that dumb.”
“Nervous people tend to do absent-minded things,” Kevin reasoned.
“Why would he be nervous in the first place?” Jessica asked, turning to him.
Ray lets out another nervous laugh. “Maybe he’s afraid he might break or drop or ruin the surprise on the way so he panics and doesn’t pay attention?”
Mandy wrinkles her face. “Ge, that sounds a bit…”
“…lame?” Kevin finished.
“Hey!” Ray cried out, feeling the stab on his back. “I’m trying to help here.”
Wallace laughs. “You’re right. We shouldn’t be laughing at you.”
“That’s better.”
They eat in silence for several more minutes. Then Gallen’s phone rings. The guys all look at Gallen.
“Pick it up, man!” Ray commanded impatiently.
Gallen takes out his cell phone and picks it up. “Hello?”
“It’s Jacky.”
“Well?”
“You know it from my tone.”
Gallen gives the others the sad look.
The other guys let out a sigh while Ray yells out a, “How could it be?!”
“What happened?” Gallen asked into the phone.
“Let’s just say Jan isn’t going to be there with me later,” Jacky said, letting out a sigh.
“Uh…”
“It’s all right. I’ll be there in a bit. Where are you guys exactly?”
“South side of the park. Where the grills are. We changed plans again.”
“All right. See you in a bit.”
They hang up after that.
Gallen puts his cell phone back into his pocket and continues to eat.
“What did he say exactly?” Ray asked anxiously.
“He’ll be here in a bit,” Gallen said.
“What else?”
“Ask him when he gets here.”
Charmaine speaks up for the first time. “By your look, something serious happened, right?”
“Uh…”
“Come on. Tell us.”
Gallen turns to his conspirators for input.
“When Jacky gets here, we’ll tell you,” Wallace said.
They go back to eat in silence. Ray’s the most impatient. It’s only about five minutes later when they spot Jacky walking towards them, but Ray feels like it’s several months later. Ray jumps up and rushes to Jacky.
“Hey, guys!” Jacky greeted them cheerfully. “Guess what I brought back for you guys.” He places the bag in front of everyone.
“Well?” Ray asked, jumping in before Jacky gets further. “Why in the world did it fail?”
“I’ll tell you guys later,” Jacky whispered.
Ray, seeing Jacky’s expression, goes back to his seat.
Jacky walks over and sits down between Wallace and Gallen.
Wallace claps Jacky on the shoulder. “You all lright?”
“Don’t make it sound like I got rejected, okay?”
“You didn’t?” Ray jumped in again. “You look like you were going to a funeral.”
“Ray!” Jessica scolded him.
“It’s true.”
“Will you be quiet?” Kevin said. “Let him talk.”
Everyone turns their attention to Jacky. Although the girls do not know what is going on, but after Jacky’s last comment, they sort of figure out a part of it.
Jacky sighs. “Something came up so I didn’t tell her yet.”
“Like her boyfriend showed up?” Ray suggested.
“Not exactly.”
Jacky begins to tell everyone what happened. Since Ray made it so obvious, there is no point trying to hide it from the girls.
“Maybe it’s not time yet,” Cyndi said after Jacky’s done. “I mean maybe when you go visit her later, you’ll have another chance.”
“That’s right,” Wallace agreed. “Don’t worry.” He claps Jacky on the shoulder again.
“I couldn’t believe you guys hide it from us,” Mandy chided. “We could have helped.”
“Like what?” Ray asked. “Knock that Huxley dude unconscious and drag him out of there so the two lovebirds could be left alone?”
Jacky couldn’t help it but laughs. Leave it to Ray to say such things, he thought. “It’s all right though. Thanks, guys.”
“Hey, don’t mention it,” Wallace said. “We’re friends, remember?”
“I second that,” Ray chimed in.
“Let’s not talk about it anymore,” Mandy suggested, feeling the gloomy mood getting thicker among them all.
“That’s right,” Charmaine agreed. “We’re gathering here to have fun today. Let’s not talk about it anymore.”
They continue to eat and talk randomly.
“Oh yeah, what happened to Kenneth and Joey?” Gallen asked out of nowhere. “I thought they said they were coming.”
“You guys know Detective Meng,” Jacky said in an as a matter of fact tone. “She’s probably occupied with some other cases again. Or maybe…”
“What?!” The others asked anxiously.
Jacky smiles. “She and Ken decide to go to an undisclosed location to meet up.”
“Which Ken?” Mandy asked.
Jacky lowers his soda cup before responding. “Almost forgot. Of course Kai Tai.”
“So you approve of them?”
He takes another quick sip. “What? You guys don’t agree?”
“Since we’re talking about them, want to bet?” Ray asked, his expression mischievous.
“No deal. Kai Tai will win over Kenny.”
“What? How can you be so sure? She’s always with Ken.”
“I’m always hanging around my siblings too.”
“Your point?”
“Hanging around someone too much doesn’t mean anything. Besides, they only have a sibling relationship. At least it’s how Jo thinks. She’s always protective towards him because she doesn’t want me to bully him.”
“Sounds reasonable,” Gallen said.
“I agree with Jacky too,” Wallace said.
“What?” Ray uttered.
“Did anyone forget about what happened in the hospital?”
“Besides from the touching scene between Detective Chu and Jan?”
Wallace suppresses laughter. “Yea. The scene a little after that.”
“The one with Kai Tai bravely races forward to push Detective Meng away from the knife?”
“Hey!” Alice exclaimed out. “I thought he was right behind her. Jacky’s the one who was far away. It makes more sense if Jacky runs.”
“Hey, would you stop interrupting? That’s not the main point.”
Alice gives Ray a look to which Wallace gives her one of his looks also. Then Ray continues.
“How in the world do those people bring weapons into that place so easily anyway?” He asked.
“Remember?” Wallace prompted. “The guards were already knocked out, of course they can do it.”
Then Wallace’s cell phone rings. He uses his right hand to retrieve it from his pocket since his left hand is intertwined with Cyndi’s right hand the moment he sat down at the table. “Hello?”
“We’re not going to be able to make it,” A guy informed him from the other end. “Dad wants us to have a family dinner together. Uncle is coming over too.”
“All right then. Talk to you later, man.” Wallace hangs up and puts his cell phone back into his pocket.
“Well?” Ray asked.
“Vincent and Alyssa won’t be able to make it. Family dinner.”
“Interesting.”
Wallace sees Ray’s look. “What?”
“I don’t know why Detective Chu is still sitting here. Family dinner. Get it?”
Jacky gives Ray a look. “That’s not funny.”
“It’s still an important dinner though,” Wallace noted. “I hope they will be able to end it peacefully though.”
“Oh? What happened?”
“No. At least nothing yet. They invited Jason Zhao over.”
Jacky almost chokes on his soda. He regains himself by coughing several times.
“Exactly my point.”
“That’s their business, right?” Ray reminded them.
Jacky takes his cup up again. “That’s right. The second best thing I heard you say all day today.”
“What was the first?”Mandy asked, puzzled.
“It’s a guy thing, sis,” Ray said in a secretive tone. “Don’t be too nosy.”
“Whatever.”
“It doesn’t matter what it was, right?” Wallace asked. “Let’s cheer to the weather today for cooperating.”
They raise their cups to cheer in agreement to Wallace.
After they’re done with one sip, Ray speaks up.
“My turn. Using soda in place of wine, let’s toast to Detective Chu’s promotion. How about that?”
They cheer again.
“Thanks, guys,” Jacky said, smiling.
“Also, Jacky’s last day with us,” Alice chimed in.
After the next two cheers, which was for their future success and good health, Jessica interferes.
“At this rate, we’ll be full from all these sodas. Let’s eat.”
“Good idea, hon,” Ray agreed. “But how about one last one?”
Jessica looks at him. “What?”
Ray turns on his mischievous look before saying, “To Jacky and Jan.”
Jacky freezes his cup in mid-air. “What?”
“Come on. I mean for future opportunity that would bring you two together.”
“I second that,” Wallace said, smiling also.
Wallace raises his cup to Ray’s – who’s across the table from him. Gallen does the same although he’s a bit far from them. The girls agree as well. They all drink after that without Jacky. Then Jacky smiles, drinking his also. The best thing that happened to him on this case, he thought, knowing this group of people. As he’s thinking all of these, he realizes that Alice’s talking. When he’s paying attention again, he agrees with her last few words.
“…we’d been through so much together already. I think we should still keep in touch. I also think that we should gather together for this Christmas.”
“For the food, right?” Ray asked, smiling. “I’m kidding.”
“That’s a good idea,” Jacky said. “Let’s do that.”
“All right, one last cheer.”
And that is actually the last cheer before they dive in with the remaining food and ice cream Jacky brought earlier, chatting randomly among themselves.
© Friday, September 14th, 2007
Re-posted: October 13th, 2009