| Fan Fiction |
by DTLCT
“You were out somewhere together or you just happened to bump into each other just now?” Wallace asked.
“Of course just now,” Ray said. “I saw him parking.”
“Oh?”
They guys continue their way to the elevators.
“What’s with all the hostility?” Ray asked.
“I’m tired,” Wallace said.
“Talking about that, you do look beat. Ran a marathon?”
“I rather ran one.”
“Old Victor at it again?” Jacky asked.
Wallace nods.
Jacky flashes out his mischievous grin. “I wonder who pulled his tail this time.”
“If I find out, I’m going to…”
“Spin-star kick that person?”
Ray and Wallace turn to Jacky at the same time. “What?!”
“It’s from Street Fighter. Don’t you guys play games?”
“That sounds too girly,” Ray said.
“As long as it works, doesn’t matter.”
Wallace shakes his head as he punches on the “Up” button for the 5th time. What the world is wrong with that elevator?
“Someone decided to sneak around the secret passage again?” Jacky pondered aloud.
“Unlikely that they would use both,” Ray reasoned. “Besides…only the cops and some of us know about the passage, right?”
“Not necessarily.”
Wallace turns to Jacky again. “What do you mean?”
“Do any of you talk in your sleep?”
“How should I know?” Ray asked rhetorically.
“Two ways to know.”
“Which are?”
The elevator to the left finally arrives. About ten people rush out. The guys jump out of the way in time. This scene reminds Ray of the mob-like scene that happened last week. When they finally make it into the elevator, Jacky speaks up.
“As I was saying…” Jacky said.
“Well?!” Ray jumped in. “What are your magic tricks?”
“No magic. Either you set up a camera to film yourself while you sleep or you can ask.”
“What?! You know I don’t have anyone to check on me. Like Kevin would stay up all night and do that.”
“Set up a camera then.”
Ray gives Jacky a look.
“What? I thought we’re just chatting up nonsense anyway.”
“If we’re sure we didn’t tell anyone, maybe it was you who blurted it out.”
“I don’t talk in my sleep.”
“You filmed yourself?”
Jacky smiles. “Getting back at me, huh? No. Jan told me.”
Ray wrinkles his eyebrow. “Why would Jan know? She sleeps with you?”
Wallace snaps his focus to Jacky. But it seems like Jacky doesn’t have an embarrassment and/or nervous bone in his body.
Jacky still has his smile on. “No. We used to share an apartment together, remember?”
Ray still has on mischievous grin. “Share apartment or share room? Both, right?”
Jacky grins. “Nice try…but no.”
Ray turns his mischievous grin into an innocent one. “It’s just a question.”
“Sure.”
“Keeping mysterious?” Wallace asked.
“Got to live up to my title, you know.”
The elevator opens at that time so they get out on the 7th floor.
“You’re hanging out with us?” Ray asked.
“Better than facing Cory right now,” Jacky answered.
“Fed up?” Wallace asked.
“You bet. Suddenly, I feel lucky I don’t have a younger brother and that my sister is actually a good kid.”
“You have a sister?!” Ray and Wallace exclaimed out at the same time, looking at Jacky.
“Oh…I forgot. You guys don’t know.”
“You probably know more about me than I do about you,” Ray reminded him. “In fact, none of us know anything about you. Probably Jan’s the only one that knows everything.”
Jacky smiles. “No. She doesn’t know everything.”
“YET.”
“Whatever.”
“I can’t believe you have to resort to whatever as an answer.”
Wallace looks around before asking. “So…what is the meeting about?”
Jacky wrinkles his eyebrows. “What meeting?”
Wallace looks at Ray.
Ray lets out a nervous chuckle. “Oh. That. Kevin’s going to have dinner with his aunt tonight so it’s a good time to meet and share info.”
“Does that mean your sister’s out too?” Jacky asked.
Ray shakes his head. “Shirley’s coming over.”
“Oh. Third party?”
“No. Family thing. Auntie Yeung’s a tad weird. She doesn’t consider Mandy as a family member yet. At least not until they’re married.”
Jacky raises his right eyebrow. “A tad? Try a lot.”
Gallen’s voice speaks up out of nowhere causing all three to jump.
“What in the world?!” Jacky and Ray exclaimed out at the same time, alarmed.
All three guys turn around to see what’s going on. Since they have stopped awhile ago in front of Ray’s apartment, they’ve been talking without paying attention to whoever comes and goes.
Jacky scans the area more carefully the 2nd time around. “Is he in his apartment?” He looks from Ray to Wallace. “You guys know?”
“We just got back, remember?” Ray reminded him.
Jacky approaches Gallen’s apartment and rings the doorbell. He could hear some rustling sounds from inside. Gallen appears at the door seconds later.
“Hey, guys!” Gallen greeted them. “You’re back?”
“You’ve been home all day?” Jacky asked.
“No. Just got back. Why?”
“Are you bugging the area or something?”
“No. Why?”
“‘Cause I swear I could hear your voice about two minutes ago.”
Gallen looks confused. “Don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Jacky takes a step back from Gallen’s front door. He looks down on the floor surface for a while before his head snaps up again. He grabs his cell phone out from his pants pocket and begins to dial numbers.
“Cory, knock off the bug thing before I call my plan off as well,” Jacky warned as soon as someone picks up.
“What?” Cory asked, confused.
“You didn’t bug the place?”
“Why would I?”
“Never mind then.”
“What are you talking about? What’s going on here?”
“Nothing. Get back to whatever you were doing before.” Jacky hangs up before Cory could ask more. “Strange.”
“What are you mumbling about?” Gallen asked.
“Nothing.”
Ray and Wallace have been waiting silently for Jacky to solve this strange occurrence, but they couldn’t stay quiet anymore. At least for Ray’s case.
“What now?” Ray asked.
Jacky turns to Ray and Wallace. “Maybe we should just ignore it.”
“Are you kidding me? We all jumped on that one and I have to live down the embarrassment?”
Then they hear some sniggering sounds coming from Wallace’s apartment. Wallace turns around to see what’s going on while Ray runs across the hallway to Wallace’s side. Jacky makes his way over also, leaving Gallen standing in front of his apartment looking puzzled.
“Alice, tell me it’s not you,” Wallace said.
Wallace’s apartment door opens at that time. A grinning Alice appears at the door.
“Great or what?” Alice asked them. “I caught three of the sharpest guy in this apartment building off their guards.”
“You’ll be the dumbest kid ever to live at this place if you keep doing this,” Ray threatened.
Alice sticks her tongue out at Ray.
“Alice!” Wallace yelled out.
“Ge! He started it.”
“Where’s the tape?”
“What tape?”
“Stop messing around. Now!”
Alice sees how serious Wallace looks, so she goes back inside and hunts for it.
Wallace turns to the others. “Sorry. I should have known. She has been recording and playing all these sounds and scaring people around the building. Probably she recorded Tim’s voice earlier somehow and just played it back when she heard us from inside.”
Ray wrinkles his eyebrows. “How old is your sister really?”
“She’s never older than me.”
“So true,” Jacky agreed.
“All right, how about that meeting?” Ray asked, turning to the others again.
“I’ll need a shower before I can talk about anything,” Wallace said.
“Not to mention food,” Jacky added.
“All right,” Ray said. “Kevin’s going to come back soon to get ready for the dinner meeting. So see you guys around 7?”
Jacky and Wallace nod. Wallace enters his apartment as Jacky makes his way back to Gallen.
“You’re good for 7?” Jacky asked.
“What are we doing then?” Gallen asked, puzzled.
“Something about the Cheng family affair.”
“If you need me, just holler.”
“Why?”
“Yoyo’s getting closed. I don’t want to face Ray too much. He might know.”
“He will know sooner or later anyway.”
“You’re supporting him?”
“This has nothing to do with whose side I’m on. Ray has the right to know. And I’m not going to help either side after this week. So you’re on your own.”
“Okay. You’re on your own too.”
“Oh, come on.”
“I’m serious. I have this Christmas off. Mr. Cho promised.”
Jacky nods, getting it. “All right then.”
“So good luck with sorting out that thing with Cory.”
“What do you mean good luck? It’s going to wrap up around tonight at midnight. Or sooner.”
“Don’t brag. You won’t be able to back out if everyone knows.”
“Have I ever brag before if I can’t do something?”
Gallen shrugs his shoulders. “You never know.”
“Have some faith in me, will you?”
“All right then. I’ll just wait and see the show?”
“That’s the spirit.”
With that, Jacky steps back so Gallen could close his apartment door. Jacky heads back down the hallway to go the elevators. Bad move, he thought. Gallen shouldn’t have turned down the meeting. It just means that they’re closer than ever. Or is Gallen helping them on purpose? ‘Cause of Yoyo? Jacky smiles, knowing Dr. Mung could have this effect on some people – especially the male population. If he didn’t know her since little, he would have fallen for her traps too.
*****
Charmaine and Mandy weave their way through the crowd and towards the elevators.
Mandy breathes out in relief. “Whoa. What’s going on today? Reminds me of what happened last week when Ray and I were waiting for Wallace.”
“At least we got through unscarred,” Charmaine said.
Mandy smiles. “Is Ray’s sense of humor rubbing off on you too?”
“You mean his lack of one?”
Mandy utters a laugh. “True.”
Mandy’s cell phone rings as soon as they get into the elevator. “Hello?”
“You home yet?” Ray asked.
“Yea. Why?”
“Meeting tonight at 7 in your apartment.”
“Why ours?”
“Because in case Kevin comes back early, we could say we’re visiting you girls instead of having to come up with some other excuses.”
“You’re kidding me, right?”
“No. It’s our only chance before the end of this week. Come on, sis.”
“Hold on.” She turns to Charmaine. “The guys want to meet at our place.”
Charmaine smiles. “Doesn’t matter. We can listen in.”
“Okay,” Mandy said into the phone.
“I heard her,” Ray said.
“Good.”
“What’s with the hostility here?”
“Nothing.”
“We’re helping your boyfriend here, sis. My future bro-in-law, remember?”
“We’re tired from work.”
“Oh. Thought you meant the meeting.”
“Of course not.”
“That’s more like it.”
They hang up after that.
“Well?” Charmaine asked.
“No,” Mandy said. “They’re meeting ‘cause Kevin’s not around.”
“Ekin?”
“Yea.”
Charmaine nods. She doesn’t want to bring up the point that the guys might be too paranoid, but what can she say? The others rely on Jacky way too much. Not that she doesn’t believe him, but it seems a bit ridiculous to rely on Jacky’s instinct for this matter. What if Ekin’s just trying to make up for past mistakes? And that everything else happening right now that caused suspicions might just be a bunch of coincidences? She sighs out and follows Mandy down the hallway as the elevator door opens.
*****
It is around 6:30 P.M. at the local police station when Kenneth walks briskly down the hallway. Just as he’s about to reach for the door handle of the double door ahead, someone calls his name. He turns around to see Joey walking towards him. He breathes out a sigh of relief.
“You look beat,” Joey remarked.
“Of course,” Kenneth said. “I feel like I’m actually doing some heavy duty work instead of just sitting around and chilling.”
Joey wrinkles her eyebrows. “Chilling? Been hanging around Jack too much again?”
Kenneth smiles. “Couldn’t help it.” He reaches for the door handle for real this time and opens it. He lets Joey pass before walking out himself. “How was your day?
Joey smiles.
“What?”
“It sounds kind of funny. I mean how we work in the same area yet you’re still asking me.”
“Since you know who came, I didn’t even get a break in the first place.”
“She’s learning though, right?”
“Too much questions. It makes me think of how in the world did she…”
Kenneth stops himself since he could see someone’s shadow behind them. They both stop and turn around. Who else, but Michelle?
Joey smiles. “Tough day?”
Michelle smiles lightly at Joey and shakes her head.
Joey looks at Kenneth, smiling. “Looks like you’re getting old then.”
“I’m only 27,” Kenneth said defensively.
Joey smiles. “Still…your brain is slowing down.”
“Come on now. It’s the holidays. Give me a break.”
“That’s what Jack would say though.”
“Really?”
“What’s going on? You guys did major bonding earlier or something?”
“Not really. More like I’m beginning to understand the guy better.”
Joey smiles. “Really? That’s interesting. I would think you guys are at odds again since you know his smart-aleck nature.”
Michelle – who has been quiet the whole time and walking with them, speaks up.
“Excuse me, but are you two talking about that guy in black earlier?” Michelle asked.
Joey turns to Michelle who’s walking on her right. “Yes. He’s a cop also, but he’s just visiting.”
“Visiting?”
“Yes. He’s a bit nosy at times, but he’s pretty much harmless so you don’t have to worry about him.”
Michelle nods.
“Where are you going later?” Kenneth asked Joe. “Date or…”
Joey shakes her head and turns her attention back to Kenneth. “I’m going home to take a break before coming back here.”
“Forget it. Brad’s taking over. You might as well take a break.”
“Are you slipping?”
“What do you mean?”
“You seem more relaxed now. In fact, since after you and Jack came back.”
“Let’s just say, we found a solution to my problem.”
Joey becomes serious again. “What happened?”
“Personal matters.”
Joey turns to her right in time to see Michelle get into her car. Kenneth and Joey had parked a bit further down the street. They wave goodbye to her as she pulls out before Joey turns back to Kenneth again.
“Well?” Joey demanded.
“Why are you all nosy now?” Kenneth asked, his curious on. “You got that from Jacky too?”
“Just want to know. We’re friends after all. Not just a team.”
Kenneth smiles again. “All right then. It’s about my sister. She ran away from home with Cory. I didn’t know she was seeing Cory until later when I surprised her one day since I found out where she was.”
“Cory? As in…”
Kenneth nods. “Yes. That Cory.”
“No wonder…”
Kenneth is somewhat glad that Joey thinks the reason why he’s mad at Jacky is because of Cory. He suddenly feels foolish to actually dislike Jacky because of his own feelings for Joey. He’s so lost in his reminiscence that he didn’t realize Joey has been telling him something. He feels a tug on his shirt sleeve.
Kenneth turns to Joey. “What happened?”
“Are you all right?” Joey asked.
Kenneth puts on his reassuring smile. “Yea. Sorry. Was just thinking.”
“No. I was saying it looks like you really solved it because you seemed happier today.”
“We got a good plan. I’m going to use tonight to take care of things before they try something like run away again.”
“Is that why Jack is back?”
“No. His main purpose is actually to see all of his girlfriends.”
Joey has on a surprised look. “Hey! What’s going on? It’s like Jack sprinkled some dust of his personality on you.” She pauses briefly as if to store in all the new facts about Kenneth. “Or is it that you’re happier now that you don’t have to worry about your sister that much anymore?”
“A little of both.”
“All right then. Good luck with your plan. I’ll be waiting by the phone to hear some good news.”
Kenneth smiles. “Now you’re catching the drift.”
Kenneth waits until Joey gets into her car before walking off to his. As Joey starts the car, she feels like this season is getting even more interesting by the minute. Maybe this year it’s a true Christmas after all? She hasn’t had a decent and/or joyful Christmas for years now. She hopes that she’s right this time.
Kenneth waits until Joey pulls out before he does the same and turns right at the next intersection. Time for action, he thought.
*****
It is now 7:30 P.M. at Constant Comfort, which is half an hour later than the guy’s preplanned meeting.
“I don’t know how that could happen,” Ray said. “Are you putting me on?”
“I’m serious,” Wallace said.
“Did a cat go by at that time then?”
“No. It was just the wind. I swear I could sense a cold drift or some sort of breeze behind my back after that.”
“Are you sure it wasn’t the fan?”
“Or is it this?” A voice behind them asked.
Wallace feels a familiar cold breeze – no, more like a chill – behind his back. He jumps. Kevin and Ray laugh. After they calm down again, Ray speaks up first.
“I can’t believe you’re such a chicken, man,” Ray said, still laughing.
“Very funny, guys,” Wallace said before turning around. “You too?”
Yes, Jacky. Who else could play such a prank?
Jacky smiles. “Looks like you’re a poor story-teller. Can’t believe you would jump at such thing.”
“I’m serious, guys,” Wallace said.
Then they heard a howling sound at that time. Kevin and Ray look around the room, trying to detect what’s going on. Jacky walks around the place, his radar at full alert. Wallace just stands there.
“All right, what now?” Kevin asked.
“Someone testing their sound effects for Halloween?” Ray asked. “I swear it’s too late for that.”
“Alice!” Wallace yelled out.
Yes, Alice – again.
Alice walks out behind the sofa, smiling.
Ray walks towards her. “How did you get in here?”
“You guys were too busy paying attention to Wallace’s story,” Alice said.
“Whatever. Guy talk, girls out.” He points at the front door.
Alice crosses her arms. “What are you talking about? You’re in Charm and Mandy’s apartment here.”
“I’m sorry then. I stand corrected. Grown ups only, kids keep out.” He points at the door again.
“You’re ungrateful!”
“Alice!” Wallace warned again.
“Ge!”
“Don’t say he started this one. What’s going on with you lately? Doing all these weird pranks.”
Alice doesn’t answer, but just turns and stomps out the door.
The guys resume their conversation after that.
Ray turns back to Wallace. “What’s with your sister lately?”
“I have no idea.”
“You’re her brother here. I thought you’re your sister’s slave. How come you don’t know?”
“I don’t know why. But she has been playing pranks on people lately with sound effects.”
“Does she want to run away with someone too?” Jacky asked.
“You mean someone would actually like her?” Ray asked.
“Don’t be so harsh on her. Maybe something’s wrong for real.”
“She could tell me, whatever it is,” Wallace said.
“Spoken like a true brother, aren’t you?” Ray mocked.
“What if…” Kevin began.
Ray cuts him off. “You don’t have a say in this, buddy.” He puts a hand on Kevin’s shoulder. “Since you don’t have a little sister, you don’t know.”
Kevin eyes Jacky. “And he does?”
“I forgot to tell you, but yes…he does.”
“You do?!” Kevin exclaimed, still looking at Jacky with wide eyes.
“What’s there to be surprised about?” Jacky asked back.
“No…just that…”
“I didn’t tell you guys, it doesn’t mean I don’t have any family, you know.”
“I…I didn’t mean it in that way.”
“Forget it, man,” Ray interfered – which is rare for Ray. “He’s just messing with you.” He looks around casually. “By the way, aren’t you supposed to go to that dinner with your aunt?”
“Shirley’s not here yet. I don’t have to go now. What happened to Charm and Mandy though?”
Ray shrugs his shoulders. “Who knows? They said they want to go grocery shopping. Maybe we’re doing a party of our own since we’re not invited to yours?”
“What’s that supposed to mean? You guys know I don’t have control over this.”
“Sure…”
Kevin looks at Ray.
“All right, all right. I’m just kidding. Go enjoy with your aunt and your...cousin.”
Wallace folds his arms together. “Why do I sense there’s some jealousy going on here?”
“You’re not imagining it, I sense it too,” Jacky chimed in.
Ray looks at Jacky and Wallace, annoyed. “Very funny.”
“If you take a closer look at it, you’ll think so too.”
Wallace slaps Jacky a high five.
“How old are we all here?” Ray asked, still annoyed.
“As old as we want to be,” Jacky replied causally.
Wallace slaps Jacky another high five.
Kevin looks at his watch. “I think I better go.”
Ray slaps Kevin’s shoulder. “I think so too. Don’t want to keep your family waiting.”
Kevin gives Ray a look before turning to leave. Ray follows him out to make sure he’s leaving. Jacky and Wallace stand there to wait for Ray to report back.
Their meeting has to be delayed because Kevin kept sticking around with them. Ray and Wallace have been making stories and stalling for time, trying to get Kevin out of the apartment since the last half hour.
Two minutes later, Ray dashes into the apartment and closes the door behind him before rushing back to the living room. Jacky and Wallace have sat down already.
“Phew!” Ray said, sounding relief. “That was close.”
Jacky raises an eyebrow. “What happened? You had to battle a wolf or two to get back here?”
“Very funny. No. Let’s get started.”
“Hold on, let me call Kenny back.”
Ray and Wallace wait in silence while Jacky dials Kenneth’s number.
Kenneth was actually supposed to be here already, but because Kevin’s still around, Jacky told Kenneth to drive around some more.
Fifteen minutes later, Kenneth arrives. Ray opens the door for him. Charmaine and Mandy also come back about five minutes after that.
“Okay, everyone,” Ray said, he finally sitting down. “From here on out, no one leaves the room until I say so.”
“And we have to listen to you because?” Jacky asked.
“Because I said so.”
Jacky lets out a chuckle. “All right. Whatever.”
“Come on,” Mandy interfered. “Let’s get going before Kevin comes back.”
“I’ll bet you he wouldn’t be able to get out of that dinner until ten tonight,” Ray said in an as a matter of fact tone.
Ray’s mischievous smile makes Mandy nervous.
“Don’t worry though. He won’t be harm.”
“What are we talking about anyway?” Kenneth asked.
Ray turns to Kenneth. “I’m going to tell you the short version.” He clears his throat loudly though no one’s speaking at the moment. “Kevin’s brother, Ekin, is back. He wants to ‘mend things again’ or so he puts. But Kevin doesn’t want to forgive him. I don’t believe that Ekin could be up to any good either. But…I don’t think he’ll just go away just like that. Jacky found out that he might be up to something. We’re still looking around to find out what he’s actually up to.”
“And?”
“Don’t let Kevin know. We’re just doing this on our own.”
Kenneth nods, getting it.
“I know this has got nothing to do with you, but we’re using this time to meet up and share what we found out so far.”
“That’s fine with me. I’m in no hurry.”
“We need to make them wait a little longer anyway,” Jacky said. “Maybe they’ll go insane by just waiting.”
“Who?” Ray asked.
“Who else? His sister and Mr. Stalker.”
Ray nods.
“Okay. So far…”
“Have you found out if that candy shop is Ekin’s or not yet?”
“It actually belongs to a man named Kwok Ka Leung. He also owns a bakery and a casino.”
“Great combination.”
Jacky nods.
“What else?”
“Wait until Ekin shows up.”
“What?! You’ve been out all day and that’s it?”
“What are my supposed to do? Stalk him? Just see if he shows up or not. But I think Cornerstone might be up to some con job. Ekin could be taking the fall for them.”
“So he might not be up to something with Kevin after all?” Charmaine asked.
Ray turns to Charmaine. “Hey! Whose side are you on?”
“I’m just saying there’s a possibility that he might be back here with an honest intention and you guys are just accusing him of…”
Ray’s expression turns stern – a bit too stern for Ray. “If you don’t know anything, don’t interfere. You don’t know what he did.”
Charmaine stares at Ray, unmoved. “Then tell me.”
“You know why Kevin’s living with Auntie Yeung right now?”
“Because…” Jacky began.
Ray turns to Jacky. “You know?”
“If not, why would I be helping you guys for? I have to know everything.”
“Let Jacky finish,” Mandy said.
“Okay. Ekin sold off the Cheng mansion without Kevin’s knowledge or agreement. When Kevin knew of the situation, it was too late. Ekin disappeared after that. Kevin’s left with all the debt. Ms. Yeung helped paid off his debt for him and also took him in. Kevin is still working to pay Ms. Yeung back. Although they’re family, but…”
Ray cuts Jacky off. “If you guys have ever been in debt, you would know that feeling.”
Everyone stay silent for a while before speaking.
“What if…” Charmaine tried again.
Ray looks at Charmaine. “What if what? What if there’s a reason behind Ekin’s doing? Like he got con too? If he did, why didn’t he just come to Kevin and explained it instead of leaving with all that money? And the Cheng mansion was all they have left in memory of their parents. Even if you say it’s just some materialistic stuff and memories will always remain in their hearts, Ekin should have talk to Ekin first. Not leaving behind all the debt for Kevin to deal with.”
Charmaine couldn’t say anything anymore. She knows that she shouldn’t aggravate Ray any further.
Jacky could see the hostility. “Lay off it, man. Miss Sheh doesn’t know after all.”
“Then she should…” Ray continued.
“Ray…” Mandy called out, trying to stop him.
Ray looks at Mandy as she puts a comforting hand on his shoulder. Ray nods, reassuring Mandy that he’s fine.
“Anyway, now we should just wait,” Jacky said. “To see if Ekin is going to come up with the best explanation to mend their relationship or is he going to be up to something.”
Ray sighs out. “I guess we can’t do anything at all at this stage.”
Jacky nods. “If he wants to prove his good intentions, just let him. But if he does anything to harm Kevin, we’ll step in.”
“All right.” He gets up. “Let’s get out of here.”
Kenneth gets up also. “Why would you guys make it all important when the meeting is so short?”
Jacky follows Kenneth out. “We all know Young Master Cho likes to brag and exaggerate things.”
Kenneth smiles and opens the door, stepping out to the hallway.
“Hey!” Ray yelled after them. “No back-stabbing!”
Jacky turns back to the others. “Are you guys going to see the show or not?”
“Of course!”
“Come on then.”
Ray and the others follow Jacky and Kenneth.
They arrive at the 5th floor a few minutes later. Jacky and Kenneth step out of the elevator with everyone else following closely behind – not wanting to miss “the show.”
Jacky knocks on the door of the apartment three times before dropping his hand to his side to wait. They hear some sounds inside the apartment before someone comes to the door a minute later. Ruby appears at the door.
“What do you guys want?” Ruby asked. “We’re moving out now.”
“I don’t think so,” Jacky said. “Not when we’re all here and watching.”
“Unless you’re here to help, stop rubbing it in.”
“Okay…fine.” He looks at Kenneth. “Go ahead, brother.” He gestures his right hand for Kenneth to step forward.
“So you pretended that you want to help us and then just cook up some scenes with my brother to get back at me?”
Jacky turns back to Ruby. “What are you talking about? We agreed last night that we were helping Cory, not you.”
“Same difference!” Ruby couldn’t take Jacky’s joking attitude anymore. She lost the little respect she has for him earlier in the day.
“She sure looks like you when you’re mad at Jacky,” Ray whispered to Wallace. “You should be her brother instead of Ken.”
Wallace shoves Ray aside before stepping up to the half ajar door. “I don’t want to interfere with your family’s business, but I think you need to think things over being acting so rash.”
“What right do you have to speak up?” Ruby asked, turning her radar eyes on Wallace.
Ray steps up to the door to join the others. “I have never seen a sister so…”
“That’s because you’re the mean one.”
“Wow, you sure know me. So you’re interfering with my family’s business now? No wonder other people are interfering into yours.”
Ruby looks really irritated by now. She turns to Kenneth. “Can’t you say anything? Your sister is being bullied here.” She gestures her right hand. “By all these guys.”
Kenneth steps towards Ruby. Ray and Wallace step back to give him some space.
“What do you want me to say?” Kenneth asked. “You finally acknowledge that I’m your brother? Why didn’t you just go ahead and tell me what is going on before you ran away from home, causing Auntie to worry so much for you?”
“I…” Ruby hesitated.
“Are you going to let me inside and talk things over with you or are you going to just stand there and argue with me and the rest of the guys?”
Ruby finally steps aside and lets everyone in. Kenneth’s calm voice has been more effective than his harsh words from the previous few times. As he walks by Jacky, he gives Jacky a look of gratitude.
As they’re inside, they find Cory sitting at the kitchen table, eating. As soon as he sees Kenneth, his chopsticks drop to the floor.
Jacky walks towards Cory. “Don’t worry. We’re not here to arrest you for holding someone’s sister hostage. NOT YET.”
“Could you stop scaring him?” Ruby asked.
Jacky turns back to Ruby. “He needs you to protect him?”
“Stop acting like you know us!”
“Why are you yelling at me? You guys were the ones that got me into trouble in the first place!”
“Just because you got dumb friends who can’t figure out stuffs doesn’t mean you can blame it on Cory!”
“Hey!” Ray protested.
“I’m so walking,” Wallace said.
“Who’s stopping you then?” Ruby snapped.
“Enough!” Kenneth shouted out above everyone’s voice.
The room becomes silent at that time. Everyone looks at Kenneth, waiting for him to pick up the pieces.
© Tuesday, March 11th, 2008
Re-posted: Friday, October 16th, 2009