Fan Fiction |
by Jenny Tran
Devin sat in the his black Mercedes with a pair of dark sunglasses as he ate his boxed lunch “Aries checking in. Operation Scorpio is ready to begin.”
“Pisces do you see anyone suspicious?” Devin asked between chews.
“No, Aries you’re clear to go.” Mia was dressed like a bum down the street from Chuck’s deli where Erin was working at the cashier.
“Don’t forget your cane.” Darren added. He posed as a flamboyant gay man flirting with random strangers.
Mia turned her head to check for her husband “You’re enjoying your role a little too much, honey.”
"I take my job seriously!" Darren said in defense as he splashed a smile at a cute guy walking by.
Jenna was dressed like an elderly woman with a head full of white hair. A cane in hand, she steadied herself while approaching the deli “Excuse me.” She stammered towards Erin.
“Yes?” Erin asked with a friendly greeting.
“Could you spare an old woman a bowl of rice?” Jenna faked her voice to perfection.
“Ooh, she’s good. I almost didn’t recognize her voice.” Doug said as he approached Devin’s car and seated himself in the passenger while passing him a cup of warm milk tea.
“I’m sorry, but we’re not allowed to give away food.” Erin let her down gently.
“Please Miss, I’m hungry and my kids don’t want me. They kicked me out of the house because they said I was too much of a nuisance. Please…” Jenna begged as she began a fake but convincing hacking cough.
Erin’s heart softened as she got off the stool and walked around the counter to stroke the woman’s back “Careful Aries, don’t get too close, she could probably see your fake skin.”
Jenna moved away “Don’t hit me!!” she cried suddenly causing a couple of people to stop “Please Miss, I’m sorry…I shouldn’t have begged for food!”
Erin tilted her head strangely “I wasn’t going to hit you. I was just trying to—”
“Help!! Help!! Girl beating on old woman!!” Jenna cried in sobbing pain.
A good group of people began to gather and a few even scolded Erin for being rude to an old woman “She’s old, just leave her alone!”
“I wasn’t hitting her!!” Erin raised her hands to her hips and Jenna quickly fell to the floor. From an angle, it appeared that she had pushed her.
Devin laughed as he witness the entire scene “You find this amusing?” Doug asked with a shaking head “You need to get a life…” Devin turned to him with beady eyes “Sir!” Doug saluted.
“Warning! The hawk is coming. Abort! Abort!!” Mia whispered the warning when she saw Ryan walking by her.
Chuck drove up in the taxi when he noticed a huge group outside his deli “Wow, business is booming.” He whispered as he paid the driver and rushed out to see the commotion. He saw Ryan at the same time “Ryan, what’s going on?”
The young guy shook his head in confusion “I don’t know, I just got here.” He pushed his way through the crowd and found Erin hovering over an elder lady who looked fragile enough to break in half. She appeared to be reaching out to help the old woman up but the woman continued to shriek in horrid pain.
“Erin!” Chuck cried, “What’s going on?”
“Please Sir, don’t hit me…I was only begging for a couple of grains of rice.” Jenna pleaded but she quickly lowered her head when Ryan looked at her strangely.
“Erin?” Chuck turned to her with crossed arms while a few people in the crowd began yelling out profanity at Erin “Is this true?”
Erin rolled her eyes “Uncle Chuck, why would I hit an old helpless woman? She asked for a bowl of rice but I know how stingy you get about giving away free food so I gently told her it was against deli rules. She started going crazy and said I hit her and stuff. I didn’t even touch her and she fell to the ground and then you came…”
Chuck turned to the woman “I sincerely apologize for my niece, she probably doesn’t know her own strength.” He reached out and helped Jenna up.
“You people are mean and rude! I curse your business.” Jenna spat at the floor “You will go to hell for the way you treat old people!” She said angrily while still trying hard to hide from Ryan’s growing gaze.
“I don’t want to eat here anymore!” One customer yelled and soon the rest of the people inside the deli got up and walked out leaving them empty.
Erin was in disbelief as she cross her arms “I can’t believe them! Look old woman, I didn’t hit you! How dare you lie like that!” she accused heatedly.
Jenna cowered in fear “There she goes again!”
Chuck ushered her quickly away “Erin, calm yourself.”
“She’s lying Uncle! I can’t believe you’re falling for this. She’s probably mad because I wouldn’t give her a bowl of rice.” She huffed.
“Erin, this is the third time this week. My business is dropping. I can’t afford this to happen anymore. Eve and I need the money, we had to push our wedding off to the end of the year because of this. I’m afraid I’m going to have to let you go.” Chuck sighed.
“What? You’re firing me? You’re only niece?” Erin asked in surprise.
“It’s not like you need the money.” He rolled his eyes.
“But I’m your niece!” she exclaimed.
“I’ll take over from here. Maybe you should go home and rest.” He suggested.
Erin nodded eventually as she walked out red in the face. She paused at Jenna and stomped away without giving Ryan a second look “Ga Jei!” he called.
“Ryan, forget it. Leave her alone.” Chuck called.
“Mission accomplished.” Mia sighed, “Are you happy now boss?”
Doug shook his head at Devin “It’s sick. This is just plain sick.”
Darren sighed “You think it’s wrong too Doug?”
“Huh? No, I was talking about the fly in my drink.” Doug showed it to Devin who winced with disgust “I thought the plan worked beautifully. Aries, you better go before Ryan recognizes you. He’s been staring at you nonstop.”
Jenna’s heartbeat quickened when Ryan leaned in closer to her “Ah Po, are you alright? You look so red.”
“Fine! I’m just fine. I don’t need your help!” Jenna pushed her way through and used her cane to limp away. But she could not speed up her steps with Ryan on her toes.
“Where do you live? I’ll take you home.” He offered.
Devin sat upright “Crap! I think he knows. Pisces, help her!” he ordered.
Mia instantly stood up and rushed towards Ryan “Mister, please spare me a few dollars. I haven’t eaten in weeks!” she begged with her frumpy hair and dirty face. Ryan was taken aback but he nodded and pulled out a few coins and dropped it in her cup. By the time he looked up, the old woman had magically disappeared. Scratching his head, he returned to the deli to have lunch.
***********
That night, Luke returned to the home with a dark aura “Wow, who died?” he asked when he noticed Jenna was curled on the couch in fear. Doug who sat on the other end raised a finger to his lips “What happened?”
“She’s cleaning.” Doug whispered.
Luke frowned “Okay, who pissed her off?” he turned to Jenna “Is it that stupid Uncle of yours again? Do I have to go down there and kick his ass?” he threatened.
Jenna shook her head “Luke, this is no time to joke around. She’s really upset. I’ve never seen her clean this much before since…I can’t even remember!”
He took a deep breath “I’m going in.”
“No!” Jenna popped from her seat as she pushed Luke back with her hands “Don’t, you could be killed!”
“Someone has to go in. We can’t live like this.” Luke urged. He removed her hands from his chest “Remember what I did for the group.” He walked towards the kitchen with his head held high.
“I’m going to miss him.” Doug covered his mouth with a hand while Jenna nodded.
Luke approached the swinging kitchen door carefully “Erin?” he began slowly but she didn’t reply. He pushed the door open and was immediately flung backwards when Erin pushed the mop at the door “Erin?” he moved through the door when it swung open. Her eyes moved up dangerously “You want to talk?”
“About what?” she asked curtly and returned to the sink to ring out the mop “What is there to talk about? I’ve been fired by my own Uncle. I guess blood doesn’t mean anything to anyone anymore.” She grunted and continued to mop the floor.
“Chuck fired you?” Luke asked sounding sincerely surprised “I’m sure it was a misunderstanding.” She snorted in answer “Erin, calm down. You need to stop cleaning. Come, sit with me.” He coaxed and practically yanked the mop from her hands “Whatever it is, we can talk about it calmly…like two adults.”
Erin gave in “Fine. I need some hot chocolate.”
“Done!” he rushed to the since and prepared two cups.
Jenna and Doug sat outside wringing their hands “What is taking so long?” she asked nervously.
“Scared?” Doug asked. She nodded vigorously “Me too.”
Just as they were about to see what damage was done, Ryan walked in “Hey.” He greeted with a slight nod “What’s the matter? You two look like you just saw a ghost.”
“She’s cleaning and Luke is in there with her…” Jenna pointed to the kitchen.
“Ga Jei?” Ryan asked as he stepped towards them “That reminds me, where were you today Jenna?”
Doug and Jenna exchanged glances and he quickly let out a long exaggerated yawn “Oh, look at the time, it’s already 8:30, I need to hit the sack.” He moved quickly before Jenna could stop him.
Ryan tilted his head and placed his hands calmly behind his back “Huh? You didn’t answer me Jenna, where were you this afternoon?”
“I…I was…eating…eh…lunch with my Uncle.” She stammered while taking short steps backwards.
“Really?” he asked with wide eyes. He didn’t buy it one minute “So if I went to your room, I wouldn’t find a wig and a fake skin mask of an old woman?!” he declared with a pointed finger.
“SHH!!!” Jenna reached up and covered his mouth “She can hear us!” she looked towards the kitchen like a mad woman “If you must know, follow me.” She marched towards her room while Ryan followed her with suspicion “It’s called Operation Scorpio.” She began slowly “Uncle Devin thought up of this plan months before to try to get Erin to return to the team. But it seems nothing worked.”
“So all that time when she was fired…that was all rigged?” Ryan asked. Jenna nodded, finally confessing everything “I can’t believe this…She’s gonna flip.”
“Not if you don’t say anything!” Jenna cried in defense “Please, it’s too late to back out. She might kick me out of the house when she finds out. And I like living here…Please I beg you Ryan.” She pleaded with rounded eyes.
Sighing, Ryan nodded “Fine. I won’t tell Ga Jei, but I want to know every move you guys make!” he warned.
“Okay, okay.” Jenna nodded happily “Thank you.”