Total pages in book: 125
Estimated words: 124836 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 624(@200wpm)___ 499(@250wpm)___ 416(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 124836 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 624(@200wpm)___ 499(@250wpm)___ 416(@300wpm)
A long, calming sigh left Chen.
I put my view on him.
Chen leaned back in his chair and wore a silly smile on his face. “It’s such a lovely day. Don’t you think so, cousin?”
I eyed him. “I do.”
“Look at the sky.”
“What?”
“Look at that amazing sky above us.”
“Uh. . .” I lifted my view. “O-kay.”
“God made that sky.”
I held in my laughter.
That’s right. He is high.
Chen pointed up like I couldn’t see the damn sky above us. “That’s a beautiful sky. It really is.”
I swallowed down my chuckle and nodded. “I agree, Chen.”
“We don’t look at the sky enough.”
“We don’t.” I signaled for the waitress.
When she hurried over to the judge’s table, I pointed at Chen and kept my voice low. “Get him a large glass of water please and a plate of food.”
“Yes, Mountain Master.” She left.
Chen continued to gaze at the clouds. I didn’t even think he realized that a waitress had even came by. Chen let out another sigh. “I’m going to write a poem about the sky today. I think I will call it. . .”
I watched him. “Yeah?”
“I think I will call it. . .”
I quirked my brows.
“Sky. That’s the title.”
I grinned. “I think that is a unique name.”
“I was thinking that too.” Chen rubbed his face with both hands. “I feel a little odd right now, but I think it is. . .the day maybe. . .or the sky. . .or this cookout. It’s calming me.”
Yep. He’s messed up.
I patted his back. “Don’t worry about it. Just sit back, relax, and look at the sky.”
“Are you sure?” Chen turned my way and held his head at this awkwardly low angle so much so that his glasses began to slide to the tip of his nose. “You don’t need me?”
“No. I don’t. Take off.”
“Take. . .off. . .” Chen considered this for a moment and then let out a goofy kind of chuckle that reminded me of him when we were kids. “I guess I could take off right now. It’s a cookout. You don’t need me to deputy.”
“Exactly.”
“Or should I say. . .deputize?”
“I. . .uh. . .I get what you’re saying.”
“Deputization. Is that the verb? You don’t need me to deputize today. No. That can’t be right.”
“Don’t worry about the verb. You should return to the sky poem.”
“I should.” Chen let out another goofy chuckle. “I very much would like to write that poem today.”
“Go ahead.”
"Are you sure?" he asked again and gazed up at the sky.
"Positive."
“Hi, Sky.”
I blinked.
“Hi, Sky.” Chen laughed again. "That rhymes. . .maybe that's how the poem should start. . .Hi, Sky."
His words drifted off and he visibly relaxed even more. His head tilted back, letting his glasses slide off entirely and his gaze locked onto the clear blue expanse above us.
The waitress arrived with his water and food but he paid it no mind, utterly entranced by the sky.
Moni leaned my way. “Is Chen, okay?”
“Apparently, Duck got some gummies from your sister—”
“Oh no. Not Jo. Right?”
“Yes.”
Moni covered her mouth. “Does he know that they’re not just gummies?”
“No.” I shook my head and whispered, “And don’t tell him. He doesn’t like to be high and when Chen knows he is, he turns into an asylum patient, racing around the place and freaking out. It’s not a pretty sight.”
“Alright. We don’t need that.” Moni laughed as Chen pointed to a cloud and began mumbling to himself. “But in the meantime, I’m getting a freaking gummy from Jo. I didn’t know she had any.”
I nodded. “Get me one too. We should all relax today.”
Moni turned to her sister and began whispering.
Jo loudly laughed and checked Chen, then laughed some more. “Eh. Don’t trip on me. I told Goose to only do half, man.”
Moni hit her arm. “His name is Duck, not Goose.”
“But they’re both birds.”
“Girl, give me two of those gummies. One for me and one for Lei.”
“Naw, sis. I’m telling you that you only need half. They’re strong as hell. Split it with Lei.”
“Cool.”
Jo must have given it to her because a minute later, Moni placed half of a lime green gummy in my hand. And in that moment, I no longer felt like the Mountain Master. I more felt like a kid at school having a naughty good time.
God. . .this cookout was a great idea.
I popped the gummy in my mouth and my taste buds exploded with a burst of fruity sweetness.
To my surprise, Jo leaned over and pointed at me. “Now just be cool and keep drinking water and get a little food in your stomach.”
“Okay.”
“And then let it do what it do.”
I smiled. “Thank you.”
“If there’s any problems, come to me.” Jo touched her chest. “I’m good at getting people down from a bad trip.”
I blinked. “Thank you again. I will come to you if I need to.”
Jo winked, leaned back in her chair and returned to talking to Moni.