Page 22 of Beneath the Surface

“Now we know what Kannon’s priorities are.”

Kannon nodded. “Yep. It’s all about the chocolate.”

Nisha snorted but didn’t say anything. Once everybody had what they needed, conversation stopped. The fire crackled, and the smell of burning wood drifted around them. Kannon slowly relaxed. The night was cloudless and stars filled the sky—an endless network of twinkling lights.

A river of white glowed on the surface of the water from the moonlight. At night the water was opaque, a deep inky blackness full of mysteries. The waves flowed to the beach, a gentle caress that lapped at the shore. A light breeze ruffled Kannon’s hair, and peace stole over him. Never had he felt so relaxed, or so comfortable. The feeling of belonging surprised him.

“Think you might need to flip your wiener to the other side,” Nisha said. “Don’t want to burn it.”

Brett snickered from the other side of the fire as Kannon turned his hot dog. Kannon cut his eyes at Nisha. “Sexual innuendo much?”

“That was nothing. Seriously. You have no idea,” said Brooke. “Of course, I used to think Nisha was the worst, but then I met Brett. I quickly found out Nishawasn’tthe worst. Brett was.”

“Hey! I represent that remark.” Brett grinned at the group.

Kannon flipped his hot dog a couple more times then held his hand out to Brooke. “Think I’m done here. Hit me with the bun please.”

“Here you go.”

“Thanks.” Balancing the paper plate on his knees, he wrapped the bun around the hog dog and used that to pull it off the stick so he didn’t singe his fingers.

“All we got is just plain old potato chips. That okay?” Brooke asked.

“Absolutely. I’m starving,” Kannon said.

“Make sure you leave some room for s’mores,” Nisha said.

“Trust me, I’ll have more than enough room.” Kannon bit into his hot dog and groaned. Nothing beat a hot dog cooked over an open flame. Nothing.

After they finished, Brooke handed out all the things they needed to make s’mores. Laughter echoed around the fire as they joked. It didn’t take long until Nisha became the center of attention. He kept burning his marshmallow until it was a charred mess, then cussing when it fell off into the fire. That, of course, sent Brett into a gale of laughter.

“Why does it keep falling in the fire?” Nisha glared at the sizzling mess burning in the open fire.

Kannon finally took pity on him. “Of course it’s going to fall into the fire. You charbroiled the thing. Let me show you how it’s done.” Kannon held his hand out and wiggled his fingers. “Just give it to me, would you? And here, hold my stick.”

“I’ll be glad to hold your stick any time you want.” Nisha took Kannon’s stick, leering. He immediately started nibbling on the roasted marshmallow Kannon had already cooked.

Brett moaned. “Really, Nisha?”

“I’m not even going to comment on that one.” Swapping roasting sticks, Kannon roasted the marshmallow to a perfect golden brown. “Ta-da. One perfectly cooked marshmallow.”

“You can’t just stop there,” Nisha complained. “You have to finish it out.”

“All you have to do is slap the marshmallow on top of the chocolate… that just so happens to be sitting on the graham cracker. It’s not rocket science,” Kannon said.

“Please?” Nisha wheedled.

Laughing hysterically, Brett managed to wheeze the word, “Sucker.”

“Better hush before I throw one of these charbroiled marshmallows of Nisha’s at you,” Kannon threatened, pointing a sticky finger at Brett.

“Anything but that.” Brett chuckled.

Nisha grabbed Kannon’s marshmallow-coated sticky fingers. “Just what do you have here?”

Kannon looked down at his fingers. “A mess.”

“Here, let me help you with that.” Nisha dragged Kannon’s fingers to his mouth. One by one he sucked sticky marshmallow from Kannon’s fingers.

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