Page 15 of Damian & Jun: Episodes 5-8
Robert snorted. He eyed Cedric up behind them, gave the bodyguard a lift of his chin, and crossed the road.
“Sir,” Cedric murmured.
“I know.” Damian sighed, watching Robert go. “Being heavy-handed and keeping them away won’t work, though, not if I’m ever going to do anything here.”
“I’d prefer if you were wearing body armor.”
“Then they’d really hate me.”
“I think they already do.”
“Poko, is that you Poko?” An old woman in a housecoat and a bonnet stuck her head out of the front porch of the house in front of which they’d stopped. “Heavens, Poko, it’s you.”
Damian turned around, his smile soft. “Miss Jozie.”
The woman grinned. She looked like she could be anything between fifty and infinity. “Come here, boy. I ain’t seen you in a minute.”
Damian’s body loosened. He ambled up her front path and onto her porch, taking off his hat.
“You have friends?”
“Jun, from South Korea, and Cedric, ma’am.”
“And where you from, Cedric?” Miss Jozie turned two sharp eyes on the bodyguard.
“Georgia, ma’am.” Cedric gave her a nod.
“And how do you know our boy, Poko?”
Damian blushed, dropping his eyes.
“Cedric is my bodyguard, Miss Jozie. Someone attacked my boss a few months back, so Cedric goes with me these days.”
Miss Jozie pressed a hand to her heart. “And Jun, are you a bodyguard, too? You do that kungfu?”
Jun busted out laughing. He couldn’t help it. “No, ma’am. I’m a friend. I wanted to know where Damian grew up.”
Miss Jozie studied him again, nodding to herself. “I guess we’re a sight different from what you’re used to. You speak English, though.”
“My mother was a graduate student in Seattle when I was born. I’ve been speaking English for a long time. But I’ve never gotten to see much of Chicago before.”
“And what happened to your face? They trying to kill you too?”
Jun put his hand to his cheek. He’d been too distracted by where they were to think about how he looked. “That…” He looked to Damian. How much should he say?
“Jun was kidnapped.” Damian shoved his hands into his pockets. “We’re all grateful he got away.”
“Poko, what kind of life are you living these days? Are you still getting into fights?”
Damian slapped a hand over his own heart, mirroring Miss Jozie’s posture a few moments earlier. “Miss Jozie, I ain’t never started those fights.”
“Way I remember it, you sure finished them.”
“Well…” Damian smirked. “What do you want me to do, lose?”
She harrumphed. “It true that you bought the church?”
“Yeah.” Damian kicked a loose bit of wood off the steps.
