Page 83 of Damian & Jun, Episodes 9-12
Damian stood up, a bit of energy running through him. “You two are ready for two kids? Even if you don’t have a full adoption? Their mother hasn’t lost her parental rights yet.”
“Anna was raised by her father’s ex-girlfriend’s aunt. And my parents raised my cousins after their father died in Afghanistan. We’re familiar with how these things work.”
“I’m not sure I’d be comfortable with you being a bodyguard if you took a bullet for me and Rue and Kimbo lost another parent.”
Cedric nodded. “Not sure what other work I could find fast.”
“What about site security at the church? Management, making sure the systems are in place. You have the training.”
“Can I talk to Anna? I’d have to know the compensation would still allow me to support us.”
“It would be the same or better. Maybe with housing as part of it.”
“Housing you say? On-site?” Cedric grinned. “I like the sound of that commute.”
Damian’s phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen. Dalia again. For a moment, he waited to feel anything, and there was something, a reactive, habitual cringe, but it was less this time. Each time he looked at her name, there was less. Not even anger, just a nothingness that still ached.
He’d chosen what had died.
“Tell me what Anna says. I think we can figure out housing on-site.”
Thursday morning was a mess. Kimbo’s cold had passed to Rue and Betti. Armada was sniffling but trying to hide it. Jun called on his way back from spending the night with the rest of 5N. “How can I help? I’m with Cedric.”
“Anything to make colds feel better,” Damian said.
“We got you,” Jun replied. “See you in about thirty minutes.”
“I have to leave in fifty.”
“We’ll make it fast.”
Damian helped Rue blow her nose yet again and slipped into the bathroom to try to take a shower. Kimbo followed him in.
“Head hurt, buddy?” Damian asked.
Kimbo nodded mutely, misery in his eyes. He was clinging to one of Rue’s teddy bears.
The steam would probably make him feel better.
“Sit down before you fall down and just close your eyes. I’ll turn on the shower. Maybe you’ll feel better.”
Kimbo sat down against the vanity.
Damian stripped behind the shower curtain in the shower and got started. By the time he got out, Kimbo was curled up on the floor, head on a towel, asleep, snot running freely down the side of his face.
Well, at least he was less congested.
Damian dressed but left off his dress shirt. Someone was going to get snot on it if he put it on.
Jun arrived with Cedric, bearing gifts. “Spicy food, warm food, Vicks, and ginger ale.” Jun unloaded his bounty on the table in the main area of the suite.
Rue took a dive for it.
Betti started helping her. She wrinkled up her nose. “This doesn’t look like breakfast food.”
“It is in other places.” Jun started making Armada a plate. “It’s spicy. When I have to sing and I have a cold, this is what I eat. Try it, you’ll feel better.”
Betti gave him an uncertain look, but took a bite.
