The Hero Next Time: A Novel of the Terribly Acronymed Detective Club (Book 4)

Chapter Forty-Eight: Sunny, Summer, 2009

When Sunny locked eyes with Al at the memorial for Martha Anderson, he knew right away it was him. The man was simply an older and taller version of the boy who grew up on Lawrence Street; other than that, he hadn't changed at all. No facial hair, and still relatively thin. Al was peering at him as if trying to place him, but something about him must have made something click, because he brightened almost immediately.

"Sunny!" Al called.

Sunny grinned. "Al? Is that really you?"

Al offered his hand. Sunny was having none of it and scooped him into a bear hug. 

They unlocked, chuckling awkwardly. "I just saw Joe before," Al said. "He told me you might be coming."

"Joe's here?" Sunny asked, looking around to see if he might spot him.

"He says you're married with two kids. Are they here too?"

Sunny's smile faltered. "Yeah, well, Harpreet got the flu, so Tej decided to keep her and Ajit home today." 

He didn't know why he lied just now. He could have just told him the truth, that he didn't know they were bringing the kids today, that he thought it would have been intense enough just bringing all the old crew together without introducing spouses and children too. The truth would have been easy enough to understand. At the same time, he thought Al would be disappointed not seeing his wife and kids today, and he didn't want to disappoint his old friend so early in their reacquaintance, so he came up with the lie on the spot. 

"Tej is your wife?" Al asked.

"Yeah. Too bad you couldn't meet her today."

"So, Joe and Lauren, huh?"

Sunny chuckled. It still amazed him, too. "A little too close to home, if you ask me, but to each their own. Their kids are beautiful, though."

"So, I heard from Lauren you're a lawyer, now."

"Yeah. Nothing exciting. Family law, wills and estates. Still living and working in New West. How about you?"

"New West," Al said, surprising him. He'd been living in the same city with him and he didn't even know it. "I moved back here from Coquitlam when I moved out," Al explained. "It's the only city still affordable that's along the Skytrain line. I work in downtown Vancouver, at the library, in the Cataloguing Department."

"Oh, yeah. I can't envision what you might do, but it sounds like a nice, steady career."

"It is."

"So, do you work in the big coliseum building downtown?"

Al nodded. "It's not really based on the Coliseum in Rome, that wasn't the intent of Moshe Safdie, the architect."

There was an awkward pause. Al cleared his throat. "I like your turban. Am I allowed to say that?"

Sunny chuckled and patted his arm. "You are, buddy."

"It's just that the last time I saw you, you were bareheaded and clean shaven."

"Well, I grew up, man. Men grow their hair and beards in my religion."

"Does it ever itch, your beard?"

"Sometimes, but I groom it and give it a lot of attention."

Al looked desperate to change the subject all of a sudden. He looked around the room, noticed something to his left, and brightened. "Did you see the pictures on the projector? A couple of them have us in them."

"Seriously?!" Sunny said, incredulous.

"Yeah, and look!" Al turned behind him, noticed a group of people gathered around a binder on the table with all the refreshments on it, and his face fell. "Oh. Uh, there was an article in there, about when we took down that abusive dad, remember that?"