A Little Bit Of Joy | ✔

Chapter Thirty Nine : The Entire Group Together

I slipped into my leggings and an oversized white t-shirt. I was getting thinner and paler day by day as I tried to cover it up. I didn't want to be admitted to the hospice care centre with half of beautiful summer still left. I wanted to be healthy this entire summer- I had to be healthy because the loveliness of summer blossomed in my heart.

Afternoon during summer was reckless and wild, but the rest of the day was tamed and serene. Rhododendrons bloomed beside every house adding variety of colours to the clean streets, dahlias blossoming cheered our spirits with their pom-pom like shapes and the sunflower farms at the outskirts of our town enveloped each new guest with brightness and zeal.

The aroma of fresh, ripened apricots and plums wafted around the air, fading slowly as one neared the ocean. The clear sky and the still ocean merged together, appearing infinite. Children played dodgeball on the beach, their hot, sticky faces gleaming under the sun. The overlapping voices of the town folk, the birds, the insects and the dashing of the waves gave a dazzling spirit to the town.

Everything about summer screamed warmth and life and I wanted to live.

"JJ, come down!" Shaun's loud voice echoed in the house as I hurriedly left my room.

Shaun, Gemma and I were going out for ice cream, a sort of parting ritual since Shaun's flight to France was tonight. Shaun promised me that he would come to visit us in two months once he would settle there even if it was temporary. That consoled my mum who secretly worried that Shaun would be able to come only once I'm long gone- cold, dead and in ashes.

"I'm coming!" I shouted back and once I arrived in the living room, I was greeted by two smiling faces of my siblings. I tried to catch my breath and returned their smile. "Here I am, now let's go."

"Actually JJ . . . " Shaun trailed off, exchanging a knowing glance with Gemma. "I called Marilyn---"

I interrupted in an accusing tone, "What? Why? It was supposed to be only us, you said so!"

"---and Gemma called Jamal."

"What, you too Gem?" I shot her an incredulous look, but Gemma's gaze was averted to the floor. "I don't have any problem with them coming- they're my friends too and it's only ice cream, but you both should have told me before. I would have brought Logan with me. Now you will stick to Marilyn and Gemma to Jamal leaving me all alone."

"That has been taken care of little sis," Shaun said with an impish grin. Just then, the door opened and Marilyn nonchalantly strode in, Jamal right behind her making disgusting fart noises with his fist and mouth that caused Gemma's face to ripple with childish laughter and Logan hunching behind Jamal, frowning at his lame humour. Logan . . . Logan!

I looked at Logan with surprise and curiosity. "Logan, I thought you were at the flower shop."

"Lunch break." He shrugged and I mentally slapped my forehead, of course it was break time. "They said I could join."

"Surely you can, come on. Let's go," I said, raising my voice so the others who were busy chatting with each other could hear me. Jamal continued with the fart noises, but somehow it came out different each time he did it. Gemma tried to imitate him, ignoring me. "Jamie stop making that--- oooh what was that sound?"

"I farted for real!" Jamal announced, bursting into a fit of laughter and collapsing on the sofa.

"What the hell, that's my beloved pillow! Get up, get up, get up!" I shrieked as Jamal deliberately smashed his butt further on the cushion. I stomped to him and pulled his t-shirt roughly. "Ew, stop."

"Chill out yo," he said finally getting up. "Let's go quickly and buy some ice to cool this grumpy ass Blondie here."

"Whatever." I rolled my eyes and grinned at Logan who's lips were curled up in amusement. I turned to Shaun. "We can't go to Baskin-Robbins in your little car, we all won't fit and it's too far to walk. We should go to the dairy."