A Piece to a Different Puzzle

Chapter 65

Amani lay on the grass with his head in Zach’s lap, looking up at the huge, ancient live oak.  Zach stroked the silky the blond hair with his fingers.

“Cutting it was really okay.  I thought my foster mom would haunt my dreams, but I feel like with all the change in my life, she’s good with it.  It’s a lot cooler, too, and without a personal maid it’s way easier to keep.”

Zach grinned down.  “It clearly didn’t lower your value.  That guy at the restaurant last night was ready to put you on the runway.”

“I get that every now and then.”

“You’re pretty blasé about being told you should model.”

“Like I’ve said before, Zach, it’s just wearing clothes.  My mom and dad have officially and permanently moved into separate places, so I have two households to run in addition to taking care of both of them.  My sister Beth has another year of college to go, but she’s used up her sports eligibility, so she’s kinda lost and floundering.  She’s going to need somebody who understands and can help her through that.  Johnny is still in Afghanistan.  He’s hard to protect there, but I’m doing what I can.  Haylee and Danny are going to start at the university and have an apartment together so I’ll have to take care of them, too.  On top of all that, there’s my responsibility to Kyrgyzstan.”

“You’re the only fifteen year-old I know that literally has to save a country.”

Amani shrugged.  “Yeah, but it’s a small country.”

“I’m glad I’m leaving town,” Zach quipped, “so I don’t add to your burdens.”

“Don’t tease, Zach.”

“Joking and laughing keeps me from doing something unmanly when I think about not seeing you everyday.”

“Manliness is overrated.”

Zach snorted to keep from laughing out loud.  “Hey, wanna go to a movie tonight?”

“Can’t.  Babysitting.”

“Get together afterwards?”

“I’d like that.”

Zach pointed down through the trees some thirty yards to where Danny was sitting cross-legged in the grass.  “As long as I live, Amani, I’ll never hear of a more beautiful gift than you giving Skylar your grave and tombstone.”

“Well, I wasn’t using them.  I thought the monument company did a first-class job cutting in the stone and re-engraving it.”

“You were right to not tell Danny the details of Skylar’s suicide.”

“Was I?”

“Oh, yeah.”

Amani looked up.  Zach’s eyes were wet.  He reached and caressed Zach’s thigh.  Zach smiled down at him, blinking repeatedly to keep a tear from falling on him.

“Haylee gets back home tomorrow night.  You want to go with me to pick her up?”

“I’m always there for you, buddy, but I dunno.  It seems like more of a family thing.”

“I thought you might want to hug me in front of her.”

Zach looked down at Amani.  He held it for several seconds, but finally began to laugh.  He kept quiet out of respect for the cemetery, but he laughed all the same.  “She was really hanging on to you at prom and the after party.”

“We’re brother and sister, Zach.  We’re incredibly alike.  We finish each other's sentences.  It’s been the most amazing thing to connect with her.  Our trip to Europe and the Caribbean together is going to be wonderful.”

They saw Danny stand and walk towards them.  They got up off the grass.  Danny looked into Amani’s eyes.  “Thank you.”

Amani gave him a small, loving smile in return.

“Are we ready to head to the future, gentlemen?” Danny asked, red-eyed and sniffing.

Zach gave him two thumbs up.  Amani nodded.

~Fin~