Bounty (Page 26)

He stared again, this time without speaking.

“What was for lunch yesterday?” I asked, still filled with curiosity, as, unfortunately, I probably always would be when it came to Deke.

“Bologna,” he repeated.

“Deke, you need variety.”

“Not sure about your eyesight, Jus, but I ain’t exactly wastin’ away.”

This was very true.

I grinned at him.

This made him look weirdly annoyed.

I decided to ignore that and get on with my morning.

I did just that, turning but saying loudly, “I’ll bring you a sandwich from the deli.”

“Don’t bring me a sandwich,” he said loudly back.

I stood in the open door and looked over my shoulder at him. “And chips. Maybe a cookie.”

“Jus—”

I slipped in, closed the door and walked across the creamy-white-foam-coated space to grab my laptop, head out the door and to my truck.

* * * * *

The only business I’d noted that had a notice that said free Wi-Fi (and theirs didn’t say free Wi-Fi, it said ♥♥♥Free Wi-Fi!!!!☺☺☺) was Carnal’s coffee house, La-La Land Coffee.

So I hit there because I could use a latte as well as Wi-Fi.

I walked in and knew why Krys had called me Free People.

She knew the difference between boho and hippie.

This was because the dude and chick behind the counter were so hippie, I wondered if they had a time machine.

“Hey,” I called as I walked up to them, noting the girl was doing something at the cash register but the dude with his bandana wrapped around his forehead and round specs with blue lenses was staring at me.

She looked up and caught sight of me.

Neither of them moved, including their mouths to use to greet me.

I stopped in front of the counter, clocking their looks and knowing the jig was up.

It was actually nice it lasted as long as it did.

“Hey,” I said more quietly.

“You’re Justice Lonesome,” the girl stated breathily.

“I am, honey,” I confirmed.

“Groovintude,” the guy whispered reverently.

“I…I…I…” the girl stammered, then shut up.

After that, they both remained silent.

I got closer, and to break the awkward, said, “It’d be super-cool if I could use your Wi-Fi and do it drinking a butterscotch latte with one of those butterscotch caramel muffins.”

I tipped my head to the case that looked filled with selections from Heaven’s bakery.

“Butterscotch is my theme today, baby,” the dude said, as if he was a robot.

I smiled. “That’s cool, since I love it. Now, you know I’m Jus. How about you tell me who you guys are?”

“Shambala, Shambles,” the guy said. He shifted closer to the chick. “This is my girl, Sunray Goddess, Sunny.”

Total hippies.

I dug them immediately.

And this was the source of Deke’s coffee.

“You…you…‘Chain Link’ is Shambles and me.”

This came from Sunny and I looked at her, trying to stay loose and cool, rather than get tight and freaked out.

Chain Link.

Deke’s song.

“Wither to dust, crumble like rust, he’s the only thing in life that’s right,” she continued.

“I love that,” I said gently.

Suddenly, a startling amount of tears filled her eyes indicating she was a bit unhinged in her like of Justice Lonesome music, or indicating something else.

“Thank you for saying what I couldn’t say to him.” It came out in a garble before she took off running down the counter, disappearing behind a door to the back.

I watched her do this but looked back alertly, ready to take off if need be, when Shambles filled her spot at the cash register.

“Okay, all right, that was weird but I hope you stay because I gotta go after her and I really wanna make you a latte when I come back.” He started to move but turned back to me and shared on a hushed rush, his face twisted in a way that made my heart lurch, his next words explaining that look. “She was attacked. Hurt real bad. It messed her up. She didn’t treat me real good through it. Your music helped. Thank you.”

Then he took off.

I stood where I was, experiencing one of the many things that didn’t feel like quicksand about that life I’d left behind.

Experiencing something so beautiful, I could fiddle with the lyrics of a song forever, and not get it right.

Experiencing connecting with someone in a way so meaningful, it shared just how connected all we beings were through a variety of sources. Music. Books. Art. Movies.

The tragedy was, most didn’t recognize it and there were some of us with hate in their hearts about things they didn’t understand who would refuse to acknowledge it.

I let that glide through me before I chose a table, sat down, opened up my laptop and tapped in the password Shambles and Sunny had kindly tacked to the back of the counter under the menu.

Ten minutes later, they came back.

Sunny let me give her a hug.

Shambles made me the best latte I’d tasted in my life, which I used to wash down the best muffin I’d ever consumed.

I got to my email, though I didn’t answer any.

I was too busy gabbing with two totally awesome hippies.

* * * * *

Two hours later, I walked to the back deck, saw a finished railing and a Deke who was working on completing the edge of the rectangular fire pit.

He looked up at me as I moved through the door.

Then he looked down at the hefty white paper bag I had dangling from my fingertips.