The Cinders of Dezu

1st: Glistening Red (3)

They entered the dining room where the table was being set. Raina was already sitting in her spot. She had a knife and fork in her left and right hand respectively, pounding the table like she was a cartoon. Devin walked in and sat next to her, placing a napkin on his lap.

"You boys ready to dig in?" he said.

"Sure, whats on the menu?" Cairo asked, taking his seat. Julian sat next to him.

Devin sighed in satisfaction as the dishes were placed on the table before them.

"We have coconut shrimp with coconut rice, jerk chicken, festival, a leafy salad and grilled veggies sautéed with jerk seasoning. I know no island is the same but when I think 'island food' I think of Jamaica, so here we are."

He rubbed his hands together. The three looked at the spread, wide eyed.

"Dig in!" he said.

The boys, in particular, could not contain their enthusiasm as they ate.

"Uncle Dev, " said Cairo, "This is... perfection!"

He smiled back at him with a full mouth.

"No, seriously, this is one of those perfectly satisfying experiences. I'm not exaggerating."

"Alright, alright, " said Devin, "This isn't the food channel."

"Naw, but he's right though, " said Julian, his mouth also full, "I can't even handle this."

Devin laughed. "So, first official day on the island. No more high school, EVER again-"

"Yeeeeeaaaaa!" said Julian, putting his hands in the air and rocking back and forth.

Devin laughed.

"So, think of this as a graduates paradise. Virtually no rules. No parents."

He turned to Raina briefly.

"Except for you, young lady."

Raina folded her arms and smirked at him as he looked back at the boys.

"And I don't want you worrying about college, work prospects, none of it."

Cairo smiled wide and nodded his head at his uncle as he continued.

"This is just two weeks of relaxing and zoning out and a touch of tropical adventure."

"I really want to thank you again Devin for lettin' me come out. I never thought I'd do anything like this," said Julian.

"Hey, you and Cairo are like brothers. Raina has known you all her life. Honestly, I'm sorry it hasn't happened sooner. As far as I'm concerned you're already family."

Julian was beaming and looked at his best friend who shrugged.

"It's just true," Cairo said.

The dinner was over quickly, partly due to how good the food was and partly due to excitement for the next thing on the agenda. Cairo and Julian had been really anxious to go cliff jumping on the west side of the island. The water there was particularly pretty so it was where you wanted to be in the evening as the sun went down. Large rock faces surrounded a cove where the water got deep quickly, not more than a few feet from the beach.

Devin had Raina wear a life jacket, which she deeply resented. It was embarrassing being the only one swimming with one. Everyone had brought their chairs to set up in the sand but Devins was quite a bit larger as he began unfolding it. It was a lounge chair. Cairo scoffed.

"You planning to do some sunbathing?"

"Shut up man, " Devin laughed and smacked him on the shoulder, "White folks ain't the only one's who can relax and lay out in the sun."

"Yeah right, you've been too uppity for too long!"

"Well, I'm gonna really trip you out with what I'm about to do next."

Devin reached into his bag and pulled out a bottle.

"Sunscreen?"

Cairo shook his head.

"Wow... I'm about to confiscate your black card."

Devin laughed out loud and popped open the cap. He gestured for Raina to come over. She looked and felt awkward as she kind of waddled over in her life jacket. Devin began applying the lotion to her arms.

"Ever since I got Raina, I've had to learn about these things. She needs it and it turns out black folks need it too."

"You've been assimilated, " Cairo said narrowing his eyes.

"You're gonna get cancer, " said Raina.

"I'm not gonna get cancer! I don't need it like you do! What are you? Like Asian-ish?"

"I'm cancer free, " said Raina.

"So am I!"

"Not for long."

"Hey, you don't get to weigh in on this!"

"Why? Is cancer a sensitive subject for you?"

Raina was all lathered up and walking with Cairo toward the water as they continued back and forth. Devin watched them as he rubbed the sunscreen on himself.

"Can I get some of that?" Julian said from behind him.

He had finished setting up his chair next to Devin's.

"Sure!" said Devin.

Julian took the bottle and squeezed some out.

"I don't know if it has instructions for Mexicans on here but I'll join the crowd."

He sat down and began covering himself as Devin laid out and got settled. They sat their quiet for a bit with nothing else but the sound of the waves and Cairo and Raina's argument that had settled to a conversation off in the distance. Devin had his eyes closed feeling the sun on his skin. Julian then spoke up.