Chapter 38

“Hey.” Major spoke.

I waved, even though I wasn’t sure AJ could see me. Toiling once again in the flowers, he was all sweaty, with matted black hair down his front. The hair on his head was probably slick with perspiration, too, though I really had no way of knowing for sure.

“What’s up?” he asked.

“Not much,” I responded. “You?”

“Same old, same old. Damn, it sounds loud in here. Is it loud out there?”

Abby had a strong grip on my arm. “Does he always wear that thing on his head?”

“One of us probably would have mentioned that, Abs.”

“I’m playing Lancelot soon.” AJ struggled to raise the headpiece past his ears. “Ow.”

“You okay there?” Major asked.

“No give. If only they could put some elastic at the neck.” He twisted his head side to side once free. “I get a bit claustrophobic in there, so sometimes I wear it while doing my daily whatevs…just to get used to it, you know?”

“Makes sense,” I said.

“Does it?” Abby asked.