Page 14 of Damian & Jun, Episodes 9-12
“Kindergarten,” Armada put in smoothly, walking past to change Habibi’s diaper.
“Yeah! That.” Kimbo bit his lip, looking like a smaller version of Armada.
“Oh, so, Habibi is the littlest, then Rue, then you.” Jun nodded wisely. “How old am I?”
“I don’t know!” Kimbo shouted.
“Shh. Inside voice,” Armada cautioned.
Rue clapped a hand over her mouth. Kimbo pouted.
“I think you’re the same as Armada,” Rue whispered.
Jun chuckled. “I’m more fingers than Armada. Do you want to guess?”
“Uncle Jun is like Uncle Damian,” Betti said. “They’re old, like adults.”
“He doesn’t look old.” Kimbo narrowed his eyes at Jun. “Are you old?”
“Older than Armada, younger than Uncle Damian. So how many fingers do I need for Betti?”
“Betti is old,” Rue said.
“I’m not!” Betti huffed.
“You go to the same school as Armada.”
Betti groaned. “I’m fourteen.”
“Fourteen isn’t old,” Jun agreed. “How old is Howser? More fingers than you? Less fingers than you?”
Rue and Kimbo put their heads together and held up all of Kimbo’s fingers and one finger from each of Rue’s hands.
Jun counted them dutifully. “So, he’s twelve.”
Betti sighed. “Thinks he’s twenty.”
Taking kids through the Field Museum wasn’t something Damian had ever done before. He thanked all the gods that he might or might not believe in for Jun’s and Armada’s help. Betti was pretty solid herself. She held Rue’s hand while Jun carried Kimbo on his back. Armada had Habibi. That left Damian with free hands to buy tickets and open a map. He had to keep an eye peeled for Howser. The preteen kept hanging back, almost like he intended to disappear on a moment’s notice. He made a mental note to put a tracking device on the boy’s shoes. He could see him making a run for it, if for no other reason than he seemed to be embarrassed to be seen hanging out with—in his words—babies.
“You promised dead people,” Howser said, hands in his pockets, slouching.
Betti shuddered. They were all huddled to the side of the grand hall, clustered around the map Damian was holding out.
“I want to see pretty things,” Betti whispered.
“Dinosaurs!” Kimbo crowed.
“We have two bodyguards, so we can split up in two groups,” Jun informed them. “Damian, do you want to do Ancient Egypt or gemstones?”
“I’ll do the crypts,” Damian said. “Anyone who wants to see mummies can come with me; everyone else can go with Jun. Then we’ll do dinosaurs together. That’s dead things and pretty things.”
Armada smothered a smile by biting her lips. Betti moved toward Jun, and Rue grabbed his hand. Kimbo dithered back and forth. He clearly didn’t want to leave Rue, but wanted something else. He tugged Damian down so he could whisper in his ear. “You won’t let them get me, right?”
“Promise.” Damian crossed his heart.
Kimbo grabbed his hand.
Jun chuckled. “See you later. We’ll be on the second floor.” He moved off, putting Rue on his shoulders, Betti walking beside him.
