Lincoln walked inside of a place that was called Magnolia's Coffee and Books. It was a cross between an art studio, a restaurant, and a dive bar, completed with the decorations of books, magazine, and the like. The place even sold coffee. The establishment was not there long. The manager who had owned the place was a transplant from New Orleans. A drifter, Lincoln thought, Hurricane Katrina was the motive that made owner go from place to place until she was able to find a place of her own. And she ended up in the quaint Detroit suburb of Royal Woods.

The manager once told Lincoln that it was not the murky, swampy humid environment she left, but hopefully, through the food and atmosphere she provided, it could be home.

Anyway, the manager was not the reason for his visiting the establishment. It was through a stretch of the manager that Lori was able to find a job. It was Lori's first job and her parents were thrilled with the timing. Lori had recently gotten her driver's license and was interested in buying a new car. Through the advice of her parents, if she wanted to get a car, then she had to get a job.

Of course, being Lori, she managed to find a loophole. She made a consensus with her parents. If she can manage to stay at her job for a year, then she could just pay her car note. A worthy deal, she thought. She agreed to the deal.

One week down, fifty-one to go.

"Lori," said the manager with her deep southern dialect. "Make sure ya clean 'da dishes properly befo' ya leave for ya break. Ya hear?"

Straining as she was finishing giving money to a customer. "Yes," she sighed. She rubbed her hand through her fingers before closing the register. Lincoln chuckled as he went to the counter. The manager met him there.

"Oi, the Loud boy is here," said the manager. Lincoln admired her voice. Very authentic, he thought. It reminded him of a combination of Kathy Bates and Ellen DeGeneres. Her eyes and painted fingernails matched the shade of a clear blue sky. Her hair was more of a river of black silk and the ponytail served as its reservoir. "Hiya, manager," said Lincoln. "Wanted to get what's best of the bayou delicacy on this side of the midwest." Both of them smile while Lori contrasted the feeling.

The manager turned to Lori. "Yo' brotha' a keepa," she smiled. "Chocolate milk on 'da house."

"Fine," responded Lori. Lincoln knew that Lori was frustrated since she began her job. However, in a way, he felt appreciated. Lori had always used her looks and her charms to escape responsibility. Either that or allow her boyfriend, Bobby, to do the work for her.

Speaking of which, they were no longer together. Bobby and Lori broke up a few weeks ago over a small incident. She didn't go into specifics, but whatever it was, they haven't spoken in quite awhile. Lincoln didn't go unscathed either. Their dissolving of their relationship increased the frequent bullying from Ronnie Anne. Birds of a feather, he concluded. On both ends of the spectrum, he also concluded.

So, seeing his sister in a bind was sort of bringing him a tinge of happiness. He wouldn't call it revenge, but it was a bittersweet result.

Lori can with his chocolate milk and put right in front of him. "So, are you here to give me a hard time or what?" Lincoln knew that Lori has been frustrated with her job and the breaking up of her boyfriend. In the eyes of a teenager, that is compared to being on a road to death row.

He shook his head in disagreement. "Just wanted to see you." He took a sip of his chocolate milk. "Yummy." He wiped his milk mustache with his sleeve.

"C'mon," she protested while putting her hands on your hip. "You are making fun."

He shook his head again. "No. I just wanted to spend time with you."

"You are not mad for what happened between Bobby and me?"

"No."

"For what Ronnie Anne is doing to you?"

He rubbed his now fading bruise on his arm. "No."

"Then what?"

"How do you mean?"

"Lincoln, this is not you." She leaned toward him. "I know when you face issues with a trouble, there is an ace up your sleeve."

He took another sip of his milk. "Yes, an ace. By walking the twenty-minute route from our house to over here."

She was taken aback before leaning on the table. "So, you really wanted to see me?"

"Umm, umm," he replied while finishing the rest of his milk. He placed the cup down. "This is a great cup of milk." He faced the manager. "You could tell this was homemade. My compliments to you."

The manager nodded her head with a smile before walking into the kitchen.

"My break is in a few minutes," said Lori. "We can talk outside. Okay?"

Lincoln shook his head. "Okay."

Lincoln waited outside on the wooden bench outside of the bookstore. The bookstore was situated where he could see the park, the mayor's office, and the gas station within view. He took a breath as he waited for his sister.

Honestly, he did not hold any grudges on his sister. He couldn't hold a grudge even if it was precious gold. That wasn't how he operated. However, she did have a right to be concerned. He did have an ace up his sleeve. He chuckled to himself. They don't call me Ace Savvy for nothing.

The bell rang on the door as he saw Lori stepped out of the bookstore. She smelled of coffee beans. He sniffed her apron when she sat next to him.

"Look out," she said while taking a step back.

"I like your coffee scent," he replied.

"If you say so," she said before shrugging her shoulders.

She rested her arms on the bench. Lori did display a hint of exhaustion. "I swear to God if I have to serve one more cup today, I am going to lose my freaking mind."

"It's a worthy cause," he interjected. "You are at a place where they have music, fun, food, and excitement."

"Yeah, right," she said. "At the expense of serving you guys left and right."

"Look at it this way," he said. "Hard work does not come cheap." He shifted his head toward her car.

She pushed his head with her hand. "This better be damn worth it." She scoffed before looking at the street. "Does mom and dad know you are here."

"I told them that I was going out, but I didn't say where."

"You are my brother," she said. "I am rubbing too much of my rebellion on you."

"I am learning from the best," he responded in a form of a question.

"Oh, you are such a bad boy," she said with a playful tone. "Careful if you show up five minutes after curfew."

"Aren't you a good time," questioned Lincoln.

Lori didn't respond. She pulled a pack of Hi-Lites from her apron pocket.

"Got a match?"

Lincoln pulled a book of matches from his pocket and gave it to Lori. Lori wasn't really a smoker. She smoked whenever she felt stressed. Or anything that changes her everyday routine. So, breaking up with Bobby and getting a new job was one of them.

She inhaled a few puffs before discarding the match on the ground. "Anyway, twerp. Out with it."

"Out with what?"

She exhaled a cloud of smoke in Lincoln's direction. "You have that sly look. I saw it before I went outside. I even saw you rub your hands together."

Lincoln looked puzzled.

She raised her eyebrow before narrowing it in his eyes. "Ace Savvy, if you may?"

Lincoln blushed.

"God, you are predictable, squirt." She took another puff. "Now tell me what you want."

Lincoln looked at his sister before sighing. "Can you take me to Johnson's Creek tonight."

"What for?"

"Because."

"Because is too short of an answer," she replied with a hint of annoyance. "Out with it."

He sighed. "A dare."

"A dare?"

"Yes."

Lori knew that Lincoln don't succumb to peer pressure easily. She took another breath. "Ronnie Anne?"

He didn't respond.

She flicked her cigarette. "What's over there at Johnson's Creek that requires me to take the thirty-minute drive out there?"

"Umi no Misaki," he responded.

She widened her eyes before giving him a glare. She stubbed her cigarette before throwing it at another car. "Umi no Misaki. Ocean's Cape. The cliff. Really, Lincoln?"

He nodded his head, but not facing Lori.

"You know that Umi no Misaki or Ocean's Cape is not a game to play with Linc," she said. "For your age, that is a suicide mission."

"She told me that the creek is supposed to be over thirty feet deep."

"It hasn't rained in awhile."

"Yeah, but the ice should have compensated. I mean, it has been over a month since spring."

Lincoln and Lori paused when seeing a couple leave the bookstore before walking in the direction of the park across the street.

"What's your deal with this," asked Lori.

"To prove myself."

"On what?"

"That I am not a coward."

"Look, Linc. Ronnie Anne is messing with you because of her brother. You know how family can be when things go awry."

"She said bad things about you. Things that I don't want to repeat, sis."

She scoffed. "So, earlier your sly look says that it is a dare. But at the same time, it is to defend my honor. God, you are my brother."

Lincoln went quiet for a moment. "So, what do you say?"

Lori pulled another cigarette from her pocket. "I need time to think." She stood up from the bench. "When I get off, we will talk about it."

She pulled her keys from her pocket. "Come on. While I still have time left, I will take you home."

"Okay," he responded.

Lori and Lincoln stepped inside of her car before departing the bookstore. Lori pulled out a CD where she was playing soft rock. The first track of her CD was a song performed by Gilbert O'Sullivan, "Alone Again (Naturally)." Hearing the song made both of their stomachs churned.

They both silently prayed to themselves that this wasn't an omen.