From Sneers to Cheers: Anthea’s Ascent

What a shame.

It wasn't a message from Anthea.

It was from my older sister, Yuna Christensen.

"Hey Sherman, when are you, grandma, and mom planning to head back to Capital City?"

I was just about to reply when, out of the blue, I got a text from Anthea, "Been to the hospital yet?"

I shot back a message to Anthea right away, "Yeah, went to the hospital, doc says it's all clear."

All clear?

Anthea paused at her end of the screen.

Looks like her medical skills hadn't missed the mark.

But if Sherman was okay, what was with the rapid breathing and the heartbeat racing through the roof?

"Snap a picture of the CT scan report and send it over."

Without a second thought, I pulled out the CT report, laid it on the table, and sent her a photo.

Anthea opened the photo.

The CT report was all clear, alright.

Her eyes caught the ashtray at the corner of the report, her eyebrows quirked in amusement.

Sherman smokes?

And apparently, it's not just a once-in-a-blue-moon thing.

"Glad you're okay. BTW, smoking's a lung buster, you know. No issues now, but keep at it and you'll tar up those lungs for sure!" Me, quit smoking?

A smirk played at the corners of my lips.

Was Anthea showing concern for me?

"Alright, quitting it is."

go, mom's calling me

"Okay."

over a picture of her

A full-on feast.

lunch was

called my assistant, "Bring my

Lunch delivery?

skipping

was caught off-guard but managed to

I also snapped

I sent,

Typical vegetarian fare.

from the tofu,

into greens

Greens?

smile, warmth filling my

are tasty, fresh, and

Anthea's

it were anyone else, she'd

But this was Sherman.

And who's Sherman?

guy's practically a

he even know

"Monks' world, huh. "

replied, "I'm not a monk. Just because I'm off meat now, doesn't mean

"So,

heart sits Buddha divine'?".

gut

was

call

It was Yuna.

me, I'd forgotten to

I didn't pick up. Instead, I kept on

a bear emoji rolling its eyes, looking all