𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐁𝐋𝐄𝐌𝐀𝐊𝐄𝐑，𝗃𝗃 𝗆𝖺𝗒𝖻𝖺𝗇𝗄

𝗇𝗂𝗇𝖾

𝐀𝐅𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐈𝐕𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊 at the Chateau, I perched myself on the counter as JJ made himself a sandwich.

"That bread had mould on it three days ago," Pope told us. I scrunched my face up in disgust. No matter how hungry I was, I don't think I could ever eat mouldy bread.

"I'll just pull off all the bad parts," JJ said, but it was covered in it. "Plus, mould is good for you. It's just a natural organism."

"It's not, J." I shook my head at him.

His eyes widened, "What? I was gonna make you one."

I chuckled, "No, you enjoy." I said, jumping off the counter to go and stand by the table as we were about to open the FedEx package.

"JJ," Kie called him over.

He skipped over, happily. "Yup! Hot damn! Let's do it!"

I looked over at him as he took a bite out of his sandwich, immediately gagging and spitting it out. "Yummy?" I asked sarcastically.

I then turned to face John B who had a map out in front of him from the package. The Maybank boy wrapped his arms around me from behind, hiding his face in the crook of my neck.

"Oh. X marks the spot." Pope pointed to the X on the paper.

"Longitude, Latitude." He guided his fingers over the map. "Wait; there's something else in here." He said, pulling out what looked like a tape recorder.

Dear Bird. I hate to say 'I told you so' but I told you so. And you doubted your old man. I suspect at this moment you're filled with guilt and self-loathing over our last fight, but don't kill yourself just yet, kid. I didn't expect to find the merchant either. You were probably right to call me out. Wasn't exactly Father of the Decade. What can I say, kid? I could smell the barn. And hopefully, we're listening to this in our brand new sugar shack down in Costa Rica, living off passive investments and pulling on permits with the Madison's. If not, and you find this for less than optimal reasons, well, that's what the map is for. There she is, the wreck of the Merchant. If something happens to me, go for the gold, kid. Bring Hayley and Riley along with you. Finish what Phoebe and I started. I love you, bird, even if I didn't always act like it. I'll see you on the other side.

Big John's voice stopped and the tape recorder switched off. JJ's arms tightened around me as John B got up from his seat, leaning on the wall for support. The mention of my family made my stomach turn. This was much bigger than I'd thought.

"Big John and Phoebe found the Merchant," JJ spoke, happily but stopped when he saw the look that I sent his way.

"I think just, give him some space guys," I told the group as they moved to make their way out to the dock after John B.

𝐀𝐅𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐀 𝐌𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 of silence, JJ broke the tension, "How much was it again?" His voice snapped me out of my thoughts. I leaned back into his chest comfortably.

Pope answered. "Four hundred mill."

The blonde sighs, "All right, let's talk split. Now before we say 'evenly', may I remind you that I am the only one who can properly defend us from those groupers who were after us. Protection is not cheap, okay?"

The Heyward boy interrupted. "You haven't trained. You've done zero training."

"Youtube, bro. That's at least a five per cent bump right there. Any objections? Didn't think so." However, both Kie and Pope raised their hands.

"What are you going to do with your eighty mill, Pope?" Kiara asked.

He looked up at the girl, "Pay for college in advance. And also, textbooks. Those are expensive."

"What about you, Kie?"

Pope nodded. "Yeah, what does a socialist do when she's rich?"

The girl smiled slightly at the thought. "I just wanna make a double album. About OBX, the Pogues. You know, the way Catch a Fire is about Kingston. Record it in Marley Studio, Peter Tosh producing."

Pope frowned. "Peter Tosh is dead."

"I know that." The brunette girl spoke, holding up her beer can. "Spirit of Peter Tosh will never die."

"Actually," JJ spoke up, "I know what I'm going to do. I'm gonna get a big ass house on Figure Eight and go full Kook."

Pope and Kie looked at him in disbelief, JJ hated Kooks more than anyone. "Your gonna go full Kook?"

"Yup, I'm gonna get a marble statue of myself, and then I'm gonna get a koi pond." He added.

Kie chuckled, "I'm never visiting."

"What about you, pretty girl?" JJ turned to me.

I snapped my head up, "I'm gonna get a nice house on Figure Eight for me and Riley. I'm gonna get a dog, a Yorkshire terrier and I want a little mini-me with the love of my life who I can give everything to."

I watched JJ's admirable expression as he pressed a sweet kiss to my cheek.

"What are you gonna do, JB?" Pope asks.

The Routledge boy raised his beer, "To going full Kook."

"To going full Kook!" The group chanted as we clinked our cans of beer together.

𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄
hmm hayley's family is involved in the gold hunt with big john
thoughts???
xoxo