𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐝𝐬 • 𝐣𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝐛 𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞

𝐦𝐢𝐝𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐬

dove slowly entered the glisson's in the afternoon with a sad look on her face.

"dove, is that you?" mrs. glisson called.

"yes, it's me." dove called back and went into the kitchen where the woman was drinking tea at the kitchen table.

"i heard the maybank boy got arrested for sinking topper's boat." mrs. glisson said then sipped her tea.

dove nodded and looked down. "yeah. i just saw it happen. him, kie, pope and i were at heywards and they arrested him there."

"i always knew he was trouble. i don't think you should hang out with him anymore." she shook her head.

dove looked up at her. "what?"

"he's a bad influence, sweetheart and you're a good kid. despite the whole...pogue stereotype, you're a good egg. jj, though..." she shook her head.

"i just think it's best that you distance yourself from him. obviously you can still see kiara, she's a nice girl, and heyward's son i like him. john b...i know you love him and i can't get in the way of love, but jj just isn't good for you."

dove exhaled. she didn't want to not be around jj, but she also didn't want the glissons to take anything else away from her so she agreed. for now.

"okay." was all she said.

mrs. glisson smiled. "perfect."

dove gave her one last look before going to her room to sulk.

🕊️

there was a knock at the door of the cameron home.

the door opened to reveal rafe.

his eyes went wide and heart started pounding when he saw who it was.

mary tatum.

he looked behind him then back at the woman.

"mary, what the hell are you doing? you can't be here." rafe muttered.

"oh relax, pretty boy, i ain't here for you. i'm here for ya father." she replied.

rafe furrowed his eyebrows. "why?"

"him and i were...friendly back in the day and i need to speak to him. so can ya run off and get 'em for me please, sugar? thank you." she smiled.

rafe squinted at her then turned around and closed the door behind him, making his way to get ward.

mary quickly pulled out her makeup mirror and looked at herself in it. there was cheap makeup caked all over her face and red lipstick slathered on her lips. although she had to take a cold shower this morning because the water company turned off her hot water and she was wearing old clothes that she hadn't worn since right after she had dove, she was trying to make herself look presentable and somehow, she actually did.

the door opened again to reveal ward cameron.

"mary tatum. what a sight for sore eyes. what're you doing here i haven't seen you since what happened to..." he trailed off and frowned.

"oh, it's alright, ward. it happened so long ago. plus, you're a way better man than he ever was. you're a provider, he was a druggie who didn't do shit for dove and i. he's the reason i lost my daughter and there's someone else who's the reason i can't get 'er back. and since my husband is taken care of, i need you to take care of the man who won't let me have my daughter. john b routledge. big john routledge's son. you need to take care of him like you did to big john."