One Stupid Thing

1:10:37

"Home sweet home," JJ announces as Kiara turns off the ignition. Just seeing this place, knowing his dad is here this time, upsets me.

"You don't have to go in there alone, Jay. Do you want me—either of us, to come?" I look back at him from the passenger seat.

"No. This will only take a second." JJ slings his backpack over his shoulders and heads up the front steps. He looks back at me and I smile softly.

"I hate that man. With every fiber of my being," I say to Kiara.

"You and me both," she replies. "I just don't understand how someone can do that. Especially to their own kid."

I shake my head and pick at my overgrown nails. "Neither can I. It absolutely disgusts me."

"Same." Kiara pauses. "So... are you going to tell us what's really going on between you and JJ? And you can't deny it like you have before because it is painfully obvious."

I throw my head back against the headrest and push my tongue into my cheek to fight back the smile. "Uh... yeah. That," I chuckle.

Kiara's jaw drops at my reaction. "Oh my god. Spill."

"We kissed. Uh, a few times actually," I tell her. "The first was last night on the beach after we went surfing and then later at Tannyhill..."

"No fucking way! Well, Sarah owes me twenty bucks." Kiara crosses her arms with a smug grin.

I smack her arm. "You were betting on us?"

"Uh, duh. I knew you two would crack. You bring out the good in him, you know. Ever since you ran into him that night at the Boneyard it's like middle school JJ was brought back from the dead," Kiara smiles warmly. The screen door creaks open and JJ hurries down to the car and into the backseat. He seems like he's on the edge of tears.

"How'd it go?" Kiara asks gently. JJ holds up the key dangling from a chain and smiles weakly.

Kiara pulls the car out of the driveway and out onto the main road towards the dump. The drive is pretty silent. We are all too worried and caught up in 'what ifs' to carry a conversation. The only sound is that of the key jingling as JJ fiddles with it.

"It'll be fine. It'll be fine with the Phantom. She'll get out of here quick," JJ assures us. "Woah, woah, woah." Suddenly, from around a bend in the road, three cop vehicles zoom past with their sirens blaring.

"They're still looking. It's a good sign," Kiara points out.

"We can only hope that we get them out of here before they can find him," I say.

Soon after, Kiara pulls up to the dump and parks the car. We follow JJ out to one of the warehouses and when he opens the sliding door, it reveals a beautiful, vintage white boat.

"There she be. Hey, girl. A 1983 Formula 402 SR1. The Phantom," JJ announces. He pulls off the boat cover and admires it. This boat will hopefully be the key to saving John B. "The first boat to make the run to Burmuda in under 16 hours, ladies. Forty years old! Forty. And still the fastest thing that Kildare's ever seen." I stare up at it in awe. How fascinating.

"It's kind of a junker," Kie shrugs.

JJ looks at her offended. "Really? She's right there, Kie. She can hear you. Let's just put it this way. You would not be smokin' weed if she never existed, okay?"

"I just hope it runs," Kie replies nonchalantly.

"Oh, no, she'll run all right. She's faster than any cutters the boys in blue got," JJ says. The sound of a motorcycle approaching and skidding to a stop captures our attentions.