Ain't Shady Baby, I'm Hot

12

"This is crazy." I murmured as I held the compass up. Examining the brass. "I mean, how could this get all the way back to you."

"I know it's crazy. And it doesn't make sense, but I think it was meant to be." I looked over at John B and smiled.

"Fucking fate, B." He let out an airy chuckle.

"Fucking fate."

"Okay, are you two done? We're just waiting on y'all." John B and I stood as JJ, Kie, and Pope came out from the kitchen. Snacks in their hands as we moved over to the door.

"Yeah, let's go. B, it's all yours." I opened the front door and ushered everyone out. My eyes landing on my mother as she poked her head out of her bedroom. "We're okay, Ma. I love you."

"I love you, too." She whispered as I shut the front door. Locking it before sprinting over and jumping into the Twinkie.

Our pitstop at my house was enough for me to change into more appropriate clothing as I looked ready to hike versus go for a stroll. And gave the four time to snack or grab snacks. John B was pretty much in his head about the compass and had an idea.

So we're following where he wants to lead.

"I mean, it's obvious, right. A family heirloom. What better place to hide a message? He had to know it was gonna get back to me, right?" I leaned my head against the back window as I tossed a ball back and forth between my hands.

"Yeah. It's possible." Kie was leaned over in her seat, fully committed to talking through John B's idea.

"It could also be possible the you're concocting wild theories to help, you know-"

"Pope." I warned but he continued.

"Deal with your sad feels. Ow." He hissed as I tossed the ball at the back of his head. He turned to look at me but said nothing. A sigh leaving his lips as I gave him my let it be look.

The red rubber ball rolling back to me as I resumed tossing it between hands.

"Bro, you know how I process my sad feels. Dank nugs and the stickiest of ickies, that's how I do it." I rolled my eyes at JJ's stupid answer his wink towards me making it even worse. I couldn't help the scoff as it left my mouth.

"I'm not concocting, okay? My dad's trying to give me a message."

"If that helps you believe, John B." I set the ball down as John B got defensive.

"Look, I-I don't need a therapy session, okay? I'm not trippin' out."

"It's okay to trip, bro." JJ and Pope shared a look.

"Look, my dad is missing, okay? Missing."

"I didn't know the guy for more than a few weeks, but B's known him his whole life. It's his dad, guys." I started, looking at John B through the rear view mirror, "As his friends we should support him. No matter how outlandish you may think this scenario is. Hope isn't the thing that kills us, it's the lack thereof. And I don't know about you three- but I've got hope that maybe somewhere out there, Big John is trying to do things right and make it back to his son."

The Twinkie was silent. John B spared me a small smile as I leaned backwards and got comfortable. I think out of everyone on this island, it's just me and John B who still think Big John's alive.

I blame it on my extensive book and movie experience that rely on seeing a body but I think part of it is like I said, hope. Hoping that John B's gut is right. Because in my real experience that gut instinct is right 99.9% of the time if you know how to interpret it.

"You don't know what it's like to have the person closest to you vanishing. Just waking up every morning wondering." John B finally said.

"It's been almost a year."

"Hey, he could have been kidnapped." I bit my lip to keep from making a sarcastic comment towards JJ. "That's definitely a possibility."

"Yeah, could be in a Soviet sub getting interrogated by the KGB somewhere." Pope appeared to have me covered on the sarcasm.

"Absolutely, uh, or Atlantis." I just stared at the blond, dumbfounded that he just said that.

"JJ." Kie shot him a look telling him to shut up. "Look, what do you think the message is?"

"Redfield. Redfield Lighthouse. That's my dad's favorite place." I looked out the window as we passed the sign. A large yellow rectangle stapled to the front.

"B, pretty sure it's closed." It was quiet as I turned back around, all four eyes on me.

"When has that stopped us before, mon chéri?" I nodded in agreement with JJ's question.

"You're right. Onward, to Redfield!" I jokingly instructed pointing forward as if I were a war general.

"She's seen way too many movies." JJ commented to Pope.

"I'll have you know, Sugarplum, I have seen just the right amount. That was from a historical reenactment my mother dragged me to."

"Nerd." Pope coughed out the word making the two of us in the back looked at him shocked. JJ started belly laughing as I cocked my head in surprise.

"Oh, I know you didn't just call me a nerd Mr. Merit Scholarship!" I launched at Pope his cries for help falling on deaf ears as I grabbed him in a headlock and gave him a noogie.

"Ahh! Help me, JJ!" Pope cried as he tried to squirm out of my hold. I laughed manically as John B and Kie watched from the front seat.

"Alright, you're done." JJ called out as he wrapped his arms around me and yanked me backwards. The two of us falling back against the seat as he kept me tight to his chest.

I kept laughing as Pope looked over, glaring while he fixed his hair. I leaned further back against JJ as I sat in between his legs. The Twinkie falling into an easy silence as we finished driving up to the lighthouse.

"Okay. We're here."