Slipping Through My Fingers | John B Little Sister

Chapter 7

"Sick of my shit? "JJ hissed out venomously as he trekked through the woods towards his house, duffle bag stacked with cash slung over his shoulder. "Like they can fucking talk. Let's break into Crain's house JJ, let's sink Toppers boat, let's start fucking kooks JJ."

He tripped slightly over a root in his anger.

"You fucking-" He cursed stumbling into a clearing.

Even mother nature was out to get him. 

"JJ?" His head snapped up in the direction of a hesitant voice rough from fever.

The familiar form of a gangly pre-teen was hunched over on the back steps of his neighbors veranda. Lucy Routledge was quite a sight. Her hair was shiny and unmatted. Her dress fit properly over her shoulders and she was wearing shoes with the laces tied all the way up. 

She looked like the kind of kid teachers used to point at and say "JJ why can't you be more like her?"

"Lu?" He spoke doubtfully, feet firmly planted at the edge of the clearing as he glanced cautiously into the windows of the faded looking flat.  He held the bag low and shifted it behind his legs protectively. "What are you doing here?"

"Shhh." She hushed him lightly, looking over her shoulder as if expecting something to burst through the flyscreen. "She's working."

"Who's-" JJ stopped as soon as he started. Of course, Lucy's  mother would live in this fucking neighborhood. If listened hard enough he could he the subtle murmuring of woman on the phone. "Fuck."

"Is Johnny okay?" Lu piped up, her voice was low but her brown eyes wide and worried. "Is he with you?"

Typical Lu. If only Johnny gave this much of a shit about either of them. He hadn't even mentioned Lu since the fucking Ward Cameron adoption. Though, now that JJ thought about it, he hadn't exactly asked. 

"Pfft yeah he's okay and no he's not with me." He brushed the questions off dismissively as he approached the veranda, taking his eyes off the flat and scanning Lu's mouth for any missing teeth. 

"He's pissing me the fuck off." JJ spat as he flopped himself onto the step below Lucy, placing the duffle next to her pink laced up shoes. 

"Same." She breathed out. So quietly JJ almost thought it was an echo trick of the woman inside the flat selling coupon books over the phone. 

"You're gone two days and you think you can sass me." He teased, pinching her ankle over her white socks. Because Lu wore socks now. 

"Sorry." JJ looked up at her flushed faced, embarrassed at being caught out. 

"Don't be like that." He knocked his side against her knees fondly. "I'm only kidding, 'sides if anyone should be mad at John B it's you."

JJ's mouth twisted sourly as he recalled Luke picking him up from the holding cell and how sick it made him feel to sit in the car next to that man. He imagined being Lu, thinking she'd never see her mum again and then being dumped on her doorstep because her stupid brother couldn't pull his act together.

He'd be more than pissed.

"Can you take me home?" She begged. 

He'd be devastated. 

"Totally." 

"Really?" Like she didn't believe him.  

"Sure kiddo." He agreed easily, already standing up and reaching out a hand to help her up. She and John B were always on the outs with the DCS, it wouldn't hurt to take her with him. He'd take the fall if Peterkin came after her. JJ couldn't stand the thought of leaving her here.