𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐞 - JJ Maybank

Chapter 73: My Girl

When Grace and JJ were twelve they had the shared goal of making her mom's Mother's Day great.

The best way they could think to was to make her breakfast in bed.

JJ had been with them all week because his dad had up and vanished without as much as a note. Rebekah happily invited him to stay over. If anything she was glad Luke had run off. It meant she'd get to care for the boy how he should be cared for. JJ was always too worried about overstaying his welcome but Rebekah was as stubborn as her daughter so she was able to convince him to stay until Luke got back.

JJ's vanishing father happened to work out perfectly in their favour. It meant he'd be there to help Grace bake a cake at 6 am. Neither kid had any baking experience. They were running on hopes and dreams and her mom's cook book. Grace had told JJ that they should be making breakfast food but he insisted that cake was festive and they were celebrating so it was only right.

Even then Grace knew better than to try to stop JJ when he had his mind set on something, so she went along with it.

The batter making went surprisingly smoothly. Sure, they may have gotten a few pieces of egg shell in it, but who didn't love a bit of crunch? 

JJ dropped a mixing spoon to the ground which clattered loudly. Grace had slapped him on the arm after double checking that her mom was still asleep and he wouldn't stop making a big fuss out of how much it hurt. She had barely tapped him but should have expected his dramatics. 

After those minor hiccups they got the cake in the oven. The kitchen was a disaster of egg shells, flour, and dishes but neither kid felt like cleaning it up. Instead, they pulled themselves up onto counter side by side.

Grace pulled out the phone Ward had gifted her. The lock screen was the first selfie she, JJ, and John B had taken together. The same one JJ still had in his bedroom.

She passed him an earbud and put the other one in her ear before pressing play on her playlist.

The first song to pop up on shuffle was My Girl by The Temptations.

Her mom had been sure to instil an appreciation of what she deemed "the classics" in her daughter.

Grace was on the verge of falling asleep, but JJ seemed to light up at the song. He hopped down from the counter, nearly pulling the earbud out of his ear at his quick movements. 

He grabbed his best friend's hand and pulled her off the counter despite her protests and yawns.

"J, I'm tired," she had whined but he was having none of it.

He grabbed both of her hands and began dancing like an absolute idiot. Grace had tried to hold back her laughs but she could only suppress them for so long. Her face broke out into a wide smile as she gave in and let herself laugh.

If he hadn't already known he was in love with her, he'd certainly have figured it out at that very moment.

The morning sun was streaming through the windows but he felt like she was the only one giving off any light. Her smile was so wide, causing the corners of her eyes to crinkle. Her hair was a mess from sleep, and she was wearing a t-shirt far too big for her, but he had never seen anyone more beautiful. 

If he had ever seen anything beautiful it paled in comparison. If he were to ever see anything beautiful again he wouldn't be able to appreciate it how he once did. He was well and truly and fully gone for her.

Grace laughed as she danced with him in the early hours of the morning in her messy kitchen to a song about being in love. She didn't understand why JJ was looking at her like she hung the moon but she was more than happy to return the gesture, not yet understanding what it meant.