By the time they made it to the docks Big John was being dragged by JJ and John B.
The world seemed silent as he was lowered into the boat and they took off downstream.
Grace held onto one of Big John's bloody hands tightly while John B kept his dad's head propped up on his lap.
Big John groaned through heavy breaths.
"Hey, hey, Pop. Hey. Hang in there, okay?" John B practically begged.
"But we did it together, my boy," his voice was weak.
"Yeah," John B replied through a sniffle.
JJ clutched his hands together while he watched his best friend's heart breaking slowly.
"Just... Just like we drew it up," Big John continued.
John B blinked away the tears gathering in his eyes. He didn't want to think about it but deep down he knew this was the end. His father was fading quickly. "Yeah. Yeah, we did."
"Bird, Bird, Bird."
John B's sole attention was already on him. "Dad, yeah."
"Hey, hey, Bird." He used his unoccupied hand to grab his son's and pull it closer to his chest. "Sarah?"
Sarah forced herself to smile. "Hi. I'm here, Big John."
Big John smiled weakly. "Bird, you gotta hang on to this one."
His weak grip tightened ever so slightly on Grace's shaking hand. She swallowed thickly while staring down at him.
"I know that I wasn't any great shakes as a father."
John B shook his head quickly. "Stop, Dad."
Grace wanted to tell him. Tell him about how distraught John B had been over their fight. Tell him how much he helped her when she was a kid in need of a father. She wanted to tell him it all but something about the twinkling eyes told her he already knew.
"But you... You were the best son any man could hope for," Big John continued. "Gracie?"
Grace squeezed his hand in hers. "Yeah, Pops?"
"Thank you for being my daughter."
Grace felt her already broken heart shatter in her chest.
"I want you both to know that..."
John B sniffled. "You can tell us when we get home, okay? Almost there."
"We're almost home, Dad," Grace added, tears blurring her vision.
JJ looked out into the calm river water, heart aching.
"Okay." Big John's voice only grew weaker.
"Look, Dad. Look," John B got out through his crying. He rested a chunk of gold on his father's chest. "We did it."
Big John looked down at the glimmering gold and a content look washed over his dirt coated face.
"You did it," John B continued.
Grace guided Big John's bloody hand up to the gold and rested it on top. She curled his limp fingers around it but kept her hand over his.
"I'll see you. I'll see you at home."
He went still.
"Dad?" John B practically begged.
Grace knew he was gone and felt the tears rolling down her cheeks.
She watched John B rest his head against his father's and cry.
YOU ARE READING
𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐞 - JJ Maybank
FanfictionGrace Cameron was a Pogue. Always has been. Sure her dad and half-siblings were the Kookiest a Kook could get but her mom had grown up on the Cut so she did too. Her friend group vowed to have a good time all the time but when a boat goes down in th...
