One Stupid Thing

3:6:91

I round the block that Heyward's shop is located and collect myself before stepping inside. What JJ had accused me of stung, but we both did things to hurt each other and what matters right now is Pope and the cross. JJ and I can clear the air later.

I open the front door and a little bell rings to signify my arrival. "Welcome in," a voice calls. From the back room, Mr. Heyward comes running out to greet me, his supposed customer. "Oh, it's just you."

"Just me," I reply with a small smile. "Are Pope and JJ—"

"They're out back," Heyward tells me quickly.

"Thanks." I nod to the man respectfully and continue to make my way through the shop. The back door is open and a delicious smell wafts through it. Outside on the back porch, Mrs. Heyward stands in front of a grill, flipping a chicken with a pair of tongs. JJ uses a damp rag to wipe down a table.

"Hey, girl." I recognize Cleo's foreign accent ring out from behind me. She walks past me with placemats and silverware in her grasp. Her greeting had alerted JJ and Mrs. Heyward that I am here.

"Hey," I greet her back. Pope's mother turns to me with a bright smile.

"Oh, Stella, it's great to see you!" she says to me.

"You too, Mrs. Heyward. Is Pope not here?" I ask to no one in particular.

"Well, you just missed him," the woman tells me. "He stormed out of here in a bit of a hurry." She shrugs and then turns back to the grill. JJ must have told him about the cross then.

"Okay, uh, thanks anyways." I turn to step back inside to leave.

"Aren't you going to stay for dinner? We're having chicken and stuffed peppers!" Mrs. Heyward stops me.

"Oh, no, I shouldn't, really."

"No, no, please. I insist! There's plenty of food," she tells me.

"I wouldn't pass up Mrs. Heyward's cooking," JJ says, he throws the damp rag over his shoulder and flashes me an awkward smile.

"Unlike my derelict son. He should've been here by now." Mrs. Heyward scoffs under her breath.

"I'm sure he'll be back any second, Mrs. Heyward," Cleo assures her. With the woman turning her attention away from the grill for a moment, JJ tries to sneak in and steal a piece of chicken, but Mrs. Heyward sees him out of the corner of her eye, smacks his hand away and gives him a glare.

Mr. Heyward appears from inside the store, he has an underlying tension about him. "Any one of ya'll move the pistol from in there? The one I keep under the register?" Despite his clear worry, his tone is calm. We look around at each other in confusion. "JJ?"

"Whoa, okay. I didn't touch it. Okay?" the boy insists.

"Yeah, well, somebody did. 'Cause it's gone."

We all simultaneously put are hands up in surrender. "Wasn't me," JJ repeats.

Mr. Heyward turns to his wife with an exasperated sigh. "You see? I— Dang it. I gotta find it." The man darts back into the store, Mrs. Heyward hard on his heels.

"All right, I'm sure it's somewhere. Heyward, I'm sure it's somewhere," she assures him, her voice fading as they disappear inside.

Cleo waves JJ and I over to her and in a low voice says, "It's him."

"Who?" I ask.

"Yeah, he's going after Rafe," JJ agrees. I realize that they are talking about Pope. "I'll check Tannyhill."

"I'll take the marina," Cleo says.

"And I'll go look at Barry's." With one final nod of agreement, we all split off, hurrying away in the direction of our destinations.