*
"Look, for nine months, everybody... they tried to get me to believe my dad's dead. They say I'm in denial. Whatever.
Denial's underrated. You should try it sometime. It's highly effective, and it's only denial if you're wrong.
It doesn't make any sense.
My dad is the last guy who would ever get lost at sea. This compass coming back to me, my father's compass, which was passed down for generations... it's a sign.
My dad's still alive, and I'm gonna find him."
*
The following day, John B drove to the Camerons on his boat. He hoped to drop off the scuba gear before anyone got up. John B stopped at the sliding door of the Druthers, seeing Sarah asleep on the couch. He tried to put the scuba gear back quietly, but Sarah stirred.
"Wheezie, shut up..." Sarah mumbled, eyes still closed, but it made John B stop in his tracks. "You're not Wheezie," Sarah said, raising when John B accidentally hit one of the tanks on something, making it rattle.
"Correct. Yeah." John B said nervously. "I'm sorry..." He said, setting the bags and tanks down.
"What are you doing?" Sarah asked, sounding slightly annoyed.
"Uh... I'm just dropping off some scuba gear." John B said when Sarah suddenly became aware of the fact that she was all sweaty, had no makeup on, and her sweatshirt was rolled up, exposing the bottom of her sports bra. "What are-- what are you doing... here?" He asked as she sat up.
"It's our boat." She shrugged. "It's also the only place with air conditioning." She said, trying to wake up more.
"Right." John B sighed, feeling dumb. Why would he ask that?
"Did you, um... top off the tanks?"
"No. No, power's down, so the compressors were off." John B sighed, clearing his throat.
"So, you're sneaking onto our boat at 5:00 a.m. with empty tanks?" she asked, trying to give him a little attitude since he was rude yesterday. "I'll make sure to tell Ward," she added when John B tried not to show how worried he was.
"Okay. Okay." He said, unsure what to do. He could lose his job. "Cool. Cool... Just drop these off," he said, putting down the gear and bags.
"Yeah, yeah, the middle of the room is fine." Sarah scoffed a bit.
"Yeah, this is pretty much what he told me to do." John B said, turning to leave.
"Bye."
"Actually, you know what-- what exactly were you gonna tell your dad?" John B stopped, chuckling nervously, as he crossed his arms to look at Sarah.
"Nothing much. Just that you poached our scuba gear."
"Okay... I borrowed it for a few hours." John B finally confessed. "Okay? And then I brought it back intact and unharmed." He added, trying to explain himself.
"Minus air," Sarah smirked at him.
"Look, please don't tell him. Okay? He'll fire me." John B was practically begging her.
"What are you gonna do? Pull a gun on me?" Sarah asked, referring to JJ pulling a gun on Topper the other night.
"Okay... I didn't know JJ was going to do that." John B sighed.
"That's convenient to believe..." Sarah scoffed at him. "Maybe you should get better friends," she added.
"Well, maybe you should get a better boyfriend." John B commented back, making Sarah chuckle at him.
"Like one who doesn't poach?"
"Look, please, just don't tell him." John B sighed, really not wanting to lose his job. "Okay?"
"Relax. I'm not gonna tell him anything," Sarah smiled at him. "Your secret's safe with me, John B," Sarah said as John B smiled at her when he stepped back a bit. "Okay, you can leave now..." Sarah said, moving to lie down again.
"Right... Yeah. I'll leave-- I'll leave that right there." John B said, walking over to the door he came in from.
"Bye."
"Later." John B said before getting back on his boat.
~season 1, episode 2: "The Lucky Compass"~
~632 words~
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Family Business:
Fanfic*Takes place during season 1 of OBX* Paul and Delilah Richards were some of the Kookiest Kooks. They were successful in life. Paul owed several condo rentals and a boat rental on the island. Delilah was born into a wealthy family in Charleston and m...
