𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐛𝐨𝐲

II. Kildare's Enduro.

       

     THAT SAME night there was a thunderstorm, which woke up Evie, the girl sitting up in her bed, lip quivering. She got up quickly and rushed over to the slightly open door, then stared at the closed bedroom door. Then looked down the hallway, seeing John B walk out one of the rooms. "Sarah," she says, her R sounding like a W, before walking down the hallway and entering that bedroom.

"Sarah," she repeated her name as she approached the bed and the Cameron girl quickly flipped over to look at her. "Evie, hey, are you okay?" The blonde asked her worriedly. "I'm scared, Sarah," she says quietly and Sarah just smiles. "It's okay. It's just a little storm. You're okay. Come here." The little toddler lifts up her arms and Sarah lifted her into the bed, the two then cuddling together. John B had returned not long after and put an arm around them, well mostly Sarah's waist.

The next morning, Sarah brought Evie to Jake and Kie's bedroom, softly knocking before opening the door. She snorts quietly when she realizes the two's clothes were all over, except for their underwear which they had on. "Hey, Jake. Jake." She shook the Lennox who rubs the sleep from his eyes, looking up at her. "Here. She came to my room last night, scared." She said as she handed over a sleeping Evie and Jake hums. "Thanks Sarah." He says quietly as he rubs Evie's back gently, setting her down between her and Kiara.

"No problem. She's such a cutie."

Down at the dock, the group all checked out the bait and such after last night, John B telling them he saw lightning strike down on it. Evie was there as well, drinking from a juice box that Kie had given her. "Anyone want fried fish?" John B asked, raising the net from the bait tank as Pope sighs. "What's the damage, Pope?" JJ asked the Heyward boy. "Fuse box is busted. Without the live bait, the fishermen won't come." He explains to them while John B held up one of the fish from the net before dropping it back into the water.

"And there goes half of our business right there. We have enough profit to cover it, but barely, just barely." Pope walks around to enter the shop. "Alright?" He reaches up to the can where they keep the last piece of gold. "This is it. The last of our Au." He says. "Uh, what?" John B asked as Jake looks over. "What?"

"Gold. It's the periodic symbol for gold." Pope explained to the others. "Why not just say gold?" Jake now asked him. "Because it doesn't matter. This is all our savings, and it's a no-go. This is for property taxes. So, we're gonna have to tighten up..." He says and John B sighs. "Which means no more $600 in gas chasing tarpon up the Gulf." He looks at JJ.

"Pope, that's my job." The blond boy says right away. "We were chasing a bait board." John B said as he gestured to JJ. Pope looks at Kie and Jake, "no more $200 in heirloom tomato seeds." He pointed at the two who instantly made a face. It was no surprise Kie would begin gardening, planting and growing veggies to cook in the surf shop. But it was a surprise from everyone else that Jake helped her out as much as he could, even Evie was helping out, with Kie's guidance. "What about my imported peppers?" Cleo now asked Pope.

"Peppers gotta go too, baby."

"I need to run the charters..." JJ argues. "It's not the tomatoes' fault." Jake said, and Evie, sitting on the counter nexto where he is, is nodding, as if she knew anything about what was going on. "No, hey, guys, if the business starts failing, the sharks start circling, alright?" Pope says loudly at them, shutting them up.

"We don't even know if your dad is coming back." Pope tells JJ now. "Yeah, well, it's not his anymore." The Maybank replied, staring down at the counter before looking up at the Heyward. "Doesn't matter. What's he gonna think when he sees all this?" Pope asked and JJ doesn't answer, just chewing his gum. "Listen, if we want to save this place, we skinny up until the business gets afloat again. Okay?" He said to the group then set down the gold onto the counter, walking away.