addicted to you | jj maybank

eight

kiara handed john b an envelope. "that's not gold," pope sighed. "holy shit," john b said. "this is from my dad," he added.

"code red, code red. square groupers!" jj warned the others. "go, go!" kie said. "it's the guys who robbed your house," jj said as they all hid.

"turn off the lights," colette said. "john b your light," kiara repeater.

"do you think it's them?" colette asked. "homies got a gun," jj said. "screw this," kiara said before they all starting running. they jumped the fence and started to run but pope wasn't with them. "guys, i'm stuck," he said. "pope, come on!" jj said. "I got you," kie said. "pope, don't move, okay?" jj said, pointing the gun at him. "you're gonna rip me," pope said to kiara.

"wait you're gonna rip me," pope said. "hey, you'll shoot him," colette said, pushing the gun down. "you don't trust my aim?" jj asked. "eh," she shrugged. "ouch," he said.

popes shorts ripped and got stuck to the fence. "it's a little tootsie roll," jj said as they all laughed.

they got back to the chateau and sat down to read the envelope. "that bread had mold in it three days ago," pope warned jj. "i'll just pull off the bad parts," he said while making a sandwich. "no, jj that's disgusting," colette gagged. "nah, mold is good for you, it's just a natural organism," he said as colette shook her head in disgust.

"let's do this," jj said as he was called over. "mm" jj gagged throwing the bread out. "what did I tell you," colette laughed at jj.

"holy shit," john b said as he opened a map. "oh, x marks the spot," pope said pointing to a x on the map. "longitude, latitude," john b followed the lines on the map. "wait there's something else in there," he said as he pulled out a tape recorder.

"what's that?" jj asked. "it's a tape recorder, dumbass," kiara said.

dead bird.

"who's bird?" jj asked. "it's what my dad called me," john b said.

I hate to say, "I told you so," but I told you so. and you doubted your old man. I suspect at this moment, you're filled with guillet and self-loathing over our last fight, but don't kill yourself just yet, kid. I didn't expect to find the merchant either.

after big john said that everyone shared the same curious look.

you were probably right to call me out, wasnt exactly father of the decade, what can I say, kid. I could smell the barn. and hopefully, we're listening to this in our brand new sugar-shack down in costa rica, livin off passive investments and pulling on permits. if not and you find this for less than optimal reasons. well that's what the map is for. there she is, the wreak of the merchant. if something happens to me, finish what I started. go for the gold kid. I love you, bird, even if i didn't always act like it. i'll see you on the other side.

the recording ended and john b got up, he leaned against the wall and cried.

"holy shit, he did it! big john he found the merchant," jj exclaimed. "not right now, j," colette put her hand on his shoulder. "can you, please" kie put her hands on her head. "sorry," jj apologized.

kiara hugged john b as the other three stood there.

after john b had calmed down they moved to the dock to sit. kiara was playing her ukulele and the faint sound of thunder rumbling could be heard.

"how much was it again?" jj asked. "four hundred mil." pope answered.

"all right, let's talk the split. now before we say evenly, may I remind you that I am the only one that can properly defend us from those groupers who were after us. protection? not cheap, okay?" jj said, pulling out his gun. "hey I could too, I have good aim," colette brought up.

"neither of you have training, zero training," pope said. "youtube, bro. that's at least a five percent bump right there. any objections? didn't think so," jj said as kiara held her hand up and pope said, "yeah."

"what are you gonna do with your 100 mil, pope?" kiara asked. "pay for college in advance. and also textbooks. those are expensive," pope answered.

"what about you kie?" jj asked. "yeah what does a socialist do when's she's rich?" pope asked. "I just wanna make a double album. about obx, the pogues. you know, they way catch a fire is about kingston. record it at marley studio, peter tosh producing. "peter tosh is dead" pope and kie said at the same time. "I know, but the spirit of peter tosh will never die," kie said, raising her beer can.

"I know what i'll do. i'm gonna get a big ass house on figure eight and go full kook," jj said. "you're gonna go full kook?" pope asked. "yup, gonna get a marble statue of myself and then i'm gonna get a koi pond. put a bunch of those fish-" jj laughed. "i'm never visiting," kiara clarified.

"what about you colette?" pope asked. "travel the world. backpack across europe, swim in different oceans, climb the rocky mountains, you know," she said, dreaming bout the world. "sounds amazing," kie said.

"what are you gonna do, jb?" pope asked. everyone looked at him waiting for an answer. "to going full kook," he said. "to going full kook!" they all cheered.