28 - Goodbye Island Paradise

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As we drive past our home, we all turn and look

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As we drive past our home, we all turn and look.

Every memory hits at once- packed into such a short amount of time. John b throwing pasta we made at the wall, JJ grabbing it with his mouth and eating it anyways, plates still in his hands.

Late dinners.
Laughing too loud.
Always saying a prayer before we eat, no matter how chaotic the day had been.

"Goodbye, island paradise" kie says softly.

No one disagrees.






"So...what we're just on our way to Africa now? Quick little weekend trip?" Kie asks after a while.

"What about Rafe? We know what he did to the cross. And now we wanna go after the crown with him? That makes zero sense" pope says

"Doesn't take pope to figure that part out." Cleo mutters.

John b looks at me.
"Stella, you're his family. How do we deal with Rafe?" He asks

I shake my head.
"I don't know. I really have no idea." I said

"All right well it seems like we're stuck on this boat with him. So we gotta talk to him" John b exhales.

"Talk to Rafe?" JJ asks

"Well you're definitely not talking to him." John b says

"Oh I'm not talking to him right. Okay what did I do now?" JJ says, throwing his hands up.

"Look it just might be easier if we handle it okay? You might trigger him, and that's like the last thing we need" kie said carefully.

"Tigger him? Yeah I tigger him, because I get shit done right?" JJ said, a small bitter laugh. 

"Yeah like felonies and forcing us out of the country for potentially the rest of our lives. So why don't you park your ass right there and just sit this one out." John b said

As we walk away, I glance back and see JJ take a long pull from the bottle.

My chest tightens.


By the time I reach the door, Rafe's holding up a gun.
"You see this? It's a peacemaker all right? You guys be cool I'll be cool." He says

"So now you want peace?" Pope asks flatly.

"I just saved all your asses. How about a thank you. You know, no good deed goes unpunished. Itll be just like in Barbados. Right Stella? You remember?" Rafe snaps

"Nope. Not at all actually" I said

"Okay, here's the situation all right? I don't want any part of your little fairy tale treasure hunt bullshit. All right? I'm just looking for Groff. I get you to North Africa, you get me Groff deal?" Rafe said

"We want the same thing" John b says

"Hey Rafe" JJ says casually

Rafe turns.

JJ punches him.
Rafe drops.

"JJ!" I yell

"Oh that felt good" JJ says, flexing his hand.

"Oh my God" I mutter, already walking away with Kie and cleo.








After I while, I make food for everyone. I fix a plate for Rafe too, setting it down with a couple pills beside it.

"Great. Just like I said, no good deed goes unpunished." Rafe mutters

"There's some aspirin there for you if you need it." I said

"Aspirin? Oh what? Are you gonna... throw it in my mouth, like a seal?" He scoffs

"No one trusts you, Rafe. And honestly why would they?" I said

"I was trying to help. I mean what would dad say if he saw me like this right now huh?" Rafe snaps

I inhale slowly.
"We'll let you off when we get there. But until then no one here trusts you." I said

I turn and leave, shutting the door as he starts to yell. I press my hands over my ears and climb the stairs fast.





The days blur together.
Fishing. Cooking whatever we catch. Fixing parts of the boat. Stopping for gas when we're low.

"Where you heading bruv?" The man asks JJ at the dock.

"Uh we're on our way to go kill some people" JJ says

"Fishing. He means fish. We're on a fishing trip" I jump in.

The guys stares like he might faint.




Later, I bring Rafe food again.

"You need to eat.... Please" I said quietly.

I don't wait for a response before closing the door.




I collapse next to John b, needing a second.

"So....i was thinking" John b said carefully.

"Hmm?" I ask

"...maybe we tell the others? Unless you still don't want to" he said

"Well Kiera already knows. And I'm not sure I want everyone to know yet" I admit

"Well maybe we tell JJ?" He asks

I pause. Then nod.
"Yeah. We should" I said

John b smiles a little.
"I feel like after all the dad stuff, he could use some good news. What if we made him the godfather?" John b asks

I laugh softly.
"The uncle and the godfather? Big title. You think he's responsible enough?" I ask

John b grins.
"I keep forgetting you're related" he says, a quiet laugh.

"Me too. Uncle JJ has a nice ring to it though" I laugh







John b heads off to talk to JJ.

I sit with cleo and kie, playin cards, laughing- really laughing- when suddenly John b storms back in and throws something to the ground.

We all jump.

"Dude you okay?" Kie asks

"What's wrong?" I ask, but I already knew.

"It's JJ" john b says, looking straight at me.

And I understand immediately.

He's been drinking.

A lot more than normal.

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