The Outer Banks is heaven on earth. Its biggest draw is the story of the wreck of the Royal Merchant. But this island has many more stories worth telling, and one of them begins with the drowning of a mother and her infant child.
No treasure hunting
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Routledge
Big john
John b
Jeremy
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Cameron
Ward
Larissa
Rafe
Sarah
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Genrette
Wes
Larissa
Chris
Marcus
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Maybank
Luke
JJ
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Big John stood in the kitchen, the scent of freshly brewed coffee wafting around him as he sipped from his mug. The peaceful morning was soon interrupted by the unmistakable sounds of objects crashing and heated arguments from his sons' room. He chose to ignore it for the sake of his sanity.
"Damn it, John B! Didn't I tell you to stop stealing my underwear?" Jeremy's frustrated voice echoed through the hallway.
"Shut up, you idiot. This is mine," John B shot back, defensive.
Jeremy wasn't buying it. "You don't wash your clothes, John B. I know my clothes."
Big John sighed, heading toward their room. He knew exactly how this would end.
"Do you want me to return it now?" John B taunted, a sarcastic smile on his face. The inevitable happened—the boys lunged at each other, wrestling across the floor. Big John didn't hesitate to step in.
"Stop, you and him!" he barked, his voice cutting through the chaos. Both boys froze. "Now is not the time. Get ready for school."
Reluctantly, they let go of each other and focused on getting ready. Big John waited for them back in the kitchen, leaning against the counter. When they appeared, he tried to talk to them, his tone softening.
"Listen, I know things are tough right now—"
Jeremy cut him off, smirking. "Can I guess what you're going to say next?"
Big John sighed and nodded.
"Look, boys, I see the Royal Merchant on the horizon. I'll find it soon, and we'll be rich, and we won't need anything else," Jeremy mocked, mimicking his father's hopeful tone.
Big John's expression faltered, but Jeremy wasn't done.
"Look, Dad, crazy treasure stories were cool when we were kids. Now, not so much." He headed for the door, pausing to shoot his father a sarcastic grin. With a raised middle finger, he added, "F*** you, Dad."
Big John couldn't resist firing back. "So this is how we're going to do it then, boy? F*** you too, son!" he retorted, matching his son's tone.
John B followed his brother, shaking his head with an exasperated sigh. "Oh, kids."
Just when Big John thought the morning chaos was over, Jeremy reappeared, smiling innocently.
"Oh, I forgot something. I'll just take it."
Big John watched curiously as Jeremy moved to the living room, kicking something behind the couch. A groan followed, and Jeremy dragged a familiar figure into view—JJ Maybank, clinging desperately to the floor.
"Damn it, Jeremy! I thought you forgot me . I don't want to go to school. Please!" JJ protested, grasping at anything within reach.
Jeremy didn't stop. "I'm going, and John B is going. That means you're going too."
"Big John, save me, please!" JJ pleaded, eyes wide with hope. But Big John just sipped his coffee, hiding his smile behind the cup.
"Well," Big John thought, amused, "maybe mornings like this aren't so bad. At least they're entertaining."
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