𝗠𝘆 𝗘𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗲 ⇉ 𝗝𝗝 𝗠𝗮𝘆𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗸

𝘵 𝘰 𝘨 𝘦 𝘵 𝘩 𝘦 𝘳

THE SOFT CHIRPING of distant grasshoppers filled the warm night air, a gentle reminder of the world outside as Ariella stood next to JJ, her heart brimming with warmth. She watched him intently, his gaze fixed on the baby monitor, where their daughter lay peacefully asleep, her tiny chest rising and falling in a rhythm that soothed Ari's soul.

JJ felt like had missed so much while he was away, and seeing the love in his eyes as he admired their little girl made Ariella's heart swell with an overwhelming sense of joy and pride.

In the background, John B, Sarah, and Kiara were gathered around the dining room table, their voices a hushed murmur filled with excitement and curiosity.

They were poring over a scroll, a relic that held the promise of adventure—their quest for the elusive blue crown. The atmosphere buzzed with anticipation, the kind that made Ariella's pulse quicken.

"Okay, so obviously, it's a map of sorts, right?" John B's voice broke through Ari's reverie, drawing her attention to the scroll that lay before them.

It was adorned with intricate designs that seemed to dance across the parchment, each twist and turn hinting at secrets yet to be uncovered.

"Yeah, but it looks like a trippy mosaic." JJ chimes in, a playful smirk on his lips as he held a blunt between his fingers. His other arm slipped around Ariella's waist, pulling her closer, his thumb gently tracing patterns over her hip.

The warmth of his touch sent a thrill through her, a reminder of his promise to never let her go, and she found comfort in the strength of his embrace.

"It's so weird." Kiara remarks, running a hand through her hair, her brow furrowed in concentration. "It's all scrambled."

"What are we supposed to do with it?" Sarah questions, leaning against the table, her voice laced with curiosity and concern.

"Decode it. That's what we're supposed to do." JJ replies, taking a long hit from the blunt.

Ariella instinctively turns her head, ensuring she didn't inhale the smoke, the knowledge of her second pregnancy lingering in the back of her mind like a secret waiting to be revealed.

She wanted to shout it out, but she bit her tongue, knowing that the moment had to be just right. Timing was everything, and while she felt the urgency, she also understood that some revelations needed to be savored.

"...And how exactly are we going to do that?" Ariella asks, tilting her head slightly as she peers down at the intricate map, her brow furrowed in concentration.

The scroll is a tapestry of symbols and lines, showing curves and twists.

"With the code breaker, baby. That's how." JJ leans in, planting a soft kiss on the side of her head, a gesture that sends warmth radiating through her.

He passes the blunt to John B, who is already running his fingers over the scroll, tracing the delicate patterns with a mix of reverence and excitement. "All right, everything's coming into focus now. You've just got to let your eyes go out of focus for it to be in focus."

"Because that makes sense, handsome." Ariella chuckles, a playful spark lighting her eyes as JJ pinches her hip teasingly, the familiar gesture grounding her amidst the swirling chaos of their adventure.

"I think we're mind melding." John B quips, holding the blunt out towards Ariella with a mischievous grin. She immediately shakes her head, about to protest, but JJ gently nudges the blunt away, a protective instinct flaring up.

"You know she hasn't smoked since Cora, man." He reminds John B, his tone light but firm.

"Right." John B shrugs, a hint of embarrassment creeping into his voice as he passes the blunt to Sarah, who takes it casually between her fingers.