𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐛𝐨𝐲

VII. I'm So Sorry.

      

     AT THE pool back at the house, the group of Pogues had fun and drank some beers, jumping and swimming in the pool, while Sarah watched Evie, just like Jake knew she would. She would splash Kie and Sarah, sitting at the stairs with her and laughing away. It felt like old times. There was just someone missing.

"Dada!" Evie called to her dad who was shotgunning a beer with John B, "yeah, baby girl?" Jake looked over. "I peed myself!" She screamed, which made the Pogues all laugh as Jake sighed, nodding. "Okay, okay," he walked over, climbing out of the pool. He wrapped a towel each around both him and Evie before heading inside the home. In the washroom, Jake just changed the pull up she was wearing before putting another one on her.

"Better?" He asked his daughter and Evie nodded, holding up a thumbs up. "Wait, dada?" She says, stopping him as he was about to stand up. "Do you and Mama Kie still love each other?" She asked, while outside, Pope and John B were talking about Pope's experience in jail, and Kie and Sarah were talking about what Kie's parents had spoken to her about.

"Uh, yes. Of course. I'll always love Mama Kie." Jake nodded and Evie sighed quietly. "Why do you ask that?" He tilts his head to the side a bit. "I never see you two hug anymore. You guys always hugged. Like, a lot." She said and he just looked away, down at the floor. "Does she not love you anymore?" The little girl asked and the Lennox looked up at her right away. "I think she does." He shrugs and Evie frowns.

"It doesn't seem like it." She said before walking away. "Evie. Come on, don't be like that. It's your Auntie Sarah's birthday." He followed after her, but she ignored him the whole way, even waited by the back patio door, with her arms folded, so of course he opened the door for her and she just continued on her way out, heading towards Kie and Sarah. "Hi Mama. Hi Auntie." She said, sounding upset. "Hey baby girl. You okay?" Kie lifted her up onto her lap and Evie just kept her arms crossed. "Yeah." She says.

Kie glanced over to Jake who just walked by, heading towards the seats that were all around this little bonfire. The others all joined him one by one and Jake keeps glancing at his daughter who is currently glaring at the fire. He'd never seen her mad before, so it was weird. "The money from the auction comes to 175 apiece." John B brings up and Sarah hums. "We won't be able to afford a place like Jay's, but it's a start, and then Sarah gets her inheritance, so..." He looked around at Pope, Kie and Jake.

"To rebuilding?" He asked. "To rebuilding." Sarah held up her soda, as did the others with their beer. The memorial helped for sure, having fun like they used to, swimming and drinking beer, and when Sarah told Evie about her being pregnant, the Pogues honestly aww at how cute it was when the four year old touched her stomach. "Hi, baby! I'm gonna be your big cousin, I'll take really good care of you." She said and Sarah giggled, touching her head.

"You're so sweet, Eves." She said and Jake smiled widely, glancing over at Kie just to find her staring at him with a small smile. He smiled back at her, glancing back over to their daughter who Kie was now going around in the pool with, holding the four year old in her arms. And then John B got out, looking out at the dock. "Hey, John B?" Jake realized, making the others all look over at the Routledge.

"What's wrong?" Sarah asked. "You good?" Pope asked next. "What's up?" Kie asked. "JB?" Evie's little voice called out next. "There's a... there's a boat out there." John B pointed. "Shit, is it like the owners or something?" Pope asked as he and Jake climbed out the pool, the three girls following to walk over to John B.

"Yo, they're trespassing. I mean, we trespassed first but we got squatter's rights." Pope said, looking at John B. "Should we hide?" Sarah asked as Evie stood between her and Kie, holding both their hands. "It's probably just some drunk fisherman. So I'll go... I'll go talk to them." John B turns to look at them. "We'll just go inside. Come on, baby girl, come on, Sarah," Kie said as she turns around, going towards the house with both Evie and Sarah.