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JJ SPREAD PEANUT BUTTER over two pieces of moldy bread. Kamden looked over at him as he slapped the piece together.
"That bread had mold on it three days ago." She said disgustedly.
"I'll pull off the bad part." JJ defended as he walked into the living room. "Plus, molds good for you. It's just a natural organism."
John B twirled the envelope in his hands as he sat down at the table. He quickly ripped out the package. JJ took a bite of his sandwich and gagged as he spat the chewed bread into his hand. Kiara gave him a disgusted look.
John B reached into the envelope and pulled out a folded piece of paper. He opened it to reveal a map, there we coordinated written to the side and list of names next to the compass. There was a big 'X' in black sharpie drawn in the ocean just off the coast of The Outer Banks.
"Well, X marks the spot." Pope pointed to the mark on the map.
"Longitude, latitude." John B pointed to the coordinates. He moved back to the package and reached his hand in. "Wait, there's somethin' else in there."
He pulled out a small tape recorder. JJ leaned forward and looked at the device.
"What's that?"
"It's a tape recorder, dumbass," Kamden said as she looked up at JJ.
John B pressed the button on the side and time started playing.
"Dear Bird," John B's dad's voice was gruff but soft. "I hate to say 'I told you so', but I told you so. You doubted your old man." John B's eyes widened as he listened to his dad's voice. "I suspect at this moment, you're filled with guilt and self-loathing over out last fight, but don't kill yourself just yet, kid." Kamden placed her hand on John B's shoulder as tears pricked at the back of his eyes. "I didn't expect to find the Merchant either. You were probably right to call me out. I wasn't exactly father of the decade." His dad sighed on the tape. "Hopefully we're listenin' 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." The Pogues all looked over at the map. "If somethin' 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."
The tape recorder played static and John B turned it off. He sighed and pushed away from the table. JJ leaned forward and grabbed the map.
"Holy shit, he did it!" JJ exclaimed.
John B grabbed onto the wall as he sobbed. Kamden glared at JJ before she walked over to John B.
"Can you...can you please?" Kiara asked as she looked back at Kamden and John B.
Kamden pulled him away from the wall as he sobbed harder. She wrapped her arms around him as he buried his face in the crook of her neck. His arms were loose around her waist. The room became quiet as his sobs filled the room.
