We made it back to John B's place safely without being followed. Pope had borrowed some of John B's Shorts and was walking around helping me to light all the lamps in the main rooms. I walked past the kitchen double-checking the lamps were all on when I saw JJ making a sandwich.
"That bread had mold on it three days ago," I say walking over and looking at the bread.
"I'll just pull off the bad parts. Plus, mold is good for you. It's just a natural organism. " he said, continuing to use the bread.
"JJ!, Leah!" Kie yelled at us from where she and John B were sitting at the table.
I turned and walked over to the table JJ ran past me "Hot damn! Let's do it." he said once he got to the table taking a bit of his sandwich. Then gagging right away and spitting it out.
John B was holding the envelope Kie and I found and had turned it over to open it. We all watched intently as he pulled out a large piece of paper. Unfolding it and placing it down so we all could see it.
"Holy shit." John B says looking at the paper which has a map printed on it and bits of little handwritten and drawn things all over it.
" Oh. X marks the spot." Pope says placing his hand on the X that has been drawn on the map.
"Longitude, latitude." John B says studying the map.
"Wait, there's somethin' else in there," he says, picking up the envelope again and pulling out a small black device.
'What's that? " JJ asks.
"It's a tape recorder, dumbass," Kie replies JJ looks at me hurt and I give him a small smile and rub his back. John B moves the device around in his hand before pushing a button making it play.
"Dear Bird."
"Who's Bird?" JJ asks, quickly looking at me. I shrug before John B answered.
"That's what my dad called me."
Before the tape continued playing.
"I hate to say, "I told you so," but I told you so.
And you doubted your old man.
I suspect at this moment,
you're filled with guilt and self-loathing over our last fight,
but don't kill yourself just yet, kid.
I didn't expect to find the Merchant either.
You were probably right to call me out.
Wasn't exactly Father of the Decade.
[sighs] What can I say, kid? I could smell the barn.
[sighs]
And hopefully, we're listenin' to this
in our brand new sugar-shack down in Costa Rica,
livin' off passive investments and pulling on permits.
[sighs]
If not, and you find this for less than optimal reasons,
well, that's what the map is for.
There she is, the wreck of the Merchant.
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.
I'll see you on the other side."
The tape recorder clicks off and we all stand there still and silent not knowing what to say or if we should even say anything
John B sighs and keeps looking at the tape tears forming in his eyes. He gets up for the table and walks away, his back facing us grabbing onto the wall, finally letting his tears fall and releasing his emotions.
"Holy shit, he did it! Big John-- He found the Merchant--" JJ says before being cut off by Kie
"Can you... can you please?"
"Sorry," JJ says looking back at John B how is still crying.
Kie walks over and pulls John B into a hug letting him cry. I grab JJ's hand and lightly tug it, nodding my head towards the door. JJ nods and starts walking out to the front porch.
"Pope" I whisper and he nods following JJ. I walked over to Kie and placed my hand on her shoulder nodding my head in the direction Pope had just walked before following them myself.
We all made our way down to the dock not saying anything leaving John B and Kie in the house alone.
-----------------------
A short time has passed and we see kie and john B exit the house and walk down to the dock sitting with us. Kie picks up a ukulele and starts playing music softly in the background.
"How much was it again?"
"Five hundred mil." John B says
[JJ sighs] All right, let's talk, the split." JJ says Standing up.
" Now, before we say "evenly," may I remind you that I am the only one that can properly defend us from those groupers who were after us. Protection? Not cheap, okay? "
" You haven't trained. " Pope says, brushing JJ's comment
off.
"You've done zero training." Pope continues.
"YouTube, bro! " JJ says. " That's at least a five percent bump right there. "
" You haven't-- " Pope says before getting cut off by JJ.
"Any objections? Didn't think so. "
" Yeah." Pope tries again
I don't hear any, so... " JJ says, ignoring Pope once again.
"What are you gonna do with your 100 mil, Pope?" I question
"Pay for college in advance. And also, textbooks. Those are expensive." Pope says a typical logical answer.
"What about you, Kie? " JJ then asked her.
Yeah, what does a socialist do when she's rich? Pope asked, causing the rest of us to chuckle.
"Just wanna make a double album." Kie says "About OBX, the Pogues." she continues smiling to herself. "You know, the way Catch a Fire is about Kingston. Record it at Marley Studio, Peter Tosh producing."
"Peter Tosh is dead. " Pope states.
"Peter Tosh is dead. I know. "Spirit of Peter Tosh will never die. " Kie holder her beer can up toasting to the spirit of Peter Tosh.
" Lean what will you do with your shear? " Kie asks turning her head to face me.
" My own place with Its own private beach. "I started getting cut off by JJ.
"I know what I'll do. I'm gonna get a big ass house on Figure Eight and go full Kook."
"You're gonna go full Kook?" Pope questions Him not really believing what JJ is saying.
"Yup." JJ says, sounding very serious. " Gonna get a marble statue of myself, and then I'm gonna get a koi pond. Put a bunch of those fish--"
"I'm never visiting." Kie says cutting him off.
"What are you gonna do, JB? " I ask John B, causing everyone to turn and face him.
He pauses and thinks for a few seconds before turning his head and facing us "To going full Kook."
"To going full Kook!" we all say laughing standing up and cheering all our beer cans together.
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Sorry, there haven't been any updates, have had a family emergency.
Updates may be slow as I haven't had time to write or access to the internet.
YOU ARE READING
Pogue's way of life ~JJ FanFic
FanfictionI know that there are so many of these out there now but I just got a wave of inspiration and creativity so I thought I would give it ago. I don't own any of the characters except for Leah and her family. Hope you all enjoy it. :) This Outer Banks f...
