(a/n please forgive me for this kinda short chapter. I didn't want to include the next scene in this chapter, it deserves it's own (and bc I'm evil and wanna make you guys wait even longer for a certain ship to be fixed). But it'll be worth the wait (and it's not a long wait, literally overnight lol)
2 Weeks Later
After planning extensively for the past few weeks, the four pogues were ready to return to the Outer Banks. They wanted to plan as much as possible leading up to when John B, Sarah and Elizabeth would meet them. The first step was obviously to get back which they had decided the four pogues would drive the SS Sunshine back to OBX because the journey ended up being a lot shorter than they had originally anticipated.
Once the pogues were safely back in Kildare, they would live at the chateau since Pope and Kie were still supposed to be gone for a few more weeks. Then, as much as JJ hated the plan, Lydia was going to get Rafe to confess. They were sure that at some point he'd throw a party and it'd be easy enough to slip Lydia in, while also allowing for the pogues to be nearby (per JJ's insistence)
"You guys have everything?" John B asked as they stood in front of the stocked up Sunshine
"Food, water, gas, clothes, emergency supplies, I think that's everything right?" Lydia listed as she counted over the items
"So that's it, the sooner you guys get Rafe's confession, the sooner we get to come home. It feels like such a short time ago that it was me and Sarah sailing away" John B sighed
"I still can't believe it's been a year. We're getting old" Kie chuckled
The pogues each took turns hugging John B and Sarah, trying to delay the inevitable as much as possible.
"Shit, I wish you guys didn't have to go" Sarah said tearfully
"How do you think we felt last summer" JJ chuckled softly at the memory
"Sorry for basically throwing us off a cliff" Lydia mocked John B's infamous last words
"I changed my mind, I won't miss her at all" John B playfully shoved her
"Rude. Now one last group hug for the road?" Lydia suggested
So the six of them embraced, relishing in the moment, before they pulled away and the 6 split into 4 and 2.
As they drove away from the Bahamas, Lydia couldn't help but revisit the conversation she had with Katrina the night prior:
"Lydia, can I talk to you?" Katrina stepped out onto the porch where the pogues were gathered
"Sure" Lydia gulped, shooting her friends a forced smile before following her mother into the house
"When you first came through that door, one of my first thoughts was when you'd walk back out that door and if you'd ever come back" Katrina began
"I was mad but obviously I'd come back" Lydia tried to comfort, despite being incredibly uncomfortable.
Just because Katrina had felt like her reasons were justified, didn't mean Lydia agreed. She had only relented her fighting to help her friends who were definitely more of a family than the woman sitting in front of her was. But she did feel bad for the woman, Lydia could swear up and down that if she was faced with the same decision, that she'd make a different choice. But the reality is, Lydia will (hopefully) never be put in a situation that would force her to make a decision, so she can't really judge.
"No, Lydia. I meant when you'd inevitably need to return to the Outer Banks" Katrina said, "Nothing would make me happier if you'd chose to stay, here, with us"
YOU ARE READING
Shells
Romance"You and I both know you haven't been okay in months" "So what? It doesn't matter. Not with all the other things we have to worry about." "See that's the problem Lydia. You don't give a shit about yourself and it's going to end up killing you. You...
