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— tell the children not to walk my way.
JO WATCHED WITH sad eyes as families frolicked along the beach. It was still fairly cool in the Outer Banks because it was only May, but compared to other areas east of them the weather was pretty good. That wasn't the point, Jo thought as she shook her head. She returned to her previous sadness as she watched a small family chase each other through the sand. It was Mother's Day, and a popular celebration in the OBX was to spend the day at the beach.
Jo knew she shouldn't have come. She knew it would only make her upset and angry at the mother she never knew, but she couldn't help it. One of the first times she realized that people liked to celebrate Mother's Day on the beach was when she was eight. It was also one of the first times she realized she didn't have a mom and that it stung her little heart. After that, she always found an excuse to go to the beach on Mother's Day. For Jo, it was almost like visiting a graveyard. Jo went there to grieve the experiences she had been robbed of by her mother's selfish decision to abandon her children.
At long last the brunette finally had enough and trudged back to the chateau. All of the Pogues were there, watching her with expectant faces. Kie's lit up when she saw the girl and clapped excitedly. Jo couldn't find it in her to return Kie's energy as she flopped onto the hammock next to her.
"Dude, you gotta stop," John B sighed.
He'd noticed Jo's "tradition" a few years back. He didn't like it at all, especially because Jo was only making the day more painful for herself. He also didn't want to be reminded that their mother left them. John B preferred not to think about that fact.
"What?" Jo asked. She lifted her head and looked at John B with faux confusion.
"Don't play dumb." John B rolled his eyes. "I know you go to the beach every year on this day."
"Why today?" Pope asked.
Kie scoffed and leaned over to smack him upside the head. He yelped in surprise. "It's Mother's Day, dumbass."
Pope's eyes widened slightly and his mouth formed an 'O' shape as realization dawned on him. Jo felt her cheeks begin to flush from embarrassment and she tried to distract herself.
"Just face it," John B said quietly. "Mom left. She doesn't care. Get over it."
Jo scrunched her face up at his words and frowned. JJ's mouth pulled downwards at the sight of the girl so sad and he smacked John B's chest.
"Hey, don't be a dick," JJ scolded.
"Oh, like you do?" Jo shot back. "You never got over anything, you just don't acknowledge it."
"Nothing to acknowledge," John B shrugged cooly. "She left when we were like three."
"Not acknowledging your feelings isn't healthy," Jo huffed in annoyance. "I know you feel the same way I do, but instead of talking about it you just make me feel like a psycho."
