Everything «JJ Maybank»

Eight

When JJ woke up he was alone in Avery's bed. He reached out for her only to realize she was gone. He immediately sat up and ran a hand through his his messy hair. He stood up and made his way out of the room. As he got to the living room he saw Becky in the kitchen.

"Morning momma B." she turned to face him and he yawned before kissing her cheek. "You know where AJ is?"

A smile made it's way onto Becky's face. She always had this feeling that JJ and Avery were more than friends. She saw the way that JJ would look at her and friends do not look at friends that way.

"What's with the smile?" JJ asked as he grabbed a pop tart from the pantry.

"When are you gonna tell Avery how you feel about her?" she asked. JJ tensed as he was taken aback by the question.

"Um, what?"

"You're in love with my niece, you just don't want to admit it." she smirked.

"I'm not in love with her." JJ denied.

"JJ, for as long as I've known you, you've always looked at her like she's the most important thing in the world."

"Not like she feels the same." he shrugged.

"Trust me she does." Becky laughed. JJ looked at her confused. "I think she's on the roof with Bailey."

JJ nodded and headed out the back door. Sure enough he heard voices coming from the roof. He went to the side of the house and climbed the trash cans to get onto the roof.

"Do you miss mommy and daddy?" he froze as he heard Bailey ask Avery the question.

"More than anything in the world." Avery told her little sister who was sitting between her legs.

"Did you ever do things with them?" Bailey asked. "Like fun things."

"Well, you know how I always make you watch the sunset with me?" Bailey nodded at her sister. "Daddy and I used to do that together all the time. Sometimes mom couldn't find us for hours and we'd just be sitting up here, right where we are right now, watching the sunset."

"I wish I could have done it with you guys." Bailey looked down sadly.

"I know you do baby." Avery kissed her head. "And I know that dad was so excited to do those things with us. He loved us both more than anything."

"Do you think Mommy and Daddy would have liked me?"

Avery frowned at her little sister. "Of course they would have liked you. You look just like momma and you've got your dads eyes. You are the sweetest little girl that I know and they would have been so proud of you."

Although it hurt to talk about her parents, Avery enjoyed telling Bailey stories about them. The girl was only a couple months old when their parents passed so she doesn't have any memories with them and she barely remembers them.

JJ was about to turn around and go back inside to wait for them when something Bailey said got his attention.

"Did they like JJ?" the little girl asked. Avery grinned and let out a chuckle.

"They loved JJ." she said. JJ leaned against the side of the house and listened to her. "He was like a son to them and they even treated him like one. Dad used to take us both out fishing all the time. I remember Dad pushed JJ into the water one time and it scared the shit out of me. I thought JJ was dead when he didn't come back up but he popped out and scared me. We were only 8 so I gave JJ the silent treatment for a week." JJ smiled at the memory.

"What about mom?" Bailey looked up at her sister. Avery felt her eyes well up.

"Momma loved JJ more than anything." she spoke. By the sound of her voice JJ knew she was trying to hold herself together. "She used to force him to bake with her even though he sucked. JJ never had a momma growing up but in a way she was like his. She'd always smother him with hugs and kisses whenever he was over. She told me that him and I were soulmates and I always told her that he wouldn't like me but she flat out told me I was stupid for thinking that." Bailey giggled. "She said we'd get married and have a bunch of little pogues running around. Even dad agreed."