CASTAWAY ⚓ R.C, J.M

T W E N T Y

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D I N N E R   &   D I A T R I B E S

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Harley sat with a small smile lingering on her face. She sat beside John B, her head on his shoulder, and they were talking and laughing at the nonsensical cartoon on the TV. She was dressed up in a short, pink, flowy dress bought by Rafe for a dinner his family were having. Ward had suggested her and Topper be present and he was a hard man to decline.

Harley and John B operated like siblings now. They teased each other joked around and squabbled like family. In an attempt to spend more time in the water and below the waves to see fragments of images, Harley had even gotten John B to teach her how to surf. She wasn't any good, but John B always made it a point to let her know she'll get better.

"What's up people!" JJ came bouncing through the front door. "Mister Routledge, it's always great to see you. John B my man... Eight Bait."

The blonde dropped down on the empty sofa giving Harley hostile eyes as usual.

"Arsonist."

"I'm not an arsonist."

"And I'm not a Kook."

"Could have fooled me since you're fuc..."

"JJ! Do not finish that sentence." Big John pointed a silencing finger in the boy's direction. "This is Harley's home, so you don't get to come in here and be nice to John B and be horrible to her."

"But..."

"Do I make myself clear?"

JJ huffed in annoyance pulling his hat over his face. "Yes sir."

"Good." Big John picked up his keys from the counter and rounded the kitchen table to the door. "You ready to go, Harls?"

"Yeah." Harley hopped up from her seat and grabbed her bag and phone.

"John B, come say goodbye." The older man waved his son over after opening the door for Harley. She stepped through gratefully and waited for JB to follow them out and down the steps of the château.

Harley laughed glancing between the two who stood opposite. "We could have said bye inside. Unless you're shipping me off somewhere and this is a proper goodbye." Harley was joking but she couldn't help the underlying nerves. Occasionally, she was reminded that her life here wasn't permanent. 

"It's not that at all, Kiddo." Big John reassured Harley immediately.

"Good, because there was something I wanted to say to the both of you..." Harley looked around taking in their suspicious stares. "I wanted to say yes I want to officially be a Routledge. I want to take up your offer of adoption, if you'll still have me."

John didn't even have to think about it, nor did John B.

"Yes! Of course we do," John B cheered animatedly.

"Even if you had said no, you'd still have been a Routledge to Bird and I."

Harley couldn't help the way her chest warmed up and the tears that filled her eyes. It was nice to know that a family wanted her. It was like a reassurance that she surely couldn't be the reason her old family weren't looking for her.