Baby {JJ Maybank}

14.

"Look he'll come around, all right? It's... he's doing a JJ thing" John B said to the rest of the Pogues sitting in the wreck.

Josie was curled up in a seat between Kie and Sarah. She was fully in her head. Repeating the words to herself "he left like dad. He left and isn't coming back"

"But what if he doesn't. What if he doesn't come back" Josie says, lifting her head but keeping her eyes trained on the middle of the table.

"He'll come back, Jos" John B assured.

"You think he'll go home?" Kie asked

"There's about a zero percent chance that JJ goes home." Pope answered leaning and staring out the window.

The Pogues continued talking but Josie tuned them out. Not fully wanting to be there at the moment. She heard the conversation but wasn't comprehending what was said.

"I'm going home." She suddenly announced. Pushing her chair back and swinging her backpack over her shoulder. "Y'all come find me when y'all come up with a decision. I'll do whatever"

"Josie" John B tried but she cut him off

"I'm going home." She repeated, making it known she wasn't changing her mind. "I'll see y'all whenever"

Josie walked towards the door and pushed it open causing the bell to ring. When the door fully shut the crew looked at each other

"Is she okay?" Sarah asked. Being new to the group and not fully understanding everyone's ways

"No. But she will be" Pope answered.

"It's not the first time this has happened. When big John disappeared she didn't talk to me and Pope for weeks. She actually quit her job and went incognito on everyone. Total and complete silence for three weeks" Kie added

"Zero emotion in that time as well. Just a body basically. Until she broke down one night. Cried for four hours. Then she talked to everyone again and slowly became Josie again. She just doesn't like to handle things when they happen. It stresses her out" John B explained and looked towards the door "I have absolutely no clue how she's going to respond to JJ not being there though"

Sarah nodded and tilted her head down to look at her hands. The conversation they were having before Josie left them continued.

Josie was just walking to the château. Letting muscle memory lead the way. She was counting her steps in her head and tapping her fingers together. Anything to distract her mind. She knew the second she got home she'd crack open a beer or two and climb into bed. Wanting nothing but the day to be over.

She eventually got home and did exactly what she was expecting. Get a little drunk then go to sleep.

☆

She woke up to the sound of a car approaching and looked out her window to see it dark outside. She groaned and tossed herself back onto her bed when her room suddenly lit up.

"What the hell?" She mumbled crawling out of bed and walking towards the door.

"What the hell is going on?!" Josie yelled, stepping out onto the porch.

She opened the screen door to see lights strung up over the entire front yard and Kie and Pope standing in front of what looked like a hot tub.

"How much did this cost?" She heard Pope ask and decided to just walk down to join whatever they were looking at.

"Uh...we'll, with the generator, the petrol, and oh, hey, express delivery...pretty much all of it, yeah" a third voice answered. A voice of which she knew all too well.