Closed Door • JIARA •

- 42 -

JJ'S POV:

I sat there with Kie asleep on me and my dad looked at me and said, "I'm so damn proud of you son."

I didn't know what to say. My dad has only said things like this twice in my whole life. He looked at me and said, "JJ, I've sobered up on the boat. I know we haven't always seen eye to eye on things and that's my fault. I wish I could have given you a better childhood."

"That's great dad.." I said not knowing what else to say to him

"You know, I was just like you when I was a boy. I dating Anna and oh my, was she damn special. She was the queen of kooks and my life was perfect. Until she dumped me for fucking Mike."

"You dated Kie's mom?" I asked shocked

He laughed and said, "Oh yeah, we were the forbidden couple but we didn't care because we were so in love. Then she fell for my best friend... I was so pissed but then I met your mom and she got pregnant with you and before I knew it, you were here. We were on our own before we finished high school and we had nothing. Everything we had, we had to work for. I loved your momma so much but it just wasn't enough. We had no money, we didn't have good jobs, we had a son who was 4 months old and she was pregnant with your sister.

Money was tight and we both had shitty odd jobs. Your mom's grandparents ran a resort down in Yucatan and we thought it would be best if she left to go work down there and I would stay here with the kids. So we split up and she went to Yucatan. I didn't know she was going to take your sister with her. But she left you with me because you were independent enough. After she got down there, she filed for a divorce and custody of Kayla. I started hitting the drugs and the booze. Well, here we are.." 

"Why did mom get custody of Kayla and not me?" I asked not wanting to hear the answer

"Because it was fair, she got a kid and I got a kid. She said, 'Our little Jackson James is in good hands with you. You are an amazing father.'"

"Funny how things turn out.." I said wishing I didn't know any of that

"Hey, you turned into a great young man and I had nothing to do with it. Don't let your girl slip away to be with anyone else. I know she was with that one friend of yours.." He said

"Pope, yeah.. That's over.." I said not knowing why I kept trying to tell him about my personal life

"I was going to throw this in the ocean or pawn it for cash but I'm giving it to you." My dad said taking his famous necklace off and slipping a ring off of it 

He walked over and handed me the ring and said, "It was your moms and seeing that she already wears mom's necklace, she might as well have the ring too."

I was holding the ring in my hand and it was super simple, but it was beautiful.

"Wow, you picked this out?" I asked joking

My dad laughed and said, "I know it's shocking. It was all I could afford."

"It's perfect, thank you." I said 

"Well, I'm going to bed. Sleep good, JJ.." He said 

"Goodnight, dad.." I said as he walked a few yards away and laid down on the sand

I laid down with Kie and I put the ring on my necklace. I fell asleep and we woke up in the morning and my dad was already drunk. He was his old self again.

Kie noticed and she said, "Come on, let's go... Let's just get help and get back home."

Kie handed me the boat keys and we got on the boat and we took off and were on the water for five hours before we approached land.