RIVER | JJ MAYBANK

NINETY FIVE

RI-RI

"A great man once said that if you're born poor, that's not your fault, but if you die poor well, that's on you." Ward's voice spoke coming up through the computer as it sat propped up on the table.

Wheezie was laid out on the table in front of the computer whereas Rafe was pacing behind her. Sarah flashed River a glance she was quiet and reserved as was the girl so there was next to no conversation.

Reggie was leaning on the back of Georgia's chair, her leg was bouncing up and down watching as Ward sat happily in front of the camera.

"I think, in the end, it was my fear of going back, of losing everything I have that made me lose sight of everything I am and everything I wanted to be." Ward spoke before taking a deep breath, "I killed Big John Routledge. I murdered Sheriff Peterkin. I shot Gavin Barnstead. I know there's nothing I can do to ease the pain I've caused."

Rafe was shaking his head and River was quick to pick up on it, the boy knew that his father had taken the raps for him.

"Many will say I took the easy way out. But I leave this world with the terrible pain of knowing that I leave behind my family, shattered by grief, broken by my sins." Ward continued on and River instinctively went to hold her bump and then had to remind herself that she wasn't allowed to do that. "I don't expect you to forgive me for leaving you this way. I just pray that you understand that I can't go on ruining your lives anymore. This has to end. To all of you I leave my estate, to be divided equally and I leave a love deeper than I could ever express. Take care of each other."

The screen went black as Ward reached forward and ended the video recording and everyone looked at each other in disbelief.

"I'm so sorry, Wheeze." River spoke leaning down to rub the girls back and kissing the top of her head gently, River cared for the girl and seeing her cry hurt her heart deeply.

Rafe walked out of the house downing a glass of whiskey similar to the one that Ward had been drinking on the druthers. Sarah followed afterwards and River watched her through the window as she aggressively grabbed her bike and started to cycle away.

"Equally? As in to me to?" Georgia spoke up and Rose turned to her in complete disgust.

"And why is everything about money to you." She spat and River cringed as her saliva sprayed from her mouth, "Your brother just died, Georgia." She looked down at her knees and let out this low chuckle which made Rose hold her hand up to swing for her.

Both of them knew what was happening, it's just neither of them knew the other did too.

River excused herself from the family domestic to get some air, she checked her phone and stared blankly at the missed calls and text and then plunged it back in her pocket.

"I'm leaving." Reggie spoke up from behind River, "I have a meeting with your friends parents, The Carrera's." Reggie continued and the girl scowled but didn't say anything about it, "Are you coming?"

"I can make my way back on my own." River assured with a small laugh but it was a nervous one, she wondered what Reggie could be into with Kie's parents. She thought about the shop and wondered whether the man could potentially have been buying it.

"Ri-Ri, can we talk?" Spoke up a voice and River turned to look at Rafe confused, the man hadn't used their childhood nicknames for each other since they were toddlers so it brought back vivid memories.

"What's up, Rafe?" River questioned walking forward and meeting him at the gate of the house, they both waved Reggie as he drove past and then there was an awkward silence.

"I heard that that JJ dude you've been dating got your knocked up." Rafe spoke up finally cutting the tension, "I never thought you'd be so much like your mother but hey who am I to judge you." Rafe held his hands up in surrender.

"What do you want, Rafe?" River questioned with her eyes squinted, the boy always wanted something.

"I just always thought that maybe we'd have kids at the same time, you know? And they could play hide and seek together like we used to do when Sarah was too boring to go off on her own without her daddy." Rafe chuckled but it seemed menacing enough almost as if the intent was there but he couldn't pull himself to say anything mean.

"My kids not coming anywhere near you." River spoke strongly, "You murdered Peterkin and you tried to kill Sarah and you let your dad take the raps for you which you think makes you a free man but really it makes you a pussy."

Rafe chuckled and licked his bottom lip which made River feel sick to her stomach.

"Whatcha gonna call it?" He asked throwing his hand over in the direction of her stomach, "Ocean? Lake? Sea?" He chuckled finding himself hilarious.

"You'll never find anyone to have your children, nobody is despicable enough to want to carry your Satan spawns." River hissed which made Rafe chuckle again much louder.

"Good luck with your pregnancy, Ri-Ri." He smiled sickly sweet, he spoke as if it was a farewell but River was just happy to see him go.

wrote by lucidgravity