Bahama Drama ||Outer Banks

Chapter thirty-one.

~~~Later~~~

"The hot tub's almost completely unfull." Presley says.

"Empty. Unfull is not a word. Empty is." I say.

"Empty." Presley says.

"Hey, what do you say we let the last few drops of water in the hot tub dry up naturally and we can get something to eat." I say.

"Can we have a lollipop, too?" Presley asks.

"Sure." I answer.

"Yes!" Presley says.

~~~

"And this Mr. C makes good food?" Presley asks as we start walking up the stairs to the Château.

"Hello?!" Someone yells out.

"John B?" I ask. I walk onto the porch and I look down at Presley. "Okay, you little pea drop. This is gonna seem a little scary. I'm gonna need you to be very quiet and then we can have another lollipop with dinner, okay?" I ask.

"Yes." Presley says.

"Okay." I say. I pick him up and put the food down on one of the tables. "John B?" I walk down the hall. I see John B sitting in dad's office with a picture of dad in his hand.

"I miss you." John B whispers.

"John B." I say.

"He killed him, Tee. And dumped his body in the ocean like it was nothing." John B cries. I put Presley down before I go over and lay on John B's back wrapping my arms around his shoulders. He breaks down crying in my arms and pushes my arms closer to his chest.

"Wanna give him a semi-proper memorial?" I ask.

"Got any ideas?" John B asks.

~~~

We sit on the dock and John B pours wine in the fire we started in the basket with dad's picture. John B turns it around and holds it in his hand for a little while.

"Goodbye, Dad." John B says finally putting the basket in the water.

"I miss you." I say.

Flashback

"Dad, can't we just go with you this time?" I ask.

"Sorry, Sweet Pea. I gotta do this alone." Dad said. "I won't be gone long, Pea. Just a couple of hours, possibly a day. A week at the most."

"You promise?" I ask.

"Yes." Dad answers.

"I love you, Dad." I say hugging him.

"I love you, too, Pea. I miss you already." Dad says.

Back to reality

I find myself breaking down crying in John B's arms.

"Tee, I left things off with Dad in a bad way. If something were to happen to one of us I wouldn't want it to be the same way." John B says. It goes quiet and I wipe my tears from my face.

"Then I have to tell you something and I hope you can forgive me." I say.

"Of course I can." John B says.