𝘼𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙢𝙞𝙤 - 𝙅𝙅 𝙈𝙖𝙮𝙗𝙖𝙣𝙠

The Bonfire

"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." My father pauses. "I think in the end it was my fear of going back, of losing everything I have. It made me lose sight of everything I am... Everything I wanted to be. 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. 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. I don't expect you to forgive me for leaving you this way. I just pray that you understand... I can't go on ruining your lives anymore. This has to end. To all of you, I leave my estate, uh, to be divided equally, and I leave a love deeper than I could ever express. Take care of each other." The recording ends, leaving all of us in tears.

Wheezie gets up crying and leaves the room. I look at the computer nearly losing my shit. I grab the damn thing and close the lid angrily before throwing it on the ground next to me. I sniff and angrily walk out of the room, slamming the door behind me.

✵

"Jade." I hear Rafe say, walking in to my room.

"What? What do you want?" I ask, standing up.

"We, uh, we need to talk." He says, closing the door.

"We need to talk?" I scoff, going to leave the room.

"No, Jade! Wait!" He says, grabbing my wrist.

"Don't touch me!" I scream, pulling my wrist from his grip. "Do not come near me Rafe!"

"I know. I know, Jade." He says, backing away.

"You tried to get me killed." I say, looking at him with exhausted eyes.

"I'm sorry. Ok, I did it for dad." He says.

"Look where that got him." I say.

"it's just us now. We need to take care of Sarah and Wheezie, Jade." He says.

"You tried to kill Sarah, Rafe. That is not taking care of her." I yell.

"I am going to better, ok!" He yells, trying really hard to prove it.

"You need help." I say.

"No, I don't. I need us to be a family again. Just like dad said."

"We can't be a family again, Rafe. Not after everything you have done." I say, walking out.

✵

I arrive at the Chateau even though it's dark and walk over to the dock and see them all laughing and talking. I sniff lightly and walk over to them to do what I came to do. They go silent when I walk up to them and just look at me. JJ's face drops when he sees me as well as all the other's.

"JJ. Can we talk?" I ask, hiding my hands in my hoodie sleeves.

"Uh, yeah." he says, putting his beer down and following me in to the Chateau.