Where is the love?// JJ Maybank

chapter 2.23

a/n: ummm... this is awkward. i know i said i would start being more consistent but i think we all know that's not true. anyways... enjoy 🩷

We chased after Pope all the way to the church. He ran the whole way. I think I almost died, but when we got there the cross was nowhere to be found.

"It's gone." Kie states.

"Damn it!" JJ kick the pillows on the floor that we used to hide the cross. "I knew I didn't hide it well enough! Damn it!" JJ starts pacing around the room talking to himself. "What do we do? What do we do? Think, think, think. We need a plan what's the plan." He breathes heavily. "Alright here's the plan. We'll go grab some kerosene tanks from the chat, then we... we go to my dad's shop and grab some dynamite and then we drive down to Charleston and tell this lady who she's messing with! Cause this is some bull shit, y'all!"

"That's not gonna help." I say.

"Well what is, Emilie!"

"I'm thinking, okay?" John B says with his eyes closed. "We can't just go blow shit up, JJ."

"Pope, I'm sorry."

"Denmark would've stood right here..." Pope sighs. "Preaching to everyone he set free. A slave, the sole survivor of the Royal Merchant, he got the gold and the cross and he brought them both to shore and used it to free every person who walked through those doors. He made a church? a family, a congregation... a home. The Limbrey's took everything from him. They sicced dogs on his wife and his kids, and when he tried to get her remains they hung him. Well I'm done, I'm tired of that shit. That is not how this is gonna end. We need a freaking win, guy. I'm going to get my family's cross."  He walks away and opens the door. "You guys coming?" He asks.

"Well, if you put it that way..." John B smiles.

"Maybe we should think about it, you know." JJ says.

"Pros and cons?"

"Pros and cons list." JJ agrees. "Hell yeah, we're coming, Pope!" He walks out after Pope.

We all hope in the twinkie and John B drives as we try to get the cross back. While we're driving we see a bunch of cop cars surrounding my car and I knew that meant that I was fucked.

"Oh shit! They found my car!" I panic.

"Chill, chill, chill, chill." Pope says.

"I can't chill Pope! I'm about to be locked up!"

"Of course." JJ pulls his hat on.

"Relax. Just relax. John B tells us.

"Well, lookee here." I hear Shoupe say as he walks over to us.

"Good evening, officer." John B greets him with his head down.

"Sheriff." Shoupe corrects him.

"Sheriff. Yeah, that's right."

"Speed kills, huh?"

"I pulled the tags, and I know whose car that is." Shoupe says loudly.

When he says that my heart drops down to my butt and I slouch in my seat. Shoupe shine a light on me in the backseat. This is the day I got to jail and then get murdered by my father. "Hey! Em." He says. "You drop your weed pen back there?"

"Found it." I give him a thumbs up trying to play it off.

"Sheriff, I just wanna say this is all my fault. Pope speaks up. "She had nothing to do with this. I take 100% responsibility."

"Nothing to do with it? Uh huh, you wanna try that again?" Shoupe asks. "Your dad has been looking for you for days. You're luck he didn't report you missing. I'm taking you home. Or I can pull you all in for leaving the scene of an accident."

"Okay." I sigh.

Officer Plumb comes over and opens the back door and I get out. "Hit me up later. Make sure I'm still alive." I close the door and follow Plumb.

Shoupe drives me home and the whole time I'm trying to think of a story that will make it sound better than it is. When we finally arrive to my house I walk up the porch step with Shoupe following behind me. My dad opens the door before me and doesn't say anything. That's how I know he's mad. When he's so mad that he doesn't even yell. I walk passed him and sit at the kitchen island while he talks with Shoupe. When he comes back in he stands across from me silently for a few seconds before speaking.

"Alors? (So?) He says loudly.

"I...uh...I." All my word were gone. "I don't know." I look down.

"We'll let's start here. Where have been the passed week?" He was still speaking loudly but he wasn't necessarily yelling.

"At the Château." I say quietly.

"Really? Why every time I went looking for you, you weren't there?!"

He thinks I'm lying.

"We've been out a lot the passed few days."

"Where! I've been to  John B's, to Pope's, to Kie's, hell! I even went to JJ's."

"Just out." I didn't want to tell him that I got myself wrapped up in another treasure hunt.

"Emilie, I need to know where you are! This is not a hotel you can't just come and go as you please!"

"I know!"

"Shoot me a text or something!" He throws his arms in the air. "I give you so much freedom, and all I ask is that you tell me where you're going so that I know that you're safe. Is that too much to ask?"

"No."

"I want you home the rest of the week." He sighs calming down a bit. "And from now on I want you sleeping here at least 4 day of the week."

"What?" I thought he would just make me check in everyday. "Papa. You said I just needed to text you. Everyone sleeps at John B's."

"I don't care. You disappear for days Emilie. How to you think I feel driving around this island everyday waiting to see if you're laying in a ditch."

"Can I just text you?" Deep down I knew he wasn't being unfair, but I was still upset.

"I've asked you to text me for the past 6 months, and you never do. So obviously the only way for me to know you're alive is if you're here."

"Then...how will I see my friends?"

"I'm not saying that you can never go out. 3 nights. You can sleep wherever you want 3 nights of the week. The rest you can have your friends over here if you want. I don't give two shits. But I need you home." He stands up from his position leaning on the island. "The only time you've come here in the past week  I didn't even know you were here. You got your  car, left, and then you go crash it. I won't be buying you another one by the way." He sighs running his hands over his face. "Get it?"

"Got it." I mumble.

"Good." He goes upstairs to his room.