Our Secret

Welcome to Kitty Hawk Part 78

"It could've been a faulty electrical wire."

"Place was all wood. A tinderbox."

"Thing just went up.  Boom."

Lifting her head from where it rested on JJ's shoulder, Coral sighed as she stared at what was once her home. The fire the night before had spread quickly. She'd barely had enough time to throw a shirt back on and grab her bag before having to climb out a window with her friends to escape the blaze.

She had stood with the others watching as The Chateau burned. Her home had been reduced to nothing but smoking beams and ash.

"I can't be here," she announced, standing up and walking off down towards where the Pogue was tied up at the dock.

"Babygirl!"

"Coralina!"

"I'm fine," she called over her shoulder as the others got up and followed her, "I just needed to get away from the smoldering ashes of my life." Reaching the end of the dock she leaned against the rail looking out over the marsh waiting for the others to join her.

"Hey, we'll find Dad, find the treasure, and rebuild."

Turning around she looked at her brother, "That easy, huh?"

"Yeah," he replied, nodding, "Sarah, when did you say the pilot was getting in?"

"Probably like an hour. I mean once he's here my dad said we can leave whenever we want," she responded.

"Okay, well, as much as I would love to ghost my parents again, I can't," Pope told them.

"Pope, we're talking El Dorado here. Can you just slip out the back maybe?" JJ suggested.

"Great advice," Kie muttered.

"It always worked for me. How to avoid unpleasant circumstances 101. If there's a problem you don't want to face you turn that face and keister around and walk the other way," JJ responded, swirling his finger in the air before mimicking walking away with his fingers.

"I'm not doing that, okay," Pope said, shaking his head.

"I just want you to be there, Dog."

"I'm gonna be there," Pope assured him, "I'll meet you at the airstrip in an hour."

"One hour, Pope. Not a second later."

"Think you should let me talk, Pope," Cleo told him, "Think your mom kinda likes me," she said following after Pope.

"I don't think it's gonna be pleasant for either of us," Pope responded over his shoulder as they walked off together.

"So, what do you have in your little bag of tricks?" JJ asked, looking at Coral jutting his chin towards the bag she'd dropped on the pier.

"I think I have two outfits and one of yours," she responded.

"Well, that's more than I have," John B grumbled.

"So, I'll head over to the shack and get some things," JJ said, "Should probably say adios to it anyway. Me and Coral will meet you guys at the airstrip."

"Uh, actually I was gonna head home and pack some stuff," Kie spoke up, "I was hoping Coral could maybe come along?" she questioned looking at Coral hopefully, "Help me break the news to my parents?"

"Me?"

"Yeah, there's usually less yelling when you're there," Kie responded, shrugging.

Scrunching her nose in confusion Coral snorted, "Mike definitely yelled when I was there last time."