SWEET NICOTINE | CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN (THE IMPORTANT PART...)
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AJ stood on the Chateau porch watching Pope Heyward embrace Big John. The pogues, specifically the boys rejoicing with the return of the parental.
John B was inside the house getting beers and AJ stole a few glances back at him, the boy watching from the window for a second or two. A smile void from his face. The girl furrowed her brows, a few thoughts entering her mind.
"John B?" She called out as he opened the door, his newly plastered smile barely fooling the girl. "you good?" He nodded as he passed her a beer and walked down the stairs to join in on the reunion.
AJ stayed where she was, simply sitting on the steps after a while and sipping on her beer. She watched from where she was as they caught up with Big John. The previously presumed dead father and son duo standing further apart than AJ would have expected.
Pope walking towards her made AJ take a deep breath. She needed to talk to him soon, she couldn't hold it in anymore. She didn't care if it would ruin the friendship, she wanted him to know she cared about him. If the reunion in front of her taught her anything it's that you don't always get them. She needed to remind herself that she never said goodbye to her mom, she couldn't waste more time.
"uh" John B cleared his throat and it stopped Pope in his tracks. AJ let her eyes flutter shut at the interruption, partly glad. She still didn't have the words yet. But it still needed to be soon.
"Yeah, so we um, we went to the archives in Charleston and uh. It was a dead end a dry hole." John B explained after the pogues gathered around.
"So that's the gold, the cross and now El Dorado. We're three for three guys." Pope tossed a rock he was holding at the tree. "The streak continues. That's great" He started to walk off and AJ looked around the group before standing.
"Pope, wait" AJ jogged after the boy, catching up to him in the driveway. She took a deep breath in, trying to find the words in her mind somewhere. Pleading with herself internally to find the damn words. "A lot has happened and uh" The rock-paved path crunched behind her and she turned to find Cleo walking towards them.
"Can we talk?" She got out, it was all she could come up with and she was cursing mentally at herself for it.
"I have to get to school or my dad will kill me, could we talk later?"
"Okay, I can swing by your place after and could we just talk about stuff" She still could not believe what was coming out of her mouth.
"Yeah, sure, maybe come by for supper and we can talk after that?" Pope suggested and AJ let a mostly nervous smile take over.
"Okay," She breathed out, turning back to the house. JJ and Kiara walked past her and she bit at the inside of her lip. She was screaming at herself for the conversation. The stress already eating away at her insides.
