𝐒𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐍𝐄𝐖, ʲʲ ᵐᵃʸᵇᵃⁿᵏ

xiv. to going full kook

SOMETHING NEW
Chapter Fourteen: To Going Full Kook

AVA WATCHED IN disgust as JJ was spreading peanut butter on moldy bread. "You're not seriously gonna eat that?" She asked. Cammy lifted her nose to the counter, smelling the peanut butter, JJ looked down at the dog before letting her lick the butter knife he was using.

"That bread had mold on it three days ago." Pope said as he passed by the two.

JJ shrugged. "I'll just pull off all the bad parts. Plus, mold is good for you. It's a natural organism."

Ava shook her head, and hopped off the counter. "Just hurry it up." She then joined the rest of the group at the table.

"JJ." Kie called him over.

He ran over, wrapping an arm around Ava. "Hot damn. Let's do it." Cammy sitting down at their feet, looking up at the sandwich in JJ'S hand.

John B peeled open the envelope that Ava had found, pulling out a piece of paper. JJ took a bite of the sandwich immediately gagging and spitting it out into his hand before throwing it away but returning next to Ava with the sandwich. "Ew." She grabbed the sandwich and tossed it in the trash can. He pouted and looked down at her. "It's for your own good, J."

John B unfolded the paper revealing it to be a map. Pope pointed to a spot on it. "X marks the spot."

The brunette checked the longitude and latitude to make sure it added up, while his fingers were on the paper he felt something underneath the map. "There's something else in there." He grabbed the FedEx envelope and pulled out a tape recorder.

"What's that?" JJ questioned.

Kie rolled her eyes. "It's a tape recorder, dumbass." She informed.

John B pressed play on the device, his father's voice streaming through. "Dear Bird..."

"Who's Bird?" JJ asked, looking to John.

"It's what my dad called me." Cammy put her head in the boy's lap, he scratched behind her ears as the tape continued.

"I hate to tell you 'I told you so' but I told you so. And you doubted your old man. I suspect at this moment you're filled with guilt and self-loathing over our last fight, but don't kill yourself just yet kid." Ava placed a hand on John B's shoulder, squeezed lightly, he reached up and touched her fingers with his for comfort. "I didn't expect to find the Merchant either. You were probably right to call me out, wasn't exactly father of the decade. What could I say, Kid? I could smell the barn. Hopefully we're listenin' to this in our brand new sugar-shack down in Costa Rica, livin' off passive investments and pulling on permits. If not and you find this for less than optimal reasons, well, that's what the map is for. There she is, the wreck of the Merchant. If somethin' happens to me, finish what I started." The group all looked at John B, his face was passive, no one could tell what he was thinking but they knew that his head had to be spinning with thoughts good and bad. "Go for the gold, kid. I love you, Bird. Even if I didn't always act like it. I'll see you on the other side." The tape ended, John B stood from the table walking away and beginning to cry. Ava couldn't remember the last time she had seen him cry and it broke her heart, she immediately walked over and hugged the boy.