She was the first person he trusted with his secret. His safe place.
He was the first guy she let all the way in. He could ground her when nobody else could.
-
"𝐓𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲, �...
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Kie grabs the envelope that we were staring at. She hands it to me. I read the writing that was scrawled across the package. For Bird. My dad did leave me out. I feel my heart sink.
I hand the package out out of the hole. Kiara and I move to worm our way back out of the hole. JJ reaches up to help us to the ground.
"Holy shit." John B says looking at it. "This is from my dad."
I look at my brother as a vehicle approaches, shining light across the cemetery.
We take off running in the opposite direction to avoid them.
"Go!" Kie yells.
"It's the guys who robbed your house." JJ calls out.
We run behind the tomb, ducking down to hide.
"Light!" I demand people to turn them off.
"Turn off your light, man!" Pope tells JJ.
"Do you think it's them?" Kie asks peering around the corner.
"Homie's got a gun." JJ says.
"Screw this!" Kie makes a run for it, escaping the guys. I run after her with the rest of the Pogues right behind. We run toward the fence that surrounded the cemetery. We scramble over the fence.
"Guys! Guys!" Pope yells. His shorts had gotten caught on the fence.
"Shit!" Kie curses noticing.
"Guys, I'm stuck guys."
"Pope, come on!" JJ urges.
"I got you." Kie says grabbing his arm.
"Pope, don't move!" JJ points the gun at him. I grab his arm pushing the gun down toward the ground.
"Don't!" I tell him.
Kie keeps pulling Pope down. "You're gonna rip me! Wait, you're gonna rip me."
"You're fine, come on!" Kie says. She's pull him down to the ground. His pants cling to the fence as they rip away from his body.
"Pope, come on!" John B rushes him.
We pile into the van and take off, driving back to the Chateau. I relax against the wall, exhausted from the long day.
"I'm starving!" JJ says running toward the house. We all get out following him into the house.
JJ pulls out the bag of bread and a jar of peanut butter and the jelly.
"Uh, JJ that bread is really old." I warn him.
"Yeah, that bread had mold on it three days ago." Pope adds.
"I'll just pull off the bad parts." JJ says continuing to spread peanut butter on the bread. "Plus, mold is good for you. It's just a natural organism."
"I'm pretty sure that's not how it works." I say.
"JJ! Kat!" Kie calls us over to where everyone was huddled over my brother.
"Yup, yup, yup." JJ says pulling me over. "Let's do it."
John B tears the package open. JJ suddenly starts gagging on the sandwich he had just take a bit out of. He spits it out into his hand.
"Ew! JJ, I told you!" I say scooting away from him.
John B pulls out a piece of folded paper. He unfolds it, revealing a map. Lines in black marker were scrawled across the map, clearly indicating something important.
"Holy shit." JB mumbles.
"Oh. X marks the spot." Pope points at the small X that had been drawn on the map.
John B follows the lines on the paper. "Longitude, latitude. Wait, there's something else in there." He reaches into the package again, pulling out a recording device.
"What's that?" JJ asks.
"It's a tape recorder, dumbass." Kie replies.
John B presses play on the device.
"Dear Bird."
"Who's bird?" JJ interrupts.
"John B." I answer.
"I hate to say 'I told you so,' but I told you so. And you doubted your old man. But Kat never believed at all. I suspect, at this moment, you're filled with guilt and self loathing over our last fight, but don't kill yourself yet, kid. I didn't expect to find the Merchant either.
You were probably right to call me out. I wasn't exactly father of the decade. And I hope you're listening to this with your sister. Kat, I'm sorry I was never around for you. I spent most of my time with your brother because I didn't know how to connect with you. I love you, darling.
What can I say, kids? I could smell the barn. Hopefully we're listenin' to this in our brand new sugar-shack down in Costa Rica, living 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 something happens to me, finish what I started. Go for the gold, kids. I love you, guys, even if I didn't always act like it. I'll see you on the other side."
The tape clicks off and he was gone. John B stares at the tape before getting up and walking away. He leans into the doorframe, sobbing. I just stay where I am, emotionless. I didn't know how I felt. Dad was already gone for me.
"Holy shit, he did it! Big John- he found the merchant." JJ says.
"Can you.. can you please?" Kie says getting him to stop talking.
"Sorry."
Pope looks over to me. "Kat? You okay?"
I look up at him, still with no emotions. "I'm fine."
