The entire ride back to the chateau, JJ's stomach growled with hunger pains, and she felt a bit lightheaded. She desperately needed food.
As soon as they arrived back at the chateau, JJ headed straight for the kitchen. All she found was a moldy loaf of bread. She sighed, realizing it would have to do.
"That bread had mold on it three days ago," Pope remarked, looking disgusted as he watched her open the bread to eat.
"I'll just pull off the bad parts," JJ shrugged, as if it were normal for her to eat moldy bread. "Plus, mold is good for you. It's just a natural organism."
Pope rolled his eyes and walked over to where John B and Kie were seated at the table, staring at the package.
"JJ," Kie called out, beckoning her to join them.
JJ hastily grabbed a piece of bread and jogged over. "Yep, yep, let's do this."
As John B tore open the package, JJ took a bite of the moldy bread. She immediately spat it out, gagging at the disgusting taste. There was no way she could stomach it. Frustrated, she gave up on food for the moment, ignoring her body's demands.
John B pulled out a large piece of paper from the package and unfolded it, laying it flat in front of him. It was a map covered in writings and markings made by Big John.
"Holy shit," John B muttered, eyes wide.
"Oh, X marks the spot," Pope exclaimed, pointing to one of the markings on the map.
"Longitude, latitude," John B listed, tracing different lines and symbols on the map. He reached back into the package and felt around. "Wait, there's something else in here."
He pulled out a small, box-shaped object.
"What's that?" JJ asked, peering at it curiously.
"It's a tape recorder, dumbass," Kie replied, giving JJ a 'duh' look.
John B pressed play, and Big John's voice filled the room. "Dear Bird."
"Who's Bird?" JJ asked, puzzled.
"That's what my dad called me," John B replied. JJ struggled to recall ever hearing Big John use that nickname, but she rarely stayed long when he was around, and when she did visit, Big John usually kept to himself.
"I hate to say I told you so, but I told you so," Big John's voice continued from the tape recorder. "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. I didn't expect to find the Merchant either."
John B looked up at JJ, his eyes glazed over with tears. Big John's words had just confirmed her suspicion that something had happened before he disappeared. She wished she could comfort John B right now, but he needed to keep listening to the tape recorder. Instead, she sat in the chair next to him and gently touched her thigh to his, offering whatever comfort she could in that moment.
"You were probably right to call me out," Big John's voice continued solemnly. "Wasn't exactly father of the decade. What can I say, kid? I could smell the barn. Now, hopefully we're listening to this in our brand new sugar shack in Costa Rica, living off passive investments and pulling in 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, kid. I love you, Bird, even if I didn't always act like it." There was a pause. "I'll see you on the other side."
The tape recorder clicked off, leaving a heavy silence in the room.
All eyes fixed on John B as he processed the emotional message from his dad. Suddenly, John B stood up abruptly and turned away, leaning heavily into the doorway as sobs racked his body.
JJ stood and approached him slowly, wrapping her arms around him from behind. Instinctively, she placed a light kiss on the back of his shoulder blade, then rested her head against him. It was an impulse she couldn't explain, but she felt he needed it. With one hand still supporting himself on the doorway, John B reached down and interlocked his fingers with hers, holding on tightly.
Pope and Kie quietly exited the room to give them some space. As John B's sobs began to quiet, he turned and sagged against the doorway, sliding down to sit on the floor, while adjusting his grip so he was still holding JJ's hand tightly. Sensing his need for comfort, JJ lowered herself to sit in his lap, allowing him to pull her close as an anchor to reality. She found herself straddling his lap, facing him, and he rested his face against her shoulder. With her free hand, she gently ran her fingers down his back in a soothing gesture, while John B wrapped his arm around her waist.
They sat like that for an unknown length of time until finally, John B lifted his head from her shoulder. Their faces were now only centimeters apart.
He looked as though he might kiss her, and JJ found herself on the brink of letting him. Yet, aware of his emotional vulnerability, she squeezed his hand gently and stood up, pulling him to his feet.
"You gonna be okay?" she asked softly. He nodded, his gaze still intense on her. JJ felt butterflies in her stomach but knew she needed to maintain composure. "Let's go rejoin the others, yeah?"
He nodded silently and allowed JJ to lead him outside to where the others were gathered. JJ hoped desperately that he would speak soon. She needed him to be okay, like she needed air to breathe, and only now was she beginning to understand how deeply his emotional state affected her own.
She pushed those thoughts aside as they approached Pope and Kie, who were sitting at the end of the small pier with their legs dangling over the edge. Kie strummed on a ukulele that she had given John B for his birthday one year. It was a gift rarely touched, except for when Kie visited.
JJ led John B to sit near their friends, who silently handed them each a beer. For a minute, nobody spoke, and the only sounds were the chirping of crickets and the gentle lapping of waves on the shore. John B moved to sit on a ledge opposite JJ, leaning back against a pillar. JJ remained where she was.
She could only think of one thing that might break John B's silence. He needed something to focus on. "How much was it again?" she asked quietly.
"400 mil," Pope answered, catching on.
"Alright, let's talk the split," JJ said nonchalantly, trying to lighten the mood. "Now, before we decide it's even, may I remind you that I'm the only one who can properly defend us from those groupers who were after us. Protection? Not cheap, okay?"
Kie chuckled, recognizing JJ's humor, but Pope's expression was priceless. "You're not trained. You've had zero training."
"YouTube, bro," she shrugged. "That's at least a five percent bump right there."
"You haven't—" Pope sputtered, and JJ couldn't believe he actually thought she was serious.
"Any objections? Didn't think so," JJ said, teasingly.
"Yeah," Pope protested.
JJ pretended not to hear. "I don't hear any, so…"
Kie decided to give Pope a break. "What are you going to do with your 100 mil, Pope?"
Pope pondered for a moment before answering predictably, "Pay for college in advance. And textbooks, those are expensive."
"How about you, Kie?" JJ asked, enjoying the conversation.
"Yeah, what does a socialist do when she's rich?" Pope chimed in, curious.
Kie chuckled. "I just want to make a double album. About OBX, the Pogues…" They all grinned at the idea. "You know, like how 'Catch a Fire' is about Kingston. Record it at Marley Studio, with Peter Tosh producing."
"Peter Tosh is dead," Pope reminded her, raising an eyebrow.
"Peter Tosh is dead. I know. The spirit of Peter Tosh will never die," Kie declared, lifting her beer can in a toast.
"I know what I'll do. I'm gonna get a big-ass house on Figure Eight and go full kook," JJ said with a smirk. She pictured the stunned faces of all the people who had looked down on her throughout her life when she suddenly became their neighbor.
"You're gonna go full kook?" Pope asked, taken aback.
"Yup," JJ nodded, trying to sound serious, "Gonna get a marble statue of myself, and then I'm gonna get a koi pond." Kie and Pope laughed. "Put a bunch of those fish-"
"I'm never visiting," Kie giggled. JJ didn't actually know what she would do, but it was sweet to imagine. Her whole world would suddenly be filled with options she never even imagined.
"What are you gonna do, JB?" Pope asked, turning to John B who had been quiet. JJ listened intently for his answer.
John B took a moment to respond, then looked up and caught JJ's eyes. "To going full kook." They all raised their beer cans in agreement.
"To going full kook!" they exclaimed simultaneously, clanking their beers together.
JJ could feel butterflies fluttering in her stomach as she took a sip of her drink. The Pogues spent the next couple of hours simply enjoying each other's company. John B and JJ caught each other's glances several times throughout the night. Something was shifting in their relationship, and both were keenly aware of it.
Pope and Kie had texted their parents that they were staying the night, so when they finally tired themselves out enough to go to bed, JJ watched as Pope and Kie retired to their usual spots. John B bid them goodnight and excused himself to use the restroom before bed.
JJ started towards the guest room as usual when Pope and Kie were staying over, but at the last moment, she changed her mind and walked into John B's room instead. She crawled under the covers, facing away from the door, and closed her eyes.
A moment later, she sensed John B's presence and knew he was surprised to find her there. She felt him approach, then climb into bed beside her. His warmth enveloped her as he spooned against her back, his arm wrapping around her waist.
She felt comforted and let out a content sigh. John B squeezed her gently, silently expressing his happiness that she was there. Soon, they both drifted peacefully to sleep.
