JOHN B

There's something about the morning light that makes everything seem a little less complicated. The way it filters through the trees, casting long shadows on the ground, makes it easier to forget about the mess we've found ourselves in. But as much as I'd like to pretend otherwise, reality always finds a way to sneak back in.

I'm sitting on the porch of the Chateau, nursing a cup of coffee and watching the sun slowly rise over the water. It's early—too early for anyone else to be up—but I've always been a morning person. Something about the quiet, the stillness, gives me a chance to think, to clear my head before the day's chaos begins.

Today, though, my mind is anything but clear. Last night's conversation with JJ and Kie is still hanging over me, and I can't shake the feeling that something's coming, something big. It's like we're all standing on the edge of a cliff, waiting to see if we'll fall or fly.

I hear the door creak open behind me, and I glance back to see JJ stepping out onto the porch. He's got that look on his face—the one that says he didn't sleep much, if at all. I know the feeling. Lately, sleep's been more of an idea than a reality, with everything going on.

"Coffee?" I offer, holding up my mug.

He nods, and I pour him a cup from the pot I brewed earlier. He takes it without a word, settling into the chair next to mine. For a while, we just sit there, sipping our coffee and staring out at the water. It's comfortable, this silence, but it's also heavy, filled with all the things we're not saying.

Eventually, JJ breaks the quiet. "You ever think about what Kie said last night? About what's next?"

I nod, though the truth is, I've been trying not to think about it. "Yeah. It's hard not to."

JJ's quiet for a moment, his eyes fixed on the horizon. "I don't know if I can do it, man. The whole... moving on thing. It feels like everything's just... too much."

I get it. I really do. JJ's been carrying so much for so long, and it's like he's finally hitting his breaking point. But the thing is, I'm not sure what to say to make it better. I'm not even sure if I can.

"We'll figure it out," I say, though the words feel hollow, even to me. "We've always figured it out before."

JJ doesn't respond right away, just takes a long sip of his coffee, like he's trying to find the right words. "It's different this time, though. I can feel it. Everything's changing."

He's right, of course. Everything is changing, and I don't know if we can stop it. But what scares me the most is the thought that maybe we're the ones who need to change, too. Maybe we've been holding on to the past for too long, and it's time to let go.

But how do you let go of the only thing that's kept you grounded?

"We've got each other," I say, because it's the only thing I know for sure. "That's not gonna change."

JJ looks at me, and there's something in his eyes—something I can't quite place. It's like he's searching for something, some kind of reassurance, but I'm not sure I can give it to him.

"You really think we can do this?" he asks, his voice quieter than I'm used to hearing from him.

"Yeah," I say, and this time I mean it. "We've made it this far, haven't we?"

He nods, but I can tell he's still not convinced. And honestly, neither am I. But I've got to believe that we can make it through this, because if I don't, then what's the point?

Before I can say anything else, the sound of a car pulling up catches our attention. We both turn to see a beat-up old truck rolling down the dirt road, kicking up dust in its wake. I recognize the truck immediately—it's Pope's. He's been coming by more often lately, ever since things started getting crazier. It's like he knows we're all on the edge and wants to be there to catch us if we fall.

The truck comes to a stop, and Pope hops out, a serious look on his face. That's never a good sign.

"What's up, man?" I call out as he approaches.

Pope doesn't waste any time with pleasantries. "We need to talk," he says, glancing between me and JJ. "There's something going on, and I think it's bigger than we realized."

JJ and I exchange a look. This isn't the first time Pope's come to us with some big revelation, but something about his tone tells me this is different.

"Come inside," I say, standing up and leading the way back into the Chateau. "We'll figure it out."

Inside, the air is cooler, the morning light filtering through the old, dusty windows. JJ, Pope, and I settle around the worn-out table in the kitchen, the same table where we've hatched countless plans, some crazier than others.

Pope pulls out a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket, smoothing it out on the table. It's a map, old and faded, with handwritten notes scrawled in the margins.

"This is it," he says, tapping the map. "I've been working on this for weeks, and I think I've finally figured it out. This could be the key to finding your dad, John B."

My heart skips a beat at his words. For a moment, everything else falls away—the tension with JJ, the uncertainty about the future—and all I can think about is the possibility that this might be it. The clue we've been waiting for.

JJ leans in closer, studying the map with the same intensity as me. "Where'd you get this?"

Pope hesitates, like he's not sure how much to say. "Let's just say I've been doing some digging. And I think we're closer than we've ever been."

I can see the excitement in his eyes, the same spark that's kept us going through all the dead ends and false leads. And for the first time in a long time, I feel that same spark igniting in me, too.

"This is it," I say, more to myself than to them. "This is how we find him."

But even as I say it, I can't ignore the nagging feeling in the back of my mind—the one that reminds me that every time we've gotten close before, something's gone wrong. And I can't help but wonder if this time will be any different.

But we've come too far to turn back now.

I look at JJ, and for the first time in a while, I see a glimmer of hope in his eyes. Maybe this is what we need. Maybe this is how we find our way out.

"Let's do it," JJ says, his voice steady, determined.

Pope nods, and I can see the resolve in his expression. We're all in, and there's no turning back.

This is it. This is the moment we've been waiting for. And whatever comes next, we're facing it together.

Because that's what we do.