Mʏ Dʀᴜᴛʜᴇʀs (3)
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While waiting for Pope, the group decided to drive around. They ended up at a shop with the girls getting out to get drinks and look around while the guys stayed in the car. The topic of Sarah and John B's argument came up as the girls were making their way back to the car. Estrella falling behind a little due to her limp, but Charlotte was right beside her.
"Of course I thanked Topper." Sarah says, "He saved my life, and I'd put him through so much already. And you'd think that that is the crime of the century."
"Tell me about it." Kie scoffs, "All of this crazy shit's happening, and Pope's giving me the silent treatment for not being in love with him."
Estrella's eyes could've fallen out of head at how far they rolled back. She knew Pope wasn't being dramatic. She's had one too many conversations with him about Kie going back and forth with her feelings. She knew Pope was hurt considering the night he and Kie had spent together. So to hear Kie downplay his feelings, made her upset, but there was too much happening for an argument to occur.
"And we're the dramatic ones." Sarah smirks as they climb into the car
"Sure." Kie chuckles as she gets in with Charlotte following her. Estrella sighs as she sets her cup down in the car before sliding in. She groans as she closes the door.
"What'd you get?" JJ says. Before Estrella can react, he reaches back and snatches her drink off of the floor.
Estrella frowns, "Yeah, of course, you can have some."
•••
"There he is." JJ says as they pull up to the home. Pope made his way down the steps as Estrella slides the door open. She moves aside as he climbs in and closes the door behind him. They all look to him as he sits down.
"So, how'd it go?" John B asks hesitantly
Pope looks down to Estrella who furrows her brows, "Shit just got way more personal."
•••
The teens sat outside of Heyward's under a canopy as it started to rain. All of them holding a beer aside from Pope and Charlotte.
"I still can't believe that you're related to Denmark Tanny." John B says standing beside JJ
"Uh-huh." JJ smiles
John B turns to Pope, "Are we in the presence of a royal?"
"A king?" JJ says in a British accent, "We shall crown him. All hail the lord of Tannyhill! We're not worthy!"
Pope rolls his eyes as his friends playfully bow to him, "Everybody relax. Can we relax, please?"
"Relocate the Cat's Ass, question mark?" Sarah suggests
"I'm with that." JJ says
"How soon can we move in?" Kie says
"Cause I don't have a place to stay."
"Me either. Bunk beds?" Estrella points
"Bunk beds." JJ says turning to her, "Cheers to that."
"I just keep thinking about the letter, the one that Limbrey sent." Pope says, "It had the wheat symbol on it. That must mean it has something to do with the Royal Merchant."
"Yeah. Something seems fishy." JJ says
"But if we find that cross, we can split it like we were gonna split the gold."
"Yeah. I'm with that."
"And live happily ever after?" They hear. Charlotte immediately tenses up beside Estrella. The teens go quiet as Limbrey and Charlotte's uncle walk over together. Limbrey smiles at her granddaughter.
Pope's face hardens as he tries to walk up, "You assaulted my father."
He's pushed back by Charlotte's uncle as Limbrey rolls her eyes, "Oh, I didn't assault anybody."
"He can identify the psycho from a mile away." Kie snaps
"Why would my employee assault your father? That's absurd." She laughs. Estrella notices John B backing away from JJ, "Listen, we can keep on negotiating, but the fact is that I want the key."
Estrella sits up as Charlotte's uncle grabs Pope by his collar. JJ immediately comes up beside Pope.
"Hey!"
"Easy." JJ says
"And I won't stop until I have it. I don't have a choice, which means you don't either."
"It's Limbrey, right?" John B says holding up a key, "Is that right?"
Limbrey's eyes go wide, "Yes."
"Is this what you're looking for?"
"Yes, it is."
John B looks out to the water, "Looking at the tide right now, I'd say it's about 20 feet deep out there." Estrella looks down as Pope digs in his pockets and discretely pulls out his family key. Her eyes go wide as she and Pope look at each other. Her eyes trail over to JJ who winks at her.
"So, if I just threw it in the channel, the probability of you finding it again is slim to none. You wanna give it a shot?" John B says standing up and walking toward the water, "Ready?"
"No! Hey!" Limbrey yells. John B stops holding the key between his fingers. He backs away from the railing. Limbrey sighs, "Please don't do that."
John B looks pasts her to Pope, "Get him to back the hell up."
"Of course." She smiles before turning to her nephew, "Back up." The man backs away as Limbrey walks toward Pope, "As I have told you from the beginning, I am willing to be reasonable."
"Okay." Pope says
"Okay?"
"I'll give you the key, but I want the tape."
"Of course. Of course." She immediately nods as John B walks over
"Pope. Hey, hey, hey, hey." He says stopping in front of him, "You don't have to do this, okay?"
"No, it's okay."
"No, dude, this is your family."
"Hey, it's fine. It's okay." Pope says as JJ smiles toward Estrella, "It's about your dad. That's way more important."
John B hands Pope the key as Estrella straightens up. Limbrey sighs, "Oh, you're a good friend."
"The tape."
"Yes, give him the tape."
Charlotte's uncle pulls the tape out of his jacket before walking up. Pope keeps his eyes on Limbrey as he holds his hand out. Pope places the key in Limbrey's hand as the man places the tape in his. They take the items before backing away from each other.
"You know, I wish that you'd come to this decision earlier. We could have avoided all this unpleasantness." Limbrey says before turning away, "Charlotte."
The group looks toward the girl as she keeps her eyes on her grandmother. Limbrey turns back when she doesn't hear footsteps behind her. Charlotte looks to Estrella.
The brown-eyed girl smiles softly at her. Charlotte smiles back before looking up and catching the eyes of the boys. JJ and John B raise their brows playfully. Charlotte looks to her grandmother before taking a seat beside Estrella. Limbrey's face falls as Charlotte's uncle picks up his umbrella.
"Nice to meet you." John B says as Limbrey groans. She continues on as Charlotte's uncle turns to them.
"See you around, Pope."
"Just go." Kie says before the man turns away. Pope stands up and watches them walk down the dock.
JJ turns to John B as he stands beside him, "How long do you think we have until she
realizes she has your father's old key?"
"Ten minutes."
Pope turns around exasperated, "Whose idea was the fake key?"
"Shockingly, not mine." Kie says
JJ looks away as John B wraps his arm around his shoulder, "Hmm, I don't know. Should we tell him?"
"Wow."
"No way." Estrella chuckles
"I'm impressed. Maybe you are good for something." Kie jokes as Pope comes up beside JJ
"Did hell freeze over?" Pope says shaking JJ shoulder
"Even a blind pig can find an acorn at times." JJ laughs, "I actually don't know what that means, but I saw it on Reddit."
"We gotta take the tape to Shoupe." John B says
"Yes." Estrella nods. She holds onto Charlotte's hand as she jumps off of the stool she was on.
"Yes, sir. Ward Cameron, we're coming for you, big boy." JJ cheers, "Shotgun!"
Kie and Sarah follow behind them as Pope smiles, "It's Ward's turn now!"
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