Pancakes for dinner - JJPOPE

Chapter twenty two

"Let's stop in here," says JJ, tugging at Pope's hand in his own. The couple were standing outside of a cafe in the middle of town, desperate for a drink and something to eat before they headed up to the hospital to see if JJ was still allowed to remove the moon boot for good. "It looks nice."

Looking over to where JJ was pointing, Pope nods. "Okay, sounds good."

Pope opens the door for JJ, falling into step behind him before taking the blonde's hand once more, intertwining their fingers. JJ smiles down at their hands and kisses Pope's cheek as they wait in line to be served, swaying on his heels slightly.

Nearly every table that was occupied held their own conversations, laughter filling the air along with the clutter and noise of the coffee machine. JJ gazes over each and every table, before his eyes land on one held by a woman and two children not much younger than seven years old, smiling and sipping at their drinks. The woman lifts her head from her coffee, their eyes locking, and JJ's heart drops.

At first, he cannot speak. Cannot even bring himself to move, until Pope's gaze drifts from the cabinets of food and to his boyfriends face, an expression of pain and anger surfacing across JJ's face. "What's wrong?" Asks Pope, furrowing his brows with worry.

"She's here." JJ grits out, sucking in a breath to try and ease the panic held within his ever tightening chest.

"JJ." Lucy says, a fearful expression on her face. Her eyes were suddenly welling with tears, standing from her seat, which only makes JJ back away, rushing out the doors.

He couldn't deal with this today. He couldn't. JJ had come to accept that Lucy was in town with her own family, but he still was yet to accept the fact that he would quite possibly see her from time to time now that he was not busy with school. "JJ." Pope's hand catches JJ's own, holding it gently, spinning his boyfriend around to face him. "Hey, hey. It's okay."

Burying his face in Pope's chest, JJ lets out a deep sigh. "I don't think I can deal with her today."

"Don't let her ruin our day together, okay?" Says Pope, cupping JJ's cheeks. "Ignore her. And if she wants to talk, hear her out and express your feelings as well, yeah?"

Groaning, JJ bows his head. "Okay."

The bell above the door chimes, the couple breaking away only to find Lucy standing a few steps away from them, chewing the inside of her cheek. "Hey," Pope whispers, cupping JJ's cheeks once more and gazing into his eyes. "I'll give you two some space. If you need me, I'll be right next door in the bookstore, okay?"

Forcing a tight lipped smile, JJ nods. "Okay." He breathes.

Leaning down, Pope kisses JJ's lips before walking away, looking over his shoulder once, then twice, sending JJ an encouraging smile. "Hi, JJ.." Says Lucy, stepping into his space, looking him up and down. Her eyes fall on his leg, the breath catching in the back of her throat. "What.. What happened to your leg?"

JJ rolls his eyes. "Nothing that concerns you." He snaps, crossing his arms.

"I know you're angry." Mumbles Lucy, scrubbing her hands down her face. "I know I've been a horrible mother and that I've been absent, but.. I.. I'm here now, can't you forgive me?"

Pure anger paints itself across JJ's face, his hands curling into fists at his sides, knuckles turning white. "Seriously?" He seethes, shaking his head. "You're here now? You've been living in OuterBanks the entire time and you never came back for me, but you still expect me to forgive you?"

Sighing softly, Lucy chews at her lip.

Looking down, an angry smile on his lips, JJ shakes his head slowly.  "I see you've made a new family for yourself. A family without me. A new beginning I somehow couldn't be a part of."