𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐎𝐍𝐆 𝐆𝐀𝐌𝐄, jj maybank

SEVEN, scarlet begonias

the girl pulled them on quickly, opening up the door and greeting her boss with a smile. "hey, did i wake you?"

"no, we just woke up right before you knocked," the girl assured her, wiping her face in an attempt to wash away the tired and hungover-ness she was feeling. "um, what's up, what's going on?"

evelyn stepped inside, and cassie shut the door behind her. "i'm sorry to barge in like this, but i was wondering if you could come over and make breakfast. faith says my cooking is nowhere near as good as yours."

cassie chuckled, nodding, as evelyn's eyes flickered over to the blonde boy on the couch. "oh, is this jj?" she questioned, stepping forward to shake the boy's hand. "i've heard so much about you."

"oh you have?" jj asked in surprise, eyeing cassie, who shook her head in protest. "nice to meet you, ms. thompson."

"nice to meet you! it's evelyn." she corrected, turning back to cassie. "say you'll do it? my kids are sick of burnt toast."

"of course i will," cassie assured her, pushing some hair behind her ears.

the woman squealed in excitement, hugging cassie tightly. "and you can invite your friends, i have more than enough to go around," the woman replied, breaking apart from the girl.

"sure, i'll get everyone together," cassie smiled, nodding. "i'll come over in an hour, maybe?"

evelyn grinned, nodding eagerly. "i'll see you then." she turned to open the door. "thank you,"

she walked off to her car, and the routledge girl shut the door behind her, rubbing her aching head. "you tell her all about me," jj teased.

"shut up," she replied, sitting down on the couch beside the boy. "okay, we need to get ready and get pope and kie." she looked around, craning her neck to look down the hall at john b's open bedroom door. "where's john b?"

"i have no clue." jj replied, standing up and looking out the window. he spotted the routledge boy down at the dock. "looks like he's fishin'."

"okay, well get ready please." she told the boy, slipping on a pair of flip flops. she opened the front door and walked out onto the porch. she stopped, turned around and leaned against the doorway, giving pleading eyes and a pouted lip, "help get grace ready too?"

he sighed, although agreeing with a nod. the girl smiled, shutting the door behind her. she walked down to the dock, walking silently behind her brother and placing a hand on his shoulder.

"jesus christ, cass." the boy exclaimed, jumping in surprise. he held a fishing rod loosely in his hands, looking out at the water. "what's up?"

"my boss invited the pogues over for breakfast." she told him, looking to the water as well. "so, go get ready."

"okay." the boy replied, looking into the water blankly. "i can't believe we're finishing what he started." john b sighed, looking to his sister. "it's just, i always thought he was crazy, but he really found it."

there was a silence for a long time, which didn't usually happen among the routledge twins. "just, uh, get ready. we have to get kie and pope, so, we should probably hurry." the girl choked back some tears as she walked back, trying to hold it all in, but really, the tape recording had her feeling all sorts of broken inside.

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