smooth seas//john b

thirty five

I wake up when I hear someone moving around. I look around and realize I'm at Topper's. I never made it back to John B's last night after what happened.

"Hey," Topper greets. He's got a tray of food as he sits next to me on the bed. "How you feeling?"

"What time is it?" I question.

"I don't know," Topper tells me. "Why?"

I move to get out of the bed. "No, I need to go."

Topper stops me, "Wait. No. You're not going out there where your brother almost killed you. Okay? Just..." Topper hands the tray to me. "You're safe here. Have a little food." I look at him curiously. He picks a phone up off the tray. "Oh, here's a phone so you can get a hold of me and I can get a hold of you. I just wanna make sure you're safe."

"Thank you for that, Topper," I tell him. "I haven't had a phone since, um, the storm."

"Maisie, I thought that you were..." Topper starts to tear up. "I thought I'd never see you again. It's so good to see you." I nod my head slightly. "I'm glad you're okay." Topper just looks at me for a moment. "Well, eat up. I'm gonna get the Malibu ready. Just let me know if you need anything, okay?"

I can't seem to sit still as we approach the chateau. I smile widely as I spot the crew on the dock. I'm shocked to see John B is there with them.

"John B!" I shout. I smile widely. "Oh my god he's out."

I hop from the wakesetter onto the pogue and hug John B tightly.

"Hi," John B says.

I laugh. "Hi!"

John B hugs me tightly. "Oh my God. I'm so glad you're okay. Hi."

I look from John B to JJ. "Don't tell me JJ's plan worked."

JJ shakes his head. "Nah. I broke the wrong guy out of jail."

"I'm gonna need you to explain that in better detail later," I tell him.

"Uh, they dropped all the charges," John B tells me.

"Really?" I ask.

"Yeah, no, yeah, I'm a free man. Yeah," John B tells me.

"That makes more sense," I confess. I laugh. "That's amazing."

"I know. It's great, but... But listen, MC, they're coming after Rafe," John B warns.

"Good. He's completely unhinged," I state.  "He jumped me last night."

"What?" Kie and Sarah ask at the same time.

"That's why I didn't come back," I explain.

"Yeah, man. Rafe has lost his mind. Literally almost drowned his own sister. Thankfully, I got there just in time," Topper says.

"Yeah, he did," I admit.

"Uh, well, I guess I owe you one, Topper, don't I?" John B says.

Topper scoffs. "It's all good. I mean, somebody had to rescue your girlfriend, right?"

"Uh, that's funny because she's not actually my girlfriend, right?" John B says.

"Uh..." Topper chuckles. "Well, what is she then?"

"Tell him," John B says.

"I'm..." I fumble over my words. "I... I'm with him."

Topper laughs. "Gotcha. You're with him. Okay, yeah. I just, like, needed a little clarity there. You guys clear on that?"

"I think it's clear you gotta go now," JJ tells him.

"Think I'll head out. It's about that time," Topper says.