This Changes Everything • JIARA •

chapter 10

JJ's POV:

We were heading to go see my dad. He was in the mainland in a higher security jail. Mike and Anna knew where we were going and they were super supportive.

It was an hour drive and Kie was driving as I sat quietly looking out the window thinking about my dad. I was going over every situation in my head as to why he wanted to see me. I was getting super anxious the closer we got and Kie totally noticed. I couldn't hide anything from her.

She turned the car off and she looked at me and said, "I'm following your lead in there. If you want to leave, we leave. You owe him nothing. He owes you everything"

We walked into the jail and we had to pass through metal detectors and turn over phones, keys, etc. We were sitting in the waiting area and I rested my hands on my knees which I held my head up with. I was bouncing my knee trying to relieve this anxiety.

"Mr. Maybank, we're ready for you" A security guard said

Kie and I got up and followed him back to the room. Luke was sitting behind a plexiglass shield and he was wearing handcuffs that were attached to the table. We sat down across from Luke and he was the first to speak, "Looks like you brought your little bitch with you"

"Shut up, dad" I said almost losing my cool and punching the glass

"What did you do to get your ass thrown in jail?"

"I just needed some more pills and booze and I got caught on some stupid silent alarm. Cops brought me back to North Carolina"

"Dad, I thought you changed... But I don't think you'll ever be able to change" I said upset that he was still up to his same no good shit

"So what's the deal with you and the kook?"

"We're dating" Kie jumped in as she knew I had no idea what to say

"Damn, my boy pulling a kook. Us Maybank boys really have a thing for them Carrera girls" My dad said as he dated Kie's mom back in the day

"Don't wait for her to break your heart. She's a kook, JJ. You don't belong with her. She will never be able to love you. No one will" Luke spat suddenly growing angry

"Fuck off, Luke! I love him way more than you ever have. Your son is incredible despite growing up with a shitty father like you" Kie said standing up for me

She must have noticed I was trying not to have a total panic attack as she grabbed my hand. I wanted to pull it away as my hands were all gross and sweaty from how nervous I was. She didn't care and she placed my hand in her lap and put her other hand on top of mine. This gave me comfort. I was able to relax a little. I knew I had to get right to the point.

"Why'd you want me here?" I asked

"I need bail money"

"How much?" I asked

"500k" He smirked at Kie

"What? You just wanted me here to bail you out? You didn't want to see me..." I said realizing it was all true

"Well you're smarter than I thought you were" My dad smiled at me

"I'm done trying to help you. All my life I've helped you because maybe if I did this one thing then you'd love me. But I was wrong. A fathers love should be unconditional. You should love me no matter what because I am your son. Have a good life in prison, dad" I said getting up and walking away

I held back my tears and my rage. We left the building and I got in the car and didn't say a word. Kie didn't start the car she just looked at me and said, "I'm so sorry, JJ"

"It's fine, you know it's best this way" I said as tears began falling from my eyes

Kie got on the phone and I'm guessing she called her mom because she said we are staying on the mainland tonight. She pulled up her maps on her iphone and began driving.

We arrived and she said, "It's a rage room. You get thirty minutes to destroy everything in the room. You could use it"

We went inside he she paid and we had baseball bats and we were able to break everything in this room. I wasted no time to start breaking things. It felt so good. Kie joined in and those thirty minutes went by so fast. I think I broke everything in the room. We went into target and Kie bought some basic things like toothbrush's and toothpaste as we had nothing with us. She got us take out and we checked into a hotel.

We got to the hotel room and we ate dinner and she knew not to bring it up until I was ready to talk. We just laid in separate beds watching whatever was on tv. Kie was facetiming her mom and to say goodnight to Sophia. I moved over and also said goodnight to my baby girl and the second the phone call was over I broke down in tears.

Kie pulled me into her arms and she just let me bawl my eyes out like a child. She lightly rubbed my back and played with my hair. My crying stopped and it was like I ran out of tears.

"I can't believe I fell for his shit again. He's never loved me, he's never cared about me, all he wants is money from me. I'm so stupid for thinking he might actually tell me he loves me"

"Your dad loves you in his own way. What he's done to you is fucked up but I promise you, he loves you. You don't need him in your life. You'll always have me and Sophia no matter what. You have my parents and the pogues. So many people love you, JJ. It's not about quantity it's about quality. I don't think anyone could ever love you more than Sophia. She's a daddy's girl. You are her favorite person, her hero, her everything. I'm so sorry you were never able to feel that unconditional love from your father, but you're giving our daughter that love you never got"

Kie and I talked for hours and I realized she was still in her clothes which couldn't be comfortable. I took off my shirt and gave it to her. She went into the bathroom, brushed her teeth, and came out wearing my shirt as a dress. She looked so perfect.

I was laying back in my bed all ready to go to sleep. I had brushed my teeth earlier. I expected Kie to go to her own bed, instead she crawled into bed with me and rested her head on my chest. I wrapped my arms around her and she said, "I'm here for you, always, no matter what"

"Thank you, Kie" I said kissing the top of her head as she fell asleep in my arms