Strawberry Sunscreen - JJ Maybank - Outer Banks

Chapter 37 - Homecoming || Part 1

Pope drove around Charlestown in an attempt to make it to their destination. Despite being hours late, Pope still hoped that whoever this Limbrey person was would meet with him. Everyone knew it could mean the difference between John B coming back or not.

"These houses are ridiculous," Elizabeth stated as she looked out the window of the truck. "There's no way they need this many rooms."

"They're fancy people. They've had three governors in the family. They've run Charleston for, like, three-hundred years," Kiara explained to her friends.

"These Kooks make our Kooks look like Pogues," JJ pointed out. Pope began to pull over at a large home. "You sure this is the place, Pope?"

"Pretty sure," Pope affirmed.

"Well," Elizabeth leaned over JJ and pushed open the door. "Only one way to find out." They all exited out the open door, walking up to the fence.

Pope held up the letter, matching the addresses. "Twenty-seven King Street."

"Talk about home security. Are those spikes to keep people out?" JJ asked as they looked at the fence, which had spikes on the very top.

"The slave quarters are over there," Pope sighed. "These spikes were to keep people in."

Elizabeth sighed, "Well, if this isn't welcoming I don't know what is." Elizabeth pushed on the fence, which surprisingly was left unlocked. Without notice, the girl walked up the pathway and towards the door. She motioned for Pope to knock. Instead, the boy grabbed the door knocker and hit it down twice, causing a large noise to be emitted.

"You think that was too much?" Pope asked as he backed away from the door.

"It echoed the entire house. That's for sure. So they definitely heard it," Confirmed JJ.

"Maybe nobody's home," Kiara shrugged as she looked around, clearly spooked. Pope leaned forward, clanking the knocker again until the door swung open, tossing Pope backwards and off balance.

A man in his mid thirties opened the door with a disgusting, smug look on his face. He looked around at each of the teens, his glance causing Elizabeth to involuntary shutter. "You must be Pope." He wagged his finger at the boy as if he had just solved a mystery.

Um... Are you Mr. Limbrey?" Pope stuttered as he looked the man in the eyes. JJ stepped closer to Pope, shading Elizabeth partly from the man's eyes.

"Ms. Limbrey was expecting you yesterday," the man nodded as he stared down at them, seemingly attempting to intimidate them.

"Oh. I'm... I'm sorry. My car broke down on the way up here," Pope was interrupted by JJ.

"Carburetor blew up in the middle of Nowheresville," JJ grimaced towards the man. "Sorry about that."

"Yeah, she was, uh, real upset when you didn't show up," the man said.

"We tried to call, but there's no number on the invitation," said Kiara.

"There was no number anywhere," Said Elizabeth.

"We got here as fast as we could," Kiara finished.

"She also expected you to come alone," Elizabeth looked the man up and down as he spoke. Did he really expect a teenage boy to come alone to a random house hours away from his home?

"I mean, these are my friends. They helped find the Royal Merchant too," Pope was cut off.

"The instructions were explicit. Your friends can stay outside," he said shortly.

"No--" Elizabeth began.

"We're kind of a package deal, man," JJ cut in.

"JJ, Liz. It's okay. I got this, Pope looked at both of them and then back towards Kiara. " I'll be good."