Page 98 of Johnny

for this and I don’t want it. I’m just… trapped. I’m not out to hurt people. I’m not out to take their

money. It’s just a job I’m not allowed to quit.”

I press my lips together and smile. Not looking at him. Just facing forward. Eyes on the waves

rolling in over the sand between two cabañas. “I get it.”

“I have a family,” he continues. “We’re not close and we’re not typical, but they’re still there and I

still want them. And now my brother Jesse has a girl he loves, and my brother Joey has… well, a

whole fucking pack of people he loves, and everything I’ve ever done was for them. That’s the only

reason I do any of this.”

Well… that was an unexpected confession. When I don’t say anything back he stops and takes both

my hands in his. Like he needs me to respond to that.

“You don’t have to explain yourself to me,” I say.

“I know I don’t have to, but I want to.”

“Why? I mean… we’re probably never going to see each other again after tomorrow.”

He stares at me for a moment. “Where will you go?”

I pull my hands out of his and continue walking towards our cabaña. I can tell by the silence behind

me that he’s not following, but I keep walking anyway.

A few seconds later he catches up. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing. I just… don’t know where I’ll be after I show you the island. But if we’re gonna talk

about the future right now, then we should discuss that. The plan, you know. Like… do you have

one?”

We’ve now reached the door so I pass my wristband over the lock and the little mechanism lights

up green. Johnny grabs the handle and pushes the door open before I can, so I just say, “Thanks,” and

walk through.

He follows me in and walks to the small kitchenette. Opens the fridge, takes out two bottles of

water, and then walks over to hand me one.

Then he stares at me for too many seconds. Like he’s thinking about something. Finally he pops the

caps on his water, takes a sip, and recaps it. “I do have a plan. But you know this place better than I

do. What do you think we should do?”

Obviously I need to get him to the drop-off island at noon tomorrow. But I can’t just come and say

it like we’ve got an appointment.