Family Reunion

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I sat down to dinner with my family. As we ate, we talked about our day. It was pretty much dinner as usual. The food was wonderful, my children were well behaved (for the most part), and I was enjoying just spending time with them.

About halfway through our meal, there came a knock on the door. I slowly rose to answer it, quite angry at whoever disrupted our quiet, family time. I nearly threw the door open, knuckles white with the effort it took to keep from doing just that. Upon seeing who was at the door however, my hand dropped to my side, and shock covered my features. Standing at the door, leaning on it with a mischievous smile reminiscent to childhood, stood Jack.

My brother, who I haven't seen since his twenty-first birthday, just one year after I gave him the Black Pearl. I'd bet he hadn't willingly left that ship since then. So what was he doing here now? I heard a while back that he had lost her to mutiny, but I thought he got it back. Oh well, only one way to find out.

"What brings you here?" I stepped out onto the porch and closed the door behind me so that we could have some privacy. That and I really didn't want my children exposed to pirates. It's bad enough that my second youngest was interested in them. Best not encourage her.

"What? Can't I come visit my big brother?" He leant into me as if to tell me a secret. "'B'sides, I wanted to check up on you. 'Aven't seen you in years." He moved his arm around as if to keep him balanced. I 'd wager that he couldn't speak or even think if I was to tie down his hands.

Though his appearance had changed quite a bit since we were kids (he still had that hat, though), and I would have loved to catch up.... I had a meal getting cold, and a family waiting for me. "Jack, if I let you in, do you think that you could keep quiet and follow me to get you a change of clothes?" He looked at me with a look of startlement, almost disgust even. I could tell that he wondered why he'd have to change his clothes.

"Jack...." My impatience was starting to show. " I have a family. I've got children of my own. I don't want them to grow up to become pirates. So do you think you could do this one thing for me?" I'm almost certain that was very near begging. "Please?"

He let out an extremely exasperated sigh. "Fine. Lead the way...." His act would have almost been believable, were it not for his childish grin.