"Would he like something like this?" A girl asked her friend, ginger hair whipping over her shoulder as she showed her friend what was in her hands.
"What would he do with something like that? It's not like he can wear it out anywhere except maybe on Halloween." The Brunette replied.
With a sigh her friend turned back around to hang the tattered frock coat back on the rack.
"Ellie, I really don't understand your Dad's obsession with this shit. What does he do with it?" She asked her friend while picking up a vintage compass. She looked at it with disgust before dumping it back on the tray where she found it.
"You know Kaelyn. You've been to my house plenty of times and have seen all the pirate memoriam there." I said while looking at a tattered map. Across the top it said, The path to Cintamani. Whatever that was supposed to mean.
My dear old father, Jason Thomas was obsessed with anything that had to do with pirates. Our house was decorated practically from roof to floor with pirate memorabilia. Instead of hanging pictures on the wall of me growing up like normal Dad's there were various pictures of different ships and maps that hung in place. On our dining room table instead of a center piece that could be used for all seasons, he had decided to put a 3-D model of a ship. These models were also spread around the house. There was no table in our house that didn't have some model, whether it be big, small or medium sized you could bet your bottom dollar that there was one somewhere on that surface. There were anchors, keys, chests and golden tokens everywhere. It actually felt more like a ship than a home really.
The only person besides me and my father that has stepped foot into that house was my best friend Kaelyn. It would be a lie to say that I wasn't reluctant to let her in. She had been asking to come over for weeks but I had made up excuses that prevented her from doing so. Eventually I caved but I had to give her a warning beforehand. She laughed and said that I was making a big deal out of nothing, needless to say she ate her words.
Kaelyn was a bit uncomfortable at first but she got around it and now she practically lives with Dad and I. Kaelyn and Dad get along pretty well to, she even refers to him as her second Dad sometimes. Once you get past the creepy pirate obsession my Dad can be a pretty cool guy but people don't really stick around long enough to see that part of my Dad because once they see the maps and ships they tend to run in the other direction.
Kaelyn and I are only going to be adding to his collection because currently we are in one of my Dads' favorite shops trying to find him a birthday present.
"I know! But still that doesn't mean I understand why he likes pirates so much. Don't get me wrong I love your Dad he's a sweetheart but I just don't understand why he needs all that stuff." Kaelyn said as she walked up to me and peered over my shoulder to look at the map that I was holding in my hands.
"You know why." I said and looked at her.
"I know." She sighed. "But is this a healthy way to cope?" She asked.
"It makes him happy. He's not hurting anyone so I don't see the problem." I said with a shrug and moved over to the paintings with that map still in hand.
The thing that I believed that sparked this obsession of his was my Moms death. She had died in a car accident while coming home from work one night when I was two years old. After my Dad had received the call asking him to come and identify the body he sort of lost it. He called my Aunt asking her if she could come watch me for a few hours while he went to go see Mom. I didn't know what was going on I was too young. When my Aunt came my Dad left.
My Aunt and I were in the living room watching some Disney movie when my Dad came back. When we heard the door open we both looked up to see my Dad walk through. He looked so broken, so defeated. He just stood there staring at the ground shaking his head, silent sobs wracking through his body.
"Jason?" My Aunt asked her voice cracking as she got up to go to her brother.
She walked over to him and embraced him. My Dad completely broke down after that.
"She's gone Tessa. She's gone." He said clutching on to his sister like she was the only thing holding him up.
"I'm so sorry Jason. I'm so sorry." My Aunt Tessa said holding her brother.
After the funeral Dad just wasn't right. He was closed off from everyone. He did what he needed to do to take care of me but other than the basic feeding me and making sure I was clean he didn't do much except look at photos of my Mom. This is when the pictures of ships began to go up on the walls. To replace the ones of Mom.
My Aunt Tessa came over every day to make sure we were doing well and each day she found the same thing, Dad staring at the photos of Mom. Eventually Aunt Tessa had had enough. She came over one day and saw me and Dad in the living room, Dad doing what he was always doing and me coloring in a coloring book.
"Jason this needs to stop." My Aunt said putting her keys on the counter and taking of her coat. My Dad didn't even respond.
"Did you hear me Jason, you need to stop." She said walking over to Dad and stood in front of him.
"What are you doing Jason?! It's been months! I know you're hurting, but you need to try and live you can't just give up! What about your daughter for God's sake?! She already lost her mother don't make her have to lose her father to!" She was yelling now. My Dad looked up at her.
"You have a beautiful daughter right here that needs you!" My Aunt said. They stared at each other for what felt like five minutes before my Dad stood up from the couch and set the photo album where he previously sat and walked out of the room.
After that the pictures of Mom went away and Dad slowly started to become more alive again but the more he became alive the more trinkets and maps and ships started to clutter our house. My Aunt didn't say anything to this because at least he was getting back to his old self. He still couldn't talk about Mom though. It was like once those pictures went away so did her memory.
I didn't know a lot about my Mom. I knew what my Aunt told me about her and from the pictures I gathered that she was a very pretty women. She had long blonde hair and stormy grey eyes that resembled mine. Other than that though I didn't know my mother. Dad didn't talk about her. I have very few memories that I can remember of her. Because of not knowing her very well I can't say her death affected me the same way as it did my family. Of course I'm sad that she is gone. She's my mother and I love her no matter how little I know of her.
"What if he wants to start dating again? I don't think girls are going to be too fond of a picture of Blackbeard staring at them while they lay in bed to cuddle." Kaelyn said.
"He doesn't want to date again. Like I said he's happy." I told her.
"What do you think of these for a birthday present?" I asked her holding up the map and picture of the ship.
Kaelyn sighed. "The maps cool. You could find a nice picture frame and frame it for him. Where would he put the ship picture though? It's kinda big does he even have anywhere to put it?" She asked.
I shrugged.
"I'm sure he'll find some place to hang it. Ok I think this is it. Let me go and pay and then we can leave." I smiled at her and we walked toward the pay counter.
Something gold caught my eye as we were almost to the counter. I began to walk towards it and saw that it was some type of medallion. Getting closer I could start to make out the details of the piece. It had a skull on it and for something so old the gold was still pretty shiny.
"Creepy." I mumbled to myself.
"Ain't that the truth." I heard Kaelyn say behind me.
"It's kinda cool though." I said picking it up.
"Oh no you're not going to start your own little collection now are you?" Kaelyn groaned.
"No." I sighed setting the jewelry back down. I actually did kind of want it but the more rational part of me made me put it down.
"Good." Kaelyn sighed with relief and began walking towards the checkout counter. I followed her.
Once we got there I looked around, I couldn't see anyone. In fact I don't think I've seen anyone, customer or clerk the whole time we've been here. I looked on the counter and saw a tiny bell. I picked it up and shook it then set it down.
Not even a minute later a women came through a beaded curtain that lead to what I was assuming the back of the store. She walked up to the counter, her pale skin glowing in the dim lighting of the store. She was wearing a raggedy dress with various things attached to a belt she wore around her hips. Her white blonde hair in a ratted mess her eyes lined with black coal.
She's really into the theme of the shop.
She smiled at me and I smiled back and placed my items on the counter. Kaelyn was giving her a strange look.
"Is dis all yer want?" She asked me as if knowing it wasn't.
I looked back at the gold medallion and then at her.
"Yes." I said with a nod of my head.
"Are ye sure?" She asked. Damn she really is in character. She just smiled mischievous at me.
I nodded my head and smiled.
"Alight den." She said ringing up the picture and the map. I began to take out my wallet preparing to hand her the money.
"Yer total dis $46.98." She said looking at me. I pulled out a 50 and started to reach over to hand her the money but stopped. She continued looking at me with that knowing smile.
I looked at her then back at the medallion.
"Come one Ellie. Pay." Kaelyn said.
"Is der sometin else dat yer want?" The lady asked me again. I looked back at the medallion. I really wanted that thing.
"Yeah, hold on a sec." I told the lady and began to walk over to the pendent. Kaelyn stayed at the counter looking at me confused.
"Of course." Said the lady.
I grabbed the medallion and made my way back over and set it on the counter.
"Here." I said and she rung it up. I swore her smile got bigger.
"Your total is $53.43." She told me. I reached in my wallet and fished out a five.
I handed over the 55 dollars and she grabbed it and handed me my change.
"Would ye like dis in a bag or no?" She asked smile still on her face.
"Just the picture. I can take the map and the medallion." I told her.
She handed me the map which I folded and put it in the back pocket of my jean shorts. I put the medallion around my neck.
Once she bagged the picture she held it out to me. I grabbed the handle. I smiled and said,
"Have a good day." I began to pull the bag out of her grasp but her other hand came up and grabbed my hand that was on the bag. Her grip was firm it caused my smile to falter.
"You hav a strange destiny ahead of you child. One dat is full of adventure and heartache. Be careful on wat ye choose because it may be de wrong choice." She said. She stared into my petrified eyes for a few more seconds before releasing me.
What the hell is she talking about?
"Ok let's go." Kaelyn said grabbing my hand and pulled me towards the door. I followed her but looked over my shoulder to stare at the women and found her staring at me.
"A strange destiny indeed." She said chuckling.
Only once Kaelyn and I had reached my car did she release my hand. I unlocked the doors and she climbed in the passenger seat while I opened the backdoor to set the picture in the back seat once I got the picture situated I quickly shut the door. Before I climbed into the driver's seat I looked back up at the shop and I swore I could see the outline of the women in the shop window. I quickly looked down and climbed into my car and put the keys in the ignition. I pulled out of the parking lot and out onto the street leading to Kaelyn's house.
"What the hell was that lady's problem?" Kaelyn asked pushing her ginger curls over her shoulder to look at me.
"I don't know." I said keeping my eyes on the road.
"That was frightening!" Kaelyn yelled.
"I know." I said.
"Why the hell did you buy that thing?" Kaelyn asked motioning towards the medallion that now hung low on my chest.
"I don't know." I told her.
"You don't know? You don't know! What do you mean you don't know?" She said.
"It means exactly that." I looked over at her now that we were at a red light. "I don't know why I bought it, but I wanted it so I bought it." The light turned green and I began driving again, turning down Kaelyn's street.
Once we pulled up in her driveway she began to talk again.
"You're not going to become like your Dad are you?" She asked me in a hushed tone like she was afraid I would be offended by her question.
"No." I sighed. "It's just one thing. Nothing to worry about." I looked over into her sea glass colored eyes and smiled.
"Ok." She said.
"So I'll see you Monday?" I asked.
"Yeah. Graduation just needs to be here already!" She said.
"Soon. Only a few more weeks." I said.
"Yeah I guess so. Well have a wonderful night and despite that creepy women I enjoyed helping you fine a birthday gift for your Dad." She said stepping out of the car.
"Yeah." I laughed. "Thanks by the way for coming with me."
"No problem. See you Monday." She said
"See ya Monday." I smiled.
Once see shut the door I pulled out of her drive way and headed home. Kaelyn was right the picture was kinda big and I wanted to surprise Dad for his birthday next week so I needed to get the picture up into my room to hide it.
When I finally pulled up into my drive way I climbed out of my car and went to the backseat. I opened the door and pulled out the picture and shut the door and locked my car. I made my way up the walkway to the front door. I set the picture against the wall by the door and searched for the key. When I found it and opened the door I grabbed the picture and walked through the threshold and shut the door with my foot. I turned around and relocked the door since I was the only one home.
"Ok I'm going to get this picture up stairs to my room. And when I do that I'm taking a nap." I said my mint colored converse patting up the stairs to my room. When I reached the top of the stairs I turned to my left and made my way down the hall to my room. I opened the door and once again shut it with my foot.
"Ok." I said setting the bag on my bed. I pulled the picture out of the bag and took a look at it. It really wasn't that bad looking of a picture when you looked at it in nice lighting and not the dim dull light of the shop.
Inspecting the painting more closely it almost looked as if the scene was real. The waves looked to be moving and the sails on the ship seemed to be move against a nonexistent wind. The colors were as bright as if the actual sun itself was captured in the painting. I could have sworn I even heard the cry of seagulls and waves crashing against the frame of the ship. I though I even smelt sea salt, and felt the softness of a warm breeze.
"Wow. Maybe you really are turning into Dad." I said setting the painting down against the wall opposite to my bed.
"God I'm tired."
I fell onto my bed not even bothering to take off my shoes or the medallion. The map in my back pocket completely forgotten as I drifted asleep to the sounds of waves crashing and to the warm breeze of a summer's day and the smell of the sea.