My favourite place in the world the beach, in view of the dock, but not too close, so I could hear what was going on. Lying back on the sand as the warm sunshine lay itself down on me, the sea would reach right out to the ends of the earth coming back to fill my ears with its sound. This is where I go to get away from all my problems in life and I can think of any thing and everything.

My life, the main other in my life at that time was Glyn. He was the closest thing I had to a father and some times he played mother too. You see I was an orphan, and orphans like me had no hope. If you lived though the early years of your life, you could work and get little to no pay, or you could become a thief and most likely get put in jail. On the other hand you could become a pirate, but to become a pirate you have in impress and that's hard when you have nothing.

I will start at the beginning for you.

I was born to the most beautiful lady in the world who worked as a waitress throughout early evening, and then later she would please the drunks. That's not how she met my father, but when she did meet him she fell madly, deeply in love and the only way she thought she could have him was by telling him she was a whore; she did what men wanted her to do. He left in the morning as men do and then she found out that she was pregnant. After she kind of fell into that line of work, so we could eat.

Well Glyn was the owner of the bar/hotel where she worked and we boarded at his place. Home was a small room away from the rest of the customer areas. He met my mother while she was still pregnant and felt sorry for her. At first he helped her until she was standing on her own feet and then she began to work for him to pay him back for his kindness and then to support herself.

Upstairs was where the paying customers had their rooms, and where the whores did their working, while downstairs in the front was the bar. You see the drunks rented the rooms, the women would please the drunks, the women worked for Glyn, and he helped them out when they were in trouble. So, everyone was giving everyone something, it was only that Glyn owned the business.

I hated the night. I wasn't allowed in the bar, I was a child and Glyn worried about the drunks. My mother would put me into our room, say goodnight and then be gone till the early hours of the morning. I hated it. I hated being alone; I hated not being with her; I hated them being with her. Sometimes I would wait up for her or try to, but if I did mange to stay awake when she got there I always pretended to be asleep so I wouldn't get in trouble.

For some reason, though, that night was different. I like to imagine that night never happened I like to remember her in the daytime, just me and her. But the story would be incomplete with out it. She got in early, not early early, but earlier then most nights. She slid into the bed, kissed me on top of the head and before I could stop myself I had said it, "Night, Mama."

"Little miss you are meant to be sleeping," she said in a half angry voice. I was happy to hear the that she was not full angry.

"Sorry Mama", I humoured her. "I can't sleep, will you sing to me?"

"No, you are meant to be sleeping," she said in the same tone.

"Please, Mama?"

"I will not sing, but I might hum," she said. She used to tell me she would not give things my way all the time, because she would not bring up a spoilt child, but she still liked to do little things for me.

"I love you."

"I love you, Angel Cakes."

She began and, like her, it was the sweetest thing, but it didn't last long. There was a knock on our door and I heard Gyln's voice quietly say, "Sorry Kate, I got someone that… wants to talk to you."

"All right," she called back, and then turned to me, "Cora, sleep. I will be back soon."

That's when I did something that I have never done before, "Mama please don't go, please stay here and keep humming."

"I have to go you know that I can't be rude," there was a mild rebuke in her tone, but I didn't care, I wanted my mama to stay with me.

I started to cry, "Mummy, I don't what you to go."

"Kate," it was Glyn's voice, again. He paused, "It's Jack…I could see if someone else, or I could—"

My mother intertrupted him "No, no…. Cora I have to go, you be a good girl and go to sleep."

"Ma!"

"No Cora, come on." I got out of bed, and started towards her.

"Ma!"

"Cora, NO!"

"May why don't you come down with me and help me?" Glyn asked.

"Glyn, it's all right, she just being silly," she said, as she glared at me.

"It's fine Kate, I'll put her to bed soon." He turned to me, "You'll be a great help, won't yah?"

"All right, Cora," she said, in her impatient voice.

"But Mummy…"

"Cora, don't… just do this," her voice told me she was starting to get angry.

I looked down, and she got up and went to Glyn, "Thank you so much, I'm so sorry about her tonight. I don't know what's got into her."

"She's a child, you know, and I'd love to have her help."

"Thankyou…Night, Cora. You be good."

I did say any thing back. One, I didn't know what to say; two, I was so mad at her, the maddest I have ever been with anyone.

She paused, "You know, I love you."

I kept my eyes on the ground and my month shut.

She paused at the door again and then walked out.

Glyn walked up to me, "Come on, sweetie, let's go." We started our short walk to the bar. I knew me going to the bar was a big thing, the biggest thing. I was never allowed near the bar special at night. We walked into the bar; he placed me down on a chair only just in view of the customers, and gave me some milk.

"Honey you stay here, I have to serve some customers, and don't listen to anyone."

Guilt washed over me, and I wanted her more than anything. So, as soon as Glyn wasn't looking I was gone. It didn't take long to find her, I knew she was upstairs, and when I got there she wasn't in a room yet. I stood in the shadow and watched her for a second. She was stand with a man, talking.

"When are you sailing out?" she asked.

"Tomorrow. Just stopping for some rum, why you want to come with, I'm sure Mr Gibbs would just love that." His voice was full of mockery.

"No, just asking, just like you asked for me. Why do you always…no, don't answer."

"What's with the 20 questions?" he said as he touched her face.

My anger grew at him and at my mother – she wanted to spend time with him, not me.

"What if I said no? What if…. don't worry," she said as she started to push his hands away.

He smiled and put his hand on her back and pulled her in, but she pushed him back. She looked down, and then up into his eyes. He pulled her in again and started to kiss her. That's when I acted. If only I stayed in Glyn's hands things, would have been different.

When I was younger I used to dream she would come back for me, and when she didn't, I'd try to change the past, but it doesn't work like that.

I walked over with a target in mind. I drew back my right leg and kicked him just as hard as an eight year old with bare feet can.

"Get the hell away from her," I screamed. I only had time to read the look in his eyes, 'what the hell'.

My mother grabbed me and pulled me away from him, "Cora, what are you doing here!" Her voice was full of anger and shock.

"I'm sorry Kate, I turn for two seconds and she's gone," Glyn said, when he had caught up. He turned and cocked his head to the man, "Sorry, Jack."

"Sorry, Glyn, but can you take her again," my mother pleaded, as she knelt down next to me, looking up at him.

My blood started to boil again. I didn't want to leave her, and she wanted to be with a drunk. I pushed past her and sank my teeth into his hand. This time I knew I hurt him. My mother pushed me away and grabbed the man's hand to see if he was all right.

"I'm so sorry, Jack," she said.

He smiled, "It's nothing," he said taking his hand back.

I knew it was more than nothing, my mother knew it was more then nothing. She saw it in his eyes; I tasted his blood. I rolled my tongue so it wasn't touching any part of my mouth. I needed to spit. She grabbed my arm hard and pulled me way from him.

"What the hell, Cora?" I could tell she was the maddest she had ever been in her life. But all I could do was cry. She did something I didn't think she would do. I thought she was going to hit me, but she picked me up, and hugged me, turning to him and Glyn.

"I sorry, Jack." She paused, "If you want to…carry on, I won't be a minute. I want to talk to my daughter, and put her to bed."

"Whatever you want, take all the time in the world," he said in his mocking voice.

She walked us off down to our room, and put me on the bed, pulling the bedclothes over the top of me. She started to stroke my hair. I wanted her to say something, but she didn't, so I watched her, and then she padded my eyes. I knew she wanted me to sleep, so I close my eyes. About five minutes later someone spoke, and that was the first time I knew there was someone else in the room.

"Nev'r pictured you as the childing type." It was the man, Jack.

"Sometimes, you can't help what life throws at you," she said a little bitterly. I felt the change in the bed as she stood. I guess she thought I must be asleep, "And now I guess your life is going to take a funny turn, do you want to guess who the father is?"

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