Chapter 3: Maybe I Should Stay

"What are ye proposin', boy?"

Jim shrugged absently. "Look my mom really likes you. She's never taken to someone like this since before I could remember. Back on Treasure Planet, I had lost all trust in you when you started the mutiny. I felt like I was looking at my father again, just this time it was worst because you actually were there for me. But when you sacrificed your life-long dream to have Flint's Trove, giving it up for me, I knew you were who you had been all along." He turned to look Silver straight in the eye and said what he never could say to Leland, "I trust you."

"I'm not one to be tied down, you should know that."

"I'm not saying you have to marrying my Mom either. Just come live at the Inn, and be my Mom's cook. She'd appreciate it."

Silver stared at his fist on the table, his mechanical eye whirring in the silence. He had a soft side, even for a pirate. He didn't know where it came from, but it was there. He tried for years to prove that it wasn't there, plundering and scheming and doing whatever he could to get some kind of booty. Sometimes he went several years without plundering using his cooking skills to earn a living. Then he'd pick up with another band of pirates and he'd be off again.

He always wanted a son, and Jimbo filled the void he felt. The Benbow Inn was a nice place too.

"Let me sleep on it, Jimbo."

"Fair enough."

"So?"

"So what?"

Jim rolled his eyes. He waited through the morning rush to ask Silver, but the older man seemed to be avoiding the question. Jim shoved a forkful of booby bird egg into his mouth before continuing, "So, have you decided whether to stay or not? You'd be a better cook than B.E.N."

"Y'see, Jimbo," Silver started.

"Thank you, Mr. Silver, for helping with the morning rush" Sarah interrupted as she walked up from behind and placing a hand on the large man's flesh shoulder. "The customers couldn't stop telling me how much they enjoyed their breakfast. It was a pleasure working with you."

Silver's orangish skin seemed to flush. "Such a pretty lady saying nice things about me." He put his mechanical hand to his heart. "Such a courtious."

Sarah smiled warmly, and sat next to him. "I know you're a traveling man, but I'd like to offer you a cooking job at the Benbow."

"Well," Silver stuttered then shot a glance at Jim, who was smirking. Jim hadn't planned this, but his mother was helping unconsiously with his scheme. Sarah waited anxiously. "All right. Give me a week's trial."

"Deal." Sarah shook his hand. "Now let's talk about wages." Jim heard as he walked away, smirking even broader.