Chapter 3

Burdens to Bear

Elizabeth woke up to thunder rumbling in the distance. It was hard to believe a month had passed by already. She rolled over, pulling the covers up to her neck, even though she had laid down early last night she felt so exhausted. As she closed her eyes, she heard the wind pick up and the rain start to fall. All of a sudden she turned back over, grabbed the empty vase on her night stand and vomited into it.

"Better," she thought to herself as she lay back down. The rain was now pounding down on the roof. She still felt a little queasy, but she was so tired she didn't care. The next thing she knew the sun was shining brightly in her room. She sat up in bed, and reached for her robe. Then she got that feeling again, and before she knew it she was throwing up in the vase again.

"Elizabeth are you up?", yelled Pat from downstairs.

"That's strange," thought Elizabeth to herself, her stomach was still upset but at least she didn't feel like throwing…grabbing the vase again and feeling like her stomach was trying to go up her throat. Then she felt a hand on her shoulder,

"Are you sick dear?" Pat pulled the hair out of her face while she remained on her knees hovering over the vase.

"I think so; I have been like this since early this morning."

"Well let's get you back in bed, and I'll get you a bucket and some water." Back in bed Elizabeth's stomach started to feel slightly better. She was still so tired, and the next thing she knew Pat was sitting by her bedside feeling her forehead.

"No fever, how do you feel?"

"Tired,"

"Just rest dear, is your stomach still angry?"

"No, I feel better," Elizabeth slowly sat up and took a drink of water.

"I feel much better," she smiled.

"Why don't you stay home today, and I'll go down to the docks."

"No, I would like to go with you if that's ok, I feel better."

"Well… if you're sure, I always like the company." Pat smiled and started her way downstairs.

Elizabeth had become quite an expert at making jewelry out of pearl. She had sold her first piece just last week to an older gentlemen, it was a round broach for his wife. It was the current piece that she was working on that excited her so, it was a ring. Elizabeth met Pat downstairs,

"Feel up to breakfast?"

"No thank you," the memory of throwing up was still too fresh in her mind. As they walked across the pier together Elizabeth looked out over the placid ocean,

"Did the rain wake you last night…Elizabeth!" She was on her knees crouched over the pier, gagging while she was vomiting.

"My gracious, what has come over you child!"

"I don't know, I feel fine then all of a sudden I feel so nauseous." Pat looked at Elizabeth, who was looking paler by the minute.

"We must go visit Dr. Johnson."

"No, really I am ok."

"No chancing it dear, if you haven't got your health, then you don't have anything." Pat helped Elizabeth to her feet and took her arm as they walked back into town together.


"Mrs. Turner, is it painful here?" as the doctor pressed lightly on her abdomen. "No," replied Elizabeth quietly. Pat was sitting in the chair next to the exam table. The doctor looked puzzled,

"Have you had any other symptoms?"

"I have just felt unusually tired." All of a sudden the doctor raised his eyebrows,

"When was your last menstrual cycle?" Elizabeth thought back,

"About two months ago, but I have always been a little irregular, especially with stress." "When was the last time you and your husband where together?"

"He left a month ago from yesterday."

"And that was the last time you were together…" The doctor looked at her strangely, and then Elizabeth knew what he meant.

"Yes," she said quietly, embarrassed by such a personal question. The doctor went back to assessing her abdomen, just a little lower this time and a bit more firmly. Then using his stethoscope he listened to her lower abdomen. He smiled, and turned to her.

"Mrs. Turner, you do not have an illness."

"Thank the good God!" exclaimed Pat.

"I will talk to you about my exam after you get dressed." He then picked up his paper and left the room, shutting the door behind him.

"What do you think he meant by that?" asked Elizabeth.

"Oh nothing dear, don't fret." A few minutes later there was a knock on the door and the Dr. Johnson and his nurse reentered the room. Elizabeth and Pat where sitting in the chairs next to the table.

"Mrs. Turner, I have some information for you, is this your mother?"

"No, this is Mrs. Dove, a good friend of mine."

"Where are you staying while you husband is out at sea."

"With Mrs. Dove and her family."

"When will you husband be returning?"

"I am not for certain."

"Is there any way to contact him?" Elizabeth started to feel a little nauseous again,

"I don't feel well."

"Nurse," Dr. Johnson pointed at Elizabeth and handed the nurse a basin. The nurse helped Elizabeth back on the exam table, and propped her up with some pillows.

"I'm sorry to interrogate you Mrs. Turner in your condition and all, but I must know how to contact your husband."

"Her condition," questioned Pat

"Doctor what is wrong with her?"

"Nothing is wrong…"

"I am not sure how to contact him yet," interrupted Elizabeth, breathing heavily trying to avoid getting sick again.

"Calm Mrs. Turner, I don't want you upset, just rest here for awhile. Mrs. Dove may I see you for a moment." Mrs. Dove and Dr. Johnson left the room. The nurse stayed with Elizabeth and patted her head with a cool cloth.

"Thank you," sighed Elizabeth.

Once again a few minutes later Mrs. Dove and Dr. Johnson reentered the room. Mrs. Dove had tears in her eyes.

"What is wrong?" asked Elizabeth worried over Pat's expression.

"Mrs. Turner please relax, I really must insist that you rest."

"Elizabeth listen to him." She sat back into the pillows and looked at the both of them. Pat came over and took her hand in hers.

"I'm dying, aren't I."

"No Mrs. Turner, far from it." Dr. Johnson looked at Pat, "Would you like to tell her?" Elizabeth turned to Pat, who started to well up with tears

"Elizabeth you're pregnant."

"What," Elizabeth said quietly. Pat reached out and threw her arms around her.

"Would you like to hear the heart beat?" She nodded. He placed the diaphragm of the stethoscope over her dress on her abdomen then placed it in her ears. Elizabeth heard a quiet but fast and steady beating; it was the most beautiful thing she had ever heard. "Now Mrs. Turner it is important that you take care of yourself why your husband's away. Eat healthy and get your rest. You are a little underweight, so I would like you to eat at least four meals a day. I will see you back in two months time to see how you are doing. Congratulations!" Dr. Johnson smiled and left the room, the nurse following closely behind. Elizabeth looked blankly ahead.

"Dear, I know this is shocking but you will be a wonderful mother!" Elizabeth smiled, "We're going to have a baby." She placed her hand on her stomach, Pat took her other hand.

"Your husband would be so proud." Elizabeth couldn't imagine Will's reaction, he would be so happy, if only there was a way to tell him.

"Lets get you home dear, you need your rest." As the two walked back home, all Elizabeth could do was smile,

"Will your going to be a father," she thought to herself hoping that somehow he could hear her. The wind picked up that moment and blew a cool breeze through her hair. Will would know, she had to find a way to tell him. This was not her secret to keep.


As Will worked about the Dutchman suddenly a cool breeze picked up, and blew across the deck. Will closed his eyes and enjoyed the breeze, wind or any weather at all was unusual in the locker. When he opened his eyes there again stood Calypso. "Circumstances have changed things abit," declared Calypso.

"Circumstances?",

"The wind tells me there is news in the mortal world, news that concerns you William Turner." Will immediately thought the worse,

"Elizabeth, is she ok?"

"She be fine, but I am not sure how this news will be delivered to you."

"News?"

"When the time is right I will let it be known to you, so be ready." Calypso seemed frustrated. Then the wind picked up again and she vanished.

"What did that mean?" Will thought to himself.

"Will? You look like you have seen a ghost, well at least not the usual type," interrupted Bootstrap as he walked up the stairs onto the upper deck.

"Calypso, she said she has news for me."

"News… about Elizabeth?"

"I don't know, she didn't say."

"What did she say?"

"To be ready."

"What is that suppose to mean."

"I don't know, but we have to find out." The remainder of the day Will pondered on what Calypso had meant, what if Elizabeth was in trouble. Perhaps Beckett had somehow survived the battle and now had Elizabeth held prisoner. Beckett always had an eye for Elizabeth; he was always looking at her seductively. Will felt sick with the thought of his wife being the prisoner of Beckett, a man of desire and no mercy.

"She is fine," voiced Bootstrap.

"How do you know that?"

"Calypso can't harm Elizabeth; she can't interfere with the curse."

"What do you mean?"

"It is Calypso you serve here, and your duty will be paid when Elizabeth waits for you, but Calypso can't harm her during this time, or she would be interfering with her own curse."

"What if she is in trouble, or hurt?"

"You married a strong woman who can take care of herself; she doesn't need you to protect her all the time." Will knew this, but there where many times when without each other there for help, either one of them would have met their demise.

"Have faith my son, you will get your happy ending."


That night Edward and Joseph's mouths about hit the floor when Pat announced the news about Elizabeth's pregnancy.

"But how…" mumbled Joseph,

"Joseph!." Pat exclaimed as she glared at him. Elizabeth smiled, and softly remarked as she walked past him,

"Use your imagination." Then she turned to the group,

"I am going to go lay down, I feel absolutely exhausted."

"You go ahead dear, and let me know if you need anything!" smiled Pat. As Elizabeth laid down all she could think about was her and Will's child growing in her right that minute. She could hardly believe it herself. That day on the beach was so incredible she could never have wanted anything more, but now…she was going to be a mother. She got up and walked over to the window and looked out. It was unfair the she had to keep this secret from Will. He would be devastated when he returned to find out he had missed the birth of his child. She had to tell him, but how?

"Calypso," she thought to herself. She could bargain with her to see Will again, but what would be her leverage? She didn't know her well enough to figure out what Calypso would want in return. How would she even contact Calypso?

"Jack…" she thought out loud. He had somehow bargained with Calypso before for the compass, and he would know how to reach her. But where was Jack? Last she had heard of the Black Pearl was that it was heading toward Tortuga, and she wasn't a hundred percent sure of that, it was just heading in that direction according to Pat. She put her hand on her stomach, she wasn't showing now but soon she would be, and it would be dangerous to be traveling late in her pregnancy, what ever she decided would have to happen sooner than later. She laid back down in bed, exhausted she sighed. "Tomorrow," she thought to herself,

"I will finalize plans tomorrow and leave the next morning." The sooner she gets to Tortuga, the sooner she finds Jack, and all the sooner she would be able to get to Will. She smiled as she thought about their reunion,

"I better get my sleep now while I can."


The next morning on the pier Elizabeth worked on molding the ring she was making. "Rings are hard, you have to work fast while the pearl is warm, I can never get them smooth enough," smiled Pat as she worked on earrings.

"Pat…I think I know how to contact my husband, but I will have travel to him."

"Can't you send word, Elizabeth it is not good for you to be traveling across seas in your condition?"

"I know, but I have to tell him, this is not my secret to keep." Pat looked at her, knowing there was no changing her mind about this.

"Then I demand that you take Joseph with you."

"No, I must go…"

"I will not let you go otherwise, and won't forgive you if ya leave without my blessing." "Pat, I…"

"That is my offer, take it or leave it." Elizabeth knew there was no other way.

"If you insist,"

"When where you planning on leaving?".

"Soon,"

"I agree the sooner you go the sooner you will return, you are planning on returning aren't you?"

"Yes! I promise, I just need to talk to Will, his duty on the ship is not over for a long time." Pat looked at her almost surprised

"Will, so that's his name huh." Elizabeth hadn't even noticed she let his name slip. "Will Turner…it's a good strong name dear. "We'll break it to the men tonight, your leaving tomorrow."

"Tomorrow," that was her origin plan but it had seemed rather hasty after she gave it some thought.

"Like I said before, the sooner you leave the sooner you will return."

Edward was quiet with the news of their departure. Joseph on the other hand seemed eager and excited.

"So where do you think your husband is making port?"

"We have a mutual friend who knows my husband's commander better than I, he will know how to contact my husband."

"So you don't know where you are going?" Pat glared at Edward from across the table. "No, not exactly, that is why I should go myself. To keep Joseph away from helping you for who knows how long is wrong." Just before Pat could open her mouth Edward replied,

"It is too dangerous for you to travel alone, Joseph will accompany you." He then got up from the table and went into his bedroom, closing the door behind him.

"I better go start packing," Joseph chimed as he hoped up from the table.

"He is angry with me," Elizabeth replied looking at Pat.

"We have just gotten used to you being around dear, you are part of the family now, you and the wee one. We just want you to be safe."

"This is something I have to do,"

"I know dear, but the worries of troubles at sea are a burden for all of us to bear."