"'Ello, boy," James said to me. He wrapped an arm around my shoulders as we walked up to the bar.

"'Ello, sir," I said and refrained from saying anything more. I was bursting at the seams, but held my tongue and waited for him to tell me rather than me asking.

He reached into his coat and brought out a piece of linen cloth with something wrapped inside of it and handed it to me, "Happy birthday Jack. I bet you thought I had forgotten."

I took the package from him, "Thank you." I didn't even open it just continued walking with him. "No I didn't think that." I was beginning to think he had forgotten which birthday it was though.

"Aren't you going to open it," he asked. He sounded disappointed that I didn't open it right away.

"Of course, I will." I carefully opened it and looked at my gift. It was a brightly colored head wrap. I looked up at him and smiled, "Thank you."

"You are quite welcome. I think it's rather fitting for anyone who's going to become a pirate."

I stopped walking and parted from him. I looked at him in awe. Was he saying what I thought he was saying? "A pirate, a real pirate, I'm going to be a pirate?" I asked rather excitedly.

James grinned, "What do you think?" He didn't let me answer just started walking again towards the bar.

I was beside myself. Had I finally gotten the answer I had been waiting for what seemed like my whole life?

I hurriedly went up the hill and towards the bar. I couldn't wait to see my mother and tell her the news. I entered ahead of James and went straight back into the kitchens where I knew my mother would be.

"Mum, James is here and see what he brought me," I said and showed her the head wrap.

She looked up in time to see James come through the kitchen door. She was sitting at the table munching on some bread and cheese. She smiled at seeing us. "Hello, James."

He went over to her and kissed her on the cheek. "I have something for you too, but I'll give it to you later tonight," he told her and winked.

I went over to the table and laid the head wrap on it in front of my mother. "It's very lovely dear, you should put it on. Come here and I'll help you.

I went over to her and stood with my back to her so she could put it on me. She picked up the head wrap and stood up. She then carefully tied it around my head.

When she was done I turned around, "How does it look?"

"You look like a real pirate," James said.

My mother looked at me, but then looked at James, "Oh, does he?"

I thought I heard a tremor in my mother's voice. Then remembered, she didn't like the idea of me going away to sea.

"I've given it a lot of thought and have decided it's high time he got off this rock and saw the world. And better he do it with me and on my ship," James said.

I bit my bottom lip I had this fear she was going to go back on her word and say no he can't go. But much to my relief, she didn't.

"Yes, I know," she said with a heavy sigh. "And I told him when you came back if you had decided to take him on I would let him go. I don't like the idea, but I'll stay true to my word. After all I want my son to know, no one, not man nor woman should ever go back on their word."

I moved forward and gave my mother a hug, "Thank you, mum, I will always remember this," I then released her and stepped back.

"Well no one is going any where today. Not before a good meal, good drinks, and some loving from a good woman, " James declared then wrapped his arms around her and gave her a good tight squeeze.

She blushed and wrapped an arm around his waist. "Coming right up sir, all of the above," she said and then chuckled.

I had finally been relieved of my dreads. I was going to be a pirate. More important I was going to be a pirate with James aboard his ship.