Passing
"If ya can't do it correctly, then don botha a' all." Charlotte slammed the mop into the pail while glaring hole's into the back of a head of someone that she hadn't gotten to meet yet, but had been criticizing her all morning. First it was over how she tied off the rope (which she'd done millions of times for Bootstrap before), then it was over the way John scurried around the Captain (who'd been happy to have the little boy around, after all he was his father) and now it was over the way she mopped.
Sighing, she threw an even dirtier look at Barbossa who was leaning against the railing and watching the open sea with an eye piece. "I think that I'd look more kindly upon you if you would restrain from making fun of me, Hector." Charlotte said as she leaned the mop against the mast and wiped her forehead with a pale handkerchief. Barbossa smiled, put his eye piece away, and drifted over to where she was standing.
"And we'd all take mo' kindly to ya, if ye'd happen to pu' the capn' in a better mood, eh?" Looking affronted, Charlotte swatted at her old 'almost' friend with her handkerchief before putting it back into her apron pocket. Sure, she wasn't happy about doing manual labor on a ship filled with salty sea-pirates, and she hadn't seen one person that would help her get through the time easily, plus they were corrupting her child, but she did it because she wasn't a freeloader and they should have honored that with respect. However, they were pirates; and as they lived this lifestyle, they figured that since she was unwed and had the Captain's child, there was something to be said about that.
"I'll have you know that I don't like to even glance in that filth's direction. And you should know that because he's sleeping in your cabin and not his." With a huff, Charlotte collected the mop and bucket and dumped the disgusting water overboard. Hiding the tools away in a store closet, she called for John and led the filthy boy into the Captain's, or rather, their new quarters. As John clambered on about what an amazing ship they were on, Charlotte thought about what she had said to Barbossa.
She didn't really hate Jack anymore; she almost physically couldn't. She had read through the letter, and she had cried over him, but she was still positive that a romantic relationship wouldn't be possible with them anymore. She had changed and Jack had as well. They weren't the same people they had been almost six years ago and she had John to worry about now. However, she was embracing the fact that John now had a father with whom to share they boyish things with.
Love was in the past and Charlotte was struggling to come to grips with that.
Gathering John into an impromptu hug, she laughed again when he struggled to get loose of her arms. "I'm not a little boy, mama, I'll be sixty leers old soon." Charlotte laughed harder as he butchered his age and the sentiment in general, but finally John gave in and hugged her back. "I didn't mean to run away, but I had to see it again and Jack gave me some moneys to go get a sweet. But I got distracted and now we're here and it's wonderful and I like the crew and he's teaching me to steer, and," John tried to continue but he paused to take a much needed breather.
"Slow down, sweetie, I won't be angry anymore," She gave a small grin as John nodded tersely and brushed off his dirty shirt. "You know that the adventure ends when we get to the next merchant port though, correct?"
Almost as if someone had punctured a pigs bladder, John deflated and let out a silent sigh. And almost as quickly, Charlotte felt an ache in her heart as she watched her son pull dejectedly at the loose strings of his trousers. She felt the immediate need to comfort him and make him happy again so she held up a hand and scrambled to the door. "Hold on, for just a moment Johnny boy."
Struggling between how much she wanted to strangle the man and wanting to make John happy, Charlotte dragged Jack from the helm and into his quarters. She ignored his questioning looks and when they reached where John was sitting, she pushed Jack to take a seat next to him. "Tell John about all the adventures you can get up to; on land because not all of us are sea-faring," Jack took one look at the sad child's face before launching into extravagant tales about witches and fighting wild beasts of the haunted forests.
She smiled happily as she watched John, and Jack's, face light up in excitement. She also felt the need to capture this moment in time as she sat down next to John on the floor and pulled him into her lap. She could almost feel the excitement pulsate out of him and she knew that getting Jack had been a good idea. Gazing into Jack's eyes, she realized that this was probably the closest they would get to being an actual family and she suddenly felt bad for treating Jack the way she'd treated him.
Mentally, she planned her speech of apology (she was never one to stay mad long) as John drifted into a nap in her arms. The sun had just barely set when she looked out the window in the cabin to see that they had talked through lunch and it would now be dinner time. She made a move to take John to the bed, but Jack scooped him from her arms, and with the most care she'd ever seen him show, he lifted him onto the mattress and covered him with a blanket.
She also didn't miss the kiss he landed on John's forehead. When they had finally shut the door to the cabin and were standing on the almost empty deck, Charlotte turned to Jack while he opened his mouth to speak to her. And almost at the same time they both said,
"I'm sorry."
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So, kind of a sappy chapter, but I felt it needed to be done. And as for not updating in an astronomical amount of time; I'm really sorry, but I didn't know school and life and my family could be so psycho. I'm trying for you though, I really am! So, thanks for the reviews and the favorites. You all rock!
By the way, in the olden times people used to blow up pig's bladders and use them as balloons. Bet it sucked when they popped.
Spread some laughter! Peace!
