'Pirates of the Caribbean' belongs to Disney
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8. Little Things Mean A Lot
"We've been through, some things together,
With trunks of memories still to come,
We found things to do, in stormy weather-
Long may you run!
Long may you run!
Long may you run,
Although these changes have come...
With your chrome heart shining, in the sun,
Long may you run!"
Jack was singing at the helm, reveling in that particular euphoria he always felt when setting out to sea. He'd established that this week's forecast was for sunny weather, allowing clear views of the Rock of Gibraltar- a panorama Lysee should definitely have a chance to see. So he'd dug out his platinum card and purchased a visibly-used cabin cruiser from a Cassis dealer. The Nigel D was past her prime, but had adequate facilities for two, and was certainly sound enough to reach Cornwall. He'd probably be able to sell her there, to recover most of the cost.
It was late morning, and the cruiser was by herself on a level stretch of bright blue water. Her captain checked the chronometer. Deciding they could spare a bit of time, he shut off the engines- the Nigel D went quiet and slowed to a stop. Jack moved to the ship's waist, letting his eyes shut and head tilt back, blissfully absorbing the undisturbed symphony of lapping waves and easy wind.
After a minute, thinking he should check Lysander's enjoyment of this, Sparrow opened eyes and looked aft. The girl was still crouched on the bow's seating section. Looking incongruously depressed.
"Hmmm." The captain stepped over, lowering himself onto a flat cushion beside hers. "My tremendous intuitive sense of the female creature informs me that you are troubled."
Lysee grouchily pushed her hair back behind one ear. "I can't stop thinking about something I have to tell Mom and Dad. About what I did to get some travel money. They're gonna be mad."
Jack suppressed a grin- he'd had a premonition this matter would soon come up. One finger tapped a pocket of his cutoffs, containing a small object which had spent most of this trip secreted inside his denim vest. "What'd you do?"
"Remember what I got for my sixteenth birthday, a few months ago?"
"Aye, I was there. 'Twas a bonnie little emerald pendant matchin' yer Mum's."
"First thing after I got to France, I found a pawn shop and hocked it."
Jack nodded knowingly. "Ah. So that was the source of yer shoe stash."
"Yeah. I thought then, it was my property so I could do whatever I wanted with it. But now I think I shouldn't of done that."
"How much did you get?"
"Two hundred fifty euros."
Sparrow feigned indignation. "You accepted that fer a four-carat emerald an' eight half-carat diamonds set in gold?"
"The guy there said they were synthetic stones, and the gold was just plate, so it was only worth four hundred."
"He lied to you, lass. I had a role in the procurement of both those pendants. I know fer a fact they're all natural stones, set in solid eighteen-carat. Worth at least fifty times what he told ya."
Lysander's visage crumpled in a ready-to-cry manner he hadn't witnessed in years. "Mom's gonna kill me!"
"Now that would hardly do fer a homecomin'. So, let's see if I can't do sumthin' ta amend yer difficulties." Jack reached into his pocket, lifted the object out between thumb and forefinger, chain dangling. The Mediterranean sun struck green and white sparks off it, like a tiny firework.
Lysee's shriek could've been heard on the mainland. "Where'd You Get That?"
"From that selfsame hock shop. I was tailing you after the Chunnel, closer 'en you knew. One minute after you'd left that fine establishment, I went in an' plucked it from the scurvy git's pocket whilst pretending ta assess his tie tack."
"You nicked it?"
"An' never did so with a clearer conscience!" Jack declared. "'Bad enough that that rotter committed such a mendacity ta fatten his profit margin beyond all necessity. It's probable enough he had you pegged fer a runaway- so far as he knew you could've been fleeing egregious home circumstances, in need of fundage ta avoid landin' in even worse ones. Theer's no excuse fer takin' advantage of folk in such tight straits. Least of all a child."
Lysee was too relieved to growl at the despised 'child' appellation. "Thank You, Thank You, Jack!" She reached towards the glittering object, hesitated. "Do you think I still need to tell Mom and Dad about it?"
"I'll let you decide that course, lass. Fer now, I've a notion ta see this bit o' shine where it belongs." Sparrow leaned to clasp the gold chain at the back of her neck. He fluffing out the plum ends of her hair, reflected sparkles dancing in his own eyes. "There. That particular shade of green looks well on you, chit- sets off yer bonnie eyes. If this bauble were mine, I'd not part with it again."
Lysee fingered the little pendant, smiling broadly. "I never, ever will! I swear it on pain of death!"
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'Long May You Run' lyrics by Neil Young
