CHAPTER NINE

And so we passed a year at sea. We saw it glitter and crash; we saw it reflect the skies. We saw it teeming with bright pretty fish in the Mediterranean and with dolphins in the Atlantic—and of course, some sharks wiggled by here and there.

It wasn't a spectacular trip by any means. I don't mean that in a bad way, either—just that it was peaceful. For the first time in my life, I think, I passed a mostly peaceful year. And hey, I love good adventures, but oftentimes I find that I enjoy the telling of them rather than the living of them. It's funny, how most of my life has been one great dangerous escapade, but the best memories are of the peaceful times. Like Jaimy and I in Jamaica (way back when I looked like an underfed rat—now I prolly just look like a slick one...oh, well), or at Amy's bright and fancy home, or when I was cutting through the clear sea on my lovely Emerald…all of them peaceful times…

One evening while in the tub, I told Higgins about Fletcher's Inn, that being the working name of my and Jaimy's little establishment. I figured Higgins is always the voice of oft-unwelcomed but quite-apt reason—and he'd tell me everything that's wrong with owning a tavern, so I could adjust the plan accordingly.

"I'd run it just like I would a ship," I told him as he worked soap through my hair with his strong fingers. I haven't been shaving my forehead since we took down our Chinese dragon flag, so it's short and choppy. Having long locks in the back and short ones in the front wouldn't do, so I had Higgins trim everything down so that it's closely cropped all over—very reminiscent of my poor hair's state after being tarred and feathered. Yes, I had wanted to make a big showy entrance at the Lawson Peabody with my Chinese-style hair, but now that Jaimy and I are to own a business, I want to look professional, too.

"And how would it be just like running a ship, Miss?" Higgins asked.

"Well," said I, "I—er, Jaimy and I—get to be in charge of everything. We'd provide food and board and good music and drinks, and I'd be surrounded by friends, and I wouldn't have to take orders from anyone. All that's missing are the diseases and burgoo and battles and pirates, but frankly, I could do without them."

"And the ocean."

"What? Oh, well, yes. The ocean would be missing, too." I feel a little bad about that. "But Faber Shipping would still exist. It just wouldn't be the sole source of income."

"So you would ship cargo…while running this Fletcher's Inn?"

"Well, we thought we'd start the inn after we're settled down some and after I've popped out a couple of babies."

Higgins made a little hm noise, the sound he makes when he's thinking.

"Out with it, Higgins," I sighed. "What's wrong with the Plan?"

"Nothing, Miss. I believe you would thrive in such an occupation. However, I hope you realize that running a business requires full devotion."

"Well, yeah," I shrug, "but it can't be that hard. Give them something to drink, put on a show, and you make a lot of money. And besides, I pretty much already ran a floating tavern on the Belle of the Golden West, and I managed just fine."

"But if you begin such excursions at the arrival of a child…" He trailed off and instructed me to tip my head back so that he could rinse what's left of my poor hair.

"…Well?" I prompted after I emerged from the water all squeaky clean.

"Running an inn and raising a child both require complete attention," he says finally. "I know that you are the Brilliant and Invincible Jacky Faber—"

"You wound me."

"—but I cannot imagine how you could perform both tasks at the same time." I thought for a bit and was about to say that the Brilliant Mr. Fletcher would take care of the business while I looked after the baby…and we'd trade off, once in awhile…but Higgins jumped in betwixt my thoughts.

"Might I just suggest, Miss, that you establish Fletcher's Inn right off, and postpone your Faber Shipping trips until you are settled. Because I have a feeling that it will not take long for a child to come into the picture." He said that last bit with a raised eyebrow and a certain smile. Hah.

As much as I still want to man the Nancy B. or the Lorelei Lee on every trip it takes, I know that Higgins was right. So Faber Shipping's dutiful members—Solly and Jim Tanner and all the rest—they'll take the first few journeys, and I'll content myself with sailing the Morning Star around Boston's bay. That's good enough for me. And besides, I'm excited about Fletcher's Inn. So is Jaimy—the lad keeps talking about how he won't have to farm. Bless him.

I told Jared of our plans, and he just laughed and said "you'd make a helluva lot more money if you opened a brothel, Jacky. Especially if you were one of the delectable options" to which I responded "there are so many things wrong with that statement" to which he countered "oh, but the wrong feels so right!"

I smacked him. He deserved it.

Today I sit at my berth's table—Lee Chi to my right and Ravi to my left. Higgins takes up the opposite end of the table, and Jaimy lounges on my bed.

"Boys," says I, "we're almost in American waters. Now, you're both free as…well…free things, but the way of the Western world ain't…it isn't…" I struggle for a way to put this. "It isn't welcoming, is what I mean. To people unlike themselves." Meaning people that ain't white and Protestant, I think sullenly. Lee Chi nods slowly. Under Ravi's rather impatient but persistent teaching, the Chinaman's English comes along quite nicely.

"We are to them as strange as they are to us," he paraphrases.

"Right. Now. You can go and try to find an employer…" I let that bit hang in the air. "…or you can both work for me. And Jaimy. In the tavern we plan to open. Lee Chi, I would welcome your service, and Ravi, you'd make an excellent…um…curiosity. Especially if we dress you up in your Sultan garb—"

Higgins shoots me a cringing, stop talking stop talking stop talking don't use the poor child look.

"—or, well, you'd be a wonderful help if you'd clean and wait tables," I say quickly. I glance up at Higgins, whose gaze is positively withering.

"What I believe Jacky means to say," Jaimy pipes up from behind, "is that we would welcome and appreciate your company in our latest endeavor, but if you elect to pursue your own fates, we shan't prevent you."

I shoot him an imitation of Higgins's withering stare, and Jaimy grins widely.

"I'll launch into the Cockney if you want to keep speaking like a poet," I say, with an eyebrow warningly raised. He tosses a pillow at me, and the professional atmosphere of this little meeting is lost. Ah, well. I toss it back to him and smile.

"Poor Ravi would enjoy nothing more than to stay in the presence of Memsahib Jacky," Ravi states solemnly. His English has improved, to; I couldn't help myself from holding little school-like classes now and then.

Lee Chi gives me a soft knowing smile, implying that I already know the answer to whether he'll stay or go

"So it's settled, then," says I briskly. "Now, everyone, back to work!"

A week later, Jaimy and I lean on the railing, my arms entwined with his and my head upon his chest. We watch as twinkling lights dapple over the waters of the quay. They're the lights of Boston's port, and they are growing as we sail nearer.

"We're here," I whisper, and I wasn't expectin' to cry but Jaimy and I, we're gonna get married, and we're gonna embark on a new adventure, and we're gonna live till we're gray and oh, Jaimy, hold me, Jaimy, and kiss me, because we're here.