Disclaimer: same as chapter 1.
Author's notes:
- I apologize for my absence last week due to Easter celebrations and overindulgence in chocolates. But I defy anyone to resist the mouth-watering, world-famous, all-around delicious French chocolates!
- Details from Jamaican cuisine come from Wikipedia.
- The title comes from the 1996 song by Irish singer Enya.
- Readers might think it strange that Bootstrap Bill is going to live with his son's family. Just remember, the POTC universe is settled in the 18th century and it was normal for grandparents to stay with their children – especially for those issued from the lower classes, like the Turners.
Chapter 10: On my way home
True to Bootstrap's prediction, Will entered his new home while kissing his wife and hugging his son at the same time. The young man sighed deeply in contentment, refusing to relinquish his hold on his loved ones – an attitude which created a funny incident, as the three of them made a group too large to pass through the doorway! But after a few giggles, they managed to enter the house together.
Will had opened his eyes wide as he saw the main room: it was wide and cozy with a large fireplace facing stuffed armchairs and a child's chair, a thick rug covering the herringbone parquet and a dinner table, completed with four straw-bottomed chairs. There was also a display cabinet adorned with beautiful dishes and plates, a grandfather's clock ticking in a corner and the impeccable window panes let the sunrays enter, giving it a welcoming warmth and light. A door was open on the right side of the room, revealing a kitchen's cooker. The door on the left was closed, and a wooden staircase leading to the upper floor had been installed in the farthest side of the room.
Elizabeth's feminine touch was omnipresent with the abundance of cushions, the presence of curtains draped around the windows and the vase of flowers placed on the dinner table. Shells had been placed on the mantel shelf, as well as a framed needlework showing the name "Will" in elaborated letters, placed inside embroidered flowers arranged in the shape of a heart. But what made Will gasp in surprise was the painting hanged on the fireplace's hood.
It was a life-size portrait of him, with his father!
The huge canvas was showing Will proudly standing on the Dutchman's helm, his dark hair floating in the wind as he was staring at the horizon – or, in this case, at the observer. Grey clouds covered the sky, partially revealing the full moon and the sea looked choppy, but the painted young man was shining like a beacon in the darkness, glowing from an inner light. Bootstrap Bill was standing in the background, his hands busy tying up a rope but his attentive blue eyes staring at his son.
"Oh, Elizabeth…" managed to say Will in spite of the lump in his throat.
"It's nice, isn't it, Daddy? This is my favorite portrait of you. Mummy is very good with paintbrushes!"
"Truth is, Little Heart!"
"Elizabeth, this is incredible!" exclaimed the elder Turner. "You have bothered to make a portrait of me, of all people?"
"And why shouldn't I, Bill?" asked Elizabeth. "Why in the world should I ignore the man who has watched over my husband during all these years?"
"But, considering my plain mug… And besides, the only time we have met, I wasn't in a favorable light…"
Bootstrap couldn't finish, since his very first meeting with Elizabeth had been in the Flying Dutchman's brig and mentioning it any further would have forced him to add a few undesired precisions about a ghost ship covered from top to bottom with encrusted sea creatures, and a soon-to-be grandfather turning into a walking piece of coral. But Elizabeth said with a warm smile:
"Who cares about how you looked like at the time, Bill? Your eyes were the only thing that mattered, and they were full of love any time you spoke about Will during our conversation."
"And you are not ugly!" a young voice piped up.
"You don't seem to realize that you are important for this family, and I truly hope that staying under our roof will finally convince you. We love you, Bill, and we want you to remain with us forever."
"That's right!" said Will-Trey, who jumped off his father's arms to run towards the left-side door, and opened it wide.
"This is your room, Grandpa!" announced the child, proud like a herald announcing the king's arrival.
Bootstrap felt tears gathering at the corner of his eyes again and he blinked furiously to chase them away. Not only his daughter-in-law had painted his portrait, but she had also prepared a room for him! It had a single bed with blankets and a comforter, a smaller fireplace with logs ready to use, a dresser and a washing basin facing the window overlooking the sea. There was also a framed portrait of Will, Elizabeth and Will-Trey hanging on the whitewashed wall, just above the dresser. For the elder Turner, who had known nothing but a smelly hammock under a ship's deck for most of his adult life, this was paradise!
"Really, Elizabeth… You shouldn't have given yourself all this trouble for…"
"It was a pleasure, Bill, and you are not a hindrance. You said a father's duty is to ensure his children's happiness, but children want their parents to be happy, too!"
"Thank you, my rose," said Will, kissing the back of Elizabeth's hand in a courtesan-like manner. He was sincerely touched by her commitment towards Bootstrap Bill, accepting him as an integral part of their family and not as an imposed guest. Lots of young couples had been torn apart by the presence of seniors under their roof and this situation would create endless quarrels, often ending in wishing the "intruding" parent-in-law to disappear one way or the other. In the upper classes, where inheritance was involved, the conflicts could degenerate dramatically.
Will-Trey jumped back into Will's arms with the agility of a squirrel, and then he proclaimed he would show his father the rest of the house. Under the impatient tutelage of this miniature guide, Will promptly grow accustomed with the kitchen, his son's bedroom, Elizabeth's closed door – "Mummy said she would show your bedroom herself, Daddy" said the boy innocently as his parents exchanged a promising look – and the attic where an owl was said to be nesting.
Afterwards, Will-Trey decided to present the house's exteriors: the forge filled with brand-new tools located just next to the kitchen, the well with its snail-covered stones, the tall avocado tree, Elizabeth's flowerbeds and the little boy's vegetable garden with his prized assets: three tomato plants growing under the sun!
Will also noticed the presence of a large balcony, filled with potted plants and flowers, just outside a second floor's window; he would have wanted to know to which room belonged this balcony but Elizabeth, following her husband's eyes, quickly squeezed his fingers and winked at him, silently giving him a message that all his questions would be answered after their child would have been put to bed, Bootstrap had retired to his room and all would be quiet in the house, when they would finally be alone.
Will wondered how on Earth he would find the patience to wait until the night.
The day flew by and it was filled with laughter and discoveries. After Will had finished the exploration of his new home with his son attached to his hip, the grandfather's clock had rung for noon and it had been time to eat. Elizabeth had prepared a hearty lunch composed of ackee and saltfish plates, with side dishes of rice and peas and a delicious dessert which happened to be Will-Trey's favorite: grater cakes! Drinks were ginger beer for the adults and carrot juice spiced with nutmeg and vanilla for the boy. Elizabeth had stated her "three men" needed their strength for the afternoon as a long day at the beach was ahead of them.
Will and Bill had tremendously enjoyed the meal, filling their stomachs with real food chasing away the souvenir of the stale sea biscuits they had aboard the Flying Dutchman. After Will had become Captain, the ghost ship's menus had vastly improved and yet, it couldn't compare with food prepared by a loving woman. Will-Trey proclaimed loud and clear Mummy was the best cook of the entire universe and she could win any cuisine contest with her right hand tied behind her back!
"Even the Governor's old lady wouldn't stand a chance against Mummy!" said the boy, ravenously eating the coconuts with fondant of sugar pastries.
"The Governor's wife?" asked Will, raising an eyebrow after hearing this declaration.
"Yes, she's mean and she hates Mummy!"
"My little pirate, let's not talk about sad things today," said Elizabeth quickly. "We are celebrating the return of Daddy and Grandpa Bill!"
"Sorry, Mum."
"Is someone giving you a hard time, Elizabeth?" asked Will, as Bootstrap slowly put down his fork, his eyes hardening at the thought someone could ever hassle his daughter-in-law.
Elizabeth sighed, and then she nodded.
"I didn't want to tell you today, but if we are to make a trip to Shipwreck City in the next days, I'd better break the news. Shipwreck City has changed a lot during your absence: initially, it had been a refuge for pirates and honest merchants alike who had been washed ashore after their ships had been torn to pieces by the submerged reefs. People here have cohabited quite nicely, simply by not asking embarrassing questions about other persons' pasts and they contented themselves by living in the remains of their vessels. Over the years, the population has grown and houses have been built. We now have a city hall, a church, schools, a bank, shops… and even a Governor's mansion. In a word, Shipwreck City has become respectable, and there are even talks about presenting a petition to become loyal subjects of his Majesty the King of England."
"This isn't the kind of news that would please Jack, if he were around," said Will.
"He would probably create a riot downtown just for the fun of it!" said Elizabeth, rolling her eyes heavenwards. "But people here don't care to which sovereign they will belong, as long as there won't be any high-ranking officials trying to pry information to determine which person used to be an outlaw, and no soldiers to build fortresses and prisons. The island's unofficial motto is: "Don't ask, don't tell". But a few years ago, a man was named Governor of Shipwreck Island by the population, on the basis that we needed someone to act as central power. His name is Theophrastus Bull, and people here think he had vastly bought his nomination by his money and the fact he used to be a Lieutenant-Colonel in the British Army… but I sincerely doubt he has ever fired a gun in his life!"
"You mean he's incompetent?"
"Oh, he's good for turning a blind eye about the smugglers' activities, granting patches of land to people who can sweeten the deal, buying goods at lower prices from pirates, showing off at official events like Christmases… and the list goes on. He's the usual corrupted official, more animated by the pleasures of a comfortable life than being concerned by the citizens' well-being."
"Well, Elizabeth, we are far from England's authorities and honest Governors are impossible to find. Your father was the exception to this rule, and I daresay his good nature made him stood tall above the population of Port Royal!"
A thorough kiss rewarded Will's kind praise of his late father-in-law, making the young man blush a deep shade of red after hearing Bill and Will-Trey laugh in the background.
"I like it when Mummy and Daddy kiss," said the nine-year-old.
"So do I, ship's boy, so do I! These two are so in love that trying to separate them should be proclaimed a crime."
Will-Trey climbed down his chair to hug his father, who picked him up to make him sit on his lap. The boy promptly curled in Will's arms, resting his little head on the young man's chest: he enjoyed hearing the sound of the heart beating beneath the cloth of the puffy-sleeved white shirt, unaware that this organ had been reinstated only recently!
"I love you too, Daddy."
"Little Heart, you are the best child of the whole world and I will never leave you," vowed Will, making his son sigh in contentment as he nestled his head under his father's chin. It was such a sweet gesture the former Captain of the Flying Dutchman almost cried and the only thing that prevented him were the hazel eyes of Elizabeth, glowing with pride, and the tender look on Bootstrap's face.
Will-Trey was getting a bit sleepy from his early awakening and the good food Mummy had cooked, and he wouldn't mind a short nap in the safe haven of his father's arms. He smiled as he felt Will rocking him slightly; he wasn't a baby any more but still, it was nice! It didn't take long for the warm and comfortable boy to fall asleep, secure in the love his family had for him.
Will pressed a kiss on the blondish curls covering the top of the boy's head, and then he smiled to his wife.
"This one is an angel."
"He certainly is; I can't begin to imagine how my wait for you would have been without him. Will-Trey saved me from desperation, anger… but also, he helped me in keeping my wits when trouble happened."
"With the Governor?" asked Bootstrap Bill.
"No, with his wife! You have to understand, Will: despite the fact I've been born and raised in the upper classes of society, I've never been good with the ladylike manners and the hypocrisy linked to it. In Port Royal, I've always spoken my mind and nothing has prevented me to do what I wanted…"
"I've noticed that already," smiled Will. "You were also an exception to the rule concerning Governors' daughters with your fascination for pirates, sword fighting and humble blacksmiths."
"Only in a special humble blacksmith," corrected Elizabeth with a fixed stare on the man sitting next to her. "But you are right; I am not a typical uptown girl. And somehow it vexed Mrs. Bridget Bull, the Governor's wife. Her husband may be the apathetic corrupted fool bound to be find in a Caribbean island far away from Europe but she, on the other hand, is driven by ambition. The only thing that keeps her going is money, money and more money; she's the real power behind the throne as she makes her husband dance like a marionette on strings. When they came to Shipwreck Island after, well, a shipwreck, she wasted no time in finding out which persons used to belong to the "good society" in order to make allies for Bull's political future. She heard I was an ex-Governor's daughter so she rushed to make friends with me… but as soon as she found out about our marriage and Will-Trey's existence, she turned the steering wheel, very fast!"
"Dirty snob," growled the elder Turner. Will's dark eyes gleamed in cool anger.
"Ah, I don't care a fig about her opinion!" said Elizabeth, sticking out her chin. "But it is certainly easier to fight a herd of blood thirsty pirates than deal with her: her weapons are her poisonous tongue and her ability to gossip, which can do more damages than swords and cannons."
"And she's been on your case simply because you have married me?"
"Yes, but also because she couldn't find anything about me to use as fuel for her gossips. Everybody on the island knows about suitors not welcomed in this house and the Chinese sword I keep next to my bed, and this has driven Mrs. Bull to insanity. How could she dirty up my reputation, if there is nothing reproachful with it? To her eyes, a girl living without a man is either a freak of Nature, or…"
"Or a strong-minded woman able to manage an import-export business on her own, thus becoming financially independent while others resigned themselves to accept loveless marriages to earn a little cash," finished Will. "Mrs. Bull wouldn't throw a lifeline to her husband if he were drowning; in fact, I am ready to bet she would push his head deeper into the water to achieve her dream: becoming a wealthy widow. It's no wonder she is mad of jealousy about you, Elizabeth: you are independent in both mind and means, and let's not forget to mention your outstanding beauty…."
Will received another thorough kiss as a reward, and this time he thought his wildly-beating heart would jump out of his chest – it would have scared his sleeping son in the process, but the sweet contact of Elizabeth's lips on his was enough to drive him to folly!
"My rose…"
"My love," said Elizabeth, gently caressing the nape of his neck.
They devoured one another with their eyes, and then the young Turner asked in a low voice.
"You do have your Chinese sword next to your bed?"
"That's right but I long for another sword, this time in my bed, Captain of my heart," whispered Elizabeth in Will's ear.
Bootstrap Bill took his time to find his pipe in his pants' pocket, fill it with tiny scraps of tobacco left inside his pouch and light it slowly with due deliberation, all this to give his son a chance to recover from the crimson blush that had spread on his cheeks. The old sailor had been too far to hear Will and Elizabeth's low-voiced conversation but he was certain it must have been over… private matters.
"Ahem! Would you like another grater cake, Bill?" asked Elizabeth, resuming to her hostess' duties while Will was trying to hide his embarrassment by rocking Will-Trey.
"No thank you, my dear. I have eaten enough for a month. Your cooking is delicious; it reminded me of the dinners my sweet Mary used to prepare whenever I came home. It is now high time I make myself useful, so I volunteer on taking the washing-dishes and the cleaning-table chores. Do I have your permission, Captain?"
"Granted, Mr. Turner," mumbled Will, hiding his face in the boy's soft curls.
Bootstrap got on his feet and disappeared in the kitchen to give the youngsters some space. These two were definitively the copy of the couple he had formed with Mary, years ago! But he had a hard time refraining from crying after he had seen Will cuddling his little boy: it was so touching, so adorable, just like he used to do when his William had been a toddler…
"I will not spoil their day by turning nostalgic out of the blue!" growled Bill inwardly. "I have missed my chance hugging Will when he was a nine-year-old boy and the only one I can blame for this is my own stupid self. But thankfully, I have been granted another chance in life and I will seize it this time. What were the odds for a pirate, a doomed soul and a slave to be reunited with his family and live happily ever after amongst his loved ones? I am the luckiest man in the world, and it is all thanks to Will!"
A soft sound was heard in the main room – the unmistakable sigh of two people ending a kiss on the lips.
"Just like Mary and me!" thought the elder Turner, smiling from ear to ear.
The rest of the day went like a breeze. After Will-Trey had finished his nap, the happy family spent the afternoon at the beach, with Bill and his grandson playing rousing games of ducks and drakes while Elizabeth and Will stole kisses each time they had the occasion to do so. Will-Trey built sandcastles, bas reliefs of seahorses with dried seaweeds, and he listened with rapt attention as Will described him all the animals that could be found in the deepest parts of the ocean. Grandpa Bill improvised a toy boat with bits of wood and a sail made from a handkerchief, Mummy had brought a basket full of mango fruits and bami flatbreads for a picnic on the beach and when the sun started to disappear behind the Western horizon in a hue of gold, the three Turner adults cheered in unison as they celebrated the end of a day that had marked the beginning of Will's freedom. Will-Trey couldn't know the reason of his parents' and grandfather's enthusiasm but he cheered louder than them, simply to express his gratitude for this marvelous day where his Daddy had come home.
Dinner had been another feast with plates of curry goat, stir fried okra leaves, coco bread and banana fritters. Will-Trey had wanted to stay up for the evening to listen to his Daddy's adventures at sea, but alas the excitement of the day had worn him out. When the grandfather's clock in the main room rang half past eight, the boy couldn't stifle his yawns any longer.
"You're dead on your feet, my little pirate. Why don't you head off for bed?" asked Elizabeth.
"But I want to stay with you and Daddy and Grandpa!" protested Will-Trey with a sleepy voice.
"Don't worry, ship's boy, we are going to hit the sack pretty soon."
"Really?"
"Oh, yes! We all need our rest to enjoy another beautiful day tomorrow," said Bootstrap with a wink at his grandson. "Now that we are together, we are going to have only good days come rain or shine because we love each other and that's all what matters."
"Do you want a piggyback ride to go to bed, Little Heart?" asked Will.
"YES! YES!"
"Up you go, then!"
Will-Trey jumped on his father's lower back, his legs extended forward around the young Turner's waist. Will stood up and jokingly complained about his son weighting like a dozen whales, which only brought a fit of giggles from the nine-year-old. Will-Trey kissed Elizabeth and Bill good-night and wished them pleasant dreams, and then Will climbed up the stairs with his adored charge. Within minutes, they had reached the little boy's room.
As part of his bedtime routine, Will-Trey had to wash his hands, clean his teeth by using neem tree twigs (the boy explained his mother bought those from a merchant coming from the Eastern Indies) and scrub his face before donning on a long, white nightshirt. When he was ready, he climbed on his bed and called out for his father:
"Daddy, will you tell me a story?"
"Of course, my darling. Which story do you want?" asked Will while tucking up his son.
"I'd like to hear the one where you met Mummy for the first time. Please, Daddy?"
"Mummy must have told you this story about a thousand times already."
"Yes, but it is my favorite one!"
"All right, if you want it so much," said Will with a smile, sitting on the edge of the little bed and taking his son's hand in both of his. "Nothing beats a good story to prompt the arrival of The Sandman, coming from the sky with his pockets full of magic powders to make children sleep. And tomorrow, we will go to Shipwreck City, the four of us, and I will spoil you within an inch of your life!"
Will-Trey smiled at his father's promise, making the young Turner's heart flutter inside his chest at this sight. His son had his smile!
"Thank you, Daddy, but the three things I want the most are not to be found in Shipwreck Island's shops."
"I will find them for you nonetheless, dearest, it's a promise. What is it that you want so badly?"
"A fishing rod, a tree house and a baby brother!" answered Will-Trey at once.
TBC…