A/N: Sorry it's been so long. One of my New Year's resolutions was to finish all unfinished fics. So tell everyone you know: I'm back for good.
Nerissa impatiently tried on dress after dress. Unfortunately, she could only guess as to what would impress a pirate. Was he indeed a roguish scalawag, toothless and unattractive? She frowned at the thought and held a baby blue dress against her to model it in front of her mirror. Or would he be handsome and robust, well-traveled and notorious with an athletic build acquired through many fights? She smiled devilishly to herself, and picked up her black, red-lace-trimmed dress--her "brothel dress," as she liked to call it. After trying on nearly every dress she owned, she decided on a rich velvet green dress with long sleeves and shallow dips in the front and back. It was a modest dress, but she liked the way it hugged the better attributes of her form.
She counted down the hours until the family dinner guest arrived. At approximately fifteen minutes until seven, she heard a call at their door. Nerissa peeked around the corner on the second floor and stole her first glimpse of Jack "Smith." His long, dark brown hair was pulled neatly at the nape of his neck. A well-trimmed goatee of the same bistre hue framed deliciously sensual lips, lips that smiled upon spotting Nerisaa's curious gaze. Nerissa gasped and ducked behind the corner.
"Jack, my friend, so glad to have you here tonight," Will Turner emerged from the sitting room and greeted his guest. He offered Jack a friendly shake, and when Jack took Will's hand, Will pulled him into a strong embrace. "Nerissa! Come greet our guest, dear!"
Nerissa inhaled a few slow breaths to compose herself and put on her best smile as she descended the stairs.
Seeing her in full, Jack gasped and muttered something that Nerissa hoped was, "My heavens!" But before Nerissa could reach Jack to formally greet him, her father cut in with a "Very well" and swept Jack into the sitting room, summoning Elizabeth as he did. And soon, the two were engaged in a heavy and drolling conversation about retailing ships.
Nerissa stepped into the sitting room where Jack and her father were sitting together on the divan. Beside it, stood Elizabeth. Will looked up a moment to acknowledge his daughter; Jack, however, stood up to acknowledge that a lady had entered the room.
"Nerissa, darling, fetch some brandy for Jack and me," Will said.
Nerissa smiled shyly at Jack as her mother protested. "I really don't think that's such a good idea."
Will frowned. "I guess the drinks can wait until after dinner."
Elizabeth pursed her lips. "I guess I'll go check on dinner's progress. Won't you come and help, Nerissa?"
Nerissa frowned. She was sure that dinner would come along fine without her mother and herself, especially since someone else was cooking it. But, as a faithful daughter is wont, she followed her mother into the kitchen.
"How long is he going to be staying with us?" Nerissa asked, stirring the clam chowder. Mistress Higgins, the kitchen maid, politely shooed her away.
Elizabeth was stretching to retrieve some glasses from a cabinet when Mistress Higgins dropped what she was doing and quickly snatched the glasses down for her. As Mistress Higgins was several inches taller than Elizabeth, this was a much easier for the former than the latter. Elizabeth harrumphed her displeasure, but Mistress Higgins merely gave her a cross look.
"I'll have neither of you taking my job away from me," said she.
Nerissa gave her mother a curious look to which Elizabeth could only shrug. "Let us to the dining room then." Elizabeth took a seat at the grand table as her daughter did the same. She sighed. "If your father had his way, Jack would be staying with us permanently."
"Am I to assume that the two of you don't see eye-to-eye concerning this matter as well?" Nerissa asked, taking a seat at the pre-set table.
Elizabeth frowned and masked her daughter's action. "How dare you take that tone with me, young lady!"
Nerissa shrugged. "I wasn't exactly lying."
"Well, it certainly was not your place to make such an observation!"
Nerissa shook her head. "What's got your garter in such a wad? Who exactly is this old friend of father's?"
Elizabeth sighed and acknowledged to herself that her daughter had a point. "Someone I never particularly cared for, but he is rather important to your father."
Mistress Higgins stepped into the dining room and heaved an impatient sigh at the two ladies who were still obviously an intrusion to her. "You can tell yon masters that dinner is being served." And she stepped back into the kitchen to retrieve more dishes.
"You, wait here," Elizabeth warned her daughter.
Nerissa sighed and folded her arms in frustration. Her posture quickly changed as her father and Jack entered the room. Jack smiled at Nerissa, to which she smiled back. Thankfully neither father nor mother noticed.
Talk of Jack's former intrigues leading up to his sail to the island of Anguilla accompanied the dinner. For the most part, Elizabeth and Nerissa remained quiet while Jack and Will chatted like the old chaps they seemed to be. Nerissa frowned to herself. She thought a pirate would be more interesting than this. Maybe, she smiled and decided to give it a go.
"Captain Smith, have you any pirate stories?" Nerissa finally managed.
Elizabeth shot a concerned look at her daughter while Will shifted in his chair uncomfortably.
Jack shook his head. "I can't say that I've come across any pirates, love."
Nerissa giggled. "I'm talking about stories of your own escapades."
Jack smiled confusedly at Nerissa and looked at Will.
Elizabeth said under her breath. "That's quite enough."
Will cleared his throat. "Jack, Elizabeth and I have discussed things and we think it best that you come stay with us for a while. You know, until you get things sorted out."