"How can you be so insensitive? My father nearly died whilst I was away!" Elizabeth shrieked. She flopped into a fetal position and buried her face in her knees.
"That´s it, I´m calling in a crew meeting." Jack ran down to the deck, and barked, "MEETING! ALL THE CREW, THIS MINUTE!"
"Aye, Cap´n!" they called and pumped their collective fists into the air. They set their cards down and their grubby faces tilted upwards in semi-interest.
Jack opened his arms and said, "As y´all know, I´m gettin´ married to m´ lovely, Elizabeth-" He looked at Elizabeth, who was still curled in a ball, still at the helm of the ship "- but er, yes, well, where was I? Ah yes, yer all invited as honored guests, but I must ask that ye PLEASE lay off the gambling, swearing, and spitting when yer at the wedding. For yer captain, please? I know this don´ mean much, but th´ guv´ner of Port Royal will be there- Elizabeth´s father. He already did us a huge favor in granting us clemency ta attend th´ reception on land."
They all groaned, except for Layla Carothers, Marcella and Annamaria Castilla, and Will. Joshamee Gibbs yelled out, "Do we have ta dress up?"
"No, Gibbs, ya don´t- I wouldn´ ask anything of th´ man who sleeps with barnyard animals," Jack smirked.
Gibbs looked slightly put out.
"Ahoy, matey!" cried Mr. Cotton´s parrot.
Gibbs said, "Cotton wants ter know if we have to wash up?"
"Only if ya really wanna," Jack said genially. "All righ´, you lot are dismissed."
The crew resumed their card game, and Mick, Layla, Marcella, Will, Annamaria, and Jack congregated near Elizabeth.
Annamaria was all set to snarl, "Snap outta it," but she felt compassion for Elizabeth. She put a hand to her mouth. Her mood was back to normal. What the bleedin´ hell? For her acerbic, but passionate, personality to return, it only took a glimpse of Elizabeth regressing to a childlike way of dealing with stress? She wrinkled her nose. She was turning soft.
Will bent down so he was eye-to-eye with Elizabeth. "Lizzie?" he asked kindly. "Are you all right? Do you want to take a rest? I know the wedding must be stringing you out."
Elizabeth looked up with her bloodshot eyes and blotchy face. All she wanted was to smack Will and make out with Jack. She didn´t think he was being over-caring on purpose, but he was just too nancy boy for her. Thank God for my soon-to-be husband.
"It is," she managed to sniffle. She stood up on her wobbly feet and said, "I´m all righ´- I don´t need a nap."
"Good," said Will and smiled at her. "Would you like a drink of water?"
"Rum, please," said Elizabeth and smirked at the expression Will assumed, one of shock. He didn´t know how drunk she got with Jack on that island. . . her thoughts swirled and she felt like falling asleep. She was transported to a foggy memory that happened a year and a half ago. . .