Chapter 7 – An Apology
The sun was starting to peek out and was now peering in through the window. Jack's eyes were wide as he lay in the bed staring at the ceiling. He was beginning to really think things over and after tossing and turning all night, he decided he had to confront Romi and apologize. To hell with his stupid pride. Everything up till now had been going just fine and he ruined it in a moment of weakness. He had no reason to behave the way he did. He spent all night remembering times like when he first met Romi in that Spanish bar. Their first night together in that tent. He remembered the day he married her and how beautiful she looked. It had been a small wedding held shortly after Will and Angela were married. In truth the only people in attendance were his crew, Will, Angela and the priest. Oh and the day Celeste was born. He couldn't remember ever being any happier than when he held his little girl in his arms for the first time.
He sat up in the bed and looked at the door that connected Celeste's room to his. He thought about them sleeping just on the other side of the wall, yet they felt far away. He stood up, put on his coat and hat and left the room. Will was still at the helm and he looked very tired. Jack came up to him and put a hand on his shoulder.
"Go to bed mate, I'll take it from 'ere." He tried as best he could to give him a half smile. Will nodded and left to go to his room.
Jack stood there with his hands on the wheel, every now and then he would glance towards the cabin where his wife and child were. It seemed they didn't want to come out, Angela or Sal would bring them plates of food and Brennan went into the cabin to play with Celeste. Angela it seemed had been ignoring him. Will, when he finally got up from his nap, was acting strangely around him as well. Even his crew was quieter than usual.
As the sun was beginning to set, Jack heard a door open and he turned his head to see who it was. Sure enough Romi stepped out onto the deck and quietly closed the door. She was looking down but brought her gaze up to meet his. She stood there for a few seconds before she began walking towards the kitchen. Jack felt as though someone were squeezing the inside of his chest. He wanted so bad to go to her. But he would wait till tonight to see her.
Romi came back onto the deck and quickly made her way into the cabin without looking at him. She shut the door and stood against it. Celeste and Brennan were sitting on the floor playing a game they made up. Romi quickly wiped a tear away with the back of her hand before moving away from the door.
Celeste looked up at her mother. "Are you alright mama?"
Romi looked at Celeste with surprise. She had never called her mama before. It seemed she never wanted to speak spanish even though she tried to teach her all the time.
"I'm fine baby. Keep playing with Brennan. It's almost time for you to go to sleep. Brennan, your mom will come get you in a little bit."
Brennan slumped his shoulders. "Aww, alright."
The kids continued playing and Romi sat in the chair near the window with her back facing it. She decided to start sewing today to pass her time. So she sat in her chair and began the task. She wasn't sure what she was going to make yet. She remembered the day she realized she was pregnant with Celeste. She had started sewing at that time. By her third month, she had a dream that the baby was a little girl, she was so convinced she started sewing pink boots, sweaters and blankets. This time she decided she would choose a light green to start with since she wouldn't know what the sex of this baby was going to be.
Jack stood at his helm, one hand on the wheel, the other stroking his beard. They would arrive at a nearby port hopefully by tomorrow morning so that they could fix the damage the storm had left on his ship. It would take at least two days to finish. This was yet another inconvenience. He happened to glance over to the window where Romi was sitting. He noticed she was doing something with her hands. Curiosity got the best of him.
"Anamaria, come take the wheel please."
She appeared quickly. "Aye captain." She took her post and Jack quietly made his way closer to the window. He stopped in his tracks when he noticed she was sewing. Odd, he thought to himself, last time she sewed anything was..... His eyes almost popped out of his head and his heart was beating a mile a minute.
It couldn't be. Was she? A slow smile spread across his face but vanished quickly. If she was pregnant, he had just treated her terribly. He felt worse than ever now. He clutched at his chest with his hand. He could feel his heart aching.
Angela turned the corner and stopped abruptly when she saw him. Jack walked quickly towards her and grabbed her by her arm as he led her to the other side of the deck.
"Jack what's wrong with you? Where are you taking me?" She didn't know what to think about his peculiar behavior.
He stopped suddenly and looked around to make sure no one was within hearing distance. He turned to face her with an anxious look.
"Angela, please, ye must tell me if ye know."
"Know what Jack?" Her eyebrows were furrowed.
"Is Romi pregnant?"
Angela's face turned white and she sighed heavily. Apparently this was all Jack needed to confirm his suspicion. He hugged Angela, happy to hear this news, but quickly remembered his present situation. He released her but held onto her shoulders tightly.
"Will she see me? Could you please talk to 'er for me?"
Angela could see he was worried and this made her feel better. He did love them, she knew it. And she knew he would come around soon enough.
"I'll talk to her Jack, but don't upset her again. She's been through enough emotional turmoil and in her present condition it isn't healthy."
"Of course, ye have my word." He placed his hand over his heart jokingly which made Angela give a little laugh.
"Alright. I'll go talk to her right now and convince her to meet you in the meeting quarters. Go on get going." She shooed him away with her hands and he ran to the quarters all smiles. Angela shook her head as she walked to the cabin.
She let herself in, the kids were still playing on the floor and Romi was busy with her sewing.
"Oh finally I thought you were never coming back." Romi joked with her.
"Brennan stay here with Celeste for a minute, but get your things ready to leave. Romi, can I talk to you outside?" She held the door open for her to follow. Romi looked at Angela questioningly but stood up and laid her sewing things down on the chair before leaving the room. Once outside, Angela shut the door.
"Well, you want to tell me what this is about? Is everything alright?"
"Sshh. Stop worrying so much and listen to me. Jack wants to talk to you."
Romi's hands went flying in the air. "Oh no, I don't want to see him." Angela had to grab onto her hands to calm her down.
"Please, he really wants to straighten everything out. For Celeste's sake and yours, please at least hear him out?" Angela pouted her lips to get her to cheer up. Romi sighed heavily and quirked an eyebrow at her.
"Alright, alright. Where is he?"
"He's in the meeting quarters. I'll put Celeste to bed before I leave."
"Thank you Angie." She gave her friend a fierce hug before leaving.
When she got to the quarters, she placed her hand on the handle and froze. She began to breath deeply and felt dizzy. She tried to straighten herself up and opened the door. Jack sat at the table and stood quickly when she came inside. He wasn't wearing his hat and had his tattered, red bandanna on. His coat was hanging on the chair. He came around the table and stopped in front of her. She stood in the doorway still breathing hard and as she looked in his eyes, everything began to spin and then darkness. Jack caught her before she could hit the floor.
"Romi!" He fell to his knees with her in his arms.
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The sun was starting to peek out and was now peering in through the window. Jack's eyes were wide as he lay in the bed staring at the ceiling. He was beginning to really think things over and after tossing and turning all night, he decided he had to confront Romi and apologize. To hell with his stupid pride. Everything up till now had been going just fine and he ruined it in a moment of weakness. He had no reason to behave the way he did. He spent all night remembering times like when he first met Romi in that Spanish bar. Their first night together in that tent. He remembered the day he married her and how beautiful she looked. It had been a small wedding held shortly after Will and Angela were married. In truth the only people in attendance were his crew, Will, Angela and the priest. Oh and the day Celeste was born. He couldn't remember ever being any happier than when he held his little girl in his arms for the first time.
He sat up in the bed and looked at the door that connected Celeste's room to his. He thought about them sleeping just on the other side of the wall, yet they felt far away. He stood up, put on his coat and hat and left the room. Will was still at the helm and he looked very tired. Jack came up to him and put a hand on his shoulder.
"Go to bed mate, I'll take it from 'ere." He tried as best he could to give him a half smile. Will nodded and left to go to his room.
Jack stood there with his hands on the wheel, every now and then he would glance towards the cabin where his wife and child were. It seemed they didn't want to come out, Angela or Sal would bring them plates of food and Brennan went into the cabin to play with Celeste. Angela it seemed had been ignoring him. Will, when he finally got up from his nap, was acting strangely around him as well. Even his crew was quieter than usual.
As the sun was beginning to set, Jack heard a door open and he turned his head to see who it was. Sure enough Romi stepped out onto the deck and quietly closed the door. She was looking down but brought her gaze up to meet his. She stood there for a few seconds before she began walking towards the kitchen. Jack felt as though someone were squeezing the inside of his chest. He wanted so bad to go to her. But he would wait till tonight to see her.
Romi came back onto the deck and quickly made her way into the cabin without looking at him. She shut the door and stood against it. Celeste and Brennan were sitting on the floor playing a game they made up. Romi quickly wiped a tear away with the back of her hand before moving away from the door.
Celeste looked up at her mother. "Are you alright mama?"
Romi looked at Celeste with surprise. She had never called her mama before. It seemed she never wanted to speak spanish even though she tried to teach her all the time.
"I'm fine baby. Keep playing with Brennan. It's almost time for you to go to sleep. Brennan, your mom will come get you in a little bit."
Brennan slumped his shoulders. "Aww, alright."
The kids continued playing and Romi sat in the chair near the window with her back facing it. She decided to start sewing today to pass her time. So she sat in her chair and began the task. She wasn't sure what she was going to make yet. She remembered the day she realized she was pregnant with Celeste. She had started sewing at that time. By her third month, she had a dream that the baby was a little girl, she was so convinced she started sewing pink boots, sweaters and blankets. This time she decided she would choose a light green to start with since she wouldn't know what the sex of this baby was going to be.
Jack stood at his helm, one hand on the wheel, the other stroking his beard. They would arrive at a nearby port hopefully by tomorrow morning so that they could fix the damage the storm had left on his ship. It would take at least two days to finish. This was yet another inconvenience. He happened to glance over to the window where Romi was sitting. He noticed she was doing something with her hands. Curiosity got the best of him.
"Anamaria, come take the wheel please."
She appeared quickly. "Aye captain." She took her post and Jack quietly made his way closer to the window. He stopped in his tracks when he noticed she was sewing. Odd, he thought to himself, last time she sewed anything was..... His eyes almost popped out of his head and his heart was beating a mile a minute.
It couldn't be. Was she? A slow smile spread across his face but vanished quickly. If she was pregnant, he had just treated her terribly. He felt worse than ever now. He clutched at his chest with his hand. He could feel his heart aching.
Angela turned the corner and stopped abruptly when she saw him. Jack walked quickly towards her and grabbed her by her arm as he led her to the other side of the deck.
"Jack what's wrong with you? Where are you taking me?" She didn't know what to think about his peculiar behavior.
He stopped suddenly and looked around to make sure no one was within hearing distance. He turned to face her with an anxious look.
"Angela, please, ye must tell me if ye know."
"Know what Jack?" Her eyebrows were furrowed.
"Is Romi pregnant?"
Angela's face turned white and she sighed heavily. Apparently this was all Jack needed to confirm his suspicion. He hugged Angela, happy to hear this news, but quickly remembered his present situation. He released her but held onto her shoulders tightly.
"Will she see me? Could you please talk to 'er for me?"
Angela could see he was worried and this made her feel better. He did love them, she knew it. And she knew he would come around soon enough.
"I'll talk to her Jack, but don't upset her again. She's been through enough emotional turmoil and in her present condition it isn't healthy."
"Of course, ye have my word." He placed his hand over his heart jokingly which made Angela give a little laugh.
"Alright. I'll go talk to her right now and convince her to meet you in the meeting quarters. Go on get going." She shooed him away with her hands and he ran to the quarters all smiles. Angela shook her head as she walked to the cabin.
She let herself in, the kids were still playing on the floor and Romi was busy with her sewing.
"Oh finally I thought you were never coming back." Romi joked with her.
"Brennan stay here with Celeste for a minute, but get your things ready to leave. Romi, can I talk to you outside?" She held the door open for her to follow. Romi looked at Angela questioningly but stood up and laid her sewing things down on the chair before leaving the room. Once outside, Angela shut the door.
"Well, you want to tell me what this is about? Is everything alright?"
"Sshh. Stop worrying so much and listen to me. Jack wants to talk to you."
Romi's hands went flying in the air. "Oh no, I don't want to see him." Angela had to grab onto her hands to calm her down.
"Please, he really wants to straighten everything out. For Celeste's sake and yours, please at least hear him out?" Angela pouted her lips to get her to cheer up. Romi sighed heavily and quirked an eyebrow at her.
"Alright, alright. Where is he?"
"He's in the meeting quarters. I'll put Celeste to bed before I leave."
"Thank you Angie." She gave her friend a fierce hug before leaving.
When she got to the quarters, she placed her hand on the handle and froze. She began to breath deeply and felt dizzy. She tried to straighten herself up and opened the door. Jack sat at the table and stood quickly when she came inside. He wasn't wearing his hat and had his tattered, red bandanna on. His coat was hanging on the chair. He came around the table and stopped in front of her. She stood in the doorway still breathing hard and as she looked in his eyes, everything began to spin and then darkness. Jack caught her before she could hit the floor.
"Romi!" He fell to his knees with her in his arms.
PLEASE OH PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!!!