Jack breathed in the salty sea air. They hadn't left Tortuga long ago, but already he was feeling much more at ease, the waves lapping up against the side of the ship and the horizon spread itself out in front of his eyes. The sun was high in the sky, and it was far too hot for any of his crew to be working at that moment in time.
He along with Will and Gibbs, were the only people out on deck. Anamaria had decided to stay out of sight during lunch in the galley, saying she wanted to wait till they let the anchor down in the evening. Millie couldn't understand why her mummy wouldn't go out and play with her, and kept telling other crew members about it. They had all shook their heads and smiled at the young creature, obviously thinking her imagination was going into overdrive.
On one of the pegs on the wheel of the ship, hung a beautiful necklace, the one his mother wore when he was a child, the one his father had returned to him, deciding it should be placed with its rightful owner once and for all. Jack hadn't even looked at the bracelets, knowing that they didn't hold much in his heart. Sure they would be pretty, but they weren't anything special to him. It could be that it was because he had seen Samuel buy them for his mother those years ago. He had a feeling he wouldn't even keep them himself, or give them to Anamaria. She wasn't one for wearing bracelets. In his mind he went over the fact he could give them to Millie when she was older, but if she turned out anything like her mother, like he had a suspicion she would, he doubted she would ever need them very much.
The necklace was made of 2 different gold's. Pure white and the usual golden colour. It was in the shape of two hearts woven between each other, both different colours blending in together as the hearts melted into one. Along the outlines, were many tiny jewels. Rubies, diamonds, and emeralds all dotted around. The final touches were that of the tiny hearts placed in-between the jewels, all fairly faint, but if you looked close enough they were still visible. It was definitely a gift a man would give to the woman he loved, it resembled so much.
Jack knew Anamaria hadn't seen the jewellery. He had also seen her eyes weighed down with curiosity at the piece that he had held before him. He was waiting until the 'opportune' moment to give it to her. Well he knew she wouldn't say anything about it, wasn't in her nature… she liked to let him open up in his own time, which he would do.
Mind you, she had seen the painting. She smiled at the sight of her captain at a tender again of 5. Taken 2 years before his mother died, and everything was peachy in their household. Both pirates knew that that painting wouldn't be disappearing any time soon; it had already been placed proudly upon his desk.
While looking over the picture in his cabin before, Jack had noticed the artist that had painted its name on the bottom. At a closer look the words 'Taylor' began to form and that was when he knew his father had indeed been in contact with him before, just in a very different way. It made him wonder if that was why his mother looked so happy, gazing in the direction of the artist as he would have worked. That was when he made a decision.
He had called Taylor back, after catching the last part of the conversation with Anamaria, and also the way he behaved around Amelia. Jack had offered to take his father back to his home, in a way of thanks for bringing back so many important childhood memories. He lived not far from port Chapman, but far enough for Jack to agree going there. Taylor had seemed pleased enough to be offered the opportunity to spend time with his son, son's 'wife' (he still hadn't been corrected on that.) and granddaughter. Although he was quick to defend himself, and say that that hadn't been why he came back to them. He seemed genuine enough that all he wanted to do was return the belongings before his time on the earth passed away. When offered the passage, he had agreed, only on the terms that he was to work and be treated like one of the crew. Anamaria had noticed the hint of a smile behind Jack's eyes when this was heard. Being seen as equal made it a lot easier for him to get to know his son, and he knew this. Taylor knew that if he wasn't on special treatment it would make it easier for his son to get to know him, just as he would a new crew mate. Only there was one condition…
After going with Taylor to grab his belongs- the few that there was- Jack had asked his father to do him a favour. After seeing the family portrait he had had done as a child, he had asked his father whether or not he could possibly do one of his young family. Taylor's eyes had danced at being asked that question. There was nothing better to him than to paint, just as for Jack there was the ocean. The one thing Jack had been hesitant at was the fact of posing. He knew Anamaria wasn't one to stay still and Amelia defiantly didn't have the patience or manners to do so, after being brought up a very different way to him. The older man had just smiled at this concern and told his son not to worry. He would get a family portrait, and they didn't need to pose. Jacks eyebrows had rose at that comment but he had said no more about it.
xxxxxxx
The sun had begun to set across the horizon and they were in the middle of nowhere on the Caribbean Sea. And there was nothing better than that for Jack. Deciding it was time to call it quits for the day, he called for his crew to drop the anchor. It was earlier than usual, and dinner wouldn't be ready for at least an hour. It gave the crew some time to cool off, which was a perk for them.
Jack also wanted time to cool off. He was very aware at the fact his crew were oddly distant from him. They had all been rather attached to Anamaria and only too happy when the pair finally got it together, but after hearing Jacks apparent romp with a whore they had all become disgusted at him. They had been expecting it to happen, but not so soon and defiantly not with Amelia going in the next day and meeting the woman. The fact that it hadn't actually been a whore was known yet, so Jack wasn't too worried by the glares and the grunts as he talked to the men. He had also explained the situation to Taylor who found it oddly amusing and agreed to play along.
Walking into the cabin he found both Anamaria and Millie on the floor drawing on paper. It was a sight he hadn't come across before, and was rather surprised. Neither of them had noticed him come in, and Millie sat happily talking away about one thing or another while drawing. Making sure to keep his presence unknown Jack silently walked behind Anamaria and bent down to her ear.
"Whatcha doin' luv?" Ana shot up, jumping out of her skin, almost hitting the ceiling. Jack chuckled pleased at the response he got, but quickly stopped at the sight of a glare from his lady.
"Daddy look. I dids you and mummy and me there's." She paused to point to 2 larger scribbles and one little one. "And then my uncleys here." Plenty more scribbles to look at, this time in a different colour. "And there's uncle will and aunty tathy and there baby." 2 pairs of eyes shot towards the little girl. Did she know something they didn't? "And there's our boat, and the sea and the sun and the clouds and the rainbow and the rain." Millie stopped a big smile on her face at her masterpiece.
"That's very good darling. Now can you tell daddy why Aunty Cathy and Uncle Will have a baby?" Amelia nodded her head grinning from ear to ear. Both Jack and Ana stayed still expectantly while Amelia just looked at them. "Are you going to tell us darling?"
"I cant it's a seeecret."
"Mummy and Daddy can keep the secret too." Millie put her head on one side and forehead borrowing in thought.
"But tathy said not to tells anyone, 'specially my mummy and daddy."
"Sweetie, are they going to have a baby?" Millie grinned obviously thinking they too had been let in on the 'secret'.
"Did they tell you too?" Jack looked to Anamaria, mouth slightly agape. Ana just smiled, and laughed slightly.
xxxx
"Come on poppet dinner time." Amelia looked up at her father, her tongue still poking out from when she had been concentrating.
"Is mummy coming too?" Jack smiled, anticipation fluttering around. His crew were about to have a shocking realization and he couldn't wait to see their faces.
"Aye she is, but she won't be if ye don't get a move on. Now" Jack pointed to the door and his daughter jumped up, happy that her mummy was finally going outside the cabin with her once again.
Not many of the crew were in the galley when Ana walked in, Millie's hand firmly in her grasp. The dinner had yet to be served which explained a lot, and Ana slunk into her usual place, hat hiding most of her face. Millie climbed up beside her; she sat in-between Anamaria and Cathy. She was quietly singing to herself when the dinner bell was ringed.
It was like a stampede of men. Each hungry, each wanting to get there before it was all gone. It took a moment or two for them to fill the room out, and at first all that could be heard was chewing. Anamaria hadn't lifted her hat much, her face still hidden from view.
It was Gibbs who noticed first. The vacant spot where Anamaria once sat was once again filled. He could quite see who was under the hat (Ana had changed her hat to make it less obvious) and it was enough to stop him from eating. Jack noticed this and a grin appeared on his face as soon almost every pirate in the galley had stopped eating and was staring at the 'new' pirate. Jack nudged Anamaria's leg under the table, and she took it as her cue to look up, and make her face visible. As she did so, every one of those pirates' mouths fell open, some even losing the food that was half chewed inside.
"Carry on eating boys nothin' t' see 'ere."
Plenty of comments plagued the galley, each gasped out. "Mothers love" "am seein' things 'at what it is" "am seein' ghosts is me"
Jack chuckled. The response they got was even better then he had hoped. Millie had finally stopped eating, a little frown on her face.
"Oh did I forget t' mention Ana came back a few days ago? Yeah seems like she hadn't died after all." The room was silent and Jack began to wonder whether he had done the right thing or not. Then from nowhere a huge roar came from all the pirates. It had finally sunk in she was back and they planned to party!