Chapter Thirty-One

Cabin Weekend Begins

Wow, you guys are so excited for this chapter that I almost am scared to post it...Just because, you know, it might not be good enough. I hope it is, though! And so begins the much anticipated cabin weekend!

Pearl Evelin, get your popcorn ready!

Thank you to my reviewers!

Don't own Target, James Blunt, Aerosmith, or references to any of their songs. That's right, we're going old school with Aerosmith, baby! LOL

The days had slowly passed by, and Friday, now known as Cabin Day, came. Will had spent Thursday night packing, along with Kate. Each managed to fit a weekend's worth of items in a backpack, which wasn't that difficult. All they needed were two changes of clothes, some health and beauty products, and, for Kate, a bikini for when (and if) they would go on her uncle's boat. Will had gone shopping at Target for new clothes Wednesday night with Kate, so he had some new things to bring along.

"Bye, Mom," Kate said, pulling her mother into a hug, her backpack slung around her left shoulder. "I'll see you Sunday evening."

Her mom smiled; there was a spark in the same green-colored eyes as Kate's. "Alright. You have fun with Will, now."

Kate's mom had been a lot more approving of the relationship between her and Will than her father was. Kate was grateful that at least she was on her side.

"I will. Send Dad my love, too." she said, before heading out the garage door.

Melissa's car pulled up the driveway. Kate saw that Jack was in the back seat, which confused her until Melissa got out of the drivers seat, then got in the back. Kate and Will put their backpacks in the trunk, then got in the front.

"Alright, first things first," Kate said, opening her CD collection. She put it on the divider between the passenger seat. "Music. James Blunt fine with you guys?"

"Sure," Melissa said, buckling her seatbelt.

Kate backed out of the driveway and couldn't help but smile. "Cabin Day."

"Technically, darlin'," Jack said, "it's Cabin Weekend. Plural. Meaning more than one day. Day would refer to twenty-four hours or less."

"My apologies, then," Kate said. "Cabin Weekend begins now."

"High" stopped playing, then the gentle guitar opening for "You're Beautiful" started playing. Kate felt herself smile when she looked over at Will. She saw that he had that same slightly embarrassed, yet very happy smile on his face.

"Oh my gosh!" Melissa said. "Is this your song?"

"Yeah," Kate said. She could feel her cheeks turning red. "It is."

Jack groaned. "Ye're serious? Love, I can't take this song!" he said to Melissa.

"It's our song, we will listen to it as much as we want." Kate turned it up a little louder just to spite Jack. "It's called 'You're Beautiful'–

"I know what it is!" he said. "Melissa made me listen to it once already, and if I hear it 'gain, I'll find that monkey and I will shoot it!"

"I'm afraid you happen to be in luck. I have the CD." She smiled evilly. "And Will and I both happen to be in the front."

"Melissa, this is unfair! The lass gets t' steer the car, she plays music that sounds like a dyin' dog gaspin' fer air, and Will is in the first mate spot? What's next, Kate's goin' t' tell me 'ow many breaths I take? I refuse t' be controlled by a woman! I will not 'ave this on my ship!"

The car was quiet for several moments until Melissa spoke up. "Jack, um, first of all, this is not your ship. This is my car. And Kate's the only one that knows how to get to the cabin. Will is in the passenger's seat, not the first mate spot. And Will, Kate, and I really like James Blunt, so we're probably going to be listening to it a lot this weekend. You'll listen to it for me, right?"

"I will not be told by a woman what t' do! I am a man, a–"

"Pirate?" Kate asked. "Is that what you were going to say? And what would a pirate such as yourself do if I didn't stop? Pull out a sword and put it against my neck while I'm driving? Threaten to, oh, I don't know, commandeer a car that you have no idea how to work?"

And so began the long, four hour drive to the cabin.

Melissa was getting tired. She could feel her eyes wanting to close as her head rested on Jack's shoulder. An hour ago they had stopped for dinner at a restaurant that served pretty much everything on the go. Melissa and Kate had ordered a chocolate malt each and split some french fries, while Will and Jack both had hamburgers and fries.

Instead of James Blunt, Kate now had on the first CD of Aerosmith's greatest hits. "Mama Kin", an upbeat song, was now playing. She found it surprisingly easy to want to sleep during the song.

Kate lowered down the volume. "Go ahead and take a nap. We won't be there for another two hours."

"Mmm," Melissa said in response. She shut her eyes and listened to the music.

"We'll have a bonfire, too," she said. "I'm sure that my uncle has marshmallows and everything for smores."

"Some more what?" Jack asked. "Can't take 'nother o' those bread 'n' meat things."

"No, Jack. Smores. It has graham crackers, marshmallows, and chocolate and you can make a mini sandwich out of it."

Melissa smiled. It was cute how Jack still hadn't adjusted to twenty-first century life. "I'll help you make one tonight," she said.

Another hour had gone by. The clock in the car said that it was 8:00. It was still light out. Will guessed that since it was summer, there was about an hour left of daylight.

There was nothing in front of them but a long road and trees. A band that Kate called Aerosmith was still playing on the stereo. She seemed to like them very much. And the song that was playing now, "The Other Side", wasn't bad. He preferred the slower songs compared to the faster ones. He noticed that Kate seemed to really like the song saying how a "dude" looked like a lady. He asked what a dude was. Kate had said that it was slang for a man. Regardless, Will's favorite musician thus far was James Blunt. He enjoyed his laid-back style very much. It made him feel very relaxed. But as long as Kate enjoyed this musical group, Will figured that he would grow to like them.

"Are you tired?" Will asked.

Kate shook her head. "Not really. I can't wait until you can drive. Maybe next summer you can drive up here."

Next summer. That meant that they would be together until next year. That was twelve months with Kate and her green eyes and grapefruit-scented skin. Twelve months that he wanted to expand into a lifetime.

"Is Melissa sleeping?" she asked.

He turned around and saw Melissa sleeping on Jack's shoulder. Jack was looking out the window. He looked bored.

"Yes," he said.

Will still held a grudge against Jack, but not because of him kissing Elizabeth. Now he was also destroying Kate's honor. He called her fat when it was clear that she wasn't. Will was not about to let that pirate degrade her anymore!

Kate found his hand and held it while she kept her eyes on the road. He kissed her hand, which made their eyes meet only for a moment. A soft smile remained on those lips that he longed to kiss, along with a twinkle in her eyes as bright as the star that she was.

Nauseating.

Disgustingly romantic.

Chivalrous.

Unexciting.

Those were the words that could describe Kate and Will's little romance. And Will was trying too hard to woo another fair lady and capture said fair lady's heart.

Jack couldn't let Kate fall for Will. Jack wanted her! Maybe he could distract her from dear William for a while.

"I'm bored," Jack said. "How much longer?"

"You can be at sea for months, but you can't stay in a car for a few hours?" Kate asked.

"T' be fair, love," he said, "ya can walk 'round on a ship. I'm confined to a seat 'ere like a naughty child. When do we get there?"

"One more hour," she said. "Just be patient."

"Can't we stop?"

"Um...no."

"Please? I can't feel me shoulder and I want t' stretch!"

"That's why we stopped at that restaurant."

"That was a long time ago."

"Stop complaining."

"Stop talking."

Kate looked in the rearview mirror. "I beg your pardon? You started it!"

"You didn't have to continue it."

"I was answering your questions! I was being polite! Would you prefer that I just ignore you, then?"

"Sometimes, love, yes."

The silence between him and Kate stretched out. He heard her and Will talking and the same music that had been playing for an hour with the same person that sounded like a dying dog. He felt like he was going mad.

"Cap'n Jack needs 'is shoulder, love," he said, gently leaning Melissa's body against the door. His shoulder was a little sore. He wondered when Melissa would wake up.

"How much longer, darlin'?" Jack asked Kate.

Silence.

"I asked a question, Kate," he said, "Only polite that ya answer it."

Another silence.

"Oh, so ya are takin' into account of my preferences. How polite of you. Well, I'd prefer that ya just tell me how much longer. Ya can do that, love, right?"

This is bloody perfect, he thought. She's not speakin' t' me. And I 'ave t' spend a weekend with 'er!

"Darling," Will said, "do you know much longer until we arrive at the cabin?"

So sweet, Jack thought. Don't 'old back on bein' a gentleman, dear William.

Kate turned onto a dirt road. "Why, yes, Will, I do. Fifteen more minutes."

Fifteen more minutes. Nothing but a long, endless road ahead of the four of them.

One lass who acted like a spoiled Governor's daughter/pirate that he remembered.

One boy who was not about to let said lass slip through his fingers (just like the lass that he remembered).

One naive lass who didn't believe in cursing and was as pure as a nun.

One pirate who was tired of not having any adventure.

And they were supposed to spend a weekend together? Yep, just like Melissa promised: it'd be a weekend to remember.