"Not All Treasure is Silver and Gold"
Chapter 16
Jack led her to the house and she complained the whole way. Jack wouldn't tell her where they were going; he figured he didn't have to because it was a short walk.
"Dani, shut up!" he hissed as they walked through the dark streets. She was cursing up a storm, not caring who heard her do it.
When they reached the front door and Jack let her into the home, she was utterly confused.
"Jack, what are we doing here, Jack? I can't run. I'm too fat."
"You don't have to run. You can calmly walk into my arms and thank me for this wonderful home," Jack said, spinning in his drunken way.
"Home? Our home? Our home is that ship out in the water. Not some house on land," she said back to him.
"This is our home until the baby is born and that is my final word, Danielle Marie Sparrow," he said harshly.
Her face contorted into a mixture of amusement and anger. She didn't know if she would like to laugh or cry at his words.
"I do not want to live on land," Dani said.
"I don't want to live on land either, but it's the safest thing for you right now. I don't want to take any chances," Jack said. "This time," he added quickly.
Dani tried to turn around and run, but Will seemed to be standing right behind her, blocking her path.
She pulled her pistol out and tried to aim, but she was shaking too much.
"Move, Turner," she ordered.
He didn't move a muscle. Will knew that she would never shoot him and leave his two kids father-less. Dani was kinder than that.
"I said, move," she said again, firing in the air.
"Calm down, Dani. Just look around first. And if you don't like it, I suppose we could still live on the ship, but…I'd rather we stay here, for now," Jack said quietly.
She put away her pistol, silenced by Jack's calm words. He was asking her to stay here, but always emphasizing that it wouldn't be permanent. Perhaps she could do Jack this one favor.
Dani allowed herself to be shown the house. And she had to admit: it was beautiful. And the best part of the house was the master bedroom.
It was decorated to look exactly like their quarters on The Adventurer. Everything was perfect and it caused Dani to break down in tears the second she saw it.
Both Will and Jack didn't know how to react. Women and tears were their favorite and least favorite things.
Dani and Jack officially moved in the next day. The crew went and made their homes in boarding houses around the city with their orders to check in every couple of weeks.
And the day after that, Elizabeth wandered over with the twins and some flowers as a peace offering. And awkward was the tone of the meeting.
"So…" Elizabeth sighed as she looked at the woman across the table from her.
"So…" Dani sighed back.
"What's new?" Elizabeth asked, struggling to make conversation.
"Not much. The house, I suppose. 'Course, I don't actually know. Was this always here?" Dani asked.
"No, it was built for you and Jack," Elizabeth answered back. She was jealous and Will hadn't heard the end of it.
He had never done anything like that for her. But Elizabeth knew he couldn't afford it, nor did they actually need it. They had a home that was nice and safe and Elizabeth liked it that way.
"You're looking well," Elizabeth commented
"Thank you," Dani said. "You're looking…okay…yourself," Dani said, struggling for words.
"I suppose I'm sorry," Elizabeth said, not making eye contact with Dani.
"You suppose? Do you even know what you're apologizing for, or did Will and Jack say, 'Go over there and say you're sorry so we can all be fine and dandy again?'"
"I…uh…"Elizabeth stuttered.
"That's what I thought. So let me tell you why they wanted you to apologize. They wanted you to say you were sorry because you are a miserable human being who apparently needs to inflict her shortcomings on everyone else. You were worried about your own children growing up around Jack, so you deliberately started an argument so we would leave. I know and I was happier out on the ocean than I would have been stuck in your presence at your mansion. You were worried about your abilities as a mother so you start to criticize Jack's and my ability as parents. Well, let me tell you, Elizabeth Swann, you don't need to worry. Jack and I will be fantastic parents and we'll be leaving as soon as the child is born so we'll be out of your hair," Dani said to her.
Elizabeth looked at her with pure horror. She was completely pale and was starting to shake.
"I am concerned about my abilities as a parent. I worry about it everyday and I will worry about it until I die. I have to or else I have nothing else to do. The only thing I have to do is to watch the children. Or feed the children. Or change the children. It's all about the children."
"Yes, Lizzie, once you have kids, you have to worry about them," Dani hissed.
"I am only concerned about your situation because I know all of that will happen. And I didn't want you to be stuck on a ship in the middle of the sea with nothing to do but look after a baby. Jack won't be any help, I can almost guarantee it, and especially once he starts looking for the Fountain of Youth again. You know how he gets to be obsessed with things."
"Elizabeth Swann, I am tired of listening to you talk about my husband that way and am very tired and would like you to go," Dani said, tears forming in the corners of her eyes. Why did her emotions have to betray her like this?
"Just think about what I said," Elizabeth said to her while gathering the children.
"We'll see," Dani said.
Elizabeth took the children home and left Dani to sit in her dining room alone.
A/N: Things are still strained with Dani and Elizabeth. I don't like Elizabeth all that much. Please let me know how I did on this chapter. Thanks.