III
Pleased she didn't have to take the transport from the Space Port to Montressor, Sarah unlocked Delbert's front door. She turned the lantern at the entrance on full power, lighting the marble and wood foyer.
Both Silver and Morph had their mouths open agape as they entered the manor. A grand staircase of marble split the three story room in half directly in front of them. At the same level as the second floor, the staircase split into two platforms, one leading to the left and the other to the right. The third floor was reached by means of two separate sets of stairs leading upward and then connecting into one path to the third floor. Two balconies, one to top of the other, gave sight to the second and third level on the three sides of the room. Connected to the ceiling was a great chandelier that was always lit dimly or brightly if company was expected.
"John, would you like dinner? John. Mr. Silver."
"Huhwah?" muttered Silver, snapping out of it.
Sarah smiled at his foolish behavior. "Would you like dinner?" she asked again.
"Hows about I cook ye dinner and ye sit down an' relax," Silver told her with a tone that told her she had no choice.
"All right," agree Sarah with a deep breath. She motioned him to follow with a gesture of her head.
"I didn' think th' Doc was this noted of an astronomer ta have this much money," admitted Silver, admiring the old world, rich feel of the manor.
"Not many know that he has quite a reputation. He's more known on the larger, more populated planets, but he prefers quiet Montressor to reside. He's published a few books and helped with scientific instruments. You give him a planet and he'll identify where it is and how long it has been alive and when it is predicted to die," said Sarah.
Silver nodded. "I know. His astronomical mind saved our rumps with tha' black hole incident."
"Black hole?" Sarah said quizzically.
Silver waved it off with his mechanical hand. "Jus' a minor danger of space. An' I will admit th' star blew at a good time. Had th' thing blew a moment sooner Jimbo and I woulda been caught out in it in a mere little longboat. Did ye know yer son could maneuver a skiff as well as I and I'm double th' lad's age?"
Sarah smiled. She placed her fingers gently across her lips to keep the smile for her own keeping. "I know. He's so smart. I wish I knew what happened after his father left him. He built his first solar surfer from pieces of scrap when he was eight years old. He can fix any mechanical problem and he's so very good at creating things. Every few months he builds a new solar surfer. He would love to have his own new solar surfer. His father promised him one when he was a child." She shook her head sadly to herself. "At age three he spoke fluent English near perfect and he was reading children's books with ease. He was always a level ahead in school. And then his father left him and he didn't care about much."
"Th' lad didn't like ta speak of his pappy. I mentioned one little thing about his father not teaching him how ta pick his own fight an' he got all moody with me," recalled Silver with a chuckle. He rubbed his head. "Now I kinda understand where th' lad is coming from."
"I just wish I could get him back to who he was a long time ago. But I have a few new ground rules that will help me get back my authority in his life and hopefully set his own life on the right track and give him reason not to go out looking for trouble," Sarah said.
"So," began Silver slowly and discreetly. "How much trouble did th' lad cause?"
"It was never how much trouble he caused; it was how much could he stay out of trouble," Sarah told him. "He was on probation before he left and nearly in juvenile hall again for the second time that year. Every year he finds himself sitting there waiting for me to pick him up. I don't know if he tries to find trouble or if trouble simply finds him."
"I think trouble jus' finds him like two lovers find each other at night," Silver told her with a nod. "Th' lad was always finding himself in trouble. I always had ta bail him outta it."
Sarah sighed heavily as she pushed a door open. She flopped onto the nearest chair, her head in her palm. "What sort of trouble."
"Jus' a few fights here and there between th' lad and th' spider psycho Scroop an' most of th' time Scroop started it. I had tha' lad under my charge th' entire time an' he did whatever it was I told him ta do without much complaining," said Silver. He scratched his head in thought. "Ta be honest witcha, I never expected him ta get all his chores done. He's a good lad. He did wha' I told him ta do."
"He'll listen until he's had enough," Sarah told him.
"No, he completed everything I gave him ta do these past few mont's. I honestly never expected th' lad to complete his chores. I ran th' poor lad ragged an' yet he still completed it all," said Silver, leaning on the kitchen counter.
"He must look up to you then because he only does what he's told when he's trying to impress or make up for something," noted Sarah.
Silver smiled softly. "Th' lad needed a father an' I took him under my charge and taught him a few things an' he taught me a few in return. I know th' lad had a soft spot for me. He saved me life during tha' black hole incident and I know it hurt th' lad when I had ta play against him ta keep him alive and he kept askiin' me if I meant wha' I said about him. An' o' course, I didn't mean a word of it."
"That being?" wondered Sarah, motioning her hand for him to continue speaking.
"Tha' being tha' I was using my soft spot ta cover up our scent of treasure," admitted Silver. "But th' lad has tha' spot in me heart to my entire heart."
"He needs a father," whispered Sarah, drawing designs into the wooden table with her fingernail.
Observing her guilty behavior, Silver tilted his head to the side. He folded his hands behind his back and approached her. "It's not yer fault he left ye know. Some men just aren't fathers."
"I don't know what happened. Everything was fine and then Jim was born and he started to turn away from us. I still think it was Jim being born that tore Leland away," said Silver.
"I can tell ye it wasn't him," Silver told her.
Sarah slammed her palm on the table. "Who the hell are you anyway?" she screamed. "You were the one who brought the pirates onto the ship. How do I know it is my Jim you brought back? How do I know you aren't going to kill Jim and I or use us for ransom. You are a pirate. I've always known to never trust a pirate or associate with one. Associating with a pirate can lead to death. If you are a wanted pirate, I could be killed for having spoken with you. Beware the Cyborg is what I was told. You, sir, are indeed a Cyborg and it was you who ruined my life. You burned down not only my in but my house as well. I have nothing from my husband or son. And if Jim dies, I'll have nothing to remember him by. It'll be your fault if he dies and so help me by everything that's holy I'll kill you with my bare hands. If Jim is becoming part mechanical as Livesey said, you're already a dead man. No one hurts my son but me because I am his mother and being his mother I should have never let him go on that stupid treasure hunt to begin with. I should have just sent him away when his father left. I should have never tried to raise him. He tried running after his father and nearly got himself killed by pneumonia. I let him get this way. It's my fault he's hurt. It's my fault everything he ever did was against me. He was rebelling because he thinks it's my fault his father left. I read his little journal. I admit it: I went snooping in my son's room and I read his journal. Everything is my fault. I ruined his life from the day Leland began sailing for longer journeys. I should have let Jim go with his father when Leland wanted to take him sailing when he was five. If Leland had gotten close to Jim then perhaps he would have taken him with him. Jim's only comfort is when he is in the clouds on his solar surfer and far away from me. Everything is my fault. I understand."
"Feel better?" Silver asked, hardly effected that he was included in her rant.
"No," admitted Sarah. "I'm so scared." Her lip trembled as tears came to her eyes. "I want him in my arms. I don't know what to do with him. I don't what to do with myself anymore. I don't know what to do."
"Well, ye can begin with eating a good hot meal an' then going and getting some shut eye. Jimbo always felt better after he got a good nap," Silver told her. "An' for the record, ye an' Jim are going ta need me."
"What makes you say that?" Sarah snapped.
"'Cause he has yer eye color but looks exactly like his father and I noticed th' situation with his gangrene, blood poisoned arm on Treasure Planet," explained Silver.
Sarah shut her eyes. She felt the tears fall gently down her flustered cheeks. Although she knew it was her Jim, she wouldn't allow herself to believe it until she saw her son tomorrow evening if it was her son. She was a person who had to see it to believe it. Seeing was believing in her eyes. If she could touch it and see it then it was real. Discreetly, she wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, but made it appear that she was pulling loose ends of her hair from her face and tucking them behind her ears.
"Now, have a bowl of my favorite Bonzabeast stew."
Surprised to discover dinner was already prepared, Sarah stared down at the bowl in front of her. With the steam rising into the air and passing into her nostrils, her stomach made a fierce growl. The food smelled decent enough to eat despite its obvious main ingredient and all the pieces of the main ingredient cooked all together.
With a shrug of her shoulders, she grabbed the spoon at her right.
Silver pulled the spoon from her hand and gave her a new one. He closed his mechanical eye while his real eyes gazed sharply at the object. "Morphy, wha' did I say about making yerself as kitchen utensils?"
Two innocent eyes appeared from the scoop of the spoon followed by the shape shifter's pink body. Morph whined as he lowered his eyes. Pouting and having the attitude that someone should feel sorry for him, he melted into a puddle on the table.
Sarah couldn't help the giggled. "Jim would have loved to have a pet like him."
At Jim's name, Morph transformed into the young man whose head nodded rapidly.
"Jimbo does like Morphy an' Morphy took a liking ta th' lad immediately," noted Silver as he joined himself across the table facing Sarah. "I think I may have ta officially give up my little companion ta th' lad when he gets up on his own two feet."
The two ate silently. Rain trickled on the window, which is why they were silent. Both listened to the rain and the thunderstorm in the distance. Soothed by its sounds, relaxation was finally achieved. Also, they were complete and total strangers sharing a meal together. It was quite awkward. Silver couldn't remember the last time he was eating a meal with a woman and Sarah couldn't remember the last time she didn't cook a meal to be eaten.
But Morph, the supposed daily amnesiac, saw something between them. Silver looked on Sarah with a small, gentle smile on his lips as he ate unusually politely with small bites of the spoon. Normally he would heave as much into his mouth as physically possible by means of a spoon and he was hunched over the table to keep the drippings from going anywhere but the bowl. He sat with his back straight against the back of the chair, and Morph's eyes widened when he noticed the napkin in Silver's lap.
Astonished by this face, Morph made himself a miniature with Silver and his head opening revealing a bird who went "cuckoo, cuckoo" as he popped in and out.
Silver involuntarily inhaled part of the stew as he lowered his head to observe his constant companion. While choking on stew and air, he scooped Morph into his palm and kept him hidden under his lap.
Across the table, Sarah giggled and lowered her head.
Inside, Silver felt his heart flutter. He was beginning to relearn love recently and he knew fluttering hearts meant one thing. He wasn't falling for Sarah Hawkins was he? He met the lass barely six hours ago. Love was impossible to grow that quickly. True love at first sight only occurred in fairy tales. She was indeed a princess of a sort and he was no prince. He was probably the evil sorcerer trying to steal all the loot. Princes were handsome, perfectly muscular toned, rode on the backs of horses, saved the damsel in distress, got the girl, and sailed off into the sunset with her.
Sneaking a peek to ensure that Sarah's mind was not on his, Silver glanced up and discreetly turned the spoon over to the round side to use the reflective device as a mirror. Although it was a poor mirror, he saw what he needed to see. He was not handsome at all and if he did have any muscle, it was hiding beneath his ungodly amount of tubby fat. He never rode a horse a day in his life, but he had seen one. Never once had he saved a girl from a dragon or alien monster or got a girl for that matter. He always did dream of sailing off into the sunset with her however. He never gave much thought into women anyhow. There were better, more beneficial matters on his mind like treasure. Women were a waste of time. All women wanted were to marry men to pay the bills and have dozens of children to adore then regret.
Raising his eyes to look at Sarah again, he knew she wasn't like that. She had one son and he was her world. Jim was everything to her and all that she needed. She loved the Benbow Inn, but she adored Jim. There were much better words to describe love than using the word love. Adore, worship, relish, cherish, keep safe, protect, devotion, care, fight, possess affection, marry—
Marry!
Knowing that just came into his head, Silver blinked heavily and looked around the room. Could anyone read his thoughts? Nah, he had nothing to worry about. Sarah Hawkins hardly knew him and after Jim was up wandering around again he would be off building that house with that library of his after he secured a bit more of the treasure to display in his own personal treasure room and to keep for precautionary measures of course.
However, unknown to Silver, Sarah was sneaking glances at him occasionally too. She didn't see that handsome prince. Leland was her handsome prince who she adored and loved when they were in school together. She saw someone who cared for her son better than his own father ever could. Beneath his tattered personal attire and sweat and grim and strange order venting from him there was a man who had a heart as big as his body. He was gracious enough to cook her dinner after all. Men often expect the woman of the house to do the cooking, but he made her dinner. Leland never cooked her dinner once after they married. Or was it because she forbade him from entering a kitchen after he nearly set it ablaze? Yes, it was probably after that incident that she refused to allow him to cook again.
She lowered her head permanently, hiding the small smile. Her son clearly trusted him so there was no reason she shouldn't. She was beginning to believe this man did have her son and save his life, but she wasn't ready to believe her son was as hurt as they were predicting him to be. Looking into a man's eyes gave sight of his soul and the man he was. John Silver had something hidden behind his eye. She saw a dark secret lurking behind it and it was a secret he kept to himself for many, many years until someone, who undoubtedly had to be her son, unlocked it from within. For now, she decided to let it be. After all, she only knew the man for hardly six hours.
"Would you like a room to sleep tonight?" she asked, breaking the silence.
"Ye mean with a bed an' mirror and washbasin an' everything?" Silver exclaimed with such excitement he was clearly meaning to be sarcastic.
"Yes, and," began Sarah. She leaned over the table. "You could use a bath."
Silver nodded his head. "Agreed."
In the morning, Sarah was awoken to the sweet smells of breakfast and the sunshine pouring through the window onto her eyes. Rarely did the sun shine in the morning after a storm the following night. Rarer was it when she awoke with the smell of breakfast in her mind. Normally, she was the one who gave the smells of breakfast to the rest of the world. If Silver was going to continue to cook for her she was going to have to think of a way to keep him with her at all times.
Delighted by increasing sweetness of the smells, she stretched in bed but not too far that she strained her muscles before sitting upright. With a quick flick of her wrist, the blankets were flung from her legs. She hummed to herself as she slid her feet into her slippers. Usually she much cared about her appearance to company, but she much didn't care what she looked like in front of John Silver. She was appropriately clothed and although her hair was a bit messy, she didn't mind it right now. She was fortunate enough to be part of the group of women where the phrase "looks can be deceiving" fall under. When she told people that Jim was her son, they usually looked on her with shock and amazement as she did not look old enough to have a fifteen year old son.
Her inhalation quantities increased as she walked into the kitchen. A pot and pan were on the stove one boiling and the other sizzling. A fresh, half cut loaf of bread was on the table with three jars beside it. Full cups of juice and the pitcher were in front of both chairs.
"Do ye drink coffee or tea?" Silver's voice asked from beside her.
"Tea, thank you," replied Sarah as she turned her head to Silver.
She had every intention of telling him how she took her tea, but John Silver himself captured her mind.
The night before he was tattered and sweaty and unclean in his stained tunic and stockings, old faded coat, hole filled bandana, and filthy red breeches. He must have made a trip into town with his loot because he was now wearing a fine, white tunic and dark blue vest. The blue was such a deep indigo blue that it nearly appeared black in the shadows. He bought himself a fine black leather belt with silver x's trimming around and an ornately etched gold buckle held it together. On his normal foot he wore a black boot and tucked into that were a fine pair of dark, chocolate brown breeches with silver buttons on the outside leg beside his knee. There was no bandana atop his head. It was just his combed brown hair. Although, there was a new gold earring in his ear. He smiled at Sarah.
"Good morning ta ye lass," he greeted.
"John, you cleaned up well," noted Sarah, giving him the full body scan with her eyes. Blushing red, she sheepishly smiled and turned away. "For a pirate I mean."
"I jus' thought I'd go inta town an' get myself a new set of clothes since I plans on staying witcha an' Jimbo for a while. I made a few more clothing purchases for myself an' got th' lad some comfortable clothes he can heal up in. An', since I's already in town, I bought fresh food ta prepare for yer breakfast," said Silver.
"Thank you," Sarah said. She sat herself at the table. "You don't know how much this means to me. I'm so very used to preparing my own meals that I've forgotten what it is to have a meal cooked for me, especially by a man."
"Cooking is wha' I do," said Silver.
"How long have you had a passion for cooking?" wondered Sarah, in the mood for a little small talk.
"Since I's a little lad. My father taught me th' ropes of cooking an' I kinda followed in his footsteps," replied Silver. "Now, how do ye take yer tea ma'am?"
"A dash of cinnamon, a little milk, and two spoonfuls of sugar," said Sarah. "What else are we having to eat?"
"An ol' family recipe. It's simple but it sure tastes as good as any fancy ol' droubloon will give ye. Jimbo liked it. In fact, I taught Jimbo how ta make it. Often caugh' th' lad making himself dinner with it," said Silver as he presented Sarah with her tea.
Sarah smiled at him. "You enjoy being with Jim don't you? I can tell. You always seem to bring him into every conversation we have."
"Well, there hasn't been tha' many conversations between us," chuckled Silver, but he nodded anyway. "Yeah, I enjoy th' lad. He brings back something in me I forgot years ago."
"If it's not too bold to ask," wondered Sarah softly as she brought the tea cup to her lips.
Silver himself looked at his swirling tea liquid. His lips pursed to the left with a sigh escaping his nose. "A reason for living."
Nodding gently, Sarah had nothing to say to that. There was no more that need be said. She knew exactly what he meant. All parents knew exactly what he meant and because she knew what he meant, she also knew John Silver had become a second father to Jim.
Following breakfast, the two went into town to acquire a few things for Jim. They were quite silent, neither speaking unless spoken to by the other or to ask a question. Both carried some device to keep track of the time. Silver kept his pocket watch on his person and Sarah peeked at her little wrist watch. Time was standing as still as the earth itself. The earth did not move unless it was physically moved and the minutes seemed like hours as they checked the time every five minutes. But the afternoon finally came. So far, their purchases included a warm blue wool blanket Silver suggested he might like, a journal Sarah knew he would need, and a warm green robe both decided would be best to give him.
Walking along with the baggage, Silver whistled to himself. He glanced at Sarah who was checking her watch again and he decided it was best to check the time of day as well. His had poked into his pocket and fingers felt about until a cool object was upon them. Discreetly, he pulled the ticking face from his pocket and only his eyes lowered. Twenty past one. He growled as he less than gently set the device in his pocket again.
Morph was completely unaware of what the evening would bring. He was contently floating alongside Silver until something drew his attention. Excited, he flew in front of Silver's face and pointed his little fingers to the left.
"Whatcha seeing Morphy?" asked Silver but turned to the left anyway.
A building was before him. The largest building on the street in fact. Three stories of well constructed wood and windows and inside these windows were books upon books. Silver of course grinned huge. Books. Of course. He knew what would make Jim feel better. A book made anyone feel better and one book in particular would bring a smile on Jim's face. He turned on his heels and entered the book store.
The store was put together on the outside but the inside needed a little work. Books were properly in shelves with their spines facing toward the public mostly facing the right way. A few were upside down and some had their pages turned toward the general public. Mixed between those were books stacked flat, both with spines out and pages out.
His smile turned into a frown. Looking for something in particular as he was doing was meant to be simple not a task and it appeared as though it was going to become a task.
"Treasure Planet. Treasure Planet."
"Huh," noted Silver as he turned to the source of the high pitched sound.
Morph was sitting on top of a book in the window, admiring its gold leafed pages.
The frown became a wide grin once again. If Morph was correct in what he saw then the little diversion from the walk would be worth the wait and Morph was correct in what he was seeing. Sitting in the front window was a book bound in black leather and gold leafing on the end of each page. Silver gently took a firm grasp on the book itself. The front cover contained a golden image of the planet and the words Treasure Planet: The Complete and Unabridged Tale of Captain Nathaniel Flint and the Loot of a Thousand Worlds.
"Excellent Morphy!" cried Silver, delighted and with a tooth grin on his face.
"You'll want to get this for him too," Sarah said. Silver and Morph turned to inquire. "It's the picture story book Leland bought for him when he was two years old before he left for a half year mission. I often caught Jim hiding under his blankets listening to the story over and over again."
"Ye know, Jimbo had tha' book on th' ship with him. I caught th' lad on more th'n one occasion sitting up during his night watch listening ta the story in a dark corner. Although I asked him, he never confirmed tha' it was in his possession or tha' he was even awares it existed," noted Silver.
"That does us no good since you two were the only things that returned from that ship," said Sarah with a tone of obviousness and a bit of irritation.
"Yer forgetting something," whispered Silver as he leaned down to her height.
"And the treasure," said Sarah, more irritated.
"Ye don't seem too happy right now," noted Silver.
"Why would I be happy?" wondered Sarah as she threw her hands in the air and her balled fists landing perfectly on her hips. "I have another five and a half hours before I can see my son and I don't even know if it is my son."
"Trus' me lass. It's Jimbo," Silver told her before stepping forward to make his purchase.
Frustration being at the pinnacle of her mighty mountain of emotions, she made a great huff as she stormed from the book shop. She made it quite clear to the remaining general public carrying about in their daily activities that she was frustrated by folding her arms and firmly seating herself on a bench overlooking the gorge below them not to mention she pushed and shoved a path through them all. This John Silver was beginning to irritate her further. He made himself seem that he was Jim's father and he knew everything there was to know about Jim. Every time he spoke, he mentioned Jim and seemed to speak as though he knew everything there was to know in the world. Who did he exactly think he was?
"Who do ye think ye are?" Silver's voice asked. "Why, ever since we met all ye have done is storm around acting all high and mighty like ye run the universe."
"Me!" cried Sarah, stomping to her feet. She poked Sliver in the belly. "Me? I'm not the one walking around like I know everything? You are the one who thinks he knows everything about Jim. Don't get me started about your speaking manor. Every time you speak, you act like you know everything the universe has to offer."
"Tha's because I do," Silver told her. "If ye traveled now an' then ye would know wha' I mean."
Sarah cupped her palms against her chest and spoke with there of lack of sincerity. "Oh, I am so sorry. My mistake." Her false façade became anger as she threw her arms in the air. "We can't all run on a ship whenever we want. Some of us in the world have responsibilities. You know, you are exactly like Leland. The moment responsibility becomes a burden he ran. I bet every time the police had you on their trail you ran for it like a coward. Are you pleased that you are a coward? Is that it? Are you happy?"
"No I am not happy. I admit it all right? Aye, I ran when they came after me with them chains an' bars. Wouldn't ye run?" admitted Silver, firmly placing his hands on his hips and a certain eye of his beginning to become a shade of orange.
"Are you happy what you have chosen? Are you happy to be a criminal? Do you enjoy being a pirate?" asked Sarah.
"Now see here. I never chose to become a pirate."
"Really, then what made you become a pirate? As a child, you could have chosen to become anything. How did you end up a pirate?"
"Do ye know wha' it is like ta have ta steal ta survive?"
"No I don't because I chose a life. You probably chose piracy just to go after Treasure Planet. How is it that you were searching for Treasure Planet and you ended up on the same ship that Jim was? You must have known that Jim was taking that ship. I know you know Jim had the map because it was you who was there. You were the Cyborg Bones warned us about and he was right to warn us about you. All you have done is cause trouble for this family."
"Now see here. I got yer son safe an'—"
"Yes, after you nearly killed him."
"Tha' wasn't my doing. I kept them off th' lad."
"But it was you who led them. If you cared about Jim as much as you say you did then why didn't you tell the captain or Delbert that that spider was after him? Why didn't you throw him over before he could hurt Jim again? Hm?"
"If I did then they would have gutted us both. I told this ta Jimbo an' he agreed with me."
"Really? Tell me, what did you feel when you saw my son hurt?"
"I don't know Sarah 'cause I don't remember feeling like this."
"And what do you feel Mr. Silver? Tell me, what would have happened if Jim died by your account?"
"Well, th' lad's not going ta die. He's going ta be just fine after we get him patched up an' on his own two feet again."
"There you go again. You're talking like you know the universe and Jim is your son. Guess what? He's not your son."
"Well, who was it tha' just let him go off in search of treasure? Ye could have sold th' map for money ta rebuild tha' inn of yers but ye let yer son go wandering th' galaxy with someone who spent all of his precious time with the captain. Tha' Doc of yours wasn't aware of Jim like he wasn't aware of wha' was happening across th' galaxy. Ye should have had th' lad stay home. Juvenile Hall or not th' lad would have been better off here with you."
"He wanted a chance to—"
"Ta wha'? Make ye proud? Let me tell ye something Mrs. Sarah Hawkins. Before Jim completely lost his mind he wanted me ta tell ye something. He told me ta tell ye tha' if he didn't make it outta there alive tha' he was sorry for letting ye down an' breaking his promise tha' ye wouldn't lose him. His last clear thoughts were of his mother an' here ye are sitting here arguing with someone who does know yer son better than ye do yerself an' tha' is why ye are fighting me. Ye know I opened up th' lad's eyes an' made him see th' worl' an' his place in it."
Sarah said nothing. She had no comment to say. Her eyes revealed that there was no comment in her. They did not look at the Cyborg; they stared into the vast abyss of the gorge in front of her. "You know, I just wanted him to have a future and I thought a few months in space would be the remedy he needed. I let him go because I thought it was right to let him try to change himself. He told me that he wouldn't let me down. I thought he was ready to change and grow up and assume responsibility. I tried everything to try and change him and I thought getting him away from me was going to be the cure for it. I thought giving him up for a while—how could I have thought that?"
"'Cause being a single parent isn't easy."
"How would you know?"
Silver heaved a great sigh as he sat himself on the bench. He leaned his arms on his knees and pressed his palms together. "My mother carried me for nine months and fed me for another six. Th' moment I didn't need her ta feed, she was gone th' very next morning. My father was suddenly my parents. He was both my father and mother. At six months old, I was abandoned by my mother. She didn't wan' me. My father raised me ta be a good a man as any ye see behind us. Th' only problem we had was tha' he was a pirate an' he had ta pirate to pay for our meals. He died when I was twelve years old. I've been on my own since I was twelve years old. Tha's twenty six years I've been on my own."
"I thought you were much older than thirty eight," said Sarah softly.
"Th' years have been rough an' bumpy," said Silver.
"Let me guess, you took Jim under your charge because he reminds you of you when you were his age?" assumed Sarah.
"No," replied Silver. "I took th' lad under my charge 'cause I saw something in him. Th' moment I spoke with him I saw something in him. I saw there was something great about him. He does have greatness in him. He's going ta rattle th' stars. Th' only thing he needs is th' opportunity."
"I don't know how to give that to him," said Sarah.
"Give him opportunities an' trust him. Trusting him is th' greatest opportunity he'll find," said Silver.
Sarah nodded as she got back on her feet. She sniffled and wiped the back of her hand across her sleeve. "We should keep going."
"An' wha' else do ye propose he needs? He doesn't need anything any man can buy off the street. He'll need his mother," Silver told her.
"And how do you know?" wondered Sarah.
"'Cause all I ever wanted was my own father," replied Silver.
"I just want him so badly," admitted Sarah, succumbing to her tears and collapsing on the bench again.
Silver watched the crystal-like drops fall to the earth from her hidden face in her palm. He set his hand on her shoulder. "Let's go back to th' Doc's house. There is nothing we can do but wait."
And so, the two companions returned to Delbert Doppler's little manor and did nothing but wait. They waited for the seconds to pass into minutes and the minutes to pass into hours and the hours to pass until five of them had gone by. It was the game of waiting and they were playing the game in separate rooms. While Silver played the game in the parlor in front of the nice fire talking to Morph, Sarah sat in the astronomical tower sobbing carelessly into the armchair.
And so they waited…
And waited…
And waited…
And then two o'clock came.
The minutes passed on…
And on…
And on…
And on…
Three bells in the distance.
Tick tock…
Tick tock…
Tick tock…
Tick…
Tock…
Four o'clock was upon them and only two more hours left.
Quarter past four…
Half past four…
Quarter to five…
Five o'clock and Silver thought it best to tell Sarah that they should be leaving about then.
And so they got into the longboat…
And sailed back to the Space Port…
And docked then gave the dockmaster his coin…
And walked to the hospital…
And were welcomed by Tom…
And were shown into Livesey's office…
And as six o'clock that evening chimed on the clock in Livesey's office, the two still had nothing to say. There was nothing to say. Not much was on their minds either. They sat there silently and blankly staring off into the distance. Sarah was sitting by the window looking at the crowds of people passing. Silver was sitting at the table, drumming his fingers on the table with a clicking sound. Livesey did say come back the next day and there they were sitting the next day. It was about twenty four hours after he told them to come back. Silver knew it would take a little time to get Jimbo all patched up, but Sarah sat in her window seat finding breathing quite difficult to come by.
Emptiness filled them with emptiness, as emptiness was nothing. Nothing was what they thought and felt. They felt like nothing without Jim there. How odd it was that two people shared a common feeling. Sarah had every right to feel nothing and empty without her son. He was her son. Silver did have some right to feel empty but not as empty as he did. With all the treasure waiting for him on Montressor he felt empty and lonely and poor. One fifteen year old boy was becoming his world and changing him as a person altogether.
"How are you two?" came a soft voice, a voice so soft it was clearly intended to not frighten them.
Sarah whipped her head around and looked into the violet eyes of David Livesey. She had a natural talent for reading a man by looking into his eyes, but she saw nothing in the young man's eyes but that of someone who finished the task given to him and that task was finished not according to plan. Something went astray with her son because the moment she looked into Livesey's eyes, he turned from her and lowered his head.
"Forget us!" cried Silver, moving forward slowly. "How's Jimbo?"
Livesey avoided the question. He rubbed his fingernails on an itch beneath his near black ponytail. "Well, I can tell you he's not going to be out of here in the three weeks I told you he might be, but I did tell you if all did go according to plan and unfortunately something didn't go according to plan. Many things took him astray. First of all, I was not able to cover the metal in his head; the skin was too damaged and he would look worse with pulled skin pieces over metal. His arm is going to take some time to grow into his body and come together as one, but don't worry, that is typical. Mr. Silver I'm sure can tell you that." He watched Silver give a few nods of agreement to Sarah before continuing. "The poisoning his blood was not as new as I would have hoped it to be, but the gangrene is no more so you should be very pleased about that. A jump into the gorge is that he is needed another medicine because of the poisoning."
As he spoke, his eye contact with them vanished and he was pausing more and more. During those pauses he gave expressions to the words "well" and "so" and "unfortunately" and the simple "I don't know how to tell you this". His voice became softer and deeper.
"That's not the worst of it is it?" assumed Sarah.
"No," replied Livesey softly. "I don't know how to tell you this."
"Then show us," Silver told him obviously.
"There is some explaining to do," said Livesey quickly.
"Then get on with it man," Silver told him, impatient and his heart thundering through his blood.
"I have him in a deep, two week coma," sighed Livesey. "If he wasn't, he would die. It's not because of what I had to do to him, it's because his body is not strong enough to fight back. He is starved and dehydrated and his weight is incredibly low for what he should be. I am giving him a very low dose of his medicines. His body cannot handle the full amount and because his body is not as it should be, I had to make a choice between placing him in a coma or having him endure an unnatural amount of pain. Giving him what he should have with medicine at his body weight and strength would kill him."
"That's not so bad," Sarah whispered, almost to convince herself. Her fingers were once again imprinting the shape of the locket into her palm.
Silver noticed something else. "Tha's not all."
"No," said Livesey, shaking his head. "Unfortunately, the better for him is the worse for those who are to sit with him. Not only do they have to sit by him and wait for two weeks, but also he has to consume food and medicine and he has to breathe at the same time. He has one tube leading to his stomach and another to his lungs. The material is rather soft and comfortable. It is smooth so there will be no damage internally and it will benefit him in the long run. A few hours before he is to wake I will pull them out so he will have no knowledge or feeling of ever having a tube down his throat or his nose. I am afraid to say this is the only way to keep him alive."
"I just want to be with him. I just want to hold his hand and tell him that I'm here," Sarah told them.
With a nod, Livesey opened his office door. He motioned them to follow.
Sarah immediately left the room and followed him. The scenery around her changed, but she was only aware of the man in front of her. Wherever that man went, she followed. If he went to the right, she did too. If he climbed stairs, she did too. If he stopped and stood in front of a door, she did not move but stared at that door.
"I will allow you two to have the room. If you need me you will know where I am and I will return in an hour to give him medicine," said Livesey softly and with a soft smile on his face.
He left with a reassuring hand on Sarah's shoulder and a half smile to Silver.
The young woman, Cyborg, and protoplasm all stared at the door made of rich oak and a sliver door knob.
Sarah's trembling fingers reached for the knob, but pulled away and curled into her palm. She was beginning to realize it was her son beyond the door. All this talk of Jimbo and young lad and your son was beginning to convince her. Perhaps it was her son who had his arm removed and replaced with silver and plate put in his head and tubes shoved into his body to keep him alive and drugged into a coma—she was beginning to realize it was her son. Believing was never seeing before and she did not believe it yet.
Preparing herself for the worst, she shut her eyes and pressed her forehead against the door. Slightly, she moved her ear against the door hoping to hear laughter or talking or something of her son. Whining and grumbling at his horrible life would have been appreciated and welcomed. Nothing. There was no sound beyond the door. It had to be her son, but he was never so quiet like this.
"Th' longer ye wait th' worse it's going ta be."
"I know. Seeing is believing isn't it?" wondered Sarah.
"Not always," replied Silver.
Sarah looked at him. "It is to me."
She reached out and firmly pressed her finger pads on the opposite side of the handle. Head held high and back straight with the dignity she always posed, the handle was turned and the door pushed open.
He was lying on his back beneath a white blanket covering him to his waist. Both arms were above the blanket, one of fleshy peach and the other, gently atop a pillow causing it to run parallel to his body, gleaming with the last rays of the setting sun. The blanket was snuggly tucked around his legs, showing every little bump of his thighs, knees, and feet pressed together then falling into the flat of the mattress that was much larger than needed for him. White bandages wrapped around his chest and came over his left shoulder, under his armpit, and wrapping parallel to his chest on his arm. His head was above a pillow that had to have been made from a cloud. The pillow cradled his fragile head and puffed up around him. White wrapped around his whole forehead and up near the crown of his skull. Cloth came angled down at the bridge of his nose over his left eye and cheek and ear and the left side of his head then came back up to the single, horrendous amount. A small hollow, semi-translucent cylinder was nearly parallel to the surrounding right nostril. The material was pushed out a hair enough. Another hollow, semi-translucent cylinder measuring about a third of a little finger caused his lips to form a perfect O around it and this cylinder was raised half an inch above his lips.
The white face lay still and unmoving. His closed eyes were dead to the world, their lids keeping a tight, deep shut. Pallid, cracking dry lips were slightly caked with hardened blood. Dark red, plum rings that looked of bruises circled his eyes. Blue and plum colored bruises wound around his neck. His skin was colorless against the white bandages and blankets. He wore no tunic. Beneath the wrapped chest, his lungs slowly inhaled and exhaled deeply and softly, hardly noticeable to the eye. The only movement was that of his lungs rising and falling as he breathed and faint, hopeful pulsed beneath her motherly finger pads.
Sarah Hawkins' soft lips, and tears with their great drops, left a mark on his Jim's cheek.
He was her son. This was Jim. This was her son.
Unable to understand and only seeing Jim, Morph squealed with delight as he flew in great circles to Jim's cheek where his little arms nuzzled his body against the flesh. When Jim did not reach his hand to cradle him, Morph floated away and tucked himself together. His big eyes looked on with wonder until they turned to Silver.
John Silver stood behind the open window looking out across the hustle and bustle and to the setting of the sun behind Montressor. His eyes did not blink, nor did they turn away. Behind him was the sound of soft sobbing attempting to be concealed. Not having the heart to stand there and do nothing, he turned away and sat himself beside Sarah. A warm hand rubbed up and down her back.
To his great surprise, the young mother turned her face into his chest. One of her arms cradled against her body, but the other kept the promising, squeezing clasp of "I'm here sweetheart" on her son's hand. He wrapped his fleshy arm around her, keeping the other far away.
Morph's lower lip trembled as he looked between Sarah, Silver, and Jim before understanding that Jim wasn't going to wake up soon. He rushed his face into Silver's neck and hid himself away.
Silver shut his eyes allowing himself to join Sarah's grief.