Chapter 3

"William Turner, if you do not get down here this instant I'll have to—"

Elizabeth was interrupted by her son running down the stairs.

"Sorry mama," he said sweetly as he jumped from the bottom step into her arms for a hug.

"Ha-ha, it's okay. Now come along we don't want you to be late for school!" She said sweetly as she handed him his book bag and lunch.

"But Ma—ma!" he said with those puppy dog eyes.

"What?"

"Breakfast!"

Elizabeth knew there wasn't enough time to cook him anything, she looked in the kitchen for something quick and easy for him to eat. "Ah-hah," she said grabbing a green apple and tossing it over to him.

He caught it, "But I—"

"No! Now seriously let's go," she laughed as they went out the door and headed down the hill towards Will's school.

"Do you have your notebook?" She asked as they walked.

"Mmm-hmm," she mumbled as he ate the apple.

"What about you pencils?"

"Mmm-hmm."

"And your homework?"

"Ma—ma!" he said with his mouth full.

"Alright, alright," she laughed, "Here we are, have a good day sweetie," she said hugging him.

"Okay, thank you." He said hugging her back and running into through the gates into the little school.

"Bye Mama!" he said running.

"By—e!" she said waving as she watched him run in the door.

She let out a small sigh and then headed back up the hill. She needed to be at work in twenty minutes and she needed to go to the store first so she ran up the hill and into the small two-story shack she and her son, Will, called home. She got dressed in her work dress as fast as she could, grabbed her purse and ran back out the door and down the hill.

"Elizabeth!" Joey said as Elizabeth ran into the store.

Joey worked at the shop; he was about the same age as Elizabeth. His father owned the shop, and most of the shops on the island.

"Mourning Joey," she said trying to catch her breath.

"You're running late today. Here you go," Joey said handing her the bread.

"How did you—, thank you," she said still out of breathe reaching in her purse for coins.

"No, no, no, it's on us," he said putting is hand out.

"But Joey, I—"

"No buts, just talk it and run to work!" he said laughing.

Elizabeth was about to argue with him until she realized what time it was and took the bread, "Thank you!" she said running out the store door.

"Your welcome," he said breathlessly as she ran out.

"What was that?" Patrisha said coming from the back of the store.

Joey snapped out of the daze he was in and tried to act normal.

"What was what?"

"That," she said justering to where Elizabeth had exited, "Give it up, little bro, she's happily taken," she said walking behind the counter and fixing the displays.

Patrisha was Joey's older sister; she also worked at the store.

"Trish, I have no idea what you're talking about."

"I think you do. I know you like her. You've liked her ever since she moved her nine years ago. I'll never forget the first day she came in here. It was her first day in town and she needed directions. You froze the minute she spoke to you! It was… classic!" Trish laughed.

Joey shook his head and went around the counter with a box full of new items and began putting them on the shelves.

"Joey, seriously, just admit it. I've seen the way you look at her, the way you hang off her every word! Every mourning you wait for her to come in and by bread. And if she's five minutes late you start walking around the store, waiting wondering where she is. Give it up, she could never like someone like you, she's already got that captain guy, whatever his name is and she's has a child!"

"His name is Will, her husband and son. He's at sea a lot because he has no choice."

"Ri—ght, once again you've proven my point!" she joked.

Joey and Elizabeth were good friends; Joey was the one person out of her family who she had trusted with Will's secret. He knew that Will would be returning soon, he also knew that Elizabeth was true to him and that he would be back for good. Eliminating all chances for Joey.

"Trish… she's a good person, if you'd just give her a chance to—"

"What try and be friends with… her? She is a spoiled brat! She thinks that she is all high and mighty just because her father was a governor or whatever forever ago."

"She's not spoiled. In fact we're rich compared to her. She just knows all the right people, she has a lot of good friends who have helped here over the years."

"Oh—h, you mean people like that Jack Sparrow figure and all."

"Captain… Jack Sparrow, he's a good man—"

"If you ask me he's a low life, scumbag pirate, but that's just me. Why don't you go out into the street and say his name loudly? Then, tell me he's a 'good man'"

Joey rolled his eyes and continued working.

The door opened and Jerry entered holding boxes.

"Did I miss it?" he said sitting the boxes on the store counter.

"Yeah, it was good too. She was running late so he gave her the bread on us," she said trying to keep a straight face.

Jerry was Patrisha and Joey's father. He was around fifty or so years old.

"Darn, I guess I'll just have to come earlier tomorrow."

Joey stood up and walked over to get the boxes, "Mourning to you too!" he said sarcastically.

"Oh, Joey! You scared me, I didn't see you there," Jerry said after he jumped a little bit.

"I'll take these," Patrisha said assertively as she took the boxes form Joey, "I'll be out back if you need me," she said heading out.

"She means well," Jerry laughed as he put his hand on his son's shoulder.

"Ha-ha, of course she does," Joey said sarcastically as he turned around and headed back to the box at the shelves and continued putting the things away.

Now Elizabeth's mourning on the hand, had continued to be not so bad after all.

She darted into the restaurant as fast as she could.

"Iz—zy!" Chloe whispered running over to her, "Where have you been? He's mad! At least I think, I don't know but he wants to see you!" she said fastly.

"Oh no, he's going to fire me! I won't let him." Elizabeth whispered back as she headed deeper into the restaurant.

"He better not! You're the only sane person in this restaurant, maybe even this entire island!" Chloe joked.

Chloe worked at the restaurant with Elizabeth, they were best friends and had been best friends since Elizabeth moved to the island nine years before.

"Wish me luck," Elizabeth said as they reached the door. Chloe nodded and Elizabeth went in.

"Mr. Gaverty, I'm so sorry I was late again. I had to get William to school and then stop at the store, but I guess I just lost track of time," Elizabeth said almost pleading.

"Elizabeth, don't worry, that's not why I asked you here today," he said turning around to face her.

"It's not?" Elizabeth asked confused.

"Elizabeth how many times do I have to tell you, call me Mat."

Elizabeth didn't really like calling him Mat so she continued calling him Mr. Gaverty.

"Mr. Gaverty, why did you ask me here?"

"Take a sit Izzy," they both sat down, "Now you know that I have been looking for a new head waitress over the past week since Lorry left. I have been watching over you all and made a decision… I would like you to become our new head waitress," he said with a smirk.

"Mr. Gaverty I—"

"Mat," he said trying to correct her.

"Mr. Gaverty, I can't believe it, thank you!"

"Your welcome, you deserve it. You have worked very hard while here, and for that you should be rewarded."

Elizabeth knew what was coming next, you see Matthew Gaverty owned the restaurant and had had his eye on Elizabeth ever since before she began working there five years before. He was always trying to flatter her with money and jewels and all that. He was a wealthy stubborn man, he felt like if he wanted something he got it, that is all except Elizabeth.

"Mat don't even start," Elizabeth laughed as she stood up.

"There you go, see it wasn't all that hard," he joked.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes laughing as she headed for the door.

"Come on you know you want to. You can't resist it. You're the only woman on this island who wouldn't kill for one minute with me," he laughed.

"And proud of it," she said smiling over her shoulder as she opened the door.

"Izzy just one night, you and me at the—"

"Goodb—ye Mr. Gaverty!" she joked as she walked back into the restaurant and off to work she went.