I apologize for the mass confusion as I had to delete and reload the previous chapter 3 times just to get it right. For whatever reason, decided to sting the goddesses thoughts into one word … which makes no sense, of course. It should be fixed now …
Anyway, on with more Captain Jack Sparrow!
Daughter of the Dutchman: Meetings
Jack Sparrow was an impertinent, self absorbed tick in my eyes.
Mother disagreed.
She dought dat she loved 'im. Calypso could help but add.
I ignored her, listening to the ticks stories like a good hostess should. It did not mean that I liked them.
"And Blackbeard died." Jack shrugged. "Syrena and Philip escaped to some place unknown, and my dear Angelica sailed off in her father's ship. I haven't seen her since."
Mother put her head in her hands and sighed. "Congratulations. My adventures are not in the least interesting, but probably just as hard."
I straightened, cleared my throat self-consciously, and put a bowl of fruit on the table. Maybe I slammed it, I don't know. I can't remember. I was out the door in record time.
But I did not go down to the beach, where I knew Mother would think I was.
I started on the road to town.
It had been four years since I saw my father. My life had changed so much since then. I had a goddess that couldn't stay quiet, a married brother with a newborn child, a sister-in-law that didn't like me, and my father's heart was not where it was supposed to be.
What was wrong with the world?
I went to Jacks house, near the market. I hadn't seen them since the child was born. A healthy boy.
George.
From all accounts, he was a beautiful baby, with thick brown hair and light brown eyes. But I didn't know. I hadn't seen him since he was born. Angelica wouldn't let me.
I didn't understand why.
I knocked on the door to their new house, ignoring the stares from across the street. Angelica answered, George on her hip.
"What are you doing here?" She asked, not unkindly.
"Is Jack here?" I answered with a question.
"Jack!" Angelica called, sneering down her nose at me. "You're sister's here."
"Coming!" came Jack's voice from inside. A minute later, he appeared in the doorway, a smile on his face and his arm around his wife. They had been married for four years now. I sighed internally. They still acted like newly weds.
"Can I talk to you, Jack? Alone?" I murmured.
"Sure." Jack kissed Angelica quickly and followed me.
I went to the edge of town silently. Encroaching woods shadowed us from the mid-day sun. I breathed deeply, closing my eyes. The shade felt as cool as sea spay, but less wet.
"Why does she hate me, Jack?" I whispered, not facing him.
"She just doesn't understand you. You're different then most girls your age," he answered quietly.
"Right. Because most girls spend their afternoons gossiping with each other and flirting with boys they can never marry without their parents permission instead of using their minds and figuring out how to keep their mothers out of their heads!" I was yelling at the end, annoyed. It felt good to get that off my chest.
For a fourteen year old, I was stressing way to much. Calypso said I would go prematurely grey if I kept this up.
"Mother isn't respecting you?" Jack asked, frowning.
"Yes!" I smiled. "Finally, someone understands! And she tells me that I shouldn't talk about Father because she doesn't want to talk about it and then she starts crying if I do. I don't think she'll ever let me get married, for fear of me LEAVING! She doesn't understand that I'm a growing woman and that I have my own mind. That no matter what she does, I'm different then her and I have very different priorities!"
Jack was silent for a long time. "It that all you wanted to tell me? Otherwise, I'm gone." He turned to leave.
"No Jack!" I grabbed his arm, tugging him back. "There's someone at Mother's house you might want to meet." I said breathlessly.
"Who?"
"A man who you admire greatly. You make everybody call you by his name now, because you admire him more then the man I call my father." I wink, pleased with my crypticness.
"Jack Sparrow." Jack breathed.
"Captain." I automatically corrected him, four years of him being a central part of my dreams catching up with me.
I could see he was sorely tempted. His face was often an open book, especially when there was something that he wanted. But he shook his head.
"I can't Calypso. I want to, but I can't. I'm already late to work at the blacksmith's."
I nodded. "Come when you can. Mother wants to see you."
He hugged me goodbye.
I realized that my head fit under his chin - I was getting tall. I had always been tall, but recently I had sprouted up faster then the weeds in my garden. I was gangly and awkward in my own skin. All knees and elbows, it seemed. And I was still skinnier than a rowboat's oars.
It was annoying.
"I'll see you later, I guess," he nodded, then left they way we came. I stared after him, realizing something.
Jack and I had been really close before he married Angelica. Now, she had taken him from me.
I could no longer trust him. I didn't want to see him as often as I should. Angelica scared me too much to stay in town for anymore then I had to.
I began walking slowly home, not noticing the boy that sat on the fence of a neighboring farm.
That boy would change my life; throw all my pervious assumptions to the wind. He would teach me that ones heart needed as much care as the mind and body.
He would teach me how to love.
His name was Michael.