The second full day of their vacation dawned bright and sunny without a cloud in the sky. It was a gorgeous day, and Emma found herself looking forward to their planned excursion in Savannah. She donned a breezy, sleeveless, white sundress sprinkled with yellow sunflowers and her favorite pair of comfortable strappy white sandals.
While normally one to simply toss clothing options into her suitcase, she'd needed to put a little more effort into packing on this trip with all their scheduled adventures, and today's outfit was no exception. They planned to spend a fair amount of time walking around Savannah today, and then she and Ruby had organized a bachelorette party for tonight. Given the itinerary, she'd needed an outfit casual enough for a stroll through the city and yet dressy enough for a night out with the girls."You look tantalizing enough to tempt a man to stay home and have his wicked way with you, Swan," Killian said, coming up behind her in the living room, wrapping his arms around her middle and nosing at her hair, before placing a not-quite-chaste kiss at the base of her neck.
She shivered in response. When he used that tone of voice, all low and gravelly and full of sin, she nearly forgot her own name.
"What, and miss out on Savannah?" she asked, her voice far from steady.
"I've no doubt Savannah has many charms, Love," he said, still peppering her with kisses, "but she couldn't possibly hold a candle to you."
"Oi! Get a room you two!" Will said, opening the cottage door and breezing in.
"They already have one," Regina said with an eye roll as she came into the room where they were all gathered, "and if we have to wait for them to make use of it, we'll never get to Savannah, and I, for one, am looking forward to touring the cemetery."
"That's not creepy at all," Emma said under her breath.
"It's actually not creepy at all!" Belle said, standing close enough to her friend that she heard exactly what was said. "The cemeteries there are so old, there's so much history! It's fascinating."
"I'm interested in taking a stroll along the river, getting a gander at the establishments and riverboats," Liam said.
"I'd like to walk through the squares under the shade of all of those big, beautiful live oaks," Mary Margaret said. "I wonder why they're called live oaks?"
"It's because they are semi-deciduous," Graham said. "They never lose all of their leaves. There's also a bit about the Spanish moss that clings to them–which is neither Spanish, nor moss, by the way. It got its name because…"
"Let's save the botany lectures for the road," Regina said dismissively. "It's an hour and a half drive, and if we wait for everyone to share all their collective knowledge, we'll never get there."
"Regina, did you just call us smart?" Will asked.
"You're the exception that proves the rule," she snarked.
With only one day to spend in Savannah, they knew they couldn't possibly see everything they hoped to see, and so they planned on splitting up - Emma, Killian, Elsa and Liam taking the riverwalk, Regina, Robin, Roland, Belle and Will touring Bonaventure Cemetery, and Graham, Ruby, Mary Margaret and David strolling through the various squares and touring the shopping district.
With their plans made, they headed to their respective cars for the drive north.
Two hours later, Emma and Killian walked hand in hand down the sidewalk overlooking the river. It was a beautiful day, quite mild for Savannah in July and with a refreshing light breeze.
"So, you're having dinner at The Melting Pot, right?" Killian asked.
Emma nodded. "Then Ruby found something for dessert that she's refused to tell even me."
"Any idea what it might be?" he asked.
"Nope," Emma chuckled. "Knowing Ruby, it'll be as risqué as she can possibly get by with and still remain within Mary Margaret's requirements."
"Was Ruby particularly disappointed with her stipulation against strippers?" he asked with a grin.
Emma laughed. "Actually, it was the opposite. She just shrugged and said it's no big deal. She'll have Graham give her a strip tease when she gets home."
Killian laughed. "And I'd assume the man in question went quite vermillion at that?"
"Naturally."
"Killian, look at that," Liam said, gesturing to the row of shops and restaurants across the street. "Who in their right mind would choose to name their establishment The Broken Keel?"
Killian shook his head derisively, "Bloody fools, that's who."
"So, I take it you aren't interested in going there for lunch?" Elsa asked slyly.
"No!" both men shouted emphatically, causing the women to go off into peals of laughter.
The foursome continued their walk, enjoying the company and the sights of the historic district, the men particularly interested in the majestic river boats docked and awaiting passengers, and the women more interested in the shops and sculptures.
Emma had been fascinated listening to an old man with a long, white beard play his saxophone as he sat on a bench near the river. From the alleyway behind came the sound of a man singing, clapping, and tapping his feet. The city was so vibrant and alive and full of joie de vivre.
She turned around to comment about it to Killian, but her boyfriend was nowhere to be found.
"Looks like we lost your brother," she commented to Liam. "Let's hope he didn't fall in the river."
Liam laughed and then gave her a look she couldn't interpret. "I believe he headed toward the riverboats to make some inquiries."
"Inquiries about what?" she asked.
Liam merely shrugged and then determinedly changed the subject.
Suspicious. Very suspicious.
But then Killian was rejoining their group and they were off again, and Emma put the strange incident from her mind.
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As the day settled into evening, the men and women met up again to head to their respective bachelor and bachelorette parties. While the men had reservations for a dinner at the historic Pirate's House, Ruby announced the locations of the bachelorette party with a mischievous look in her eye.
"First, Emma made dinner reservations for us at The Melting Pot. But no dessert," she continued, shaking her finger at them all as they ooo-ed and ahhh-ed over Emma's choice. "I found somewhere else for that. It's this amazing place called Better Than Sex - A Dessert Restaurant. Who doesn't like their cake with a spicy dose of innuendo?"
Mary Margaret groaned…although if the dessert was as good as all that, she wouldn't complain about their plans for the night. After taking a few moments to say goodbye to their men, the ladies made their way to The Melting Pot.
After their delicious and rather entertaining meal, they walked down the street to the dessert bar. Ruby had reserved a table for a private party, and as soon as the ladies arrived, their friendly, smiling waiter led them up to a room with red walls, plush carpeting, opulent chandeliers and gauzy white curtains covering the windows and ceiling. The room was dimly lit by flickering candles that lined a long banquet table, the chandeliers being more for ambiance than illumination. The smooth jazz music issuing from the sound system completed the atmosphere, and Mary Margaret rather felt as though they were having dessert in a very fancy boudoir.
"Are you ladies celebrating anything in particular tonight?" the server asked, glancing around the group.
"It's her bachelorette party!" Ruby announced, pointing one exquisitely manicured finger in Mary Margaret's direction. "She's gonna tie the knot the day after tomorrow!"
"Congratulations!" the server beamed, "and might I say, you've come to the right place. I'm not just saying this; these desserts are to die for. I'll give you a chance to look over the menu."
"Order anything you want," Belle said to Mary Margaret, as soon as the waiter withdrew. "It's on us; we're all pitching in."
Mary Margaret took a sip of the water sitting before her place setting just as she began to peruse the selections, and she almost spit out the sip she'd taken.
"Oh my! These dessert names are…quite something," Elsa said with a little chuckle.
"That's one way to put it," Mary Margaret agreed with a smile and a shake of her head. The selections on offer had spicy names such as "Pound Town", "Berry Bondage", "Naughty by Nature", "Man Flowers" and "Peanut Butter Perversion." The descriptions themselves were so steamy they wouldn't have been out of place on the pages of one of those bodice ripper novels with a half-naked Adonis on the cover.
After some deliberation, she decided to go with the titillatingly-named Hot Sex in Savannah. "Your wildest fantasies have come true!" the menu read. "Georgia peaches have gotten frisky with a little bourbon, pecans, and roasted habanero to reproduce a smokin' good time. As if you weren't already having a ball, we've added a friend for you to flirt with... a tickle of our house-made bacon ice cream."
"What's everyone getting?" Ruby asked. "I decided to go with the 'Between My Red Velvet Sheets Cheesecake'."
After a little discussion, everyone made their selections. Regina ordered the 'Missionary Crisp'-an apple and cake-like confection. Emma opted for the 'Morning After' to no one's surprise–it, after all, consisted of a chocolate and brie grilled cheese. Elsa chose the 'Perfect Partner', essentially a sundae made from vanilla bean ice cream and white chocolate. Belle rounded out the order with the very suggestively titled 'Caress My Carrot', perhaps the most decadent slice of carrot cake ever baked.
The restaurant was so very committed to its naughty puns, it had a note at the bottom of the menu that said 'and no suggestive dessert is truly complete without an equally racy cocktail'. They ordered such colorful drinks as 'Midnight Vixen', 'Love Potion 69', 'Minty Moaner', 'Tingly-Tini' and 'Peanut-Tration'.
Mary Margaret noticed that Elsa was discreetly perusing the section almost tamely-labeled 'for virgins.'
"So….you're foregoing the alcohol tonight, I see," Mary Margaret said, drawing out the first word meaningfully.
"I've never found a cocktail I really like," Elsa said, studiously avoiding her friend's gaze, a small, secret smile on her lips. "And besides, we need someone to be the designated driver."
Mary Margaret wasn't buying that for a moment, but before she could dig deeper to find out whether the secret hunch she'd carried since overhearing Elsa and Liam's conversation was correct, their food and drinks arrived, and with that, all other thoughts were forgotten.
For long minutes after their desserts were served, the only sounds to be heard were soft exclamations, hums of satisfaction, and moans of ecstasy. There was no doubt about it, Mary Margaret decided. These desserts did not oversell themselves. How they'd managed to turn what was essentially a peach cobbler into such a rich, decadent, and spicy explosion of flavor on her tongue was beyond her.
"So what did you think?" Ruby asked. "Did it live up to its name?"
Mary Margaret thought for a moment. "It was good. It was very good," she repeated, "but better than sex?" She shook her head with a smug smile. "Not a chance."
"I did not need to hear that," Emma muttered.
But in the end, all the ladies had to agree.
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The men emerged from their vehicles in the parking lot of The Pirate's House, the world famous restaurant housed in one of Savannah's oldest buildings. The structure, only a block from the riverfront, was originally built in 1734 - a year after the town's founding - as the quarters for the keeper of the Trustees' Garden, the first public agricultural experimental garden in America. By the early 1750's, Savannah was a vibrant and thriving port city and The Herb House, as it had been named, was converted into an inn that attracted sailors and pirates alike. Legend said the infamous Captain Flint actually died inside the historic building.
"And perhaps, lingers still," Killian intoned, his eyebrows waggling in intrigue at little Roland, whose eyes resembled round saucers.
"Really?" His high pitched screech made the men chuckle. "Is it haunted, Papa? Are we gonna see a ghost?" His voice got impossibly higher as he all but jumped up and down grabbing the hem of Robin's shirt. "ARE WE GONNA SEE THE GHOST OF CAPTAIN FLINT, PAPA?"
"Not quite, Roland," Robin explained. "Uncle Killian doesn't quite have his facts straight."
"Oi!" Killian protested.
"Captain Flint wasn't a real pirate," Robin continued, as if Killian hadn't spoken at all. "He wasn't even a real man. He's a character in the story of Treasure Island written by Robert Louis Stevenson back in the 1880's."
"Wowwww," Roland breathed. "So when you and Uncle Liam were little?" he asked, innocently. Loud guffaws burst out of Killian and Will alike, with Graham and David able to contain their mirth a little better, hiding their laughter behind their hands, their eyes dancing in amusement. Liam snorted and shook his head.
"We're not that old," Robin chuckled, ruffling Roland's curls, "But it is said that The Pirate's House inspired Stevenson to write it, using a fictional Captain Flint to set the story in motion."
The men and little boy stepped onto the porch and through the door of the establishment to be greeted by the hostess. The exterior was gray wooden clapboard with light blue shutters over very weathered red brick, but when they stepped inside, the dark wood paneling, low wooden ceilings, and various piratical accoutrements scattered around were enough to make one feel as if he really had stepped back in time a couple hundred years.
In the corner across from the door, a life-sized carved wooden pirate stood sentry at the crossroads between the bar (for Thirsty Pirates, according to the small sign above the hostess station pointing left), restaurant (for Hungry Pirates, according to another sign pointing to the right), and the stairs leading up to the second story where the gift shop could be found.
Roland was beside himself and begged Robin to take his picture with the statue who could only be Captain Flint before being let loose in the gift shop to find pirate toys to play with back at the cottage. Robin waved the others on, telling them they'd catch up in a few minutes.
It only took Roland about ten minutes to fully outfit himself with a plastic sword and hook, a pirate hat, and an eye patch, as well as a door hanger with the Jolly Roger flag on it and the caption NO TRESPASSING PIRATE'S TERRITORY. The men all laughed and cheered when he and Robin made their appearance at the table.
"Arrrrrrr, me hearties!" Roland growled, jumping out from around the corner as Robin made his way to an empty seat. He prowled around the table, swinging the sword this way and that until his father admonished him to be careful not to hit anyone or anything with it. Once he was seated, David showed him the kids' menu and helped him pick his meal of the Frozen Rainbow- a very fruity frozen drink- and Bold Billy Bones, which consisted of fried shrimp and special Pirate's House fries.
Once all their orders were placed and their waiter withdrew, a female pirate approached. She had long strawberry blonde hair and wore a bright red long-sleeved blouse underneath a leather vest and tight leather pants.
"Ah ha!" she gasped, focusing on Roland at the other end of the table. "It be the villainous Captain Hook."
Roland didn't miss a beat. He jumped to his feet, brandishing his sword and challenged the female pirate to a duel. She drew her own blade, and they proceeded to cross swords for just a few seconds, the men whooping and hollering encouragement to Roland before the lady was disarmed. She smiled proudly at the boy and declared him a master swordsman to have defeated the most famous female pirate of all time, Anne Bonny.
She offered to show Roland around the Pirate's House, and Will jumped up and took Roland by the hand to go see some of the historical artifacts and the rum cellar, stating that he was sure Belle would be interested to hear about it.
While Will and Roland were gone, their drinks arrived. The pirate theme was pervasive throughout the restaurant, and the guys had had a great time choosing their respective drinks. First, they ordered two Diplomatico Rum Flights to share between them all. Well, David and Robin as the designated drivers didn't indulge in the rum flights but focused on a single cocktail for the evening. David had the Savannah Tea while Robin chose the Savannah Storm. Killian had trouble choosing between Pirate's Pleasure and Release the Kraken, but finally settled on Pirate's Pleasure when Liam chose the Kraken. But once the drinks were delivered and Liam offered Killian a sip, he opted for the Kraken as well to accompany his meal. Graham chose the Raspberry Mojito because it reminded him of Ruby, and Will ordered the Skull Crusher in a souvenir skull mug.
A few minutes later, Anne Bonny, Will, and Roland returned to the table, Will sporting quite a goose egg on his forehead over his right eye.
"What happened to you?" David asked loudly. Roland ran to Robin talking a mile a minute.
"Uncle Will was going down the stairs to the rum cellar and was telling me to watch my step and didn't see the… the…"
"The bloody roof of the cellar, or floor we're walking on, whatever," Will interrupted.
"Yeah, what Uncle Will said," Roland said, turning back to Robin and continuing his monologue with hardly a breath in between. "And bam, Uncle Will hit his head and then fell on his bottom on the stairs and bump-bump-bumped down to the bottom," he said, with appropriate sound effects included. "The first step was really big, and Pirate Anne was holding my hand so I didn't fall, and Uncle Will turned back around just in time to hit his head. He says his noggin is fine, but his butt is sore. Again." It didn't take much imagination for the men to realize that those were the exact words out of Will's mouth when the accident happened, and they all broke into loud laughter.
Will sat down - slowly and carefully - and immediately took a sip of his drink, waving aside the skeptical look Killian shot him.
"I'm fine, Mate," he said. "But look at the skull! How cool is that?"
"And it's not even cracked like yours, Mate!" Graham cackled.
The other men all laughed as Will grumbled under his breath before taking another sip.
Roland proceeded to recount all the history and things they'd seen and experienced during their private tour, with Anne Bonny staying at the table to fill in details that Roland missed.
"There was definitely something weird over in the corner of the rum cellar," Will interjected when Roland was telling them about the giant Jolly Roger flag down there and how there were chains suspended from the ceiling that just started swinging all on their own. "Where the tunnels led down to the river," Will continued. "Just like an electrical current, felt kind of odd. Not cold, but odd. I don't know if it was a ghost or not…"
"Of course, it was, Uncle Will!" Roland interrupted. "Captain Flint," he said, attempting to make his voice low and gravelly. "He died here, remember? It had to be his ghost."
Everyone laughed good naturedly, then Anne spoke. "No, not Captain Flint, me bucko," she said, her rich Irish brogue dripping from every word, a mischievous smile on her face, "but perhaps the Rowdy Ghost who usually haunts the Captain's Room next door. Ee's been known to follow patrons down to the rum cellar and play tricks on 'em. Now this room that y'ere in is haunted by the Friendly Ghost. It's a bit of a misnomer. Ee's not exactly friendly, but more of a prankster. Ee'll switch drinks around, steal food, that sort of thing."
Just then, their meals arrived. Once everyone was served and beginning to dig into the delicious looking and smelling banquet, Liam announced loudly, "Well, I don't believe in ghosts."
No sooner had the words left his lips when his plate of parmesan crusted tilapia flipped over, depositing his meal on the surface of the table, the upended plate landing on top. There was stunned silence for a moment before Killian spoke up, hoping to diffuse a potentially traumatic occurrence for the precocious and brave, but still very small, boy in their midst.
"That'll teach you to say you don't believe in ghosts inside a clearly haunted house, big brother," he teased. Roland's eyes were still as huge as saucers, his mouth hanging open slightly, but he laughed when everyone else did as Liam turned as red as a ripe tomato. Robin shot Killian a grateful look, and Anne grabbed Liam's plate.
"Aye," Anne agreed, "It's never wise to express disbelief in the resident spirits in a haunted house. I'll just fetch ye a new plate, Sir."
Once his replacement dinner arrived, Liam joined the rest of them in enjoying the excellent repast. No more ghostly incidents occurred, much to Robin's relief, and by the end of the meal Roland was yawning nearly every thirty seconds.
Anne appeared again as they were all rising from the table. "Ah, me bucko, I see that ye have cleared yere plate of Bold Billy Bones' fried shrimp and special fries. And your Tiny Tim dessert as well! Ye've earned a trip to Billy's treasure chest in the lobby." That got Roland's attention quickly, and he perked up and took her outstretched hand, following her through the restaurant until they emerged in the lobby. He hadn't noticed it when they came in, but there in the corner was a real wooden treasure chest filled to the brim with lollipops.
"Can I have one, Papa? Can I?" Roland begged.
"Sure," Robin agreed, an indulgent smile on his face.
After Roland picked his treat, they all emerged into the night, piled into their vehicles and went to pick up their ladies for the drive home to the cottages.
Notes
As with previous chapters, most of what we had our characters do in this chapter was taken from our actual adventures.
We met Giennie for the day in Savannah and she took us on a tour of one of the very old cemeteries (although our excursion was in Colonial Park Cemetery. We didn't have time to tour Bonaventure Cemetery like Regina and Robin did). We also drove around some of the squares with the magnificent live oaks and Spanish moss.
With a little bit of time to kill before our reservations for the evening, we took a walk by the river and saw many of the same sights Emma, Killian, Liam and Elsa saw– The Broken Keel, street performers, river boats and memorial sculptures.
We did indeed eat at The Melting Pot, but our dinner was on the way to our rental on the first day of vacation rather than during our primary Savannah day. Unlike the ladies in our story, we opted for the full 5 course celebration rather than the cheese and meat courses alone.
Better Than Sex: A Dessert Restaurant is an actual Savannah restaurant, and while we discussed going, it wouldn't fit in our schedule. The descriptions of the private party room as well as the names and descriptions of the desserts and cocktails were taken from the restaurant's website. When we were planning this fic, we had fun choosing desserts and cocktails for the characters.
The Pirate House is also a Savannah restaurant, but this one we did visit. Our evening involved not only dinner at The Pirate House but a haunted tour of the city beforehand and a tour of the (now rum-less) rum cellar. Our table was in the Herb House, which is the oldest part of the restaurant, built in the 18th century. Our waiter was not, in fact, Anne Bonny - historical female pirate - but she made a nice addition to our story. Was she really there? Was she a ghost? Was she a waitress in costume? I guess we'll never know. The large first step and the low entrance to the rum cellar were real. As we descended the stairs, we immediately knew Will had to crack his cranium one more time as a callback to last year's fic in addition to denting his derriere. Again. We were also told stories about the ghosts that haunt the Pirate House–from floating orbs to the ghosts named in the story. None of us had any kind of paranormal experience – although one of the guys in our tour group tried to trick our guide into thinking there was – by setting some chains in motion when the guide told us they sometimes move on their own.
Up next: Big moments for all of our couples! The most significant being David and Mary Margaret's wedding, of course – but there are several other secrets revealed, as well as a life-changing moment aboard a riverboat.
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