Drabble: Part 10
Jack hurried back to the tavern and saw no sign of Gillette or the other men, though they were likely still trying to locate Will and Elizabeth.
"Well," Jack said as he found his way back to their table. "I just happened to have the very good fortune of finding the gentleman that purchased that little trinket of yours. It seems he intended to give it to some lass as an engagement ring but came to his senses just in the nick of time."
Elizabeth stood and offered him an un-amused look. "Where is it?" She questioned.
Jack pulled it from his pocket and held it out so she could see it. "Good as new, love," he said. She quickly snatched it from his hand before he could begin any of his bargaining. "No need to be rude, darling."
"I hardly think you are qualified to be passing judgment on social etiquette," she said dryly.
Will stood as well and looked at Jack curiously. "If it was so simple, why didn't you just turn it over sooner?"
"Quite frankly, I was hoping you would give up and leave," Jack quipped. "But since the two of you seem to embody the very definition of the word persistence, I decided I would save myself the trouble of being burdened with your relentless company for the rest of my natural life."
"Thank you, Jack," Elizabeth said with a smirk. "I'm sure it wasn't easy for you to give up something so valuable."
"Aye, love," he said in a feigned somber voice then glanced at the door. "Not to rush the pleasantries along, but I may have sent your navy men on an unnecessary and utterly precarious expedition. The last I saw, they had shed half their clothes and were rushing towards the port." Will's eyes widened and he hurriedly turned and headed for the door.
Elizabeth watched Jack for a moment longer and then smirked. "Good luck to you, Jack," she said knowingly. She wasn't foolish enough to believe he hadn't done something amidst all of the chaos. "It's a shame you won't be at the wedding. I know how much you love them."
"I'm sure it will be a most sumptuous affair, love," he said with a grin. She glanced at his father and said a polite good bye before turning to follow Will. Jack took a seat across from Nigel and ordered another round of rum for the both of them, then he leaned back looking completely self satisfied.
"Do you intend to tell me what it is that you've been planning?" Nigel asked curiously. Jack looked at him for a moment and then relented. He had sailed under his father's command before and, after he had first acquired the Pearl, his father had sailed under his.
"Do you recall when you sailed under my command and you leapt into the water heroically when I had a bit too much rum and fell overboard?" Jack questioned. "Maybe now I can give you proper payment." Nigel chuckled and sat forward.
"As I said, son, not telling the crew was payment enough..."
"Then let's come to an accord, shall we?" Jack suggested. "I'll refrain from telling anyone that you saved my life if you stop using my name before you get me killed, aye?"
"Aye," Nigel agreed. "We have an accord." Both men drank down their rum and then Nigel stood and smirked down at his son. "By the way, lad, I never had the heart to tell you; but when you were babe, your mum named you Kelly. It was only when you got older that I started calling you Jack." Jack sat in complete stunned silence as his father continued. "Now I realize that it may make you sound like a fastidious, pansified, namby-pamby, but you'll just have to square with that some day, son."
Author's Note: I'm not sure if I'm going to add more to this. It could "end" here and have no real loose ends. I had a lung biopsy done the day after Christmas and my cancer has relapsed, so a lot of my effort right now is in my chemotherapy, though I still intend to keep writing. I'm being prepped for a second bone marrow transplant and I will be spending 4 to 6 weeks in the hospital when I'm ready and we've found a donor. Anyway, thank you for reading!