Unforgotten Memories
by Jessica Bennet

The shallow water waved against the docking of Port Royal as The Black Pearl rudder weaved towards it. The cold night air breeze weaved in and out of the houses in the village. Jack got of the boat and signalled to the crew to come back in a week. He watched his beloved ship sail away from him once more. Once the ship had gone into the horizon and had finally faded away Jack turned and walked towards the village. Being back here made him feel comforted and cosy. This was what he called home. It had been a year since his last visit to Port Royal and he didn’t even get a proper chance to say goodbye. He strutted towards the nearest pub in hope that there might be a pint of rum waiting for him.

Elizabeth rushed out into the midnight air. It swayed through her nightgown as she floundered off into the night. ‘Jane?’ she cried as she made way towards the blacksmiths. She pounded on the door. ‘Will let me in!’ will opened the door and greeted her with a hug. She smiled showing her pearl white teeth and kissed him. ‘Where’s Jane?’ will pulled away and said ‘I thought she was with you?’ a worried expression closed in on Elizabeth’s face. ‘I thought she was with you?’ the both of them looked out of the door. In unison they both said ‘The dock’ and with that they both rushed out of the door and into the night air. The gravel beneath them was scraped out of the way by Will and his feet. Elizabeth trailing behind him. They both opened the pub door it being their last hope and as soon as they opened the door a sigh of relief was made by both of them.

‘Hello again Miss Swan oh and Will , how are ye both?’ Jack said holding Jane on his lap who was Elizabeth’s younger cousin who had come over t stay for the night. Jane was only 6 but from all the bedtime stories of Pirates she was as intrested in them as Elizabeth was when she had first saw Will.

‘Jane!!!!!! Where have you been I’ve been so worried.’ Elizabeth quickly picked Jane up from Jack and smiled at him. ‘How have you been Jack?’ she said laughing. Will shook his hand and said ‘It’s good to have you back how long will you be staying?’ Jack smiled and answered ‘a week’ all of them turned together and walked out of the door.

Elizabeth took Jane to her bed and then got into her own bed and blew out the candle. Jack was staying in Will’s room. She could hear them talking in the other room. She tried to settle down and go to sleep finally she drifted off into a deep sleep.

‘So what have you been up to?’ jack smiled ‘Nothing much’ Will knew there was something Jack wasn’t telling him. ‘How ‘bout you?’ he asked Will. ‘Well nothing really, Commodore Norrington has got married in –‘ but he was interupted by the door bell downstairs. Jack got up and so did will they opened the door and walked into the hall to find Elizabeth who was tired and angry. All three of them walked down the stairs and opened the door. There in the door way was a teenager who had to be the age of 16.

Jack turned around and faced the other way. ‘Let her in’ he said.

Elizabeth took the teenager upstairs and gave her some clean clothes to wear while Will lead Jack into the living room. Jack sat down into the armchair in the middle and suddenly found the floor quite amusing. Will sat down and stared at him. ‘Well?’ he said. Jack looked up and said ‘Well what?’ a empty expression revealing on his face. ‘Who is she?’ Jack stared at the floor again. ‘Jack? Who is she?’ he repeated. Jack murmered ‘It’s complicated...’ and he trailed off. Will who was even more intrested now repeated himsefl again ‘Who is she?’ Jack looked into Will’s and eyes and got up out of the chair and said ‘She’s my daughter.’ And he left the room leaving Will shocked and strangely confused.

Jack ran up the stairs and didn’t look back he ran into his room and got into bed, there would be romours in the morning and all would know about his little secret and everyone will want to ask questions.

He fell asleep within seconds and drifted off into dreams of rum and his beloved ship.

While Jack kept on dreaming away Elizabeth came downstairs after have just tucked the little girl who she had just found the name of which was Olivia. Elizabeth found Will and sat in living room with him.

‘What’s wrong?’ Elizabeth asked him looking at his puzzled, tired face.

‘She’s his daughter, Olivia, she’s his daughter.’ He said bewildered and looked up into Elizabeth’s face.

‘Oh.. right... well she’s staying in my room for now, she’s very tired so we’ll talk to her AND jack tomorrow.’

‘Ok, thanks beth, well, I have to go to bed’ and they both kissed each other good night and got to bed.

Jack woke up with a start as his dream turned into a nightmare of the black pearl being taking over by barbossa who has risen from the dead. He got out of bed quietly and slowly went passed will making sure that he didn’t wake him, is there were going to be questions he’d rather not have them in the morning. He crept downstairs and asked the cook who was nearly always awake and ready to serve , for a full breakfast which included a glass of water. Jack sat at the long wooden table alone crunching on his buttered toast and bacon. Once jack had finished his food and his plate was clear he looked around the house in search of something to discover. He slowly crept up the stairs but that’s when he met olivia.

‘Hello, How are you this morning?’ she asked in a friendly tone. She was dressed in a long satin gown which had white lace dangling down from the sides. ‘Err.. fine , look can we talk?’ Jack lead her into the dining room which he was surprised to see did not now have his empty plate in it. They both sat down oposite each other.

‘Look –‘

‘I know what your going to say so there’s no point. I’ve been looking for two years for you. After mum died that is. I’ve been captured, marroned, shipwrecked, imprisoned, and finally freed and now I have finally found you. Your basically my last living relitive I have, Uncle Jack.’

Will came down the stairs fully dressed and ready to get to work in the blacksmith’s but he was not going to go until later on. He walked through the hall and looked everywhere, Jack was no where to be seen. He checked the gardens the pub, everywhere. Will finally looked up at the gorge and saw him. ‘Jack get down, come here.’ Once jack had got down and Will and him were at the Swan’s house again he sat down and talked to jack.

‘So are you going to explain everything or am I just going to have to ask you gradually?’

‘She’s my daughter and my fionce’s. Well her and me split up because of the black pearl. I left them both in the island of Carata , she thinks I’m her uncle. I haven’t told her.

 

The night breeze echoed across the fire lit lounge. Jack sat in his chair and pondered the truth.

‘She’d never belive me! She’d hate me, She’d want to kill me. She’d probebl think it was all a joke. I hope she understands. I hope she gives me another chance, to be the father she never had.’ He looked at the fire which had almost gone out and room which was filling with darkness. He sighed and got up out from his chair. He opened the door to get out of the lounge and bumped into Olivia. Olivia smiled and looked into Jacks eyes. She fell forward and gave him a hug. Jack had never really had a proper hug before. He pulled apart from her. ‘Olivia I need to talk to you.’ Olivia had a curious, puzzled look in her face. ‘Please sit down’ he said to her in a soothing voice. His heart was beating hard against his chest. This was it. He had to tell her. There was no option. Olivia slowly sat down in the chair oppostie Jacks. Jack sat down to. ‘Ummm... do you remember your father Olivia?’ he said looking into her eyes and smiling. ‘Yes you told me about him a lot. He had brown hair, a mystgevious grin, a small – but jack interuppted her

‘No no no!!! Forget all that, it’s not true. I lied to you to stop you from uncovereing the truth. I’m sorry’

‘But then... all the things you used to say... they ... were just lies?’

Jack shook his head up and down. Olivia’s face was striken. She didn’t know what to think. She didn’t want to think.

‘Then .... where ... when.... how.... who is my real father?’

‘It’s umm... I don’t know how to put this... umm.. it’s me.’

Olivia looked even more confused. There was a long awkward silence.

Jack looked at Olivia and didn’t look away.

‘But you can’t be, you’re my uncle. You explained to me. You said –

‘I know and I’m sorry, I was just scared, I was young. I thought if you knew who I was you may not like me.’

Olivia got up out of her chair and walked out of the room muttering ‘I gotta go, it’s getting late’

Jack was left in the chair all night long and he stayed awake thinking, of the possibilities.

‘Elizabeth! Elizabeth! Wake up!!!!’ Jack called to Elizabeth from outside her door. He could her movement inside. She opened the door and Jack was surprised to see Will already in the room. Jack smirked at him and will blushed. Elizabeth smiled showing her white sparkling teeth. ‘I need your help! I told her!’ he said. Elizabeth sighed beckoned Will to go and then listened to the whole story. ‘Well you have done the right thing, you’ve just got to wait a while for it to sink into her, it’s going to take a while.’ Jack’s worried expression still didn’t move. ‘Jack, you’re going to be alright.’ She smiled. Will came upstairs then with a tray of biscuits, tea, and for Jack, rum.

Olivia felt the rush of air spray across her face and whisk throgh her clothes. Fresh air made her feel much better. It made her head feel lighter and her heart ache to calm down. The smell of fresh green grass roamed the air. She fell bckwards into the pillowed soft grass and lay there staring into the sky. It’s light blue colour was tranquil and peacefull it reminded her of a dove. She Closed her eyes and rested there. Her body felt so calm, a few minutes won’t hurt she thought. But unfortunatly those few minutes made the whole of difference.

The black sails of the black pearl hung high in the sky and the boat drifted off across the harbour and ready for Jack. Jack looked everywhere for Olivia but couldn’t find her anywhere. Then he saw her on the grass. He came towards her. But saw her get up. She saw him and walked towards him. Her heart felt lighter then ever.

He started to run. She obviously had forgiven him. Then they met and he hugged her not wanting to let go. A tear trickled down jack face and a tear trickled down Olivia’s face. They were together for at last.

To be continued