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Alphonse and Kay have nothing to do with Disney, except they interact with some fellows owned by Disney. No profit, no foul.
All Tessie’s Children 2
Kay Jackson, nee DeMaurier, sat on her wide front veranda sipping tea with her brother Alphonse at her side, looking out over the mowed grass in front of her house, where small children played. Several small children, in fact. All clamouring over one dishevelled, mildly indignant pirate. Who was laughing heartily.
“I never would have thought,” Alphonse muttered.
Kay smiled broadly. “I knew it the minute I laid eyes on him.”
The preacher adjusted his collar. “You would. But the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow…”
Her laugh was musical. “He’s like a big child himself, in some ways. Look at him. He loves to play.”
Alphonse watched the pirate struggle to stand, with two youngsters clinging to his arms, one on his back and the fourth tugging on his leg. He swayed to one side, and the children listed with him. He fell back to the grass, twisting so as to not crush any little ones. “I believe most of the ways that one likes to play are not suitable for children.”
“And you are one to talk, brother? I can see it when you look at our step-brother too. Besides, how could he not want to play with that one? He is lovely. If I wasn’t already married…”
“Kay, that’s our brother you speak of!”
“Step-brother. And Anamaria really says that his father looks just like him?”
“Spitting image.” Alphonse nodded seriously.
Kay let out a low whistle before turning her attention to the pirate on her front lawn. “He’s quite nice too,” she murmured. The object of the game on the lawn seemed to be to snatch Jack’s headscarf off him. The pirate resisted valiantly. When one of the boys managed to dislodge the frayed scarf, Jack grabbed it back quick as lightening, settling it over his forehead and easily standing up, shedding the giggling children. They’d won; there was no need to take things any further.
Alphonse watched the pirate lurch off to one side, only to be frozen in place as he spied Will emerging from the barn nearby. Jack stood still as stone, watching the man roll up his sleeves and cup his hands to take a drink from the rain barrel. The boy really was stunning, Alphonse had to admit. All long limbs and clean, sharp angles. A lock of chestnut hair escaped its binding and fell across dark eyes.
“So how do we get our dear brother back together with him properly?”
“You’re quite sure they were ever together properly? Will looks, well, so virginal.”
Alphonse leaned closer to whisper conspiratorially. “When I found them he talked a little. I believe he is quite smitten with the Captain, but he’s, um, unfamiliar with the ways of love.”
“Between two men?”
“Between any two people. I don’t think he’s ever…”
“Oh.”
“I told him to be calm, to let things happen slowly. Naturally.”
“And what would you know about naturally? According to your church…”
Alphonse reached over to close his hand over his sister’s mouth. “I don’t care what the church defines as natural or unnatural. He was my lover, you understand?”
Kay nodded and waited for her brother to lower his hand. “I’m sorry, Alphie. I know he meant a lot to you. Maybe you’ll be with him again one day.”
Alphonse gave a sigh of infinite sadness. “He was hauled off to that plantation in chains, I don’t see how he could ever be freed. And if that is the way it must be, I will continue to roam the oceans for the rest of my life, attempting to bring some happiness to those who need it most, to make up for it being stolen from me. But I refuse to abandon all hope.”
Kay let that subject drop, for her brother did not need to dwell on his pain any more. “And if we could only get Will to stop working with my husband on the new barn, and get him together with Jack, then there would be much more happiness on this island.”
Alphonse looked back over at his stepbrother, now frozen in his tracks as he watched Jack watching him. It was a bit ridiculous, the two of them. Acting like such children. “He’s not being rude to him, is he?”
“No. It’s worse than being rude. He’s quite affectionate, but he keeps a distance. And Jack sleeps alone on the back veranda; I know that for a fact. I see him in the night when I get up to nurse the baby. I don’t know what is wrong with the boy. As soon as I met Franklin I was always wanting to…”
“As evidenced by your healthy brood.”
Kay smiled proudly.
Jack took a few steps toward Will.
“When do you plan to set sail again?”
Will looked around him nervously. Perhaps the boy didn’t like the idea of anyone seeing them together. He looked shyly at the pirate, seeming younger than his years.
“In a few days, perhaps a week. Why?”
Jack approached carefully, cautiously, as one might approach a grazing deer. No sudden moves. No loud noises.
“Because I don’t think our pirate is sleeping well on land. I think you should offer him the use of your ship tonight, so he can rest better.”
Will re-rolled the sleeves, careful to make them perfectly even. When Jack reached him they stood a foot or so away from each other. Jack listed dangerously close to touching Will. Will reached out a hand to Jack’s shoulder to steady him.
Alphonse agreed. “Yes, it is more soothing to sleep at sea.”
Will said something to the pirate with a smile and turned to go back into the barn. Jack’s shoulders sagged.
“And I’m sure we can think of some way to entice young William on board at the same time.”
Alphonse smiled. Kay might be the youngest of Tessie’s brood, but she was certainly the cleverest.
Next: Chapter 27 Anticipation
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