All These Things That They've Done
Seeing Things From Both Sides
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“Nic?” Jake looked
at his past love, confusion evident in his eyes, and running rampant in his
mind. “Wha’ d’ ye mean ye don’ mind?”
The girl looked a bit sheepish. “It was partially my idea for Noel to…test the waters.”
The confusion Jake was feeling was slowly being replaced
with hurt. “But why?
Nic looked down at the floor, but she felt three sets of
eyes staring into her, almost through her.
“Noel had confessed to me that he’d been with men before and…enjoyed
their company greatly. I thought that,
perhaps, if you began to care for Noel, maybe you would want to…”
Jack stood, eyes blazing, and interrupted her.
through this after jus’ findin’ out tha’ not only are ye alive, but married an’
with child? Hasn’ ‘e been through
enough?” While he tried to keep himself
from yelling, he failed.
Still looking down, Nic replied, “I know it’s a lot to ask,
but,” she raised her eyes to meet those of Jake, “I can’t bear to let you go
again.”
Jake looked as though he’d been run through with a
sword. His eyes were frozen, his mouth
partially open, and his skin paler than either of his parents or Nic had ever
seen. “Ye made ‘im do it?
experiment or somethin’, isn’ it?”
“No! Oh, Jake, no,
it’s not like that at all, I swear, I jus’…”
Jack’s voice settled, but was now even more unnerving than
when he was yelling moments before.
“Yer still a pirate, lass,” he said coldly. “Greed’s made a home in ye.”
Feeling brave, Nic asked, “It’s greed to want my love back
in my life?”
“If ye’ve already moved on t’ another…yes.”
Nic looked at Loralei, desperate for some sort of
reassurance. “Loralei, what if you lost
Jack for a period of time? What if you
found someone else and moved on, only to find him again?
Loralei closed her eyes, wishing she were anywhere but in
the midst of the conversation at hand.
She let out a shallow sigh and said, “There is no way on earth I can
give you an honest answer to that question.”
She looked at Jack, who didn’t seem to like her answer.
is the only man who will ever have my heart.
Even if he died in front of me, my heart would be his.
a shadow of what he is to me.” She
stood, going to Jack’s side. “And if he
came back to me, I would be his again.”
Jack breathed a sigh of relief, happy that his wife was on his
side. “But…” Jack’s face twisted into panic.
“…I’ve known Jack longer than you knew Jake. Our bond is entirely different from yours.
smiled, “which I’m sure Jack is cursing in his mind.”
“Am not,” Jack said under his breath.
Hearing him, Loralei chuckled - just slightly.
She looked at Jake. “Neither my
nor your father’s opinion matters much, Jake.
You are the only one who can know what you want to do about this.”
seemed to be permanently affixed to, and kissed the top of his head.
enough for him to hear. She then
returned to Jack and took his arm.
“Come on, Jack.”
“We’re jus’ leavin’?”
“Yes.”
“No, there’s no way ‘e can think clearly righ’ now an’…”
Loralei began to pull her husband from the room.
his own decisions. We’re going.”
Once Jake and Nic were alone, Nic made her way to her
love’s bed. Sitting next to him, she
asked, “Do you hate me?”
Jake gazed into her eyes, never able to lie to her.
I jus’ don’ know wha’ t’ make out o’ any o’ this.
happy?”
Nic couldn’t help but to let a small smile cross her
lips. “I won’t lie, it was part of the
reason, but he thinks you’re quite attractive and enjoyed every moment of it.”
“But ‘ow can ye wan’ this?
‘Ow can ye possibly wan’ yer husband, the father o’ yer child t’ bed
another man?”
“It’s like I said, Jake, I can’t lose you again.
“Aye.” He looked
ashamed again. “Physically, it was
amazin’, but I was full o’ rum, an’…”
“Is your head clear now?”
“Aye – much as it can be.”
“Then let’s go talk with Noel.”