Chapter
Four: Bernie’s Arrival
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In the
second week of June, Bernard Flynn came home as promised. Jack was still
at the Flynns’. He still wouldn’t talk to
anyone.
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When
Bernard came into the house, he said, “Melora?
Bonnie?”
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“I’m in the
study, Bernie,” called Melora, “we have a guest.”style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black'>
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Bernie came into the study, and saw Melora
dusting the shelves, Jack standing close by, watching.style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black'>
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“class=SpellE>Melly-lass,” Bernard called.style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black'>
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“Bernie,”
said Melora, “this is Jack. Jack, this is my
older brother, Bernard.”
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Bernard Flynn was about thirty, with sandy colored hair, and green
eyes. He was about the same height as Jack, and normally about
the same weight, but a little more muscular from working.style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black'>
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“How are
you, Jack?” asked Bernard.
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Jack held
out his hand and nodded.
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Looking at class=SpellE>Melora, Bernard shook Jack’s hand.style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black'>
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“Jack will
be staying with us until further notice. I found him unconscious on the
beach last week, and he hasn’t spoken a single thing to anyone,” replied class=SpellE>Melora, “Bonnie doesn’t like it, though.”style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black'>
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“Why not?”
asked Bernard.
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“He’s a
pirate,” whispered Melora.style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black'>
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“Oh,”
replied Bernard.
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“I’ve given
Jack a few sets of your clothes, Bernie,” said Melora,
“he only had a ripped shirt, a pair of breeches, that bandana, and trinkets in
his hair when I found him.”
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“That’s class=SpellE>allright. I can buy some more. He sounds like
he needs them more than I do,” answered Bernard pleasantly.style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black'>
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“How’s
Uncle James and Aunt Alice?” asked Melora.style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black'>
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“Uncle
James is fine. Aunt Alice is going to have a baby,” said Bernard, “it’s a
good thing Uncle James isn’t here.”
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“Why? Still
pirate hunting, is he?” inquired Melora.style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black'>
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“Of course. He’s obsessed with catching
pirates. Especially Jack Sparrow,” laughed Bernard.style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black'>
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“Then I
agree. This is Jack Sparrow,” said Melora.style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black'>
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“Really? From the way Uncle James was going on,
I would’ve expected someone a little more exciting than your mute
shadow,” replied Bernard, chuckling.
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“So would
I, but I recognize him from the stories I heard in Grover’s Corners, and he
admitted it himself,” said Melora.style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black'>
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“He
did? You just said he didn’t talk.”
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“He didn’t
admit it in words, Bernie.”
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“Oh.
Well, I’m going to see Bonnie,” replied Bernard, “good bye, Jack.”style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black'>
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Bernard
waved at Jack as he left the study. Jack waved back.style=t-sit-size:9.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black'>
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“Bonnie-lass?”
called Bernard.
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“Bernie?”
asked Bonita, coming out of her room.
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“I’ve seen class=SpellE>Melora, and her singular acquaintance,” said Bernard.style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black'>
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“Oh.
Can’t you make him leave?” Bonita asked.style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black'>
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“Where
would he go? I’m sure he doesn’t know anyone in town, Bonnie,” replied
Bernard.
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“But he’s a
pirate,” argued Bonita, “and a pirate killed Da.
Is that what you want happening to us?”
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“Jack
didn’t kill Da, Bloody Ana did. He isn’t even
armed, how can he kill us?” questioned Bernard.style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black'>
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“Well, I
just don’t want to live with a pirate. Vile and dissolute, the lot of
them,” said Bonita.
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“You sound
like Uncle James,” laughed Bernard.
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“k'>“Well, he’s
right, you know,” scorned Bonita.
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“If you say
so,” replied Bernard, going to his room.
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Bonnie’s overreacting, thought Bernard; Melora
did the right thing by bringing Jack here. He’s not like the pirate who
killed Da. Even from what Uncle James said
about him, he seems fairly harmless.
**
“Bernie’s
really nice. Good man, my brother,” Melora told
Jack, sweeping the floor of the study, “he isn’t home much, mind you, because
he’s always traveling the Caribbean, doing odd jobs for people, but at least he
works, and makes money. I don’t think money is all that important class=GramE>myself, but it’s hard to live without it.”style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black'>
Jack nodded
his head in agreement.
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“He just
came home from Port Royal,” she said.style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black'>
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Jack looked
at Melora in interest when she said ‘w:st="on">Port Royal’.
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“He was
helping Uncle James and Aunt Alice, as well as other people in the town,” said class=SpellE>Melora, seeing Jack’s interest.style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black'>
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Jack sat
cross-legged on the floor, and listened to Melora
talk.
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“Uncle
James is nice, but he’s entirely obsessed with catching and hanging
pirates. He’s always going on about how you’re ‘the worst pirate
he’s ever seen’,” said Melora, imitating the way her
uncle said it.
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Jack
chuckled at Melora’s impression.style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black'>
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Bonita was
still in her room, thinking that Melora and Bernard
had gone completely insane.
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Bloody Ana,
Jack Sparrow, pirates are all the same. I wish Uncle James was here, he
understands about pirates, unlike some people around here.
