A Hidden Queen

Chapter 36

Joe slumps to her knees in front of the chest. Her hands shake as she grabs at the leather straps. She swallows hard stilling her nerves as she opens the lid to the old worn out chest. The blue eyes fixate on the neatly folded clothing that fills the space. Joe hesitantly glides her fingers over the different outfits. So many memories flood her senses. She grasps the top shirt that belongs to one of her parents. Her nostrils fill with the scent of rum, sea-salt and worn-out leather as she buries her nose in it. A tear rolls down Joe's cheek.

"Dad." She whispers quietly.

Joe wipes at her face, taking several deep breathes. She settles the shirt in her lap continuing her pillaging through the clothing. She pulls out a pair of black pants holding them up. Joe crinkles her nose instantly recognizing them as her mother's pants. Clinton had been tall and rather lanky making it impossible for her to wear his clothing minus his shirts. Joe sighs heavily, standing with the clothing tightly fisted in her hands. Her bare feet aimlessly walk her over to the desk. She throws the two pieces of clothing across the back of the chair. The deep blue eyes stare blankly at them as she begins the task of unlacing her corset. Joe wiggles her body free of the heavy dress. It falls to the floor in a small heap allowing Joe the freedom to step out of it. She pulls on the pants and shirt walking over to the mirror as she tucks her shirttails into her pants. Joe shrugs her arms as she gazes at her own reflection.

"This is what you wanted." She tells herself.

She sighs heavily, resting a hand on her hip. Her eyes roam over her body. The lose shirt and pants looked odd to her after being in a tight dress for so long. She tilts her head to the side, the eyes flicking back over to the chest as something glimmers in the light. Hanging over the lip of the chest was a gold embroidered teal sash. Joe's breathing hitches as she turns herself around. She pulls the fabric from its hold spreading it across her arms. Her chest tightens as images of her mother wearing it snug around her waist floods her vision. Joe slowly turns herself around positioning herself back in front of the mirror. She looks at the turtle necklace that hung from her neck. Her hand holds it tenderly as she gazes at the reflected image of the sash. Joe drops her hand as her lungs inflate with a deep inhale. Her hands nimbly wrap the garment around her waist several times before knotting it at her side.

Joe raises her eyes to examine herself once again. The sash singes at the waist showing off her figure a little more. Joe smiles slyly. She is starting to feel normal. She thinks to herself. Joe crosses her eyes as strains of her red hair falls in her face. She focuses on her image in the mirror. Her hair was barely being held together by the pins she had stashed in there. Joe works her hands through her hair, pulling out every pin she could find and dropping it to the floor. The long, wavy hair falls towards the middle of her back piece-by-piece.

Joe lowers her hands staring at herself once again. Her mind drifts to James as she takes in the attire. He would not be happy with what she is wearing. He did not even appreciate it when she let her hair down to flow freely. She twists her face into a scowl as she glances at the space behind her in the mirror. Her mind works to twist the light into a near perfect form of the strapping handsome man. He stares back at her, a snobbish grin pulling on his lips. She could hear his strange British accent in her head scolding her.

"What are you wearing? That is not proper for a woman." James corrects, holding his head high.

"It is proper for me. I cannot stay on the island." Joe mutters to James in the mirror.

"Nonsense. You will get out of those clothes and return."

Joe sighs deeply gazing down at the floor. Even with the mirage she could see the cold fire in those brown eyes. The blue eyes slowly drift over her attire. This is the truth. That is the allusion. She thinks to herself. Her eyes widen as an image of Charlie appears on the other side of her. He smirks sweetly at her as he places his hands on his hip. Joe falls into those silver eyes, her emotions of not belonging vanishing when he's near.