Truth Or Fiction

Chapter Fifty Three

The group continued to stare at Henry and Claudine in shock, neither one of them noticing that they were clearly not on the Isle anymore.

"Um...why are they shocked?" Emir whispered to Ben and Akiho. "I mean, I'm not exactly a fan of watching people make out but it's harmless isn't it?"

"Henry Kersey!" Mal exclaimed, preventing either Ben or Akiho from responding, and also causing Henry to jump out of his skin.

"How long has this been going on?" Uma asked, standing up so that she could more comfortably put her hands on her hips. "And why didn't you tell us?!"

Henry jumped, as if not expecting to hear their voices, and stared at them in shock. His eyes were as wide as dinner plates as he stared at Mal.

"Wha—Mal? Uma? What the—where are—I mean cap'ns, I can explain!"

"You're damn right you're explaining this!" Mal said, a small smile on her lips. "How many years has the crew spent trying to get you interested in girls?"

"I believe guys were even suggested at one point," Harriet chimed in. "And still he said nothing."

"I-I don't—Where are we?" Henry asked, his face pale white though it was a little hard to tell due to the natural paleness of his skin thanks in part to his red hair.

"Don't change the subject Henry," Uma said, shaking her head. "Jake, Nick, hell even Dustin have suggested girls and even guys like Harriet said and you've never said anything! So answer the question, how long has this been going on?"

"...must be coming on three years now," Claudine said, her voice soft. She knew by this point there was no reason to deny that anything was going on and frankly she didn't want to deny it.

"Three years?!"

Kitty frowned as she looked over at Henry, finally noticing how pale he was. "Hey...is he okay?"

Mal looked over at Kitty before following her gaze back to Henry, seeing the paleness in her crew mate's face for the first time since his arrival. "Hey, hey, Henry, breathe," she said gently as Uma, Jay, and Harry continued to flip out over the three year bomb Claudine had dropped.

"Does anyone have any water?" Malinda asked as she went to kneel in front of Henry.

"...there's two of Mal..."

Malinda chuckled. "Oh right, I guess that would be a bit of a shock. I'm Malinda, I'm Mal but from the future. But let's focus on you for right now okay? You're not in trouble, especially if I know what my younger self is thinking right now. It's likely just a shock is all. I mean if you think about all the years you put up with the crew ribbing you about your no fling rule and you could have gotten them off your back?"

Henry looked between the two Mals in shock as Mal sat him down gently. "I'm...I'm not getting kicked out of the crew? Mal, you know who's sister she is..."

"Whoa, whoa, Henry calm down. I could barely understand a word you just said," Mal said as Henry had spoken faster than she'd ever heard him speak since she'd known him. "I did hear the phrase 'kicked out' and I can assure you Henry, you're not."

He's terrified, Benji thought as the two Mals tried to calm him down. He looks ready to faint...where's that water?

"Here!" Sammy said, passing a canteen to Uma. "I forgot I had this but I think Henry needs it more than I do right now."

Uma nodded, though not taking a break from her rant, and handed it to Mal, who took it without question.

"Henry, where is it written in our crew's bylaws that we kick people out for who they're involved with? Not to mention you're one of the Top Five swords pirates in our crew. We'd be stupid to kick you out, and Uma and I are many things but we are not idiots," Mal said as she handed the canteen to Henry though he'd yet to take a drink.