A Pirate and a Gentleman

They Talk it Through as a Crew, Only for Stede to Once Again Be Disappointed

Stede phone vibrates as he stares out at the ocean, which snaps him out pf his reverie long enough to reach in his pocket to check it.

“Stede! It’s me! How goes it?” Wilhelm says in greeting.

“Wilhelm! Hi, hello. How are you?”

“I got your little manuscript. You don’t waste any time with rewrites, do you?”

“What did you think?” Stede smiles softly, eager to hear some feedback.

“It was…amazing, actually.”

“Then why the hesitation?”

“Stede, you forget this supposed to be a romance novel. That means the couple has to end up together. You done so much already framing them as the end all be all couple that absolutely must end up together. Two sides of the same coin, from opposite sides of the world. And now you just decided it was all a lie? That doesn’t sit right with me. And if it doesn’t sit right with me, you can bet it won’t with your readers, either.”

“I don’t care, because that’s how real life works, Wilhelm.” Stede informs him.

“Oh I wouldn’t be so sire, Mr. Bonnet.” Wilhelm replies. “I’ve been married to my Henriette for close to 3 decades now.”

Well. “I never would’ve guessed, sir.”

“Exactly. So who’s to say it can’t work out in your novel?”

Stede sighs, “So does this mean it’s a no on the ending?”

“Oh I wouldn’t say that. It’s more of a, ‘see if that’s for sure how you want it to end first’. I believe in you. I have a lunch meeting I’m late for, so we’ll talk again later. Farewell.”

As Stede hangs up, he looks out at the horizon again, a mixture of emotions he can’t even begin to identify as both the conversation and the reality of the beach’s fate starts to sink in.

Nothing’s going to plan, is it?

“I want your 100% honest opinion. No being nice to make me feel better.” Roach orders as he holds out a tin of cookies.

Lucius picks up one and nibbles on it, then says confidently, “Roach, I do believe you’ve outdone yourself. Sell them in the cafe!”

As the other members grab one too, they all start agreeing.

Roach pumps his fist, “Yesssss!”

Stede, from a few feet away, stares out remorsefully at the view of where the construction crew is still set up.

“Stede? Care to weigh in here?”

He doesn’t reply, to where Lucius actually physically walks over and snaps his fingers in front of Stede’s face.

“Hello, care to actually be a part of the conversation?”

Stede shakes his head to clear the dazedness, then asks, “Sorry, what’s happened?“

Roach tilts his head, “You alright?”

Stede waves him off, “Oh sure. Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?”

Frenchie clearly isn’t buying it, crossing his arms, “Want to try that again? You’ve been a Gloomy Gertie since you came out here.”

And really, Stede has no excuse to not be honest, since this is all his fault, so he throws up his hands in frustration and bursts out,

“Fine, so I’m not as alright as I said and I don’t know why! Look at this!” He gestures to the house with a flourish. “I finally got the house I wanted! We’re all together again! My book is about to be published!”