Sisters of the Caribbean: Our Love Before

Chapter Ten - Life Without Her

Ace's POV - 1705

The next few days were the worst. I barely left my room. I spent the majority of my time taking care of the girls and Rory. Jack finally explained why my mother was begging my father to stop. I had a gut feeling, but hearing Jack explain was much worse. When Mr. Gibbs pulled my father aside, he told him that my mother wasn't going to live and in a fit of rage, my father took Rory and had planned to throw her into the ocean. Jack got their just in time and with Bill's help, he was able to stop him before he was able to carry out his plan. I didn't let her leave my sight, afraid of what would happen if I looked away. I was lucky to have found Grace when I did. Grace was a woman whose baby died a couple days before we stopped at her island to gather supplies. She was more than willing to become Rory's milkmaid since she was still able to produce milk. She fed Rory when she was hungry and then would pass her on to me. Jack let me stay in his bed so that Grace was able to sleep in mine. She was a very kind woman. She had no husband, her baby was born through rape, so she took this as a chance of starting anew. Jack made sure to be by my side as often as he could, watching Rory so that I could have a break every once in awhile. Davina still hadn't grasped the concept of what had happened. Time to time she would ask me where our mother was and I had to fight against everything in me to keep from crying. I didn't want to upset her. Kyra barely ate, I prayed that she wouldn't remember when she was older, that way she would remember our mother at her happiest. Norine went through spells. One day she would be completely fine, the next she would be overcome with sadness. As for Veda, she understood what happened, but didn't fully comprehend how she was supposed to feel due to her young age. I held Rory close to me as I rocked her to sleep, today was one of her rough days. Being born to weeks early, she was having a heart time gaining weight. Grace was doing everything in her power to get her healthy, feeding her every two hours like clockwork. I heard a knock on my door and froze. Since I was in Jack's room, I figured it would be Jack, but I was still afraid my father would come running in to take Rory from me once again. When the door opened, I was relieved to see Jack.

"How is she?" He asked timidly as he closed the door behind him.

"Better than yesterday," I replied, "She's still spitting up most of the milk though."

Jack smiled fondly at the little girl, leaning over to kiss her head.

"You look tired," he said as he sat beside me, "Let me watch her for you, get some rest."

"I'm fine," I replied quietly.

"No you're not," he argued, holding out his hands, "Please, get some rest."

I reluctantly handed Rory over to him and pulled the covers over my body. I silently watched as he rocked Rory. For some reason, she always slept better when he had her. It's almost as if she knew what he as done for her and felt protected with him.

"You do well with her," I whispered.

"The women love me," he smirked.

"She's a baby, Jack." I chuckled, "Besides, I don't think she'd find you as attractive as you think."

"Of course she would," he smiled, "What's not to love?"

I watched them for a little while longer, before my thoughts drifted to my father. I began to think about how he wasn't there for my mother. Her last memory of him was his unsuccessful attempt to kill her last baby. She didn't even live long enough to see if she made it out alive.

"Whatever is going through your head, stop it." Jack said as he looked over at me, "None of this was your fault."

"I know, I was just thinking about my mother. Her last memory was of my father taking Rory and leaving her to die." I said, tears stinging my eyes, "She didn't deserve that, she didn't deserve any of it."

"You're wrong," he said quietly.

"Jack, she was like a mother to you, how could you say-"

"Her last memory, wasn't of Hector." He explained, "It was of you and your words. The last thing you said to her before she died was 'I love you'. No one, not even Hector, can ruin that."

Tears started to fall as a sob racked through my body. Jack silently laid Rory in her bed before turning to console me. He pulled me into his chest and rested his chin on the top of my head. He rubbed circles on my back for a long time. I felt my body instinctively lean towards his, his warmth soothing me as the tears began to slow. He slipped his finger underneath my chin to make me look up at him.

"Your mother loved you with all her heart. She loved all of you. What your father did, leaving her like that, was awful, but even then she loved him. She knew you would take care of Rory." He whispered, "She knew that as long as you were here, everything was going to be alright. You've done everything you could these passed few days to take care of your siblings. Hell, even me. Don't think for a second she wasn't leaving them in good hands."

I offered a weak smile as the door began to freak open. Grace's green eyes stared greeted us as she walked in.

"Is this a bad time?"

"No, I was just leaving," Jack said as he stood, "Do you mind watching Rory, after you feed her, for a It? Ace needs to rest."

"I don't mind at all."

"Thank you Grace," he said before turning to face me, "I'll see you in a bit."

I nodded before burying my face in the pillows. While Grace fed Rory, I allowed myself to drift of into sleep. Dreaming about my mother and how much I wished she was here.

Man, these passes two chapters were sad to write. I even cried 😭

Hope you guys enjoyed them and cried with me 😂

Love you guys!!