After meeting Pendleton, we visited the cabin on his land where Mauricia and America were staying. They were washing clothes on the porch that went around the perimeter of the building and hanging them on a line. Newly washed white sheets billowed in the wind - a cold wind but the sun was out so it was nice sitting on the porch.
"You ladies like it here?" I said. "Seems like you have settled in nicely."
"Yes, it's great to have a place of our own after that cramped ship," Mauricia said.
"I actually love it here. It's quite good," said America, "and the captain was so generous to let us live here. But when are you going to join us?"
"Um, tell'em Jack," I said.
"Um, sure. Well this is how it is," said Jack.
"Yes?" said Mauricia. "Tell us how it is Jackie my love."
Jack, for once, was having trouble getting the words out.
I finally said, "Um. We intend to enlist in the army if war comes." I expected that they would be totally against it.
"Oh no you don't! That wasn't the deal," said Mauricia. "You boys are going to be staying right here in Charleston with us. We didn't come across the Atlantic Ocean just so you wonderboys could desert us and go adventure-seeking again! No way!"
"Look girlies, there ain't gonna be no debate here. It is our duty to fight for the south and we won't turn this into a debate. You'll stay and we'll go. It's that simple. That's been the plan and that's how it is!" Jack said.
"What'll happen to us if you two go off to war?" said America. "We have nowhere to go and are completely dependent upon you and Jeremy."
"You'll just have to go live with our parents – there's no other solution," I said. "If war comes, we'll need to defend the south. And it's going to come, sooner rather than later. You can stay here for a little while," I said, "but Pendleton lost his bid for command of a ship to do blockade-running when the war comes and he's leaving, and he's losing his property to the ship's owners so, maybe you could stay a few months here and then live with our folks. That's all we can offer right now."
"Well, we ain't accepting this no way," said Mauricia. "Com'on America, let's take a walk along the river and talk 'bout what we want to do!"
"Yeah, let's go sis!," said America.
YOU ARE READING
Jack: Book 3 in the Trilogy
Adventure"A rollicking adventure!" The trilogy is now complete. I plan to publish Jack: Book 3, by August 1, 2017 as well as a separate volume with all three parts. Until then enjoy Books 1-3 here on Wattpad. I completed the trilogy on May 30, 2017. The c...
