REMEMBER OUR LOVE (Pirate Series - Book 2) (BOOKS 1, 2, 3 COMPLETE)

Remember Our Love Chapter 20

As we docked at the Island I sat at the dresser brushing my hair trying to get knots out that my love making with Tom had caused.

He took the brush, "Here let me help," he said.

He gently lifted my hair from the back of my neck and brushed the ends working out the knots without pulling my hair. It reminded me of the way he was with little Rosie a few days ago when she wanted to go out to play but her hair needed brushing and I was finishing off in the kitchen.

"Daddy, you do it," she said impatiently pushing the brush at him. To my surprise he lifted her up on to a stool and brushed her hair. He even plaited it and tied the ribbons on.

"What?" he asked as I gave him an astonished look. "I have sisters, very demanding sisters and braiding hair is just like mending fishing nets."

Rosie was ecstatic with her hair and stroked her hands over it before kissing him with gusto. He helped her down as she ran out to the play shouting "Thomas come see what our daddy did to my hair, it's beautiful? I love him!" she yelled making Tom beam at me.

Though day dreams were lovely it was time for me to get back to reality and the challenge I was about to face.

Tom left to go up on deck and I changed into some clean dry clothes he had packed for me and took some deep calming breaths. I felt so strange, a mixture of various feelings rushed through my body each taking a swipe at me stealing my breath. I was anxious, terrified, nauseous, scared and determined but felt weak.... The door knocked and Virginia entered.

I looked up at her as I tried to take some deep calming breaths. She turned and left the room.

Robert entered as I continued to sit on the end of the bed and breathe slowly through my nose. I looked at him and continued my fight against the terror that threatened to envelop me.

"That enough, she isn't going," he said, as I tried to focus on confronting my fears by trying to think about something else.

"Ella?" he said, "Ella, look at me," he repeated as he knelt down in front of me. "You don't have to do this? I will take you back. You just stay here."

I stared at him and shook my head. I had to do it. I again tried to focus on my breathing, slowly in and out through my nose. My mouth shut tight for fear I might scream.

"Thomas she is not going just look at the state of her, I won't stand for it. She has been pushed far enough," I heard Robert say as I tried to block out his voice and concentrate on staying calm.

"Ella?" Tom called. I could hear him but my concentration was fixed on my breathing. "What has happened to her?"

"She is terrified that is what is wrong with her! Her whole body is shaking in fear, just look at her hands. Her tears are falling so fast we could all drown in we stay in here with her. She has tried Thomas just as she has tried all of these years without you but enough is enough and as the head of this family I am putting my foot down, she is not going. She has tried to go several times before but is just not ready to take that step. It took us a long time to get her back on the Island and that meant she had to trust that we would never force her to face that grave. You are breaking my promise to her and her father. I couldn't even go myself for the longest time and neither could Virginia we are all feeling the effects of your decision. I didn't bury your daughter, Shadow, Frank, Ted and your brothers gave her a pirates funeral along with the villagers. We were taking care of Rosie and trying to keep both her and your wife alive," Robert admitted, it was the first time I had heard him speak about the funeral. I had always assumed he had buried his granddaughter but how could he if he was at my fathers with me. "Shadow and the others took the baby back to the Island flanked by ships. They sang her songs; they drank to your grandfathers memory and asked him aboard to escort her home. The wind picked up the sails and took her to the Island. Ella's mother had made the baby a dress, bonnet and booties, she was wrapped in a blanket with her name embroidered in gold. The villagers blessed her as your brother Robert held her in his arms. She was barely the size of his hand. They say your brothers and sisters gave her lots of cuddles and kisses, told her how beautiful she was and how we all love her and were going to miss her being in our lives. The ships guns sounded at a minutes distance and she was at peace."