Secrets of the Past

Chapter 15

When Joshua and Jack finally retired for the night it was barely after sunset. They were so tired and Abigail felt bad. It was just her and Angelica laying together staring at the stars.

Angelica was telling her about being abandoned on the island. "When I was there all I could think about was you. I wanted to find you, but I also had to let you go. My mind went back and forth back and forth. I also thought about hurting Jack, but for some reason couldn't bring myself to do it."

"If I hadn't got on the boat would you have ever told papa about me?" Abigail smiled after she said it. It was exciting to call him papa, but even more to say mama because she had never got to say it to anyone.

Angelica exhaled. "Probably not. They night we, when you were conceived, he was so sure he never wanted kids, and I knew he'd freak out if I told him 18 years later."

"Continue with your story."

"When I saw you for the first time on the Black Pearl, I had in my mind I'd find you, but then I knew I couldn't tear your life apart when I saw you. I tried to get Jack to leave you somewhere, but he wouldn't. I would have made sure you made it home, though."

"Do you still love papa?"

Angelica thought for a moment. Jack was asleep, but still might here her. She nodded, but Abigail couldn't see her. "I do."

Abigail heard stirring in the jungle in the middle of the night. She looked around, but it was too quiet and she couldn't see anything. She stuck her left elbow out and pulled her self that way closer to the fire and threw a log on trying to make it bigger so if it was an animal it would run it off.

She heard the noise again a few minutes later and threw another log on the fire and stirred it again. She crawled on her other elbow to wake Angelica. "Mama," she said quietly while she shook her.

Angelica sat up. "Whats the matter?"

"I heard something." Abigail pointed over to where she heard branches and bushes being rattled.

Angelica stood up and strapped her sword belt around her waste. She walked over to where Jack slept and woke him. "Jack," she kicked him. "Jack, get up."

He groaned and opened his eyes. "Why are you waking me?"

"Someone or something's found us."

Angelica walked to the side of the fire opposite of them to take whatever there was on, being followed by Jack, while Abigail elbow crawled. She crawled around past Jack's bed resting there, and then over to the next fire and tried to find Joshua. It wasn't hard since he was the first one she saw. She woke him and he jumped up and grabbed his sword and stood with Jack and Angelica.

There was more rustling and Angelica narrowed her eyes and clutched her sword more tightly. They heard a horse neigh and familiar faces emerged. On the horse sat Barbossa and Teague walked beside him, his face as serious as usual.

Teague took Angelica's arm and led her to privacy. "Have you told them yet?"

Angelica nodded. "Yes."

He smiled. "I knew it'd come out. How did Jack and Abigail feel about it?"

"Jack wished he'd known sooner and Abigail was heartbroken. You were right. I should have told Jack, he wanted to know Abigail earlier and all she's ever known has been destroyed."

They walked back out to see Barbossa and Jack talking, and Abigail finally making her way from Joshua's camp. It looked more like an argument and it looked like it kept Abigail amused. She moved her head back and forth to whoever was speaking.

Abigail saw the look of relief on Jack and Anglicans face when the two men emerged. She was relieved that they weren't bad people, but noticed one of them. She noticed the man with crosses in his hair, and the many wrinkles. It was Jack's father; It was papa's father; It was grandpa. Angelica had told Teague about her possible existence, and wondered if he was ever told for sure.

Abigail poked Joshua's leg like a child. He looked down at her and she held out her left hand signaling she wanted to stand. "Are you sure about this?"

She nodded, and tightly clutched his strong arm and stood on her feet. She slung her arm around his wide shoulders for support. He slid his right arm across her back and laid it on her side to help steady her. They walked together to Teague and Angelica who were watching Jack and Barbossa argue from the shadows.

"Does he know?" Abigail asked a similar question to Teague's own. Angelica gave a small smile and a nod. "Hello, grandpa." Abigail said quietly showing that she knew who he was.

He smiled. "Hello, love." Teague walked over to the horse Barbossa abandoned when they got there. "Heard my granddaughter got hurt, and didn't think she could walk."

Abigail smiled, and walked over and petted the eating white mare. She ran her hand across her shoulder before taking a handful of hair and tried to lift herself. She sat there for a moment because she had no idea how to go about it. Abigail heard a grunt and felt her being lifted by her feet. It was Teague and then Angelica pushed her on her butt and she lifted her own right leg and sat.

She saw Jack's smile. "Never have I loved you more," He told his father.

"Me either," Joshua said and then made a face. "That didn't sound right."

"Granddaughter?" Barbossa asked. He looked back and forth between Abigail and Jack. "You don't have a brother do you?"

Jack shook his head. "Abigail is mine and Angelica's daughter."

Barbossa was confused and looked not only between Jack and Abigail, but them and Angelica. "When did this happen?"

"I'm 17," Abigail said from her position on the horse.

Barbossa just looked at them and didn't say anything. He then went over and stared into the glowing flames dumbfounded.

Abigail turned to the side and slowly slid off the horse until her feet hit the ground. She let out a groan because even though she slowed down for a second, the last part gravity room affect and she couldn't hold on to the mare as well.

"Are you okay?" Angelica asked coming to her and laying a hand on her upper arm.

Abigail nodded and slipped her arm around her mothers shoulder and she helped her to her bed. Everyone else followed behind and went to sleep, except for Teague and Barbossa who had to set camp up. Abigail was the last one still awake since she didn't do much that day, unlike her father and beau who went to sleep almost as soon as their head hit the pillow.