Wanderlust

10 | The Final Brawl

I should've known.

She moved. She took the money and moved to somewhere most likely bigger and better.

I thought she left, ready to live off a better life until I heard noises coming from the back of the house. I looked down the street and found a small truck packed with brown boxes-

She's still moving. She's still here.

"Mama!" I shout while running inside the house towards the backyard.

I hear the front door opening, I turn to see Catherine, Angelo, Lafayette and Philip walk in but I don't pay them any mind, I walk out through the back and find the woman I've been missing

My mother.

Just as fast as my hopes rise is just as fast as they fall.

My eyes meet the man I've despised for what feels like an eternity, the man who I tried to get so far away from, the man who's been against me this entire time.

James.

He beat us. He's here first.

I don't know what I was expecting. Maybe for my mother to open her arms and except me. Says she misses me and maybe an apology. But it was all false hope that I should've never thought about it in the first place; because the look she gives me hurts worse than when she sold me.

She gives me a nasty look. An awful look of disappointment mixed with pity.

"Mami..."

"What happened?" She asks in spanish.

I know James hates when I speak my language only because he doesn't understand what we're saying and it gives him a lack of control. "I left him."

As I speak another language I watch his face change to annoyance. "Why?"

"He treated me badly."

I could go into specifics with everything he did to me but I waited for her response. If she still accepts him, I don't know how this will turn out. What mother would allow a man to marry her daughter after hearing everything he did?

My mother.

She instructs me seriously, this time not being gentle like before. She's forcing me this time. "You're going with this man."

"He is no man." I scowl. "He raped me the moment we left. His men manhandled me and left me bruises." I showed her the already faded brushes on my forearms, upperarms, wrist and neck. "He locked me up below his ship in a modly and dirty bunker." I tell her the truth and watch as James stares in confusion, not being able to intervene.

"He does not love me. He never will and I won't change him. He is no husband, definetly not mine, and I will not stay with him- I don't care how much money he gives you."

My moms face falters while looking to James in disbelief. "Whatever she told you she's lying."

Her expression shifts "This was a great opportunity for-"

"No. This was a great opportunity for you, not me."

A long silent moment passes "I'm sorry my love." Her face changes to sadness as she apologies, though she doesn't show any physical affection.

For a second I question what she's apologizing for, is she about to give me back to James or end the deal? Both don't seem like they'd end well.

James looks furious as my mother turns to him "I want to end the deal." She tells him with her accent.

"That's not how this works." He folds his arms and walks towards her.

"Well that's how this will work." She finally speaks with her stern latin voice, I haven't heard her speak like that in so long. "We didn't make any legal agreement, I didn't sign any papers. You leave my family alone."

His jaw clenches and body radiates so much anger. I step closer to them and Angelo follows. "You heard her." He tells James.

"For once in your life, mind your own buisness." He hisses.

"For once in your life, respect a woman." Angelo goes back at him.

Something in James gets triggered, his facial expression switches to an angry one I've never seen before.

That expression changed everything.

At that exact moment the entire problem switched, changed down a different path. This no longer was about us, James couldn't care less about me. I meant nothing to him, I wouldn't be a big loss and I know that.

It switched to Angelo. His focus and anger was no longer at me or my mother, but to Angelo.

It was a well awaited fight was between Angelo and James. It was like an explosion ticking for an uncertain amount of time, and now everything was coming up in flames.

James swipes his sword out an points it at Angelos neck, my mother who was standing between them stumbles back and fear with a small yelp.

Angelo slings his sword out and slashes it against his causing a loud sound of clashing metal. "I win, you leave them alone." Angelo states calmly.

James smirks "Oh, we're betting on this now?"

My mother, not knowing english that well looks at them in fear and confusion.

I understand Angelos trying to help but I don't really like them using my current situation as a bet.

"I win, I keep her, all your property and land." He smirks.

I'm not scared on the deal they're making, Angelo looks strong, he is. He's also gotten into a brawl with James before and won, I didn't fear him loosing until Catherine shouts "No."

The two dramatic men look at her "Angelo, you're not betteing your property with him."

"You have no say in this, stay in your place." James interupts.

Catherine's attitude changes, with anger and annoyance she swings her sword out as well. "My place? I'm the first mate." She smiles, then slashes her sword against the back of James legs causing his pants to rip and blood to drip down.

James looks back at his men as another brawl occurs. Each crew member going against another, more vigorously than before.

I look for my mother but one of James men grabs me from behind and starts dragging me away from the fight.

He's trying to take me, now while everyone's heavily distracted.

And I'm not letting him, I'm not letting one of his men manhandle me. Not again. Never again.

I don't struggle this time.

The man very subtly loosens his grip, when we get to the carriage I kick him in his groin. He winces in pain and lets go of me. Then grabbing one of the fallen bricks from my house and smashing it over his head causing him to collapse on the grass and blood to drip from the left side of his forehead.

Taking his weapons, I take the gun in his boot and place it in mine, then grab his sword and make my way towards the back of my house.

I'm not going without a fight.