Bonnie looked behind her.
I hurried across the cargo hold. “It’s her, oh Bon it’s her,” I managed. “I mean, it’s her remains.” I sank to my knees and drew my fists to my mouth. “She was my friend,” I explained as I stared into the lifeless, still-open eyes of Monica Joan. “The Chinese killed her before they threw me overboard. I heard them have their turns at her—” I sucked in a breath. “Then I heard her die.”
A tear eked from my eye, followed by another. I fell into Bon’s open arms.
“Come on,” she whispered. “Let me take you to Jack. I’ll take care of Monica Joan.”
I stifled a sniffle and looked at Bon as we made our way back to the stairs. “How did you know her name?”
“You called her name when you were asleep. Promised you were coming to help her.” Bon picked up the lantern and helped me up the stairs. “Tell Jack I’ll bring his precious sword up later.”
•
Jack stood at my side as we stitched the last of the thirteen stitches into the old hammock that had become Monica Joan’s tomb. Thankfully, Bon had been the one to find the hammock and place Monica Joan’s body inside, along with the cannonballs that would ensure she sank to her rest and didn’t float for eternity– so I didn’t have to be the one to do so.
Bon joined Jack and me. “She had some personal effects on her.” Bon produced a folded sheet of paper. “This letter. Sealed and hidden in a pocket in her torn shirt. Don’t know how the pirates missed it, but I’m glad they did.”
Fresh tears spilled down my cheeks as Jack accepted it. He turned it over in his hands. “It’s addressed to someone. It’s only right that it reaches its intended.”
We stood at the side of The Black Otter. Jack cleared his throat. “I am going to try and do this from memory as I’ve presided over my fair share of burials at sea.” Jack cleared his throat again. “For as much as it hath pleased Almighty God of his great mercy to take unto himself the soul of our dear sister, Monica Joan, here departed, we therefore commit her body to the deep, to be turned into corruption, looking for the resurrection of the body, when the sea shall give up her dead, and the life of the world to come through Our Lord Jesus Christ who at His coming shall change our vile body, that it may be like His glorious body, according to the mighty working, whereby He is able to subdue all things to Himself.”
He nodded to Bon, who returned his nod and pushed Monica Joan’s body into the sea.
A splash resounded as the remains of my friend, whom I failed when she needed me the most, fell to their watery grave. A sense of finality hung about the deck. After what seemed an eternity, Bon coughed.
She pointed to her girls as they boarded The Molly Maiden. “We’re going to port for supplies. I’ll make sure Monica Joan’s letter is posted.”
A smile flickered across Jack’s bruised face. “I’m much obliged.” He handed it back to her. “I’ve no doubt you will.”
Bon looked at me and grinned. I could tell she was forcing it. “Hard enough being a woman in a man’s world. Us gals have to stick together, don’t we?”
I tried to smile, but my lips failed to comply. In fact, they began to tremble.
“Ah, come now Red.” Bon grabbed my hand and spun me around in a circle on the deck. “Chin up, girl, life is only life. Live it and let it be.”
She laughed as she danced me over the deck of my ship until I had no choice but to laugh, too.
Bon whirled me round and round then dipped me backward. Jack was there, upside down. He was smiling, too.
Bon pulled me up and pressed her lips to mine. My heart pounded in my chest and a heat surged through me.
Jack.
Jack’s voice met my ears. “Kissing my wife, eh Bonnie?”
Bon released me, my cheeks aflame.
“You know I hate that name, Jack.” Unlike me, Bon never blushed. Now was no exception. “Ole Jacky. You wouldn’t have your ship, your life, or your woman if not for me.”
Jack extended his hand. It was then I noticed that he was smiling, too. Bon took it and gave it a shake.
In jest, Jack looked up Bon’s sleeve. “Still got a card or three hidden in that sleeve, Bon?”
She jerked her hand back and laughed. “Still can’t accept that I beat you at cards, eh?”
“I wound up paying you all of my debt and then some!”
The pair shared a laugh.
“Debt?” I smiled through the confusion.
Bon and Jack shared another look. Bon scratched her nose and looked away. “Like I told you, Red, The Black Otter was once our best ship.”
My stomach went queasy as Angel-Arse Hazel’s freckled face dominated my mind. I wish I hadn’t asked.
“Anyway,” Bon continued. “I tried to get this wife of yours to sail off with me, and she wouldn’t do it. Guess she loves you, or something.”
Uneasiness gone as quickly as it had come, Jack shook his head. “Trying to recruit my woman as one of your working girls, Bon? I’m relieved she said no!”
Bon slapped her knee. “You think I’d let a gem such as her go to work? Bah, I invited her to come with me and share my ship. And my bed!”
Both captains shared a roaring laugh while I stood, confused, with my face flaming.
“Goodbye, old friend,” Jack said. “I think I’ll retire. Red, take your time in saying goodbye.” He offered me a bruised wink. “Just make sure she doesn’t challenge you to a game of cards.”
He gave my hand a squeeze before disappearing down the stairs with a limp, into the quarters we shared.
“I suppose this is—” I started. Before I could get any semblance of a proper goodbye off my tongue, Bon quieted me by pressing her lips to mine. She kissed me with such force, that I found myself pressed up against the side of The Black Otter with Bon’s body pressed against mine.